1) How low in the donor area can a strip be taken? My head/scalp is much more elastic in the lower region compared to higher up on the back of the head. Is the area, slightly above the neck but also above the very lowest point on the hair of the back of the head, useable?

2) I don't know about anyone else, but my hair used to be a much different texture, before I started losing it. It is now much more coarse and dark, where it used to be more straight and a bit lighter in color. I'm not sure why this would be, except that maybe it is some kind of DHT side effect?

3) Is it common for one side of the scar to be slightly raised? I read about someone who had this issue and they found out that there was a cyst underneat it, but it was promptly removed. Mine has been this way for a while, it doesn't hurt, and I think it's been getting better - but i'm not positive. Maybe the scar just needs more time, since it's still a week until I'm even 4 months post op.

That's all for now.

1. You can't go too low because you'll reach the nape/neck area and that doesn't heal well, so you could get a big scar. I think usually it's about an inch and a bit up from where your actual skull starts at the back - so far away from your neck bones.

2. DHT can sometimes cause hair around the sideburns and upper ears to turn into hair that's similar to your beard. They've had studied done that showed this was androgen related. The hair in question will not grow very long, and will tend to be coarser relative to what it was before androgens took effect (ie - it used to be straight and long in the region).

3. Not too sure, you should probably speak to your doctor about it.

D--- if you feel the base of your skull, right in the middle is a bump called the occipital protuberance----- if you put your finger right on that and slide it down right under it, that is as low as ANY surgeon should go. After closure, your scar should be right above the bump itself, not on it.
UM4L, brings up a good point about the nape area, so your doc should be paying close attention to that as well, since your hair can thin in that are as well.

quote:

Originally posted by the B spot:
D--- if you feel the base of your skull, right in the middle is a bump called the occipital protuberance----- if you put your finger right on that and slide it down right under it, that is as low as ANY surgeon should go. After closure, your scar should be right above the bump itself, not on it.
UM4L, brings up a good point about the nape area, so your doc should be paying close attention to that as well, since your hair can thin in that are as well.

Based on that, I should have room for a cut right above that bump and just below the first transplant cut.