This week I was reviewing my hair procedure records and came across an interesting finding. We have had 9 patients who presented for hair consultation who on examination, were found to have skin cancer on their scalp who were treated for the skin cancer and subsequently had hair transplantation at our office. I would guess that I have had twice that number who were referred out for the skin cancer treatment and didn't proceed with hair surgery.

Recall that the 3 types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Basal cell and squamous cell are related to sun exposure and often present as a pearly white or scaly plaque-like areas that may itch, hurt or bleed. Melanomas are thought to be contributed by sun exposure although many melanomas occur in places not exposed to direct sunlight including the retina of the eye, nasal cavity, and peri-anal areas. Melanomas are often lesions that are like dark moles and patients should look for the A,B,C and D warning signs on there moles. A is for asymetry, B is for border irregularity, C is for color change or variation within the lesion and D is for diameter larger than a pencil eraser.

Everyone should have their family doctor do a thorough skin check yearly and people should check themselves periodically. Since sun exposure is contributory to 2 of the skin cancer types, and likely contributes to the third type as well, everyone should follow sun precautions such as sunscreens containing zinc oxide and wearing a wide brim hat.

For patients with thinning hair, that hat instruction is particularly important, and don't hesitate to apply sunscreen on the crown. Finally, it is hard for patients to self examine the crown, even with 2 mirrors, so get checked yearly.

As to the patients that we have transplanted after skin cancer surgery, we have had uniformly good results; but we wait 6 months or more, to allow for sufficient healing and adequate circulation restoration in any operated upon areas. And, if someone has had 1 skin cancer on the scalp (or anywhere) they have likely enough sun exposure to have another at some point in the future, so continued followups with the dermatologist or family doctor yearly are very important.

Dr. Lindsey www.lindseymedical.com

Dr. Lindsey,

Thanks for posting this.

Even now after 3 hair transplants, if I am going to be in the sun for an extended period of time, I wear a hat that completely covers my head. I just prefer not to have to spray sun screen in my hair to try to get to my scalp, not to mention I'd like to avoid any painful burn that I can and of course, skin cancer.

Falc

this obviously doesnt apply to uk members as we cant remember what the sun looks like

only joking(how very irrisponsible)

good advice doc.

Dr. Lindsey, Falc or anyone else:

Help me with this, please. Last Sunday I went to this fundraiser / classic car show at our local high school. Now, I'm 17 days out at that time and it was sort of overcast when I got there. I (like a dummy) didn't wear a hat and when I felt the sun affecting my scalp I went to the shade. I was there for about two hour.

My scalp is a little red but I'm not sure if it's sunburn or just after effects of the tp.
How much sunburn could do damage to a 2-week fresh hair transplant? Because, even if I got sunburned, I don't think it was by much.

Thanks.

Dewayne,

I am pretty sure you will be ok. A little bit of a burn won't be good for the transplanted area, but at the most, it will probably cause extended redness but won't impact the grafts and hair growth.

Confirm this with your physician however, and perhaps Dr. Lindsey will give us his medical opinion also.

Falc

Interesting post Doc - Thanks!

You wil be fine I am sure bro (not medical advice).
You could try some Aloe Vera on it

quote:

You could try some Aloe Vera on it

ROTFL!

There he goes again, trying to build his "side" Aloe Vera business!

Good thing I have purchased a lot of stock in it

Falc

quote:

Originally posted by spex:
You could try some Aloe Vera on it

LOL, you kill me, Spex, you really do!!

The Aloe Vera King Lives!!!!!

Kudos for warning patients on skin cancers. I recently wrote an article about Scalp cancers in hair transplant patients. I will try to get the article to falc to post. It is in the Hair Forum this past month.

Just today there was a suspicious lesion in a patients donor area that I biopsied that could be a basal cell.

Melanomas are the deadliest of skin cancers and can also occur whre the sun does not shine. See your dermatologist for a good full body skin exam.

There are shampoos and conditioners that provide UV protection. Most of the protection is for the hair - especially in the case of shampoos as they guard mostly against sun damage to the hair itself. There are leave-in conditioners, however, that double as sunscreen for the scalp.

Just a suggestion. =)

Dr. Mejia,

I'll be happy to create a hair loss Q&A blog from it like I did with Dr. Lindsey's above.

Feel free to post it on the forum or email it to me privately and I'll be happy to post it.

Thanks for joining live chat last night

Best wishes,

Falc