Can you guys please describe each of these conditions to me?? I am getting a little nervous that one of these may be developing. However, i dont know what each of these means or looks like, so I am very scared...

Thanks guys

jenn

Hypertrophic scarring would be something that you might see in a donor scar. Hypertrophy just means "growth" or enlargement. Technically that can happen in the front I suppose, but I personally think of it in regards to the donor scar. If you started out with a small donor scar and it got bigger, that would be a hypertrophic scar.

Ridging is something that can happen in the recipient area. Here is my limited understanding of it, I may be off or missing some facts on this one... Larger grafts tend to disrupt the scalp more. This can cause scarring in the sub-layers (sorry I don't know the technical term). When you have a row of this scarring happen, it appears to be a ridge, when you see the combined result. The scalp juts up a little bit. Factors would be the size of the grafts (the main factor I believe), your own healing characteristics (if you tend to form larger scars than average) and possibly skill of the clinic in creating the sites and placing the grafts. Again, it's caused by scarring below the surface.

By the way, the bump you mentioned in your other thread may just be an ingrown hair or infection... don't panic.

Cobblestoning is when each individual graft looks like it is coming out of a small bump. The best transplants look like the hair is emerging from smooth beautiful scalp. When grafts are too big, it can look like the hair is emerging from an obvious graft. If the graft wasn't seated perfectly when it was placed (or you are an especially bad healer) you can have a cobblestone effect. Cobblestoning is not supposed to be an issue with real microscopically-trimmed FU grafts, because they have less excess tissue. I have heard maybe one guy say his FUs looked a little bumpy, but that is extremely rare, whereas with Minigrafts it can be fairly common.

Pitting is similar to cobblestoning except rather than a bump, it's a depression or divot. It too is caused by not being properly seated, and seems to be more of an issue with larger grafts.

I suggest you consider having a recommended HT surgeon look you over, if you are really concerned. It may calm any nervousness you have about your results. I wouldn't recommend Bosley to anyone, but going there is not a guarantee that you were messed up. Bosley is actually not the worst clinic out there, and I would wait to see what happens. It's just that there are better clinics than Bosley, and those clinics are usually cheaper too.

Don't let the bad reputation of Bosley wreak havoc on your peace of mind. You don't know what your results are yet, and they might very well be good. As your grafts heal they will change in appearance, and even flatten slightly, I believe. You are in a waiting stage, and you have to keep your fingers crossed... That would be true no matter which clinic you went to. Keep in mind it is normal to have some minor post-surgical depression, second thoughts etc, so be aware of that if it happens. That doesn't get discussed a lot, but I think it can be common.

Above all, do not panic, you may very well be in a normal healing phase.

Jenn,
I have cobblestoning from my HTs from many years ago.
I've also had FU surgery from Dr.Wong. I'm a slow healer and do tend to scar yet, the FU grafts are indistinguishable from the hair naturally growing from the scalp. I've taken extreme close up pictures with a flash to verify this. In the hands of a top surgeon, non of these conditions should be an issue.
Jim

thanks guys I really appreciate your help!!

I am really freaking gout over here. But you guys always help to ease the worry..

Thanks Again
Wish you the best
Jenn

Do you think the redness and irritation could just be attributed to the fact that I have been squeezing that area of my scalp for a couple days now?

Thanks
Jenn

Jenn,
I had squeezed along the hairline to pop ingrown hairs. They looked like teenage zits. Redness occured but soon subsided and went away completely. In some case, for the redness to disappear, it to a few weeks.
Jim

Jenn
Don't aggravate your scalp by poking at it repeatedly. Allow yourself to heal.