Hi, I'm getting my first procedure done with Dr. Charles two weeks from today, just wondering about post-op from patients of any doctor.
Where you guys able to walk out of the office and do normal things?
What's the best way to reduce redness and speed up recovery?
How much would it cost to have the staples removed by your own doctor and how long would the staples have to be in place?
How long does it usually take for the redness to be gone and if you were to shave your head, how visible is the scar 4-5 months down the road?

stillhere,

Congrats on your decision. Dr. Charles is, as you will undoubtedly find, a true professional and very artistic.

Your appearance will resemble that of your pre-op appearance within around 2 to 3 weeks. Up until then, there will be redness, scabbing, and until they shed, the small transplanted hairs. If you have long-ish hair on the back of your head, the donor scar should be able to be concealed.

In that time, you should be able to wear a loose-fitting ball cap or a bandanna in public. Unless your occupation allows you that luxury, it is a good idea to allott yourself enough time off for recovery.

Graftcyte is popular with many patients and physicians for speeding heal time.

I guess that it would depend on your physician on the cost of staple removal.

What do you mean by "shave your head"? A scar is a scar and it will be there for life. Ideally, you should be able to buzz your donor area with a #3 or perhaps even a #2 guard and it not be noticeable. Any shorter and it will. This naturally will depend on your healing characteristics.

-Robert