I was hoping some of you HT veterans would share with me your experiences with your Donor Scar.

I'm looking in particular for experiences with the absorbable stitches.

I currently am 42 days post op. While the actual scar looks pretty good, I still have red "dots" where the stitches went in and were tied. I was wondering if this redness will ever go away.

Most of the pictures I've seen of donor scars on this web site don't have these red "dots".

midnight


i am 2 and half months post op and i had the
absorbable sutures as you did and i also had
the same problem.red dots and very pink and
red donor scar,however it is getting lighter
and lighter every day,at your point of 1 and
a half months mine was very red,but at 2 months
plus,lighter and lighter each day so don't worry
it does get lighter and better. i too was concerned and checked around as to why it was red
so long,what i was told was that i was not
aggressive enought post op in showering and hindered the healing by being too easy,so scrub
away,good luck.

While we are on the subject of Donor scar healing – I am three weeks out and on the far end of my scar I have a swelling that hasn’t subsided. I had the dissolving stitches and staples in my head. I kept the staples in for 9 days. Before they were removed the swelling was like a small bird egg. I reported it by phone to the HT Surgeon and the receptionist relayed the message. My apt. to have the staples removed was made with my local doctor so the receptionist informed me to have it examined then. My local doctor didn’t take my appointment and I was consequently scheduled with a nurse who removed my staples. The nurse said there was no discharge or appearance of any infection but that I was to keep an eye on it (a little difficult when it is on the back of my own head). Since the staples were taken out the bulge has gone down considerably, but I am still a little worried. I’ve never had a bump on my head last this long. The spot is now the size of a dime and it hurts when it is pressed on. I expect this swelling can easily occur and that it is just probably a pinched gland…. Has anyone else experienced this? I am mostly bothered because it seems like any abnormality like this would affect the healing process and how noticeable the scar is going to be later on. If it were flush and without the bump I would have a better chance of the scar healing properly.

I have had 3 transplants in the past 7 years. The first two were with Dr. True of E&T and the most recent Feb 8th 2002 with Dr. Shapiro.

My procedure went very smoothly and I am looking forward to seeing ther results soon. My only real concern has been with the donor scar area. I had a 30cm incision from ear to ear which yielded 2170 grafts. Although generally the healing has progressed fine, I have had a problem. In about the 4th week I started picking at what seemed like scabs. To my amazement I eventually found myself pulling out 3 one inch pieces of thread - right out from under the scalp! I called the Shapiro in Minneapolis and the very helpful nurse told me that some dissolvable stitches had been used every few inches to secure the main stitches and that sometimes they simply do not dissolve. She assured me they would all eventually make there way out . Around teh remaining areas are dark red and are clearly different looking from the rest. I reckon I still have 3 more in there.

The idea of using dissolvable stitches for the main donor scar sounds very appealing avoiding having to have them removed. However this problem I have encountered is apparently not uncommon and the reason why Dr. Shapiro doesn't use them in such a way.

I have never seen this subject discussed anywhere before.

I am scheduled with Dr. Harris next week for 2000 FU's. I have read your posts with great interest. My question to you is this: did Dr Harris address your concerns and or problems after the procedure? You had many posts asking questions and just wondered if he was of any help. Also, do you recommend him?

Thanks

to rb1,

Every post that you read from me, was also addressed to Dr. Harris either through email or telephone call. He has and continues to answer every one of my questions (I asked one yesterday and received an email back from him this morning).

The reason I posted was just to get other opinions. The fact of the matter is that the responses I got back from the posts from either Dr's or HT veterans were right in line with the responses I got back from Dr. Harris.

I had a rough time with the healing part. Everybody is different. Based on posts on this site, some guys seem to heal in a week. Some have FU's growing in a couple of weeks. I am not one of those.

Obviously my results are not in yet...but up to now, I would highly recommend Dr. Harris. Once again, based on what I've read on this site, Dr. Harris's procedure falls right in line with the procedure's of other recommended doctors on this site.

The only thing I would do differently is if the stitches in the donor site have not dissolved within the ten days, I would go and have them removed. I did end up going back to Dr. Harris's office and have them removed, I just waited to long. They were starting to bother me. They didn't hurt, just uncomfortable. It felt so good once they were removed.

If in 6 to 9 months my results are what I hope they are, and I have the money, I would go back to Dr. Harris for more.

Good Luck to you. Keep us posted.