Ok, give it to me straight cuz I’m freaking out. Did I screw up my procedure and waste 10k.

I had the procedure done 15 days ago (2350 graphs). After 10 days my scalp became very itchy and I decided to pull off some of the scabs that were itching me. I pulled off a few scabs and the hair shaft came along with it. After a day or so, the itching got much worse and without even realizing it, I pulled off just about all of the scabs (along with the hair shaft). When I removed them, I used my finger nail and scratched them out. There was no blood. I didn’t pull off any of the scabs until at least 10 days after my procedure.

I didn’t see any bulbs (roots). Just the shaft (in some cases two and 3 shafts connected to one scab) and what appeared to be the scab which was clear.

I was extremely aggressive with the scabs in the HT area but only after 10 days. I definitely pulled out a long hair shaft along with the scab.

Non of the scabs were just scabs. They all had long hair shafts attached to them.

I’m pretty sure I didn’t remove any of the tissue. Just the hair and the scab.

There was absoultly no bleeding at all.

What’s done is done. All scabs are gone and now I look like I did before I had the HT preformed.

Did I ruin my procedure or am I ok?

- Tony

Well now i'm really confused. I'm getting mixed answers. Someone else told me I'm fine. Anytime after the first week and I cant do damage.

I thought the hair follicle itself isn’t what grows hair but the cells in the tissue. As long as that tissue wasn’t removed, it would grow hair in a few months.

I made an appointment with my doctor next Monday to so that they can examine my head to see if I did any damage.

H&W say in their post op instructions:

"Many patients are too careful when cleaning their recipient area 7 to 8 days after surgery. You must return to normal washing one week post-op. It is important to clean this area using your fingertips with the goal of having no scabs or excess build-up or crusts 8-10 days post-op. "

but it goes on to warn:

"The only activity to avoid when washing your hair is physically lifting the scalp up and down in an aggressive manor over the incision or scratching of both areas with your fingernails."

It really depend's on how well the hairs set in. You probably know that better than me. I'm sure you've got some sense and you didn't pull a scab off if the holes were still open.

Not being a doctor I can't tell you for sure, but my doc told me that after 3-4 days the hair is permanent in your scalp and after 7 days to start washing my hair normally again. When i did a bunch of scabs came off with hair shafts in them but no bulbs and he said this was normal and good. There was no bleeding as well, and in your case after 10 days I think you will be fine. Like I said I can't see your head and am not a doctor am just telling you my experience and what my doc said.

Relax I'm pretty sure that you have not ruined your grafts. After a few days the follicles will be pretty much settled into your scalp. I know how bad the itching can be but after 10 days its likely that all you scatched off were scabs. The scabs tend to hold the hair shaft in place, and these hairs that came away with them would have shed anyway. Unless the actual follicle (not the root) came out with as well. In which case there would have been bleeding and you would see it as a fleshy lump (it happened to me with 3 of them) there is no cause for concern.

Your Dr is the guy to ask.
If you go to see him tell us how it went.
I wouldn't panic just yet. 10 days post-op those follicles are fairly solid. The other big danger is infection. Wash your scalp with betadine. Your hands probably weren't sterile when you were picking.

I banged my head several times (really hard)in several places 14 days post op. Things are turning out fine.

It is really hard not to worry. Go see your doc and I think he will probably put your fears to rest.

Good luck.

Not to make you feel uncomfortable, but I'd be panicing right now. I'd say you definitely did some damage. Hopefully it's minor. After I got my HT, I slept sitting down for 3-4 days & babied my head for 2 weeks. After all, you spend $1000s of dollars & go through surgery, it only made sense. Hopefully you'll turn out ok, but you won't know until month 6-8 really.

I don't think there's a reason to panic. I got aggressive in rubbing the scabs during showers at day 11 and I'm now 124 days post op and a lot of hair has sprouted in areas where I rubbed aggressively. You should be fine. I still have 2 months to go (at least) and a lot has already sprouted.

Thanks everyone for your input. I’m feeling better.

I probably didn’t do much damage if any at all.

I'm going to meet with my doctor on Monday to examine my head for my piece of mind. I'll let everyone know how it went on Monday. But I’m sure I wont have complete piece of mind for 6 months.

Michael, I banged my head on accident (shower soap dish edge and car) Not at the same time! LOL. It seems like I was trying to be careful and not having much luck.

Anyway, things are growing and I think will come in fine. The first 6 months are a bitch. I am at about 17 weeks but feeling alot better since I can see hair coming in.

Cheers.

I just got back from my doctor. He said its highly unlikly that i did damage. but he added, theres really no way to know for sure except to wait for 3 to 6 months to see the growth.

but he said that I shouldnt worry, everything is probably fine... I'll post several follows up from 3 through 6 months to let future patients know.

I would'nt worry, when I started washing my hair again normally alot of scabs with hairs fell out in the shower, as long as you didnt draw blood you should be fine.

Heres an update you might find interesting...

I am getting laser hair removal on face (beard & mustache) and today i had a treatment. While i was there, i saw a poster on the wall which had a diagram of how hair grows. I ask the technician about how hair grows and she explained that the hair itself is not what grows and that’s why you can pull a hair out by the root and it will still grow back.

the genetic programming is in the tissue that surrounds the hair bulb (root). That’s what they are trying to kill with the laser.

When they did the HT, they didn’t just pull out the hair, they transplanted the tissue as well and it takes a few months for the tissue and endings to reconnect and flourish. That’s why it takes a few months for hair to grow after a HT.

So, I didn’t tell her I had a HT but this is reassuring that even if you pull out the hair, the tissue surrounding the bulb is what will grow hair.