• Welcome to Hair loss Experiences hair loss forum.

    Free impartial hair loss advice, hair transplant advice, hair loss medications and hair loss news.
    You can contact us directly at [email protected] if you experience any problems.

What does Cobblestoning mean?

V

Viking

member
So I'm doing my research and i keep seeing the term cobblestoning pop up. What does it mean? I know it's not a good thing but I'm not sure what it means exactly and if there's anything I should do to avoid it?
 
Westminster Medical Group

Westminster Medical Group

London, UK
Hi Viking,

Cobblestoning / ridging occurs when the follicular units are planted with too much excess tissue, or the incision hole depth is incorrect. This results in a raised ring of skin surrounding each graft once healed. This is typically down to surgeon and team error and looks rather unpleasant on hairlines especially. We’ve repaired many unnatural hairlines with excess ridging over the years. Some men wet shave the area repeatedly to help reduce the raised skin, with others seeking laser resurfacing and dermabrasion treatment.

13.jpg


Cobblestone Repair Case.jpg
 
V

Viking

member
Thanks for the explaining exactly what it is and adding the photographs to illustrate. I'm now convinced I would have made a monumental mistake if I hadn't joined here first to ask questions.
 
Westminster Medical Group

Westminster Medical Group

London, UK
You're welcome Viking :)

Always best to take your time and do thorough research (y)
 
P

profilehair01

member
Any lumpy appearance of the trachea, lungs, etc. caused by regular nodules.
 
JoeTillman

JoeTillman

Valued member
To dig deeper into what Westminster Medical Group stated, while technically they are correct with their explanation, the image they shared demonstrates "tenting" rather than actual cobblestoning. Tenting is a less cosmetically visible form of cobblestoning and is sometimes considered to be a separate classification.

Cobblestoning proper is a bit more severe as seen here...


attachment.php
 
Westminster Medical Group

Westminster Medical Group

London, UK
Thanks for the additional photo Joe - a great example of cobblestoning!

We recently consulted a poor chap who had 1.5mm mini grafts implanted into his hairline via strip. The gentleman is a hair dresser and looking to have a repair and film his entire journey. Watch this space!

He's currently 7 months post op and has lots of recipient scarring & ridging / cobblestoning occurring. Shocking these procedures are still carried out in Europe!


WMG repair case.png
 
Last edited:
E

Elusive011

member
Hi Viking,

Cobblestoning / ridging occurs when the follicular units are planted with too much excess tissue, or the incision hole depth is incorrect. This results in a raised ring of skin surrounding each graft once healed. This is typically down to surgeon and team error and looks rather unpleasant on hairlines especially. We’ve repaired many unnatural hairlines with excess ridging over the years. Some men wet shave the area repeatedly to help reduce the raised skin, with others seeking laser resurfacing and dermabrasion treatment.

View attachment 9259

View attachment 9260

Sorry for reviving an older post but I had a FUT procedure in 2016. I was young when I did it and recently started shaving my head. Unfortunately I have cobblestone, it’s more apparent now that I’m shaving. Today, I wet shaved and noticed that my head felt much smoother (baby butt smooth) than just buzzing it. You could definitely see the cobblestone still, but it seems to be much less visible. Also my head doesn’t feel like I have a bunch of pimples on it as opposed to buzzing it. Would constantly Wet shaving for a few months possibly reduce it?


I started shaving with the intent of getting micro-pigmentation to cover the scar a bit. I know it won’t be perfect but I’m sure it’ll look better than my scar as is. I still take all my hair loss treatment since I started shaving, Incase I decide to get another HT done in the future.
 
Last edited:
E

Elusive011

member
@JoeTillman this is the best photo I could get. It’s visible when the light shines right on it. After reading your post. I think my case seems to be tenting? Do you think wet shaving could help? What are my options? Any advice is appreciated.

This photo is not after a wet shave btw!

280B248C-50FF-4B38-BC65-B0DA7E7B21E3.png
 
S

SeanFUE

member
Here is my own sufferring- cobblestoning with ridging. :(

i didnt deserve this and was really harmed
Glad surgeon can sleep with peace at night, can make money, buy marketing and so forth, while i suffer and keep trying to find a solution to get out of this mess. Surgeon had the nerve to say he didnt see any cobblestoning or ridging in writing after pictures were sent. Greatly negatively impacted my well being overall. I am really hoping i can get out of this.

3F417F41-8B58-4F89-9D22-3E6554D72B54.jpeg
 
F

Fidget23

member
Here is my own sufferring- cobblestoning with ridging. :(

i didnt deserve this and was really harmed
Glad surgeon can sleep with peace at night, can make money, buy marketing and so forth, while i suffer and keep trying to find a solution to get out of this mess. Surgeon had the nerve to say he didnt see any cobblestoning or ridging in writing after pictures were sent. Greatly negatively impacted my well being overall. I am really hoping i can get out of this.

View attachment 11779
Hey, did you solve your problem? I’m going through something very similar—how long post op is that picture?
 
F

Filename Arial

member
The cause of pitting is the placement of the grafts below the flat skin edge
Here is my own sufferring- cobblestoning with ridging. :(

i didnt deserve this and was really harmed
Glad surgeon can sleep with peace at night, can make money, buy marketing and so forth, while i suffer and keep trying to find a solution to get out of this mess. Surgeon had the nerve to say he didnt see any cobblestoning or ridging in writing after pictures were sent. Greatly negatively impacted my well being overall. I am really hoping i can get out of this.

View attachment 11779

Were you able to seek out a competent repair surgeon?
 
K

Kelvino1987

Valued member
To dig deeper into what Westminster Medical Group stated, while technically they are correct with their explanation, the image they shared demonstrates "tenting" rather than actual cobblestoning. Tenting is a less cosmetically visible form of cobblestoning and is sometimes considered to be a separate classification.

Cobblestoning proper is a bit more severe as seen here...


attachment.php



Hi Joe, I never realised what cobblestoning was until coming across this thread, and I was just curious if this was an example of cobblestoning? This was taken during a PRP session around 15 months post FUE procedure.

CD2D2644-44B4-494A-B9AB-BE3F9F4627BF.png
 
JoeTillman

JoeTillman

Valued member
That is not so much cobblestoning as potentially the base of the hairs being pulled up. On it's own, that would be closer to "tenting".
 
S

Salazar

member
Here is my own sufferring- cobblestoning with ridging
I'm sorry to hear about your negative experience and I hope that you're able to find a solution. If you don't mind my asking, who was the surgeon?
 
Top