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Graft/Scar Vulnerability Post Op

NotGoing2GoBald

NotGoing2GoBald

Member
I'm probably being OCD about this, but how vulnerable are your grafts and staples (scar) the first few days post op? One reason I ask is because I almost missed my flight (leaving Canada) and jogged a bit on the walker/escalator at the air port. I'm just hoping I didn't do any damage to the scar.

Also, how many days post op until you guys slept on your recipient area? Tonight will be my fourth night post op and I've been strictly sleeping on the back of my head, making sure I never roll over sleeping w/my recipient area rested on my pillow.
 
Nervousnelly

Nervousnelly

The Coolest Member
NG2GB,

I wouldn't fret. Unless you have a head the size of a watermellon there really shouldn't be any great extra force applied to the donor area with you doing a slight jog. I am assuming you didn't do the OJ Simpson airport dash?

To be perfectly honest I really can't remember when I slept normally but I would have to guess it was about 10 days or so. Whe I was showering more normally I then slept normally. They are fairly tough little buggers. I think it was Dr. Bisanga maybe that said they are quite anchored after 4 days.

NN
 
Bigmac

Bigmac

Administrator
Staff member
Hi NG.

I would not concern yourself with a slight jog either.

As for sleeping,i think i slept slightly upright for approximately 6 days maybe a little longer but i know i was very careful up until i had my sutures out at day ten.Then i was more comfortable sleeping but still had some tender spots in the donor area which made me position my head very carefully on the pillow.

I`ve read numerous times that the grafts are secure at the 4 day post op mark,so you can start to relax a bit now.

Take care bm.
 
Baldspot

Baldspot

Valued member
I agree with NG2GB and Bigmac,

Half an hour before I left for the airport a single hair graft at the front came out - I tried to gently pad it back in but no luck. Too much blood in the hole, hair too soft (like the 'trying to play snooker with a rope analogy') so I had to let it go. Then down to the hotel minibus (watch my head going in through the door) then banged the top of it on a bulkhead that came down inside - which I wasn't looking for.

I asked the driver to check my head but he said it was ok no blood. I was fuming all the way home...

Sleeping - I used the neck-brace pillow till day 10 - very good it was too. Like Bigmac I've got tender bits at the back but they are easing off.
 
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NotGoing2GoBald

NotGoing2GoBald

Member
Hey thanks guys. I knew I was going to be completely OCD/Rain man about my grafts until they were 'locked' in my head. LOL NN nah, no OJ trot :T:.

ONE MORE QUESTION: this morning, when I was in a half asleep-half awake mode I caught myself attempting to scratch my head; my fingernails are cut short and literally *IMMEDIATELY* when I felt my nail touch my scalp I realized and stopped. I had my surgery Tuesday (today is Saturday) so according to the paper work I was given today is the 5'th day, because they count surgery as day 1. Anyway, if I had done any damage to the grafts would it be visible? Everything looks perfectly fine. Again, today is day five & I'm not sure if all clinics count surgery day as day one, but even if they don't today would be day 4. So they should be locked in place, right?





Baldspot, ya it's difficult to be careful w/your head when your traveling. Everyone tells you to travel back home the day after surgery and it's not necessary to camp it out in your hotel room (which I was originally planning on doing) and I thought you'd have to be an idiot to bump your precious (newly grafted) head...BUT, people don't talk about two important elements:

Airports/Airplanes Are a Veritable Rugby Field-even if *you* are being extra cautious no one else around you knows you had surgery and isn't being extra cautious not to bump into you. Airplanes are such tight quarters, you would have to be a midget to have no worries of bumping your head on the plane. There were kids right in front of me on my flight back and when we were exiting the plane I thought for sure they were going to hit my head; and i kept imagining all of the luggage in the over head compartment falling right on my freshly planted precious. Not to mention running a bit late for a flight and having to jog to catch your plane.

Your Head is Numb-your head is LITERALLY numb. It's a lot easier to bump your head on something when you can't even feel it. You also have a hat sitting four inches too high on your head so as to not damage the grafts, you don't wear it 'snug' on your head like a normal hat. Extending your height & physical parameters by this much is something your not used to and it's quite easy to hit something.

Given the total sum cost one pays for a ht (monetary, finite donor supply, down time) -AND-the vulnerability of grafts the first few days, i would feel much more comfterable sitting in my hotel room watching movies and ordering room service until I knew the grafts were LOCKED in my head.
 
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janna

janna

Valuable Member
NotGoing2GoBald wrote:
ONE MORE QUESTION: this morning, when I was in a half asleep-half awake mode I caught myself attempting to scratch my head; my fingernails are cut short and literally *IMMEDIATELY* when I felt my nail touch my scalp I realized and stopped. I had my surgery Tuesday (today is Saturday) so according to the paper work I was given today is the 5'th day, because they count surgery as day 1. Anyway, if I had done any damage to the grafts would it be visible? Everything looks perfectly fine. Again, today is day five & I'm not sure if all clinics count surgery day as day one, but even if they don't today would be day 4. So they should be locked in place, right?

yes, there would be visible bleeding and the whole graft out of your head if you scratched one out.

Now, I guess we count a little differently as we don't count the surgery day. So we'd consider you at day 4 today (Saturday). Either way, no big deal and no harm done.
 
Baldspot

Baldspot

Valued member
NotGoing2GoBald wrote:
I kept imagining all of the luggage in the over head compartment falling right on my freshly planted precious.

I'd forgotten about the overhead luggage bit.

I was in an isle seat on the way back (of course) and (of course) I got a couple who spent, what felt like ages, packing bags in above me. They weren't even sitting there but had used up all the space in own overhead compartment.

'Let me try honey' as the bag gets hauled out for the third time...

There's me underneath thinking 'please not on the head -anywhere but the head...'
 
NotGoing2GoBald

NotGoing2GoBald

Member
Baldspot wrote:
There's me underneath thinking 'please not on the head -anywhere but the head...'[/quote]

::}{:

thanks all for the input...I can breathe a big sigh of relief now; and the grafts will be locked on my noggin w/in a day or two. I couldn't find a chastity belt to purchase to lock on my head pre-op. c;;9
 
Baldspot

Baldspot

Valued member
I apologise for my typo 'isle' when I meant 'aisle' - I know I've had work done on my head but even so - I know I'm not going to convince anyone that planes have 'an island or peninsula, esp. a small one' on board.
 
Nervousnelly

Nervousnelly

The Coolest Member
Baldspot wrote:
Half an hour before I left for the airport a single hair graft at the front came out - I tried to gently pad it back in but no luck. Too much blood in the hole, hair too soft (like the 'trying to play snooker with a rope analogy')

I had a different analogy....oh never mind I think you got your point across.

NN
 
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