Author: Dr. William Rassman

How far can I move my hairline down with FUE. I want to change the way I look and I was told that I need a lot of FUE grafts to get where I want to be.

There is no limit to how far you can bring your hairline down, the issue is to bring it down so that it improves your appearance and it is always normal. You need to work with an experienced hair transplant surgeon who can help you do this. FUE is now available in many surgeons hands, but make sure that they are experienced in it by asking to meet with some of their patients who had it done. We offer this every month at a monthly open house event were former patients can discuss the nuances of the hair transplant process as they experienced it. Here is an example of a perfect hairline that I created: https://baldingblog.com/norwood-class-7-pattern-patient-received-11000-grafts-plus-smp/

You have excessive crusting as a result of poor post-operative washing techniques, or absence of them. An FUE is treated just like a regular hair transplant with regard to the recipient area, but the donor area has open wounds which require daily washing with soap and water. Within 3 days of surgery, you can resume full activities, heavy exercises if you wish. The recipient area requires daily washes as well to keep the recipient area free of crusts. I generally recommend the use of a sponge and supply my patient with a surgical sponge to fill with soapy water and press on the recipient area daily. By repeating this daily, all crusts can be washed off without any fear of losing grafts. IF any crust are present, use a Q tip and dip it into soapy water, and roll it on the crusts and that will lift them off without dislodging them, but never rub them, just roll the Q tip on the recipient crust. I like to see no evidence of any crusting in the recipient area and the crusts from the donor area gone in 7-10 days with daily washing much like the two patients on the right.

I don’t like the idea of anyone removing grafts that have scabs on them because we have published a paper in a formal medical journal, that when a person pulls off a scab (crust) from a recipient area in less than 12 days, the risk of losing the graft is very high. Put a shampoo on your head and let it sit for 10-15 minutes, then gently work the crusts with your fingers. This will take days to get the crust off so that you do not disturb the grafts. See the medical paper we wrote in a major journal below in the web reference that proves my point. Look at the two patients on the right, both one day after FUE sessions and both clean without crusts.

 

Click on photo for LARGER SIZE

Click on photo for LARGER SIZE

This patient is not going bald. He may be classified as a Norwood 2 or as having a mature hair line. He had the surgery because he did not like his raised corner hair line. He wanted a lower, relatively straight juvenile hair line (he once had). He was old enough (over 30 years old) where chances of him losing more hair or shock hair loss was minimal. He understood this is a cosmetic procedure and was made aware he may need more than one surgery to achieve the density he was looking for.

He chose the FUE method of graft harvesting since he wanted the flexibility to keep his hair buzzed or kept short.

The total number of grafts he received was 1600 grafts. He had two separate FUE procedures of 800 grafts with each surgery spaced out about 1 year apart. The final result you see is after 2 years. If you click on the photos for a close up ZOOM you can see that the density achieved was close to normal (non-balding) hair density. The reason he needed TWO (2) separate surgeries was because you cannot fit 1600 grafts in such a tight space. Each graft can be about the size of a rice grain. After the hairs have grown out, you can fit another graft in between the spaces.

He occasionally attends our monthly Open House events if anyone would like to meet him in person.

These scars reflect that your surgeon used a large punch and took it from a location that is not permanent hair. This is best treated with Scalp Micropigmentation?

FUE thins out the donor area by its very nature. To avoid this, the grafts should have been taken higher up and distributed more evenly. Your grafts appear to have been taken from the neck hair which is a problem because neck hair is not permanent hair.

It appears that you have ‘crater’ scars with your FUE. I don’t believe that I ever saw this type of scar so I wonder what instrument your doctor used to get the FUE done. Can you find that out and let us know?

What you have appears to be an infected hair follicle cyst which we often call a boil. You should see your doctor and he most likely will drain it and relieve your pain.