Can My Hair Transplant Scars From The Donor Sites Be Improved?

Q: I have had three hair transplants performed over the past 18 months. While I definitely have more hair, the results of these surgeries do match what I paid to get them. I have a couple of donor scars which when I cut my hair very short, show quite obviously and leave an unsightly scars at the back of my scalp. I would like to reduce the appearance of these as it is otherwise very difficult to be able to buzz my hair short without feeling self conscious about the scars.

A: Scalp donor scars for hair transplants can become wide, particularly when the same donor site is used more than once. This is a function of tension on the scar line which widens and leaves a gap between the sides of the hair-bearing scalp. Any scar widening, or ‘hair gap’, in the scalp is easily seen. Scar revision of hair transplant donor scars can be successful at narrowing their width based on total excision of non-hearing scar/scalp and deep suture support at the galeal level. Any tension on the skin will result in new scar widening. In some cases, I have done a geometric (running w-plasty) scalp scar excision to distribute the tension at the skin level and break up an otherwise straight line scar. Every manuever of tension reduction is important in scalp scar revision, particularly in those from hair transplants in the low occipital horizontal orientation.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis Indiana