Pimples in Transplanted Area

Dear Dr. Rassman

After going through your informative blog, i decided to publish my question seeking your good answer so others can benefit too. Am currently 8.5 weeks post HT surgery. Till now things seems to be fine except for one thing, infections from time to time that is, i get those deep pus filled pimples that develop right below the grafted area every now and then, which in part made me consider an oral anti-biotic called DURICEF. My question as follows, will my transplanted follicles survive in the presence of those so-called folliculitis? Is it advisable to leave the pimples un-touched when ever they form? Your Help is greatly appreciated

Pimples in the recipient area are not uncommon in some people. When the transplant is done and the hair sheds, there are two things that could be left behind as the body works through the healing process. The first is that remnants of the actual hair shafts might stay buried under the skin. These would form a foreign body reaction and could manifest themselves with pimples. The more likely cause is the remnants of the sebaceous glands which survive and grow while the hair has not yet started to grow. These glands secrete sebum, which accumulate under the skin and cause pimples of varying sizes. They can be very annoying and become infected, on occasion. The best way to treat them is to have frequent soaks so that the skin softens and your pimples will work their way out with the sebum (or hair shafts). To stop infection (if they occur) a good bacteriostatic antibiotic usually works. I have my preferences, and your doctor will have his/hers.