Flaking Scalp After Hair Transplants?

Dear Doctor:
I have had two hair transplants, the latest one being last year. After each one, I had and still have skin flakes that shed off my scalp everyday. Is this a side effect of the transplants? And what can I do to stop it? An ordinary dandruff shampoo won’t work.

I also have a habit of picking the small oil deposits out of my scalp which sometimes is accompanied by a hair. The hair club for men told that that the oil deposits sometimes cut the blood/oxygen flow to the hair follicle. Nevertheless, I probably should stop doing this right? Are there any bad consequences to it?

Thanks!

If you do not wash your hair vigorously after a hair transplant, you will have crusting that may last for a month or more. Dry skin that may follow a hair transplant requires good skin care. Good hygiene is also critical. In over 90% of my patients, I get the crusts off in the first day following a hair transplant.

You should get advice on the scalp treatments from your hair transplant doctor, who should be interested in your recovery. The same goes for the picking you are doing, which is dangerous because it sets you up for folliculitis, particularly after a hair transplant when the skin is fragile. See your doctor!