Repairing a Flap

First of all I would like to commend you on your website. It is the first I have seen not trying to sell anything, but trying to help. To help people like me.

I apoligize for not giving my full name, but given the sensitivity of my query I wanted to establish a rapport and trust with you prior to identifying myself on the world wide web, I hope you understand. I really hope you can help. I feel that you can identify with my plight as having been a recipient of scalp reductions as you have mentioned in your replies.

About 10 years ago I had a scalp reduction in Beverly Hills. Looking back, I was certainly of low self esteem, and uninformed for what I was about to do. The plan was to eventually get a flap surgey done, after several scalp reductions. They advertised the fullest head of hair I had ever seen in various magazines, and had an office in tinsletown, they must be good I thought. Well I went through with the reduction and have regretted since. To my credit, I had not returned to have any more work done, and have certainly come to terms with my alopecia. I see pictures and read the horror stories, and thank God I didn’t continue on, as it seems a never ending pursuit to cover up the damage most recently caused.

Ten years later, and my hair slowly getting thinner, and the scar is becoming more and more visible. I have come to terms that I will never have the scar completely removed, or at least until some revolutionary technology is availible. But I would like to minimize the appearance if it is safe, and very probable (I am soooo very leery of making matters worse!!!!!. I will not succomb to sales pitches and insecurity, and may have actually learned a valuable lesson from this about the inner beauty of people (to look at the bright side). I have about a six inch scar starting from the back of my head over the crown, and about three inches thereafter. The scar on the back is very fine-at least he did that right. However on the top it seems to have stretched somewhat, and still a little pinkish, slightly elevated and still sometimes sore. This is the part that is most visible, and concerning.

I will send you pictures if you respond to my email address to help you with helping me. I read that you suggested a scar revision from a Dr. Nordstrom in Helsinki with a new type of suture. To be honest, surgery scares the hell out of me given the result of my last one, and would like to try anything else that may be less risky and effective in reducing this scars appearance. Can you recommend a dermatologist that you think can help? A minimal risk dermatology procedure? Maybe a product? I have read about several silicone based products that claim to help.
Would you recommend daily massage to lessen the pain?

I would like to take advantage of only the latest most effective remedies, and am in the information collecting phase, and would like to be thoroughly informed . Of all the hours and hours I have spent on the internet, your blog has made an impression on me the most, and I hope you can offer some suggestions-if only some creams that may reduce the colour and slightly elevated skin until some new better technology is availible.

Of course if they ever master hair cloning-I want hair like Bon Jovi in the 90’s! Anyways, I sincerely appreciate your time, and keep up the good work, you offer some realistic hope to people like me.

Best Regards

I appreciate that you are very sensitive about your scar. Repairing scars is an art form, because every scar and every person is a variable and the differences between people and their scars make the repair of choice a difficult selection. I encourage you to send your photos, and even when you do, I can tell you that the number one best thing you can do for your “information collecting phase” is to be evaluated in person.

Scars are all different. They may respond differently to different treatments depending on the person, skin type, the direction of the scar (in your case a particularly important point) and the only way to know what the treatment options are is to have someone trustworthy and experienced to give you a hands-on evaluation and an opinion based upon experience with the problem. In my practice, I get doctors and patients sending me people for scar repairs almost every day, so a good deal of my practice profile deals with scars and/or difficult cases.

Hair transplants into scars may help and can be done with minimal invasiveness (see FUE/FOX procedures) and may apply to you. There are scalp coverings like Dermatch that when applied to the scalp make it match the hair color. Daily massage is something I recommend wholeheartedly for everyone regardless of scarring – and you are correct in that it has been shown to decrease pain in some cases and loosening up the scar from the surrounding tissues.

A trip to Los Angeles may be your best investment with the discounts now available on the various airlines.

Wishing you the best in the New Year! (and PS – I want hair cloning to be perfected, too!). Dr. Rassman has extensive experience in dealing with these problems, but before you come, please do send pictures from many good angles.