just some questions!!

[kathleen anna]

Hello again...........I just want to say that this forum is the greatest tool.  I have learned so much and feel pretty confident about my scheduled translab surgery on Sept 15th.   Now, I must say that since my diagnosis in July, the wait is dragging.......and now that I have the "iimportant knowledge" understood, I have a few questions that I have been thinking about since then.  I didnt really think of asking the surgeons these questions, because I have been on overload............1) with the translab, how much hair do they shave off?   Can I finally get the short, short haircut that I have been scared to do?!?!?!    And, after the surgery, how bandaged is my head going to be?   And, the funniest one of all, being vain, is how soon can I color my hair after surgery?  See, I have way to much time on my hands...I am actually now laughing about some of the crazy things I think about.  Which to me is progress!   And to answer Maureen about starting my Christmas shopping, I was thinking more like this is a good reason NOT too!!!  Maybe a stressless holiday season (for a change)!!!   Hope all is well with everyone and thanks for sharing!    Kathleen Anna.

[tenai98]

My surgeon only shaved a little off the area to be operated on....At first you will have a turban style bandage on...after that whatever you doc says...It varies from doc to doc..I had my translab apr 7 and dyed my hair in July.  My hairdresser just avoided the one spot that took a little longer to heal...
JO

[iluuvpups]

Hi.  My surgeon lifted up a layer of my hair and then shaved underneath that for my translab.  So you couldn't even tell I had the surgery because I had that layer covering the area that was shaved.  I personally wouldn't get a short short haircut prior to your surgery.  Wait and see what they do and then decide if you want to change your hair style.  I had my translab at the end of May and just got my hair colored for the first time last week.  However, my doctor said I could get it done at my 6 week checkup.  I just was lazy.  Good luck!  --Carol Ann

[leapyrtwins]

Surgeons shave very little hair - only as much as is necessary.  And the good news is, it generally grows back fast.  By the time I had my stitches removed - 9 days post op - my hair was already growing around the scar. 

Post op I had a mastoid bandage wrapped around my head (very tight, I recall  ) for two or three days. 

You can safely color your hair when your doc tells you that you can.  Check with him/her first.

Jan

[Lizard]

The other comments have pretty much answered your questions, but if you think of more please let us know, no question is silly and they will help to relieve some fears as well.
Liz

[Karen4639]

When I went in for my one week post-op appointment my doc said I could do anything, color included. Only a small amount of hair underneath was shaved. It wasn't even shaved to the scalp-just real close. No one could tell. I had this same question.

[Jim Scott]

Hi, Kathleen Anna ~

I'm delighted to learn that you've found the ANA discussions forums helpful. 

As all the previous posts indicate, the days of shaving a big swatch of hair off to perform skull-based surgery is long gone.  So, if you really need an excuse to get a short, short haircut, I'm afraid the AN surgery won't quite suffice.    FYI: my wife has had a 'short, short' haircut for decades and loves it.  Fortunately, I love it too. I've always thought it gave her a youthful, unique look.  Besides, she isn't the slightest bit vain and has no patience for fussing with long hair.  However, a woman's hair is usually important to her and cutting it 'short short' is a big decision for most...and a very personal one - for which I have absolutely no opinion to offer.  I wouldn't have a clue about the advisability of coloring your hair, post-op, but fortunately, some of our AN ladies answered your question.  Apparently, coloring your hair poses no problem.     

Your head will definitely be bandaged.  'Turban' is good description (mine was tight, hot and uncomfortable) and the doctor decides when it comes off, which is usually, just as Jan ('leapyrtwins') stated, two or three days.  I complained about the head bandage, somewhat vociferously, and my neurosurgeon cut it off on my third morning post-op.  I was very grateful. 

Don't feel embarrassed about being concerned with your post-op appearance and your grooming.  These are legitimate questions to think about prior to the surgery.  They may not be of monumental importance in the larger scheme of things, but they're important to your peace of mind, which makes them relevant.  I'm glad our members were able to reassure you. 

Jim

[alex69]

Hi there....I'm also new to this forum, had my AN discovered about the same time as you. I too have been wondering about the same things as you!
As an ex-hairdresser I would recommend not to have your hair coloured too close before the surgery date and not to try any new products or hairdressers. It does occasionally happen that the ingredients in hair-dye cause skin irritations. As for afterwards I am sure you can colour your hair as soon as the scar has healed completely and your hairdresser avoids putting dye directly onto the scar but check with your surgeon to be sure.  I am bargaining on being able to colour my hair about 6 weeks after but of course I will have to see how it looks by then.
Good luck to you with your surgery
/Alex

[CHD63]

Hi Kathleen Anna .....

As others have said, no question is silly or crazy.  In fact, thinking about these things is a good sign ..... you are perfectly normal.

Because I began turning gray/white at an unusually early age (noticeably gray at 16!!), I colored my hair for many, many years.  When our first grandchild was born almost six years ago now, I let my hair grow out naturally.  Therefore I did not have the issue of hair dye with my AN surgery.  However, I was still coloring my hair in 1994, when I had my first retrosigmoid brain surgery and as I recall I had my hair colored about three weeks before surgery and again about three weeks after.  I do not remember discussing it with my doctor at the time.  In both surgeries (both retrosigmoid), very little of my scalp was shaved, to the point where my friends asked me afterwards "I thought you were having brain surgery, how come no scar?" until I lifted the surrounding hair and there it was.

I definitely would not get my hair cut short before surgery ...... unless you were looking for an excuse to do it anyway.  You will probably be surprised at how little hair is removed and how easily the bare spot is covered.

Best thoughts.  Clarice

[Goldie]

I agree with all of the above comments and wish you well with your future surgery!  I had my translab October 1 of last year and was off work until Christmas.  I didn't see Maureen's comment that you're referring to about Christmas, but I just wanted to say that it was the first relaxing Christmas season I'd had in a long time!  I felt well enough to do some things and for once could just take my time.  Plus, living in Minnesota, it was a real luxury to not have to go out on some nasty, snowy days.  So it actually turned out to be a great time of year for recovery.  I wish you all the best!

Denise D.

[turbomom]

Hi Kathleen Anna,
just for your info, I had my surgery on July 6th and it was retrosigmoid. My hair was lifted and then an area shaved behind my ear where the surgery was done. I have very thick hair and  I use a flattening iron on it. I was very nervous to use the iron around that area and my vision was a bit blurry, so I went into my hairdresser and told him, "Cut it all off". He looked at me like I was crazy and ask me if I was still on pain meds. I said, "no, I just cannot style my hair like before, so give me a cute sazzy cut." He did it and I LOVE IT! It is so easy, just wash put a little gel in it and go. So if you been wanting to do something fun with your hair, then this would be a great time to go for it.
On the other hand, it has been 7 weeks since surgery, the grays are obvious, but the scar it to tender for me to fill comfortable having color put on my hair yet. So that part will wait a bit longer.
Hope that helps,
Lisa

[pjb]

Great questions I wish I would have asked them prior to surgery but what happened to me was I had my hair cut really short before surgery it was not necessary they just shaved an "S" incision and removed the hair only at the surgical site and the bandage was small only at the site which they removed it the next day... after about 6 weeks or more I used Natural Instincts it is a more natural hair coloring no ammonia so I continued to use that until I felt more comfortable using a regular hair dye....

Just keep asking questions.....

Best Wishes,

Pat

[lori67]

Kathleen Anna...

Look at that!  You are completely normal!     We all thought about the same things before our surgery!   

Trust me, if you think of a question that seems silly, someone here has already asked it!  Great minds think alike! 

Lori

[wendysig]

Hi Kathleen Anna

As you can see, your questions are ones most of us who have had surgery have asked.  It feels a little embarrassing to ask questions that seem vain, but really they are perfectly normal.  I agree about not getting a short haircut until after surgery.  Your doc may shave such a small area it might not be noticeable that you're missing any hair.  I made the mistake of cutting my hair slightly shorter than usual and it made it much more obvious.  As for the headwrap you get after your surgery, I found it uncomfortable, but it didn't really hurt and the doctor put a much loser headwrap on two days after and removed it completely on the third day all I had was the bandage.  I'm sure it depends on the individual doctor's MO  and how you are doing, but for me, it really wasn't that terrible.  I hope things go well for you too.

Best wishes,
Wendy