Shaved Head

[Catflower]

Here's another pre-op question.  How much hair was shaved off for your surgery.  I'm guessing it depends on what appoach was used, but this is a biggie for me 

Linda

[Obita]

Hi Catflower:

Every surgeon is different on how much they shave.  I had the Translab approach.  You can see a pic of my incision on page 3 of the Post Treatment section.  krbonner's pic is there too.  She was also a translaber. The thread was started by Crystal.  It is the one called Trans Lab Surgery at House. 

There are also a few more pics on frappr.com/acousticneuroma

I had short hair before surgery.  Within two months you couldn't even tell.  Just in time to go back to work.

Kathy

[WHWT]

I had--and still have--shoulder length hair.  Prior to surgery, my daughters and I went shopping to buy a "coming home from the hospistal" hat to cover my anticipated shaved head.  To my surprise and delight, the hat was not at all necessary.  The only part of my head that was shaved was a narrow strip behind my ear.  It was not at all visible with my hair down.   It took about ten months for that hair to grow in and reach the length of the rest of my hair, with a few haircuts to even things out.  The new hair grew in a bit wavier than the rest, but it isn't noticeable because it's behind my ear and under the rest of the hair.  Now it's all the same length and texture.
So, based on my experience, itwasn't bad at all.
I had retrosigmoid sub occipital surgery.

[Battyp]

If you have long hair don't cut it short as it will hide the shaved part.  I had short hair and if I would have left it longer mine wouldn't have been noticeable.  I was in a spot after wards that I couldn't have handled longer hair as my hair is thick and I have to dry it or it's yucky.  Many of us have our pics posted so you can see.  If you click on my frapper link you can see what mine looked like. 

[ppearl214]

I saw kbonner/Katie just after her surgery... and I have to say, she brought back the retro's 80's with her "assymmetrical" hairdo!  Her hair (at the time) was just above shoulder length and her incision was well concealed.

Hang in there!
Phyl

[krbonner]

I saw kbonner/Katie just after her surgery... and I have to say, she brought back the retro's 80's with her "assymmetrical" hairdo!  Her hair (at the time) was just above shoulder length and her incision was well concealed.

Hang in there!
Phyl

**blush**

Katie

[LoriLea]

Hi there
     Had translab last week through House Ear Clinic - not the vain type but hated the idea of shaving a huge patch of hair.  I was surprised that they took off less than 2" right surrounding the affected ear.  My hair is moderately short, maybe 3" - 4" and wavy, and the remaining hair very effectively covers the incision.

Lori

[Jim Scott]

Excuse me.  I'm well aware that this is basically a female 'issue' but I just wanted to reassure the shorter-haired gals. 

I'm a guy with a full head of hair and a fairly 'conventional' haircut; not a crew-cut but not over the ears or collar, which would be considered very short by female standards.  I had the retrosigmoid surgery.  My relatively short hair grew back and covered the incision within 6 weeks of the surgery.  My barber was able to 'hide' the scar at my first haircut, about 3 weeks, post-op. 

This should help any potential AN surgical candidates (women) with shorter hair understand that - no matter the type of surgical approach the doctor uses - the incision and shaved portion will not be all that difficult to 'cover', post op.  As stated, 'brain surgery= a shaved head' is a myth, at least for this particular brain surgery.   Of course, having longer hair will make hiding the incision scar easier, but not all ladies have (or want) long hair.

I trust this information is somewhat useful to the thread.

Jim 

[maarten]

If you have the sub occipital approach, they will prep and shave a modest area of your head only, around and behind the ear. I used to have a full head of medium-lenght hair, and the day before the surgery i went to my hairdresser and had all my curls shaved off. So much hair on the floor when she was done!! i'm glad i did that, as it made the incision site more 'in line' with the rest of my hairdo. Oh, by the way, it seems that post surgery, for some people the hair does grow back from the incision, and for others it doesn't. I think the hair around it is generally able to cover the incision site, which will take about 6 weeks (probably differs for each individual). Once you're there, only a very small portion of the incision is visible in the neck (used to be much more so in the past). Good luck!

[Dantheman]

I have a crew cut ( # 2 blade, tapered up) and will go with a "High and Tight" (# 0 to #1 ) before surgery. I figure that way I'll be back to my old hair cut in two or three weeks...

Dan

[Brendalu]

Linda,
My hair was short to begin with.  I thought that having part of my head shaved was going to be a big deal.  It wasn't.  My surgeon used staples, so I told my grandkids that it was my zipper to put more smarts in.  The problem I had is that my hair grows very quickly and I had only one or two gray hairs, now I have almost a full head which is very unusual for women in my family at my age.  I'm well old enough for it but the women in my family don't go gray until their late sixties and the red heads go strawberry blonde.  The gray looks funny in my red hair and nothing has covered it!  My kids threatened me when I said I wasn't going to try anymore to cover it!  Maybe I'll just shave my head and buy a wig.....................
BrendaO

[Denise]

Catflower,

I also had translab. My hair at the time of my surgery was shoulder length.  I liked it because it hid my scar.

The only complaint I have/had was during my stay in the hospital and in the rehab hosp. the nurses were putting this lubricant on my scar so it would stay moist, so my stables didn't scab over too much (so it would be easier taking them out). It made my hair very greasy and nasty on my left side. I started pulling it back into a ponytail which defeated my need to hide my scar, but pulling it back made it a little less greasy.  I didn't like my post-surgery, 80's hair style, but once I got the staples out and washed my hair repeatedly (to get the grease out), having longer hair was really nice.

Like they say, you do what you gotta do.  Good Luck in April.

Denise

[Shrnwldr]

I have pretty long hair (almost to my waist).....  I have pretty much decided to have my doctors show or tape the area they are going to shave.  Then about 2-3 days before surgery I plan to see a hairdresser to shave that part while putting the rest in some sort of french braid.  I know that at the hospital they will reshave, but I thought the hairdresser would have a better idea of what area needed to be braided.  That way it will be out of the way and still look decent until I can wash it.  I was planning on buying several pretty scarves to cover my head during the healing process.  Does anyone have any other ideas?  Thank you

[Joef]

for the men .. a very short hair cut is usefull because it makes showering easier and the hair will grow to back to the rest of the hair quicker.

Shrnwlder ..for hair that long  a braid sounds like a good idea ...heck , call them up and see what they think!  just dont have the hair dresser take off much .. they will take off very little for a trans-lab (only about a razor width from the ear) .. I bet you dont even use the scarves....

I actually told them (at house) to take off a much as they needed .. as my hair was short anyway .. and they still did not take off much ...

[Featofclay]

Well, I haven't given much thought to how much hair would be shaved off but guess I will find out soon for myself.  My husband, daughter and I are flying to LA on Feb. 14th and I will have Retrosigmoid surgery on Feb. 16th.  The last two weeks have been the longest two weeks of my life.  Why does the time pass so slowly?