A Couple More BAHA Questions

[Catflower]

This one is for the ladies with BAHA.  Do any of you color your hair?  Also, do you have any problems styling your hair with the abutment sticking up?  What about hair products during the "healing" time following implant?

[Debbi]

Catflower-

Hope you don't mind if I add one more question ...  Does your comb/brush ever snag the transmitter (that kinda freaks me out a little!) 

Debbi - new translab surgery date of 4/23

[lori67]

Ok, I admit it - I do color my hair  (shhh.. don't tell anyone).  I had to wait until after the implant site was healed first, now it's no problem.  As far as hair products, I don't use a lot, but I do my hair before I attach my processor and that way anything I put in my hair doesn't get on it. I didn't use any during the healing time because since I'm a stay at home Mom anyway, no one really cared what my hair looked like. The instruction book recommends cleaning the abuttment with a baby wipe or something before you attach the processor so no build up gets on the attachment site. I don't usually do this, but I guess if I had to put hairspray or anything on, I would.

As far as styling - my hair is stick straight, so there's not much styling going on on this head.  I had it pulled back in a pony tail when I went to the gym today, and you couldn't see it at all.  You could snag your comb or brush on it - just like you could snag on your own ear if you're not careful - but since I know it's there, I just try to be a little more careful in that area - not because it hurts, but just so I don't knock it off.

The processor is really very small so I don't think you'll have any problems. 

Lori

[leapyrtwins]

Good questions, Catflower. 

I was wondering about hair color, too.  I stopped coloring mine a few months ago and thought I'd go "au natural" but it looks horrible, so now I'm having second thoughts.  In addition, my daughter keeps saying how gray I am and telling me that I need to color it.  Apparently, I'm an embarrasment to her, but for someone who is 46 1/2, I'm not THAT gray    I thought about emailing the doctor this past weekend, but figured he'd think I was totally vain, so I decided I'd wait until next week's appointment to ask the question.

So, Lori, define "healed" - as in, how many weeks post op?

As far as styling goes, I use a wide tooth comb with very long teeth and it actually never even touches the abutment when I'm combing my hair.  I wear my hair fairly short - it's longer now than it used to be because I want to make sure it covers the processor - and I don't really use styling products like gel, mousse, or spray so I don't have an issue with those.

Another hair related question for you, Lori.   What is the deal with hair follicles and the BAHA?  Doesn't the doc do something, during the surgery, to prevent your hair from growing too closely to the abutment?  My hair is growing in very fast and IMO it's growing very close to the abutment site.  I'm a little concerned about this, but I'm not really sure it's an issue.  Obviously, I'll ask the doc next week, but I was looking for some feedback from another BAHA patient.

Thanks,

Jan

 

[lori67]

Jan, it's hard to say how many weeks, because I know some people took a while to "heal".  You want to make sure there are no open areas or scabs or anything - which is hard to do because it's hard to see!  I think I waited about 7 weeks or so after my surgery.  But, like I've said before, I color my hair the night before surgery knowing it may be a while before I can do it again.  Priorities, you know.

As far as hair growth, my doctor said I'd probably have a bald spot around the abuttment, but I don't.  I actually have to use two hands - one to snap on the processor and the other to move the hair out of the way.  Again, I know others have said they do have a little bald spot, but it is really small, and the longer hair covers it.  I also have a lot of hair and it grows fast  Really, the only scar you can see is where they flapped the skin over when they put in the abuttment and then sewed the skin back up - kinda like an upside down "C" shape around the screw - but that's covered by hair - you'd only notice it if I held that part of my hair up and pointed out the scar.

Now, if I ever decide to shave my head for some reason - I'm sure it will look like a road map with a screw sticking out of it.  Or maybe more like a globe. 

Can you hear Steve laughing?  I can.

Lori

[leapyrtwins]

You know, I CAN hear Steve laughing    But he often amuses us, so we might as well amuse him 

Thanks for the answers.  I'll see what the doc thinks about the hair color.  I should have colored it prior to surgery, like you did, but I really thought I was ready to show my age a little.  Boy, was I wrong!

Glad to hear the hair growth doesn't seem to be an issue.  My doc has done over 200 BAHAs so I'm certain he knows what he's doing, but I worry about senseless stuff like this nonetheless.  It's just that every picture I've seen of a BAHA abutment shows a fairly bare patch of skin and my head doesn't really look like that.  The pictures also show a nice smooth, flat patch of skin without an AN surgical scar, but the area where my abutment is looks like a slightly bumpy square of skin that is kind of sunken.  Not that I really care since my hair covers it, it just isn't as "pretty" as I imagined it would be.

Jan
 

[Kaybo]

WOW!  All this talk of coloring -- I am scheduled to have mine colored almost 3 weeks after my little surgery -- I sure hope that is long enough.  My hair grows so fast, I have roots right after I get it done, I just wait a while because I am a cheapy!!

K

[leapyrtwins]

I color mine myself - so I guess I'm cheaper than you LOL

[Kaybo]

No, I just go to a super cheap lady -- she has cut my hair since 8th grade!  She is really good -- I made my friend swear she would tell me if it looked bad and I needed to go to someone else!  It is only $12 for a shampoo, cut & style and $35 for color + all that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It does cost a LOT more than that at other salons, she is just still really cheap!!  She used to do Miss Texas' hair so she's not just some country bumpkin!  LOL!!
K

[lori67]

I do mine myself too.  I decided right before Christmas to treat myself and since I finally had all my hair back to color - I went to a salon.  $200!!  Needless to say, that's the last time I treated myself.

The area around my abuttment is sunken in a little too - they have to remove any soft tissue between the skin and the bone so nothing interferes with the sound conduction.  But it's very slight and I think the only way anyone would notice it is if you completely shaved your head.  I'm guessing the guy who cuts my hair is probably completely grossed out by having to shampoo it when I've got screws, bumps, dents, ridges...oh well... I leave him a good tip, so I guess it's okay.

Lori

[leapyrtwins]

I'm guessing the guy who cuts my hair is probably completely grossed out by having to shampoo it when I've got screws, bumps, dents, ridges...oh well... I leave him a good tip, so I guess it's okay.

Lori

Yeah, I wondered how that was going to be.  I'm not healed enough to get a haircut yet but I could use a trim to even out the one the doc gave me - although he didn't do too bad a job 
I tend to go wherever is most convenient or cheapiest - don't have a "regular" stylist, so I'm wondering how interesting it will be to try to explain what's underneath my hair.

Oh well, guess I'll deal with that when the time comes - and as you suggest - tip well.

Jan

[sgerrard]

Now, if I ever decide to shave my head for some reason - I'm sure it will look like a road map with a screw sticking out of it.  Or maybe more like a globe. 
Can you hear Steve laughing?  I can.
Lori

Lori and Jan,

Okay, I will make you a deal - if you will shave your heads for the symposium, I really will knit you caps! 

As far as hair products, I don't use a lot, but I do my hair before I attach my processor and that way anything I put in my hair doesn't get on it. I didn't use any during the healing time because since I'm a stay at home Mom anyway, no one really cared what my hair looked like.The instruction book recommends cleaning the abuttment with a baby wipe or something before you attach the processor...

Baby wipes have now been added to the BAHA accessory list. However, I think someone forgot about their #1 hair product - Dawn! 

Steve

[leapyrtwins]

Lori and Jan,

Okay, I will make you a deal - if you will shave your heads for the symposium, I really will knit you caps! 

Steve

Interesting proposal, Steve.  I'll have to take it under consideration.  In August 2009, about one week before the ANA Symposium, I'll be working at my association's annual meeting in San Diego.  While my head would be nice and cool, I'm not sure my boss would like my new look LOL

Then again, I work for a medical association and our members might be very interested by my AN and BAHA scars and I might be a huge hit 

I'll have to think about this one and get back to you.  What do you say, Lori ?

Jan

[lori67]

Hmmm... well, Steve, throw in a new toothbrush with that knit hat offer and I can consider it... 

We should try to contact the BAHA company to see about them throwing in a free gift set with every BAHA purchase - Dawn, toothrushes, Neosporin, a sporty beret, baby wipes.. they can package it all inside a cake box and tie it up with bakery string.

[leapyrtwins]

We should try to contact the BAHA company to see about them throwing in a free gift set with every BAHA purchase - Dawn, toothrushes, Neosporin, a sporty beret, baby wipes.. they can package it all inside a cake box and tie it up with bakery string.

I'll sign that petition