Hair Growth - Is it ever coming back?!!!

[Kathy M]

Hi All!

It's been a while since I've posed a question - I've been feeling great and getting myself prepared for returning to work in a few weeks.  But, I have to ask...after my ordeal with infections and second surgery that opened up the entire incision again, I have a spot in the middle of the back of my head that has sealed up, but still not a sign of hair!!!   It's where the infections (staph included) had been, and during the last surgery, I'm sure they worked a lot on cleaning up that area of the incision. 

Has anyone had this issue?  How long does it / did it take for hair to grow there?  I am short hair person, and I"m thinking I might just have to grow it longer to cover that up!!!

In the meantime, I'm wearing a scarf because it is definately not a good thing to look at.  (maybe I'll start a trend!).  Oh...I have decided to stop coloring my hair, too!  I think I've earned every one of my grays and after being out of the public eye for so long, I won't have to deal with a two-tone transition in front of my peers down the road.  With the scarf and grays, I may need a name tag for my staff to recognize me!!! 

Any hair stories will be most appreciated!!!

Kathy

[Pooter]

Kathy,

It's great that you are doing well and talking of returning back to work!  I'm glad to hear that..  About the hair thing, I can't answer that..  Where my scar is remains hairless.  I assumed that if I grew my hair out a little then it might cover it up, but I keep it shaved VERY close to the skin, so my scar shows right through.  Perhaps your hairdresser can help with styling it in such a way that it's not as noticeable..  Just a thought.

Glad things are going well otherwise..

Regards,
Brian

[lori67]

Kathy,

Did Steve make you a hat?   

I'm not sure what other advice to offer - my hair grows fast - when I went back to have my staples removed, my doctor couldn't believe how much it had grown already.  I can cut some of mine off to make a little toupee for your bare spot!

Lori

[Kathy M]

I can't wait to see what my hairdresser says tomorrow when I go for the first time since December.  I'm torn between keeping it short like always and wearing my battle scars with pride or trying to hide it with a longer cut.  My hair is very thick (except for the SPOT!) and it's grown in pretty well  everywhere else since I've been shaved TWICE.  Lori, thanks for offering to share yours with me!!!  Maybe if I collect a sample from all the forumites, she can implant it for me and I can represent all of us on my head!!!  What a testimony!

Maybe my hair is just tired of all the drama and has checked out.  It tried to come back a few times but the staph infection ended that effort.   Up until the last 2 weeks,  I've only been allowed to shampoo with baby shampoo since 1/12 - no good shampoo, no conditioner, and no products.  Maybe it's still in a state of shock.    I have to tell ya, it felt soooo good to use my products again!!! 

Kathy

[CHD63]

Hi Kathy .....

From what I have been told, on the average your hair grows a half inch per month.  At that rate it would take 3 months to grow 1 1/2 inches.  I know mine took longer than that around the surgery site ...... and I don't think hair will ever grow in the actual scar itself.  Hopefully your hairdresser will have some creative ideas to allow for short hair and still cover the bare spot.

Good luck.  Clarice

[Jim Scott]

Hi,Kathy ~

Congratulations on your imminent return to work - and your decision to cease coloring your hair and to simply be yourself, which is always the best choice.  Clarice is correct about the rate of hair growth (approximately 1 to 1½" per month) and her observation that hair will probably never grow on the actual incision line.  I have relatively short hair (but probably shorter than yours) and my 'bald spot' grew back within a month of my surgery.  My barber was able to 'hide' the shorter hair quite easily and within two months, the bald spot was fully regrown. However, with all the problems you encountered at the incision site (infection) the hair follicles might have been effectively destroyed.  I really don't know, I'm only speculating.  I know our scalp hair is pretty resilient (chemotherapy patients go bald but it grows back after treatment).  I'm a big fan of short hair on women (my wife is a fine example of that look) but if your 'bald spot' stubbornly remains hairless, you may want to find a way to hide it with a slightly longer hairstyle or with some clever arranging of your hair at the approximate length it is now.  I would do something like that - but expect it to eventually grow back. 

FWIW: My wife has a very short haircut - and loves it (me too). A few years ago, for reasons yet unknown, her normally thick-but-short hair began to thin, noticeably.  No bald spots, just thinner than it ever was.  Her barber (she avoids 'hair stylists') noticed it, too.  My wife was getting worried.  After a few months, her hair began to return to it's normal thickness and body.  Now, it's as it has always been.  Cut very short but still fairly thick.  We never did discover what happened.  She wasn't on any new medication or diet and there were no unusual stresses that we could think of.  Because my wife's hair spontaneously returned to normal, she just shrugged it off as one of those anomalous events that sometimes occur - with no explanation.  I know this isn't especially germane to your question but it is a 'hair story' of sorts.  O.K., it's not mine and doesn't relate to AN removal surgery but it's about a lady and her hair.  Best I can do. 

Jim

[Kathy M]

Jim, thanks for sharing your wife's story - that would have freaked me out!!!!  What a mystery - makes me a bit more patient for mine to recover...I'll be hoping for the best.  Maybe my hairdresser has some wisdom from her many years in this business.  Surely, she has seen many things, so I'll ask her about it tomorrow.

Thanks, all, for your thoughts, facts, and suggestions.  I always appreciate hearing from you guys!!!

Tomorrow - 3:30 - hair cut with luxurious products - yay!!!!!!!  I have no idea how it will feel laying back in that sink, but even if it is a bit ouchy, it'll be worth it.

Kathy

[Denisex2boys]

I just posted these on my Facebook - - my noggin WITH hair - - my surgery was in Oct. '08 - - I was shaved above my ear and the lower back of my head ....

The hair on the crown on the back was not shaved off - - but I have since had this cut shorter to 'mush' in with the new hair growth....



Still a 'chunk' missing and the new hair is growing in fuller and in all different directions - - it is hard to even tell that I was shaved bald back here .....



'Strike a pose big mama' - REASON TO SMILE

[Kathy M]

You have beautiful hair!!!  Thanks for the pics!!!  You definately have a reason to smile and the shorter do is fabulous.

Kathy

[Kathy M]

Here's a shot of the back of my head to show what I'm hoping to hide someday soon!!!  I went for my hair cut and was persuaded to get it all cut pretty short to balance the front with the very short back.  It'll grow, right?  And..I usually have short hair, but without the scars.  My hairdresser was great about the whole thing, but I think she was afraid to shave my neck for fear of hurting me!  I'll have my daughter clean that up tonight!!! 



If this picture doesn't come up - I have no idea how to get it there!!!  I just figured out how to post a picture of my daughter and I for my profile after being here for 5 months!!!!  Ah well.....  I wasn't very computer savy even before my AN surgery!!!

Kathy

[Kathy M]

OK...one more try on the picture and then I quit.  I only a little red x on the last post, and that doesn't look like the back of my head at all!




I just previewed this post and I think it might have worked this time!  Wow, that's quite the boo-boo.  I don't usually see it this close either!  I'm gonna have to get high collars, too!!!

Kathy

[Denisex2boys]

Great haircut -- if I 'split' my hair - you can see the scar too - - and mine is prob. about the same size - I also have a major dip in the back of my next - left side - which the hair is following in growth pattern - - but I am sure your scar will be hidden soon - - but for all we went through - - show it off - - we did have brain surgery for goodness sakes!

[leapyrtwins]

Denise -

thanks for the new pics.  You're looking great - and I really like the hair 

Kathy -

I wore my hair short like yours and my scar was covered, but my scar was also in a different place than yours - which is a little strange because I think we both had retrosigmoid.

My scar was directly behind my ear and wasn't down the back of my neck at all.  However, unlike Brian, my hair grew back so fast post op that it almost covered my scar by the time the stitches were removed.  Guess like all things AN, everyone is different.

Anyway, I'm not a hairdresser or a doctor, but my theory is your hair will grow back in time.  Your head has been through a lot, what with the infection and the surgeries, in effect it's been traumatized.  Give it time to heal.

I think a scarf is the perfect solution until the hair grows in - or, if you're comfortable with Denise's suggestion, by all means sport your scars proudly.  You've earned them 

Congratulations on the going back to work milestone.  I still remember how good it felt to return to my normal routine.

Good luck,

Jan

[Kathy M]

I am great (and kinda proud) of the scar at the nape of my neck and don't mind a bit when it shows....I  am just not comfortable with the bald spot in public.  I've having trouble finding scarves, though, that aren't too big and bulky.  By the time I find all the colors I need, I (hopefully) won't need to wear them anymore!

My incision stared behind my ear, went in an arch to just left of the center of the back, and down to the nape of my neck, as you can see very well in the picture.  10 1/2 inches in all.  The position of my AN was very low and more concentrated mostly at the brain stem...hadn't entered the ear yet.  Maybe that's the difference?  They were very hopeful to preserve my hearing, but oh well.

Thanks for the encouraging words...I really love a thick head of hair...all over!!!!  But, if it doesn't come back, I see that it's manageable. 

I think I'll shop for some really colorful and fun earrings!!!

Kathy