Author Topic: Head shaving advice  (Read 10727 times)

Janet

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 246
    • Janet Sherwood Photography
Re: Head shaving advice
« Reply #15 on: April 19, 2010, 07:44:00 pm »
Your doctor probably won't be happy if you shave your head. Shaving ahead of time can increase your chance of an infection.  If you nick around the future incision, you may create an opportunity for bacteria to grow. The nicks can be so small that you are not even aware of them.  I worked in the OR and the docs didn't like it when their patients shaved. Some fields of surgery have trended away from shaving at all.  If it is something that you really want to do, ask your neurosurgeon first.
Surgical removal of 1 cm x .8 cm x .6 AN on 4/2004.

AMD

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 112
  • I'm sorry, could you repeat that?
Re: Head shaving advice
« Reply #16 on: April 23, 2010, 09:44:30 pm »
I did a mohawk before my surgery, but only because it was something I'd always wanted to try and figured it was a good time. I wore a scarf for awhile while things were growing back out / my hair was nappy from infrequent washing, but that time doesn't last long. Especially with the steriods for post-op swelling, my hair grew back fast.
I'd say if it's something you want to do just for fun then do it, but you don't have to because of surgery.

I thought of doing this too Nicki, but I didn't have the guts!

As far as the original question, I was told not to shave my head.  They took a small swipe starting right above my left ear and followed by hairline down behind it.  When I wore my hair down, you couldn't even tell.  It took less than a year for it to grow all the way back down to my shoulders (approx).  Not too itchy when it grew back.  The hardest thing was when it was a few inches long, but not long enough to fit it in a ponytail.  Thank God for hats :)  One thing my hair did do about 3 months post-op though is thin out a lot....like falling out all over.  Couldn't really notice except when I'd shampoo may hair and there it all was.  The medical term is telogen effluvium. I know others on here had experienced it as well.   My main concern with shaving the head was that I was always scared about how it would be texture wise coming back in.  It is not unusual for hair to grow back differently after being shaved.


-Amy
Left side 1.7 cm AN diagnosed 7/30/08
Misdiagnosed for 8 + years
Surgery, Sub-occipital, 11/17/2008 at Indiana University Hospital
Left SSD
Tumor much larger than expected. Facial nerves intact, but had RARE swelling resulting in brachial plexus injury and tracheostomy after surgery.

Mei Mei

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1278
Re: Head shaving advice
« Reply #17 on: May 09, 2010, 09:38:24 am »
My neurosurgeon did a nice job.   He put my hair in a Pebbles Flintstone ponytail on the top of the middle of my head and shaved as little as possible on my right side for the surgery.   When I had the stitches out a week later, I took the rubber band out and the hair fell to the side and covered everything up.   The surgery was in Jan.  and now there is about 2 in. of growth. 
I think shaving the whole head is a little too drastic.   

Your docs will help you out on the day of your surgery.   Talk it over with them on your Pre-Op visit.
Mei Mei
1 cm Tumor RetrosigmoidSurgery on Jan 12 at Johns Hopkins
Drs. Niparko and Tamargo
35dB loss pre surgery and now SSD
Post surgical Headaches and Tinnitus
Dr Ducic Georgetown Excision Surgery May 2011
Dr. Schwartz GW  Titanium Mesh  March 2012
Drs Kalhorn/Baker, Georgetown Removal of Titanium Mesh