Once healed, the skin graft donor area will look red, purple or pink initially as it has a rich blood supply and it lacks skin pigment. It can take up to two years for the skin graft donor area to fade and return to a more normal colour.
The healing of donor site wounds can be divided into two main phases (Beldon, 2007). The initial wet phase is when larger amounts of exudate are produced. The subsequent dry phase as healing progresses is when the exudate levels significantly reduce and the wound bed becomes dry.
If the site becomes swollen or is hot or painful, call your healthcare provider. Your bandage will be removed 7 to 10 days after surgery. After the bandage is removed, the site will be pink. Over time it will return to more normal color.
Three to Six Months: The donor area's healing continues, and the scars start to mature and blend with the surrounding skin. New hair growth begins to emerge from the transplanted follicles. Six Months Onward: By six months, the donor area is typically well-healed, and any scarring is usually minimal and inconspicuous.
The appearance of the graft will change over the weeks and months and will take up to 2 years to fully mature. Once the graft is healed you will be referred to the scar management team. Small areas of wound breakdown and blisters are common on the newly healed skin as it is thinner and more sensitive.
At first, the colour of the grafted skin may appear red or purple, but it should begin to look more like your surrounding skin over time. It can take a year or two for the appearance of the skin to settle down completely.
How do I know if I have a failed gum graft? Usually, you can tell you have a failed gum graft because you will have a large white patch of white tissue that has come off the tooth. Sometimes it may even look like the gum graft is falling off.
It takes about two weeks for the donor area to heal. After surgery, a bandage is placed on the donor area. When removed, you will notice small spots on the skin. The healing process will not take long, as the hair grows all post-operative signs will disappear and you will restore the natural aesthetic appearance.
Once healed, the skin graft donor area will look red, purple or pink initially as it has a rich blood supply and it lacks skin pigment. It can take up to two years for the skin graft donor area to fade and return to a more normal colour.
Imbibition: The skin graft passively absorbs oxygen and nutrients from the wound bed. During this phase, the skin graft is ischemic and survives on diffusion alone until reestablishing graft vasculature. The graft is pale/white during this time.
If we do not see you back for several months after surgery, we will assume everything is going well. Your graft should turn to a flesh color within 4 weeks of suture removal. There should be no scabs, bright red or yellow appearance to the graft.
By the next day the worst of the feeling should have worn off and you should feel comfortable. In a small number of patients where the transplant has been a large one, you might feel mild pain that persists for 1- 2 weeks.
We advise that once the donor site and the skin grafted areas are fully healed, that you keep the area well moisturised and massage as often as you can. Suitable creams include E45, Vaseline Intensive Care, Aveeno, Nivea etc.
The bandage is usually maintained for 3 to 5 days. To avoid any risk of infection, it is recommended not to remove the dressing without the surgeon's permission. Small scabs and redness may also appear in the donor area. Scabs after a hair transplant are normal and common.
If you want, you can put a non-stick bandage over your dressing at night or if you go out. 1-2 weeks after surgery: • Put Vaseline® on the skin graft site 3 times a day for 2 weeks after surgery. Keep the skin graft dry for two weeks after your surgery.
A donor site usually takes 10 to 14 days to heal however this is dependent on a number of factors such as, donor site size, patient comorbidities, patient age, current medications etc. A dressing will be put on in theatre, and this should stay in place until healed.
It is important to soften the healed skin graft and donor site and massage helps to reduce redness. E45 cream, aqueous cream and Nivea are good creams to use as they are non-perfumed. Wash site before massaging as cream may build up in the graft. Please ask the nursing staff for a scar massage information sheet.
Week One: Immediate Post-Surgical Changes
In the first week following your gum graft surgery, it's common to see the graft transition to white, gray, or pink, all part of the natural healing process.
Full recovery takes around 12 months, although the hairs around the donor site will grow much faster, and the microscopic incisions made during an FUE transplant will be completely healed and impossible to see within a week or two.
Patients with high donor hair density are generally good candidates for hair transplantation. For example, a patient with a donor area that contains at least 80 grafts per square centimetre is an excellent candidate.
Hair from the pubic area is typically coarser and sometimes used for transplant purposes. Given its texture, it may be suitable for specific regions of the scalp where coarser hair is needed. However, it is not commonly used due to the sensitive nature of the donor area.
Patients should immediately contact a trusted medical professional if they notice the wound is swollen, discolored, redness has developed, or there is tissue breakdown. Other warning signs of an infection or failed skin graft include, but are not limited to, continuous pain and fever.
It is very common for a scab or eschar to form over the skin graft as it heals, which serves to protect the underlying fragile tissue. This temporary scab acts as a biological cover while new skin regenerates beneath the surface. Try not to pick at or prematurely remove this protective scabbing.
Symptoms of a bad hair transplant include unevenly placed hair grafts, thin or patchy areas, and excessive scarring, swelling, and redness. If you experience issues, contact your surgeon immediately for advice on corrective measures, which may include additional hair transplant surgery or other treatments.