Hi
I feel a bit embarrassed posting on this subject but has anyone suffered hair loss after an operation? I had a DIEP flap almost a year ago and when I woke up from surgery I felt as if my head had been in a vice! After a day or two my hair started to fall out in two separate areas which were indented and linked to the shape of the horse shoe type foam that you lay on when having the op. I searched and searched on the internet and found one article which called it post operative alopecia. My consultant said he had never come across it before and I felt like a freak! The bald patches have shrunk to about 2ins long by half an inch wide but are still there and not sure whether hair will grow back. Have used vitamins, coconut oil and special scalp treatment for thinning hair. Any other suggestions?
As if thats not enough, I also have a bulge in my tummy which they thought may be a hernia. I recently had an op where my PS found a cavity had formed and he used liposuction and repaired the area and said it wont come back again. However, 6 weeks on from the op the bulge is starting to form again. Has anyone else had this?
Hi Carolec
So glad you posted! I had a DIEP in May this year and after coming home, my sister noticed a complete roundish patch of about 2" by 1.5" of complete baldness under where I normally wear my hair in a pony tail. The sugeon told me that this was due to my head being ‘on a block’(?!) for 8 hours while they op’d me! She wrote the the anaesthetist to ask him to watch out for this (maybe they could take better care of your head…? Also, I had a French plait when I went into hospital as I though it’d be easier to keep my long hair away. Could well be the pressure of my head was exacerbated by the ‘hard’ plait which didn’t help.
Anyway, the bit you want to hear … mine has actually started - slowl - to grow back so that’s a relief! I’ve noticed lower abdomen under scar feels a bit swollen although doesn’t look so - not sure if this is as I’ve done too much (ie, I pushed my car the other day - doh!!! Anyway, will keep an eye on this and maybe take up gentle pilates!
Lots of love. Cathy x
Hi Cathy
Thanks so much for posting - I thought I was on my own with these problems as I haven’t seen anything about hair loss after an operation on this site. My op was 10 hours and I’ve since read that for such a long op, it is recommended that they move your head throughout the op to prevent this. After almost a year it has started to grow back a bit but I think I’ll have to keep on with the vitamins etc.
Having said all of that and having moaned about my problems, I’m still glad I had the DIEP - I had a becker implant which ruptured and this is a hundred times better!
Love Carole