| Posterior Fossa Decompression |
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Hair Tips from Nancy
As you can see in the picture on the left, I had two incisions, and a fairly large area of hair had been shaved. My neurosurgeon uses a dural patch from the patient's own scalp tissue, necessitating the upper incision and the larger area. Women seem to find the hair situation more daunting than men, so here are a few quick tips:
- Approach the whole issue positively and with a bit of humor. It really isn't a big deal since the hair grows back quickly. Instead of obsessing, make a joke about it.
- Most surgeries are planned many weeks in advance, giving you time to grow out your hair. My hair is short and layered, so I used those weeks to grow out the hair on the upper part of the back of my head.
- After the surgery, I borrowed the "comb over" concept used by bald men, and did a "comb down." As you can see in the photo, the hair completely covered the bald spot. The hat I had bought to hide the incision was returned to the store unworn.
- Just for fun, take a picture. The surgery is a big event in your life, and the photo will be a memory.
  THEN 1999 - 5 Days Post-Op NOW 2005 - 6+ yrs. Post-Op |
 2 Days Post-Op |
| Chiari & Basilar Invagination |
5 Days Post-Op
| Shunt Surgery (to drain fluid from the spine) |
Post-Operative Scars