My daughter is scheduled to have her decompression with graft on Nov. 20 at Seattle Children's. Do they always use staples after they're done? When do you get those taken out? Just saying it sounds awful...is it as awful as it sounds? Too, she's been getting her hair dyed recently. It's AWESOME and she loves it. Should she get it touched up now only to be stuck at home for who-knows-how-long or wait til after? If after, how long typically until you're healed enough to go get your do done?
My daughter had dissolvable sutures. No staples. She had highlights but wanted to go back to her natural brunette color. NS said she could have it done 6 weeks after. Hope this helps 
My surgeon was concerned about my appearance for me his assistant spent a long time stitching me up very nicely and then putting steri-strips over the wound instead of staples to minimize the scar. Regardless though I heard that getting the staples out doesnt hurt at all. Just leaves more of a scar.
I had stitches for the decompression surgery, with staples near my temples. For the shunt surgery i got all staples. They are more annoying than anything, a little sharp if you bump them the wrong way. I think the worst part of getting them pulled (for me) was the sound. There is a loud "kachunk" in your head for the temple ones. The back and neck ones still sound weird, but not as bad. I swear they use an office staple remover or something. Getting tattoos or piercings hurt much worse. If you can handle that, then staples are no problem.
I had highlights but got a touch up with some darker auburns the week before surgery so regrowth won’t be noticeable. It will be 6-8 weeks before I can color again. They used glue on my incision. No staples, nothing to remove. They shaved a small strip and it isn’t even noticeable with my hair down.
I had 50 staples & several stitches in the lower Occipital area. My husband removed my staples. I live 5+hours from my NS. They sent us home with a pair of medical hooked tweezers. It hurt my husband more than me. He took out half one day & half the next. It didn't hurt at all. The scar area is usually numb. I did have to go to a local general surgeon to get the stitches taken out. My scar starts about an inch from the top of my head & runs to my shoulder blades, It is flat & every Specialist that I have seen post surgical can't believe I didn't have a plastic surgeon close. I don't even have hardly any scar tissue. Which is a very good thing for Chiarians. Most pediatric patients only has stitches. The top layer will have to be removed by a Dr. or Nurse. As far as hair color, I got mine done before surgery. Then again about two months later & we avoided the scar area. I still have to stand up & bend over to have my hair washed at the salon. The neck cut out in their sinks gives me nerve shocks that runs throughout my body. I agree with Razzle , everyone is different. I had an extreme Chiari situation. Please don't be afraid of staples or hair color. Just be sure & let the stylist know that your daughter has had cranial/brain surgery & they will be very gentle.
I had stitches that dissolved...I didn't know it at the time, and a few days after surgery, I asked when I had to get my staples out! :) I dye my hair blonde, although I am a brunette...I waited about 8 weeks after surgery, but just told them to be careful of my scar....I had no problems as far as irritation. I hope she does okay!
I had stitches. Before they were removed they began to itch more than hurt. I had stitches only when i had C-sections. Just be careful to not catch them on anything...(i lost all my pregnancy weight and thought i could wear my pre-pregnancy jeans and caught a staple in the zipper) DONT EVER DO THAT....OUCH!!!!!
It was weird when i asked my hair stylist she said she'd feel comfortable doing 8 weeks after decompression with highlights and color.
SUCH good info!!!!!!! THANK YOU ALL!!