I have just returned from my trip to south Florida to see Dr. Charles. On Friday I met with Dr. Charles and he outlined the game plan to correct the old procedure which I had undergone 16 yrs ago. There is no doubt that my case was very challenging. First, Dr. Charles would have to core out some of the old plug grafts and try to save the hair follicles from these plugs. On top of that, my donor area was very limited and I had extensive scarring in the donor area from the previous procedure. This would also reduce the amount of grafts available. The only discomfort I felt was during the initial anesthetic process which lasted about five minutes. I had no discomfort for the next six hours. It was very obvious that Dr. Charles and his staff are experts at this procedure. I was made to feel very much at ease and everyone was very professional. After it was all said and done, Dr. Charles was able to transplant about 1900 grafts in the area of the old HT even with my limited donor area, which was a surprise. To top it all off, Dr. Charles presented me with a FREE LaserComb as a gift after the procedure. I cannot express graditude to Dr. Charles and his staff for the care I received. I am now entering the long waiting period which everyone goes through. I will now try and post some before and after pics.

I have just returned from my trip to south Florida to see Dr. Charles. On Friday I met with Dr. Charles and he outlined the game plan to correct the old procedure which I had undergone 16 yrs ago. There is no doubt that my case was very challenging. First, Dr. Charles would have to core out some of the old plug grafts and try to save the hair follicles from these plugs. On top of that, my donor area was very limited and I had extensive scarring in the donor area from the previous procedure. This would also reduce the amount of grafts available. The only discomfort I felt was during the initial anesthetic process which lasted about five minutes. I had no discomfort for the next six hours. It was very obvious that Dr. Charles and his staff are experts at this procedure. I was made to feel very much at ease and everyone was very professional. After it was all said and done, Dr. Charles was able to transplant about 1900 grafts in the area of the old HT even with my limited donor area, which was a surprise. To top it all off, Dr. Charles presented me with a FREE LaserComb as a gift after the procedure. I cannot express graditude to Dr. Charles and his staff for the care I received. I am now entering the long waiting period which everyone goes through. I will now try and post some before and after pics.

Alair, Congratulations man!

Dr Charles did a great job! Your days of suffering are over and I am happy for you! Looks like you have a great hairline and what you had before is forever gone!

With out a doubt awesome! Again Congrats!

Sorry, I did not get a before pic to come up. Hopefully, it will now appear.

Altair, congat's man!!
Can't wait to see the 1 month update. You are going to be very pleased with the out come. I hope your are feeling like a million on the inside.
Best of Luck!!

Thanks guys!

At this point I still do not know what to expect. I have not had a hair line in 18 yrs! I just wish that I had more donor hair for the crown because I could have sat in that chair for another four hours. Dr. Charles did a great job dealing with the old plugs. That was a big concern.

While you are much improved I am horrified and upset at the Dr's decision to excise and suture the large plug grafts at the hairline. First of all, they weren't that bad, when I say "that" bad I mean so bad as to be unable to keep and camoflauge them.

I have seen large plg grafts that are dense and filled with dozens or more hairs but, yours are softer and less dense than most and they could have easily been hidden with surrounding grafts.

Furthermore, he didn't bother to even place hair IN FRONT of the sutures so the scars will be apparent even after the final results are in and everything has healed.

I am happy for you and don't mean to rain on your parade but, without grafts in front of the hairline scars, you will be trading a thin line scar for an unnatural plug graft. Agreed, the scar is better but, the Dr should have used some common sense and tried to hide them.

Altair,

I was looking forward to seeing your first post! Looking awesome, man! From the looks of it, Dr. Charles has done an exceptionally fine job of restoring your hairline and, working with the 1900 graphs he could possibly harvest, has given you a look that is commensurate to a respectable thinning crown pattern. I think youre going to be MORE than pleased, man.

Better watch out though, I may be coming after that laser comb! heh heh heh j/k

Best of Luck and happy healing, man! Couldnt have gone to a more deserving person.

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Check out the results of my surgical hair restoration performed by Dr. Jerry Cooley by visiting my Hair Loss Weblog

Balloonman,

Interesting view you have there, however I'm going to have to give Dr. Charles the benefit of the doubt for a couple of reasons.

1) Dr. Charles was making the most use of a limited donor supply. To hide those plugs would require a very densely packed recipient area. As you can see, Altair recieved the 1900 graphs over a large area thus giving him a respectable coverage. If the doctor were to go lower and leave those old plugs alone, they would have been way more noticeable than the scars because the surrounding area would not have been suitably dense to camoflauge them.

2) The placement of the hairline at the old plugs was ingenious, IMO, because any higher (i.e. a more "mature" hairline) and the scars form the plugs would have been obvious. Any lower and the density issue of my first point would come more into play.

I think Dr. Charles did a fantastic job with a very unfortunate situation. I do see what you are saying, but Altair did not have the adequate donor supply suitable for a complete coverup.

Its easy to become overly skeptical after so much research. God knows, were all guilty of it, but you have to look at the whole picture sometimes.

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Check out the results of my surgical hair restoration performed by Dr. Jerry Cooley by visiting my Hair Loss Weblog

balloon,
I had wondered that myself, but I do not have any knowledge in graft removal. I think maybe his tactic would not be even noticable if the doctor removed them a certain way. It is to obvious of notice, for a professional doctor not to take it into consideration.
No need for concern at this point, since we do not know the doctors technic. But it is a valid concern.