Coalition Surgeons

TakingThePlunge · #1 **Top** 10-09-2009, 10:43 AM

Today I hit the 40 wk mark. At this point, I've given up hope that this procedure will produce an acceptable result. You win some and you lose some and I lost this one, gentlemen.

Just to recap, I saw Dr. Alexander at the 6 month and 8 month marks and he urged me to let my hair grow out in order to take advantage of the layering effect. I have not cut the top in over a month. My worst HT fear has now come true. I have a bird nest on my head! Exactly what I'd hoped to avoid.

As always, my photos were taken with no flash and trying to find the best ambient light. There are no products in my hair other than Rogaine Foam. It was washed, towel dried and combed. There was no attempt at styling. This is the way I've taken all my pics for the sake of consistency.

I know, I've still got two more months...

hdude46 · #2 **Top** 10-09-2009, 11:28 AM

real sorry ttp...you seem to have great caliber hair too. what do u think your next course of action will be. repair by dr. alexander? another clinic such as shapiro or h&w? again, real sorry dude.

thanatopsis_awry · #3 **Top** 10-09-2009, 12:24 PM

You had practically zero native hair pre-op, and 2500g isn't a tremendous amount given that; but, your hairline design was quite conservative, so I'd have expected a bit better density, nonetheless, especially the sides of the hairline.

Honestly, though, I don't consider this a massive fail, and you could still have some more growth; I wouldn't say the growth was perfect, but given your level of balding I think you would need virtually flawless yield with 2500 to expect that much more.

As well, you aren't doing your HT *any* favors. I can't express how strongly I'd reccommend you style your hair to maximize your HT and use some legit products, too.

I started a thread recently about boosting naturalness and density in HTs, and I think you could be a poster child. I think cases like yours are quite common, and while I personally wouldn't be satisfied either, I think even given everything with the right regiment you could make leaps and bounds.

TakingThePlunge · #4 **Top** 10-09-2009, 12:46 PM

hdude46 - Thanks. I'm not sure what the future holds. Of course, I will speak to Dr. A when the time comes to get his assessment and se what he feels is a reasonable solution. Going to another clinic at this point is probalby not within reach financially.

thanatopsis_awry - I understand what you're saying and you're not the first to suggest that, given my degree of balding, 2500 grafts is not tremendous. However, you have to understand, and I've said this before, I did not request 2500 grafts nor did I ask Dr. A how many grafts I could get for $10,000. At my consultation, I asked him how many grafts he recoommended, based on my degree of balding, so that I would achieve an acceptable and aesthetically pleasing result. Dr. Alexander said 2500 and also showed me results of patients with similar degrees of loss and similar numbers of grafts that looked great. He also told me that my hair and scalp quality were so good that I would have great results by six months.

I did read your post on hair products and I thought is was great! I should have commented on that. I have bookmarked it and plan to try all the products you mentioned.

I normally do style my hair and put some different products in it. I choose not to do that for my monthly pics because I think it should be displayed in its natural state for consistency.

rpachigo · #5 **Top** 10-09-2009, 01:05 PM

I think not great, not terrible but somewhere in between. Some percentage of grafts have not grown. Perhaps he could map a few square centimeters and determine which percentage didn't grow based on density he planted at and then refund the difference. All the best moving forwards.

thanatopsis_awry · #6 **Top** 10-09-2009, 01:13 PM

Ya, don't get me wrong, I totally hear ya man...trust me....what you just said is *precisely* why I can be such a hardass on people about graft #s...it kills me to see you say what you've said because it's said so often and it is precisely such a situation that I am constantly trying to help people avoid. I don't know if it was you who posted pre-op about your Alexander HT, but if you had I would have strongly cautioned you to re-evaluate your expectations, likely result, and the # of grasfts conjoined to these two things.

Again, I don't consider the HT some massive fail, but I question the gameplan, as it clearly has not actually been in sync with your expectations.

I honestly believe there is a non-malicious disconnect between a lot of doctors' expectations projected onto patients, and what patients' actual expectations are. Sometimes patients' expectations are unreasonably high, sometimes doctors' gameplans are peculiarly modest. A doctor can only do so much, and miracles can't be worked, but I feel that this "expectation gap", largely defined by # of grafts, needs to be better illucidated and discussed between patients and doctors.

I have as good a donor as can be, and had/have a decent amount of native hair to back up my HT zone -- I got 3k, which I think was a great # and Dr. Feller did an excellent job intuiting my expectations based off of our talks. Nonetheless, I was "lucky" in the sense that I myself was partially in the dark at the time about the impact grafts will likely have on individuals -- thankfully, my instincts, a bit of luck, and Dr. Feller's keen eye and apprectation gave me an ideal graft #.

TakingThePlunge · #7 **Top** 10-09-2009, 01:45 PM

I just wanted to let everyone know that I am seeing Dr. A for a follow-up next Friday. He had asked me last time to come in again around this time. I'll be sure to update my post with any relevant information.

phxind · #8 **Top** 10-09-2009, 02:36 PM

TTP, yes I agree the results could have been better. Please keep us in the loop on what Dr.A tells you. Good luck.

aaron1234 · #9 **Top** 10-09-2009, 02:58 PM

Plunge,

I know how you feel man. It doesn't look terrible but the yield was not one would hope it to be. I think you are doing the right thing by keeping in touch with your doc. As always, keep us posted.

Bill - Managing Publisher · #10 **Top** 10-09-2009, 06:48 PM

TakingthePlunge,

I'm sorry you're still experiencing less than optimal growth. I know you had talked to Dr. Alexander about this previously and it was a little premature to draw a conclusion at the time.

Unfortunately, less than optimal growth can occur for unknown reasons, even if a physician and their staff have done everything right. Dr. Alexander has an excellent track record and I trust he'll stand behind you and his work if you don't get the results you desire in a couple of months.

When is your consult with Dr. A so he can evaluate your results?

Hang in there my friend.

Bill

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