aaron1234

I got 7k grafts via strip before starting FUE.  There's no question that if I got around 5-6k grafts via FUE first, a strip would not be viable at that point because it would have no place to hide.  

How many grafts did you get first time around?  I'd wait until there is more hair loss before undergoing round 2.  

8 hours ago, mtb said:

I do not understand why doing FUE before FUT would yield less grafts than FUT before FUE. 

A strip excision gets every graft within its parameters.  Within that same "strip" zone, FUE wouldn't come close to those numbers without leaving it bare.  It's why the donor regions of patients who've had 6,000 grafts via FUE look far less dense than the donor regions of patients who have 6,000 grafts via FUT.  

Took me about 3 procedures before I felt that I could ditch the dermmatch.  Though arguably I could still use it.

Appears you got good yield but the hairline is too straight.  It is 7 months so things will improve overall, but the multi-haired grafts are there to stay unless they are punched out.

I recommend getting on finasteride and start researching elite docs known for their soft hairlines.

Being free from the ugly duckling stage is the most liberating feeling ever, huh?  Looking good, I fully expect it to fill in over the next 3 months.

Congrats on the marriage and future HT, Melvin! Wish I had that beard! 😎

On 9/15/2021 at 9:59 PM, kramer79 said:

Does the scar line show when tilting your head forward in bright light?

A shorter hair style increases the likelihood of this happening.  Every strip patient needs to find that sweet spot in length, not just for the recipient area but donor as well.

On 9/15/2021 at 9:59 PM, kramer79 said:

Also, Did you guys find the scar was better at 6 months as opposed to 4 months? (as far as cutting the donor shorter)

The scar will continue to heal for months, but that doesn't necessarily include a reduction of its width.  What's better at 6 months is that hair around the scar that was shocked out will have grown back, doing a better job at hiding the scar.  

Rassman still does surgery? 

All of my scars from six FUT's (three days after an FUE) in all their glory.  They aren't best case or worst case strip scars; probably somewhere down the middle.  With my hair grown out they aren't an issue unless my hair is wet.

I had ingrown hairs post-fue as well, but maybe not this bad.  Just put warm compresses on them and that will help settle them down.  Try not to pick at them.  The patchiness is shock loss, so just give it a few months and it'll grow back.  You're in the middle of the ugly duckling stage so hang in there.  

Stellar results!

28 minutes ago, Pilk said:

My profession makes it hard to carve out a long stretch of time for recovery and I'm in the public eye evey day so there's no hiding for months.

Then smaller FUE procedures are probably best in order to stay incognito.  The bigger the procedure the longer you'll have to stay out of public.

5 minutes ago, Der3k7 said:

Do you think I would have a noticeable difference in result going to konior vs Freitas?

I couldn't say.  Both are great doctors.  It would be ideal to meet with a handful of reputable docs and see who you feel most comfortable with.  I think establishing a good relationship with the surgeon is important.

1 hour ago, MachoVato said:

Konior is like $12/graft for FUE. He's probably top 3 in the world, but that's "money ain't no thing" budget.

In my experience with Dr. K I always ended up with more grafts than the original target number which brought down the price per graft rate.  If the OP only has a few thousand grafts left then he needs to make the most of them. 

That's fine.  Be sure to take a deep dive into the patient reviews on the forum for a handful of docs.  This way you can see what has been happening of late. 

Check out Dr. Konior in Chicago, especially if you're willing to travel.  

Hair shaft diameter, donor density, number of multi-hair follicles, no signs of miniaturization or retrograde alopecia.  If all four of those factors are in your favor then consider yourself fortunate.  Also for FUT, scalp elasticity is important. 

Just shave your head and move on with your life.  The low quality donor hair is only going to give you a low quality HT, leaving you unsatisfied with the results wishing you would have just saved your money and spared your scalp the trauma in the first place.  Just not worth it.

Work looks clean, keep us posted.  Happy growing!

DHT is a byproduct of testosterone which is the main cause behind male pattern baldness.  Finasteride works to suppress DHT.  It won't regrow all of your hair but might preserve and strengthen what you do have.  It works for many men but not everyone. 

Get on fin to see if it will rejuvenate the top half of your crown.  Either way you have an advanced pattern which means demand outweighs supply.  This would need multiple surgeries and still you would never achieve full coverage with HT's.  Accepting your baldness would be better than getting work done at some cheap clinic in Turkey.

Give fin a year before you jump into surgery. 

Show-off!  😉

It all depends if the donor hair extracted has the same wave/curl as your hair on top.  Sometimes hair from different regions grows in different ways.  In my case, my donor hair had a wave to it when grown out long and it maintained that wave when transplanted.