agentHarley

Thanks fellas -- so awesome to get all this support/advice. Almost like having a bunch of big brothers. Anyway, yup, have been using the sponge that the doctor gave me and I am being very gentle on the scalp area. Just dabbing the shampoo, not rubbing or anything like that. I am fortunate to have one of those rain showers, so, it is gentle anyway, but sure enough I put my hands over my scalp for the first couple of days. Now I let it "rain" down on the scalp, but only briefly. The tingle/itching that I am starting to feel is from the scabs flaking off and the water over the scalp really relieves this itching for a bit. I think it is key for anyone who reads this thread to note what something said: "if you lost a graft, you will bleed." -aH

Hey Guys: Question about the little scabs or crusts, depending on what they are called by some: How can one know when these are flaking off, and they have hairs attached, that they are not grafts being lost? (like, would you see the bulb/root of the hair as if I had plucked it?) Are they just falling off like expected and a new hair will eventually grow in? Is this shock loss? thnx -- aH

Hey Guys: Question about the little scabs or crusts, depending on what they are called by some: How can one know when these are flaking off, and they have hairs attached, that they are not grafts being lost? (like, would you see the bulb/root of the hair as if I had plucked it?) Are they just falling off like expected and a new hair will eventually grow in? Is this shock loss? thnx -- aH

One of the nicest ladies there was a technician who has worked with Dr. Bernstein for 13 years. She was very polite and lots of smiles, which I really needed at the time. I have been thinking a lot about what will happen when the pink scalp returns to normal and whether the hairs that are at my current natural hairline will look like a band that is separate from what hairline Dr. Bernstein set up for me. His reasoning is that in 10yrs or so, my hairline would recede further, but I do not think this will be the case. So, naturally, I have been thinking that in a 2nd HT, I would be addressing this issue first and foremost. I would want to add some density to the current hairline I have, not just where Dr. Bernstein indicated it would be. Time will tell, and I am sure he will adjust his opinion about hairline location and grafts placed there in a couple of years. Or, who knows how much sooner I will be able to afford a second procedure (or even if it is with Dr. Bernstein).

Some of you guys tore me up laughing. So, I guess now ya'll got me thinking about those actors with FULL-ASS heads of hair, like Tom Cruise. C'mon, at 40+ and he's got so much hair? Keep it comin' with the reports. sH

Jotronic: Can you explain what you mean by: "It was the lack of temple points." What are these?

Hey Guys: Been reading some of what the guys here are taking for oral medications. Proscar. Propecia. Avodart. Others? I know about Propecia/Finasteride because I am taking it, (also know about the FDA's ok on this one drug). But to be completely honest, I would like to take something that works, and that does not interfere with my ejaculations like Finasteride does. Hope I am not offending anyone by saying that, but I am just being honest. And ultimately, am looking to be more informed before I approach my doctor about this. aH

Hey Guys: Been reading some of what the guys here are taking for oral medications. Proscar. Propecia. Avodart. Others? I know about Propecia/Finasteride because I am taking it, (also know about the FDA's ok on this one drug). But to be completely honest, I would like to take something that works, and that does not interfere with my ejaculations like Finasteride does. Hope I am not offending anyone by saying that, but I am just being honest. And ultimately, am looking to be more informed before I approach my doctor about this. aH

Bill, I made a note for my records about Hasson being "king of megasessions". Do you think there is a correlation between age and graft count? In other words, the younger the patient, the more (or fewer?) grafts he should consider for 2nd/3rd HTs? aH

Hey Bill, Thanks for your response. I love the support ya'll offer on this forum. It gives me great peace of mind. aH

Hey All, Just had a very positive HT experience with Dr. Bernstein in NYC and would like to compare/exchange information about my experience with that of others who have been patients of his. Obviously he harvested the strip and closed the site himself (at least with me, but am sure that he must with ever patient). Q: But, did he place all your grafts? His staff placed all of mine, and there were 3 very nice people working on me at all times.

Hey All, Just had a very positive HT experience with Dr. Bernstein in NYC and would like to compare/exchange information about my experience with that of others who have been patients of his. Obviously he harvested the strip and closed the site himself (at least with me, but am sure that he must with ever patient). Q: But, did he place all your grafts? His staff placed all of mine, and there were 3 very nice people working on me at all times.

thanks guys, I hope to hear more people chime in because I read somewhere that the hairs that grown in the scar area are not as good as on native scalp. And by the sound of what you guys describe, that they remove the old one and incorporate a new one, means that they would have to cut a strip of about the same length. But Dr. Bernstein had told me we would never "need to go into the temples again" with me, so meaning that in any future surgeries, the strip would not be as long. -_aH

Guys: It has been a week since my first HT with Dr. Bernstein and I am doing well. But now that I have been through my first procedure, I am curious to ask all the guys who have had 2nd or 3rd procedures what their experience has been in terms of the subsequent donor scar. Is it above, below the first? Is it bigger, or smaller than the first? What differed about the healing process of the second or third procedure? thanks, aH

Guys: It has been a week since my first HT with Dr. Bernstein and I am doing well. But now that I have been through my first procedure, I am curious to ask all the guys who have had 2nd or 3rd procedures what their experience has been in terms of the subsequent donor scar. Is it above, below the first? Is it bigger, or smaller than the first? What differed about the healing process of the second or third procedure? thanks, aH

Hey Guys, Bill, and guests: Just took a peek at some of the other guys and what their graft posts/pictures were like, some upward of 3000 grafts! I'll be asking this question to Dr. Bernstein in different words, but would like to ask you all for your help here: was 2,135 grafts too low a count for my first session? would more grafts for the initial session have made it less necessary to have a second or third session? what about mixing different doctors for different procedures? (such as if i go back for more work, and try a new doctor?) is more better? thanks

Hey Guys, Bill, and guests: Just took a peek at some of the other guys and what their graft posts/pictures were like, some upward of 3000 grafts! I'll be asking this question to Dr. Bernstein in different words, but would like to ask you all for your help here: was 2,135 grafts too low a count for my first session? would more grafts for the initial session have made it less necessary to have a second or third session? what about mixing different doctors for different procedures? (such as if i go back for more work, and try a new doctor?) is more better? thanks

2. Honestly, I probably should have given them a few more days and taken them out on day 12. >> Bill: question, why 12 days? can you elaborate?

Bill -- thanks a ton for your time in responding to my questions. As you, and others have probably gathered from some of my other posts, I am very anxious about stretching the scar because I have a job coming up in late-March that might require some neck movement. How much, am not sure, but am gathering from your comments (and that of others) that I will 'know' not to move my head in certain directions because it will be too sensitive/tender. I thought the comment about the Nioxin shampoo was AWESOME!! I know what you mean about the tingle and I think that will be something I use right away. Spex -- thanks for your awesome link m8!

thanks Bill + thanatopsis: i was referring to self-administered massage of the scalp area prior to the procedure for scalp laxity and all that; BUT also, wanted to know for after the surgery in terms of how much time ought to pass before having anyone touch that part of my body with any measurable pressure. I got both answers, so thank you. The only thing I think about is how long will I have to watch my neck position so I don't look down. Is it that extreme? Like, am I not supposed to look at my feet for a couple of weeks? Q: how did all who have had a trichophytic suture deal with bending their heads down and the concerns about stretching? How much time passed for ya'll before there was no risks? Thanks

SO -- if anyone recently has experience with staples for their closure in the donor area, can you share what that was like. -were they removed after 10 days or longer? -would you have left them in longer? -how much time before you are very safe from any scar stretching? -what did you do to avoid stretching? -does it itch as it heals?

hey t: what do you mean by "the best possible position to heal"?

hello all: question -- how soon can one's scalp be massaged after surgery? if i go get a massage, how should i deal with the scar area? should i ask for no hands on my scalp?

hello all: question -- how soon can one's scalp be massaged after surgery? if i go get a massage, how should i deal with the scar area? should i ask for no hands on my scalp?