thinkingaboutit

hairworthy, Maybe you have already posted this,.. I have not seen it if you did. Sorry. Why are you going to Epstein this time instead of Hasson and Wong?

buddy How did you make it? I'd like to try and make one myself. Do you feel it is as effective as the lasercomb?

Good Luck Robert, you will be sorely missed here. I looked forward to your comments. They were always very helpful. I also very much appreciate the time that you took to see me when I had my consult w/ Dr. Cooley. I was impressed by your generosity and strength of character. I know that you will be successful in whatever route you take in life. Good Luck!!

no

Has anyone had experience with the LUCE laser? Yesterday I met a woman who works as an assistant to some MHR doctors.She told me that the doctors that she works for utilize this light theray after a HT to reduce shock-loss and stimulate growth. After monitoring this site I am suspicious of anything that comes out of the mouth of an MHR associate, but, the theory of using a laser light sounds interesting and if there is any merit to it I wonder why most docs don't employ its use.

Has anyone had experience with the LUCE laser? Yesterday I met a woman who works as an assistant to some MHR doctors.She told me that the doctors that she works for utilize this light theray after a HT to reduce shock-loss and stimulate growth. After monitoring this site I am suspicious of anything that comes out of the mouth of an MHR associate, but, the theory of using a laser light sounds interesting and if there is any merit to it I wonder why most docs don't employ its use.

Read your blog and looked at your pictures. Very well written, I think we all appreciate your sharing your experience with us so soon after surgery.Best wishes to your for a most exceptional outcome. I am nearly certain that I will be undergoing the procedure myself of 1500-1800 grafts and will almost certainly have it performed by Dr. Cooley. I would loke to have the surgery performed in late March or Mid-June. I am a school teacher with a 2 week break the first 2 weeks of April.It is important to me to keep the procedure private to me,unknown to my students and fellow teachers.I wonder if 2 weeks healing time is enough to accomplish that. If not, I will wait till June to have the procedure. Please keep us posted about these early stages post op.Pictures do not convey the whole story so I value your own personal impressions. Thanks and Best of Luck!

this may sound flippant, but I think you are worrying too much. THe stress itself may be exacerbating your hair loss. Based on your degree of hair loss, not your age, I think it is too soon.

Did you do the inversion table AFTER the surgery? If so, how soon after and how many times a week for how long? How soon after the surgery did you engage in regular aerobic exercise and what exactly did that entail?

Actually, I had not heard of it either, until reading about it in the New Yorker article. Bosley was quoted as saying that the suture area on a recent patient was left open till the end in case additional grafts needed to be extracted. I know that it is 'Bosley', but I was curious how typical it was. Thanks for the replies.

Is it customary to leave the donar area open, un-sutured, until the end of the surgery? For 1500+ graft procedures, is there typically a donar area in the back and on the sides of the head?

Is it customary to leave the donar area open, un-sutured, until the end of the surgery? For 1500+ graft procedures, is there typically a donar area in the back and on the sides of the head?

Are you under exceptional stress lately? This might be a contributing factor. How is your diet? Are you eating a well-balanced diet with lots of water, fruit and vegetables? There is little scientific evidence to state emphatically that these factors have much of an impact, but I have seen enough anecdotal evidence to suggest that they do. Are you getting plenty of rest and exercise? Are you exposed to any debilitating chemicals? If you are confident that you are living a healthy lifestyle and are still having exceptional shedding,then I can only feel for you and wish you well. But, if you are not addressing this other possibly contributing conditions, it might be in your best interest to consider them as well.

thanks Troy for posting those pictures. Please keep posting them regularly. They are exceptionally helpful for guys interested in the post-op process of healing ect. Amazing shots. To think those pics are taken less than 24hrs post op. Pretty impressive. I will be very interested to watch how things progress. Good LucK!

I agree. Robert does excellent work here and this site is a valuable forum for individuals looking for help on issues that are very troubling to them. Honest, forthright, generous and concerned individuals like Robert are exceedingly rare in this world.This site is very fortunate to have someone of his caliber and character managing things.

kg Who did your first surgery? What surgeons are you now considering? Why only 1500 grafts first procedure if you felt that you needed more? Did first procedure live up to all that you expected from it? What will you do differently second time around?

I know that it is probably impossible to accurately predict if and to what degree shock loss might occur, but I wonder if there are any theories about it that some might like to share. From digging around a bit, It seems that a lot of guys who experienced numbness in the transplanted area for an extended period of time were more likely to express experiencing notable shock loss.The numbness likely caused by the pain killing injections during surgery. How painful is the procedure if numbing injections in recipient area are kept to a minimum? Those of you who experienced shock, how dilligent were you in icing the area after surgery and did you have excessive swelling? Individuals who begin taking rogaine or propecia shortly before or after the surgery seem to experience loss more than someone who has been on an extended regimen prior to surgery. Diffuse thinners seem to experience it more than thinners in discrete areas. INdividuals in overall good physical condition don't seem to have it as much as guys who have pre-existing fitness issues. I wonder if smokers and drinkers experience it more/less or the same as non-smokers, non-drinkers. These are only casual observations of mine that may be embarassingly wrong and are by no means scientific.

You have made an appointment with one of the best. I am certain that he will be very empathic about your situation and should ease your concerns. Be sure to do your homework before your visit and since you will be in the general area you might be wise to schedule a visit w/Dr. Epstein as well.

Wait. It is too soon for you.

I have been considering a HT for a couple of years now. I went as far to schedule a surgery with perhaps the best HT doctor before backing out. If I had kept the surgery, I would have the 2000 graft procedure performed today. I am glad that I did not go through with it. I am not ready psychologically.Perhaps time will tell if it was a wise decision. I have not ruled out a HT, but I don't think that this was the right time for me to have a FIT. I am wondering and would appreciate opinions to a different approach I am considering.As a first timer, what would you think about a smaller session, say 500 FUE grafts with the donor area being extracted lower than typical. I mean, I generally shave hair from the back of my neck to approx 2.5" below the occipital protuberance.Perhaps my measurements are not clinically accurate, but I believe most FIT ( and FUE) are extracted considerably above that. Does it make sense to take a smaller # of FUE grafts from an area that falls in a more discrete area for a first time HT to: A) have a smaller initial procedure as a test to see how a patient reacts B) eliminate the long donor scar that can be quite problematic and still have a cosmetically appreciable inpact in a smaller area? This might allow for a better assessment of results before making an unequivocal commitment and have the surgeries spread out to allow for more gradual replacement without depleting the donor supply. In short,.. Small FUE sessions with FUE's taken closer to the shirt-collar level on the scalp?

I have been considering a HT for a couple of years now. I went as far to schedule a surgery with perhaps the best HT doctor before backing out. If I had kept the surgery, I would have the 2000 graft procedure performed today. I am glad that I did not go through with it. I am not ready psychologically.Perhaps time will tell if it was a wise decision. I have not ruled out a HT, but I don't think that this was the right time for me to have a FIT. I am wondering and would appreciate opinions to a different approach I am considering.As a first timer, what would you think about a smaller session, say 500 FUE grafts with the donor area being extracted lower than typical. I mean, I generally shave hair from the back of my neck to approx 2.5" below the occipital protuberance.Perhaps my measurements are not clinically accurate, but I believe most FIT ( and FUE) are extracted considerably above that. Does it make sense to take a smaller # of FUE grafts from an area that falls in a more discrete area for a first time HT to: A) have a smaller initial procedure as a test to see how a patient reacts B) eliminate the long donor scar that can be quite problematic and still have a cosmetically appreciable inpact in a smaller area? This might allow for a better assessment of results before making an unequivocal commitment and have the surgeries spread out to allow for more gradual replacement without depleting the donor supply. In short,.. Small FUE sessions with FUE's taken closer to the shirt-collar level on the scalp?

just curious, I wonder, When you sleep does your head generally favor lying on one side or the other?

Bill I am curious. Did you experience much shock loss after your first procedure? HOw did you feel at this point after the first HT? It must've been a positive experience otherwise you would not have put yourself through it again.

Bill thanks for posting all the pictures. Its great help to someone considering a HT to observe the progress. I am sorry that you are feeling discouraged. Stay tough. You have multiple stresses occurring simultaneously. The shock loss coupled with the anxious waiting period before you begin to see the fruits of your labor and perhaps a bit of mild depression that is somewhat common after surgery. ( along with any additional stressors in your private life.) Stay positive and be patient. Look forward to spring when your scalp will be thick with foliage.

Kat the pics look great.Very natural and impressive results that take years off your appearance.