WildForest

Thanks NewHair, SugarHighs! I don't recall the clinic telling me the density. SugarHighs, would love to hear of your progress as well! WildForest

Hi everyone! I've uploaded my 6 month and 8 month post-op pics. Hope they help! About a month ago I met with Dr. Rahal in his Toronto office for him to assess my progress. Dr. Rahal has noted that there has been some stretching on the left scar (you can see this on my updated pictures). He said that it can be fixed if I wanted. I am considering this. Perhaps he will be doing some FUE in the area? I'm not sure but I will be setting up another meeting with him at the 12 month mark. I think I can decide once we hit that mark. I'm currently keeping my hair short, getting a buzz cut every 2 weeks. The left scar is more visible because of the lack of hair in the area. I've been using mederma every once in a while. I've used it on both sides, more on the left side than on the right. I'm not sure if it helped but Dr. Rahal suggested I use it on one side only and compare the results. Overall I am happy with the results. I hope the next few months the hair will thicken more. We'll wait and see!

Hi all, I've just past my 5 month post operation mark and have uploaded my recent pics (4 month and 5 month mark). All in all, I'm quite happy with my progress considering it's just a bit over 5 months. I've started using Mederma on my scar to hopefully reduce the redness. Now, I'm just waiting for things to thicken up and looking forward to it!

Hi alan7777, Based on my results and what I've seen on this forum, Dr. Rahal is the top 1 or 2 surgeons in Canada. Yes, shaving the recipient area is mandatory. I believe it's required because: 1. When the new hair is transplanted in the area, it does not intersect (I believe there is a more correct term) other existing hairs. 2. It is easier to transplant the hairs in the same direction as the existing hairs for a natural look. I suggest you read up on this or you can ask Dr. Rahal for a more correct explanation. As for the redness, it lasted only a few weeks (you can see my pictures as I've uploaded them every month). During my ugly duckling period, I would wear my hat more often. For me, shaving my head was not an issue because I wanted to make sure my surgery went well. I think that it's better to be "bald and red" for a short period to ensure that the surgery and growth went well. Just my own opinion. The growth has been great and people have noticed the difference. Some have questioned whether I had anything done because I looked more young. I told some of my close friends (thinking they would have guess anyways) and some of them didn't believe me, probably because it looked very natural. On one hand, you don't want anyone to know, but on the other hand, you want the improvements to be huge and with that people notice...guess you can't have both Hope all this helps. If you have more questions, feel free to message me. Good luck!

Thanks Jason! Glad to hear the scar is surprisingly thin! My scar is still a visible but I have been using what Dr. Rahal prescribed. I have recently been using Mederma as well. The scar on the left side (if you see my recent pictures) is still visible when the hair is cut short but the right side is much better. Good luck with your 2nd HT!

Hey guys, Just wanted to let everyone know that I've uploaded my updated photos (2 month and 3 month pics). I'm quite happy with the growth so far. At the 2 month mark, a lot of shedding had occurred. I knew this was going to happen and understand this was my "ugly duckling" stage. There is quite a bit of shock loss in the scar area. The scar area had been itching like crazy but Dr. Rahal assured me that this was completely normal. He also recommended me to apply some Cortate (Hydrocortisone) to ease the itching. 3 Months - There was quite a bit of small hairs sprouting. They are quite thin but I trust they will thicken over time. The scar area isn't as itching as before. There are some small hairs growing in the bald patches near the scar area (due to shock loss) so the scar is not as obvious now. I'll be waiting patiently and updating everyone in the subsequent months!

Hi DRoyal, Congrats on your choice with Dr. Rahal. I had a positive experience with him and am in the waiting stage for things to grow. Since you're heading there by yourself, I'd suggest going to Foxbar Guesthouse which is only 2-3 blocks away from Dr. Rahal's office. You will want to rest for the first few days a minimize any physical activity, even walking. The place has a kitchen with stove and a fridge stocked with food so you don't have to go out grocery shopping. I've shaved my head 1 month after my surgery with Dr. Rahal but if I were to do it over again, I'd shave my head completely before the surgery. This makes it so much easier to wash/clean during the first few weeks. So yes, I recommend shaving it all off the day of the surgery. I think you can request this. As for the scar, I have not been using concealers. I am wearing a hat when I go out so that no one suspects any work has been done. Due to shock loss, the left back of my scar is a bit bare and red. It's a bit visible due to the lack of hair. However, I've been told this is only temporary and the hair should grow back to cover the scar. The right back side of my scar is almost perfect and I have to look carefully to see the scar (yes no shock loss on that side). I'm quite impressed with the scar and I feel Dr. Rahal has done an excellent job. One more note is to avoid direct sunlight as the graphs are still weak after the surgery. I am avoiding sunlight too until Dr. Rahal says so. Good luck and I hope to hear how your surgery/healing progresses! WildForest.

Congrats MusoInOz on your choice! I too have had my HT with Dr. Rahal. It's been about a month and a half. Hang in there and make sure you rest well the few days after! You're in good hands!

Hi guys, Just wanted to give everyone a quick update. I have my day 17 photos uploaded in my photos album. I had Dr. Rahal remove my sutures. My scabs have all been removed with only gentle massaging. I am still experiencing some numbness near the donor area but it's slowly going away.

So here we go... April 13, 2011 So I've arrived in Ottawa on the 13th and settled in the Foxbar Guesthouse. At first, the place didn't look like much for the outside as it just looked like any other house in the neighborhood. However, the inside was very nicely renovated. The owner/manager of the place greeted me and I got a chance to meet another guy from Hamilton who had finished his HT 2 days ago. I asked him how his experience was and he said it hurts a lot. Mainly when they first did the freezing of the scalp and also the few days proceeding the surgery. Later I went to see Dr. Rahal who assessed how much graphs we would be planning. Originally he suggested 3500 graphs but I asked if it was possible to do my crown area as well since I was thining there as well. He said he could try for 4000 graphs (3500-3600 graphis in the frontal area and 500-400 graphs in the crown area). Later that evening the reality of things was starting to set in so I got really nervous but tried to manage through the night through prayer and trying to have faith. I was able to sleep early too by listening to my iPod. April 14, 2011 I woke up early (5:15am) and took a shower. Had a decent (but not too big) breakfast then headed off to Dr. Rahal's office at our scheduled time 6:30am. Upon entering, the lady sensing my nervousness reassured me that everything will be fine. When Dr. Rahal arrived, we went in his office to draw the hairline and take a few pictures. Then we went in the surgery room and they gave me some medication to take and explained what each one did. They then proceeded by shaving my frontal scalp area (and the crown area later). From here things are a bit of a blurr (I was one medication) but I'll do my best to document accurately. For one thing, the freezing was extremely painful for me. But after that, everything else was fine but a bit tiring since I had to stay in the lying position for most of the operation. I was able to watch 2 movies and had some conversations with the staff and Dr. Rahal. They have a decent movie selection. The staff was very nice and made sure I was comfortable. I had to take some washroom breaks and they made sure my blood sugar was in check by having me me drink Gaterade. Half way through the operation, they provided lunch and we were back with the operation in no time. My operation took a lot longer than we anticipated. Originally we thought it would take about 8 hours, but I think it was closer to 11-12 hours (left around 7:00pm). They said the reason was because my frontal scalp (recepient area) was a bit tough so planting the graphs took longer. This made me think that maybe I should have included my scalp exercises in my frontal area as well. We ended up getting 4090 graphs (I'll confirm the number and follicle breakdown with Dr. Rahal tomorrow). I was feeling extremely weak afterwards. Thank goodness Dr. Rahal took the time to drove me back to Foxbar. I ended up resting in our room's inclining chair as soon as I got back and ate very little. Throughout the night I had this pounding headache which was in my opinion the worst part of the night. In the middle of the night, I threw up but felt much better afterwards. I wasn't used to sleeping at a 45 degree angle so I didn't get a good night's rest. April 15, 2011 I returned to the office at 10:30am to go through the washing and medication instructions with Mike, one of the staff members. We also took off the band that was wrapped around my head to keep the blood and anesthetic above my head. Mike also explained that I will experience some swelling because the liquid to come down and sleeping at the 45 degree angle will prevent it from showing on my face. At Foxbar, I met a few other guys seeing Dr. Rahal (one from Spain who finished his surgury and one just coming in for a consultation with Dr. Rahal). When chatting with these guys I realized how helpful meeting these people were. We were all connected by a common thread of having our HT that helped us with our confidence in life so naturally we were understanding of each others reasons. I recommend staying at Foxbar to anyone visiting Dr. Rahal. Here's just some advice I feel would be useful for those getting ready. Bring someone with you (mom, dad, brother, sister or significant other). This really helped me get through the first few days. You definitely want someone to bring you water, food, etc....it makes things so much more easier. Try to avoid throwing up, blowing (or anything that will cause head pressure) your knows or coughing. When I threw up it caused a little bleeding in the receipient area. I don't think it was serious but Dr. Rahal noticed this. Don't tilt your head shortly after the surgery. One of the staff told me to avoid this as the graphs are in place but we still need to be careful not to avoid this. I'm including my day 3 post operation pictures (day 0 is the day of the operation). Now I'm following the washing instructions and will be booking a schedule with my family doctor to get the sultures removed after 2 weeks from the operation date. Hope all this is useful. Overall, I'm quite please of my experience. Now I'm still swelled up and following all of Dr. Rahal post operation instructions. Now, I'm just sitting and waiting for the growing to begin!

Thanks Jason for talking the time to talk to me! I'm posting my story shortly

I totally agreed as well. I just had my HT with Dr. Rahal last Thursday and I stayed for 3 nights. At first glance on the outside, the place didn't look much but the interior was very nice and comfy. The manager/owner was helpful too, rarely stayed there but was available by phone. The real big pluses for staying here were: 1. Location, only 2 blocks away from Dr. Rahal's office. This was extremely important, especially after my HT I was extremely week the next day but needed to go in for a post operation check-up with Dr. Rahal. 2. Food, fridge and cooking stove available. You can have your meals without worrying about heading out for food. 3. Meeting other HT-goers. For me this was very important. I was able to talk to guys who had just had their HT and here their story. It gave me some re-assurance that things would be alright and prepared me mentally as well. Everyone there was so supportive of each other. Just a tip for those who are staying at Foxbar Guesthouse, the incline single couches in the living room are a lot comfortable than the one inside the room. They are perfect for sleeping at the 45degree angle.

Hi all! The past few days was quite eventful! Learned and went through a lot and will be sharing my experience (in great detail) soon so stay tuned!

Hi pacijent, I think it's best for you to get the price quote from Dr. Rahal himself. You can also do an online consultation to verify that you need 1000 graphs. Keep in mind he does also give a discount for those who are out of the country or city.

Only 3 days left so I thought I'd give everyone an update. I have been doing my scalp exercises diligently as instructed by Adrian for at least 15 minutes daily. Since it's only a few more days now, I'm extending the 15 minutes so that I can have greater scalp laxity. I've been told that it will help in the healing process. My other chats with previous patients confirm that it will also help Dr. Rahal yield more graphs. I've made sure to grow my hair long at the back as I've been told that it will help conceal the scar and stitches after the procedure. I've also stopped having multi-vitamins containing vitamin E. Currently I'm checking and double checking my list to make sure I have all things in order before I depart from Toronto. I have already purchased my greyhound tickets and made accomodations at the Foxbar Guesthouse for 2 nights which is 2 blocks away from Dr. Rahal's office. Some items on my checklist include: Baseball cap Comfortable clothes including zip-up or button shirt. Contact info (phone, address, appointment times) of Foxbar Guesthouse and Dr. Rahal's office. My plan is to arrive to Ottawa April 13, 2011 around 2:30pm and settle in at Foxbar Guesthouse. Then I have my appointment with Dr. Rahal for the pre-op at 4:00pm. Pre-op includes planning the hair line and any instructions before the day. April 14, 2011 will be the day of the procedure and I expect the work to be done around 5:00pm or earlier. Dr. Rahal has indicated I will need from 3200-3500 graphs and if possible, he may add a few graphs in my crown area (most of the work will be at the front part of my scalp). Once I'm done, I'm expected to sleep at a 45 degree angle the next few nights. I'll need to revisit Dr. Rahal the next day (April 15, 2011) to have him check things and see how the healing is and he'll go over the washing instructions and other post operation instructions. Once done I will be heading back to Toronto on the same day and the healing/growing will begin! From my discussions with previous patients, I may experience swelling during the first few days (I hear the 3rd day is the worst). I may also experience nausea and may throw-up. So...my journey begins...will continue to post my experience!