corvettester

Thanks for sharing Joetronic. As far as patient members go, it seems like it's only ever myself and Hairthere, Spanker and TC17 that are preaching the gosple of temple points. I imagine that is only because NW4s and above have more important things to worry about. If you look at all the celebs with the famous hairlines (Clooney, Pitt, Cruise, Pattison), they all have the most pronounced and well-defined temple points... almost to the point of encroaching on the face! So when I see an HT that doesn't address the temple points, I get real salty... Anyway, could you explain further why temple point reconstruction is not always a good idea if they have receded? Thanks. Corvettester

Had to smile on my way home tonight when I saw a gorgeous young woman greet her NW4/5 boyfriend with a big hug and a passionate kiss! I was so happy for him. Just goes to show... Corvettester

Thanks for sharing with us Janna. Any other docs, techs or reps want to chime in? I actually thought that this would be a pretty hot topic... Corvettester

It keeps getting better! Yet another outstanding Bisanga FUE result. So happy for you dude, grow well. Just looking back, I realized that you had 5,000 grafts put into your hairline, temples and temple points. That is a lot of grafts! It looks completely natural and equal to native density. By the way, you have a great hairstyle already... it looks young and fresh. Corvettester

Yes, it's certainly possible and probable. I had about 60% of my growth from 2-4 months post-op. Go ahead and check my hair loss blog (link below) to see my two month update. I bet it's quite similar to yours. As for the hair itself, the initial growth will generally be disregarded as it is too immature, wispy and straggly, but never mind that. Focus on the positive: it's growing... congratulations! Corvettester

Josh, Choosing between Wong and T&D is going to be a tough one. If I understand correctly, H&W quoted 2,500 grafts and T&D quoted you 2,200 grafts. I don't think the 300 graft difference will make any difference to the naked eye, even up close. Therefore, you're going to have to consider other variables. One that comes to my mind is temple points... I haven't seen a lot of Wong's temple point work. I really can't recall any off hand, which is strange because I consider myself pretty familiar with their work. What I see coming from H&W is generally mega-sessions on NW4s and above. I don't know what their philosophy on temple points is, but if I were you, I'd make sure to find out and to examine several of their results specifically concerning temple points. Temple points are essential, especially for NW3s and below, because we're in such an auspicious position of achieving and regaining a true NW1 hairline... of which temple points are a fundamental component. They complete the framing of the face and bring the whole HT together. I remember a few cases of NW3s coming from H&W who had no temple point work done whatsoever. I always wondered about it, but I figure it was either just a philosophical difference, unique to the patient, or due to donor supply. So I'd really look into it because you definitely need temple point work done. I'm sure Jotronic will assist you with that, just ask. Both clinics produce outstanding results and both have an exceptional reputation for post-op patient care, follow up and standing behind their work. It's going to be a tough decision, but you're definitely on the right track. I'm sure it'll all fall into place soon enough. Corvettester

Too bad about your consultation at SMG. That's certainly the first time I've heard anything negative about their consultation process/reps. No one can blame you for walking away on this one. I think it also shows how competitive some of these clinics are getting. I've been hearing a lot of stories about how certain clinics are dramatically lowering their prices to attract business. Generally, this is a good thing for any market because the consumer benefits most. However, let's hope standards aren't being lowered either... As far as Rahal suggesting 3,000 grafts, just remember that you can always insist on less, if you feel like he is the man for the job. Either way, the fact that you're not jumping into an aggressive, dense packing HT shows that you're smart, cautious and serious about your procedure and future. You're definitely asking all the right questions and doing your due diligence. Kudos to you! Corvettester

Tell us about the procedure... How many grafts did you get for free? Corvettester

Jessie, I'd go with Bisanga if I were you. Rahal and Shapiro are great docs, but Bisanga is probably the best FUE doc in Europe. The fact that he is close to you only makes him more attractive, especially considering your situation. You're basically a repair case so no matter who you chose, you'll probably require multiple procedures. A competitively priced and easily accessible doc will save you time, money and stress. Corvettester

I hate Head & Shoulders. It dries out my scalp and hair terribly and leaves me itchy. I gave up completely on drugstore brands a long time ago. I only use sulfate and paraben free shampoos now. They tend to be much more expensive than drugstore brands, but they're worth it, in my opinion. Also, I alternate my shampoos daily: I use one shampoo one day, and a different one the next. I never use the same shampoo more than twice in the same week... my bathroom is very crowded, to say the least. Oribe is my personal favorite because of its scent, which is by Tom Ford... very indulgent and quite masculine. I love the way it leaves my hair feeling and smelling. Bumble & Bumble has an amazing texture and richness to it. It's a great all-around brand, very refreshing. Everyone I know who uses it, swears by it, myself included. Simply Scientific Hair is a new line that Dr. Dorin created. He gave me a bottle of it last month after my second HT. I really like it. I'll definitely be adding it to my rotation now. It has a really nice scent too, ginger-grapefruit, and it leaves hair very silky and refreshed. All three brands above are around $25-$35 a bottle, but the way I see it is, I've already invested so much money in my hair with my HT, so why not take the best care of it as possible now. After all, you don't put a bumper sticker on a Ferrari... So to that end, I use premium products and go to a high-end hair stylist. It's worth it for me because I can definitely tell the difference in quality products and the work of a good stylist... you get what you pay for. Corvettester

Once the scabs came off, after a week or so, there was hardly any redness at all. At worst, it looks like a bit of acne or a mild rash, but it's only noticeable when you're looking for it. However, some people heal differently so nobody can say definitively how you will fare... The general rule seems to be that the fairer your skin is, the more noticeable it will be afterwards, which can last up to 2 months. The darker the skin, the less noticeable it will be. Having said that, my skin is very fair and after 10 days it was hardly noticeable. Personally, I have never seen any of these cases of patients with severe redness after more than a couple weeks. From what I gather, most people need two procedures. I was anticipating two from the very beginning so it wasn't a big deal for me. My hairline and temples simply weren't dense enough for me. True, I do have hair where I didn't before and it does provide decent coverage, and I think a lot of guys would have been satisfied with my results, but it just wasn't enough for me. To me the hairline and temples are of paramount importance. If I'm going to go through with an HT, I'm going to get the best possible result, period. Considering the money, downtime, pain and hassle an HT is, it wouldn't be worth it for me to simply have a slight cosmetic improvement, it needs to be dramatic. I think my hair looks great when it's wet and combed back. It's just that I don't ever wear it that way now... although I hope to one day. I'd like to have the option to wear my hair combed and gelled/moussed back, especially when I'm wearing suits or a tuxedo. It just looks more dapper... more 007! Once this one grows in, I should be a NW1. My temples are completely closed, my hairline is back to where it was in my early twenties and it should be dense enough that you can't tell the difference between my transplanted hair and my native hair. Yes, my expectations are high, but I also believe that they're realistic. Who knows, maybe I'll have to go back for another 1,000 grafts if this isn't dense enough for me, I certainly have the donor supply to support it... Dude, in my opinion, that is a terrible reason to get an HT. This should be for yourself, not what some strangers may or may not believe about you. It's also what's called a "limiting belief" on your part too. Who cares what they think? If they're giving your hair that much thought, then they're the ones with a problem, not you... Not to mention, you're looking to spend 25-30k on a FUE procedure. Do you really think it's worth that much simply not to look like you're worried about balding? If you don't want to look like you're worried about balding, then don't worry about balding. The innermost is reflected by the outermost... Once you get your temples closed, your hairline reestablished and your forelock sorted out, you're going to have a world of styling options like you probably haven't had in years. You're going to be able to do things with your hair and appearance that you forgot were possible. It will easily make you look 5 years younger, if not 10 depending on how well you groom, style and take care of yourself. I noticed that in your pics you're wearing a Joy Division t-shirt. This leads me believe that you're young at heart and have good taste in music and culture. I'd hang on to that as long as possible and having a full head of hair just might help that. I'm just saying... Corvettester

Since you're in NYC and interested in FUE, I highly recommend True & Dorin. I had my procedure with Dr. Dorin via FUT. You should do a consultation with them. I've spoken at length with both doctors regarding FUE though. They both told me that they are seeing upwards of 90% yield with FUE these days and are very confident in FUE. Judging by your photos, it appears that you have minimal loss, NW3, so I would think that you're a pretty good candidate for FUE considering that you have minimal loss, it's stabilized and you're 40 years old. You probably just need your temples closed and it appears that you may have loss behind your forelock too... I can't really tell due to the picture quality. Anyway, I'm guessing about 2,000-2,500 grafts. Corvettester

I would recommend True & Dorin. I had mine done with Dr. Dorin, but I'm a man. I have seen lot of his female patient results though... very natural and refined. I would also look into Dr. Carlos Wesley. He works a lot with women too. As for women HT doctors in NYC, the only one I know of is Dr. Robin Unger. She works out of the same clinic as Dr. Wesley. If I understand correctly, she is the daughter of Dr. Walter Unger who is one of the pioneers of the HT industry and among the first to do URFUT. I understand that Dr. Eric Schweiger is supposed to specialize almost exclusively in female hair loss, however, I haven't seen any of his work. He works alongside Dr. Bernstein who is one of the pioneers of the industry and a top notch doc, so I imagine that Dr. Schweiger must be worth looking into. Corvettester

I just started taking 6,000 mcg of Biotin daily last month. I can't really speak for the hair on my head because I don't know if it's really having any effect yet. However, the one very noticeable change is to my face and body hair. I now have to shave 4-5x a week. It used to be 2-3x a week. My face hair is growing much more rapidly now. It's the same with my body hair. I kind of don't like the fact that I have to shave so much, but if it will improve my head hair, then I'm all for it. I'm just one month post-op so I'll be monitoring it very closely. I also take a Hair, Skin and Fingernail Multi-Vitamin as well. I remember when I first started taking it, I went from having to clip my fingernails twice a month, to once a week. So there is definitely something going on there too... Corvettester

I've thought the exact same thing many times. I can only assume that the reason most members are so reluctant to reveal their identity is because they must feel like there is still a stigma attached to getting an HT. Also, perhaps it hurts some people's pride and sense of manhood to admit that they actually care about their appearance... A good HT will be so undetectable that it will appear as if the hair is regrowing naturally. Apparently, most people aren't wise to it either because I often hear stories about how HT patients run into old friends or ex-grilfriends who say they look like they lost weight or something else, but can't put their finger on it. Corvettester

So good! What a transformation! I can only imagine how much younger it makes you look... Corvettester

The Nap has entered the room... Bow down to the greatness of the Norwood Zero!

I recently came across this thread which gave me a lot to think about: http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/162345-ever-wonder-how-life-would-different.html#post2277622 Many of the comments are things which I often come across from posters on the HTN regarding how hair loss has impacted their lives emotionally and physchologically. Some are more mild than others, many of which are textbook examples of Body Dysmorphic Disorder Syndrome (BDD). BDD is a very real mental health issue with very serious potential and actual consequences, which affect both men and women. Unfortunately, BDD isn't frequently discussed here on the HTN. Consulting with a psychiatrist who specializes in BDD may be of more benefit than undergoing an HT, because with an HT you are not addressing the root issue, but rather the object of the neurosis. Personally, I have always heeded the advice of "perspective" as others mentioned above. It could always be much worse, I think to myself. Not a day goes by where I don't see either a disabled, blind, dismembered, burn victim or mentally disabled person. I can't help but realize how trivial my problems must be compared to theirs. However, when dealing with BDD, all reason and logic is moot. Just like an anorexic person is able to see themselves as fat, so does a BDD person see themselves as disfigured, despite reality. Naturally, hair loss will make just about anyone initially self-conscious or hamper our confidence. However, when it's to the point that you can't go outside, dread all social interactions to the point of obsession, causing undue stress and anxiety... that's when it time to seek professional help. Hair loss is not a disfigurement, nor is it a disability. It's all in your head, which does't make it any less real, but does dictate a different and unique approach to treating it. Unfortunately, for men there seems to be an intractable stigma attached to not only cosmetic surgery such as HTs, but also seeking professional help for mental health concerns such as BDD. The best advice I could give someone is to go talk to a physciatrist about it, a specialist in BDD. It won't be as emasculating and humiliating experience as you may think. When your car is broke down, you take it to the mechanic; when your sink won't unclog, you call the plumber; when you have a headache, you take a aspirin. Thus, mental health issues should be addressed in the same way as physical health issues, such as the flu, arthritis, hemorrhoids or ulcers... by seeing a doctor! An HT should be for yourself, because you want it, not because you need it. I view it the same way I view physical fitness, good hygiene and dressing / grooming well: to look my best. Sure, even now I could dress better and have more muscles and better skin care products, but I don't need it to function well socially, vocationally or personally. To read such comments as I have by posters about hair loss causing depression, anxiety, social isolation, time wasted fantasizing, occupational and social impairment, etc... is really sad considering that baldness has no effect on performance or ability in any known way. In every field or life endeavor, including entertainment, there are successful bald men. The real problem is obviously the psychological effects of baldness which fall under the umbrella term BDD. For men, it's usually hair, height or weight that are the object of the pathology. Fortunately for us, there are medical advances to address all of those issues... not cures, just advances. The reality is that some of the posters here are actually not good candidates for hair transplantation due to their BDD. An ethical doctor should screen patients for BDD and if they exhibit traits of it, the doctor should not grant them an HT. This is an important topic and it'd be great if some doctors could chime in with their thoughts and experiences. Corvettester

Some of the comments above are textbook examples of Body Dysmorphic Disorder Syndrome (BDD). BDD is a very real mental health issue with very serious potential and actual consequences, which affect both men and women. Unfortunately, BDD isn't frequently discussed here on the HTN. Consulting with a psychiatrist who specializes in BDD may be of more benefit than undergoing an HT, because with an HT you are not addressing the root issue, but rather the object of the neurosis. Personally, I have always heeded the advice of "perspective" as others mentioned above. It could always be much worse, I think to myself. Not a day goes by where I don't see either a disabled, blind, dismembered, burn victim or mentally disabled person. I can't help but realize how trivial my problems must be compared to theirs. However, when dealing with BDD, all reason and logic is moot. Just like an anorexic person is able to see themselves as fat, so does a BDD person see themselves as disfigured, despite reality. Naturally, hair loss will make just about anyone initially self-conscious or hamper our confidence. But when it's to the point that you can't go outside, dread all social interactions to the point of obsession, causing undue stress and anxiety... that's when it time to seek professional help. Hair loss is not a disfigurement, nor is it a disability. It's all in your head, which does't make it any less real, but does dictate a different and unique approach to treating it. Unfortunately, for men there seems to be an intractable stigma attached to not only cosmetic surgery such as HTs, but also seeking professional help for mental health concerns such as BDD. The best advice I could give someone is to go talk to a physciatrist about it, a specialist in BDD. It won't be as an emasculating and humiliating experience as you may think. When your car is broke down, you take it to the mechanic; when your sink won't unclog, you call the plumber; when you have a headache, you take a aspirin. Thus, mental health issues should be addressed in the same way as physical health issues, such as the flu, arthritis, hemorrhoids or ulcers... by seeing a doctor! An HT should be for yourself, because you want it, not because you need it. I view it the same way I view physical fitness, good hygiene and dressing / grooming well: to look my best. Sure, even now I could dress better and have more muscles and better skin care products, but I don't need them. To read such comments like those posted above about depression, anxiety, social isolation, time wasted fantasizing, occupational and social impairment, etc... is really sad considering that baldness has no effect on performance or ability in any known way. In every field, including entertainment, there are successful bald men. The real problem is obviously the psychological effects of baldness which fall under the umbrella term BDD. For men, it's usually hair, height or weight that are the object of the pathology. Fortunately for us, there are medical advances to address all of those issues... not cures, just advances. The reality is that some of the posters here are actually not good candidates for hair transplantation due to their BDD. An ethical doctor should screen patients for BDD and if they exhibit traits of it, the doctor should not grant them an HT. This is an important topic and it'd be great if some doctors could chime in. Corvettester

Hey Drew, Thanks for keeping us updated. There are a lot of us here that are following your case. It's looking promising and I really hope that it turns out well for you. Not only your particular HT case, but also your personal story is one of the more memorable on the HTN. I do have one question though, do you have any pre-op photos from after your second procedure with Dr. Wong, but before your third procedure with Dr. Umar? I ask because I'd like to see where you're starting from with this procedure. Also, because if I understand correctly, you already had 8,585 grafts transplanted by Dr. Wong, which I'd assume can give even a NW7 pretty decent coverage. Good luck to you. Corvettester

Congratulations bro, it looks great! I remember just about a month ago you were worried about density so you went out and bought some Topik. However, now I think you can rightly lay those fears to rest. You have a great result thus far and you still have plenty of maturing to do too. I'd be very happy if I were you. There is a noticeable improvement in the past month or so, not to mention the dramatic transformation from your MPB days. My favorite quote from your update is "To be honest I am confident enough to go out without any Toppik or styling products on at all." I'm very happy for you man. Congratulations again. This is what HTs are all about. Corvettester

So let me get this straight, Lorenzo... Hair transplantation is not creepy because the hair is being transplanted from the back of the head to the front or top of the head. However, it is creepy when it has anything to do with the body? Like chest hair transplantation as Losingslowly stated? There is nothing creepy about any of those procedures... or transgender individuals for that matter. Your poor choice of words only serves to further stigmatize and demonize those people who opt to undergo such procedures. Further, I do think it is homophobic or bigoted to say: In essence, he is equating transgender individuals and those who opt for chest hair implants with creepiness and all its attendant derogatory stereotypes. I'm not being oversensitive. Maybe you should think out the logical conclusion of your statements better, Lorenzo. I can only imagine what type of nonsense people say about those of us who opt to undergo FUT/FUE, as if it's any different. "He's creepy. He must be insecure cause he got a hair transplant! That's weird." Let's not be hypocrites, gentlemen. Corvettester

Bigotry and homophobia creep me out... just thought I'd share. Corvettester

And I forgot to mention the price... My god, that is a good price! You could afford to have a long vacation in India for two and a quality HT for what it would have costed in the states! Ouch! And to have quality work done too... awesome! I'm so happy for you. Corvettester

Joey, Thanks for posting better pics. I still think that it looks about right for 2,500 grafts over that much surface area. I understand that you were hoping that there would be a better cosmetic improvement, who can blame you for that? I wish that were the case. So in that respect, I'm sorry to see that you're disappointed. The more I look at your pre-op pics, the more I think that you're more of a NW6 and not, as I stated earlier, a NW5/6. The little hair that you did have in your frontal third, midsection and crown looked like it was on it's way out... Of course, this is debatable and I'd be interested to hear what the community thinks on it, as well as you, Joey. By the way, how well has Propecia been working for you? How long have you been on it? Back to the actual result though, when you compare the before & after pics next to each other (see attachment below), I do see a definite improvement: you have hair where you formerly had none. You have a hairline, albeit a thin one, whereas before, you had nothing. You have established a base from which to proceed further. As per your yield, it appears to me that you have in fact gotten a good yield. It's just that your hair characteristics coupled with the amount of surface area covered minimize the cosmetic effect of your yield, which is a real shame. I feel for you on this one. For this reason, I'd imagine that you're going to need two more procedures of 2,000 grafts each! I know that this sounds harsh, but you have a lot of area to cover. It's quite common for NW6s to receive 6-7k grafts, if they have the donor supply to support it. I don't know the statistics, but I'd wager that most NW6s have two, if not three, procedures. Regarding the hair transplant strategy, I think it's largely a matter of opinion. The approach is really a personal preference that I assume you discussed with Dorin well in advance. As some posters mentioned, they prefer to address just the frontal third so that you can have a definitive improvement in that area alone. The idea being that you will address the midsection and crown later. I respect this approach and I can understand how some would prefer it. However, my personal preference would be more like the approach you took. I hate the idea of having a dense island of hair in the front, with a sea of baldness behind it. Personally, I would always prefer to cover as much as possible with less density. I just think it looks better that way. Also, I think it mirrors nature better in that over time, it will almost appear as if your hair is growing back, whereas a segmented approach cannot do that. The way I see it, any NW4 or above needs to be thinking in terms of the long-haul, grand strategy... not short-term, instant gratification tactics. I don't care how dense you could have gotten your frontal third with 2,500 grafts, as you'd never be able to ignore the vast wasteland of baldness that came at the the expense of your midsection and crown. Corvettester Compare3.pdf