Thehairupthere

Nice work!

Thank you that case went very well. Shock loss can happen it really depends on the patient and the extent of the hair loss in the area we're working on. Typically the shock loss is minimal, but you should expect to appear thinner in the area we work on because of that and simply cutting some of the surrouding hairs. They will grow back normally approximately 3 months later. We do not shave the recipient site in nearly all cases, but that does not mean doctors who shave are not good doctors, it's simply a preference of the doctor and we personally feel that it's not necessary in many cases. Many very good doctors shave. The doctor will extract every graft with the help of a technician and they will be placed normally just like any other procedure, FUT or FUE.

No it will not be long enough if you do a mega session. For a mega session you will need to shave the entire back area, exposing the previous scar. If you decide to go with a smaller FUE procedure which only shaves small strips it will allow you to keep longer hair which can be combed over that area and hiding it well. Without over harvesting these areas you will most likely be able to get 1000-1400 grafts maximum with the shaved strips. If you were to shave the entire donor area you would be able to get more depending on your donor supply.

You should not use any cosmetic products on the recipient site until all of your scabs have fallen off, which is typically 8-10 days after surgery. If you start applying these products earlier they can get stuck within the scabs and possibly cause your grafts to not grow properly. I also advice people to not use these products too liberally as some people really "cake" it on and that has shown to cause issues with growth as well. So you can apply it by wait about 2 weeks after surgery to apply it, and when you do apply make sure it's not over doing it.

There isn't a device that can predict a hair from becoming miniaturized, but if you see a doctor today and there is no signs of miniaturization than you can proceed. It's an impossible thing to do to predict something that hasn't occurred yet, or even showing signs of it. So if you're a young patient and you're showing a very healthy donor, then you will be considered a good candidate. If you're young though your doctor will tell you that your hair loss can get worse over time, and they will not recommend being too aggressive early on because you will want enough donor to complete other thinning areas in the future. I'm not going to start arguing with you about measurements of the safe zone, because for every patient it's different and that is typically what it is for most patients. If you are showing signs of thinning that are progressing into the safe zone then you are not a great candidate and you would be warned by your surgeon before proceeding, maybe even leading them to deny treatment. From the examples you show, that is the safe zone and those grafts should grow fine if all was done correctly and no complications occurred. Just because the safe zone is that large does not mean you can actually harvest that entire area, that depends on the patients skin and elasticity. If the scalp is too tight then he cannot remove that tissue, and he can only get grafts through FUE, because it could cause serious scarring issues. The safe zone is called that for a reason, and with a preventative medication which I believe is very beneficial for all patients experiencing hair loss (specifically younger patients) the odds are very much in your favor to not lose that area and you will not show any signs of hair loss, especially if you don't plan on shaving your head.

If you were to see miniaturization in the safe zone then it would be bad for FUE or FUT. People can see the density of the safe zone get worse over time, but it's not going to be similar to the pattern of loss on top of your head. That is very unlikely to happen, especially if you're using preventative medication. The safe zone is called that because even if you go toward a norwood 6 you still have your donor supply available to you, just not necessarily as much as someone else. With FUE the scarring is very minimal so if you were to lose hair in the donor area, which I doubt would be significant, you'd still not notice the extraction points. I also think you may be confusing the safe zone with the exact incision line of what FUT procedures take. The safe zone is from the occipital bone (sometimes a bit lower than that) to a point 2-3 inches higher than the occipital bone, and it goes all the way around your head from ear to ear. That is the safe zone and that is where FUE and FUT are taken from. I haven't seen any results on this forum from leading doctors that have gone beyond these safe parameters.

I dont' know why you think FUE is taken from above the "safe zone", because it's not. It's taken from the same zone as the FUT, which is the "safe zone" and those grafts are just as permanent as the FUT grafts. Some patients have different size "safe zones" so if one patient appears to be a bit higher than others it's not necessarily true that it's out of the zone. The only difference is the total yield which is a bit lower with FUE as opposed to FUT.

In terms of the procedure it makes no difference how long the hair in the donor area is, because they will shave a strip, which they will then remove. Leaving your hair longer in the donor area will allow you to hide the sutures/staples easily. Since you've been told to shave the recipient area it seems you can get away with only shaving the forelock area (small patch in the front) and leave the rest alone.

Your hairline design is calculated by what doctors feel your future hair loss will be, and they will give you an appropriate hairline to correlate with that loss. Many would love to have their juvenile hairlines back, but unfortunately it's not feasible in nearly all cases due to the likelihood of losing more hair and not having enough donor hair to replace them. The design is different for everyone so you should consult with a doctor and see what's realistic.

It really depends on how much miniaturized or dormant hair you have. Post a photo that should give us some indication of what your chances are, but I have seen 5As with a lot of miniaturized hairs and then use the medication and see a significant cosmetic improvement.

Also you have a finite amount of donor hair but the medication should be able to hold on to most of your hair on top of your head. That way the doctor can use your donor hair efficiently in the appropriate areas, so you won't run out if you go on to lose more hair in the future.

You should speak to a recommended doctor about propecia and rogaine, as that should be able to stabilize your hair loss and possibly regrow miniaturized or dormant hairs. Some patients wind up not needing a procedure after using the medication, that is why many doctors recommend using it first for at least 1 year and then reevaluating. Also at your age that would be the only course of action I would suggest as you are too young to consider transplant at this age, especially without the meds.

10 days after the procedure you are safe to shower normally, some doctors prefer that you wait a little longer erring to the side of caution. It is normal to see dandruff at this point and sometimes you will see hair in them, but the follicle itself is still in your scalp, you will notice all of your hairs shedding (many times with the skin attached to it) making it seem as if the follicle itself is coming out, but it's not.

If you opted for a smaller session than there are ways around shaving the entire back. You can shave long strips while the hair above that area can be easily combed over to hide it. We suggest keeping your hair longer so you can do that. The most you can probably get this way is around 1400 grafts at a time maybe lower depending on your density.

You have to shave your donor area to do FUE, and if you are doing a large case such as 3000 grafts you will need to shave the entire back from ear to ear to harvest that many. Not all doctors require shaving the recipient area though.

Your donor hair is hair that has not been effected by DHT, which can cause your hair to miniaturize and thin. That is why the transplanted hairs are healthier and fuller. Your results would still look very natural and have a much improved appearance as long as the doctor transplanted them correctly. If it's unnatural it's because of transplanting clumps of hair like plugs, or creating a very unnatural looking design and lack of density.

I would suggest keeping your hair no shorter than a #2 on a razor setting because it can be slightly noticeable. If you go shorter than it's even more difficult to hide. FUE into the scar and micropigmentation can do a pretty good job but you will still notice a small indentation in the area. Once you have the procedure you may want to grow your hair longer anyway.

If anything it will increase the effect of the drug if you're taking 5 times the recommended amount, and you could see improved results. I would highly suggest you cut the medication into quarters because you still may experience the side effects and those negatives far outweight the positives.

The decision to get a hair transplant is only yours to make. It is a personal decision that you must think about and if you decide that hair loss is something that really bothers you and effects your daily life, than you can consider it. The first step would be to meet with a recommended doctor and see if you are a good candidate and if you should start preventative medications such as propecia or rogaine to stop any further hair loss. It's difficult to say how many grafts you need without seeing you in person and also the photos are not very clear.

The shedding is normal, but it can continue shedding until month 4-5 and around 6 months it should begin to stabilize and regrow and appear healthier. If you want to start rogaine you can start right away but expect some shedding from that as well with a similar timeline to propecia.

No problem, always happy to help.

The pimples are coming in a bit early, but pimples are very normal part of the growing process. The hairs are starting to protrude and they cause pimples, but they will go away, try to keep it clean but do not pop them. You may get more over the next month usually you see this around 3-4 months post op and it can last several weeks.

You need to consult with a recommended surgeon from this forum and he needs to see your donor and recipient area without extensions to fully appreciate the situation. Unfortunately, you must stop using the extensions, braiding and pulling your hair back tightly because it will just continue to erode. If you continue to use that method than the transplanted hairs can also be destroyed or pulled out, so it really is a lifestyle change for you, which must happen.

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. From the information you've given, it's very likely this is due to shock loss in the donor area. This happens to many people, some worse than others and it can last for a while unfortunately. To regain shock loss it could take up to 3 months, but it could also be less. I would suggest using some cosmetics until it returns, such as dermatch which can color your scalp and help it heal better. If you see this issue continue far after the procedure and by that I mean after 5-6 months, then it may not be shock loss and you should see a dermatologist to check if it's alopecia areata. I would speak to your doctor about this, but I believe you're experiencing shock loss.

Some doctors shave while others don't, but the hair that is transplanted grows in very gradually so most people won't really notice a major change all at once. People really have a hard time putting their finger on what you've done because it grows in so slowly especially if you can keep your hair in the style in the first photo. For the first few months after surgery you will look just as you do today, but perhaps a bit thinner due to the incisions made by the doctor but that is temporary. 3-4 months later the healthy hair that was shocked or cut will regrow along with the transplanted hairs and you will notice a minor improvement, but 6-7 months you'll really see a major difference in your appearance. I don't think it's necessary to hibernate for such a long period of time, you would be more than fine to go back to work in March, but do whatever you feel most comfortable doing; you need to feel ok about the process.