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Amazing transformation... You must be over the moon with the results. Congratulations!

Sparky, I believe my quote was based on the number of grafts and not hairs - I didn't feel like I paid over the odds in any way. I think on the site they say the price is 'based on the number of hair follicles', which to me reads as the number of grafts - this would certainly tally with my experience.

Day 4 after my two-session FUE procedure to transplant just over 1500 grafts (around 3000 hairs) to rebuild the hairline and fill in gaps left by diffuse thinning. My hair loss has been stable for some years thanks to finasteride and minoxidil, but the time had come for me to take the next step towards fixing my hair, and move away from a dependency on cosmetic concealers like Toppik (although they are great, and have been my crutch for some time!). Skin is healing very well - frequent saline spraying as advised by the clinic has kept the recipient site clean and prevented too much scabbing, and the redness is slowly subsiding. VERY pleased with the donor area - already practically no sign of any invasive procedure (although I'm light-skinned, which helps minimise the pock-mark dots from the punch tool). Some of the grafts seem to be growing in place already, although some are still just sitting there without doing much at the moment. Have read that this is normal - different grafts respond in different ways to the huge trauma of being tranplanted, and it's to be expected that some will shut down into their rest cycle before growing properly. That said, it's a paranoid waiting game... Can't help but constantly check out the little things every time I'm in front of a mirror! Grow babies, grow! I know the shedding phase will be hard, as I'm so pleased with the shape of the hairline post-op - and despite knowing that it's a long game, and the results take time to show, I'm dreading the first hairs falling out. Fingers crossed for a quick return to growth and a high success rate.

Hi Oromirra, I've recently had a FUE procedure done in two sessions at the HSHC and although it's still early days with healing / regrowth, I'm so far extremely pleased with the results, as well as the consultation process and level of care / service received. They're not at all pushy - I'd suggest going for the consultation just to get a feel for the place, you certainly won't be bombarded with sales calls or anything. I was wary at first too, as these fora are full of people recommending certain doctors and warning against all others - but I did a fair bit of research into alternative UK clinics before I opted for HSHC, and I believe I made the right choice.

Just to add to the voices of reassurance, in my FUE post-op instructions, I was advised to spray saline on half-hourly for the first two days post-op - including the evening I went home. It keeps the new grafts hydrated, washes away dry blood and limits scabbing - so don't worry at all!

I have a reliance on concealers rather than hats, as I have used Toppik to thicken up the appearance of my hair for years. It's worked well as my thinning isn't too widespread, but it's the same as 'hat avoidance' really. I'm always conscious of it, worried it doesn't look natural - terrified of standing under too bright a light, or sitting in too well-lit a spot in a restaurant etc. Annoying how it tends to rule your life like that.

Thanks Bill - it's my plan to switch to the Rogaine foam once it's available over here (UK) but I've had a tough time sourcing it to buy by mail order until then. I started using Nizoral 2% again from last week - hopefully that will help combat some of the redness / dryness, and the Aloe Vera gel should help too. How have other people used the Aloe Vera gel? Is it a case of massaging the gel into the scalp, then applying Rogaine as normal afterwards, or should Rogaine only be applied to a fresh, clean scalp? My worry is that the layer of Aloe Vera gel / baby oil might make the Rogaine less effective.

Hi, First of all, hello everyone - I'm new to the site, so I'm sorry if I've posted this in the wrong place! I've used Rogaine for some years now, and am booked for my first HT in February - a FUE session of approx 1500 grafts. The consultant said that my scalp showed some signs of irritation / redness due to the Rogaine use, and recommended baby oil / Aloe Vera gel to heal it a bit before the surgery. I just wondered if anyone else has used this to combat Rogaine irritation, and how they worked it into their daily routine - do you apply Rogaine after the oil / gel has dried in, or do you leave the oil / gel in for a certain time before washing it out and applying Rogaine as normal? Interested to find out how other people have worked in anti-irritation into their Rogaine regime! All the best Rich