Vanman

Been a while since I have been on here. I guess now that my hair feels so natural, I don't think of myself really as "bald" or "folically challenged" anymore! LOL Today I thought I should get on and give a quick update re: the second surgery. I had it back on December 3, 2012 with Dr. Pong in Chiang Mai again. My big surprise from this surgery was that he decided to cover the entire remaining area, tho at a much less density then the first surgery that dealt with the hairline. At first I was a bit disappointed in the results, as it seemed so thin as to be hardly more then a wisp of covering. With about the same graft count of the first surgery, he covered about double the area. As it has grown in, however, and the hair has gotten longer, I've been much happier. It is not the density of the first surgery, but it does remove that shiny dome that I had before, and the hair can be blended into the hair from surgery #1. Plus, Dr. Pong says I do have enough donor hair for a third surgery should I wish. He recommends waiting 2 years, to see how satisfied I am with the density by that time. Should I wish it a bit thicker, I can return to Chiang Mai and he can do a third procedure for those areas I feel could use some help. In the attached photos, the first 2 are from 2 weeks post op, showing grafted hair before it all fell away and donor scar healing nicely. The 3rd photo is from 3 months post op, showing the new hair growing in. The final 3 photos are current, and show the scar healed completely and almost impossible to see, the hair coverage on the back of my head, which was totally bald before, and the face on look. Yes, I do feel that much more confident now.

Hi everyone. Sorry for not posting something sooner, but here are some update photos from June 21 (10 months post-op). Changed hairstyle to a brushed back look, which I think shows off the new hairline really well, and also make the distinct line where the first transplant ended look not so abrupt. Of course, that will be remedied on December 3, when I will be back at Dr. Pong's clinic in Chiang Mai for the second surgery.

Great result so far smithmeister. I saw some shedding but never really lost it all, but you need to be patient until about the 3 month mark, as that is when the growth really starts to show. I'll be heading back to Dr. Pong for round two this year as well. I had just under 3,000 grafts as well. Check my link for photos if you want. So glad I chose Dr. Pong.

Everything is still proceeding along nicely. Here are some of the latest pics, taken on January 23.

I'll be heading back for the second surgery on the 1st Monday of December of 2012. Can't wait ... love my new hair, but having only "half" a head of hair is a bit silly! lol I would not worry overmuch about getting addicted to the meds, as after that first week you will barely need them. It does help you sleep better tho, which is a real plus to the healing process.

Congratulations on the HT!! I'm sure the results will be fantastic!! Just be patient, it does start growing in, but takes a little bit. The waiting is the hardest part. The donor area can be quite sore for a few days. I kept taking my pain meds regularly, then found I was able to do quite a bit of stuff. If you run low on the meds, Dr. Pong will me more then happy to refill them, he did for me. Just do not do what I did one night, and have a few beers in combo with the meds ... not a good idea at all!!! LOL For me, the biggest hassle was sleeping. I propped myself up in bed for those first few days, as laying on my side tended to be far more uncomfortable. Also, the headband, tho very tight and uncomfortable, does really limit the swelling. A fellow patient took his off for sleeping, and ended up looking very puffy around both eyes. I kept mine on, wore a neck collar like you'd use on an airplane for sleeping, and found it did the trick. I did not sleep particularly well until I got the nylon stitches out, tho, and that was a full week after the surgery. After that, there was far less discomfort in the donor area. On those first few days, even getting a massage was tough, especially when the person giving the massage would have me roll over on my back, because they I would have to rest my head right on the incision. Not comfortable!! It is very, very temporary tho, and I'm sure a trip to Chiang Rai would not be too strenuous! Just take the pain meds and wear the head band and bandana (for the sun) and you should be fine!

I had none, but then I had very little left to lose on top! lol Where will you be staying in Chiang Mai? Did you get a place closeby the clinic? Remember they offer the free morning shampoo and blow dry, given by the friendly nursing staff, something you do not really want to miss. There are a few places close by where you can have a short walk to the clinic. Just a hint: if you have booked a place a bit further away, and have to take a tuk-tuk each morning, have them drop you off at the Lotus Pang Suan Kaew hotel, as all the tuk-tuk guys know where that is, and then its a short 5 minute walk from there, over a little path into the area where the clinic is located. The clinic is a bit tough for the tuk-tuk drivers to find, as its in section of little small side soi's. Best of luck with the prodecure!! Dr. Pong is so friendly in person, even tho he seems a bit brusque via emails. I found that is because he is his own secretary, and answers all the emails personally, so tends to give very short, concise answers. In person he is a lot more personable, and will really set you at ease, as well as answering all your questions. The nursing staff are just the best I've ever encountered, with that typical Thai friendliness!

Just got a reply back from Dr. Pong after sending him the latest update photos, and he tells me I can expect consistent new growth and thickening for the next 4 - 6 months. Looking better and better, I'm more then pleased. Just wish it wasn't "half" a head of hair still!! LOL Can't wait to have the second surgery, to get most of the rest of the bald pate covered.

Just a few more updated images from December 7. Have had the hair coloured so that it looks even now and the hairdresser says she can still see dozens of tiny little hairs still starting to grow in. Hair is much fuller then it was on November 15.

I found the operation itself a piece of cake ... long, but interesting. The discomfort from the donor area was a bit of a pain at times, but after that first day did not really slow me down all that much. It was hard to get a massage tho, particulary when you had to roll over onto your back. Hurt to put my head back on the pillow! LOL The results do look very similar. I did not get the zig-zag incision in the donor area, I must have just missed that, but mine has healed really well and is virtually unnoticable. Just got the hair colored for the first time this past week, so when I get my son to take some new photos in a couple of days, I'll be posting the new colour coordinated look. By the way, heading back to Cambodia and Thailand in February for just a holiday for three weeks, then spending a full four weeks there in November and December. Love the place!

For a look at another Dr.Pong patient results, you can check my thread on the forum here ... http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/160207-2nd-thoughts-new-member-5.html#post2286040 Also I have updated my album, and will be working on the blog soon. Very, very encouraged so far with the results, and I'm looking forward to the second procedure in December of 2012.

Thanks Sean, I am really encouraged by the results so far. The idea of combining a holiday with the surgery worked really well. I was a bit uncomfortable during that last week, but nothing a daily $9 1-hour massage didn't help! When I go back next year, I have already taken a full month off, so I will have three weeks holiday prior to the surgery, and then one full week in Chiang Mai to recover. I checked out the Toppik website, that looks like a great product. Right now I'm a little conscious of the fact that my hair mid-head stops rather abruptly, but like my wife says, noone looks down on your head from on top, they see it from the front or the back, and it looks fine from there.

Well, Levrais, in the discussions I had with Dr.Pong, he is not sure that I have enough donor hair to cover the crown, but he wants to extend the hair on top back as far as he can. We have not talked specific numbers as to the number of grafts he expects to get 2nd time around, tho he indicated it should be roughly the same. I'm thinking that there will not be as much dense packing with the second transplant like there was on the first around the hairline, so I "might" get more acreage covered.

Thanks for the encouragement Rod. Just some new photos that my son took tonight, November 14, just one week after the last ones I posted. Front Hairline View Profile view of hairline Top Down View New Portrait Shot

Hi Levrais, I should have updated sooner, but I'm pretty excited about the results so far. I'm still only 3 months and 1 week post-op, but can definitily see some very nice changes. I'll see if I can post the lastest couple of pics on here ... and also onto my blog, tho last time I tried it was not taking pics for some reason. The numbness is lessening quite a bit, and the scar has healed up very nicely, with no discomfort at all now. Here you can see the scar is all but invisible. I had my wife and son taking the pictures, and to make sure they took one of the scar. My wife complained, "But I can't even find the scar!" Here is the top down view, and the new growth is becoming very apparent. The front hairline seems to be doing well. Because I get my hair coloured, and the new hair hasn't been done yet, it does not quite match the sides yet. Oh, I should mention, I have the next surgery already scheduled for Monday, December 3rd of next year. Dr.Pong is still not certain I will be able to have more then two surgeries due to the limited amount of donor hair, but he said he will know more after the 2nd surgery.