FutureIsBright

I've had 2 procedures, and did not experience significant pain with either. I'd say the "inconvenience" of the healing process is more bothersome than the pain. After they get the first few numbing shots in you, it's all down hill from there. But, in my opinion you MUST be diligent about taking the pain medication to stay ahead of any pain. Plus, the pain pills helped me sleep.

My doc advised avoiding squats, bench press, and sit-ups (or any other exercise that puts a lot of pressure on the neck) for at least 1 month, and potentially up to 2 months if the back of the neck still felt tight after 1 month.

My doc had me come back for a wash the next day. It was a very gentle wash with them just using a spray bottle. I actually went back each day for the next 4 days just so they could take care of it rather than me trying to do it on my own. I have had 2 procedures now; the second one, where I went back to them for several days, had much less scabbing.

I am 4 weeks post-op and thus far I have been very impressed with Dr. Gabel and his staff. This was my second procedure (first was a couple years ago with Dr. Buchwach, 1216 grafts) and the goal was to increase density. Dr. Gabel agreed that Dr. Buchwach did a good job establishing a realistic hairline and laying the foundation. Now that I live in the NW, I wanted to find a doctor closer to my home and my research kept pointing to Dr. Gabel. From my initial consultation with Dr. Gabel, I felt that I was realistically informed of what to expect. No salespeople, no unrealistic photos shown to me – just an honest, calm, no-hassle discussion of my case. Prices are very reasonable compared to other top-quality HT doctors. Dr. Gabel took into account the particulars of my situation and gave me a realistic estimate of 1,200 to 1,500 grafts. In particular, my scalp laxity is not great and the donor density isn’t great either – but, the hair I do have is thick and curly so a smaller amount goes a long way relatively speaking. Dr. Gabel made sure that I understood all of this and didn’t try to promise something unrealistic. He also made sure I understood that since I’m in my early 30’s and there is only a certain amount of donor area that can be used over a lifetime, he didn’t recommend that we try to fill in the crown at this time. To do so would risk creating a “bulls-eye” later in life. I appreciated his honesty and feel like I made an informed decision based on his advice. During the procedure, I felt very well taken care of. I can tell that the doctor and his staff are perfectionists and take pride in their work. The procedure went very smooth. The post-op instructions were extremely detailed which I appreciated. I went back for a cleaning the day after, and the next few days as well (my advice: only pick a doctor that has you come back to the office the next day for a cleaning – trust me, you’re going to be paranoid that you’re not cleaning it properly so seeing them the next day is extremely helpful). Over the next several days, the staff promptly answered any questions I had. The one time I needed to ask the doctor a question after hours, his answering service had him on the phone in literally 3 minutes. Dr. Gabel’s hobby is flying planes – and, when it came time for suture removal, he flew to an airport near my home and met me to remove the sutures right there. How’s that for service?? Based on my experience so far, I’m glad I found Dr. Gabel. Now I’m in that pesky “waiting for growth” resting phase, but I hope to have excellent results to share in the coming months.