gottitgood4me

My bluntness is not intended to be rude, SHAVE IT ALL OFF at a #1 or so, and get a HT when you can afford it, but I, personally, would not wear my hair like that. I have had to face the facts and keep my hair very,very, short until I get another HT and I feel better about the way it looks. I have never heard one NEGATIVE word about my hair while it is short, and Im not self conscious while out in public. I would love to have longer hair, but not at the expense of not feeling good about the way it looks. I have a 2,500 graft session scheduled for Nov,11 and Im thinking of cancelling it because Im not sure if the results will satisfy my needs. I have high standards for ultimate results, if they can not be met, I would rather keep it shaved. These are all hard decisions for many of us, it was hard the first time I cut my hair so short, but I tolerate it now, and I dont ever wonder if someone is looking at a bald spot that Im not happy about having.

. I agree, I want to see more videos on the sites, with hair combed in different directions during the video.

I might be concerned with electric clippers that are not extremely sharp and tend to "pull" the hair from time to time.

Are you talking about the OK clinic that offers the $3.00 grafts? Affordable Hair restoration? I called them and found out that a doctor in Los Angeles that is recommended on this site travels there for surgeries as well. Guess what? It is $3 per graft in OK and $4 per graft in LA with the same doctor. Please understand, Im not suggesting there is any "funny" business going on because of this. It is just another indicator that we should research and consider that some doctors may offer us discounts. As a matter of privacy, I do not want to name the LA doctor, but with some research you may be able to find out if you wanted. We all have the right to make a profit with our profession, and we all have the right to find the best deal as a consumer.

Do you feel like you actually had the number of grafts put in that you were told? Do you think there was a lower than expected survival rate? I dont think it looks bad, It is clearly less dense in some of the pictures than many would find acceptable, but I would not in any way consider it a disaster.

Is it insane to go under the knife for a nose job, or breast implants, or any other cosmetic procedure that involves, probably, greater risk than a strip HT? I do agree that the scar can be rather "unsightly" however, is this not a choice a person should be allowed to make, especially if they have educated themselves about it? Often times, enjoyment in life involves risk, like rock climbing, or skydiving, or drag racing. There will always be those that do not have a "happy ending". But the word "choice" is a fundamental part of human existence, especially in the United States. There comes a time when government regulation, such as banning the strip procedure as you suggested, must be limited so that we preserve that EVER SO POWERFUL word "CHOICE".

Why should it be banned?

Yes, I agree with you. There will always be limitations with HT. And as you said, we must have realistic expectations. That part is what is personally giving me trouble in deciding how to proceed with my hairs future. I have high expectations, Im just not sure if they are unrealistic yet. I just hope for the best for everyone who goes through this and if I opened some guys mind to some new ideas that end up giving him more happiness after his HT, then I feel good about it.

I was suggesting that it be done over a 4-5 year period, like many others have had. Thats right, we do not get coverage like we once had, but I see results that are very impressive and patients that say they are very happy with the results, so, in my opinion the "used car" they bought was a $30,000 1982 Ferrari 308 GTB. Not the best used car out there, but it will make lots of people happy having it. I work a very low paying job and I have made sacrifices to save the money I need to have my second procedure done. Its scheduled for Nov.11 2011. I could have bought a used Corvette, or a nice used motor home, or endless numbers of things, with the money but I made a personal choice that this is more important, just like many others have decided. I have no interest debating with angry, or verbally abusive people that use sarcasm to make their point over the internet, so dont expect any replies if that is the direction you take.

Adding to what Bill said, The $35,000 he spent will be with him 24/7, it wont need insurance or oil changes like a car, it wont need property taxes like a house. Everyone must decide for themselves what is more important. We tend to forget about the money we could have had if we had not spent it when we look at many years past. But we almost all look in the mirror every day, and if $35,000 puts a smile on our face every day it was likely worth it. My only issue with spending the money is believing the results will be consistent with what I spent. That is where finding a great doctor comes in. I want to know that "Im getting my money`s worth".

As a doctor doing a elective procedure he should be allowed to charge as much or little as he wants. If people are willing to pay much higher prices than the "norm" that is their choice. If a doctor charges $10 per graft and tells a uneducated patient during consultation that he will not find a lower price, well, I would have a ethical issue with that. If he is honest and says other doctors charge much less and as a patient you have to decide who you are most comfortable to do your work, well then, he has done nothing wrong. If he deters the patients from other doctors by suggesting other doctors will do a poor job, or he will be sorry, or things like that, I do not think that would be ethical either. Personally, I think that a 3,000 graft procedure that costs $12,000 or more and is done in eight to ten hours, the breakdown that is over $1,000 per hour seems high to me. However, I do not know the doctors costs associated with doing this work or their profit margin for each procedure. The only way prices will be lowered on a large scale is if people stop having the work done and essentially, demand a lower price. It would be a boycott of the business, until prices are lowered. I do not see that happening. I have consulted with very reputable doctors that are willing to lower their price by a dollar per graft! That is a $3,000 savings for a 3,000 graft procedure. That is BIG MONEY for me! As courtesy, I will not mention the doctors names. Privacy when standard prices are lowered is important to me and probably the doctor as well. In reference to pain level, mine was a 1-2 on a scale of 10, no pain meds taken, different people, different experiences.

As a pastor, I would like to think that you would be very open with this. It would make a great sermon about changes we make, accepting the changes that others choose to make. I think your listeners would be very inspired to accept things that others do like this. Personally, a great hair transplant surgery is nothing to hide from others, even the recovery. There are many people out there with physical deformities that they may not be able to hide their situation, and may be uncomfortable with it. I really think you could inspire people in many ways if you decide to do this and be open about it during your speaking.

I relate this to meeting a great looking girl, only to find out later that she has a whole bunch of flabby skin on her belly. I just do not like that and it would have a effect on any further dating.

I would have said. "Yep, Im balding and you are getting fat. We all have our "problems". Should we keep talking about it or stop?"

It tends to be my belief that when person, like a health care worker, or prison guard, or other "high risk for infection job" willingly puts themselves in a position that increases the possibility of a contagious illness, that the person with the contagion should not have to tell the other person(s) about it, unless not doing so could compromise the health of the person from actions taken, or not taken by the professional. It is also my general belief that in a non-life threatening situation, like a HT, that if a worker happens to find out about a contagious illness, they should not be forced by law to start the treatment, or procedure, or whatever it is that they may do that, even with universal precautions, puts them in a position of increased risk. However, if they have already started their action, then find out, and failure to complete their job, puts the patient at increased risk, of infection, or death, of deformity, or the such as a result of the refusal to finish what they started, they should be held liable. Generally speaking, a cop goes on the job knowing they might be bit, or shot, or poked with a needle, just as many health care people know they may be exposed to blood, or vomit, or any other thing that increases risk for illness or death. When they know FOR SURE that someone has a disease that is contagious, there may be some situations where they should be able to choose not to proceed with what they are doing. , I worked in a jail for years, and if I knew someone was HIV positive, and they stopped breathing, Im NOT doing CPR on them, and I would be extra cautious if they were violent and I had to handle them. Say what you want, but when you know for sure that someone has something, I bet you will take extra precautions, and it will go through your head, or you will just find a way not to do it. I have slept with women unprotected and taken a chance, yes, thats dumb. But if I had unprotected sex with someone that told me they had a contagious disease, well, that is just REALLY, REALLY DUMB. See the difference?

Remember Dug, graft count needed is not an exact science. You may hear different recommendations from each doctor you visit for a consultation. It is pretty easy for most of the semi-educated, like myself, to say that 2,500 grafts may give you great results, however a trained doctor is the best because they can personally evaluate you and better predict future hair loss, current hair health, donor hair available, and all the other things, that should be considered when deciding graft count. What I do is look at photos of others that have similar pre-op loss to mine. Then I look at post-op pictures and graft count and the results they achieved. This is also kind of generalized as well, because there are many variables such as: survival rate, the doctors artistic and medical abilities, personal healing characteristics, and so on. My non professional answer is that if "all goes as expected" 2,000 to 2,500 grafts would likely make a difference you would be happy with, and with minimal continued native hair loss, you can go years and years with one procedure and probably be happy about it.

Remember everyone, less grafts with great results will mean less money paid for the great results. Less money paid makes me happy!

Thanks for the comment Hairthere. Yes, you are right. Personally, I dont want to be the guy with the "anchorman" cut. I would rather shave it. Until today, I didnt really think of the importance of education with hairstyles, hair coloring, and styling products after a HT to help get the best results we can. It always kind of seemed common sense to me, but I hope I can help make some changes with guys that had not previously thought of some of the things I suggested. I would like to hear that someone is even happier with their results as a result of taking some additional steps with styling, and color, after the surgery and growth to have a even better looking head of hair. I had not heard of SAMY but I will keep it on my list of products to try after my next HT.

Thickening gel is just what is sounds like. If you keep a zero on the sides and a six or seven guard on the top, you might like to use this product. I used to use the brand American Crew. There are different ways to get the desired results with it. Always remember, A LITTLE goes a LONG way. Sometimes it is best to put a little in your hand, rub it in your hair, and light warm, not hot, blow dry a little bit. Wet, or greasy hair will generally always look thinner. The hair dryer will add some density to the look. If you dont use the recommended brand, just make sure you use a QUALITY one. You will probably need to go to a salon to get it. Best of luck with your FUE, Im planning on a 3000 strip session in Nov. or Dec.

All to often I see men who have spent thousands and thousands on a hair transplant only to be suffering from a very unflattering hairstyle. Please notice the first picture. This gentleman had, what appears to be a pretty good hair transplant. Look at his hairstyle, though. This only adds years to his age in my opinion. The way he has his hair parted adds to the recession of hair on that side of his head. I have added some haircuts that would likely be very good for post-op HT patients. Notice the hair is a bit shorter on the sides. It is long enough to cover a small scar. By having the hair shorter on the sides and longer on the top, it adds a illusion to density on the top. It is also very stylish to have a bit of a "messy" look on the top. It is more easy to cover thin areas if we mess it up a little. Do not go overboard with any hair products that look greasy. A very light pomade, or thickening gel is all we need. Make sure you buy a quality brand like American Crew. I have used cheap, and expensive. Expensive is the way to go! Always get the good stuff. This is a great hairstyle for the professional looking businessman. He has a very stylish cut that does not look like something his Grandfather would have, but he still looks like he can be taken seriously in a business environment. guys, dont be afraid to go to a salon for a professional coloring job. When you do it at home, you usually only get one color in your hair and it looks like it has been colored. When a pro does it, they can give you much better mix of colors of highlights. Lighter colored hair will almost always take years off of your age. It will generally blend better with your scalp and your hair will look thicker. Bottom line guys. You spent thousands to get your hair back. Spend a little more for professional advice and styling with a salon that can help you look your best!!! Lets see some before and afters of you guys that take the challenge and get it done!!

Im actually going to make one now! This is the title:Get a great hairstyle after your HT! This thread is not intended to talk badly about others, but lets face it, if we keep up with the styles and fashion, then all the money we spent on a HT is only going to help make us look and feel better about the time and effort we have put into making positive changes with ourselves. Sometimes, the opinions of others can help us see something that we were not aware of. There is a reason so many men read magazines like GQ, we want to stay "in the scene" and look and feel the best we can. A great hairstyle can only help us!