strong887

Doctor thinks there may still be more thickening since "non-virgin" heads sometimes take much longer 12-18 months to fully develop. I assume that this may be true in my case especially due to my case of folliculitis / inflammation i had during months 3-4.

Had my (almost) 1 year follow up with the doctor the other day - he felt that i had good yield of grafts and wants to focus 1000-1200 grafts into the hairline on a subsequent procedure. If he can get more grafts out of the strip he will then work back into the crown (200-300 more). He felt that due to my several previous plug HTs that camouflaging in the vertex and distributing throughout the balding area(s) was an important 1st session to establish. Next he will concentrate on building up the hairline...

Here are some current photos under different lighting conditions....

One of the photos (top down view) has some Toppik in the crown.

I am absolutely resigned to the fact that another procedure is necessary.... The question I had was whether the 2200 grafts were strategically placed by the surgeon so that it could "stand alone" or if I would have been better served with denser packing up front and not doing anything in the crown... I guess that is a question for my surgeon.

Bill,

I value your opinion and am encouraged by your comments. I was disheartened by Haririr's comment as a would view a "very bad" HT as one that does not appear natural. I think my results of my most recent procedure is quite natural actually - just not as transformational as most others I've seen on this board. It was not a financial issue as I told the Doc to get as many as pssible and would gladly play! He got 2247... He had to deal with scar tissue from prior mid 1990 strip surgery. He mentioned on my way out of door that there is more in reserve. Perhaps he can get more on the next session but I don't think I have nearly enough for another 7k grafts. I am OK with having general thinness in the crown area (a little toppik helps greatly there) or just deal with it as I age into my 40's...

I have a follow up next month and have also scheduled an appt with another coalition Dr. For a 2nd opinion.

Some days i do feel like my hair styles much easier and i don't have to fuss as much to get hair to just lay optimally... the last photos i posted were at 8 months, here is 3 months later....

I am going back in for a 12 month follow up in 4 weeks... i realize that i will need a 2nd procedure - how many more grafts do you guys think i will need to thicken the hairline and crown?

For 2200 grafts do you feel i had a good yield since they were spread so widely throughout?

Hi, Sorry top hear your concerns and i agree with the guys here that 8.5 months is sufficient time to see the majority of initially growth HOWEVER - You appear to have been a repair patient and these can take longer to grow due to scar tissue and also i note you were not shaved down either pre op.. This can lead to shock loss of native hair.

 

Did you feel you experienced any shock loss of native hair ?

 

You have had relatively few grafts distributed over a very large area so IMHO you are not going to see a huge transformation.

 

The placement/spacing doesnt appear that of a Coalition surgeon i must say...

 

Best

Spex

This work was absolutely from a Coalition surgeon - my main deciding factor was that he wouldn't shave the recipient area as I couldn't afford any significant downtime...

That is 3-4 months...

I did have a fair amount of shock loss . The first 3-42 months were indeed difficult, I had a pretty bad case of folliculitis (not infection but inflammation). Could that have caused poor yield or delayed growth?

He's saying to give it 12 months - that's it....

Attached are some pre op, 2-3 days post op, and 8-8.5 months later. The recent pics are after shower / styling. Perhaps i am being overly critical or my expectations are unrealistically set too high for the # of grafts i received.. but SOME reassurance would be great ( if warranted).

He largely dismissed my concern due to the fact that i was only 8 months out (too early) and he expected it to take longer to start growing. He was quite confident that it would grow as expected at 1 year (or longer). Will post pics soon.

Breakdown as follows:

Total FU 2279

Total hairs 4339

Density 1.9

540 1's

1418 2's

321 3's

Had ~2400 grafts 8.5 months ago to frontal third and crown transplanted into areas that were previously transplanted in to late '90's. I went back to my very prominent NYC surgeon a few weeks ago to take a look as I do not notice anything growing. He said it is still too early to tell and was not concerned. When I inquired that all the posts I see of 6-8months with very significant growth I he said everyone grows at a different pace and to wait a full year. Thought? I have read the growth times posts,etc but I would think that by this point some growth should be noticeable. I will post some pics. But guess I, just looking for some concurrence. Is it true that if prior surgeries were done that it markedly delays the growth rate on subsequent transplants?