TommyLucchese

I had 2000 (or so, don't know exact number yet) grafts in hairline and middle part of my head on Friday morning, so I'm 3 days post op now. The first 2 comments are probably classic examples of post op patients over analysing too much.

1) I got caught in a bad storm whilst out and about the day after. I had my cap on and used my bag to cover my head, I got to shelter after maybe 5 minutes but my hat was soaking and everything in my bag was wet - so it was a hell of a storm. Could any water that seeped through my hat have caused damage to the grafts?

2) Is it normal for there to be areas that seem redder and a little bigger? I'm just paranoid that the water and one time I accidently touched my head when I woke up could have done some damage. I'm sure I'm just being paranoid but I thought it was worth asking. There has been no bleeding so I'm positive I didn't do any damage but I just wanted to check.

3) How many days do I need to avoid putting a tshirt over my head?

4) When can I let the full impact of shower water go onto my head?

5) When can I enjoy an alcoholic beverage and use ibuprofen (not together, of course) etc ?

6) I have run out of my vicodin painkillers and am no longer in the U.S, where can I get painkillers just to ease the donor area discomfort?

7) Can I sleep normally now?

I know I should have asked my doctor all this but on the day there was too much on my mind to even think about all this stuff!

I've only read page one but I want to disagree with the person who said "forget about women if you take propecia, it will kill your libido". I've been on propecia since March 2010 and I am, it's fair to say, somewhat rampant.

Compare those photos of your hairline to photos of your hairline a few years ago, is there any difference? It looks to me like you could possibly have started receding (slightly) but maybe your hairline was always like this? If it's always been this way then you have no worries, it's such a strong hairline and your hair looks very thick all over. If it does look like it's gone back a bit then it's either just a 'mature' hairline or the early stages of recession......I'm not an expert so I have no idea.

Oh, I just read the bit where you said your hairline is the same as it was before. Like Spanker said, go and enjoy life. You have the hair that we all dream of on here!

I haven't come across too many female patients on here but on a lot of websites of the reputable doctors they always have 'female patient' before and after photos, so it's definitely common. Look in the "Results posted by leading Hair Restoration Clinics" because I have seen female results posted there.

I've seen lots of photos of 'female hairline lowering' (I am interested because I wanted to see cases dense hairlines grown out long) and it looks great if done right, so I'm sure there is something that can be done for you if you really want it.

Just keep looking around on here and don't make any rushed decisions.

Hi

I am no expert. I'm 23 and in the last 2.4 years Propecica (1 pill a day) plus minoxidil rubbed in everyday has combated my haiross so well. I'm having a 2000 graft transplant on my hairline later this month (Dr Feller, NY) to fix what couldn't be saved..........however if you try the drugs I said, it should help so much!

Thanks a lot, dunno why I didn't think to check youtube ... cheers for the link!

Okay well I'm about 3 weeks away from flying out to see Dr Feller. I have the instructions for the exercises and they seem basic enough, however if possible I'd like to be able to see a video of someone performing these just so I can have presence of mind that I'm doing them correctly. The hands clasped at the back of the head is fine I think, but the second one I'm a little unsure of.

Anyone know of any videos around demonstrating these?

Thanks

His hair looks better than his footballing ability these days, that's for sure. ?250,000 a week and he can't even pass to a player on his team!

I've told my closest friends that I see regularly that I'm having the procedure. I have just finished University and am taking a year out so I can go through the 'ugly duckling phase' in peace - the friends I do see know why I'll be covered up, and I hopefully wont have to go too many places as I can recover at home.

I agree he looked really good for the game yesterday. I don't know how much concealer he uses now but his hair does go from looking weird to looking good seemingly day by day.

Still like you say, the transformation is amazing and he must be delighted. One red card and one booking all season - having hair again has made him calm down and lose that anger, good for him

Great write up, please keep us informed!

I will say though, from pictures at least, I was surprised how good your original hairline was after what you wrote about it in the write up! Still, I'm sure many would envy my hair right now....yet I'm still having 2000 grafts in the hairline, so I understand.

Hope it turns out great for ya!

MoeyK have you considered propecia and minoxidil? That's the first step....it's worked wonders for me. If I had found these sooner then I wouldn't need the HT on my hairline.

Thank you very much for the replies hope this can give a little bit of help to anyone considering taking their first steps towards a procedure.

Will keep you all informed of my progress!

I don't know if it was in this post but Dr Lindsey posted a timeline which basically said that the final result isn't seen until month 18. Therefore worrying at DAY 17 is somewhat premature, I say relax and take your mind off it. See how you feel in a year or so...

Referring to a wig as "strand by strand" is enough to make me run a mile away.

If you want to skip the preamble and just go straight to the details about the consultation, scroll down to the three asterisks. (***)

I am 23 and have been losing hair since I was 16. It got very bad a few years ago but then I found Belgravia in March 2010 and (though very overpriced) their products have really stabilised and regrown so much of my hair. With the right thickening shampoo, a bit of concealer and the right style I look like I haven't lost any hair at all - until the wind blows anyway! My hairline is very much in that M shape and a bit thin at the front, which bothers me so much. Obviously I have had the horrible feelings of depression and not wanting to go out etc but thankfully propecia/minoxidil really helped change all that - now I just want that hairline fixed.

I have been browsing these forums for years but I finally signed up and began actively pursuing finding the right doctor for me in January. The same names kept coming up and, as I'm in the UK, obviously Spex was on my radar very quickly. Ah, Spex. That poor poor man. I believe it is roughly 50 emails we have exchanged over the months! He's been so great in replying quickly and informatively without putting any pressure whatsoever, I can't thank him enough.

Anyway, having researched through several doctors I decided that Dr Feller was right for me. His work and reputation speaks for itself, his location on the east coast of the U.S was ideal for me and it was great having Spex and many other people in the UK contingency posting on here and being available via pm. Spex informed me in February that Dr. Feller was coming to the UK for consultations in May so I booked myself in and waited for the chance to meet the man himself.

Ever been to a concert and been in awe when you saw the name of the band or artist on the big billboard outside the stadium? I have to be honest, that's how I felt when I saw a sign for "Feller Medical" in the London hotel haha!

***

I walked in and met Spex who was very welcoming. (My eye was straight to his hairline and I couldn't believe how great his hair is, so much better in person than photos too - which is saying something!) Dr Feller came in from lunch and we chatted about hairloss, then I filled in the form with my details - from phone number to what medication I'm on - and then we began to talk about what I wanted. I said I wanted my hairline and maybe some grafts in the crown, to which Dr Feller replied he didn't want to touch my crown due to my age - saying it is best to save grafts for that as I may need them later on for any future procedures if I lose any more hair.

The doctor drew a hairline on in marker which I have not had for about 5 years, though it did dishearten me slightly as I was hoping for a juvenile hairline (very low temples) like I had 7 years ago. Dr. Feller said he would prefer to be conservative due to my age. I was very pleased that he talked me out of the "perfect head of hair" because I didn't want to be promised the world. I'm very aware that nothing is ever guaranteed and that there are limitations with things, particularly as I am young. I also realised that, thinking back to those great photos of me I sometimes get sad about, the conservative hairline Dr Feller drew is actually BETTER than the one I had 5 years ago. So I'm more than happy to go with Dr. Feller's recommendation, which is 2000 grafts. I asked if my head would need to be shaved down and was relieved when the doctor said no (apart from the finer hairs from minoxidil) as my hairline is the area he is working with as there is nothing there. I do wonder if when I get there Dr. Feller will say I do need to have my head shaved, in which case I will be willing of course, though I'd rather not!

Previously I was concerned about laxity, suitable donor hair, hair characteristics and all the other terms I've read on here. Therefore it was really good to meet the doctor in person to find out if I was a suitable candidate first hand, as I had no idea about any of this stuff. For this reason I would recommend to anyone to meet their doctor in person BEFORE committing to any surgery - it's GREAT to have all your questions answered before hand to allow you to make a decision.

Dr. Feller showed me his scar (which was TINY) and Spex (the self proclaimed human model during the consultation) encouraged me to run my hands through his hair and have a good look. His hair is AMAZING! It was really cool to see a scar in real life and a result of Dr. Feller's work in real life too.

On the way out I asked why, if there is such interest in his work here in the UK and Ireland, doesn't he come to perform the surgeries here. Dr Feller explained that if he was the superstar then he would, but he has a big team (upto 9 or 10 technicians per surgery) who are vital to each procedure, so it just is not possible. I thought it was good to hear Dr Feller not wishing to take all the praise himself and for highlighting the importance of his team.

Dr Feller and Spex patiently answered every question I could think of and the consultation lasted 40 minutes. At no point was I given a hard sell or given a date to book by or anything in that nature. Spex even re-iterated several times that I should go and give it serious thought.

I would have had the procedure there and then though if I could. I felt very reassured that I was suitable, that I wasn't being given a hard sell and that Dr Feller was ethical and wouldn't have deemed me a viable candidate if I wasn't. The fact he turned down my request/suggestion for a lower temples and work on the crown conveyed that he isn't trying to get every penny out of his patients. Dr. Feller also said "If you look good, then I look good" - which I thought was great as it showed that he tries his very best to ensure a high quality of results to his patients, as your hair is his reputation - therefore you can trust he will try his very best.

I left feeling very confident and am travelling to New York for my procedure in late July. I know that no surgery is guaranteed, that there are limitations to the procedure and that I can't "look like I did when I was 16", but I'm confident I have chosen a fantastic doctor who can give me some much needed improvement in the hair department. I wasn't going to post until maybe 1-2 years down the line but I always like reading the "before" posts in people's threads - seeing how nervous they were, to then seeing how great they look now. I hope I will be one of these people. I also wanted to give something back to this forum as you have all helped me so much, I feel it is only right that I share my story too. I hope I'll be posting an excellent result in 18 months time.

Big thanks to Spex again for all his help. At no point did he say "go for Dr Feller" but he simply guided me through options and informed me of everything from the procedure itself to advice on medication, he's really been excellent. Thank you Spex. As I said in an email to you, whatever happens with my procedure and result, I am very grateful for all of your help.

Bring on late July!

As soon as I saw raving reviews of Bosley I looked at the information of the poster: joined this month and all posts are in this thread. Very suspicious.

I'm in the UK and it didn't take me long to work out that Britain was NOT the place to have this procedure, no disrespect to any of the surgeons but (to my eyes, at least) there is far superior work done abroad. If you spend some time on here you'll see the same names cropping up that are held with the highest regard.

I was fortunate in that my first choice (Dr Feller in New York) came to London for consultations so I was able to meet with him in person. I know others have travelled without meeting their doctor first but personally I'm very glad I met Dr. Feller (and Spex!) in person before making my decision. I fly out for the surgery at the end of July.

You can have consultations with as many doctors as you want until you feel informed enough to make a choice. Some go for the online consultations with photographs and stuff, which may be the way you need to go if you choose a doctor from abroad....or maybe you'll get lucky like I did.

Since you're new I'd say just keep reading the forums, all the information is here ... researching will help you make an informed choice.

My flights to New York are costing ?500, so I'm not SAVING money by going abroad (as per the question in your original post) but I'm almost certainly getting a better quality of surgeon. I think Belgium is the best place in Europe but for me, USA and Canada stand out the most. I haven't really looked into the Asian countries but they post lots of results online too so that is also worth a look.

Good luck!

Well done Spex, big decision but the article was great! Glad you've had so much support too, nice one:)

Advanced Hair Studio is the world's best studio for hair transplantation. With variety of treatments and best doctors across nations, AHS provides not only value for the services and treatments but also the sense of contentment to the customers. I got strand by strand treatment from there. And I was very happy and satisfied with the services rendered by them. I get some very good compliments from friends and family. I sincerely thank to all staff members of AHS especially Ashutosh, Ragini, Silky for giving me a natural look and head full of hair.

It's interesting that your first post on the forum is defending what is otherwise a seemingly indefensible company. You're obviously affiliated with AHS in some way or another.

I could have been sucked in to this AHS stuff a few years ago, thankfully I found ( somewhat overpriced) but genuine propecia and minoxidil in London.

My mum noticed I was receding ( very very slightly) when I was 15. Bad luck eh? Thank god for the meds, and lets hope I can be thanking Dr Feller for a great hairline in a few months!

The advice I've seen a lot on here is to not let money play a factor. From what I've learnt it's best to save more money to have more options instead of limiting yourself to surgeons in a cheaper price bracket.

What would make someone regret this? I've been on propecia for 2 years now, should I switch? What are the reason for going straight onto DUT?

Infact, for the uninformed like myself, what is DUT?

Great thread, hope it takes off. Very interesting especially for those of us thinking about going for the procedure...

In 2 years and 2 months on Propecia I've had absolutely no side effects, particularly of the sexual variety. Though I haven't tried for a baby so I don't know about that one, but fine everywhere else. Not sure if that means I should be concerned or not, but I value my hair a hell of a lot so it's worth the risk.