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steelblue7

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Everything posted by steelblue7

  1. Just had a follow up appointment w/Dr. Gabel last week in Seattle. This is my 14-month mark. My hairline has come in very nicely. Dr. Gabel will post pics to this thread soon. It was great seeing the doc again since he's such a cool cat. I've been extremely happy with my results. I've been to several different hairstylists in the past several months (I'm on the road a lot so I stop wherever is convenient - dangerous, I know:)) and I've told each one about my transplant, and each time they are dumbfounded. Every single one of them have said it's the best they've ever seen, almost in disbelief that I've had one, and several have asked for Dr. Gabel's name for their clients. You know ya done right when a hairstylist can't get over how great your transplant looks! Pics coming soon!!
  2. Oh, sorry for the sideways pics, not sure why they downloaded like that... oh well, have to flip the laptop clockwise
  3. Here are my 6-month pics. Took a few months off from taking photos because I just wanted to forget about it and stop watching the grass grow... or better yet, as Spex once stated... "a watched pot never boils"... or something like that. As you'll see in the pics I've made some good progress. I'm getting good growth and from time to time I can still feel my scalp tingling. I hope that's the sign of continued growth activity. The scar photo is angled at the exact spot where you can see the scar. You'd never notice it in everyday life. The length of my hair is a #4 in the back. The new hair is kind of wiry, unruly, wavy, etc... It can be difficult to style but a good problem to have. I expect this will get better over time. Not shown in the photos, but I am using Toppik daily to make the new hairs look a little thicker, helps fill in some gaps, and overall just gives my hairline a thicker look. Oh, and the new Toppik applicator is a must have IMHO. I have a follow up consultation with Dr. Gabel next month. I am planning to discuss using either Rogaine foam or Propecia to help slow the progression of further loss. I'll admit, I'm hesitant to take a pill everyday for the rest of my life. But we'll see. Lastly, I've started telling friends about my procedure. It's become less of a big deal in my mind so I've been letting it out. They are shocked. Never knew! Everyone has been impressed with the outcome so far. So I now look forward to more improvement in the months to come. I've heard from a lot of you that the later months can show even further gains. So here goes...
  4. Yeah, Dr. Gabel and his staff have been tremendous. Although I was unavailable, Dr. Gabel has offered to see me when he has been in the Seattle area a couple times. His office has also called to check-in on my progress. I've been really impressed. I had stitches in my donor area.
  5. Here are my 3-month pics. It's difficult to see the new hairs coming in since they are blonde. I'm starting to see progress and I'm hoping I'll get a surge of new growth into month 4.
  6. Can anyone help me? I'm 11 days post op and thinking about starting a Rogaine regimen. Also, any recommendations as far as branded vs. generic? Thanks.
  7. Here are my pics of day 7 after my transplant w/Dr. Gabel. So far, less redness and scabbing than I expected, no loss of grafts that I'm aware of, and no pain, just a little tightness in the sutures and a little numbness on the top of my head. My face swelled up pretty good (especially around the eyes and bridge of my nose) on day 3 and subsided after day 5. I am feeling like the worst is behind me, which really wasn't bad at all.
  8. New poster here, long time lurker. Thanks to all of your threads and posts I finally took the plunge to better my hairline with the well recommended Dr. Steven Gabel. I just had my transplant yesterday with Dr. Gabel. Thanks to many posters on this board, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect and wasn't too nervous about the procedure. When I first arrived, I was greeted by a super nice assistant named Stacy. She was warm and inviting, answered all my questions and gave me a clear picture of what the day entailed. I had my own lounging area with comfy slippers and plenty of snacks. When Dr. Gabel arrived his enthusiasm got me excited right away. I could feel his passion for his work when he began outlining the new hairline. It wasn't an easy task since my head isn't the most symmetrical. It took a few adjustments, but due to Dr. Gabel's perfectionistic personality, we found the perfect plan to make my hairline young again, and looking natural. Once in the surgical suite, all the staff, Dr. Gabel, Cassie, Stacy, Ailleen, and others were diligently working like a well-oiled machine. The strip was easily removed, much quicker than I anticipated with minimal discomfort. Dr. Gabel's comedic presence really kept me at ease and the Valium also helped. Then the holes were placed in my temples and front hairline. I barely felt a thing other than the anesthetic injections, which weren't that bad. The process took probably just over an hour. So far I was amazed at how easy this was. Then we broke for lunch and I had a great meal, stir-fried beef, rice, and vegetables in my personal lounging area. I made a few phone calls and soon we were back at it, this time inserting the extracted grafts. Over the next 5 hours or so, with intermittent breaks, the staff, including Dr. Gabel, carefully inserted almost 2700 grafts, filling in my temple regions and slightly extending my center frontal area. I enjoyed three movies in the process, often times forgetting I was having a surgical procedure. Time flew by, and before I knew it, it was time for cleaning and more pictures, then prep for going home. Dr. Gabel gave a full, detailed outline of treating my surgical sites over the coming weeks. I couldn't believe how great my new hairline is looking and I couldn't help but be thrilled about the months of growth to come over the next year. I'm in my hotel right now, a super pleased patient with excitement about the future, and sincerely grateful for the wonderful, expert work performed by Dr. Gabel and his entire staff. I couldn't believe what a class act he was, including the staff. I am extremely grateful for the encouragement I got from this forum and the knowledge I gained in helping me choose the best doctor. I am planning to post pictures of the pre-op, post-op, and future growth pics over the next many months. I am looking forward to the months ahead when I can joyfully look in the mirror, unlike in the past when I would avoid it. Thank you all and stay tuned!
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