xtatic5

Hariri, do you have any scars on your chest?

I think it all depends on laxity and density. The most I've heard of is 4. Scalp exercises never hurt.

Some people claim to have lost more hair after using concealers due to aluminum poisoning. Others, including doctors, say that it has no effect on growth. I was tempted to use concealers but I decided to err on the side of caution.

Depends on the width of the scar. Could range from 300 to 600 grafts. I've seen 1200 on a guy with 3 wide scars.

I just heard the news. I fully expected some kind of cell replication to become viable within 20 years. Makes me feel less concerned about being aggressive with my hairline.

It's been said that shock loss can take up to 4 months to return.

1500 only from the left side may be overharvested. It's possible that you have suffered temporary shock loss around the punches but donor thinning is normal for FUE. What was your donor density?

I'm 9 months post-op with 45/cm2 transplanted to the forehead (so no pre-existing hair). At this point the scalp is still visible in dim lighting. I'm hoping for more thickening in the coming months but I'm starting to think I'll need a 2nd small procedure.

Ropain, did your hair also become fuller/thicker during the maturation process?

"Sounds like your friend was very lucky to have a great and experienced surgeon so these issues are not likely to be contributory." Who's your friend?

You should go with whomever you feel will give the best result. If you can only afford 3000 grafts from H&W but you need 6000 for a satisfactory result then that should be a part of your decision.

It shouldn't be much of a coin flip as Bhatti specializes in FUE and Radha in strip. Very different procedures.

A surgeon should perform the complete extraction and creation of the recipient sites, at a minimum. It is common practice for technicians to do the implantation. My surgeon did some of the implantation as well. I would definitely feel uneasy if I heard the surgeon correcting his techs during the procedure. I probably would have demanded an explanation.

I do have a scar (of course) and it has mixed results. The left half is perfect and cannot be found even when searching for it. The right half is a bit more noticeable when I part the hair but is still covered by a guard 3 cut. There is one problem area (~1 inch long) on the right side which has no hair growing through and needs a grade 4 to be completely covered. While it's not urgent, I plan to get FUE into the scar so that I can cut my hair freely. I think the decision between FUT and FUE is more difficult for curly-haired guys. I would love to have gotten FUE but then I would be risking a) less yield due to transection, b) larger punch scars that may be noticeable with short hair, and c) a patchy donor given our naturally low density. So far my yield with FUT looks good. If FUE into the scar works then I will be completely happy. Best of luck to you.

I am also of African descent and have curly hair. I would be very careful who you select for your FUE procedure as our hair poses special challenges related to FUE. Dr. Bhatti is known for his prices but not necessarily for his results. Personally, I would strongly consider a surgeon in Turkey as they have good reputations, good prices, and are more likely to have experience with our hair type.

According to her website she does FUE although I have not seen any results from her. I think her primary focus is FUT.

Thanks! I got 2267 FUT to lower the hairline.

I can vouch for Dr. Radha. I'm 8.5 months post-op and happy so far.

The native hair will remain unless it is weak, in which case it may be shocked out of existence.

I've never read of anyone boasting about new growth beyond 10 months, although people say it is possible.

The transplanted hair will be susceptible to traction alopecia just like native hair.

You could take traveler's checks and cash them on arrival or, depending on the cost of your procedure and the length of your stay, you could make several withdrawals at the ATM. That's what I did in India.

Sometimes people think they are losing transplanted hair when they are actually losing their native hair. This can happen when hair is transplanted into a region with existing hair. That existing hair continues to miniaturize leaving behind only transplanted hair. Another possibility is hair loss NOT due to DHT. If the initial reason for the hair loss was an unhealthy scalp the hair loss will continue until the illness is addressed.

Not necessarily, it just means that different surgeons have different approaches. There are several possible reasons for this difference. Considerations of future loss, vascularity, donor characteristics, hair texture, etc. will all be shaped by the doctor's experience and skill. There are doctors that are known to be very efficient with graft placement but the only way to know for sure would be to a) review before and after pictures for each surgeon, and b) ask each doctor for details about transplant density and design.

Before this devolves into a FUE vs strip debate, know that I am neither pro strip nor pro FUE. In fact, were it not for my curly hair I would have preferred FUE myself. My issue is when people make definitive statements such as "I have never seen *anyone* talk about how FUE ruined his life, disfigured him, or made him desire additional corrective surgery...Period." This can be misleading to new members and I consciously avoid making such one-sided remarks. That said, I have also seen more disappointed strip patients than FUE patients. However, as Shadow pointed out, there may be statistical reasons for this such as the sheer number of strip procedures performed and that FUE procedures are relatively small. Most of the bad FUE reviews come from the larger sessions like the guy in the thread I posted. As for your assessment of the guy in the thread, his feelings are all that matter. I probably wouldn't look twice either, but disappointment is disappointment. Had he gotten strip he could have filled it in with some FUE. It would have been, at worst, as spotty and his entire sides are now.