xtatic5

Swelling above the headband is normal. That's the purpose of the headband, to keep the swelling contained to the upper forehead. When I removed the headband after 5 days the swelling dropped down to my temples but disappeared within 2 days. I never felt any pain.

I felt nothing for several days after surgery but after the numbness wore off the itching became intense. I'm still itching 1 month post op. Instead of scratching I gently (or not so gently) pat the donor area. For the recipient area I washed frequently for the first 15 days and applied olive oil thereafter.

Hey man, I can only share what I've learned over the past 5 months.

First, the work looks clean and the hairline looks natural. I can't tell from these pics but if you have blonde hair then it will camouflage well with your skin, giving the illusion of density. Also, the density may not be uniform throughout the area. Maybe my eyes are fooling me but it looks like the center section is more dense than the temples. This is completely natural as temples are typically thinner than the rest.

Second, did you have a discussion with your surgeon about a long term plan? If you're thinning at 20/21 then you could be destined for extensive loss. Your surgeon was probably very conservative to preserve grafts for the future. It's far too early to speculate on what the final result will look like but chances are you'll look fine and want more.

I had my surgery last month and while I can't report on results, I can say that my scar is healing well and the hairline design is great. Dr. Radha and her staff are very accommodating and personable. I'll post pictures at a later date.

I agree with litesport, I have not seen any actual patient of Dr. Radha complain. I had my surgery last month and while I can't report on results, I can say that my scar is healing well and the hairline design is great. I found the facility to be adequate and what I would expect for a clinic. Even here in the U.S. medical clinics are typically in commercial buildings (not hospitals). The quality of the building itself is on par with all the buildings in Vizag, concrete with an outdoor stairwell. The interior of the clinic features frosted glass walls with mostly natural lighting. It was clean, quiet, and comfortable.

Post op instructions from Dr. Rahal are to wait 1 month post op before doing light exercise like cardio and 3 months before resuming normal weight training. I seriously am losing my mind without getting to the gym, I can't wait!

That sounds like a good plan but it's going to drive me crazy too. I haven't been to the gym in almost 2 months already. I was hoping to at least do some push-ups but maybe that's considered heavy lifting (I'm not heavy). I guess the rowing machine will have to suffice.

I would specifically ask your doctor to be safe.

 

From my 3 FUT ( the FUE was minor) experience, the main caution is excess tension on the donor area ( I'm not talking the first week or so which is certainly off limits). Heavy or significant lifting is a stressful activity which causes pressure, especially when breathing is not correct. Cardio is not biggie as long as you are not running a marathon or killing it. light weights and moderate cardio was fine for me and after 2 months or so I was back to regular lifting with a cautionary mindset AND deliberate breathing.

 

At the end of the day, common sense goes a long way - be careful and take it easy allowing the donor area to heal without excess tension or pressure.

Are you referring to blood pressure? I was thinking that lower body exercises would be fine since they cause no tension on the donor area but if blood pressure is a concern then I guess any exercise is a risk. I'll ask my doctor.

I just started taking Natrol 5000mcg 2 weeks after my first HT. I'm hoping it will accelerate growth.

However, I just read that large doses of Biotin can cause bad acne.

Hi Xtatic

 

Just saw your other questin for me about the S2k...

 

I've had 5..

 

Silverstone with red 99

Black and black 01

Blue and black 04

Moonrock and black 06

Black and carbon bodies with blue and black interior 01 turbocharged ;-)

 

All a few years ago now though.

 

Regards

 

Rob

Nice Rob, that turbo must've been crazy. I've had mine for 8 years and I still love it.

Update on my hairline:

I received 2.25cm of lowering and I couldn't be happier. However, due to a tight scalp I only received 2267 grafts (some to the temples). I'm thinking that I may need another procedure to thicken it up. The Dr. said it's too early to tell but I may need another 800 or so.

Here's what confuses me: I was told that my native density is 75/cm2 and the transplanted density is 35/cm2 (IIRC). However, based on the recorded strip area and total grafts, I calculate my donor density to be 59/cm2. I also roughly measure my recipient area to be the same as my donor strip, so wouldn't the transplanted density be equal to my donor density given equal areas?

I was told 30 days but no detail on the magnitude of weights.

What is considered "light" weight? Light enough to not require heavy breathing? I assume they're trying to avoid the strain that's caused when you try to lift something really heavy and you hold your breath and all the blood rushes to your face. Does this include lower body exercises?

Good luck on your search. I opted for FUT as I was told that FUE has a low yield rate on curly hair due to transection of the grafts.

Hey xtatic- sorry if i came across rude! I was just asking the question, maybe i am getting nerves and reacting badly.. Things is, there are loads of dr radha patients who just never put pics up- its unusual compared to other docs. I would be very grateful if you did send pics and gave us ur experience- it might help settle anxiety!!

I understand your anxiety, Ahmed. I also had 2nd thoughts just before surgery but I kept reminding myself of how unhappy I've been with my high hairline. I'm so glad I went through with it. Dr. Radha gave me a great hairline and the scar looks promising. My biggest concerns now are protecting the grafts and refraining from scratching the stitches as they itch from time to time.

Dr. Radha has only been on the site for 13 months so I would expect less patient reviews. Right now I'm too busy and excited to post pictures, although I understand the importance of giving back to the community. For now, I can at least tell you that I am a happy patient of Dr. Radha.

Also, Xstatic, you talk about having a ht soon in a previous post - funny how you refer to your doc as 'he'! Very interesting...mmmm...

Whoa dude, calm down..just trying to help out. I just got home from surgery, sorry for not rushing to start a blog. Maybe I won't at all.

I referred to the surgeon as "he" to obscure "her" identity, as Dr. Radha is one of very few female surgeons, especially in India.

Perhaps you shouldn't have surgery until you get a grip on your nerves. You probably won't have a good experience in this state.

I just got back to the US after my transplant with Dr. Radha 11 days ago. She and her staff are delightful. Surgery is long but you can fall asleep meanwhile, especially since you'll be drugged up and your eyes are blindfolded. I was told that I could wear a loose cap after 5 days. In the meantime she'll give you a white cloth to wear. She'll give you written instructions on how to care for your hair for 30 days post-op.

I toured India for 10 days prior to surgery so my flight was domestic (from Chennai). Chennai airport is considerably smaller than Delhi airport and therefore easy to navigate. I had arranged an airport pickup with the hotel but it was nowhere to be found (perhaps because my flight was 30 minutes late). I paid 500 INR for a taxi (negotiated down from 600).

I really liked Vizag and the Budhil Park Hotel is located in a prime shopping district (though a distance to the beach). If you want wifi, go to the 2nd floor and sit on the ottoman in front of the conference room. The hotel also has an excellent restaurant (Blue Diamond), albeit expensive by Indian standards (wifi is accessible here too). If you're willing to walk for 10 minutes and cross a busy intersection, another hotel restaurant, Masala, offers great food for half the price. Of course you could simply take an auto for a few rupees. Overall, I felt perfectly safe and comfortable in Vizag and the hotel. Then again, I was mistaken for Indian by almost everyone so maybe I blended in

Shock loss is uncommon and should not be counted upon as a sure thing. As Blake stated, if you experience shock loss the hairs will grow back within 4 months. I'm not sure it matters how thin they are. If the hairs never grow back then they were not affected by shock loss but by androgenic alopecia.

Thesis: A HT will not cause permanent loss of hair.

Hey zenigomu, I am a member of the High Forehead Club too! See my recent thread here.

I know exactly how you feel and I've been researching surgery options for a few months. I'll finally be getting a HT in 3 weeks. Let me share what I've learned so far..

Surgical hairline advancement (SHA) is a bad option for a few reasons: You're already aware of the scar at the hairline. Second, the surgeon must sever two nerves in your forehead which will render your scalp numb, at least temporarily. Third, a surgically advanced hairline is still subject to recession, so your investment could disappear. Fourth, surgically advanced hairlines often require a small amount of grafts to round them out or to hide a bad scar which negates the instant results.

You will have a hard time finding a surgeon willing to lower your hairline more than 1cm. See my thread for more on this.

Be careful when soliciting advice from strangers (this Web site included). They'll often tell you to be grateful for what you have, save your grafts, you're being unrealistic, etc. While they are genuinely trying to be helpful and supportive, they are unknowingly imposing their limitations on you. A Norwood VI is going to have a very different perception of what's realistic than a guy like you who is not experiencing loss. The irony is, once you've had the job done they'll all tell you how great you look. Compare my thread to unclejesse777's thread for an illustration.

Now, before I catch flames for my comments, I am not saying that you should ignore the experiences of those on this forum. That's what the site is for and I am very grateful for it. It is important, however, to decipher what is fact and what is opinion. After all, you're the one who has to live with the results.

Those are great suggestions but I don't know the price of the procedure yet because we are not set on the number of grafts I'll need. Also, is it wise to pay in advance?

I've scheduled a HT with an overseas surgeon and he prefers cash payment. While the surgeon has an established reputation on this site, I feel uneasy about making such a large purchase in cash, let alone carrying it in an unfamiliar country. Does anyone have experience with this? I would think that a surgical practice would accept credit cards.

Thanks LondonHT and spanker for sharing. Your pictures are really giving me an idea of what to expect.

LondonHT, I see that 2000 grafts over that area is not acceptable for me.I wonder if even 3500 would be sufficient.

spanker, your result looks great and if I end up needing a 2 stage procedure then I may start with what you've got or just settle for that entirely.

I'm also impressed by the guy in chris' post here:

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/162969-dr-rahal-patient-3249-grafts-7-months.html

He got great density in an area roughly the same as mine. Is it just me or did the hair grow in lower than the pre-op drawings?

Thanks for replying Dr. Mejia. It appears that your research says it all, a 6cm hairline is not unusual at any age. Only one surgeon really examined me closely (looking at pictures of me 10 years ago vs. today, using the micrometer to find vellous hairs, etc.) and he doesn't foresee much future hair loss, if any. Yet, even he wanted to give me an 8cm hairline for no apparent reason. I think these doctors are just playing it safe.

I think cosmetic surgeons walk a fine line. On the one hand, they are competing in an industry where reviews are everything, so I can understand that keeping the patient satisfied both now and in the future is better for the bank account. On the other hand, nobody knows what the patient wants like the patient himself. For a surgeon to say "I refuse to give you what you want today because in 10 years you won't like it anymore" seems a bit presumptuous. I'll make that call, thank you.

Remember, we're not talking about heart surgery here. This is cosmetic surgery. The entire purpose is to make the patient happy (not the surgeon).

Jesse, I'm not offended at all. I just think you've misdiagnosed the extent of the work I need done. I understand that you needed 4500 grafts to achieve your fantastic result and, like you, I also want full density. However, my hair is less dense than yours; 100% density for me is less than 100% density for you. I agree that I will likely need more than 2500 grafts to achieve my ideal result but I'm expecting 3500 max. Who knows, neither of us are doctors, but thanks to your shared experience I have asked my prospective surgeon to clarify the density that I can expect with 2500 grafts. I may also shoot an email to Dr. Feller.

S2thou, most importantly, what year and color? I'm '00 NFR. Garage queen, detail whore, you know the drill.

I'm not looking for a surgeon who will say yes to anything, but when he says no there should be a logical reason behind it. For reasons I've explained, donor depletion is not a concern for me. For reasons Jesse has explained, future "appropriateness" is largely exaggerated. Besides, I don't think a 6cm hairline is unnatural at any age.

This is the first I'm hearing of the forehead "dropping" with age. Sure, skin sags because the muscles have atrophied, but I don't see what effect that would have on the scalp. I'll ask about it. In any case, amid all this discussion I raised the hairline in the picture (by .5cm) and it's starting to grow on me now. Maybe there's room for negotiation.

Thanks for your support Jesse, I'm glad someone else shares my view. It's tough to get reliable opinions on here because every situation is unique. It sounds like we've got similar hair situations.

As far as the current condition of my hair, perhaps that's a bad angle? I am not a NW III, I'm a NW I at most, as confirmed by a surgeon. My hairline is naturally high and always has been. The hairline illustrated in the pic is only lowered by 3cm at the peak, similar in distance to the guy in Chris' post.

About the # of grafts required, the highest quote I have received from 4 surgeons is 2500. My hair is black, curly, thick, and I have darker skin. These qualities mean that I require less grafts for the same visual density as someone with brown, straight, fine hair and light skin.

I don't intend to reach NW III because I'll take meds at the first sign of thinning.

I've consulted 4 doctors, 2 via email and 2 in person. 3 are recommended on this forum. None of them really gave an explanation except one said "I can't work miracles," which wasn't very convincing. We're talking 2000-2500 grafts which doesn't seem like a stretch.

Some background about my hair: I am not actively experiencing loss though it runs in the family. One of the surgeons examined my hair and said that I will likely not exceed a Norwood III based on the current state of my hair, so running out of donor grafts isn't too much of a concern. I intend to cut my hair rather short after the transplant, so I can't rely on bangs to conceal excess forehead.

I'm not one of these 19 year-olds who jumps into surgery impulsively. I have drawn several simulations of possible hairline designs and heights as well as observed other mens' hairlines online and in public. The hairlines the surgeons are suggesting are about 1.5-2cm, so we're not that far off from each other. I'm just not hearing any logical explanation as to why I can't have an average hairline.

Here is a pic of my actual hairline and the shaded area is my desired hairline. Is it too low?

I'm a 28yo male with a 9cm hairline and I'm seeking to lower it 2.5cm via grafting. I've consulted several surgeons in preparation for my transplant and all of them tell me that my desired hairline is too low. I have lived with the embarrassment of a large forehead since high school and anything less than 2.5cm will leave me feeling less than confident.

I've actually come a long way since 4 months ago when I started considering HT; I originally wanted 3-4cm of lowering. After observing other guy's hairlines I came to realize that my concept of "average" was a bit off. The average non-receded hairline seems to be around 6.5-7cm.

I understand that HT surgeons have years of experience and that a hairline needs to be appropriate for both the present and the future. However, I see gray-haired guys with 6cm foreheads all the time. Plus, if I'm paying for a new hairline, why wouldn't I place myself among the lucky minority of guys who never experience recession?

So the big question is, who wins? Should I stick to my guns since I won't be happy any other way? Will a surgeon refuse to operate if he doesn't get his way? I don't think I'm being unrealistic here.

I've got a naturally high hairline and have been concealing my forehead with bangs for years now. After my FUT surgery I intend to continue wearing bangs, which should cover the recipient area. I am also growing my hair extra long (1") to ensure that the donor area scar is covered for the first month post-op.

Where can one obtain the copper spray stuff?