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Baldietwo

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Everything posted by Baldietwo

  1. 11 Months since procedure number 2. I think it's improving...but it's hard to tell from the pictures. Different lighting conditions from the last pictures makes it hard to compare. The crown itself is still very sparse, not a lot is happening. The hair that was transplanted there is growing but it's slow and still quite thin....i hope this will thicken up. The midscalp is also still quite sparse, but I hope this will thicken as well. From my first procedure I had this little "island" transplanted in the crown which I was VERY unhappy about. Yes, I did ask for some scattered hair in the crown area but not an island on it's own. That was an issue of miscommunication between me and Bisang. In any case, I was always going to have a procedure number 2 and that island is now more or less gone as the new hair is growing in. From the pictures and certainly from looking in the mirror I can tell that the hair around the "island" is much thinner than the hair in the "island". Which tells me that the hair from phase 2 still has a lot of thickness left to grow. My hair is very coarse so I hope this will improve well beyond 12 months. It looks like the hair transplanted 11 months ago has a lighter colour as well. As if they are not mature yet. However, that could also be due to the sun exposure over the summer.. See my previous posts and image if you're curious about what I mean about the "island". Overall I'm still very happy. From a NW5/6 to a thickish front and covering in the scalp midcrown. I was never going to have Justin Bieber hair...I'm 40 years old after all....There's a few minor niggles that I will discuss with Bisanga once I pass month 12. I believe he's missed a couple of areas...they're only small but I notice them (others might not) The pictures below aren't great. Particularly since I've not had a hair cut yet!! I need to get that done soon. That should improve the look. I'll post some more photos once I've had a hair cut If I have one regret it's that I should have asked for a lower hairline. It's way to high in my opinion.
  2. You need to see the doctors in person. They will always err on the side of caution when judging pictures. I was told by several docs that my donor area was weak when looking at the pictures. However, when i met them in person and they inspected my scalp thoroughly they could see that my donor area was actually fine! Pictures don't tell the truth, in particular when you use flash. This makes the scalp see through and can make it look thinner than it is...Flash can also make it look thicker than it is Go see the docs in person
  3. I just posted a response here and it says "awaiting moderator approval" What does that mean? I can post this....
  4. fortune11, It is such a nice feeling isn't it.. To go from NW5/6 to a full head of hair. Sure, it's not dense and it's see through at times. BUT no one will say that you're bald! They might say "it looks like you're going bald". But I'll take that any day. Because I know that what I have is permanent. Happy growing! 8 months will go fast. BUSA, I see you're a NW5. You'll soon come to realize that expecting a full head of dense hair all over is unrealistic for us high norwoods. No matter what the surgeons say your hair will be see through and the crown will be less dense. The exception is if you happen to be lucky and have exceptionally high density and hair shaft caliber/ And....FUT because I don't have 2000 FUE grafts left.
  5. I think you need much more than 5k. Closer to 7 or 8k. 5k will cover hairline through to midscalp as others have said. A further 2 or 3k will give light coverage in crown. If you use 5k for the entire scalp it will be very thin. I was myself a Nw5 heading to 6. I have had two HT so far. 1st was 4700 which focused on hairline and midacalp. Second was 2100 to cover crown and rest of midscalp. My first HT is now 18 months old. I'm very happy with it, but it is still see through in certain light conditions. 5k all over would make your see through all the time. Just my two pennies.
  6. I had 4780 in the first procedure (FUT) and 2080 in the 2nd (FUE). Just shy of 7000 grafts in total. I wouldn't call that 'few grafts'. Right now I have no plans for another procedure. I'm OK with low density crown. Its expensive and I'd like to spend money on other things in life. I have another 2k or so available if I do another FUT. Maybe in 5-10 years I'll fill in the crown. This has changed my life in a way that only fellow NW 5/6s will understand. I never had any expectations of youthful dense hair. Frame the face and avoid the slick cue ball look was my goal. That goal has been achieved already and I have another 6 month of growth to come (at least).
  7. Time for an update! I don't hang around too much on these forums but a promise is a promise. I've learnt a lot here so it's only fair to post the pictures. 19 months ago I was a NW5 heading towards 6. Now, I'm a NW something else (not sure where I fit to be honest). It's been 6 months since my 2nd procedure which focused on the midscalp and crown. It's growing nicely but it feels slower than the first transplant. The crown is also taking it's time. I didn't put many grafts in the crown since I didn't really have enough. I wanted a scattering to avoid scalp shine and I think once it's fully grown out it will achieve that. Nevertheless, I'm a new man! As you can see from the pics in certain light conditions it's clearly see through. I also have to style my hair in a certain way to achieve maximum illusion. If I was to point all the hair upwards it looks awful! This is not a surprise since there's only so much a HT can do for a NW5/6. I'm delighted with the result. I'm hitting the big 40 soon and many of my friends are now asking for advice on getting their hair done! Now, for some pictures. There's still lots of growth left to come for the midscalp (and crown) but so far I'm delighted with the result.
  8. Thanks KO. For the high NWs such as myself FUE only is not an option (unless you are very lucky with high graft density and narrow head). FUT+FUE was the only way for me to have a chance of getting a full head of hair. I've done my 2nd op now. New post with pics are here; 2084 FUE Bisanga September 2014 - Forum By and for Hair Loss Patients
  9. Thanks KO. For the high NWs such as myself FUE only is not an option (unless you are very lucky with high graft density and narrow head). FUT+FUE was the only way for me to have a chance of getting a full head of hair. I've done my 2nd op now. New post with pics are here; 2084 FUE Bisanga September 2014 - Forum By and for Hair Loss Patients
  10. Soo...It's been just over a year since I had my first Procedure. Back then I was a NW5-6. I had a 4703 grafts to cover the front and part midscalp. That made a HUGE difference and I am pleased with the results (read the story with pictures etc here:http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/172018-journey-my-4703-fut-hair-transplant-dr-bisanga-august-2013-a.html) A couple of weeks ago I went for procedure number 2. 2084 grafts was placed in the end to cover the rest of the midscalp and crown. It won't be as dense as the front. I guess the total area covered this time is almost as big (probably a bit smaller). So maths says that this will be half the density. Still it will make a huge difference to me. It will no longer be shiny shiny scalp, but a covering of hair. The scalp will probably shine through but I'm not to concerned about that. I'm 40 years so no one is expecting me to have perfect dense hair anyway. This will take YEARS of my look. The procedure was over 2 days. The food they served at lunch time was great and very tasty. A heck of a lot better than the crappy food they serve at the Hotel Catalonia where I stayed. The breakfast is ok but the evening meals.....it's not fit for dog food. I ate there the night I arrived just to see if had gotten any better...it hadn't. I stayed here last time as well so this year I came prepared!! I brought some ready meals (noodle packs)I could mix with hot water and some pepperoni sausage. The 2 days themselves went really well. The staff were helpful as always. The only "bad" thing about the 2 days was the anesthetics... which hurts! And there so many more of them than for FUT.... on the 2nd day the injections felt 10 times as bad.. Don't know why but it was excruciating. When they were over the rest was a doddle. Post op I had very little pain. Compared 2 FUT the pain post op is a walk in the park! Now, just 10 days post op i have no pain or discomfort at all. With FUT the pain lasted a good 2 weeks until sutures were out. On the topic of FUT. I got to see the scar in it's full glory since I had to shave it all off. On the left side it's ok, the right is a bit wider. Nothing too bad and it will be covered with a grade 3 or 4 i think. For those saying FUE is the way..I was a NW5-6.. FUE would not have given me enough to cover it all. I had to go with FUT and I don't regret it. Even when seeing the scar. I'm not planning on any more procedures but I should have enough donor left for one more FUT if I really want to. But I have no plans to do so. If I do...and that will be in the distant future I can place some in the scar to cover that up. Apart from the FUT scar no one would know I've had a procedure.The scar is visible, but I'm not covering it up when out and about (I do cover it in the sun of course)..I'm just letting it all breath. All my friends and work colleagues know about it so there's no point in hiding it anyway. Below are some pictures. * The first is a comparison between my original NW5-6 state to 1 year Post my first op. (Basically the way I looked before this FUE Procedure) * The remaining 2 pics are from this Op on day 1 and day 10. day 1 and day 10.
  11. You look right on track.5 months is early. I looked the same a you when I was 5 months post op. For me it really kicked in around the 6-7 months mark. The hair that's growing now starts out fine and gradually gets thicker. Final results can take 18 months.
  12. I don't come to this board as often as I want but I've promised myself that I will keep updating the post so that others who are considering a HT can view progress and see what it's like. After all, it was because of all the stories on here that I ended up having a HT in the first place and reading other peoples stories was (and still is) an important factor in my decisions for who to choose as my surgeon. It's been 1 year now and this will be the last photoupdate on this post...why? Because in a few weeks time I'm going back to Brussles for Phase 2! I'm having 2k FUE to cover the midscalp and crown. Yes, I know it won't be dense coverage but that was never my goal. As a NW5-6 I'll be happy with the medium coverage that I know 2k will provide. And...the 4.7k FUT from last year has made it look like I have no hairloss at all from the front and that was my primary goal. I still wish I hadn't gone for the sprinkling in the back.That little island needs to grow quite long to have any effect. Having said that, it does have SOME effect now that it's mature and grown out, but when I have my FUE in a few weeks time that will look out of place for a number of months. If I hadn't had that island placed then it would make the next post op look much better. Nothing much I can do about that now so I need to let that go. In a years time it will all be seamless! Here are the pics. When I've had the next op I'll likely start a new thread since it's an entirely new procedure. Pre Op pictures from 1 Year Post Op
  13. I swear I updated this post last week but it's not here... So here we go again. Can't believe it's been 10 months! It seems like yesterday, yet I look somewhat different! In a few months time I'll be heading for the chair once again to cover the rest of my midscalp and crown. Can't wait! My scar is very thin on the left side, but the right side is slightly wider. By wider I mean a maybe 3-4mm and it's only a small stretch of about 10cm or so that's widened. It's completly hidden with my grade 5 cut so it's not really noticeable unless you know what you're looking for. BHR has offered to fill in the scar with some grafts when I go back for my 2nd procedure which means I should be able to cut my hair a grade or 2 shorter if I want to. The pinkness has pretty much all gone now which is great. Here are some updated pictures with the "original" in the corner. I'm a happy patient!
  14. Whatever you do, DONT inject minoxidil into your scalp!!! Its dangerous. Its called topical for a reason. Injecting it directly into the scalpis just a dumb idea.
  15. Your head will feel numb for months I'm afraid. Took 3 months before I started geting any feeling back in my recipient area?
  16. Thanks Chris. Yes, 3200 fut and 2000 fue. My next (and last) procedure will be 2k fue. My hair is coarse and i have lots of 3s and 4s and that will count in my favour. Density will be approx half of that of this first procedure. One could argue that I should do another FUT, but I'm happy with the scar so far and believe it or not, i quite like to thin out my sides a bit, the top sides is so damn dense
  17. Finally, here's some high res pictures. I've been promising to upload for 2 months but never got around to it They are all on my blog: Hair Restoration Journal for BaldieTwo - 8 Months Post Op ​It's been 8 months now! And I'm a happy camper. I've got my 2nd transplant booked for later this year to fill in the midscalp and crown. In my blog (link above) I've posted a few high res photos. Hair is a grade 4 on the sides and 8 or so on the top. I did it myself so it's a bit of a bodge job. I've told myself (to my wife's dispair) that I won't go to a hair dresser until I've had my 2nd procedure. Scar has faded almost completely. Just some minor pink left. I'm also pleased with the scar itself. It's slightly wider on the right side on the back of my head, but nothing to be worried about. The rest looks to be fairly thin. It's a grade 4 on the pics and you can make out the scar if you know what to look for. After 12 months I might get away with a grade 3 cut! If I was to amend anything I might not have put anything in the back of the crown. I did ask for a small scattering but i think I wouldn't have asked for that if I had a 2nd chance. Not that it matters because I'm having a 2nd procedure to fill in the rest. That little island is filling in, but it's taking a LOT of time. It's not at it's full length and width yet which makes it look a bit silly. Having said that, with a bit of toppik I can close the cap easily. And in a month or 2 there won't be a gap. I KNOW it's proably not the best look. But considerig I was completly Bald (NW5/6) this time last year, it's such an improvement. I'm getting really nice comments from all friends and colleagues who constantly ask me when I'm going in for the 2nd procedure and how they envy my braveness (i had a lot of stick to begin with). 8 Months now, and there should still be some more growth to come. The picture are taken in the bathroom so the light is quite harsh, particularly on the photos of the top.​
  18. It's set at about 8cm. Which is 1/3 of the length of my face (hairline to chin). I have a relatively long and thin face and that counts in my favour. Thinner face means less grafts needed. My hairline is high but my goal is complete coverage so something had to give. I've got some length on it now so it looks lower.
  19. Hi Delancey, Set your expectations very low and then be amazed when you see the result. That's the best way to go. Having too high expectations is just going to end in dissapointment. You will never get back the lush thick hair you had when you were young. It will be see-through in strong light You will not have a low hairline. It's likely to be high to very high, but it's more than enough to give you a decently framed face (which is what you should be aiming for) You may not have enough donor to do anything about the crown. If you do have enough it is likely to be very scarse. I am (or rather was) myself a N5 heading towards a NW6. My hairloss pattern was pretty much identical to what you have. I'm 8 months our from my 1st HT now and I have another one scheduled for the rest of this year to cover the crown. I'll have pretty much exhausted my donor hair for this 2nd procedure and the crown coverage is going to be quite sparse. Howver, it will mean I won't have a shiny bald scalp which is my goal. Have a look at my blog and posts for pictures (links in my signature). I've been quite lazy with updating the blog with new pictures...will do soon! The most recent ones you'll find in the journey post.
  20. Absolutely possible, but as already stated, you need to lower your expectations. You will never get back the lush thick hair you had when you were young. It will be see-through in strong light You will not have a low hairline. It's likely to be high to very high, but it's more than enough to give you a decently framed face (which is what you should be aiming for) You may not have enough donor to do anything about the crown. If you do have enough it is likely to be very scarse. I was a NW5 heading towards a NW6. I had my first HT in August last year and I'm having my 2nd later this year to fill in the rest. Check out my signature for photos if you're interested.
  21. Thanks guys. Didn't get time to do any photos this weekend but will get to it soon enough JD, we had the op the same time and knowing that it's only 50-60% at the moment is such a great feeling. More to come! Matehmatica, I'm still bald in the crown and the midscalp is very thin, so the name is still slightly appropriate I have now booked my 2nd procedure for the 2nd half of this year. I'll be having 2k FUE to fill in the crown and the midscalp. That will be my final procedure but there is still some donor hair left i think should i need it. This won't give me full coverage but it will be a great improvement and remember, I was a NW6. I'm not getting back my hair from when I was 18 but I'm framing my face and won't have a shiny cueball which was always my goal. The first op covered approx 100cm2. My 2nd procedure aims to cover the rest which approx 90cm2 or so. I'll be concentrating on the midscalp with a thinner coverage in the crown. My hair is coarse and I have a lot of 3s and 4s graft. 2k FUE will allow Bisanga to cherry pick the best multigrafts for maximum coverage. Looking forward to it already...but not until after the summer. No way am I having my summer ruined by having to cover it up with a hat
  22. Wow. Your results are absolutely amazing for just 6 months. You must be so happy.
  23. You are thinning quite a lot on the top and without a transplant you will be a Nw 5/6 at some point in the future. A hair transplant surgeon should take that fact into consideration. 1500 might thicken it up to a satisfactory result. However, when you lose the preexisting hair you will look very thin with only 1500 grafts scattered on the whole of you top scalp. 4000 sounds about right. This will give you the coverage you need and even when the preexisting hair falls out, you'll still look fine. So. 1500 will be OK to make a cosmetic difference today. But you need more surgery later when your existing hair thins out. 4000 we give you what you want today and the future. You probably won't need any more sessions. Or maybe just a minor session.
  24. Has it been 6 months already? I can't believe it!! Growth is kicking in big time and the difference is huge. I'm getting loads of nice comments from friends and work colleagues. I look VERY different from 6 months ago. There's still a long way to go and I can see a lot of the hair is still quite fine. There's a LOT of thickening still to do. I'll get some more pictures up on my blog at the weekend using my SLR camera for better quality, but I wanted to share the pics on my 6 months anniversary The scar is healing nicely. Still slightly pink but it's impossible to see unless you know it's there. The hair on the sides is a grade 6 or thereabouts. When the pinkness is gone I can probably get that down a grade or two. I have not cut the hair on top yet so it's quite messy, but I like it! I might continue to cut my own hair until I get the second procedure done later this year. I'm looking to fill in the crown and to complete my transformation. This was a VERY good decision and I'm a happy man so far.
  25. Looking good! You've chosen the right man for the job. The next 2-3 months is when it's gonna happen. You have more or less exactly the same hairless pattern as me. It's like you're my long lost brother! You've also done the frontal third only with plans to FUE the rest. Great plan.
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