JohnCasper

It’s very hard NOT to look in the mirror...too often. Your best monitor of success will be close friends and family members who know you have had the procedure done. Those that see you about every 3-4 weeks will be the best at monitoring your progress, especially after several months when the new hairs start popping through. Be patient and keep us posted on your progress.

By the time the existing hair grows out and your newly transplanted hairs grow in 3-4 months, you should be fine. I doubt if any gap is noticeable. For further comparisons, my hair loss was very similar to yours. If you go to my website archives from September 2012, you can see daily pictures and narratives regarding my entire hair transplant experience. I think you will find plenty of similarities. Hang in there, quit looking in the mirror so frequently, and be patient. You have a lot to look forward to in several months. Check out my pictures at MyFUEhairtransplant.com but keep posting updated pictures periodically on this website.

Shock loss is difficult and really impossible to predict. My recession had stabilized at your age (38) and I noticed no shock loss. That’s not saying that none occurred...it just means that it was unnoticeable in my case in both surgeries. Don’t worry about possible shock loss. Trust your doctor. Get the surgery and you will be glad you took the plunge. Keep us posted with pictures.

I always encourage people to have consultations with the doctor and are absolutely comfortable with the doctor and their procedures. Do your homework on this website...which it looks like you’re doing. Best of luck to you. You have a lot to look forward to.

The grafts would have found a blood supply and firmly attached after about 72+ hours or so. It sounds like you did everything expected and explained by your doctor. I was wondering if you took the residue/supposed grafts in the picture back to your doctor to be inspected? I suspect you’re fine and this is a normal occurrence. If they were grafts, the result will be inconsequential if only a few were shed. Everything will most likely be fine but return to your doctor with the questioned grafts (if you still have them) for a consultation if you’re still concerned.

Your hair looks good. I’m just wondering if you feel like your recession has stabilized over the past few years. If so....go for it. Mine stabilized in my late 30’s. I had my first surgery at 50. I’m sure 2,000 grafts will be plenty for your temples and touch up the hair line. Good luck to you.

I agree with everyone above. Choose the doctor you’re most comfortable with. You’re on the correct website to review many doctors with many before/after photos. Research this website, take your time, and make an informed decision. Best of luck with your search. You have a lot to look forward to.

Great job with the 2,000 grafts. Looks really good. I’m sure this patient is quite pleased. Thanks for sharing the results.

Thanks for sharing the video Dr. Lindsey. I was curious because I had similar hair loss (Norwood VI). I had over 7,000 FUE grafts completed. Glad your patient is happy with his results and it appears he’s looking forward to getting that crown covered.

I agree with “mattj”, go conservative with your hairline... at your age. My recession stabilized in my mid-30s. You just don’t want a lower hairline when you reach your 40’s. It may look unnatural at that point. Go conservative. You may want to consider fewer grafts now and have a second surgery a few years later hopefully after your hair loss has stabilized. Best of luck to you.

The FUT vs. FUE debate will continue. I always tell folks to choose the doctor and procedure their most comfortable with. I know that sounds simple...but its important....and true. Both processes yield very good results. The debate will always continue regarding which process is better. For me.... my results are excellent. I was a Norwood VI and I’ve had over 7,000 FUE grafts transplanted. Several doctors at an International Hair Restoration conference (where I was on display and examined) encouraged me to have more. FUE was an easy decision for me because I had no interest in having a very long linear scar from FUT strip surgery if I could receive excellent results without noticeable scarring. Again...its a personal preference. The debate however....will continue.

In response to “jjsrader” post... I had 5,125 grafts transplanted in September of 2012. A little over 2 years later I had another 2,000 grafts transplanted. My donor areas and blood supply was absolutely fine. In fact... I was on display at the International Hair Restoration conference in Chicago a couple years ago where dozens of hair surgeons examined my hair and donor areas. Several physicians were so impressed with the strength of my donor area...they suggested moving 2,000 more grafts to my crown area.

This guys hair loss and age is similar to my experience. Nice work Dr. Haber. Thanks for sharing the results.

Great result Dr. Bloxham. Looks like this guy had great hair density. I’m sure your patient is very pleased.

"Pkipling" is correct. It's amazing how resilient the donor area can be. It will recover quite quickly. I've had over 7,000 grafts taken from my donor areas and at the Hair Restoration Conference in Chicago several years ago... other doctors examined my donor areas and said I could easily relinquish about 2,000 more grafts. I'm not interested in doing that but it was encouraging to hear. I'm attaching a picture of my donor area prior to my second surgery. About 1,750 grafts came from this area and as you can see, any FUE scarring is less than discernible in the picture.

I have to agree with everyone above. Just go ahead and shave your whole head especially if your looking at 2,500 grafts. It grows back at about 1/2 inch per month and will look much better with uniformed growth rates over your entire head. Best of luck to you.

You should have no problem with a hair trimming. My wife is a hair dresser and once the donor area had healed, she was able to trim my hair. As always, just be careful but you should be fine. I’m looking forward to seeing pictures in a couple months when that new hair starts filling in. Keep us posted.

It’s clearly a personal preference. You can get excellent results from both. I just didn’t want to deal with a lengthy linear scar on the back of my head (using FUT strip surgery). I know the hair grows over the scar but some day I may want to wear my hair very short. It was an easy decision for me to choose FUE where the grafts were chosen from large donor areas. FUE does leave a tiny white dot which is nearly indiscernible. Do your homework on this website and choose a doctor and procedure that your comfortable with.

I’m curious to know the size of the “punch” used to extract the grafts using ARTAS? Can you share that information along with the pictures of your donor areas?

Technicians play an important part in the process but ultimately you choose the doctor/surgeon/artisan because of their experience, medical knowledge, and ability to prescribe necessary medications, etc. I know a lot of people receive transplants overseas because of the cost differential but they do experience some risks. A small percentage of grafts are transected partly because of the small instrument used to remove the grafts. In my case a 0.8 mm punch was used. Good doctors count the few transections and remove more grafts to compensate for those and don’t charge you for those grafts. Also, it was important to me to know that the doctor in my case removed and implanted every graft himself. The technician played an important part in the the process but in the end...the surgeon created the masterpiece and the ultimate outcome.

It looks like the donor area has healed very nicely. Don’t get too excited about the donor area. You may have experienced some shock loss but it will grow back in time. Hairs you may have lost have a natural dormant cycle which has been a naturally occurring experience your whole life. You shed hairs this way and the follicle becomes dormant for a few months and then starts growing a new hair. In 3-5 months when your new transplanted grafts start growing in, your donor area will look much more like the photos prior to your surgery. If you want to compare (although everyone’s growth rate is different), you can look at my photos at 40 days post surgery. Go to My FUE Hair Transplant and go into the archives to October of 2012. I’ve chronicled my entire experience for years with many pictures. Post some new pictures to this website in a few months and let us see the difference. I think you will be pleased. As always with hair transplants.....the patient HAS to be patient. Happy growing.

I'm an FUE advocate and have had two surgeries and over 7,000 grafts. 3,000 grafts is a long day for you and the doctor but very do-able. Strip surgery provides very good results but I just didn't want that lengthy permanent scar on the back of my head. Sure...I have many tiny scars from FUE but they are discernible, even with a nearly shaved head. Best of luck on your decision. Make sure you post pictures for us to see after the surgery.

Congratulations on your weight loss and great recovery from your surgery. I apologize for not reading your initial post carefully. You clearly stated that you had the procedure in Illinois. And wow...your donor area healed quickly. You have so much to look forward to. Just wait until you start running into folks who haven’t seen you in a long time. They will see the weight loss and the additional hair growth will only add to their amazement in your transformation. I too had FUE in 2012 and again in 2015 (over 7,000 grafts in total). Our degree of baldness was similar and we’re about the same size. Not that it matters but I’m about 175 lbs and a 33 waist as well. I’m about 10 years older than you. You can see my hair growth documented with many pictures since 2012 on my personal web site.. MyFUEhairtransplant.com. Please keep us posted on this website with updates and more pictures down the road. Happy growing and best of luck. You have so much to look forward to. Congrats again to you and Dr. Katona.

Very nice results with 2,300 grafts. Mid-to crown area looks very nice. Very natural looking results. I’m sure the patient is quite happy with Dr. Wesley’s work. My procedures were done with a 0.8 mm motorized punch as well.

Sounds like you’re in good hands with the doctor you’ve chosen. Listen to his advice regarding your hairline and you may want to take a conservative approach. You can always adjust the hairline in the future. But, if you go too low initially, you may be very disappointed.