NueFueGuy

Yup.. I read his thread ahead of taking the plunge. I really liked the results, and I believe I'll likely go thru the same stressing period as him. It's in my nature. But I do have faith that there's nothing to worry about.

So you're at the 4 month mark and feeling great of where you're at. And aside from some shock loss at 2 months or so, did you have a period of time where it was nearly unbearable to see what your hair looked like?

1 WEEK UPDATE:

So, some interesting changes at the 1 week mark.

I was mostly keeping things quiet from my gf, only telling her I'm doing some new things to help grow hair. Yeah, who knows if that lasts? So, she notices something behind my ear. I go to the bathroom to take a look.. and it's a bruise.

I look at the other side for comparison, and also a bruise behind that ear.

Needless to say, I figured it was normal. She did not, especially after looking up what that could mean in general and seeing that it has to do with skull fractures and other serious issues.

So, I called Dr Cooley to ask, and also noticed others online mention this, and assumed it was normal-ish. Although not ideal, especially since I feel like it's noticeable to others in public if they're right behind me. But hopefully it'll go down in a few more days. He said not to worry, that it has to do with the stretching of the skin to close it up.

As for my donor area, it's also a little more sore than it's been even the first few days. I still feel like it's pretty tight and sort of numb, but less on that since the first few days. As I've also read, this can last weeks or months usually (or indefinitely, which I hope not!). But when I get the sutures out, it'll likely improve greatly after that. It hasn't been bad, but I would like for it to get back to normal. It does feel not quite right when I sleep on it or lean back against my couch pillow.

On the top of my head, all the grafts seem to be doing well. Like I mentioned in my last post, it's like a little stubbly beard feeling to the touch. I don't think I've seen any fall out yet. And they haven't really been too scabby. But, as prescribed, at Day 7 (actually 8), I took a normal shower, using up the prescribed follicle shampoo figuring that wouldn't hurt to finish that up. I used the pads of my fingers to gently rub the top of my head and grafts. I can pretty much feel a bit of the scabs towards the back of the top of my head. As I've been told, these will completely come off in just a few more showers.

Meanwhile, I don't feel like my hair/head looks normal enough to not wear a hat. So I'm still doing that when in public. Since my hair is so thin all on top, there's no obscuring it much. @KeithJagger has/had a better hair for doing that! I presume, I'll go no hat occasionally once lose the current new hairs during the shedding phase. I'll obviously report when that is and show picts of being back to "normal" with balding head.

I think the donor scar is looking better. It's definitely obscured with my hair. But I was actually looking for it in the mirror today and had a hard time locating it without feeling for it. It's not totally hidden.... at least not yet. But I believe if I continue with the ointment (been doing it like clockwork twice a day) and when the sutures come out, it'll be pretty much undetectable even to put my hands (or my gf's) thru it normally.

Take a look at the current picts taken today. Lemme know what your thoughts are on the looks of the grafts and the amount for my head. And please be honest!

3-5 DAY UPDATE:

Sorry for the delay in updating my status.

So, nothing much to report good or bad at this point.

All redness is gone from the grafts. Actually it didn't even seem red at all, maybe due to my skin tone. For the most part, if I styled my hair a bit, it probably wouldn't have been noticed at all.

I THINK/HOPE I sprayed my grafts plenty over the first 3-4 days. I mostly kept my iphone timer at 1 hr (2 hrs during the night). I may have gotten distracted a bit and went longer than an hour. It's my neurotic nature to think I could have done better, but for the most part, I got to the end of the bottle by day 4. I've sprayed it a few more times a day since then and I am officially done with the bottle. I also kept plastic wrap on top of my head as instructed to help keep it "greenhousey" with the spray. So that seemed to keep things moist all the time with the spray.

Washing my hair with a pitcher + the special shampoo, to pour gently over the graphs, and gently scrub the back of my donor scar has been pretty easy and felt good to rinse off.

So, not sure if I have had to be this ultra-careful about touching my grafts, but I've not touched them nearly AT ALL since the surgery. If I touch touch a little on them, they feel like nice, strong stubbly hairs. I don't think I've seen any hairs/follicles/grafts/whatever come off my head. I expect that's really positive.

As a result, I have not done ANY styling to my hair. I've gone with a hat in public at all times (I have a job that I can wear a hat, and have normally done so for the past year anyways), so no concern about revealing it.

So, much like my previous picts above, my hair is totally flat, sort of a mold on my head, looks obvious (seeing the grafts thru my hair). Especially since out of the shower, it is wet and has to completely air dry on it's own. And then the spray seems to make it more hardened.

I expect I could be a little less cautious at day 4-5 to have my hair look more normally styled? If I didn't wear a hat, it would look very weird in public, so maybe someone can comment to what extent you can fix your hair at this point without worrying about the grafts too much? This would probably help some others.

Okay, so the biggest pain thus far has been applying the ointment cream to the donor sutures (twice a day). Due to my very healthy/dense hair in the back (not complaining!) finding the scar/sutures and applying the cream directly on it, has been a challenge. It takes a good amount of time, I lose place of where the scar is (not complaining!) when I have to move along it, and I end up with more cream on my actual hair at times. It obviously would be beneficial to have someone else apply it for me, but at this point I'm keeping it on the D.L. with my gf so I am doing it myself.

I was also instructed to keep this up for like a month I think (even after sutures come out). I will do so.. but anyone care to comment on all that?

My donor scar still feels a bit tight, sore, and kinda numb to the touch. I'm wondering now at technically day 6 if this is normal? This is the only thing bugging me a little, even though not much.

So, tomorrow will be a week since I went into surgery. And as directed, I can start taking normal showers, correct? Not scrubbing my head hard or anything, but using the pads of my finger, gently rubbing them to get any scabbing off. Any suggestions on this? Do I technically wait one more day so it's post-7 days? (I understand this is very neurotic

I'll post updated picts for the 1 week mark once I do the above and feel I can show things a bit better.

@KeithJagger: I'm pretty much in agreement with you. I feel like my expectations were exceeded for now, although still too early to tell for my particular situation. I will tell you that your experience weighed heavily on my decision going with Dr. Cooley.. and even just doing it PERIOD.

24 Hour Update:

No real pain. Certainly not on the recipient site. That has not bothered me.

Donor site is a bit sore at times, but I've only taken 1 tylenol. No need for any of the other meds (demerol or valium) for pain. The only thing I now notice with all operation meds worn off, is that the back is a bit tight feeling. It kinda feels like I have something strapped around the back of my head. I guess that's to be expected.

I have been spraying the grafts every hour as directed, and waking up every 2 to spray with the special vitamin spray. Supposed to keep that up for 3 days, then go down to every once in a while till it's gone in like a week.

I went in to get a tutorial on washing and get all the blood out. Gently pour the special shampoo over my head, and I can scrub a bit on the sutures in the back to get dried blood out. The toughest thing for me to deal with now is applying the ointment on the sutures. I have a lot of hair back there and it's hard to find it, pull the hair out of the way, and apply directly. I'll be trying the cleaning tomorrow for the first time on my own.

They said that everything looked great on my visit. I had a lot of 3 and 4 packed hairs which is rare and good. Which is how I got close to 3000 grafts on a planned 2500.

With my hair wet at all times, it's hard to really see it now as it normally will be for a little bit. WOW, when my hair is wet, my head looks SUPER bald. So, here are the picts where you can at least see the grafts intermixed. It'll be fairly hidden when it's no longer wet constantly on top. I'll be wearing a hat though for the most part in public and work.

I haven't got a good look at the sutures with my hair pulled up. It still is tough for me to feel around for it. You can see it a little thru my hair in one of the views. But again, Ill be under hat mostly, and expect when it's removed it'll be well hidden.

Let me know what you think of the coverage. It's hard for me to imagine that it'll turn out to be much fuller like I want. But what do I know? I hope for good results in the end though. I expect it will be!

Well, I'm done! And it went just great in terms of uneventful, no pain, relaxing.

I talked to Dr. Cooley ahead of time about the number and he still felt 2500 was recommended. As he explained, it should be denser up front, and gradually go to medium density towards the back. Additionally, I had already planned the PRP which said would thicken up the hair that's there already.

Further, the 2500 on my head was what he felt was the most minimally invasive, as in it would not require a large incision, lest chance of any noticeable scar, easier to close and heal. Regardless, as was my hope with my very dense back/side of hair, he ended up yielding 3000 grafts from the strip!

In terms of the procedure, everyone was nice (and seemed very focused and quiet). I went in and out of sleep, including being out completely for the donor strip, where I was woken up feeling like nothing happened. He has a great staff of like 5-6 that are doing the donor graft separation. And 2-3 (one of which Dr. Cooley) working on the top of my head.

In terms of what it looks like right now... well, that I don't really know. I have a plastic cap over top and I pretty much plan on not messing with anything aside from spraying it every hour. I'll be in the office again tomorrow to get it checked out and cleaned. I'll post picts when I feel ready to.

So far, very happy with the procedure... but obviously to early to tell anything more than that!

More to come over the next few days, weeks, months.

P.S. @watch4norwood, thanks for your advice, but that ain't the look I have. For one that was wearing a hat all day, and pushed around to get picts. Besides, how would you recommend going with a shaved look when I have a donor scar on the back of my head?

I'm preparing to go in tomorrow for my FUT 2500 grafts with Dr. Cooley... (despite my profile name NueFUEGuy, which is what I was initially planning on doing before getting a consultation).

I really have thick, wavy, healthy hair all around. Just not on top and extending back (same old story!). So I feel confident there's plenty to take and fill it in.

I'm nervous and excited to have it done, as the past few years when this has become fully apparent, I have not had confidence at all in myself like I used to. My only concern is that maybe I'm not getting enough grafts at this point.

Take a look. Any thoughts on the number I'm getting?

This will also serve as my thread for my progress.

Looking good man. I'm heading in on Wednesday to Dr. Cooley. I'll start a thread soon to document as well and share my experiences. I hope everything goes as well as yours seems to be going!

I'd be interested in seeing any updated photos and what you're concerned about. Of course, you don't have to keep taking/sharing so many photos that often. I'm guessing it's normal. I think I read on someone else's post about thinking it was too soon to see shedding and the concern of shock loss. But definitely would like to know for myself when it comes to be my turn as to what I can expect. Have you talked to Dr Cooley about it?

Thanks again for the updates and knowledge that you really don't worry about the scar at all. Just keep us updated when you can!

Hah. Thanks for the update of the girl running hands thru hair scenario. And to hear that it really is pencil thin and can't feel much of a bump seems to be what is important to me post. My coverage on top is not bad if I can keep my hair worn in a certain way so losing what was transplanted is not a big deal. I don't like how it looks but I could live thru the re-loss.

So your feeling is that one month (or less) the scar was healed and undetectable for pretty much anyone? even with a girl possibly running her hands thru it? And the redness on top of the recipient area is fairly normal looking thru the existing hair after what amount of time?

I'm planning on 3 days in CLT. Day before, day of, day after. Then on to vacation somewhere to just stay out of my normal life for another 5 days. So a week.

Aside from that initial healing and comfort ability period, I'm confident the work when it starts growing in is going to be great for you... And me!

What have you learned on here in terms of really thinking you'll see change happening (growth) and week by week improvement? Ailene said a few months but have read more like 7 months to a year.

Cool man. Thanks. I'm going in for a consultation next week. Keep sharing photos when you can.

Oh yeah, and you wear a hat at all? When can you start wearing one? When did the redness in the recipient area subside (or has it yet)?

I only wonder since you seem to have hair that can mask over the recipient area, and right now I'm shaved and will be a while before I it's long enough to possibly "comb over" to not wear a hat all the time.

Thanks for the continued sharing of the picts. It looks great. Yeah, I can't tell, at least from the couple picts.

How long before they took the sutures out? And then how long after that would you say you felt the donor area was mostly healed? Mostly I would like to know, even if undetectable from people in public (assuming no one is really staring intently at your head), can you also FEEL the scar with your hand. Let's say that girl you met runs her hand through your hair (hey, this is a real problem!) do you think she would feel it? And from your early limited knowledge, does the scar end up ever not feeling like a scar?

Ha, well that's good (re: the girl). However, would someone you just met say/suggest something about that? Just saying

But yes, all these are good questions I'm still trying to determine and also you're helping to answer since you've been thru it now. My concern, like most, is that it can be done with little detection from others. And I guess that's what I'm wondering is how more detectable is it over the FUE method? I think I'm convinced that FUE probably wasn't meant for me now that I started talking to other doctors and assistants (I got an email from Dr Cooley's assistant today).

Man.. even though I thought I had my research and planning done, I now see that there's still more to consider. I only wish I did this before shaving my head. I'm guessing the scar will be very detectable for the next many months while it needs to grow out, if I go FUT.

Back to your thoughts on your linear scar and even on top of your head. You're only 2 weeks out but feeling like it's undetectable? I'm assuming you feel it's still has more way to go to heal too? What's the expectancy of time when it gets to where it will stay?

You mentioned you plan to spend more time in the gym. What's the expectation of when you can do strenuous exercise, go in the sun (with sunscreen and hat as much as possible, of course), or even do something like soccer where you might actually USE your head?

Thanks in advance to continue sending some picts. I am pretty confident this is the direction to go in. While Dr. Cooley and Dr. Lindsey in VA can do FUE, they seem to suggest FUT still.. even when FUE is more expensive.

Thanks and I looked shortly after and found these doctors and am in the process of contacting. I'm guessing I'm just going to have to wait longer and unfortunately my very well planned out procedure, change of appearance leading into it (shaving head), organizing for being off work, and planning some vacation to get away while it heals a bit, is wasted on this time around.

Thanks.

I'm solely looking at the ones that come recommended thru results on here, including your own. I left a message for Dr Cooley early today but haven't heard back. I'm very anxious since I was supposed to be getting it done today, and been waiting months already. But I hear ya, and need to continue being patient.

Do you have photos of the scar in the back? I am interested in FUT now since a) more chance of most grafts transferring, b) I don't really wear my hair short anyways (at least not shaved down in back), c) from what I can tell you went into it with mostly longer hair (didn't have to shave down).

I'm kicking myself now since I shaved my head a week ago to prep that I am going to be short for a while (and counting on some hat wearing to get me past any noticeable post surgery). Now I'm living with it for awhile until I go FUE or FUT whenever that might be. I feel uncomfortable with my look now and hoped it'd be the last time to be shaved down.

So is it safe to say that with your FUT procedure, you left your hair as is (with some length) and then had (how many?) days until you felt the scar, scabs, redness, grafts, etc were not noticeable to people around you.

thanks

Looking good.

I've been mostly interested in FUE due to the minimal recovery time and no linear scar. I know Dr Cooley offers both so can you comment on why you went with one over the other? Seems he does a lot more FUT vs FUE. Did it seem like he leans more towards FUT?

How quickly did you get your appointment for surgery? Did you have to first go in for a consultation and then schedule it? I'm hoping to get mine done soon.

I've been planning my FUE surgery for months and was on the schedule to go in TOMORROW with a highly recommended surgeon in my area. I have made many arrangements to my work schedule/vacation, planned a trip (airfare/hotel) to give myself more time off, and even shaved my head last week to prepare for it.

Well, I received a call today that my Doctor is not able to do the work tomorrow due to medical issues. Matter of fact they are rescheduling everyone starting in May. Unfortunately, this has made this a major inconvenience to me for both cost and planning.

I wish him the best as I don't know the medical issue and hope everything is alright. But now I'm feeling really upset and not sure I can go thru with this 2 months from now, nor want to count on that happening due to this current unknown circumstances last minute that cancelled my surgery.

So, I'm interested in knowing if someone could suggest a good FUE surgeon to talk to that might be available to do my surgery soon. I know I don't want to rush all this, but I'm more than ready to have this done, and sort of need to on this short notice.

My hair loss is mostly on top (midway back and forward), my donor areas are VERY dense and thick, and my doctor had said during my consultations that it would be about 2000 grafts. After now having my head shaved, mine look very reasonable and minimal from the other procedures I've seen online, and nowhere close to the more complicated ones.

I was expecting a nice long day tomorrow in surgery and ready to march forward to seeing the recovery getting going. I'm in the Southeast region and would be interested in anything within driving distance: North/South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama... Tennessee or even Ohio may be possible.

I've seen the recommended ones on here (the one I was going to is one of them) and just hoping either one of those surgeons or someone else that has had a good experience with someone and thinks they might be accommodating. I can certainly send picts/video for a bit of consultation.

:confused: