keysersoze

3 month update.

My native hair is slowly getting back to normal now as you can see. The recipient area is still very red (it looks better in photos though). There is still some hair in the area that never fell out. Will probably be shaving it all off for the next month then start to let it grow at the 4 month mark and see how it goes.

California, I know you weren't addressing me however you have brought up several points I addressed in my thread. Firstly I have stated that I have seen some great Dr Bhatti work. Not nust here but in person when I was there. I have no questioned this.

Secondly his ethics. You mention I requested 3000 grafts but he turned me down and gave me 1700. This is also true and you only know this because I have mentioned this a few times. Yes he refused and said 1700 was enough when I basically said go for your life. I haven't questioned that. Absolutely true.

To round this out he also seemed incredibly warm and spent a lot of time with me and always sat there and patiently talkes to me many times before surgery. He is very friendly and the clinic itself wonderful. The results I had seen and he's fast and detailed responses led me to Dr Bhatti in the first place.

Now, I admit my posts start out abject panic and terror. But there is a reason and you haven't addressed the actual points I made. 1- I stressed several times how important it would be for no one to know considering what I do. Plus I had not told the gf and friends. I was assure and promised on many occasions that it would not be a problem and the two weeks was ample time. Fast forward 3 months and itw still blatantly obvious. In fact many people including the gf have said it looks like I had plugs. Obviously had to tell them. This is 3 months later. When I saw Dr Bhatti after two weeks he said don't worry just tell everyone you had a ht!!! So yes I panicked and thought wtf! I believe I should have been told it would take this long and people will instantly notice.

But really im kind of over that though would still love to hear your comments. The thing that really upset me and stressed me out is the fact I was obsessed about density. Clearly, I mean I said use 3000 or how many grafts you need didn't I?? I stressed my biggest concern was that and it would be unnoticeable and the same as the rest. I was told it would be many times and not too worry that it would look the same and no one would be able to tell after 9 moths or so. However when I went back in 2 weeks later he said it would be noticeable with short hair and I'd have to have it longer. What? Why not tell me that before hand?? Cant you not see how those two things would make me start questioning everything I was told? What are your comments on that? To make it worse I actually have grown to love it short but can't it know. I mean had I known I would have to keep it longer why go fue in the first place? ??

Anyway you know if the result turns out great then really all this won't matter and I will document and show all. And Ive seen some great results so I still remain hopeful. I think I've been pretty fair.

I asked my hairdresser to do just that. She said not to because even if the hairs are gone the redness in that perfect shape would just make it look even worse.

Still thinking about it though.

I know as soon as the red guys ill be shaving it straight away.

I was told a few weeks but one guy I lve seen here had redness for 3 months. Looks like I will too. Its so obvious. It's been hard.

So it's been two months. Not all the hair has shed there's still some there. Th redness is still really bad. Just keeping it buzzed at the moment. Still hoping for a decent result but considering the density when the scabs fell off I seriously doubt it.

This would be the worst part the ugly duckling phase I guess.

It's been 5 weeks now. No real change. A little less red and probably some more shedding of the hair but still pretty much the same. It still looks terrible but over it for the most part and no longer stressing about it. Gotta say the hairline behind the recipient area is looking very very thin and poor. Hard to believe the difference 5 weeks can make.

I havent told anyone and just said allergy. And Haven't changed my mind about the result but just in the mind set to wait and see. Hopefully by some miracle it all grows out well and much thicker and it looks at least ok. Pretty much resigned myself to another ht in a year.

I've been back at work for a week now.

Although it wasn't as bad as I thought, I won't lie it's been pretty horrible.

Why wouldn't I think it was not going to be noticeable? The surgeon told me it wouldn't be and that just over two weeks was plenty of time.

Getting through it though. Still no change from the previous and still really red. Probably more sparse now. A few people have just said it looks like a ht. A few said looks like old plugs. That's great. But just accepting im in the worst phase and will be for a while. Hoping for a decent result. Just trying to remain positive I guess. I think the worst would be to go through this and have a bad result. At the moment im wishing I could keep my hair really short in the future as ive grown to like it.

So in a nut shell. Still the same maybe worse but remaining hopeful at this stage and looking forward to growth.

Thanks. I think I'm over the worst of it. Haven't really seen anyone yet so see how that goes. Not sure what the denial stage is???

I think the next few months will be hard. I'm just trying to stay hopeful that in the end it looks good or decent. I think that's the biggest worry. I get get through short time weird looking but if it looks like this in a year........still we will see than and fingers crossed! !

Its done so as you said wont focus on it. 3 weeks now and still no change. Looking forward to the redness going away then I'll shave the recipient area bare so it at least looks normal and then let it grow in 6 months. I find a plan helps me stay positive. Just concentrate on what I can control.

My regimen is min foam then aloe vera in the morning. Min foam then baby oil at night after shampooing with baby shampoo. I will start using nizoral once or twice a day too. Any suggestions or worries there??

You know what really sucks right now is that Ive gotten used to the buzz and really wish I could keep it now!!! Even if the doc is right and it looks great at longer lengths in a year I think I might have to save and get one more to make sure I can wear it like this. I love wakin up and going done and just not worrying. Hence the ht really.

At least im sure I can get through this now. I'll post updates soon.

As a change from the woe is me just need some help. The post op seborrheic dermatitis ive developed doesn't seem to be going away. I definitely didn't have it before the op or even directly after not sure at what point it started. It just red and really itching (not my donor or recipient site but elsewhere, actually where it looks thinner so maybe so relationship). Doc said can use nizoral 2 x a week and I've started.

How often can you shanpoo your hair at this point. 2 x nizoral a week at 1% but can I use like baby shanpoo a few other timee a week? Anyone had it and found a good remedy? Ive read aloe vera is good so maybe try that. The itching is crazy which funny enough I didn't really get much on the recepitant area.

Also maybe its the 2% min foam??? But ive been using 5% for ages no worries.

Finally im putting baby oil on the reciepant area at night as per orders. Do you guys alsi use aloe vera? Twice a day? And what's the process? Foam first then dry then the aloe vera?

Many thanks. As you have said it's done. Time to try to make the best of it for now.

That's a huge concern. 2000 to move 1 cm and I got 1700 for 2??? Jesus.

I don't know mate the back of the hairline just looks the same and as bare as the front.

In fact my temple on one side looks to have seriously come in like an inch or more on one side behind the graft area. This is day 20 I think post op under bright florescent light. That temple looks a lot worse than pre or even direct post op. Actually a lot of the hair does but not that bad except that temple.

I've buzzed the hair a bit shorter (doc said ok) but want to go like 0 blade so its just like imediate post op where you cant see hair growth just dark scalp.

The grafts just look to contain one hair too but my break down was aprox s: 500 d: 900 t: 350.

I think it was othersyde who posted that you don't really see the multiple grafts post op until months later when they reshow. He had a great result. So Is this true? I mean has anyone else experienced that.

He said aprox 55 yeah it just doesn't look like every other decent ht ive seen at the point of the scabs coming off.

Definitely matt your absolutely right. I didn't really want 3000 just on the hair line though wanted to stress to him to use as many grafts as possible for frontal density. I actually asked if they some could be put behind the hairline esp temple area for future proofing. But yes he did say its too many and no way to planting into the native hair as it was much too thick and would lose more hair than id gain. I have to stress except for recession of the temples it mostly just a really high natural hairline so when the temples started going it just lookee worse. But im not saying he was unethical in that I'm sure some surgeons would have smiled and took the money. It's just weird he gave question mark 2400 though. The procedure and everything was pleasant and he seems like a top guy. He looks like he has had some great past results as well and id read pretty much every patient review on here. I walked in there and said:

1. Im concerned about hairline and temples. I want it lowered but as thick as possible. Please use as many grafts as needed.

So he said around 1800 after drawing the hairline. I said I thought you would need 3000 for that and he said no no 1800 is plenty. Now if you listen to a lot of the posts on this thread 1800 is not enough to lower a hairline this much with decent density which really worries and makes me wonder WHY??

2. I said I have about 18 days till going back and im massively concerned will it be noticeable? It's very important no one knows.

Was told no you want be able to tell at that time. But its the most obvious one ive seen its red which I kinda expected but the transplant itself looks like a very faint ring of sparse hair surrounding the native hair. When I went in at about 13 days post op I again expressed concern and that it was really noticeable. He said just tell everyone you had a ht. Seriously what did I say pre op? That's a big turn around from what I was told.

3) and this is the one that worries and is like a gut punch right now. I stressed my concern about density and will once its grown out will the ht be noticeable several timee. And was told that my hair is 120 and no surgeon can do that (matt as you postes true) but its unnecessary as if you get to around 50cm it will look like the hair behind it and that's all you need. He confirmed several times that not only would it not be obvious you would not be able to tell or spot the difference at all.

13 days post op my hair looked pretty much like this and I was in shock just going what the hell how bare and thin is this. In light its barely cosmetic and absolutely see though so bad. I went in for the check up and said its not going to look like this is it.

He said yes it will. It will get a little better but its going to be noticeable when your hair is short. That's what really worries and upsets me. That's a big turn around from pre op and I feel like my concerns weren't just ignored but I was deliberately mislead. So only after I get it done do you tell me it is going to be noticeable after telling me it wont??? Sure he said when short but I don't even feel trust now after that. I emailed this concern and said how can tbis look good I mean is it seriously going to look decent at 6/9/12 months? ?? It was a stressed email and I got back one short sentence that said: it will look better then.

I really don't think so anymore. This is not what I wanted or expected.

Finally I also said I want this to be a once in a lifetime thing. My hair is pretty thick but Im paranoid and am I losing hair in the crown or further temples? He looked at my hair and said no you have nothing to worry about this is probably going to be it for you you have no other ooss and don't think you need to worry but if so come back and see me. Now I know the onve off thing is probably old hat but I mean yeah future in a decade if other native hair goes sure but now to learn or it seems id have to go back just to spend money I don't have and precious grafts to make the newly transplantee hair look decent.

At this stage I really am disappointed and angry. I will however will buzz it right down for 6 months and see how it goes. I can only pray that some grafts have already shed with the scabs and I just didn't notice them all and then with the hairs that didn't they will fall and grow back much much thicker and stronger. If it gets to the 10/12 month stage and looks anything close to this it will be a complete failure and ill need to either shave it or get a repair job and then I'll be taking action believe me. If by some miracle it does turn out great then id be the happiest guy in the world to delete this and put it down to post op regret and stress trust me. However even then the whole not telling me it will be noticeable when short until after the surgery is so wring and makes me angry.

Honestly seeing it shaved now I kinda like it and would have really just preferred the temples filled in as long as its dense. I should have just got a fut for all its worth now if I can't have it less than an inch anyway.

thing is, we are all here because we obviously care about losing our hair a lot. I just told a realy close mate and he cant believeit. Said I just don't get it you weren't even thinning at all honestly. But obviously the receding that nobody really noticed was affecting me. And all that time thinking yep finally, ill get it done and wont have to thinkabout it for a very long time.

Really cared about density and couldn't stressed it enough. I want it thick and not noticeable.....You don't want to be told it wont be noticeable and then al lof sudden post op told yes it will be when short. I mean what the hell. That throws all the trust out the window and don't know if I can believe anything else. At the time I was like ok no worries no worries but now I was obviously mislead and kinda like short hair. Plus looking at it now my right temple esp has defintely thinned out behind the transplanted hair. A lot. Its crazy ive never seen it so bad.

I even said use 3000 grafts and give me a thick hairline. So why not do it or say if we go that low its going to be thin etc. My point is after all the years of worrying the last thing want tobe thinking about is toppik and more time with it in the future...and going through all the trouble and the money and wanting the best result to have to worry about things like 'it wont be that bad' is gutting. What I was expecting and what I was lead to believe was it would be great and natural and no problems and thick.

Is that even 55cm? I've seen others say they had 55cm and they didn't seem to have the same worries/trouble.

That said, don't think I'm not listening to you. I am and working on it. I bought some nanogen in a lighter colour to see if that helps. Otherwise I'm just going to buzz it with a 1 blade all over for the next few months and hope. I asked the doc before I left and he said it was ok to buzz the hair just not shave it. Then the after care instructions says to use ketaconizole for the bad dermatitis but wont get it on the recipient area. And we will see how we go. The more I look erdogan the more I think I should have gone or will have to go. How many times do you think its safe to wash the hair (to get out nanogen etc) a week? Im using baby shampoo.

And again. Though my despair is really getting to me. I want to thank you so much for just making me feel not so alone and being understanding. All of the posters too. This forum is something to be proud of.Not only are the people helpful and friendly but so informative and supportive. A life saver and that's probably not hyperbole.

I know mate I'm sincerely trying trust me. Its about as low as ive felt in my life.

I tell you what though quesionmark's link above has given me some hope. He had a very simlar one done but wit 2400 grafts (which is 700 more than me which is so weird considering the doc said no to be getting anymorehowever he does look like he ha slightly bigger area done...or maybe that's wishful thinking). Anyway he seemed to has hadgreat results so hoping, wish he had posted pics at 2 weeks!

really interested to know what you hair looked like at about 13 - 18 days. Did it look extremely bare and thin.

wait what? Fin is more effective than dut??? I have never heard that before.....I recently started the combo so might be alright!

Thanks mate i will give it a try. At this stage just keep thinking worst decision of my life.

I like that. Nice one. What about the redness though? The perfect hairline redness?

Id probably be happier if all the grafts just shed so it didnt look so weird i guess but considering I was told it wouldn't be noticeable I am not happy about it or anything right now.

18 day update - still looking the same pretty much as when the scabs come off. Is there any excuse I can use for it looking like this? I can't really think of anything. Especially since I've never shaved my head before. Photo also demonstrates my concern as this is seemingly pre shed before 3 weeks so dont hold much hope for the future.

Is there any chance of an update here. I had a similar surgery to you op.

Hey matt yeah that result was the one that pretty much swayed me to him. Just checking he used 2360 grafts there which is almost exactly 600 more than me. So don't understand why not more for me. Perhaps my area was smaller I don't know. Wow though he was super red for like over 3 months. I am praying my result turns out like that!

Sorry just to be clear, are you saying use a little bit of dermatch on the hairline to blend the difference in density? ?

I've read on here that dermatch might affect growth in the receipent area though? ? There is an absolutely huge difference in the densities. The sad thing is now I'm used to it I actually kinda like my hair buzzed so short but it will never be an option now either. I think unless there's a miracle and over the next 10 months it grows in much denser I will be looking at another surgeon to fix. Until then there's nothing I can do but try to disguise it the best way possible. But yeah getting a hold myself

I will wait and write up a review in a few months and at least give it a chance and to be fair. Right now though I am bitterly disappointed. I don't think I was really listened to at all. I was concerned about density and there being a noticable difference. Was told there would not be. After the surgery told there would be when short. I stressed how important it was that this not be so obvious esp when I go back to work in 3 weeks. Told it wouldn't be and plenty of time. Afterwards told why don't you just tell them you had a ht?? I said I hated that my right side was much worse and he agreed however the grafts planted there seem to be far less and disappear completely in the sun. The right side actually looks so much worse than before as the native hairs look bare and it goes back. Although my hair did look really think pre op now its shaved you can see there is some concern and after reading some posts here theres a miniaturization check that most do. I just got looked at normally briefly. I guess thats my biggest concern further loss means i wont be able to keep hair short which waw the reason for fue and it will make the already bare lowered hairline look even worse and take too many precious grafts to work. After the responses here from some very knowledgeable people it seems 1700 grafts is not enough to lower it that far so I just can't think why a decent surgeon would do that anyway esp considering I said several times I thought you would need more what about using 3000??. I guess you guys are right and whats done is donejust after waiting such a long time thinking this will give me back confidenceand allow me not to worry its done the opposite and to think I have to wait a year and go through it again. If I can. Cheers

Well I failed at toppik. Its either too dark a colour or my hair is too short but just looks like dirt in my hair. Using the pump too. Damn.

When can you usually buzz it with no guard as low as possible?

I feel a bit better now and have relaxed a little. Mostly thanks to you guys. Can't thank you enough I don't know what I would do without the support. I mean I'm still very unhappy. Very much so. I think its more that I asked for thick hairline and that would not be noticeable. I stressed the density. I even said use as many grafts as needed go to 3000 I just want it not noticeable esp the temples as I'm concerned about this recession and they seem to be getting worse but go mega as a decent thickness at the hairline means I should be fine for a long time. I even said can you plant right into the temples. I was told not to worry the density transplanted would not be distinguishable at all. It was only after it was done and I came in after the scabs were off was I told yeah its going to look like that and yes it will be noticeable when short. I mean what is that? I think I expected honestly and from a respected surgeon to say hey there will be a very noticeable difference in density and especially when short so lets stay higher. I think it's obvious that this is probably the limit of density some doctors could do. I wish I was told how thin it was going to be when dropping the hairline by 2 or so cms with 1700 and why not use the 3000 I said. Esp if he looked at my hair and said it's so thick you should have no problems. I think after looking at the results here and the feesback I really just put myself out there and expected to be guided.

Damn long post apologies gents just once I start...

Wylie I really feel for you mate. You are a much stronger person than I and the courage and strength it must have taken you. Bravo mate. Glad to see its all well. And I agree with what you said about my density I just wish the surgeon told me that. Will keep it buzzed and hope for the best and will research for the future. Cost is a huge factor for me. So will not be able to afford the top end but will continue to check out the surgeon aftermath suggested and more. Ive had a few questions about why it's so much lighter/thinner and not sure what to really go with esp with the redness but said I look pretty normal so a bit relieved have called in sick for a week though so hopefully prepare myself for that.