pkipling

At two weeks post-op, your grafts are anchored and secure. And for what it's worth, even if it was a graft that was dislodged, the visual impact of losing 1-4 hairs wouldn't be noticeable in the slightest. I'm not sure the method you're using to remove the scabs, but what Dr. Mohebi recommends is making warm suds with your shampoo and letting them soak on your scalp for 5-10 minutes to allow them to soften up... Then use a gentle sponge of some sort to slowly massage them away from the skin. FYI in case that's a tip that is useful for you!

Glad you were able to get this cleared up before falling for the sales pitch. When I first started losing my hair, I spent soooo much money on special shampoos and shampoos and supplements, naively thinking that they would keep my hairline from receding. Fortunately, I only did this for a couple of years before I ended up finding Dr. Mohebi and getting a hair transplant. (A couple of years of wasted money is better than 10, I suppose. Lol) If anything is going to be effective, it's going to be Finasteride and/or Minoxidil. Start with those and hopefully you respond well enough that you're able to stabilize your hair loss.

I think getting a hair transplant can definitely help someone's confidence, but it's definitely not a quick and easy fix. Speaking from personal experience, my receding hairline was definitely contributing to my insecurities, and having a hair transplant has been a huge blessing for me and helped my confidence tremendously in that regard. However/comma/but... Confidence is ultimately an inside job - and I don't think it's something most of us are taught how to foster within ourselves. A lot of people have this misconception that our insecurities are solely rooted in external factors, and that if we can just fix any of the things we don't like about ourselves (whether it's our hair, our nose, new clothes, or even our financial status, etc.), then the confidence will immediately follow. But the human psyche doesn't work that way. There is undoubtedly tremendous value in addressing any of the things that are the root of our insecurities, and they can really serve as a beautiful launching pad for our overall confidence and the way we feel about ourselves and how we move through the world. It's just imperative that we also do the inner psychological, emotional, and mental work to go along with that so that our confidence is rooted in something much more stable than our ever-changing appearances. Some of the most confident people I know have hair loss or bodies that aren't up to par with traditional beauty standards... And some of the most insecure people I know are people who seem like they should be the most confident people from the outside looking in. I think you hit the nail on the head with this: "Or are you actually just finding new "problems" with the way you look and continue being unsatisfied?" If you don't do the inner work alongside the hair transplant, your mind will likely find other things to be unsatisfied with and the confidence you're after will likely always be on the other side of whatever problem your mind has convinced you needs fixing. And all of that to say... It takes daily practice and consistent work to be able to create a new mindset. I'm more consistently confident than I've ever been over the past couple of years, and I still have many days where my insecurities get the best of me... And then I try to figure out what aspects of my mindset are contributing to that, and do whatever I can to shift my perspective. I hope that helps!

I agree that it looks like standard diffused thinning on top. A dermatologist could give you some insight, although I feel like getting a consultation with a hair transplant surgeon is often the better route - especially if you go to one of the top surgeons who do in depth consultations. For instance, @Parsa Mohebi, MD performs a microscopic evaluation as part of the consultation so that he's able to measure the miniaturization levels of your existing hair. This information (combined with family and personal history of hair loss, age, etc.) can give the surgeons a substantial amount of info to be able to get a general idea of where your hair loss is ultimately heading and what your best options would be moving forward. If you're not considering a hair transplant at the moment, but just want to gather more info about your specific situation, see if you can find a recommended surgeon close to you who also measures the miniaturization levels of your hair and set up a consultation with them to get their input.

One option would be to wear a hat or a beanie - if you feel like that suits you and won't bring more attention to yourself. Otherwise, I think the only other option would be to just embrace it and remind yourself that there's a very good chance nobody will notice anything... And even if they do, they likely won't think anything of it? The general consensus around here from those of us who are on the other side of being out in the world during the ugly ducking phase is that it never seems to be as big of a deal in reality as it does in our anxious minds. And for what it's worth, your scalp doesn't look that alarming in the photos you posted!

Yeah, if you're on accutane, I'd definitely wait until you're finished with that before jumping to any conclusions. I took it in high school, and it's notorious for wreaking a bit of havoc on our bodies for a bit while we're taking it. (But once it was over, I never had acne issues again - so you also have that to look forward to!) Hopefully the donor density increases once you're done with the medication.

As the others have said, the most important thing for you to do right now is to make sure you don't rush into anything. Deciding you want to move forward with a hair transplant is a great first step in a relatively long journey - and now the research begins. I'm glad you've found this forum at the beginning of the journey, as it really is one of the best resources out there. Start browsing the forum, reading through different threads, learn as much as you can about the hair transplant industry - and especially make sure you use the list of recommended surgeons here as a good reference point. Once you become fairly well-versed in the ins and outs of the industry, then I'd start narrowing down your options to a few surgeons and schedule some consultations. Then by that point, you'll likely have collected enough data and be clear enough on your own goals/vision so that you can confidently make an educated decision about what to do and who to choose. And don't be afraid to start your own topics and ask for advice along the way! Everyone tends to be super helpful around here, so welcome!

I'm not sure what your specific surgeon's recommendations are, Dr. Mohebi's guidelines say that Rogaine can be resumed after the first week. In that case, you'd be in the clear by this point - though I'd still run that by your own surgeon first.

I definitely see what you're concerned about here - and while it's not a complete botch job, it's not ideal. While a lot of people may not pick up on it, the hairline does seem rather harsh and linear. I'll reach out to you about Dr. Mohebi if he's someone you want to consult with. Regardless, I think this is resolvable!

I've gotta say that it's somewhat refreshing to hear of a patient who isn't chasing perfection like most of us are, and is happy with his hairline as-is. I have some friends who are bald and completely happy about it and at peace with it, and it's such a fascinating mindset to have and something I genuinely admire.

At this point, I would already be washing my hair normally with any gentle shampoo I had access to. Baby shampoo is a good bet, honestly. As for how frequently, that's going to vary from person to person. I don't know what your washing has entailed up to this point, but if it's oily, I imagine you're not washing it enough and/or not aggressive enough - so start by doing it daily and see how it goes.

Oh wow - this is wonderful! I can only imagine the difference this has made in her confidence. And even without seeing her face, you can tell it gave her a complete transformation. Congrats!

Oh no! That sounds awful and I definitely understand the panic. I think doing this very thing after a HT is one of the biggest anxieties for us post-op. Echoing the others (and your doctor) and letting you know that the grafts are extremely secure and you didn't damage them. By two weeks post-op at the latest, those grafts are locked in... So you're good!

I think you're definitely good to go, and don't think a hair dye will negatively impact your progress at all. The primary concern with using chemicals on our hair is that we don't overdo it and damage the quality of the existing hair by making it dry, brittle, etc. But even that sort of damage is unrelated to MPB - and you won't damage it like that by one treatment alone.

You're definitely not damaging the grafts 3 weeks post-op, so you can rest your mind a little bit in that regard. As for the scratching in your sleep, it's very relatable. In fact, I was sooo concerned that I would do this (because I can be a very rough sleeper whose been known to even slap myself in the face while sleeping LOL), that I actually slept with gloves on and fastened them together for the first 5 days post-op. And sure enough, I woke myself up several times by one of my hands trying to move up towards my head - but got stopped by being attached to the other one. Haha.

I'm not sure exactly what you're referring to without photos, but receding/thinning in the hairline is definitely common. I don't know the statistics, but I would guess that it's more common than thinning just in the crown? As a general rule, anyone thinning in the crown would also have hair loss in the front... Whereas it's definitely common to see people losing hair in the hairline, but with their crown staying in tact. That said, even a completely natural, in tact hairline, will be a tad sparse at the front of the hairline - if that's what you're asking about - meaning that it's not natural to have 100% density in the very front of the hairline. (Redesigning this for a HT is what makes the great surgeons great.) If you'd like to post pictures of your hairline, I'm sure some of us could chime in with whether or not it looks like there's thinning or not... Although, if you just had a hair transplant and they didn't mention it, then I would think that you're fine.

It's one of the very few options scientifically proven to slow down hair loss, and is extremely effective. As with any medication, there are risks of side effects, including sexual ones such as decreased libido and softer erections. While the vast majority of men seem to be able to take it without any side effects at all, it's still a possibility. However, as someone who did experience some side effects with it and stopped taking it, I still think it's extremely valuable and worth a shot - especially if you're on track to have advanced hair loss. Chances are very good that you won't experience side effects, and it really is a game changer for many men. As for the price, I don't know what country you're in, but it's typically extremely cheap. In the United States, you can typically get a 30-day supply of 5mg finasteride for under $10, cut each pill into quarters, and have 4 months worth of medication for dirt cheap.

Having lower density in this area is definitely normal, but it's not something I would personally be concerned about it. I feel like my temple region is somewhat thin, but it doesn't really bother me. If I wanted to chase perfection and obsess about it, I'm sure I could have my temples done, but I don't think for most guys it's ever so advanced that it's a priority. That said, if I reach 50 and my hair loss has still stabilized so much that I feel like I had some grafts to spare, it might be something I'd consider... But for now, I'd rather save any grafts should I need them in the future for the mid-scalp and crown.

Both of these statements are fairly accurate, as the angles of the hair are first and foremost dictated by the angles of the incisions. It's one of the things that separates good surgeons from great ones, in that they're able to design the hairlines and angle them in such a way that they accurately mimic natural growth. Of course, they also have to be positioned correctly in the recipient sites, but I assure you that research shows that after the first 72 hours, those grafts get much more difficult to move around/dislodge. Many surgeons are extremely conservative with their post-op care guidelines, often to the point of ignoring research. So while it's always good to follow your surgeon's guidelines, I can't think of any logical reason to be careful with how you sleep longer than two weeks post-op at the most. The grafts simply aren't moving by that point, and I don't know what they're basing those guidelines on.

This is fascinating! It sounds like the stars aligned for you to be able to save the grafts and that you'll be able to move forward as if nothing happened. And even if they don't grow, I don't think it'll have a negative visual impact on your results in the slightest.

Yeah, you're asking for trouble by doing that! I've never seen a wider variety of post-op "dos and don'ts" than I have in the hair transplant industry. There are sooo many discrepancies amongst so many surgeons that it's hard to keep track. Ultimately, yes - it's best to follow your doctor's guidance - but there are cases where surgeons are so incredibly conservative in regards to their protocol that they'll tell patients something outlandish like "no clippers on your head for 8 weeks". So I think both things can be true: It's important to follow your surgeons guidelines, and you're going to run into some questions/gray areas where you may find that your surgeon is an outlier in one of their recommendations and perhaps decide to forgo their input. At this point, the main thing you need to be cautious about is sun exposure - which you seem to be well aware of,. So I'd say keep that SPF and bucket hat on and have an amazing vacation!

Yeah, this is completely normal. There's a difference between the hairs themselves shedding and the grafts being dislodged. At 7 weeks post-op, the grafts are largely secure, and can't be dislodged by washing alone. I started shampooing more aggressively around day 7 or so, and it accelerated the shedding process - which I was personally fine with.

I wish surgeons would do a better job of really explaining the growth timeline to their patients so they could save them from some stress and worry. At 3 months, I don't think anyone should have any expectation of growth. In fact, 3 months is the absolute earliest that anything would start growing, meaning you won't even see the effects of that growth for at least a few weeks after that... Usually by month 4. And even if you don't start growing right at month 3, it's not an indicator of anything in that moment except that you're likely going to be a late grower... And whether you grow early or late isn't an indication of how successful the procedure is going to be. All of that to say, really the only thing you can do is to wait it out. Don't expect any substantial growth for at least 6 months and then go from there.

I just learned something new about these being injection sites - though I still don't recall ever seeing anything like them, or why these are so prominent. I'm mostly relieved that those aren't a straight line of evenly spaced single grafts across the forehead!

It's 10 days since you posted this, and the grafts are definitely secure by now. I don't know what your doctor said, but I think you're ready to sleep normally at this point in whichever way is comfortable for you. And perhaps try a sleeping pill or something over the counter that will make you drowsy and hopefully allow you to sleep through any discomfort... Benadryl, melatonin, etc.