pkipling

How severe the strip scar is varies from person to person. Not only does the surgeon make a difference in how detectable the scar is, but it also greatly depends on how your body individually heals. Even the best surgeon can leave a noticeable scar if your body/skin just happens to be more prone to scarring than someone else's. And additionally, how well you take care of it also plays a factor in its healing.

I will say this, however: I recently noticed that a coworker of mine (who has a great head of hair, btw) had FUT surgery in the past. He keeps his hair quite long, but even with about a 3/4 of an inch of length in the back, the scar is extremely visible. So much so that I feel really bad for the guy. His recipient area looks great, and there are days when you can't see the strip scar at all. But if you catch him looking down, for instance, or if he has more product in his hair than normal, the scar is extremely visible.

Now, since I had my hair transplant about 8 months ago, I've been hyperaware of other guys that may have had it done, so maybe I'm noticing something that other guys wouldn't even notice. But for me, it's severe enough that it would make me never want to consider FUT. So while FUT/FUE both have their merits, you have to decide what's in your own best interest.

I would actually love to know where my co-worker got his HT done though to see if that's any indication of his poor strip scar, but approaching him about that would be way out of line.

Hey there man. How's your hair transplant coming along? Would love to see your progress 4 months post-op.

Congratulations Blake. Looking forward to seeing your work in the very near future.

Dr. Mohebi started using ARTAS earlier this year and at this point, the price per graft for ARTAS FUE is exactly the same as Manual FUE.

Ok, I noticed a significant change of color fade. Is the color supposed to fade due to scab healing?

From what I understand, yes - the color should fade after the initial treatment, so that wouldn't be my main concern. Maybe one of the SMP guys on here can jump in with more concrete details of the process.

With the regular tattoos I have, however, the color always ends up considerably lighter after it's healed. I assume it's the same with the scalp.

If you were having trouble with ED even before starting Propecia, I definitely wouldn't jump to the conclusion that the Propecia is causing it. I would look into what the actual cause of the ED is and see if you can treat that. Otherwise, I don't see how stopping Propecia would do you any good.

There are lots of men in that age range on this board as well who have had very successful HTs. Check out some of their photos/blogs.

Btw, isn't early 50s still considered considerably young? And this is coming from a 30 year old...

Sorry to see that the density isn't any better. The previous picture you posted on 3/18 looked great and was very promising. Fortunately (though I'm sure not ideal for you at this point), your hair seems to look really good at that length. So you can keep it longer until you're able to come up with a game plan and/or the issue resolves itself. At the slightly longer length, I don't even think the lack of density is noticeable.

Have you reached out to the doctor to get his feedback/opinion?

That's quite impressive. The transformation not only physically, but seemingly in his overall demeanor as well, has to be very rewarding for you. Great work.

I seem to recall hearing of a few doctors using this pricing method, though very rarely. It's definitely a bizarre way to charge and makes it nearly impossible to anticipate the total cost of the procedure beforehand - something that is an extremely important factor for most of us. Patients have enough stress to deal with when getting a hair transplant that they shouldn't have to also worry about how much their bill is going to be when they leave the office after surgery. The fact that you're having to guess how much your procedure would cost is ridiculous to me.

Like SySperling10 said: A graft is a graft is a graft. Charging more for a graft just because it has more hairs seems suspicious to me, and I personally wouldn't go for it.

Looking great dude. It also looks like the strip scar is going to be practically undetectable when it's all said and done.

You just wanna make sure you get Organic Virgin Cold-pressed Unrefined Coconut oil. This will be the most pure form of the oil you can buy. You can get it for around $6-7 at Whole Foods/most grocery stores. I use it from time to time when my scalp gets dried out and it works great for me.

Very, very nice.

And that music is killer.

Absolutely zero reason not to tell her. I understand that some of us are embarrassed when it come to this sorta thing, but when it comes to being in a relationship, the worst thing you can do is try to keep it from her. I honestly can't think of one legitimate reason why you wouldn't tell her if indeed this is someone you (seemingly) want a relationship with. Not to mention the fact that it could backfire tremendously and cause a whole other set of issues if (and when) she found out, in addition to adding extra stress to your life by trying to keep it from her - stress that won't do you (or your hair) any good at all.

Why tell her unless you have to?

 

Every relationship coach is gonna say the same thing, 'Don't give a f&%k what other people think of you"

 

By doing a HT you are showing weakness. You are showing neediness. You can still turn that into an advantage if you play it the right way, but you have to really ready for the arrows and curve balls.

 

IMO

And I would love to kindly disagree with this statement. This is the mentality and perception that causes us men so many problems. Getting a hair transplant in no means is a direct indication of your weakness or your neediness. I, along with many guys on this forum, have had hair transplants - and I don't consider being weak or needy a characteristic of mine or of many of the other guys who have had transplants. It all depends on how you look at it and the perception you place upon it - and if you yourself choose to view it positively or negatively. For me personally, I view it as a sign of strength.... You have something about your appearance that you don't like, and instead of crying and whining about it and throwing your hands in the air, you seek out a solution and take steps to solve it. You take control and take matters into your own hands to the extent that you can. That's what a man does, not someone weak and needy.

So own your decision and open up to her about it. And if for some reason she is the type of person who wants to kick you to the curb because of something so trivial, count your blessings and move on. :cool:

Here are the pics from the day of Marc's surgery a little over 3 weeks ago.

2,249 total grafts, FUE (manual and ARTAS).

Best of luck man. Looking forward to your progress.

A specialist as an dermatologist?

Yeah, that would be a great starting point and they could hopefully run some tests to see if they can get to the bottom of what's causing the hair loss. You can also check with your general physician to get their opinion on the matter and a recommendation for a dermatologist if you're not sure of where to start.

While it's true that a shampoo isn't going to "re-grow" your hair per se, there is truth in the fact that a healthy scalp is definitely more suitable for healthy hair and growth. It all depends on what the cause of your hair loss is and treating that specifically. So if your hair loss is due to an unhealthy scalp, dryness, redness, dandruff, etc. and not specifically MPB, then the shampoo to treat the scalp may help.

I would definitely consult with a specialist regardless just to get their professional opinion on the matter. You want to make sure you get to the root of what's causing the hair loss and treating that specifically.

Being over two months out, I would think that you're perfectly fine to be back to your normal routine. Of course, if your doctor is adamant that you don't use hairspray, feel free to follow his advice. However, I really don't think it's a problem and it sounds like he's being very conservative - especially being so many weeks out from your surgery. The first couple weeks is the max I would think you would need to wait for that.

As for the shampoo, it's best to use a more gentle shampoo for the first couple weeks. Again, at two months out from your HT, I think you can use whatever shampoo you would normally use as long as it doesn't irritate your scalp. If it does, switch to something more gentle like a baby shampoo. But those grafts are definitely secure by now, so don't worry.

All things being equal, it truly is a personal preference. I know a lot of the guys on here have had their surgeries done overseas and have had perfectly good experiences. And it's something that could be even more rewarding if you're able to go a few days early and get some sightseeing in in a new place. So in that regard, going abroad for the right doctor could be a bonus.

For me personally though, I loved having my doctor close by and not having to deal with the stress and inconvenience of flying, security, customs, etc. But then again, I'm probably just spoiled given my doctor was a short 20 minute drive away from my house - and he just so happened to be the one I wanted anyway.

Can you explain this a little further David? I am 6 days post op and plan to gently caress the scabs out of my head on day 7 or 8. But yesterday i very gently rubbed one out of the front bc I could not help myself, and there was a little miniature hair embedded into it. I am not sure if this was the beginning of that follicle shedding, or if i lost a graft, or if it was normal. I just tried to not let it affect me too much.

After day 5, there should be no risk of losing a graft. You want to make sure the scabs are soft from the shower before you try to remove them so that they come off easier and don't irritate the scalp. But as for the grafts, they should be perfectly secure by now.

Hey man. Welcome on board!

I agree with KO. Look at the doctors recommended here on this forum for starters, and also don't be turned off from Propecia based solely on the potential for side effects. The percentage of men who report side effects is extremely low, and the vast majority of men take it with no problems at all. You can always start out on a small dosage and then work your way up to see how your body responds to it. It's definitely worth looking into and definitely slows down the rate of your hair loss. You do have quite a bit of hair loss, so you want to be able to keep as much of it as you can for as long as you can, in addition to the potential hair transplant.

Stay active on here and ask questions - there are no stupid ones. Most everyone here is really polite and more than willing to help.

So glad to see this worked out, especially considering how worried you were about it. Based on that photo, the donor area looks perfect and a HT is undetectable.

Fantastico! Congrats man.

I don't know much about TE, but from what I do know, if you can figure out the cause of it it's possible to reverse it. Are you seeing a specialist who can help you figure this out? You mentioned chronic stress being one of the contributing factors, and I do believe that's something that you can help get under control with something like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, for example. I've dealt with anxiety orders in the past and this type of therapy was my saving grace. Not to mention, the success rate is very high and it happens quickly if you commit to the program.

Without getting to the root of the problem, it may be difficult to come up with a solid plan of attack to help you restore your hair.