Mane Attraction

I just had my HT surgery yesterday and I found that falling asleep last night wasn't an issue at all. Eman gave me some good advice and I followed his stacked pillows method. I slept at a 40-45 degree angle with 3 pillows behind me, but I also used TWO airline pillows around my neck; an inflatable one on the bottom (more sturdy and supportive at the base of the neck) and a softer one on top for cushioning. It worked well. I slept about 4-5 hours, woke up and then took a Temazepam sleeping pill, then went to sleep for another 4-5 hours. In all honesty, I didn't need the Temazepam, but I just wanted to preempt any potential sleeping disturbances, in case they occurred (they didn't) and get the best night's sleep possible. In order to avoid rolling or falling, I simply stacked the 3 pillows right in the very center of the bed and kept my feet and legs spread out wider than usual as I slept, with my hands placed palms down on the bed on either side of me. Both elbows were also in contact with the bed. Didn't have any troubles and I'm actually surprised I slept so well, as I can be a bit of an insomniac!

I've always thought your new hair looks great, Thana, and these recent photos of yours show that your HT has withstood the test of time. Looking very good!

TheKman, that's a pretty sweet transformation! Particularly impressive are both the crown and mid-scalp regions, which show no traces of your former baldness level. Really nice coverage has over your head and I bet you're looking forward to seeing what the next several months hold! I so wish I was in your shoes right now! Keep on growin'

As others have commented, your paper-thin scar is amazing, E! You must be very pleased about it! I wouldn't be worrying about going swimming either with a scar like that! Looks very blended from the back, even when shaved down to a #2 gauge! The top appears to be thickening nicely also. Exciting times for you all around! Eman, prior to your HT, I recall that you were pretty adamant about only having a single procedure without any future HT's. At this stage in the game, is your stance still the same? Or is the all-too-familiar feeling of "hair greed" starting to creep in? Not that I'm suggesting you need more work done (far from it!) But just curious, after having gone through the entire process and the elation of receiving such excellent results, do you ever see yourself going another round?

These are good questions, TC17. Perhaps all decent HT doctors routinely consider that every patient could potentially recede to a NW7, and always plan for this eventuality by keeping enough donor hair available for future surgeries. The age of 25 might be a baseline figure, just to buy a little bit of extra time. True, a HT surgeon could act unethically by using too many grafts in the frontal area, while failing to account for future hair loss in the crown. But we also need to consider that good HT's require a mutual, long term plan between doctor and patient. Just as the doctor needs to keep enough of the patient's donor hair available for future surgeries, the patient also must ensure he's considered the possibility of becoming a NW7 and that this is factored into his overall strategy. It's really the same thing as the patient needing to manage his funds for a future transplant, should he require one. If he runs out of hair OR money, then either way he won't be able to have additional surgeries and will end up looking the same in both situations! It's really just a matter of planning for the long run in every possible aspect. Miniaturization mapping, from what I gather (and even though it's probably not 100% perfect) seemingly gives the doc the ability to make a more accurate *guess* about the patient's future hair loss pattern based on the evidence of hair shrinkage they're seeing on the scalp. If a mapped patient seems like a good transplant candidate who *probably* won't become a NW7, then the doc might feel more confident being less conservative when planting grafts into his frontal area. Whereas a doctor who doesn't map might be seen as leaving more to chance and the patient's fate. Making this call would also likely depend upon whether hairs in the NW7 zone start becoming affected by DHT (even in the most minutely detectable way) as soon as the first signs of MPB set in. Does DHT "infect" new hair progressively, starting at the front and working its way back? Or does DHT "infect" all vulnerable hairs on the head simultaneously from the very outset, with some hairs just succumbing faster than others? If it's the latter, then I imagine this would define the patient's final balding pattern well in advance. But again, I'm not a physician so take all I say with a grain of salt! Have you considered posing these questions to Dr. Rassman himself on his blog?

I've heard that for the majority of users, it helps to maintain hair or prevent further loss, but only a minority see adequate regrowth. It's also unlikely to regrow hair that has already significantly miniaturized. I'm not sure whether the drug works exactly the same for female hair loss which isn't affected by DHT. One other thing to bear in mind is that shedding hair tends to become reliant on minoxidil and if you stop using it, that hair will fall out. So it becomes somewhat of a commitment.

Ha! I've read on other hair loss-related forums that this is exactly what's going on with these guys. Why any professional athlete would want to glue a rug to their head is beyond me! And yes, the franchise opportunity sounds worrying. That particular section of their website reads like an advert for opening a McDonald's outlet -- even worse, they make it sound as if any layman can become a "hair loss specialist" (as they put it) overnight.

I'm not a physician, but doesn't Dr. Rassman advocate getting your hair mapped for miniaturization so that you can work out a long term plan for your specific hair loss pattern? I believe that the purpose of this mapping is to determine which follicles are affected by the early onset of MBP, even when it's not yet visible to the naked eye. Apparently, this allows the doctor to make an educated prediction (based on the status and location of affected hairs) what NW level a person will eventually recede to. Dunno how many doctors actually offer this miniaturization mapping service though.

There's definitely a noticeable improvement between month 2 and month 3 pics, Petchski. Looks like you're progressing well! I know you may think you have a long way to go, but spare a thought for some of us who would be envious to be at your stage right now!

Recently, I've noticed a group called "Hair Science International" advertising pretty heavily in Australian newspapers. They tend to plug AFL footballers (no pun intended) such as Brent Guerra in their slick marketing brochures, but when it comes to the crunch, they appear to be nothing more than another Advanced Hair Studio or Bosley clone. I'm lead to this conclusion because they tend to advertise deceptively, claiming that their use of laser therapy works and that they use a proven "hair loss serum" (i.e. most likely minoxidil). Additionally, in their newspaper advertisements, they claim to use "The latest in hair cloning/multiplication technology from the USA". Funny! Unless they're privy to some huge scientific breakthrough that even the world's top genetic engineers haven't cracked yet, I'm tipping these guys are just another bunch of quacks? I performed a search for "Hair Science International" on these forums and could find nothing about this group, which got me thinking that a lot of guys in Australia probably go to deceptive clinics like this without first doing adequate research of hair transplants and what a skilled HT surgeon could do for them. This being the case, I figured that posting this thread about Hair Science International on the HTN forums would give this clinic at least one search result. In the event that anyone searches them in Google or on these forums, hopefully they'll stumble upon this post and it'll open their eyes, get them asking some important questions and thinking. I hope it's okay to post their website URL. I'm certainly not plugging this clinic. In fact, I'll be flying for over 24 hours to Canada for my own HT in order to AVOID going to an Australian clinic like this. Thought it'd be a good idea to post their url too, just in case someone performs a search on their website address: **outside link removed by moderator** Anyone actually had any experience with Hair Science International? Or any other opinions on the reputability of this clinic and their purported methods?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it appears that the H&W hairline was also drawn onto his photo digitally. It seems they just took additional time to define the exact shape. Generic1, is there any particular reason why those hairlines have all been drawn on photos of your head taken from different angles? It would probably be ideal to compare potential hairlines if all clinics used exactly the same base photo to draw their interpretation of your new hairline.

CB, congrats on the new hairline formation that's beginning to take shape. Bet you're thrilled to see the beginning of great things to come! Your case with Dr. Rahal is one that I have been particularly interested in following from the beginning, because your (formerly) receding hairline and thinning mid-scalp were nearly identical to mine. By the time you hit month 4, I'll be close to month 1. You'll be officially coming out of the doldrums just as I'm entering it! So I think your 4 month photos will act as a good reminder of the milestones along the HT journey. The excitement is just starting for you. Good luck with the continued growth!

SpaceBetween: Yes, that's right. At least that's the way it has always worked for me in the past. Your safest bet might be to deplete your PayPal account of funds and make a small test-purchase from an eBay seller who accepts PayPal (something worth only $5 or so) -- just to confirm that PayPal does indeed function as expected with your linked bank account. Once you've confirmed that it works correctly when transferring a small amount, it should be safe to send a much larger amount. One thing to keep in mind is that, depending on your bank, PayPal sometimes takes a while to withdraw/transfer/redeposit the money, resulting in the sending of an e-check, which can take between 1 and 11 days to clear in the receiver's PayPal account. If this is the case for you, you'll need to be mindful about it, and consider sending the payment slightly earlier to ensure adequate processing time for the e-check to clear. Spex: Paypal only take a percentage from the receiver, not the sender.

ReadyForChange, it looks like you're going to have superb results, going by your four month photos! Nice, consistent results like yours give me great reassurance that I've chosen the right HT doctor (Rahal) for my upcoming stint in the chair! I hope you'll keep posting updates, I'm interested to see how your progress continues in the months to come. Enjoy and cherish your newfound growth!

I recently paid for my entire procedure with Dr. Rahal in advance via PayPal. No problems at all. However, I had the money held in my regular bank account. I simply used PayPal to make the payment, which means that PayPal withdrew the cash directly from my bank account and sent it across to Rahal's Paypal account. At no time was any of the money actually sitting in my PayPal account.

Drew, best of luck with your upcoming surgery with Dr. Wong. Judging from your doctor's track record, you'll be in perfect hands. What date in May are you booked for? I'll be having surgery on May 7th with Dr. Rahal, so you and I might be going through this whole experience simultaneously!

Just wondering if there's any documented proof that this particular doctor did indeed invent FUE? Dr. Rassman has specifically addressed this doctor's claim, in contrast to his own, on the first posting on this Q&A page. Dr. Rassman claims that the Australian doctor in question shrouds his work in secrecy and has never released any peer-reviewed documentation on his invention of the FUE procedure. Since I live in Australia, I was originally considering Dr. He-whom-shall-not-be-named to perform my HT procedure, but I must admit that even years before reading Dr. Rassman's comments, this Australian doctor's secrecy and attempted use of 'shock' tactics regarding strip (take a look at the video on the main page of his site!) really made his marketing ploys seem questionable and that he was not at all transparent - something that's strongly advocated at the HTN. Sorry for the long-winded post, but essentially, I'm just curious as to whether this Australian doctor really did invent FUE? Dr. Rassman has never struck me as the type to be misleading or make false claims, and seems to be responsible in holding himself accountable for his comments. So, is this just speculation? Can anybody direct us to solid proof that the Australian doctor really did invent FUE?

I find that a good way to "loosen up" the skin on a tight scalp is to place both palms at each side of the back of the head, below the occipital ridge, thumbs pointed downward but without the fingers interlocked. Then push both palms inward towards each other as hard as you can. This should slightly scrunch the scalp skin between your two palms. Hold this position for a minute or two and then release it. Next, find a good grip with your palms on the sides of your head, slightly behind the ears and above (or on) the occipital ridge. Have your hands both pointed upward forming an "A" over your head. Personally, I find the scalp is much harder to move forwards than backwards so with the hands in this position it seems to result in more palm area gripping the sides/back of the head. While sitting like this, bend your head downward so that you're looking at the ground. Push hard against the sides of your head with your palms and angle both your elbows inward. Pull your palms forward (i.e. towards the ground) and bring your elbows closer together while you pull. It's important to ensure that your grip is very tight so that your palms don't slip over your hair. Pulling your head upward while pulling downward with your palms also creates some good resistance. If you do it right, you'll feel your scalp move forward, even if only a little. Repeat these backwards-and-forwards pulling and holding exercises a few times and this should really help loosen up the back of the scalp. Then you can proceed with the traditional scalp exercises. The beauty of this technique is that it's also less vigorous than constant massaging of the scalp, so it's easier to hold the "stretching" position for longer without your arms and elbows growing as tired. At least this is what's been working for me!

What an amazing post-op result! You'll surely be pleased once this has grown out, comb.

Looks like good progress, yankeesfan! Did you and Dr. Feller address the thinning area in your mid-scalp, directly behind your forelock? Also, your forelock (which still seems fairly thick in the pre-op images) appears quite red in your immediate post-ops pics. Did you have hairs transplanted between all the existing forelock hairs? Or only around the outer edges?

Thanks for the detailed reply! Very helpful. My hair characteristics seem somewhat similar to yours, so I'm most intrigued to see how things continue to progress for you in the coming months. Again, you've achieved a top result and I hope that this is indicative of the kind of results I too can achieve with Dr. Rahal. Fingers crossed!

Congrats, Bill! That's going to be one SUPER result once it's fully grown out. It's hard to believe you'd be a NW6 under all those transplanted hairs. Dr. Hasson's done some really nice work on you!

jbkg, take a look at the blog results posted by Dr. Rahal patients here: http://www.hairtransplantnetwo..._doctor.asp?DrID=376 I haven't had my procedure with Dr. Rahal yet, but judging from his consistent results and top-notch hairline design, he was the right choice for me. Hopefully perusing the blog entries and photographs of patients who have already had their surgeries with Dr. Rahal and seen their results will help you to make an informed decision. Good luck!

Eman, there's something I have noticed in a few grown-out transplant pictures (or that are still growing-out), which is also present in yours. In the 2nd overhead picture you've posted, your hairs all seem to be angled to the right side of your head. Did you brush or comb your hair to sit in that direction? Or is this just the direction that your transplanted hairs naturally grow in? For example, with your transplanted hairs at this length, could you brush them to the left side in a similar manner, or even brush them straight forward? Or would they "spring" back to the right if you tried? The reason I'm wondering is because you mentioned that your hair is difficult to manage/style at this stage. Do you think it will be more manageable once it has fully grown out - meaning that when it's longer, you could brush it to the left, right, or even have it parted straight down the middle and it would sit like that all day? I've often wondered how much control the techs have over orientation of the grafts they're implanting, and the future direction hair will grow in. Many transplanted hairlines I see these days seem to be designed for the messy "spiked" effect. Yours is one of the few hairlines that seems to be growing angled downward at the fringe hairs (bangs). This downward style is also the kind of hairline I'll be aiming for with Dr. Rahal. So, any insight you can give would be great! Thanks!

I can't find it now, but I recall reading a news article several years back which differentiated between hair cloning and hair multiplication. Hair multiplication, it stated, involved injecting stem cells or something into inactive hair follicles so that they'd re-awaken. These newly active follicles would then signal adjacent follicles to revive too. The article mentioned that successful tests had been performed on mice (which died), but that the new hair grew all over the place and not in a uniform direction. Thus, it needed further study before it could ever be considered for human use. This entry in Dr. Rassman's blog makes mention of it: www.baldingblog.com/2008/08/18...regenerate-old-ones/