elicochin

On 3/14/2023 at 6:35 PM, Melvin- Moderator said:

You definitely had a great repair, given your previous situation. 

I would look at surgeons who have a lot of experience with BHT. You will undoubtedly need some BHT work. I would also focus on the outer edges. Forget about adding density. Coverage should be your top priority.

You are absolutely right Melvin, I clearly remember where I started this HT journey. The transformation is clear, even though it's not as significant as some of the other cases we have seen here. Bottom line, it changed a lot of things in my life, starting with not having to wear a cap/hat all the time. Overall I am very happy with the results given my limited donor supply. Thanks to you and to all the contributors on this forum for giving me the information and advice whenever I needed.

One question though, what exactly you meant by coverage should be my top priority? specifically based on my current status?

-JJ

On 3/13/2023 at 11:07 PM, gillenator said:

Based on the photos I see your ultimate class 7 so my question is how much available/usable donor do you have left including beard, chest?

I was told after my last FUE surgery that I may have about 2000 - 2500 grafts available. I will need to reconfirm this. If this is the case, I would like to use about 1500 grafts or so and utilize another 1000 grafts or so from beard if possible.  

I was a NW6 going into my first surgery in Nov 2021. Please take a look at the attached HT blog for complete details.

Hello Everyone, I originally asked this question as part of my 14th-Month update in my HT blog (link Below). I am seriously considering a third and possibly final HT to enhance the hairline, lateral humps and the area around the crown. My last HT was done at Eugenix and I would love to go back there for another HT if that can be worked out. I would also like to know my options for surgeons within the US considering it would be a smaller HT. As always your valuable feedback, opinion and suggestions are welcome and greatly appreciated.

-JJ

Hello Everyone, thanks for your continued interest and queries. Here is a 14-moth update with some pictures. I have absolutely no doubt about the transformation and confidence that I gained as a result of the HT. I started planning towards a possible third and final HT to enhance the hairline (especially the middle part), lateral humps and the area around the crown. My last HT was done at Eugenix and I would love to go back there for another HT if that can be worked out. I would also like to know my options for surgeons within the US considering it would be a smaller HT. As always your valuable feedback, opinion and suggestions are welcome.

Hello Everyone, Here is an update and some pictures I took today (going on 7th month). I am excited about the transformation with occasional self doubts. While I do see lots of growth all around, I am unsure about the hairline (especially the middle part) and the lack of hair/growth on the lateral humps area. Most of the white hairs you see on the back are beard hairs; they are a bit difficult to comb down right now. I started going out without a hat or a cap these days! I am not on any type of medication. As always your valuable feedback, opinion and suggestions are welcome.

-JJ

20 minutes ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

The one I got is the lasercap, it’s pretty expensive, but it’s cheaper if you buy it through a surgeon. I chose this one cause it used lasers, as opposed to LEDs that some of the cheaper ones use.

Melvin, I am definitely interested in lasercap considering you have positive results with it. This would be also an alternative remedy (in my case) since I am not on any medications. I would like to understand a bit more about how to get it through a surgeon as you mentioned. I can also PM you to keep this thread on the original topic.

32 minutes ago, MazAB said:

Could you please outline your current daily regimen?

Drugs and supplements mainly

No drugs; just multi vitamins/Biotin/Saw Palmetto  etc.

Thanks Melvin, do you have any recommendation on a particular laser helmet model or I just get any/one based on the online reviews? 

48 minutes ago, J.A.C said:

4 months is literally the starting point for most, can you feel any hairs breaking through?

Thanks for your observation and I hope this is true in my case. I do have lots of hair still breaking through on my crown area, but not so much on the frontal scalp.

48 minutes ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

Growth is a little slower than expected, but still growing. Are you taking any thing to speed up growth? Supplement wise. 

I agree with your observation. I am not on any medications, but taking some over-the-counter vitamin/Biotin supplements.

Hello Everyone

Not sure how to report on this. I do see growth all over, but not as much I was expecting (or imagining). I think there are lot more hairs coming out on the crown area as well as some on the frontal scalp. May be you all can provide an objective feedback on the growth so far. Attaching four-months pictures. Thank you as always.

-JJ

My Updates are here...

Hello Everyone

Nothing exciting to report. Attaching two-months pictures. Your comments/thoughts are welcome.

Thx

@MazAB, I think you may be right, but I am not too worried about it at this point. I have reached out to Eugenix for an opinion on this as well. I would like to wait and see how it turns out when I grow my hair out; fingers crossed.

@SLA, My left lateral hump (right-hand side when looking at the picture) was very thin and was quite visible when my hair was long hence that was part of the scope of this HT; refer to the pre-op pictures at the start of this thread. That area may look a bit dense on the picture above, but I think it's partly due to recipient slits are still not healed completely. There was also the effort to manage the limited donor supply. I am hoping the final results would give me decent coverage on both sides, but that would take another 6 months minimum.

2-weeks-mark pictures I took to sent to Eugenix for review and I was told everything looks normal.

@Simpson21 I paid the same rate (+ 18% GST) under the Premium package details shared above by @JC71. Good luck!

@Gatsby Finasteride was suggested, but I chose not to take it. I have had side-effects in the past (long time ago). Besides, my hair-loss has been stable for more than 10 years and at my current age of 55 I believe I would lose my original hair any further. I would like to hear your thoughts on this. 

On 12/1/2021 at 9:32 AM, SLA said:

Wow is all I have to say! Way to go!

Any idea if you have any grafts remaining either from scalp or beard for the future?

I have raised this question and awaiting a response. Will keep you posted.

Hello Everyone

I was unable to post the review earlier due to some family commitments. Here is a post-op update. Overall, 2-day procedure went well and met the objectives. Below is a snapshot:
 
HT objectives:
Restore crown
Enhance Hairline/Frontal area & left lateral humps
Restore/Align L/R temporal area

Final graft count: 4962 (Scalp:3722 + Beard:1240)
Front/Hairline/Temporal area: 1688 Scalp graft (includes 300 singles)
Left hump: Total:721 (420 Scalp + 301 Beard)
Crown: total 2553 (1614 Scalp + 939 Beard)

Day-1 
Roughly 9 hours
Less intense in comparison with the second day.
Day started with Dr. Arika doing the overall evaluation of the donor area followed by design considerations and discussion of coverage options.
I wanted the temporal-points enhanced, but she said it would be decided at the end depending on the supply even though she marked the area.
Rest of the day was spent on Dr. Arika doing the slits on the hairline/frontal scalp followed by the design/slits for the crown.
I also got a surprise visit from Dr. Pradeep just in time for the crown design. It was very nice of him to visit since I had met him during his NY consultations in 2019, just before the Pandemic arrived.   

Day-2
Roughly 12 hours.
Very intense and long session went past midnight. 
Multiple tracks of work performed simultaneously on-and-off supervised by Dr. Arika.
First half of the day was mostly focused on adding more grafts to the front and left hump.
Rest of the day was spent on implanting the crown area while harvesting the hair from scalp and beard.
I also vaguely remember Dr. Arika adding some additional grafts/singles to the hairline followed by the technicians completing the area.
There were times I had more than 10 people directly or indirectly working on me.

Overall, I am very happy with Eugenix team. Their work ethics and commitment to what they do is quite visible throughout. Dr. Arika leads a fantastic team of HT technicians. If I have to pick on something, I would say that we could've done a bit more work on day-1 which would've reduced the intensity and pressure on both Eugenix team and myself on day-2. There was some idle time on day-1, possibly due to the number of surgeries taking place on that day.
  

@SLA, my conclusion was that it was mostly the mismanagement of the grafts in terms of planning and actual placement. I also think that most of the transplanted hair grew back. If you consider HT is partly an artistry of creating the illusion of density, that artistry was absent.

Hello everyone,

Thanks for all your support and feedback to all my previous posts regarding my first FUT and to the subsequent threads on how it turned out. Link to my previous threads at the bottom. I am excited about my upcoming surgery at @Eugenix on November 23 and 24. A quick summary below:

Total grafts 4000 – 4500
2500 scalp grafts  and 1500/2000 beard grafts
Restore crown with full coverage - 3000 mixed grafts
Enhance frontal scalp density and equalize of R/L Frontal temporal angles
Restoration of R/L temporal points - 200 x 2 = scalp 400 grafts

Obviously the final number of grafts will depend on my donor supply. I will spare you the detailed step-by-step; instead I will focus on my overall HT journey and the results of FUE on top of my first FUT. Some pictures taken today (11/19/2021) attached. I have had two video call with Dr. Arika to discuss the overall approach and to set the expectations. So far my experience with Eugenix team have been phenomenal.

As always I appreciate your valuable comments and feedback. I would encourage you to read my previous threads so you will know where I started, the challenges I faced and where I am today getting ready for my second HT.

Thank you.

https://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/topic/57046-fut-scheduled-with-dr-william-lindsey-virginia-july-8-2020/

https://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/topic/59896-mixed-feelings-after-first-ht-fut/

https://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/topic/59896-mixed-feelings-after-first-ht-fut/

Hi @Melvin-Moderator, I have not had any further communication yet. I feel that my best shot of getting a satisfactory HT was in July 2020 when I was actually sitting on that chair. Everything else would be just fixing and I am not sure if I am comfortable to go through that with the same surgeon. It seems he has done his best and it's not enough! 

On 5/3/2021 at 12:24 PM, Melvin-Moderator said:

I have spoken to Dr. Lindsey on your case, he did mention saying you would certainly need a second procedure for adding density and coverage. I believe he should be contacting you. Please do keep me updated. 

Thank you for your continued support @Melvin-Moderator. I think I met the objectives of starting this thread; I have been given some great advice here. I am grateful for that.

Just to be clear, a second surgery was always part of my plan all along, but it wasn't targeted for the same recipient area though. My plan was to establish a mature hairline and fill the frontal-scalp through an FUT first, and then move on to the back of the scalp with a second FUE surgery. I always knew that the crown was not going to be addressed with my Norwood scale and I was fine with it.

My grievance is mostly on not densely packing the recipient area and needing another surgery to add density, risking damage to the recently transplanted hair, shock-loss and other usual complications. I see many people (even with my Norwood scale) on this forum achieving decent density with just one surgery, and that put them on the driver seat in terms of options. And of course, there are few cases ending up with the prospect of multiple surgeries on the same recipient area to fix the shortcomings of the previous surgery. Unfortunately I am in the latter group and that's a bummer.