Speegs

Bill gives sound advice here, but ultimately follow your specific doctor's post op instructions in the matter.

If you like the cropped look, have you considered micropigmentation?

Based on those pictures you just added, I would be surprised if 2000 grafts would satisfy your density concerns. Please get on finasteride asap, it is the only known means to slow down or halt future hair loss, which will be crucial to avoid further surgeries if you begin this journey.

Do you wear your hair short? I hate when a young patient defaults to FUE for their first transplant, unless they know their hair loss is stabilized. Are you on finstaeride? The reason I dislike FUE for a first procedure in a young person is that it can deplete the donor area and make it hard to address future hair loss in a satisfying manner.

How old are you and are you on finasteride? These are critical questions that need answered prior to considering a surgery.

You have a two week old wound at the back of your head, you need to give it some time before appraising it, you're healing.

If you followed your surgeon's post op directions, have cooperative physiology, and the surgeon performed a competent trichophytic closure, then the only way a scar is likely to ever be discerned is if you're looking for it or shave it bald. A 2 or 3 is do able (for people that meet the above criteria) around a year or so after their procedure...at least in my experience, I've never had a barber say I have a scar and mine is clueless I've had THREE hair transplants, all of them FUT.

I think for legal reasons the moderators shy away from shaming doctors that lost their welcome on this forum, but there are several, I know of some, best to ask people in the form of a private message as the forum's are typically protected from any mention of doctors that aren't up to community standards so as to not advertise for them or cause legal entanglements.

A caveat to that, however, framing your face is vital. If you address your crown but not your hairline, and continue to lose hair in the front, then the restored crown will not look natural as it will not appear to follow a hair loss pattern found in nature. The hairline frames the face, so if you have a robust crown and lose what's in front of it, it is going to have an awkward appearance. If you start the transplant journey I would address both issues as a preventative measure.

Without pictures it is difficult to comment beyond generalities and guessing, but it sounds like you have suffered from some of the classic complications associated with the early day practices of FUE, where 70 percent graft survival was deemed a good yield.

Many doctors doing large cases on a patient who has a virgin donor supply prefer and advise starting your transplant journey by way of FUT, especially if you don't wear very short cropped hair styles. The thinking behind this is to maximize and preserve as much donor for the future as possible. Once someone begins the transplant journey they only have a finite donor supply to work with, so planning ahead is crucial. FUT is the best way to preserve donor hair for future procedures in most medical opinions. Many practices advise doing FUT until the scalp no longer can, usually two to three procedures, then using FUE once FUT is no longer a viable option or only a small number of grafts are needed. If you're going to go with the 3,000 graft recommendation, FUT is probably the smartest path since you're relatively youthful and stand to likely lose some more hair down the road. I also advise not to be regionally pigeonholed, although a couple of fine doctors do practice in your vicinity, branching out across the US or even into Canada to find a doctor that suits your needs is advisable. I traveled from Texas to Oregon for multiple procedures, and the trek (minus one instance with the TSA) was well worth it and mostly hassle free.

Looks like clean commendable work from those pictures. Should grow well.

Please give finasteride a try before seriously considering surgery. No matter what, you need to stabilize your hair loss so that if you ever do have surgery you can have the maximum cosmetic impact from a transplant and perhaps avoid having to come back in the future because of additional hair loss.

If you shave the recipient site, the only practical way to hide the transplant while your hair grows back and the redness subsides is to wear a hat, cap, bandana, if your place of employment will permit this then you should have no issue. Unfortunately, if your place of business does not accommodate head covering you will likely have to reveal your scalp at some point during the awkward stage, unless you take vacation time through it.

Forgive my ignorance if I misspeak, but I thought that Dr. Seager was now deceased and that other physicians were at the helm of his former practice?

For FUE, yes, you can likely get away with a buzz cut in most instances, unless you're a very poor healer.

Typically, unless your thinning starts in the crown first, most men see progressive hair loss begin with a hairline diminishing. Thus if they get on finasteride they can mitigate the loss to mostly the front, and aesthetically, tackling the framing of the face via a hairline restoration is the most impactful way to pursue a hair transplant. Ideally you don't lose your crown, but if you have to choose between a framed face or a bald spot, most every man will take that bald spot every time. It takes a skillful surgeon to tackle crown restorations, even surgeons that excel at hairline work sometimes don't match those chops at the back of the head.

You need to be careful and deliberate with minoxidil application, there have been case studies of it dripping down the forehead and causing unwanted growth beyond the regions it was wanted...particularly problematic for women who may find a surge of unwanted facial hair.

Have you tried Nizoral? It may mitigate some of those symptoms, I too have an oily scalp and it helps my scalp tremendously with a sparing weekly usage.

I think that's a prudent course of action, FUE shouldn't be harnessed until an FUT is no longer an option in my humble opinion, especially if someone has already had an FUT procedure.

Your graft is fine after this amount of time, you may have an ingrown hair or folliculitis though, check with your doctor and see what they say. You may be given a treatment option or plan if it is out of the norm irritation.

I'd be more comfortable with you waiting until 25 or 26 before seeking a surgical solution, these next two to three years can really give a solid gauge as to how well the finasteride/ minoxoidil regimen is working and if your hair loss has been prevented from advancing. If it has advanced any then pursuing a HT at 23 will be moot as the hair behind those restored temples will be gone and it won't look right. I know patience is difficult, but I advise you save up, consult good doctors you're interested in, and gear up to possibly take action after your 25th birthday. Given your genetic history, without finasteride you'll likely go your father's route with hair loss. But with it, you may be able to preserve the crown and mid scalp and then surgically restore the frontal third, finasteride and minoxidil work better on the crown and mid scalp, and have been less effective on preserving hairlines. But keeping up the regimen should prevent you from advancing to a norwood 6, and make the restoration process of your frontal third less expensive and much more achievable when the time comes to consider a surgical solution.

My advice is don't be afraid to travel, a plane ticket and hotel room is worth it to get it done right. Especially since the United States and Canada have the lion's share of the world's most trustworthy physicians in the field, I'd go to them because they're good, not because they're geographically the most convenient. I actually live in Austin for instance, and I went far out of state to do my procedures. A quality HT is life style altering and confidence boosting, a bad one is frustrating, demoralizing and possibly embarrassing....not to mention expensive with little positive to show for it. Take your time investigating, do not rush in. And yes, STAY AWAY from the chains such as Bosley or Ziering.

Echoing Gill, what is your rationale for these additional shots? Have you been advised to try this?

I'd research EU and North American doctors on this forum and get some consultations.