Shera

You need to try again, no photos visible. Click the Manage Attachments button and then navigate to your photos folder, then click the upload button once a file is selected.

It does look like a natural whirl, my 8 year old has the same pattern. But as mentioned, monitor it taking pictures over time and comparing. if you notice any changes for the worse then take the medication advice above.

Hi Rykushai, If you have no balding relatives, then that's a good sign, no guarantee but a good sign nonetheless. Comparing photos over the last few years should tell you whether you are receding or not. You are 19 years old so in today's digital age I would probably estimate you have a few thousand selfie pics to choose from. Get analyzing, let us know if you see any change, post your evidence. If there is a definite recession, speak to your GP about hair loss preventative medicines (Finasteride/Minoxidil). All the best.

Hi Ben, Judging from your profile pic you vaguely appear to have a receding hairline coupled with a thinning midscalp. It will be best if you uploaded clear pics of your scalp as previously requested , the front, the top, the sides and the back so posters can give you the best advice. It may well be possible to avoid surgery altogether for the foreseeable future by using fibres to enhance your current look. Once you have any surgery you will continue to lose your native hair. If you have been taking Finasteride for the past 15 years then it may well be the reason why you have managed to hang on to what you have. The only way of being certain is to stop and see if you lose it. Once you lose it, it's too late................. You could always cut down or take a planned break monitoring any changes. A good start for your doctor search would be the 'Consult a Physician' link above.

Hi Swift, Your symptoms so far are normal and as mentioned by Melvin you a entering the @Ugly Duckling' stage. The numbness in your recipient area will fade over the coming several weeks. Some sensitivity in the donor region is to be expected and again will fade over the coming weeks. You should carry on with your aftercare and you should expect to see baby hairs sprouting at the 3-4 month mark. Be positive and be patient.

Hi Miamicurls, Thank you for taking the time to share your uplifting story. I'm sure it will inspire others who are currently experiencing the lows you so vividly describe and hopefully give them the belief to take action and move on with their lives. Your transformation is fantastic and yet it looks so natural. I'm sure you have made Dr Bhatti and the team all beam with pride. Congratulations and all the best.

Hi Thappa, Judging from your first pic you are destined for a NW6/7. Without the help of proven meds to help retain your native hair, there is a strong possibility you will need another surgery sooner rather than later down the line to add density once you lose your native hair. This is of course if you wish to continue to have a head of hair. How long it takes to get to this stage, I don't know, perhaps if you look at your older relatives, their particular balding patterns might give you some indication. You should be prepared for this eventuality. It might be wise to add body hair (beard/chest) into the mix to help preserve your precious scalp grafts for future surgery(s).

If you received the same side effects through the use of Saw Palmetto then there could be an underlying issue with your physiology. I have seen countless cases where the miniaturized hairs you describe have recovered but only when the patients have taken Finasteride. I personally don't think Minoxidil will have anywhere near the same effect. As for laser, to me its just science fiction! You should listen to the advice given to you previously in terms of graft counts, but you should be prepared to have a follow up surgery(s) if you wish to add density once your native hair has gone altogether.

You should look at reviews and get a feel for the doctor in your communications. There is no reason why an ethical doctor should falsify grafts when their hard earned reputation is at state. Another reason perhaps to go to a doctor that is both highly recommended and recognized for their work rather than some backstreet unknown. I understand your fears having met many patients who have gone to clinics where they appear to have lesser surgeries than they have paid for or even in some cases where a vast amount of grafts have been removed in comparison to just a few implanted. On another note you do appear to have a lot of hair that will be at risk to shock loss through the trauma caused by surgery. You could lose what you have and gain what you have implanted resulting in a similar look you have at present. If you could perhaps give Finasteride another go, this time lessening the dosage/frequency you may help negate such loss.

Hi rjw524, As the previous poster said, some clearer pictures would have been more useful. Having said that I understand why the clinic turned you down for surgery. Think of it in terms of having to tile a roof, you just don't appear to have enough tiles for adequate coverage, there'll be big gaps in your roof and the water will gush through! I think to get a better opinion you could let your hair grow out for up to 14 days and then post some better quality pics. A cleanly shaven scalp donor can be deceiving. If it looks better then there may be an option of proceeding strategically to a plan to give you some coverage. This plan could involve an option for SMP, but lets hold fire until you send the updated pics.

Hello again Panemera Looking carefully at your pictures I would say you are responding well to Finasteride. I can see an obvious improvement. You have gone from an obvious balding scalp to what appears to be a heavily diffused scalp. This all bodes well for the months ahead.

I'd second that having tried it a good few years back. I wouldn't recommended relying on it alone to sustain your hair.

Hi Wayne, It really depends on how tight you tie your ponytail and for what prolonged time. e.g. if you pull it real tight and tie it like that for a sustained number of years then you are in danger of losing hair through Traction Alopecia. This is quite a common occurrence in Sikh males who tie their hair tight for a number of years in either a topknot or under a turban. It also occurs in males /females of African origin who again tie their hair back in braids or similar hairstyles for some time. I have even seen occurrences in female gymnasts and even an ex-professional synchronized swimmer. So be careful not to tie your hair too tight so that it is pulling at the roots.

Its good the other clinic went to the trouble to highlight potential issues you might have if you rush into surgery at such a tender age and then experience aggresive balding. Your second picture could possibly be showing some temple recession but the other pics do just point to a naturally high hairline. Hopefully that's all it is, its probably best for you to monitor any potential loss by comparing pictures of your scalp every couple of months. It's also good that you were warned off putting any hopes into the vast array of products that you could blow a fortune on. There are in fact only 2 medications that are proven to delay hairloss, Finasteride and Minoxodil. In my opinion (others may disagree) a generic brand of Finasteride is just as effectice as the Propecia brand and can be picked up for about 100 pounds sterling for a years supply whereas some clinics charge almost 10 x that. If you do notice that you are starting to recede or thin then you might want to meet with your GP and consider taking one or both of these. Take into account any potential side effects.

Hi, You state that you have a naturally high hairline, when comparing photos from a few years back do you notice any recession, (check the temple areas). Also do you have any uncles who had similar high hairlines, if so what is their hair like now?, what was their progression like? it might be an indicator as to where you will end up and whether you need to consider other things such as medication to help sustain your hair. And yes you are too young for surgery right now.

I can understand the secrecy and not wanting the whole office/workplace to find out that you have been for hair transplant surgery. You might think you'll get picked upon, you might think people will think that you are shallow, insecure etc etc etc However, from my own experience and from that of others who have readily been open about their experience is that people are intrigued more than anything else. Many will ask questions which will trigger the start of their own journeys. A hair transplant will no longer be taboo once one 'normal guy' has it done. Your colleague may well fall into this category. He may well be thinking the same way. If you really feel you need to bring it up then it's probably best if you make an effort to actually get to know him first. Once you feel you have his trust you can just drop a casual hint. He's unlikely to open up to you if he doesn't know you. And yes, he may be perfectly happy with his baldness as many guys are, just because you felt the urge to fix yours, it doesn't mean all guys feel the same, no matter how bad you personally feel they look. He may also be at the stage where he is protective about his baldness and the mere mention might get you a bloody nose, tread carefully if you must.

Congratulation Melvin/HT on your new role, I guess once you applied you totally blitzed the competition. You've always been a voice of reason and understanding on this site, you was the natural choice. I hope it all works out great for you, and I hope your passion for helping others never waivers.

The neck pillow is usually just used for the first night or two to help a patient sleep upright in the chair. I always advise patients to move the chair next to the bed too so they can rest their legs on the bed, it makes things a lot easier. Then you are free to sleep on the bed, you can use the neck pillow when sleeping on the bed if it offers you comfort. In answer to your question, ditch the neck pillow when you feel you no longer need it. If it adds to your comfort then keep using it by all means, its your choice.

Hi Chicago, You seem to have lost a few more hairs in the mid scalp region since your op. This area looked quite strong in your first picture so I'm not quite sure why it was implanted as shown in your post op pic. It was risky and there is the possibility you may have suffered some shock loss in this area from the trauma caused by the surgery. I would say from your pre-op photo to your 14 month picture there is some improvement to the crown area but as mentioned either you have suffered from shock loss to your mid scalp behind your hairline or your balding has generally become more aggressive. Your hair thickness too seems really fine which isn't helpful in creating the illusion of a full set of hair, however for 3,125 grafts, I would have expected better coverage. You might want to wait till 18 months to judge the crown area properly. I would look into medications to slow down future loss and try to recover some native hairs. I would also consider another surgery of about the same amount of grafts to increase the overal density of the crown and midscalp.

Hi Chicago, You should include your pre op pics if you want an accurate opinion. But it does look like you could do with another pass over the whole area.

Hi Swift, It's very rare that patients feel so much pain, I've only ever had one guy before who had similar symptoms to you and taking the painkillers for a week or so was fine. I always advise patients to take extra painkillers with them just in case. Hopefully you should be fine now. You will get some slight discomfort in the donor area as the nerves continue to repair themselves. I remember getting used to a shooting lightning sensation from time to time, I actually kind of missed it when it suddenly stopped. Give it a few more days and then whilst washing you will be able to gently massage the crusts when they are wet and soft in a circular motion to help dislodge them. By day 14 you should be more or less scab free. Have a read of the link below, PROBLEMS THAT MIGHT OCCUR & HOW TO TACKLE THEM - Darling Buds Hair Transplant Center You might find it useful in alleviating any worries that may arise.

Hi Phil, It does appear that you are suffering from male pattern baldness. You should consult both your GP and your physician in order to determine whether the standard proven hair loss meds are an option for you considering the possibility that they might conflict with any existing meds you are taking or the potential higher risk factor because of your Lupus. Also, if you have suffered lesions to the scalp before caused by your Lupus, then they may have caused some permanent hair loss too. But if your Lupus has been in remission for 10 years then your present state does point more to generic hair loss.

Hi, you will itch at this stage but you must resist the temptation to give your scalp a good scratch. You are welcome to use the clinic facilities whilst you are in Chandigarh, another demo or more is welcomed. By the sounds of it you are doing everything right. You could try to rinse a bit more with the saline. But like I said, it is natural to feel some itchiness.

Hi Swiftwindwalker, Congratulations on your hair transplant surgery. If you have any queries or concerns over the coming months then please feel free to contact me too. I wish you all the best and I look forward to your updates.