esrec

A combination of photos and online consultation (Skype, google hangout) should suffice in determining if you are a quality candidate or not. Of course, there's no substitute fo an in-person consult, but final details can be addressed the day before or morning of surgery. I had several consults over the phone and skype prior to my decision to travel. My game plan with the doctor included arriving the day before surgery to spend a few hours going over everything-from hairline design, to expectations, etc. Some are able to visit the surgeon and develop a rapport prior to surgery if they are in close proximity but it's likely the exception rather than the norm. Have you had any conversations yet?

Agree completely. Most of the great discoveries of our time have been accidental.

"1 Year: Patients have achieved about 80% of the growth of the transplanted hairs. Most of the hairs will have emerged from the scalp. -Gabel". I wouldn't be surprised to see you mature further. Yeah just hit 6. slow but it's coming. Will post soon. Do you recall what your donor density was? You mentioned having a small head (which I have too) as being an advantage. I'd imagine your density had to be a contributor to this result.

Unreal man. And at 9 months stil improvements to be had.

That article literally details nothing lol

I think there's more $$$ to be made in regrowth than a cure. The cynic in me says helping men grow back their hair holds more incentive for big pharma, thus more likely. Who knows--did we think an arthritic medication would do wonders for alopecia areata sufferers? Maybe they stumble onto something sooner than later....

Really solid doctor.

Really? I was recorded at 125 fu/cm. Admittedly never asked what that actually meant for me long term. I thought it was just a better than avg #.

Only way you could seriously sweat with a concealer in your hair and pull it off would be to have very moderate loss and lay down couvre/dermatch first and then go lighter on toppik. The foundational concealers can hold up. Even so, I think his outcome is solid. Sometimes I think we skip over some really good results bc they aren't perfect looking. Anyone can restore a 1500 graft hairline. Some of the bigger albeit still imperfect sessions are real impressive.

Agree with above.

Normal to average density.

Haha it happens. If you need to go to the bathroom they give you a break. I had one. And the meds slow all of your "systems" down. You'll be in a sweet little fog and watching movies. PM me if you need to.

Don't worry. Its really not much on the pain scale. 2 or 3 out of 10 max. Knowing you're going with SMG, Dr. Ron and team is very caring and sensitive throughout the process. We spent hours before my surgery talking. My biggest worry going in was the incision and the subsequent pain. I gotta say, that turned out to be a non-factor. The waiting game was and remains much more difficult. Trust the process, and the team. You're in great hands. How do you feel about the details of the study?

Can't wait to hear what was served for lunch! I guess let us know about the procedure too Side note: why hasn't LA figured out a transport system? Come on already, I'm ready to move to the beach but can't do traffic.

Good for you. If he's an older guy or just has some loss himself he's curious. Every guy would be. What are you expecting in terms of downtime seeing as you are having an FUT / FUE mix?

Significant cost differences.

Similar boat. From what I've read, only about 50% of the final result is achieved (at best) by the 6 month mark. When you consider that real growth is not supposed to really kick in until month 4, it would be difficult to see the finished product just 2 or 3 months later. I asked Spex on another thread roughly what % of hairs should have penetrated the surface by month 6, and I believe he said roughly 40-50%. I'm approaching 6 months and have a similar situation. Some areas the hair is thick, even matured. Other areas I see little hairs that have sprouted but simply need to grow and mature. And there's others, like you describe, where gaps exist and hair hasn't penetrated yet. I have a magnifying mirror, and at close inspection I can see some really really fine black dots waiting to penetrate. But still, others where nothing is showing yet. I've been told time and time again that 6 to 9 months is the sweet spot. There's a lot of variability. Someone may grow a lot early then level out. Others may grow at a painstakingly slow but consistent rate. I would talk to your clinic, as I have. Trust me, I thought I'd be farther along at 6 months, but progress is there. Try and keep perspective. You're still early at 7 months man.

Tell your boss you're part of a unique study. Which you are. And it sounds cooler.

Contact your clinic. If you're beyond week 6, most of the hair should have fallen. If you're before 6 weeks, continue to massage your scalp while shampooing. I would NOT tweeze or force anything. That's not once been recommended to anyone lol.

I quit my job and traveled Wait, are you moving ahead with the study and surgery already?

The vast majority will vote Dr. Ron. Not to say Dr. Paul isn't a quality surgeon too, but Dr. Ron taught Dr. Paul.

They will fall, if they don't, you need to assist them. The implanted hair can appear quite sturdy to the touch and definitely requires a good shampooing. Again don't force the issue, but it's not uncommon for some to take longer to fall than others. At week 5 I had a lot of hair sticking around. I was hoping I was one of the fortunate few that kept some hair that just continued to grow out. In rare situations this happens. After a few more liberal shampooing sessions most of it began to fall. I'd say 10% did stick around. Best advice-consult your clinic. When I sent pics I was told it was being too gentle. I was.

Cooley seems quite comfortable wth this approach on certain candidates. I would consult with as many names as you can. There's others but here's one: http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/181923-dr-cooley-unshaven-fuss-4289-nw5.html

You're still very early. I'm falling victim to these timelines too, but like mentioned above, there really is so much variability. Initial growth isn't even supposed to really kick in until month 4, so to expect a visually impactful result just 3 months later is a lot to ask. Spex recently mentioned that at month 6, you're only 50% there. Most importantly, it sounds like you're seeing a lot of activity.

Cooley has produced some nice non shave results recently. Alexander too. I don't know if Konior does, I don't believe H+W will, and I think SMG is flexible. Can't speak for any others.