Thanks, I'm just approaching 9 months. I did not tell anyone that I had one, other than of course my wife. People have noticed that I let my hair grow out, but I think it has a lot to do with your normal day to day look. Also, most people are pretty naive in regards to hair, unlike us...who you could probably say obsess over it. I let my hair grow out in the past, and used concealer to pull off a short hair style, but most people don't know about concealer, or what to look for. Then, when I felt my hair was too far gone for concealer, I buzzed it super short, which then looks like a choice to most. After my HT I wore a hat, and still do, on most days...so no one really ever saw my head. When it grew out, and I would style my hair...people would just say..."I never see you without a hat"...or "didn't know you had hair"...and I'd just make a snappy remark and move on. Again...most people either just don't care, or are dumb in regards to hair.
If you look back at my early pics, everything up to 4 months was shaved with a 1/2 guard, and 4 months was with a 1. Being that they are still pics, you might be able to detect some thinning from fue...but I didn't see it IRL. My new pics were with a 3, and it gives me the "short sides" look I like. I could easily do a 1-2. In fact. I could buzz my head with a 1 all over and not see fue marks.
For now I think this is as short as I'd want it, as it helps to look more full and gives coverage to some spots that may still be a little thin.
If you are worse than I was I would think you'd want more than 4k...that is unless your hair is considerably thicker/coarser. I'm planning on going back for about 1500 more.