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KLHT

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Everything posted by KLHT

  1. Hey guys, I finally started Finasteride after 5 years of hesitation (and a lot of lost hair). I've been on 0.5 mg of Propecia every other day (MWF) for the past 2 weeks. Just today in the morning, I woke up and felt really dizzy. This went on for the next 2 hours and then everything subsided. It's the first time I've experienced this since I started. Should I be concerned? Anyone had a similar story?
  2. Thanks for the feedback everyone! @hyperhair I remember it was the other way around. It was your thread that encouraged me to go to Yaman. Anyway, I have already consulted with some top clinics and they confirmed that there are still some grafts (not a lot) that can be extracted from the back of my head and my beard. The only way to be sure is to be accurately assessed in-person. I'm not losing hope yet. @aaron1234 and @Melvin-Moderator Let's suppose that as you said, I've lost all my existing hair and the only hairs left are the transplanted ones. 1st question: do you think this still is a satisfactory result given the amount of grafts and the transplanted area? I think the hairline, which was not there prior to my transplant and completely constructed from scratch during it, is extremely thin and unnatural knowing that a good amount of grafts was placed there. Any comments on that? 2nd question: do you think the donor area has been well taken care of? I'm here for honest opinions and I want the clinic to be fair with me and vice-versa. @Egy Let me check if I have any pictures showing the evolution from that period. I will definitely upload them once I find any.
  3. Hi everyone! First of all, I want to apologize for not providing any updates. I know it would've helped many of you but a lot has been happening during the past years so apologies again. Anyway, I'm attaching images of my hair after around 3 and a half years post-op. These were taken after a hair cut and in normal lighting conditions. Under harsh lighting, the hair looks so much thinner (both the donor area as well as the transplanted one). I believe most of my existing hair on top is gone - I'm still using minox and tried finasteride but had some side effects so I had to stop. However, I'll be trying finasteride again soon. All in all, I am not happy with the results and with how my hair currently looks - I believe it is very thin and the hairline looks unnatural. Before I judge and decide on whether it is fair to speak to the clinic if possible, I would like to know the forum's input on whether this is what I should have expected given the transplanted area and the number of grafts. You guys have more experience than I do so please let me know what you think.
  4. I've had my HT 8 weeks ago and as expected, most of my transplanted hair has shed between Day 10-Week 6. However, some grew and did not fall. The growth of the transplanted hairs has been at different rates, some are very short and some are long. Some of these transplanted hairs that did not shed are recently shedding (weeks 7 and 8). Is this normal? Anyone has a similar experience? The reason why I ask is because I've read that the shedding usually takes place between day 10 and week 6.
  5. Looks very good for 6 months! Also interested to see the scar
  6. Hey guys, I've been using using Bailleul Minoxidil 5% (which is liquid) for some time now and I just switched to Rogaine Foam. I've never applied minoxidil foam so I would like your opinions and advice on how to best apply it. Do I apply directly to the scalp then massage? Or do I spray on my fingers first and then use my fingers to apply to my scalp? (I apply it to all zones (1,2,3,4,5,6) ) Thanks
  7. Thanks KO, HTsoon, and Dr Bloxham! I am following the clinic's post-op instructions and will of course do so till the end, but was just wondering what members/physicians on this forum think since I believe my clinic was too conservative when it comes to heavy weight lifting. Better to be conservative than going wrong when it comes to healing
  8. Hey everyone, Would like to hear your/your surgeon's recommendation on when an FUE patient can start lifting heavy after his procedure? I'm no weight lifter but I like to stay in shape and push myself when I am working out.
  9. Are we talking only about FUT here? Anyone know what H&W's instructions regarding weight lifting for FUE patients? Or your surgeon for that matter?
  10. Hey everyone, Since I'm using Xpecia, I can confirm that it is not a form of Propecia. It is a multi-vitamin containing Saw Palmetto, Zinc, Biotin etc... Propecia by Merck is available for purchase in Turkey though. Hope this helps.
  11. Congrats on your new procedure, looking forward to your progress. When were you advised to restart using Minoxidil and Lipogaine Big 3 Shampoo?
  12. Hey man, I'm experiencing some shock loss in my donor area as well. When you feel the need to conceal it, just sprinkle some toppik there or use dermmatch and no one will ever suspect a thing... It will definitely work imo since you've already let your donor hair grow (as per your 2.5 month post-op picture). First make sure that it is fine to do that with your surgeon but I do not see why it would be a problem at this stage.
  13. Hello everyone, It is 3 weeks post op now and I have a very oily scalp along with dandruff. My donor area is also still red, although less than before, but still visible. I also think I have some shock loss in the donor area. The doctor recommended the use of ketoconazole 2% once every 2 days. He's afraid that I might have dermatitis. (I am in a different country so his evaluation was based on images) So just to have other opinions and advice, will the dandruff affect my transplanted hairs and is it safe to use nizoral 3 weeks post op?
  14. Few are the people who actually take photos this clear resembling how their hair looks in real life in different lighting and conditions. Looking back at where you started, I think that this is a major improvement! In case the density does not get better during the next months (since some people experience progress after the 1 year mark), I think another 800 grafts, more or less, will do the job. Best of luck anyway!
  15. Hey everyone, I am now 17 days post op. I have some questions that I would really appreciate if anyone can help and reply. Even before my HT, I had an oily scalp. I think due to my shaved head, it is now more evident than ever and it's really bothering me and leading to dandruff. By oily, I mean extremely oily. I think the oil has increased after I stopped using Minoxidil around 15-18 days before my hair transplant. I've been using the shampoo recommended by the clinic. As soon as it is done, I will have to go back to using a shampoo of my choice. Is there any shampoo that is able to combat this oily scalp while also having some benefits for my hair (lipogaine, nizoral ...?) Any suggestions? I'm also open to any other methods. I have also spoken to the clinic and I'll wait for their suggestions, but I'd like to hear your advice.
  16. Hey everyone, Even before my HT which was a bit over 2 weeks ago, I had an oily scalp. I think due to my shaved head, it is now more evident than ever and it's bothering me. By oily, I mean extremely oily I've been using the shampoo recommended by the clinic. As soon as it is done, I will have to go back to using a shampoo of my choice. Is there any shampoo that is able to combat this oily scalp while also having some benefits for my hair (lipogaine, nizoral ...?) Any suggestions? I'm also open to any other methods.
  17. Thanks baldbeard! Like I specified before, I started massaging gently in circular motions starting yesterday (day 10 post-op) to remove the (many) scabs that I have. I am doing this twice a day. Today, 11 day post-op, I finished my first shower and there were also a lot of scabs with hairs falling. (no blood though). You can see in the picture a part of what I was talking about; this is at least what I could take a picture of, but there were more of these. I checked with the doctor and he said that there is nothing to worry about. Note that I still have a lot of scabs and I am still being gentle, afraid of putting more effort so I do not see more of these hairs with scabs. What do you all think? It it normal and should I apply more force? Wanted to hear your opinions and people who have already went through this just to put my mind at ease.
  18. Thanks for the advice and for your replies Spanker, Nsar and Hyperhair. As specified, I already have bought Propecia and will most probably start taking it in a low dosage next week. Today is 10 day post-op and I started gently massaging to remove the scabs. I noticed that some hairs were falling as you can in the images. Is that normal? Can someone explain if they are lost grafts? Since I read somewhere that at this stage it is very hard to lose grafts and if no bleeding is evident then the grafts are still secure, but I just want to make sure. Thanks!
  19. Hello everyone, A little bit about myself. I’m approaching my mid 20s and have been suffering from hair loss ever since I was probably 17. Going bald at such an early age sucks; I’m sure a lot can relate. Been researching hair transplants since the age of 20 and thanks to this community, I have gained some knowledge regarding this subject and the importance of choosing the right doctor and most importantly having realistic expectations. I’ve been on minoxidil 5% for around 4 years, maybe more as far as I can remember so I was pretty aware that the first line of defense against hair loss is medications, primarily minoxidil and finasteride. Never took finasteride even though it is claimed that the side effects will disappear once I stop, noting that I am aware it is the most effective medication. I haven’t completely ruled out the possibility of taking it yet however, I actually bought it today just in case I change my mind. Regarding minox, can’t say much about it except that I feel it might have slowed down the rate of my hair loss although I still lose some hairs, so I don’t know exactly how effective it is. My father is a NW6 and like me he started losing hair at an early age so I know where I’m headed. I also am keeping the possibility that I might end up even worse. His donor is still strong though. Anyway, a year and a half ago, I contacted lots of clinics and sent them pictures for some consultations. Most of them (the reputable ones) turned me down because I was young, I knew I was. Dr. Yaman was one of those who turned me down and advised to get on medications. Almost a year and a half later, I started sending my images to a lot of doctors to get some insights, all recommended by this forum and some were coalition members. Their approach was a conservative hairline transitioning into the mid-scalp without touching the crown which should be tackled at a later stage. So after a lot of research and considering several factors, I focused on Turkey. So I started looking there and narrowed my choices to 3-4 doctors, including Dr. Yaman who is recommended. I contacted the patients from this forum who had their transplants at his clinic and they were satisfied with the experience. I also contacted patients on other forums and they said their experience was positive. Therefore, I booked my procedure on October 18, 2016. All communication was through Fikret. Very nice and funny; top guy! Answered all my questions and was there to help from day one. He always made sure that everything is going fine. I arrived to Istanbul a day before the procedure and was picked up by their driver who took me to the hotel. Then I met Fikret who accompanied me to the clinic. Dr. Yaman checked my donor area and said that it is good and that I have several double and multiple grafts, measured my hair caliber, drew a preliminary hairline etc... Due to my young age and taking into account future hair loss, we agreed that we will focus on the frontal third by restoring the hairline and adding some density to the mid-scalp, leaving the crown for future procedures. I asked who will perform the procedure, and Dr. Yaman specified that he will design the hairline, initially apply the anesthesia and perform all incisions. He also said that he can do all extractions if that’s what I wanted (I was the only patient in the clinic on this day as per my request) but there is Ali, the only person who is allowed to extract besides Dr. Yaman. Dr. Yaman and Fikret assured that Ali is the expert for extractions and has been working with the doctor for 6 years. So I agreed. The nurses will collect the grafts and plant them. And this is what happened. Dr. Yaman designed the hairline the next day and did all incisions. He took some time to design it specifying that it is very important to get it right. Ali extracted the grafts, and the nurses planted them. Dr. Yaman checked on me twice or 3 times and said that I will have very good results (hopefully ☺ ). Fikret was always there to assist. I started the procedure at around 11 in the morning and was done on 20:30 including a 15-30 minute break. It was a long day. Didn’t feel pain except a little of discomfort when the anesthesia was applied, then nothing. When I was done, I was given some antibiotics, a pillow, some pills for the swelling, shampoos… I went to the clinic 3 times to wash my head and they always made me feel welcome. I also bought some Xpecia (multi-vitamins that include saw-palmetto, biotin, zinc…) and a box of Propecia that I might try. I will also be buying MSM, and plan to continue minoxidil in about 2-3 weeks. I will be adding lipogaine or nizoral as well at a later stage. Information about the procedure, my hair, and plans for the future. Total Donor Capacity: Around 5,400 grafts Hair Thickness: 0.06 mm (I have wavy hair) Grafts Transplanted: 3,400 as per the below: 680 single 1850 double 870 multiple We decided not to touch the crown. I reckon it will be bald in a couple of years if I don’t get on Finasteride. Around 1,350 grafts were used to restore the hairline with a density of 42-44 grafts/cm2, and 1,950 behind the hairline and in the mid-scalp with a density of 25 grafts/cm2. You can see in the pictures that I still have hair there. The rest (about 100) were put into a scar on my left temple that I had since I was born. Let’s hope I don’t encounter any shock loss of my native hairs. The procedure was divided into 2 sessions done on the same day: One for 1,650 grafts and the other for 1,750. The doctor said that in the future I might use a few of the remaining grafts for re-touch if needed and plant the rest in the crown area. I personally am willing to leave the crown very thin if not bald, or use the least amount of grafts there along with some beard and body hair (I have excess and very thick beard and body hair). My main focus would be on the hairline, mid-scalp and lateral humps. Here are some pre-op (one under very harsh lighting), immediately post-op, and 8 days post-op images. All in all, it was a positive experience and I am satisfied with the way things went. I will have to wait for the results which are the most important part. Hope this helps others considering a hair transplant. Let me know what you think or whether you have any questions. Will try to update on a monthly basis.
  20. Thank you for the reply. Yes it was minimal and only from the donor area which was on the pillow. Recipient area was not touched. You said saline spray to the donor is fine, how about the recipient? No I haven't started Fin. Was on minoxidil prior to surgery but stopped it 2-3 weeks before my hair transplant as per the doctor's instructions.
  21. Hello everyone, Felt like I would ask some questions to put myself at ease. I slept with the airplane pillow during the first night in an elevated position as specified by the doctor and everything was fine. However, it was very uncomfortable for me during the second night so I just slept on my donor area in the same position with a towel on the pillows directly. I woke up 2 hours later and there was some blood on the towel. No grafts were lost, i did not sleep nor rub my recipient area as the transplanted areas were only the hairline and mid-scalp. The blood was from the donor. Is this fine/normal? Second, will applying a saline spray to both the donor and recipient cause any harm? And third, before my HT, I had a very oily scalp. When I look in the mirror now after my hair transplant, the scalp is extremely, extremely oily. What does this mean and can it affect my grafts? Thank you in advance for the help
  22. Hello everyone, I just finished my hair transplant 2 hours ago. I know this sounds stupid but some drops of water from the shower (don't ask why I was inside) fell on the recipient area. A couple drops and not much, no pressure also. I will of course be seeing the doctor tomorrow and will tell him about it but would like your opinions as well. Is it fine or is there a possibility the the grafts are damaged? I did not touch my recipient area and let the drops dry out by themselves as they were not too many. Awaiting your replies
  23. Congrats on your HT and best of luck! Are you using Aloe Vera on both the recipient and the donor?
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