Nashville Kat

Hair Apparent, Your exactly right. Having a HT done does affect you more than just the cosmetics of it. I'm with you 100% in the fact that you did the right thing for you and I'm also 100% sure you will be happier with whatever result you end up with as opposed to doning a hair piece everyday. Actually I think thats what you and your wife are both already saying. Bruce Willis Huh!! Some guy's just have all the luck. Mines more like a egg!!. Whatever happens it sounds like your already happier. You have definately got the right attitude about the whole thing. Do your research,decide if it's right for you,pick the right Doctor for you then live with the results without any regrets. I think we probably just need to remove all the mirrors in the house for awhile and forget we even had the surgery until it grows in. Waiting and watching everyday is by far the hardest part. It's like sitting out in the yard watching the grass trying to see if you can catch it growing!!! Patience is a virtue and I'm positive Dr. Cooley did a most excellent job on your noggin that you will be proud of when you get through the sprouting and doubting stage. Best of luck my friend and stay in touch!!!! Nashville

Hair Apparent, Great to hear your begining to see some progress. You have gotta be thrilled. I hear what your saying about not being able to see the new growth when you back away from the mirror a little. My transplanted hair that did not shed can be seen pretty good in the mirror but when you back up a little it kind of goes away. Mine seems to be a little lighter in color and definately finer. The color change seems to be in the area where I have been using the Rogain. I wondering if that is whats causing it. Anyway, It's great to hear your getting a burst of new growth but depressing to think I might have another 4 months to go to start seeing that kind of growth. I did go into this knowing that was a possibility, just sucks having to wait. I'm not that good at waiting but have heard that good things come to those who wait. Good luck on your scar revision next month and when you think you have enough growth to share pic's with the rest of us, I know we would all like to share the moment with you. Good luck and happy growing!! Nashville Kat

Hair Apparent,Pat, Thanks for the positive comments. When are you going to post some photo's of your work Hair Apparent? I would like to see how your coming along. I have been following your posts and would like to see and hear how it's going. I'm just sitting and waiting for growth and it's at least encouraging to see others doing well that came before me. Nashville

Sorry Eddie, but I'm behind you at 2 months post op. From what I understand your about right on the timing for new growth. I'm sure you got a great HT from MHR. I have some friends that came out fine from there also. All I was saying earlier is that if I'm paying the Doctor mega bucks to do surgery on me,Then I expect him to do the surgery on me and not his assistants. I did not hire his assistants to do the work!!.I am really anxious to see your pic's of the work you had done. Good luck and happy growing!! Nashville

Eddie, What dots are you talking about? If your talking about the recipent area, mine were all gone within 2 to 3 weeks. Nashville Kat

My personal position is that if I am paying this Doctor thousands of dollars to do surgery on me, I EXPECT HIM to do the incisions at the recipent site AND place the grafts himself or at the least if it is a large session be there placing grafts while an assistant helps on the other side. MY idea of surgery is not assistants doing the surgery and the Doc checking in every so often seeing how its going. That's why he's getting paid soooo much. I'm sure you will still get great results Eddie and would very much like to see your photo's. Good Luck!!! For DRL, PLEASE do a little more research here and ask questions before deciding on which Doctor you will use.This is VERY,VERY,VERY IMPORTANT!!! After doing the due diligence you may still decide that MHR is where you want to go, just make sure before you go because you can't change your mind after. Nashville

MDM I'll try to look up that song and check it out. Great choice on the southern wife. Had one from Georgia try to catch me a few years back, and looking back from here I think I made a big mistake. Nashville

C2 Try going to new at the top of the page the photo album then follow directions. I found it pretty easy. Looking forward to the pics. Nashville

MDM, That's kinda my plan as we say here in Nashville. I'm very familiar with Columbia,TN. and spent lots of time there but have no clue what the hell your talking about playing "clean as country water" although it sounds nice. I have drinken lots of it but some how don't think that's what your talking about. Spent lots of time around Birminham too. Nice!!! You gotta love those southern women!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nashville

Thanks for the kind comments guy's. Dr. Cooley actually wanted to bring the hairline down just a little further. After some discussion about my expectations and my history we decided that with the number of grafts we were doing, I would rather have the coverage further back. I have always had a high hairline even when I had a head full of hair so this made more since to me. I'm 45 so I really did not want a hairline too low anyway. I plan on letting this HT grow in plus see what results I get from propecia in the crown then maybe go back and fill in the crown some and then if I want the hairline lowered a little and the sides filled in I will do that then. This may not be the best plan for everyone but it seemed to fit me best. I know some guy's may think that the hairline is still high but it's not very far off from where it was when I was sixteen. Nashville Kat

The before photo's with the blue background were taken at Dr. Cooley's office the morning before my HT. The after shots with the blue background were taken the morning following my HT at Dr. Cooley's office after clean up. The rest of the pics were taken at home before and right after I got back at my barbers. As you can see, I was never really that red or swollen,this was about as bad as it got. I don't know if it has anything to do with it, but Dr. Cooley used a needle in the recipent site instead of a scapel which he said does less trama. Also as you can see the scar shot is at 6 weeks and is really flat and hard to find just by feeling. Maybe these shots will help clarify my written description of my experience. These are the things I found most helpful on this forum that kept me from making a huge mistake by picking the wrong clinic to go to. I almost made a decision on a advertised chain locally before I found this site and got some very good education. Thank God I found it in time. I hope this helps someone else keep from making a bad decision.

Thanks Eric, Actually the scar goes from ear to ear in sort of a smiley face shape. I just could not hold my hair to where I could get a shot of the whole thing. I really hope yours gets better with time. Good luck!!! Nashville Kat

These are my pre and post HT pictures including a 6 week scar shot. For those with inquiring minds!! By the way, I've never made good photo's.

These are my pre and post HT pictures including a 6 week scar shot. For those with inquiring minds!! By the way, I've never made good photo's.

Eric123, I have been reading through your posts about your scar and it seems as if you are unhappy with the results that you are experiencing. I believe that you will find throughout this forum a great variety of results with different Doc's and also no matter which Doc did the work, all patients heal differently.Post-Op care can also make a difference. I believe that if you will read back through what I have posted you will not find where I said that I can't find my donor scar or that it's invisable. What I did say, is that you can hardly feel where it's at and that it's hard to find just feeling. Since I know where it is I can find it, but it is at this point pretty much as smooth as the rest of my scalp.There is no raised ridge or bump. If you raise my hair where the scar is you can see it. It's not invisable. You can also see a slight line in my hair on the back where the scar is which I understand will go away when the hair grows back in. Also I personally don't have any numbness in my scar area although I understand it is quite normal to have some. As NC30 said, I did not make a comment that my barber could not find my scar. I will e-mail Aileen again today and see if I can get her to e-mail me my before and after pictures so that I can post them and will try to get some updated photos as soon as there is something new there to show. I'm really sorry your not as happy about your scar as I am but I am really happy with mine. It exceeds what I actually expected. I do wish you luck with yours and hope it gets better. p.s. I know you did't call me a liar but just for the record, I really try not to lie!!! Nashville Kat

Thanks hair apparent. Your right, the waiting is absolutely the hardest part. I just got back from the barber and he say's he already sees some new sprouts coming through the skin. I started drinking whey protein after my HT at my barbers suggestion along with biotin,MSM and gelatin supplement every day. I don't know if this has anything to do with such quick growth but he thinks it does. If anyone else has any experience with this I would love to hear your comments. Nashville Kat

Northern, Great growth so far. I seem to be getting a few new hairs growing back in pretty fast. I mention this because I have a itching like crazy off and on day then it quits and then 3-4 days later I can see new little hairs popping thru. I'm wondering if the itching might have to do with the new hair coming back through the skin. Don't know for sure just a thought. Good Luck!! Nashville Kat

Eric, I'm not sure if this would cause a bigger scar or not. Seems as if it might but you should consult the Doctor who did your surgery. Mine were not overly tight nor did I have a ridge. Mine was very smooth from the start. Just some swelling for a few weeks. Good Luck Nashville Kat

Brando, I'm sorry, your right it was January 19th 2005 when I had my surgery. I have to write the date so much in my work that I screwed that up. Your also right when you say Dr. Cooley is consistent. My experience pretty much mirrored the rest I've seen here. Thats why I ultimately picked him. Seems as if his patients had less complications after surgery. I've got to say that alot of pictures I've seen here of guy's after 1500 or more fu's look pretty gruesome. I had 2500 and my head was never really that red and I could not be more pleased with my scar in the donor area. Like I said I can't hardly find it just feeling. I don't think I could be more pleased with my experience. Thanks to the rest for the well wishes and if anyone has any specific questions I will be glad to answer them.

Sorry it's taken me so long to post an update but I've been slammed at work since I got back. I can say that my experience with Dr. Cooley was a very good one. I got to Charlotte on 1-18-05 in the afternoon and took a cab from the airport over to Dr. Cooley's office. Dr. Cooley met with me and talked about where I was and where I wanted to be and did some drawing on my head to make sure we were both on the same page. We were. Dr. Cooley's assistant drove me over to my hotel which they arranged for me and paid for. The next morning Dr. Cooley himself came by my hotel around 7:45am and picked me up and took me to his office with him. He drew on my head again where he would be working gave me some valium and started giving me the local on my head. This part probably hurt the worst although he did use some sort of massager beside where he put the shots and it really was not bad. He had me lay on my stomach and gave me a IV shot of something and I really don't remember much after that until he was just finishing stitching the donor area. Right away several assistants started disecting the folicals and Dr. Cooley started making the incisions in the recipent area with a small needle. When that was done they brought me a sandwich that I picked out that morning and I got to eat and take a quick smoke before starting with the grafts. Actually he gave me several quick bathroom and smoke breaks all day, though he did give me the stop smoking lecture but I guess that he figured that I was'nt going to quit that day. After the quick lunch he started placing the grafts and did not stop excpt for the breaks already noted for the rest of the day. Around 5-5:30 his wife started calling wanting to know when he would be done. She called a couple more times before 9:00pm when we got done.The last thing was the temple area which had been gone for so long I didn't even realize that I needed them back. He did not use the massager when he numbed the temples and that smarted a bit for a couple of minutes. They had saved the most fine single hairs they had harvested for this and I think he did a great job. Dr. Cooley NEVER sped up or rushed even though the little lady wanted him home. He absolutely took his time and did what I think is a great job. When we were through Dr. Cooley drove me back to my hotel and then came back the next morning to the hotel and brought me back to his office for a check up and cleaning. After that he gave me a kit of stuff to use on my head and $40 bucks to pay for the cab back to the airport. I have to say that I was planning on taking a cab back and forth to his office and was surprized when he picked me up and drove me back and forth. I was their only patient for the day and was made to feel that way. Since getting home I was surprized that I have had little redness in the recipent area although some itching. A nurse friend of mine looked at the donor area and said she thought that his suture work was about as good as she has ever seen. I too am impressed with my scar. I am 5 weeks post-op and can hardly feel where its at. I had a head full of little hairs for about 2 weeks then about 85-90% shed. This part sucks!! What did not come out is growing and is 1/4 to 1/2 inch long. Hardly any of the temple hairs came out and are growing nicely. I was forced to go back to work 2 days after I got back and most people did not notice I had anything done except that I had a head full of little hairs. I am now in the stage of waiting. You guy's were right, this is the worst part but I got so up seeing where my hair will be and how much that it is definately worth the wait. Sorry this is so long but I wanted to give those that have not had a HT yet an idea of what my experience was like. I'll post pics as soon as Aileen sends them to me.

Sorry it's taken me so long to post an update but I've been slammed at work since I got back. I can say that my experience with Dr. Cooley was a very good one. I got to Charlotte on 1-18-05 in the afternoon and took a cab from the airport over to Dr. Cooley's office. Dr. Cooley met with me and talked about where I was and where I wanted to be and did some drawing on my head to make sure we were both on the same page. We were. Dr. Cooley's assistant drove me over to my hotel which they arranged for me and paid for. The next morning Dr. Cooley himself came by my hotel around 7:45am and picked me up and took me to his office with him. He drew on my head again where he would be working gave me some valium and started giving me the local on my head. This part probably hurt the worst although he did use some sort of massager beside where he put the shots and it really was not bad. He had me lay on my stomach and gave me a IV shot of something and I really don't remember much after that until he was just finishing stitching the donor area. Right away several assistants started disecting the folicals and Dr. Cooley started making the incisions in the recipent area with a small needle. When that was done they brought me a sandwich that I picked out that morning and I got to eat and take a quick smoke before starting with the grafts. Actually he gave me several quick bathroom and smoke breaks all day, though he did give me the stop smoking lecture but I guess that he figured that I was'nt going to quit that day. After the quick lunch he started placing the grafts and did not stop excpt for the breaks already noted for the rest of the day. Around 5-5:30 his wife started calling wanting to know when he would be done. She called a couple more times before 9:00pm when we got done.The last thing was the temple area which had been gone for so long I didn't even realize that I needed them back. He did not use the massager when he numbed the temples and that smarted a bit for a couple of minutes. They had saved the most fine single hairs they had harvested for this and I think he did a great job. Dr. Cooley NEVER sped up or rushed even though the little lady wanted him home. He absolutely took his time and did what I think is a great job. When we were through Dr. Cooley drove me back to my hotel and then came back the next morning to the hotel and brought me back to his office for a check up and cleaning. After that he gave me a kit of stuff to use on my head and $40 bucks to pay for the cab back to the airport. I have to say that I was planning on taking a cab back and forth to his office and was surprized when he picked me up and drove me back and forth. I was their only patient for the day and was made to feel that way. Since getting home I was surprized that I have had little redness in the recipent area although some itching. A nurse friend of mine looked at the donor area and said she thought that his suture work was about as good as she has ever seen. I too am impressed with my scar. I am 5 weeks post-op and can hardly feel where its at. I had a head full of little hairs for about 2 weeks then about 85-90% shed. This part sucks!! What did not come out is growing and is 1/4 to 1/2 inch long. Hardly any of the temple hairs came out and are growing nicely. I was forced to go back to work 2 days after I got back and most people did not notice I had anything done except that I had a head full of little hairs. I am now in the stage of waiting. You guy's were right, this is the worst part but I got so up seeing where my hair will be and how much that it is definately worth the wait. Sorry this is so long but I wanted to give those that have not had a HT yet an idea of what my experience was like. I'll post pics as soon as Aileen sends them to me.

Marcelo, I can honestly say that my experience could not have been any better. As you may have read, I live in Nashville and would not hesitate for a moment to travel back to Charlotte for further work in the future. I will post a complete report on my experience later today. Please look at that and if you still have questions I will be glad to answer them for you.

Brando Thanks again for the encouraging words. I am getting more excited everyday. Ailene e-mailed me with a couple of answers to questions and a list of a few things that would be handy to have around when I get back home so that I won't have to get out for a few days. I have been trying to tie up loose ends with clients I'm working with to make sure their taken care of while I'm away. The damndest thing happens everytime you try to go out of town though. I've had 3 new clients contact me in the last 2 days wanting to find homes so I have been running my ass off trying to do what I can before leaving. Anyway, If anyone has any ideas of anything else that I might find useful to have at home after the HT, please let me know. If not I'll talk to ya when the deed is done!!!

Brando, Thanks for the moral support also Brando. You are one of the ones I was speaking of earlier that helped me make my decision to use Cooley. I have heard only good about him. As I said earlier, I am just looking forward to starting to do something to get those wonderful little hair babies like you have, planted and nurtured back to health. I know it must be wonderful and I have complete confidence in Dr. Cooley. By the way congrats on your new babies, I'm sure your a proud Papa. I will post an update after I return from Charlotte. Wish me luck!!!

Mich Guy, Thanks for the no shave suggestion. I will do my best to keep what I have left until the transplants start growing. I am looking forward to just getting started and know that it will be worth it. Any referrals coming to the Nashville area, let me know. I need more HT money.