TrixGlendevon

FUE or FUT? FUT has the consideration of the scar too. My clinic said no weights for 6 months (!!!) which is a very long time but they did say I could boxing and swimming after a month I think. This was not because of the grafts but because of the scar and to avoid stretching it. It did feel tight on the back of my head too when I went back to doing weighted chinups after 6 months. Admittedly, this is the longest amount of time advised for avoiding weights I have seen but my scar is also a pencil line so who knows. Other clinics say there is no evidence to support the scar stretching from lifting weights - Feller and Bloxham is one such clinic (although I have actually only seen Feller comment on this so not sure if Bloxham holds the same opinion) and they also have great scars, from what I have seen.

If you have sense, you will avoid. Europe or North America only - if you don't have the money, save up for longer. 

23 minutes ago, kramer79 said:

When you say a number 3; Do you mean scissor cut to what is considered a number 3 or buzzed. I believe when buzzed there is more of a see through effect if i am not mistaken.

Also did you do scalp exercises and how was your laxity and donor rated?

Both!

Yeah but only a week before the procedure as I got a cancellation appointment for a week after my consultation. He said laxity was average/normal. Donor is above average but can't remember exact number of grafts I have to donate according to Hattingen. I do remember that Feriduni said he wouldn't do more than 7,500 but I could, in theory, take up to 9,000 but this was FUE (he didn't want to do FUT which is why I didn't go with him) so I don't know if this means I would have more or the same for FUT. Irrelevant either way as I am going to have one more procedure for ideally 3,000 if my laxity can take it, or 2,500 if not, and that is me done then.

16 minutes ago, kramer79 said:

I just took a look at your thread, very nice work and yes i can definitely see that scar being a non issue even at shorter lengths. I believe it will serve you well since you are not taking meds from a long term perspective.

After seeing Aftermath's Hasson result, his hairline looks killer and I am pondering whether that is something i should seek as well from Hasson or is it too aggressive for me.

I feel like it's all a balancing act

Again, this is why people are recommending in-person consultations. I think the decision regarding the clinic has been made and you are going with H&W. Now let them guide you as to what it is that will give you the best result for your unique case. They have been doing this for years and that is why they are in everybody's top 3 clinics. I would still have consultations with other clinics though to get their opinion(s) to inform your conversation with H&W.

My scar is invisible even at a number 3 in direct sunlight. I don't know if I could cut it shorter because I have never tried.

31 minutes ago, kramer79 said:

Honestly at this point I feel most comfortable going HW (especially FUT) but of course I will ultimately decide once i have more communication with their office and have some back and forth. Bloxham also looks solid for FUT. If i was going to go with a larger FUE i guess Bisanga would also be someone i would consider as well.

Of course distance shouldn't matter but they are geographically close as well so to travel elsewhere when i have one of the best clinics in the world relatively close is not something i am going to ignore lol

I guess my case is an odd one because usually in some other threads there is mention of how many grafts approximately a certain case needs or whether the crown should be also addressed in it's current state (educated input/opinions is what i am after so this way i have more to go on when moving forward)

Thanks for your replies guys.

It is not odd but you haven't told us anything like where you want the hairline etc. Typically somewhere between 1500-2000 would give you a very good result. I think FUT is the way forwards for you - I was on track to be a NW5 too (see my thread) and went with FUT. The scar is a non-issue at a top clinic. Bloxham is also great but I still think if you can choose between H&W and Bloxham, I would go with H&W. That is nothing against Feller and Bloxham at all, they do great work and Bloxham posts a lot on this board, but I can't think of many (any?) clinics that would beat H&W.

Ask for pain meds before the injections. This will be a common issue, I am sure.

Difficult to say, hence why people are recommending you visit doctors for consultations. To be honest, with Hasson and Wong, just flip a coin. You will get a stellar result either way.

FUT then FUE - no question about it. Speak to the ethical doctors who do both procedures. They will admit the transection rates for FUE are higher than for FUT.

I consulted with most of the major hair clinics in Europe, either online or in person, also avoided the UK and Turkey for the same reasons as you. There is also nothing in Ireland. Two more for you to consider before you make the plunge: Dr Feriduni and Hattingen Hair. Dr Feriduni has 100s of patient reviews (as opposed to clinic posted reviews) on this site alone. Hattingen Hair is not reviewed that much on this site as their market is typically the German and then the French market (check their forums out) but I was the first to do a review of them on this site (see my post) and others have followed suit. We all have great results. Both are ethical and both have worldwide reputations, including with other surgeons.

On 12/29/2020 at 11:35 PM, longhairkindacare said:

Hey all,

I decided to grow my hair out a few years ago, always wanted to.  In an unfortunate twist, I've also seen some serious receding over that time frame.  I've always had a serious widow's peak but I can't deny the hair loss anymore.

I'm 35 and have never looked into hair options before and have never used medication etc.  But I stumbled on this forum today and am wondering if a HT might be a good option for me to fill in the two receding areas above my temples.

I love doing research so will learn everything there is to know on here about the general process but wanted to get specific input on:

1. My actual hairline and if I'm a good HT candidate
2. Anything specific to long hair.  I'm guessing if I go HT I'd have to cut it all off for the procedure?  Does anyone do long hair transplants?  Could I grow it back out after?

Anyway, thanks for reading!

As far as I am aware, none of these people telling you to start on powerful medication that can alter your hormone balance, potentially forever, are doctors and none of them have seen you in person, given you an in person consultation or done any bloodwork to give this expert medical opinion. Google Post-Finasteride Syndrome. Even Feriduni does not recommend meds and laughs at the amount of non-medical professionals on forums giving this advice. Everybody online is an expert I suppose.

What do the men in your family look like? This will give you an insight into what your hairline destiny is. If it is just to fill in those temples with no real risk of it getting worse, why take meds? My advice is to go to several top clinics and get their opinion. If you don't live near any, many do online consultations and given that you are not even sure if you want a transplant yet, I think an online consultation at this stage will suffice. 

They will have to shave the donor area (the bit at the back where they take the grafts from). How much they have to shave it depends on if you have an FUE or FUT procedure done (FUT will be less shaving, FUE will mean shaving most of the back). It is a relatively small area so I think most doctors will recommend FUE but given you like your hair long, an FUT scar will easily be covered by the hair. I don't think they will need to shave the front. Your hair will grow back afterwards, yes. It is still your hair, just in a different place on the head. 

I agree with the above. Shortlist about 3-5 clinics and go and have an in-person consultation with them, even if you have to travel. I visited four, three of which are recommended on here. You're going to spend a lot of money on this so an extra few hundred dollars/euros/pounds/whatever to make sure you make the right choice is not a lot of money and the benefit/reward is massive.

Hasson and Wong is arguably the best clinic in the world. I think they are going to tell you that as you have a small area to fill that you should go FUE. However, I still think you need to have an in-person consultation with them first (and another couple of clinics to get a balanced opinion). 

On 11/23/2020 at 10:14 AM, TommyLucchese said:

Amazing work... I think I'm sold on Hattingen for when the time comes. This is the first time I've seen a HT hairline as conservative as mine was (I was 23 so it was necessary). When grown out and brushed down / forward you'd never know how conservative it is.... yours looks amazing.

Do you have a final result to post? And any updates on the crown / second procedure?

 

Thanks for the compliment! Yeah I wasn't overly happy at the time when he drew the hairline but the logic was that I am not taking any meds and so it is better to have a more conservative hairline and have more density plus Sever pointed out the same thing, when brushed down/forward, you will never know how conservative it is. I am glad I went with his advice as I am very pleased with the result. 

Because of lockdown and now travel restrictions (quarantine etc.), I still haven't been to the clinic to get the final check-up and final pics but I do intend to have a second procedure on the crown. I will post the final pics when I finally make it out to the clinic and will give an update on what we discuss for the second procedure. I am having one more and then I am done, irrespective of what it looks like after. We have talked on Skype already and would like to do a 2,500 graft procedure but I want a 3,000 one as I am just having one more procedure and that is it. We will have to see if my scalp has the laxity to do a 3,000 procedure or not though.

On 5/20/2020 at 7:25 PM, BOW32 said:

Fantastic result! Testimony to what a great clinic can achieve with a solid donor!  Enjoy 

Thanks! It was honestly one of the best decisions I have ever made and they are a fantastic clinic, as you say

On 5/20/2020 at 8:46 AM, mhaider1991 said:

I seem to be a bit slow grower also- almost at 6 months. See some growth in the crown but almost none in the front. Has me a bit worried. How were you in month 6?

Sorry I have not been using the forum as much since getting a warning for something stupid. At 6 months it was an improvement on pre-surgery but still pretty shitty and thin looking. How did your result turn out?

Great result! We are both happy customers it seems then

@HisHairnessI would not worry. Do not judge your case by other people and their progress. Everybody's physiology is different.

2 hours ago, HisHairness said:

Thanks for this review. It's also great to hear that you were a "slow grower" but clearly have excellent results at the 9-month mark. As a reference to your "slow-grower" comment - do you have any pics at the 3/4/5 or 6 month marks? 

I haven't seen that many posters who have great 9-month results who didn't also look great at the 5 or 6 month mark, so I'd love to see where you stood to compare!

Thanks

Thanks for the feedback. I only have a picture from not quite 5 months (4 months 3 weeks maybe?). Happy to share if you like? It is just one though and I can't find any more from around that time period. I do remember thinking at around the 6 month mark period though that I am behind from where I should be.

2 hours ago, Legend007 said:

Man trix , that looks really good .. they covered ur whole head with that amount of grafts is impressive .. congrats man  I think u be good for along while. 

Thanks Legend and good to see you back! Yeah I am impressed. The crown does need more work on it and I am looking at a second transplant which I have Skyped with the clinic about but really, needs to be done in person. I just need to wait for travel restrictions to be lifted first. My hair helps give the illusion of density too as it is thick and wavy/curly. Overall I am very pleased though.

1 hour ago, karatekid said:

Congratulation! results look great. You have hair characteristics similar to mine I see, kinda wavy,  Dont you style your hair somehow? I usually straighten it and use some hair cream.

Im very interested to see more photos as well when you get them, hairline, scar, etc.

Anyway, you look like a different person for sure, good to hear you are happy.

Thanks! No, I never style it to be honest. I am too lazy truth be told. Maybe I should though.......

I will definitely post more pics when I get out there after I can fly again. I have found some of the clinic and another older one of my hair pre-surgery.I will post them in a few mins. Not what you want though (just yet)

This guy, for example, does not have a great donor or hair characteristics and he went to a top clinic and got a great result with far fewer grafts:

There is actually another case I was looking for which highlights my point even better but I can't find it - I find the search feature on this site clumsy. Hattingen and H&W can deliver in cases like these and there are numerous cases on this forum and others to prove it.

On 5/10/2020 at 3:23 AM, giegnosiganoe said:

I'm considering anyone who can give me the best result. Having poor genes for scarring is what I'm worried about. I'm sure every amazing doctor has cases like this.

Is there any evidence to suggest you have poor genes for scarring? Do you have scars elsewhere on your body that haven't healed well?

Going to a top clinic will limit the risk of getting a bad scar. Depending on where in the world you are based, or where you are willing to travel to, we can give you recommendations. Having in-person consultations then would be the best way forward.

10 minutes ago, Melvin-Moderator said:

Of course they have several pages, they have been performing surgery for decades. Nevertheless, those are cherry picked and exceptional cases. I have yet to see more than a handful of regular guys come on this forum and reach that number of grafts in one sitting, and getting close to the same number of grafts twice is exceptionally rare. I would rather people look at the results posted on this forum as a gauge for what is realistic, because again those are best case scenarios, and may not reflect real world reality.

Also a fair point and I agree with using normal people as an indicator and not cherry picked amazing cases on the websites. 2 counter points: 1) I was just replying to your comment that implied this size of surgery is extraordinarily rare and I don't think it is at certain clinics. There are other fora too with cases. H&W also now do FUE which I think is more popular, rightly or wrongly, which also reduces the amount of these megasessions they do as it eats into the amount of FUTs they do. It does not mean they can't and don't still do them though. 2) this is why I suggest in-person appointments with top clinics to determine where they are on the scale of good candidates and that way can adapt their expectations accordingly. Without going back through the thread, I can't remember off the top of my head if the OP has had any consultations yet or not.

1 minute ago, Melvin-Moderator said:

There's a good video on coverage value by Dr. Lorenzo, but the density depends on the size of your scalp, the thickness of your hair follicle, and the density of your donor. To have the 'illusion of density' some require 40 grafts per cm2, but these are usually those with thick coarse hair. It's just not realistic to expect density, coverage, and all in one surgery for you. Your donor looks fine and on the sparse side. Guys like @TrixGlendevon are always impressive, but his hair his thick and curly, his coverage value is a lot different than yours. 

Completely agree! I have said this to people via PMs - don't look at my hair and expect the same result even going to the same surgeon with the same pattern. My hair calibre is about average, I was told, but it is wavy/curly. Which helps with coverage.

I was also told, as we are discussing density, by a couple of clinics (including mine) that the number isn't necessarily important as you can use some small tricks like putting hairs in at certain angles etc. to give even more illusion of density. I think having in-person consultations with top clinics that are ethical and get consistently good results over an extended period of time will 1) inform you about how good your donor is and what your expectations can be and 2) what kind of density you will need

1 hour ago, Melvin-Moderator said:

I know I’m saying what you don’t want to hear, but I say no. People throw around huge graft numbers around like it’s the norm. I can count on one hand the number of guys who’ve been able to get 5,000 grafts in one sitting.

With each strip excision you have less laxity, the chance of getting another mega-session is unlikely, again only a handful can. The chances of a stretched scar also increase. These are real possibilities that no one talks about. 

Your donor doesn’t look great, and your hair is fine. Add to that your expectations, and it’s a recipe for disappointment. This is a life commitment, and shouldn’t be taken lightly.

It’s easy for guys to say “get two mega-seesion FUE’s or FUT’s one for the front and one for the crown and bam done.” But for one what type of density are we talking, and two can your donor even withstand it. Graft estimates are just estimates, and there’s no guarantee you’ll get that many grafts.

That’s why I preach expectations above everything, because you can get a cosmetically good result, but become disappointed in the end due to failed expectations. 

Hasson and Wong have 3 pages of results on their website alone of patients with 5000 or more grafts done with them with good results. Hattingen regularly go above this number too but their website is limited in showing cases because of Swiss law. Both clinics get great results. It does depend on laxity, obviously, but I had average laxity overall (quite tight in the corners he said) and still got 4500 with no complications and a great scar. Just because most clinics can't do it does not mean it cannot be done and isn't done relatively regularly. I have seen more than a couple of very large FUEs from Eugenix too. If I go back for 2500-3000 grafts now, that will mean I have had 7000-7500 grafts as a NW5 which is pretty much what most people will have across their lifetime (if it needs that many grafts - lower NWs may not). I agree with your point about expectations but going to a world class clinic that specialises in doing work this size means you can are negating some of this risk and taking advantage of the virgin scalp with a huge amount of grafts and then touch up for increased density on a second pass.

8 minutes ago, Portugal25 said:

@Coady Dr. Reddy is the in the UK and he is really good!
The only issue is that he charges the same as some of the best in the world like Feriduni, Muresanu, Lorenzo, Couto.
What I think most HRN members say when talking about UK HT doctors is that the UK is too expensive for the quality offered (which doesn’t mean there aren’t doctors getting great results). 

Exactly this. Either pay the same on the Continent and get a stellar result or get the same result as in the UK but for a much cheaper price. The UK is overpriced relatively to markets that are a couple of hours away by plane or train.