Slush

My doc said wear a hat when possible and use sunscreen aerosol when exposed. No other hard restrictions. This is what I did pre-HT.

Since I have received a few PMs regarding healing, here is Day 30. I am wearing concealer, which clearly was self applied!

All done now!

3380 grafts in total; which I think is pretty good; I think the breakdown of the grafts was:

 

singles: 890

doubles: 2100

triples: 300

quadruples: 46

(or something like that; that may/may not add up right).

a bit sad i didn't get all that many triples;

 

Since we have similar hair, you can compare to my data. I averaged 1.90 hairs/graft, and you averaged a similar 1.83/graft. While you didn't rock the triples, you impressively had quads!!!

My data:

Single: 662

Double: 2003

Triple: 363

Total: 3025

Grow on, bro!

I started and only made it three doses (0.25mg EOD) before I stopped. No side effects at all. I just went back to my position of not desiring to alter natural hormones. To say I'm conflicted would be an understatement.

I can't wait to see your progress!!!

I just checked my email from Spex. He did say after a week on aloe/witch hazel/etc. He said mother nature is the best healer, so don't mess with it!

Also said a month for ketaconozle shampoo and 10 days for minoxidil.

Of course contacting your doc is best. I had seriously dry scalp around the same period. My doc had me do antiobiotic ointment for a night and it solved the problem. Be gentle for the first week and follow post op instructions to a T. After that you can go with your products. Spex, I believe, suggested those products after Day 7.

One day shy of a month.

Everyone says, "Don't look at the mirror a lot after your HT." I have done that, but instead I just look at pics and what I "feel".

I shed most of the transplanted hair. My native hair in the frontal third that was shaved has grown back. Now the interesting change, is that I can see black "specs" in the recipient area where I didn't have native hair. In fact, I can even feel stubble or perhaps lingering scabs and dry skin. This is reminiscent of new hair sporting after starting Minoxidil. This seems early, so perhaps this isn't HT growth, but I'm hopeful.

Beware prospective HT patients, this is the nitty gritty, obsessive, and hope you'll undoubtedly go through!

High res pic added.

I live in LA but went to Dr. Alexander in Phoenix, AZ. I was willing to go anywhere.

Your concerns sound like you should consider FUT. FUT gives you more available donor hair and costs less. Make sure and research trichophytic closures. FUT scars have come a very long way.

Remember that it doesn't matter what others think (if you are thinking), what matters is how you feel.

I can't wait to see how this goes for you! We have very similar hair. I went FUT on the hairline first.

Pics from Day 23

These are noteworthy because they were my first time out in public without a hat on. I am in Las Vegas with my girlfriend and we went to a club, so no hats.

Guys, get your girlfriend/wife to help with concealing! I know she doesn't have the​ patience to do this for me every day, but this was pretty wicked. The scalp had a yellow concelear on it, and I learned, "of course it looks good, yellow concealer cancels out redness." Who knew?

Grow hair, grow!

I am seeing another downside of having my hair cut so short. I can see where my diffuse thinning is occuring really well. The third picture shows this unfortunate side of me. I can see where my crown shedding will take me with time. (Yes, I know Finasteride is an option but I still am reluctant despite starting a very small dose last week.) One of my long-term concerns is that my hair continues to receed on the sides or the very back of the crown, and I end up having this awkward gap between natural hairline and transplanted hair. (Dr. Alexander listened to this concern and said he transplants with future recession in mind.)

In any case, Day 22! I'm sharing because I wanted to see pictures for myself. I'm eager for the donor area to be covered! The recipient redness is fading quickly, but I do have a touch of Dermmatch on from 12-hours ago.

My shed was just as sudden at Day 14. It happened in mass. At a week the follicles are supposed to be firmly implanted. A month would suggest you have little to worry about. Contact your doctor if you want to be sure. Seems normal to me.

Yes, that all sounds about right to me.

I advise not rushing into anything and get a second consultation.

You have a lot of hair and it sounds like you just started meds. I would definitely wait and see what the meds do with more time.

Thank You Doc and Triple7!

Another day in the books and one day closer to my donor area being regrown and covered!

Link to BHT thread

While it could be feasible, it may not give you the result you desire. BH isn't exactly like hair on your head. In fact, a doctor posted on here within the last few weeks about a BHT. Its facinating, but the conclusion was that it's best as a last resources and better for thickening "coverage". Essentially, it likely won't grow or match typical head hair.

If you are not opposed to Propecia (I have been), then it may be best to wait. Try it and or minoxidil and see if you are comfortable delaying things for a while. In some ways this is a game of patience, if you can protect what you have long enough maybe another treatment comes available, like a better medicine, stem cells, etc. You're young, who knows?

Given that you want to maintain maximum donor potential, and that you never wear your hair short, FUT sounds like a great route for you if you are set on a HT.

It looks great!

I also got transplant graft data!

Single: 662

Double: 2003

Triple: 363

Total: 3025

Yes. I was pretty concerned about the scar and it was doctor recommended.

I've had some just like this. I am at Day 20.

1) Depends on the person. I'm quite pale, but at 3 weeks things look acceptable. Concealer helps but in truth a little redness is not as big of a deal as you think. It took between 2-3 weeks for me to go from bruised looking to sunburned.

2) My hair shed in mass at two weeks. I read that it can be anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks for the shed. Like redness, shedding varies by person.

3) My scabs showerd up after a day or two, and were mostly gone by day 10. I was scab free when I returned for work on Day 12.

Today is day #20. Everything is going well. Last Friday (Day 16) I had my hair cut short to help the overall look of my head. (See link in signature for details.) I wish I had made this haircut for the surgery, as I'd be past the concern of concealing the donor area by now. I am still wearing a hat to work, even though my friends tell me it's not necessary. I have gotten away with it, so I plan to continue through the week.

I snapped updated pics. I am pleasantly surprised at how good it all looks. The recipient area looks very red under the light, but it's minimal now in regular light especially with a little Dermmatch concealer. The shed appears nearly complete and it doesn't look bad. My hair that was shaved before the surgery is growing back in the hairline, so I think I'll look like normal in a couple of weeks without any sign of the procedure. The scar I cannot see, of course, but the pictures I have attached speak pretty loudly. There's a little shock loss below the donor area, but it's minimal Lastly, I definitely itch on the crown and especially the donor area at night while I sleep!

Grow hair grow!