Jjarden

Thank You SGS... I'm wondering what this means..."Then at about 3 months you'll be back to baseline with your native hair." Does that mean that at 3 months all the hair on my forehead should have the SAME density and thickness it did BEFORE the second surgery? Because if that's the case, at the three month point right now, it is most definitely NOT "back to baseline." Thoughts?

This is a follow-up to my thread yesterday called THINNER than BEFORE! BEFORE & AFTER Pics posted below. I'm freaking at how thin everything is 3 months after my SECOND surgery. I was fairly pleased with the results after my first 3,500 graft surgery 2 years ago, but when the light hit my hairline it still seemed thin, so the doctor added 900 grafts 3 months ago. I just can't believe how THIN everything is, and now I'm starting to wonder if it was a mistake to have the second sugery? It seems like IF...IF...everything thinkens up it will just go back to what it was BEFORE the second surgery, making the second surgery a complete waste. That's IF...I'm thinking the end result may be THINNER than BEFORE!! Has that EVER Happened? I'm also concerned because I'm reading that if the first grafts, which the doctor shaved, had been damaged and shocked, they MAY not return!!!! What do you guys think??? Thank You!

Buckred, I guess we just need to hang in there...it's an excrutiating waitimg game. Blake, the doc has me on Minoxidil. Alewxdelarge, I just don't feel comfortable yet posting the docs name. In time. I want to see what happens.

Thanks Guys, Someone asked for BEFORE and AFTER Pics, so here they are for you to evaluate. Again, I was pretty pleased with the results after my first surgery two years agao, but when the light hit the hair it still seemed thin, so the doc did a SECOND surgery three months ago and added 900 grafts. Now, I'm freaking out at how thin it is!! Thinner than BEFORE the second sugery, and now I'm thinking that IF this all thickens up, it seems like it will only get back to what it was before the surgery, meaning it was all for nothing. I'm starting to feel some REGRET at having the second surgery!!!! Please give me your thoughts and evaluation...Thank You.

Hello Everyone, I'm hoping to get the thoughts and advice from experienced members. Bill was already nice enough to provide his thoughts in an email, but I'm curious what others think. I had a 3,500 graft FUE two years ago from a well-known and highly respected doctor...a pioneer in the field and a really nice doc...and although it looked GOOD, I still thought that it came out thinner than it should have. The doctor agreed with me on this and three months ago he added 900 grafts to the area for free. Now I'm concerned and freaking out a little because everything looks so much THINNER than it was before the second surgery!!!!! I'm now starting to wonder if this was a BIG Mistake to have the second surgery and I'm feeling afraid I may regret the decision. I know it's only been three months, but the entire forehead region looks different than it did before...there is SO much scalp visible, but the hair is already an inch long, and BEFORE the second surgery, when the hair was an inch long, it was much more dense and thicker. I know that before the second surgery he completely shaved the older set of 3,500 grafted hairs on my forehead from two years ago, and then (I think) he implanted the new 900 hair grafts AROUND the older ones, but it looks like the older hairs have not grown back! Or maybe it's an illusion, because I really don't think many hairs from the new 900 grafts have fallen out from Shock Loss. So, to me, it looks like after three months there is the hair he just implanted, which are now an inch long, and have bigger spaces between them, and the older 3,500 grafted hairs he shaved have not grown back. Is this possible? That's how it looks to me. Is it possible that he implanted these new 900 grafts directly ON TOP of the older ones and destroyed them? I guess I'm wondering, HOW is it that everything looks SO much thinner than it was BEFORE my second surgery when the hair was the same length? Shoudn't by now it be at least as thick as it was before the second surgery? Sorry for the long message...I hope I haven't confused you. I'm starting to freak out a little. Thanks!

I'm coming up on a year and my hairs are still wiry, wavy, and course...and the spaces between the hair is large to my ye, and the overall density is much less than the hair in back...the whole thing (3,000 follicles) is a lot thinner than I thought it would be, or had hoped. Not completely happy with it becuase I used to, and wanted to gel my hair back, but can't because you can see the scalp when I do.

Wow...just bought my first month supply of Propecia and it cost me $88 because it's NOT covered by Insurance. Is that right? $88? No Generic?

As I look at and study (an obsess over) my newly transplanted hair (just a little over 1 week old) I see that the density of the grafts is not as high as my old full sections of hair in back. (I couln't have realistically expected it to be) But I can't help but wonder...If my previous hairline was thinning up front to begin with, and you could see through to the scalp, and if that old hairline was, let's say 1/4 inch, haven't I just simply added 2 more inches of "Thinning Hairline" where you'll STILL be able to see scalp everywhere? Does that make sense? NOTE - I wear my hair long, and combed up and back like Michael Douglas's "Gordon Gekko" character in Wall Sreet. LOL So I'm concerned that all I've done is just added more thinning hair to the front, and you'll be able to see scalp everywhere. Maybe I'm not understanding how the hair is supposed to look when (IF) it grows out fully and I comb it back? I don't know what my # Grafts per CM is. Thanks.

My eyes and cheeks have swollen so badly that I look like an Orangutan! Is this supposed to happen? Do I need to do anything or just wait for it to go away? Hopefully it's not permanent! Thanks

Just had my transplant and asked the doc if I should use vitamin E oil on the recipient area, and he said it wasn't necessary, and to just keep it moist with a spray bottle of distilled water. Thoughts on this advice? Also, if someone were to use an oil, would the less expensive Olive Oil do the trick vs the more expensive Vitamin E oil? Thanks

Several weeks from now I'm going to one of the best FUE surgeons around and the pics of his work are excellent...BUT...I am still quite nervous that the end result of MY operation, once the hair grows back in, is going to look funny, or weird, or just so different from ME that I'm starting to think about this all the time now. What if it DOES look weird on me and I regret the whole thing, and curse myself for ever having it done it in the first place?...what do I do then??? It's too late!! Any Thoughts to help me with this nervousness and anxiety? Is Everybody nervous going in to have it done? Thanks

Thank You all for giving your advice...I appreciate it...if others want to continue weighing in that would be great. One of you asked about my friend and the condition of his head, and whether or not that was influencing him and why he is trying to get me to reconsider...he is a Norwood Level 7.

Hello, I quickly need advice from as many people as possible. My appointment is scheduled and fast approaching, and I have a buddy who is trying VERY hard to talk me out of it. He is filling my head with so much DOUBT that I wanted to get YOUR take on the situation, and see if you can address his concerns, and help me make the final decision. He sent me this email today...I especially concerned about what he says in #3 & #4 ----- As your friend, I want to make one last attempt to influence your decision on this. I am worried for you about this on the following counts: 1. Cost... you really need money right now and you 'want' a hair transplant but it is not a 'need' though I recognize you want it a lot. 2. This is surgery that has been a disaster on a % of people. I know not the % but it is way greater than zero so from my perspective you are risking your health. 3. The worst thing that could happen is there is some risk it will look worse when you are done. That would really upset you. 4. There are quite a few people (I'm not one of them) that will think non-flattering things about it. A lot of people will notice and I have no idea how many will think non-flattering things but I'm certain there will be some. Conversely, I can't imagine anyone will think 'flattering things' thus I wonder about the value from that perspective. 5. Can we agree that it is vanity/ego that motivates us to do things like this? If I had ever believed that I would actually be more attractive to women that interest me if I had done a hair transplant, I would have probably done it. Fortunately for me, I never felt that way. Bottom line on this is be conscious you are making a vanity decision. 6. You have a wonderful and lovely wife who probably could care less whether you do it or not. If she actually wants you to do it that is a whole different story. The point is that you are not trying to attract other women.... at least I hope you're not. 7. Finally, the surgery is a positive thing ONLY if: a) it turns out that you feel much better about yourself for the rest of your life for doing it and b) it 'truly' gives you a lot more confidence in front of people and c) you think it really does look better and d) there are not health issues and e) the cost does not cripple your financial situation and f) you don't care what other people think wrt non-flattering thoughts and g) it really does improve your already good looks.... then it will have been a good decision. For your sake, I hope those 7 things (a-g) are true if you choose to do it. --- THANK YOU for weighing in.

Thanks Guys, I thought it was a done deal, but I guess not. I'm hoping to get my transplant in January or February. Thank You

Hi All, Have you all heard of the new 5% "Cosmetic Tax" that will be in place January 1st, 2010? Hair Transplants fall under "Cosmetic Procedures" What if we pay a Doctor this month (December) and have the procedure in January or February? Is this a way to get out of paying the Tax? Will Hair Surgeons lose business? What do think about the whole thing?