Gasthoerer

I got your point! But my answer is: a) Maybe wound healing is better with a clean straight cut, then with the round one of an implanter. I tend to scar very poorly (keloid style) but my incisions healed mega fast and without visible scaring b) Are you sure that the actual length of the scar is really shorter with an implanter?

I have yet to see the proof for the advantage of implanter versus pre-made slits. I'd say if you take the recent top ten in fan favourites, there is a 50/50 split too. Obviously this "larger incisions" argument comes quite often. On the other hand a surgeon once told me: "if you cut yourself with a blade versus a puncture...what heals better? And: Are your sure that the created wound is really smaller?". Plus: the loading into the implanter also could create trauma to the grafts.

@Melvin- Moderator, Thanks for mentioning me, but there are quite some recent Feriduni cases in here besides mine (see my case in my signature). Especially some outstanding repairs (see @Swilland @Davy, both outstanding work). But there are even more recent cases in the German forum (alopezie.de), but you need to subscripe to see pictures due to German law. Nevertheless, I also visited Bisanga and Lupanzula, both also great clinics. Final decision was based on Feriduni matching better with my own goals and he was also willing to start with a very small test surgery. But I second the opinion to present your case in here. The first step is always to check if you are a candidate at all.

Wow, wonderful refined work! It is unbelievable what great clinics can do...you must be very happy.

I couldn't even grow a proper beard on oral minox and I get side effects on it. Topical minox only works on a relatively low percentage of people...

Better than "Shave it all off" is: "Shave it all of and grow a beard"...particular to someone who cannot grow a beard 😒

I am totally honest: Every sentence here sounds like a bad idea to me. The lower you go, the more dense it has to be to create the illusion (typically). And the lower one is more (!) than enough IMO. Your hairloss will progress, FIN or no FIN. If you have retrograde, you need to be very carefully

This thread makes me really sad 😞 Everyone here knows how challenging the HT path is; the research, the procedure, the waiting...a status worse than before is really though to swallow. However, this thread is also incredible valuable to this community. @Melvin- Moderator the TO want this pics with face removed, maybe there are some which can be kept. A HT is not an easy thing like most clinics wants us to believe...its surgery and surgery can go wrong. At any (!) clinic. Honestly, it is really weird what happened here, as it is not only poor growth, but the status being much worse than before. Some pics show the scalp in a bad condition, others not so much. Actually latest pics are from month 5.5 if I am not mistaken...Many people (including myself) have been worse at month 5.5 than before. There is nothing the forum can do without new information (which I understand the TO does not want so share), other than whish the TO the best. @UnbaldEagle I wish you all the best, strength and like some other posters have mentioned: Do not give up. Maybe there is a physical condition which can be resolved or even another transplant. I am sure there are ways to improve your situation.

Guilty as charged😁 To my defence: My hairline is still more conservative than some clinics wanted to got from the begin with.

Yes, I had a third conservative surgery for approx. 450 grafts to fill in in left temple (see pic above). Was a tough discussion with Feriduni😁

Yes, went back to Feriduni, even though it was really hard to convince him to do more work...With another clinic I might have been a little less conservative and closed the corner a little more. Basically, I got reddish inflammation of my skin in my face around the nose and mouth...went on-off several times and it came back after 10-14 days. I have a very sensitive skin though😒

I tend to disagree! While the amount of grafts seems high, it is difficult to judge from the pics. There seems to be thinning going further back, which needs to be treated as well. Status is of course better than many other in this forum, but it is also very obvious what is bother the TO. This is far from "slightly age appropriate recessed" IMO. And I say this as a rather conservative guy myself. The answer to the initial question: when unsure always go for the conservative option. One could even argue an even more conservative one with less closure of the corners matching your hairline with your current side part.

Haha, yes, but I always do. I used to post only after the (preliminary) results are available and gonna keep it that way. Plus this time, due to personal reasons and the pandemic, I do not have the 3 month check-up pics from the clinic. Now, I am 5 month post surgery. Not much to report yet^^ Anyway, just had again a very small surgery to address the weaker side in a very conservative way. Unfortunately, I have lost some ground compared to the latest pics as I had to stop minox due to side effects. With this I am done until the other side and especially the bridge between hairline and crown falls...hopefully not before I am 50+ 😉

Sorry, for the extremly long wait^^ Here a picture 3.5 weeks after my third HT. Sides very short hair after ~400+2900+450 = 3750 Grafts. This is really the limit how short I cut my hair - skin fades are not for me 😉

I think this is the reality of FUE (which only uniformed or liars call scarless). And you missed the two important aspects: - Blanks (missing grafts especially with this skin hair contrast), who create this look --> This is the main aspect IMO and inavoidable - Scar tissue built up

Best transplant is no transplant. Congratulations to this decision.

This discussion is very familiar to me, as we have the same issues in my country: until recently there has been no quality clinic in the entire country. And just like you, people can't believe it or do not want to believe that and try to find arguments for certain local clinics. The thing is: it does not work that way. Instead of desperately looking for arguments for unknown local clinic, you select between the proven clinics with hundreds of cases reported in here and other forum from real patients. The latter is challenging enough, the first is nearly impossible and also not logical.

Looks great and very clean. I believe you will get what you are looking for.

That is a typical way of thinking in your age, but it is not true. 1. If you care about your hair now, you will care about it later. And you spend more time of your life above 30 then between start of balding and getting 30. 2. Worse than being is bald, is bald with a botched transplant 3. Having a transplant is a one-way-street for most. Shaving it off is mostly not possibly any more.

Yes, this is right. Sorry, I (mis-)read that the TO is 2 month pre-surgery, not post surgery.

Of course, stress is not good for you body, hence it is not good for a HT. But no one can give you a correlation. Look at it this way: Every graft is a mini-organ, which the body by himself has to connect with the blood circuit. Stress won't help with that.

This! If I could get back the status, I had as a 15 year old, I would literally pay anything I have...I pay premium for a clinic which brings as close as possible towards this goal. Of course, I understand that not everyone has the same funds, but just as @Melvin- Moderator said: It is an invest in yourself. You should not be cheap with yourself. I understand people have a different mindset, but I have this mindset also buying other stuff: If I cannot afford the hifi-system I like - I wait until I can. Buying cheap often means, buying twice and this is a gamble I would never do with my head. The money I paid for my HT was the best money ever spend. Just this week, someone at a party (he was balding heavily) said to me after a couple of drinks, how much he "envies my hair". I really had to laugh, cause he had no idea that I had a HT. This natural look is worth every extra penny.

I respect you opinion as you are one of the most knowledgeable users in here, but: "To consider someone better because of sth. is not the same as in "whole other league". The later is IMO wrong, the first I can accept looking from you perspective.

It is all about being patient now. Everything looks clean and good so far. Happy growing.

Said it before and I say it again: Feriduni did well for you - looks great and very natural. I highly doubt that anyone gets suspicious looking at your hair. The hairline of the first clinic was borderline criminal. Every user here in this forum has more knowledge than this clinic.