UKLad81

You chose a great surgeon in Dr.Cooley. I can totally relate with how you feel particularly around the incision. Aside from a little redness at the one month stage, mine felt completely normal and pretty thin at one month. Now at 6 months i just have a small area which is still a little red but the rest has healed really well!

I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised in the months to come! All the best buddy!

6 Month update - Day 190 Post Procedure

So I’m just a little over the half way mark post the procedure with Dr Cooley back in December. I haven’t seen much new growth since the last update. That said, when i run my fingers through the mid scalp i can still feel stubble like hair which on close inspection looks like hasn’t grown yet. Hoping these will grow and fill some of the areas which look a little sparse. The hair looks a lot fuller when dry than it does when its wet. I’m hoping the next 6 months things start to thicken up.

Comparing to where i was back in December to date, i’ve seen a huge difference. Areas which were previously bald now have thin and long whispy hairs growing. I no longer have areas of the head which slope down because there is no hair growing when pushed back. Everything is looking pretty even. In fact I had a friend say “your hair is looking fuller and thicker”. Granted i still use toppik to conceal but it was good to hear. I’ve also noticed i’m using a lot less toppik in the areas where the grafts were planted.

The journey thus far has been uneventful, no major issues at all considering the ordeal we have to go through and i put this down to Dr Cooley’s techniques, professionalism and his expertise. On that note both Lollie and Dr Cooley have been in touch over the last few weeks to find out how progress is going and have both been very responsive in their replies. Something which i really appreciate as a patient and especially being overseas.

I look forward to seeing what the next 6 months have in store and am already thinking about the next pass to cover the crown and maybe add some density. I know its still early yet!

I’ve attached some photos taken today in reasonable lighting conditions and with the hair being dry. I’ve also attached a photo of how the hair looks with some toppik in (taken last month), how the hair looked back in November with a whole load of toppik prior to the prcoedure and what my scalp looked like back in December prior to the procedure for comparison purposes. (last 3 photos).

As always i welcome any feedback.

5.5 Months Post Update

So i’m just a couple of weeks away from hitting the 6 months milestone. To summarise, the hairs are coming through slowly and are growing in length. The incision has never really been an issue for me and is healing really well.

When i run my hand over the head i can still feel some stubble like hairs which i am hoping will come through at some stage. The left side and the back of the head is growing quicker than the right side, hoping the right side catches up.

I’ve noticed that i’m applying a lot less toppik in the front / mid scalp area which is great. The crown area still takes a lot to cover.

I’ve attached some photos which i took today. I’ve also attached a photo of how it looks when styled.

As always, welcome any opinions / questions.

Great progress and still very early, in the future could you post some pictures of your hair not wet. We appreciate how real you are with your results, but im sure other members would like to see what you look like day to day hair styled etc. Thanks for keeping us posted.

Thanks buddy for the positive words. Great point, I'll definitely upload some pictures of how the hair looks dry and styled (I do use toppik when I'm out an about or a hat).

The magic is happening!

Thanks Buzz! Magic is slowly but surely happening and hoping the real "surge" happens in the next couple of months. Looked at your thread and you're looking where you should be as well!

Day 134 Post Op Update

So I've just gone past the 4.5 month mark since my procedure with Dr.Cooley and can definitely see a massive improvement. Previous areas that were bald or had minimal hair are slowly disappearing and there are fine hairs now appearing. The scalp is looking darker than last month which I can only take as a positive.

In terms of growth the area at the back near the crown seems to be growing a lot quicker then the rest of the scalp and also seems to be longer then the rest of the growing hairs. There are some areas which look a little lighter and am hoping that these fill in slowly over time. However. for 4.5 months I'm definitely excited to see what's about to come.

The incision has been healing really well and is almost very difficult to find. I went to the barbers a few weeks ago and asked him to take the blend a little higher but still avoid it from showing, even the barber said that he couldn't find it. Again another positive.

I've uploaded photos for you all to see the progress and also done a comparison of how it looked prior to the surgery (this was taken by Dr.Cooley) and how it looks today. Note, all photos were taking whilst the hair was wet.

Again welcome any feedback / comments.

Not sure what you mean by a non shave procedure. I had a FUT and he shaved a very small portion around the strip. I never said I was back at work yet. I am a flight attendant so I was able to fly heavy time at the beginning on the month so fortunate to have the remainder of this month off. My front right side is slightly bruised but I did not even notice until the lady that washed my hair pointed it out to me. I'm just taking Advil and putting ice around my forehead and eyebrows to keep any swelling down just in case. No pain that I have noticed.

Pete is asking if Dr Cooley had shaved any of your existing hair on your scalp. I'm guessing Dr Cooley didn't as he does the majority of his procedures without the need of shaving existing hairs.

Congratulations Mike on your procedure. It was never in doubt that you wouldn't have anything but a great experience with Dr Cooley and his wonderful team. He's a great guy as are his team and it sounds like you had a similar day to me!

Keep spraying those grafts regularly and keep them well protected.

I look forward to seeing your photos and also reading your updates. All the best.

Congratulations on your recent procedure with Dr Cooley. I'm confident that it all went smoothly and as JON86 mentioned, the day probably went super quick! Now sit back and relax!

Like you I also had my procedure with Dr Cooley back in December 2017 and everything is going really well. If you need anything feel free to PM me and we can talk. All the best and look forward to hearing your updates.

Definitely does look like shock loss. Generally most shocked hair grows back within 4-6 months. In most cases that i have seen its grown back.

Are you on Propecia?

May be some of the senior posters could comment but would MSM help bring the shocked hair back?

Early days for you buddy but try not to stress and see where you are in a few months.

I went on Fin for 2 months, and then mysteriously started to developed severe hives and itching out of nowhere...i still cant explain this condition but cant help but assume it was from the Fin. Ive have zero health issues or allergies and the ONLY thing i changed in my life was adding that Rx....so i stopped using it....despite it working quite well.

 

That being said i dont think id agree that im on a pattern for "advanced loss" as you put it...ive had thick hair my entire life, and only started to thin in recent years..im going to be 50 this summer so, YES iam thinning for sure, but not sure its full speed ahead for advanced loss....my Doc didn't mention anything like that either. But did note some miniaturization on the the back crown area.

 

We transplanted a total of over 7000 hairs (2500 grafts with a 2.5 average) thats alot of hair ...most went into the front triangular section of the scalp, fortifying the very front hairline with most, then with more mixed in with the native hair going back into the front, and then about 400 o/ 500 in the thinning crown area...(which may need more later). It was a very smart use of the amount of grafts, addressing most of the concerns in order of importance.

 

Since this update, there has been noticeable improvement of the front hair line NEW growth, as well as some overall density of my native hair, and what i hope is shock loss returning.

 

I agree with you, Fin was very effective, and would offer alot more from my HT, however there are just too many risks with that drug that unfortunately out weight the pros... I went into this with the intent on being completely drug free, as many do. And iam a firm believer that a HT is NOT contingent on Fin to be successful...

 

I think in the months to come i will have a good outcome, just hoping for a good density turn out from the procedure...iam confident in my surgeon Dr Gable, and i will revisit the crown area with perhaps another small transplant maybe next year IF my thinning advances.

 

Thanks for your reply I will update in a couple of months!

Hey Matt, glad to hear the hair is starting to come back. I totally understand how you must've felt but as most have said on this forum, this is a game of patience. Look forward to seeing your awesome hair in a couple of months!!

what is the cost of hair transplant in delhi?

Not familiar with any of the Delhi prices or a doctor within Delhi. That said if i were to consider a doctor in India it would be Dr Bhatti in Chandigarh and Dr Suneet Soni (not sure where he is but I'm sure you can find more details on this forum). They seem to be producing consistent results. Reach out to Shera and California for details on Dr Bhatti.

There was another one i saw recently which looked pretty good his username was MayiraP0chu who had a procdure with Dr Radha Rani that is looking really good considering where he started. Reach out to him for further guidance.

Keep doing your research and keep asking other forum members questions! All the best!

Oh and like Gillenator suggested, dont let cost be the ultimate deciding factor. You want to do it right first time so prepare yourself for paying that little extra then paying less at a cheaper and less reputable clinic!

I would say you are a bit ahead of the time table.

 

Congrats on your recent procedure...

I would also agree with the above, you seem to be ahead of the graft growth. Don't fret! You're doing absolutely fine! :)

what is MWF??

Matt, its short form for Monday, Weds and Friday.

I've been taking Propecia 1mg MWF since September last year and although I didn't see any growth with it (i really didn't expect to be honest considering the level of loss i had), it has helped me manage to keep the little that I did have and maybe helping me further since my procedure back in December.

Honestly, i echo the above. Try it out and dont fret as someone mentioned above the mind is powerful and makes you think all sorts. Go in with a positive mind and you'll be fine.

I think its all looking as it should for month 4. The coming months should be very exciting for you!!

How do you feel things are going?

If considering FUT in the USA, I definitely would have Dr Cooley on your list of doctors.

Now's that anxious waiting for Christmas morning time, around month 8 you should be a little bit giddy.

Haha you're not wrong buddy!! Looking forward to the forthcoming months!

UKLad,

 

You are still very early on in your experience so I wouldn't be concerned about not seeing any growth at this point. I know you asked me to change the title of this topic, which I did...but it went from having a very happy and giddy tone to a normal, neutral tone. I assume it's because you are not happy at the moment and don't want to give him praise if you're not happy? But I do hope you understand that barely any people experience growth at this point. Thus, I feel it was a bit premature to change the topic title which speaks of your positive experience..which does not change just because you are not seeing growth 3 months post-op.

 

This of course, is my opinion.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

Thanks Bill for changing the thread title. Think there maybe some confusion here and I realise I should've given you a reason for the title change in my PM to you.

I realise my original title was a little happier but just want to clear up that this still is the case. During my research I found it extremely useful when the type of procedure, doc name and the number of grafts were added in the title, this helped me narrow down all the threads I wanted to read.

I know its still early days in my HT journey but I'm definitely very happy at this stage. The whole experience with Dr Cooley and his clinic has truly been a very positive one so far.

Apologies for the confusion Bill!

looking really good for 3 months! I can telll whats coming

Thanks buddy, the hairs are slowly coming through. The whole area is looking a lot darker with more and more hairs coming through. Still early days but things are looking good so far.

Day 84 Post Op Update

Today marks 3 months since the procedure and I have definitely seen some early growth in the last month. Most of the top of the head feels stubbly and have small fine baby hairs in areas which were previously bald. Not getting carried away just yet as its still a long journey.

The numbness in the mid scalp is slowly disappearing. The incision is becoming less visible as the days go by.

Getting a few spots below the incision what's causing these? And what have others done about them?

Uploading pictures from today immediately after a shower. I've also added a photo for comparison purposes of how my hair looked in November prior to the procedure and today. I'll get some pictures of the incision later.

Welcome any feedback!

Hey UKlad81: will have an update in the next few weeks.

Growth has kicked in and I walk around with my hair brushed back while wet.. something I haven't done in a very long time. To be honest the best thing I can say is my brain isn't consumed about hair anymore. Just hit 7 months so will do an update at 8 months to show the changes.

Easier said than done but try to relax and let the work take it's course

Great to hear buddy and i look forward to seeing your update!!

Quick question to all, the incision feels a little bumpy almost spotty / scabby in one small area, is this anything to worry about?

I’m around a Norwood 4. In the end, I decided to pass on H&W and to keep looking. I considered Dr. Rahal, Shapiro Medical Group and Dr. Cooley. In the end, I chose Dr. Cooley. I was impressed with all 3 clinics, but I chose Dr. Cooley because he is involved in the surgery and graft placement from beginning to end, is extensively involved in research and uses a holding solution for the grafts that can keep them alive for days outside the body. He also uses ACell in the grafts and in the donor wound to help prevent the formation of scar tissue. Also, Dr. Cooley doesn’t shave the recipient area and his prices are terrific for an elite hair transplant surgeon.

I had the same doctors shortlisted as you have. Like you i chose Dr Cooley in the end for exactly the same reasons as you have mentioned. He's a great guy and was with me for almost all of the surgery and was heavily involved throughout. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. Well done in choosing a great doctor!!

Looking good so far UKLad! The scar looks great, I can't believe how much the redness has faded. Good things to come!

Thanks buddy! It's getting better as the weeks go by and I also think the bio oil might be playing its part as well. That said the incision behind the ears are always pretty red so I may introduce Aloe Vera to further help.

Worst part is nearly over; looks like you're in for a load of fun!

You're right, looking forward to seeing out March and hoping the magic starts then. How's yours going, any update?

I've looked at your incision in your previous posts and most recent and really don't see much difference. I personally don't think it's stretched. As others have suggested give it some more time, I'm positive this when healed over the next few months will look better. Be patient and don't stress.

Day 66 Post Op Update

Well I'm just over the 2 month mark since the procedure with Dr Cooley. Time is really flying by and sometimes I forget that I had the procedure. Not sure if this is a combination of work being full on or because I've some how blocked it out. Nevertheless, its great that the last 9 weeks have flown by with no issues!

In terms of an update,

• 
  
• Incision is slowly healing and the redness is also slowly fading. I'm applying Bio-oil every night on the incision (as advised by Dr Cooley) which looks like is helping the healing.
  
• There is still some numbness in the mid scalp area and around the incision but its been no bother.
  
• There has been no pain in the recipient / donor area whatsoever.
  
• The only minor issue has been the itching which mainly occurs around the back of the incision and the mid scalp. It can get a little frustrating but normally calms down after taking an antihistamine.
  
• Across the scalp, I do get the sensation like "something is crawling" and at times can feel "like something is coming through".
  
• I have noticed a lot more "baby fine" hairs appearing in the mid scalp area which I have attempted to picture. Could this be early growth?
  
• I can feel some stubble like hair in certain areas, these maybe the grafts which didn't fall out during the shed.
  
• I'm still shedding some hairs in the donor area maybe some 10-20 hairs during washes. Dr Cooley has advised that this is normal at this stage and should stop over soon.
  

I wash the hair daily using either Baby Shampoo or Alpecin (probably use Alpecin 3 times a week). On days where I go in to the office, I apply toppik and immediately wash the toppik out when I get back home, to keep things clean. I'm also applying coconut oil at least twice a week.

Still taking Propecia (Mon/Weds/Fri), MSM daily and the protein shake (3-4 times a week).

I've been in touch with Dr Cooley and his clinic providing updates every so often. Dr Cooley has been kind enough to reply back every time I have emailed him. He has advised all is on track and as it should be.

I've attached some photos and would welcome any feedback.

Day 44 Update

So I'm just over 6 weeks since the procedure took place. Majority of the grafts fell out a few weeks back and I'm back to how things looked prior to the procedure.

I'm still noticing quite a few hairs coming out from the donor area whilst showering. Although, it hasn't made much difference in the appearance, you cant help but feel a little worried when you see the hairs in your hands. I'm taking propecia, MSM and the Help Hair shake as well. Is this normal?

The incision is still red/pinky and does get a little itchy at times. Still have some numbness in the mid-scalp

I do use toppik when I go in to work and wash it out when I get home. I know Dr Cooley mentioned that its okay to use it but just wanted to check does using toppik affect the grafts from growing? I read some where that toppik doesn't but would be interested to hear from others.

All in all, hard to believe that the procedure took place 6 weeks ago, time is flying and its really been "business as usual" since then. At times I forget I had the procedure done. Its been pretty comfortable and pain free. Looking forward to see out February and hopefully see some of the Cooley magic un-fold!

I'll post some pictures later this week.

Dr Cooley who we all know as being highly rated here, does the majority of his procedures unshaved. In fact, i recall him mentioning to me that only a few patients have asked him to shave the hair prior to the procedure being undertaken.

You'll see a poster (BuzzBee) who has recently had a FUE session (I'm sure there are more, if you do a quick search) without the need of shaving any of the recipient area.

Looking good buddy and glad to hear that the shedding has stopped! Fingers crossed you're an early grower!

What's the deal with black seed oil? Never heard of it but interested to know your thoughts.