MayiraP0chu

WOW! You did it huh?! You certainly weren't mucking around. Heal well! Wish you all the luck!

Very!

Thanks Matt! I think the same too.

On further reading on the topic, I now understand how juvenile my question about breathing was. I thought like the masses. Clearly, the blood vessels supply the necessary nutrients and oxygen at the bottom most layer of the five layers of the hair structure. Though, a new question has sprouted for me. Will the foam debris on the scalp hinder the pushing of the new hair? Or the hair is stronger and will prevail and push through it? Obviously this is a very vague topic. Anyone who knows all these intrinsic details or who can make an educated opinion, please chime in.

Hello! I have been using Tugain 5% foam for a month now. A full cap dose, once a day, every night. It leaves my head with a blizzard like this. Trust me, I am not pouring the full bottle on my head. I am strictly using a cap full. When I apply on the same place the second time, it becomes like this. I don't actually mind roaming around the house like a joker. But, it struck me yesterday if this is not letting the scalp and the grafts breathe. It slowly dries off and by the time I wake up, almost all of it is gone. Am I right in thinking I am not letting the scalp breathe? I started using it 2 months after the surgery and I have been using it close to a month now like I said. Also, is a full cap application just once a day a bit too much? I apply it on the entire head though. Including the crown. Cheers!

Three Months Update: So, an acquaintance from HRN calls on me frantically. HRN Guy: Dude, some of the transplanted hair is neither growing, nor shedding man. Me: Oh! HRN Guy: See if you have got them too. Me: Yeah, I have them too man. HRN Guy: I don't think its normal dude. I think those grafts are lost. Me: Really?! I don't know man. I don't really worry about things out of my hands. HRN Guy: What are you saying bro?! You should worry. It is your hair. Me: I can't really do much if the grafts are already lost, can I? All I could do was to give my hair the best of the care, which I did. I do not worry unless its my mistake. Like, when I smoked a few cigs and the guilt was eating me. HRN Guy: Why don't you pluck one of the grafts and see if they are coming out? If they come, we are screwed. Me: Are you nuts? I am not doing any such thing unless the doctor says so. HRN Guy: Bro, Il pay for the grafts you pull, okay? Just pull it bro, its nothing. Me: Why will I do anything when I am least bothered about it? And why are you asking me to? You should try it. You are the one who s worried. HRN Guy: Errr.....Ya bro. Il do it tomorrow. (Are you fucqueen serious?) HRN Guy: Oh and Btw, you are worried. Otherwise, you won't be reading about hair stuff and be active on HRN. W T F!!!! LOL! Anyways, I ended up reading on it and here is a very good explanation from our very own Bill, which is echoed all over the internet by all the wise heads and the doctors. "Though most transplanted hair typically sheds before the end of the first month after a hair restoration procedure, it's normal for some hair to hold on. While some of the grafts will continue to grow into healthy hair, others will detach from the hair follicle beneath the surface of the scalp but remain attached to the scalp. Disconnected hair won't grow, but will eventually be pushed out by new hair the healthy living follicle produces underneath in a few months. Transplanted hair growth will not be hindered by hairs disconnected from the follicle but still connected to your scalp". If you pull on these grafts gently, you will see that they will easily come out with no resistance. There are doctors who specifically instruct their patients to pull them all out. In their opinion, it blocks the path and removing them will speed up the new hair s growth. And the rest advise you to keep off it and that the grafts will come out when they are ready. I tried my hands on a couple of grafts to see for it myself. Yes, no resistance whatsoever. I have been shedding these grafts in the shower and while Minoxidiling. Still quite a few of them left. Notes: 1. My body, libido, erection continues to be normal and the same from Finasteride, after that little hiccup last month. 2. Been using Tugain 5% Foam, once a day since 3.5 weeks. (2 months and change after the surgery.) 3. Been taking Multi Vitamins, Biotin and Omega 3 since a week. ( Almost 3 months after the surgery. This is for my overall benefit. Not just for the hair. Else, I would have started right after the surgery. My diet in general is robust. So, I guess most of these are going out as urine.) 4. Sleep deprivation returns. It SUCKS! Last two weeks have been piss poor. 5. Pimples are almost non existent. I am keeping my head super clear of pollution. Could be that or its just me. I generally don't break out. Don't know if that has relevance with these pimples, which are supposed to be a sign of new growth. 6. Started Cardio close to 3 weeks ago. (Just cycling for now.) 7. The numbness from the anesthesia shots were almost gone from the beginning of the 3 rd month. Just about 5 - 10 percent of it is left mid scalp. 8. The scar is close to hundred percent healed. 9. I am positive I don't have any shock loss up top. But, there definitely is a stretch of mild to mid level shock loss on the right side of the donor. I was finally able to get the details of the procedure from the doctor. No luck with the pictures yet. 1 Hair Grafts: 800 2 Hair Grafts: 2445 3 Hair Grafts: 181 Total Grafts: 3444 Total Hair: 6308 Density: 116.1 (Has to be the donor density - guessing. Transplanted at 50 grafts per cm2 on an average she says - too approximate for my liking.) Elasticity 3.5 (Scalp elasticity? If, yes, anyone knows the scale?) Strip Measurement: 1.4x18 = 25.2 cm2 An useful link on smoking and hair transplants http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/188067-little-different-case-smoking-after-hair-transplant.html I am going to put up mug shots from now on. Since this is considered to be the beginning of the growth month, it will be intriguing to see how my face is going to framed, shaped and changed. All pictures are on with flash (Except for the first one - To show how nothing is captured without flash). Even after switching on all the lights, I still was not able to capture details without flash. My house is particularly dark than most. And, I am not motivated enough to get them clicked outdoors in natural light. I don't think I am at that stage anyways. I am sorry, my pictures are underwhelming and I don't see that trend changing in the future. Sadly! May be, next time Il get someone to DSLR it. I can't really give a specific percentage as an indicator to growth. But, there is definitely some activity sporadically. I see pores or pores kind of micro mini elevations all over the transplanted areas. More like the kind you see when you get goosebumps. It began in some spots and it slowly spread across the entire area. Could those be the pores though which the new hair comes out? If it is, I am in for a jolly good ride. Side Note: HRN is freakishly addictive. I am already a man who has always been passionate about the body and mind. I strive to keep them young. Any topic on the subject naturally interests me. And HRN has got it in abundance. I guess, I will keep some distance from now on, before habit becomes addiction.

I must say this is a pretty good outcome for the number of grafts put in and the area to cover. And it is only going to get thicker and better in the coming months. Enjoy! Good luck with the upcoming one!

Thank you! Good my thread was of some assistance. 200 for the temples was your figure from your opening post. I merely used it to get a rough total to show you that Strip procedure is not off the table. You soon enough should get reasonably accurate figures from the doctors. You can chew on it then. First of all, grafts are harvested, not hairs. A graft can have from 1 to 4 hairs in them. 2 hairs/mm2 is generally considered as average. Unless one is on the high ends of Norwood, he should be able to get 5000-7000 grafts easily. There are people who have 10000 plus grafts going as high as 12000. On an average, I would say on a healthy donor, it shd be possible to extract 8000-9000 grafts (16000-18000 hairs) while maintaining the cosmetic appeal of the backside of the head. Now, there are a lot of factors like donor density, scalp laxity, Norwood scale, age, racial background that determines the number that can be got. So, I would say you have enough left in the bank for future procedures. But, Il leave that to you to make a judicious decision. I am not sure if he would appreciate me giving out his information. Sorry! He opted for an FUE, as he was going in for just 1000-1200 grafts and the downtime from the Strip surgery wasn’t worth for it. He sorta called it a gamble himself. Neither was FUE his first choice of procedure nor was the doctor known for her FUE skill. He has no laxity limitations. The guy was completely shaved for the operation. Don’t know if she also operates with the hair on. And about PMing, you wouldn’t be having the privileges yet as you are new. You should get it in a while. Try opening a thread and alerting the Mods. I can try PMing Bill. But, he generally is overloaded with messages. I am yet to get a reply myself, for a request I had put in a while back.

MickNick, Just had a chance to go through your thread. Strip vs FUE discussions are next to useless at this point you are in. After reading all the posts and discussions, I choose to believe Dr. Farjo must have had your best interest at heart and chose the right procedure based on your UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS. Even though he s not renowned for his FUE as much as his Strip work, I suspect yours is going to turn out pretty well. Grow Well!

Ippo dhan un pazhaya thread pathen. Glad you are happy! Vazhthukal!

Karthikeyan! Commiserations and commendations on your procedures. Wish you better luck this time! Got any updates? Btw, Tamizha?

The topic is a contentious one. If we were to agree with the Strip surgery poster boys, the damage is not cosmetic but biological. The theory is that, as you harvest a graft by punching (especially in motorized punches) on it, the adjacent grafts get traumatised and may not be viable in the future.

Tedious read! Lol! I don't know where to begin. There s been a plethora of questions thrown around sporadically. Il try and be organised and answer as many I can. 1. I see a daylight between the transplanted hair and the native hair. From your accounts, I take it sparse density was given because of your scalp laxity limitations. It easily needs about a 1000 grafts to bring about a decent transition between the transplanted and the native hair. 2. Your crown might suffice with much lesser grafts than you estimate. An acquaintance of mine (Forum Member) got his crown work done last month with Dr. Radha. She estimated 200 grafts in his PreOp consult for a little smaller crown than yours. We both were shocked. She, in his words, said, "I have a trade secret that helps me achieve the crown illusion with much lesser grafts than my peers". I don't recall how many grafts he actually ended up getting. He did an FUE with her btw. Had a 1000 grafts put in for density in the front as well to strengthen his first transplant he got from her 2 years ago. 500 grafts should do well on your crown if we were to accept her claim. 3. You need to go on Fin BEFORE the surgery than after. If you are in no hurry, 6 months of Fin would be very good. If you are impatient, give it 2-3 months. I do not think you are in any danger of serious shock loss and permanent damage to your existing hair. 4. You are looking for a couple of hundreds in the temple. Roughly, it should all add up to 1700+/- grafts. That makes the Strip procedure worthwhile again. 5. As Dr. Bhatti's website says, you have lost the prime advantage of not having a linear scar by going the Strip route in your first attempt. I don't see why you should opt an FUE unless you can't handle the downtime a strip procedure brings along. And, you will have only one scar. Your previous scar will be replaced with the new one. 6. And lastly, you have hit the nail in the head in your assessments of the doctors. I endorse you word by word on that. Dr. Bhatti's is one of the most thorough website I have seen in the industry, with a wealth of information right down to dollar rates. His patient relations is excellent with his two reps here doing some commendable job. And as for Dr. Radha, she is lackadaisical when it comes to that part of the business, but, she more than makes it up with a good pair of hands and a solid skill set. I won't tell you which procedure or which doctor to choose. But, I will tell you this. It is time for a top up. Go for it mate. Enjoy your 30s!

That's another WOW improvement from a short period on Fin I am seeing in the last two days. Wish you an event less future with it.

Fabulous result! I love the way you ve greyed out. Not for everyone may be. But, I find it very Regal! Yeah, he has catapulted from the 4th month to the 5th. Exiting, as those are the months I am due to face.

SMP is still fairly in it's nascent stages in India. I don't think 99 percent of the general public even know what it is. It is much like the 'ages of the plugs' of the 90 s. I don't know if it is wise to be the lab rat. But, to answer you, AK clinic does it. It's run by Kapil Dua, a recommended surgeon here. DHI India seems to be on the forefront as well.

In general, for the effects to be seen at some level, it takes about three months. And it takes about 6 to 12 months for the miniaturized hair to thicken. But, this is not exact science. It varies person to person. I just saw a case presented in the forum a couple of days back. 2 months into Fin and some insane thickening. Nothing like I have ever seen before. Surely some magic happened under that hood. I guess you should be okay for a mid December surgery. So yeah, get on it NOW. But, before I go, I would like to quote, 'Patience is the companion of wisdom'.

I can't stress enough the importance of being on fin for at least two months before the surgery, if at all you choose to take fin. Longer, the better. It is goin to spruce up a lot of miniaturized hairs and reduce the severity of shock loss and it's recovery post the surgical trauma. In fact, there are a lot of doctors who do not operate before their prospective patients are on fin close to a year. I can feel your impatience to get the job done. I feel you. I am an impatient man myself. But, I implore you not to be. Edit: Continue to be on Minoxidil as well, if you intend to be on it long term. Else, I don't think the hassle is worth it. You can stop it right now (if you want) and be on fin alone. My advice would be to use it long term religiously, at least once a day. Minoxidil has got a shell life of 22 hours. Even one application in the night alone (a little generous than 1 ml) should get the Job done.

On the contrary, he has said, You must have misunderstood. Though, I completely agree with you. A shaven, bald head should be your first try before moving on to other stuff. I shaved my perfectly good hair a few weeks before my surgery just to see if I can pull it off. I partially could, courtesy - my complexion. But, it’s not my style. Too coarse for my taste.

So what if people can tell if some job is done? The only thing you have to care about is if it makes you aesthetically better. From a couple of cases presented in the SMP section, it clearly elevates the appearance. Can’t say how it will look real-time though. If you can pull off the bald look, nothing like it. Most hassle free. Unfortunately, not all can. A bald man who is oblong faced, egg headed with a small jaw and a chin will look like a alien.

Interesting read Hidden! Scary, but interesting. Thorough and well documented. I hope you bounce back. Cheers!

Excellent! You are adequately informed. Shera and California must be taking good care of you already. You don’t have to look elsewhere for advice. Good luck mate!

Hi! Welcome to HRN! A lot of your questions can be answered by telling us if you are getting a Strip or an FUE. Since you are going to travel a long way, common sense says you should make a holiday out of it, unless you are time pressed. If you are getting an FUE, 1. 3 days minimum. You can fly back on the third day. 2. You should be good to go to work as soon as you get back to Canada. 3. If you buzz your hair to level 2 or so after your PreOp consult, your head should look normal by the time you get back to Canada to give public appearances. That being said, in general, giving a minimum of a week s time to recover will be very sensible. If you are getting a Strip, 1. Same as FUE. 2. From my experience, I had some level of discomfort for a week. So, a min of one week. 3. Surgery will be a bit difficult to hide as you l expose your scar if you buzz your hair and if you don’t, you l have a funny looking shaved top and hairy back like a Poojari from the temples. Unless, you doctor agrees to not to shave the recipient area. That being said, in general, giving a minimum of two week s time to recover will be very sensible. Note: I had very minimal level of scabbing. So, I could have ventured out in a week had I chosen to. Otherwise, you l have to wear a hat or something until your scabs are gone. Which is generally between the 10 th and the 15 th day. Where are you getting it done, what procedure and how many grafts btw? Some pictures will be nice. I believe you are not looking at the Canadian top dogs owing to costs?

I second Mikey on all counts. Harin is the benchmark for high Norwoods, at least from India. He should be a great guy to talk to. Since you are saying money is no object, you can always consider the top boys in the field around the world, after you get an in person consult with Eugenix to know the ground reality.

Lol! I am afraid you are quite mixed up with the two. Means goal would be the current surgery's final result. It could be like you say above, the OP was given conservative grafts in this surgery to preserve his limited donor grafts and thus protecting from his expected heavy future loss, but in the process may or may not making this surgery a resounding success. The end goal would be the ultimate density OP is going to get as he yearns, at the end of the 2 or the 3 surgery or even may be the 4 th with the donor grafts that was wisely preserved earlier in the 1 st surgery. Thus, making the end goal significantly important than the means goal. So, no, I am not trying to second guess Vermaj's before it's time. Clearly we both/all want the best for him. I think we should leave him in peace and grow well. We shall discuss further if need be via PM? Cheers!