MayiraP0chu

Thank you very much Dr. Lindsey! Interesting insights. I appreciate you taking the time.

Excellent mattj! Elaborate and specific as I requested. Thanks for taking your time.

Hey, thanks for chiming in Ernie. Yes, I am well aware about the SMOKING procedures you have had. Pun definitely intended . There is no doubt its not something thats going to affect every single person. May be it doesn't affect anyone at all. May be it does. The only thing that can be done I guess is to err on the caution side and continue educating ourselves on the subject. I know a guy personally who never quit too and had a successful procedure. Much like you.

Thanks David! I understand there are no conclusions and comprehensive studies done on it and what David has said above is the general understanding and consensus. I don't think even doctors can give a conclusive answer to points like 3, 4, 6, which are very very specific. But, it will be a great material to fall back on if anyone could shed light on points 1, 2 and 5. I believe those are the most important ones and can be answered to a reasonable degree of certainty if not absolute. As for point 7, drinking plenty of water, anti oxidants, minoxidil, physical exercise etc will help to alleviate. I will continue to read on the scholarly articles I can find on the subject and update the thread if I find anything relevant.

I am someone whom you will call a sporadic smoker. I always smoke when I drink and party. (On an average, once in 2 weeks drinker). Otherwise there is no real pattern. It could be 1 smoke a day for 4 days and nothing at all for the next 2 weeks, 5 smokes a day for 2 months and nothing at all for 3 months. I stopped smoking a month before the surgery and 2 months and a week after it. Same with the drinks too. I partied yesterday for the first time since the surgery and was smashed out of my wits. 10 ish drinks and about 6-7 cigs. I have no addiction issues as you may have understood by now from my pattern. My thought process was just on the lines of should I make the best of this break and quit forever or just go back to how I used to be. I had completely forgotten I had a surgery. I had completely forgotten that it is ideal if I din't smoke until I saw the new hair. That was my plan. Somehow, this illusion of being being safe and a false sense of security has creeped in. I guess I started believing subconsciously that its been 2 months out from the surgery and I am basically back to normal and I have no restrictions whatsoever. Had I remembered about the surgery and my initial plan of not to smoke until I saw new hair, I wouldn't have smoked. Easy! I know it is strange. Hair gives me more purpose than the threat of cancer. Very strange! To cut a long story short, I want to know some specific details on smoking and its affect on a HT. Obviously, there are innumerable posts and recommendations in the forum and outside of it. I have read them. But, they are not very specific. 1. When the recommendation is not to smoke, is it about smoking on a regular basis or any smoking at all? 2. Will a one off night like mine do any damage? 3. If yes, what is the extent of the damage? 4. If yes, until when after the HT should one hold off before he can have an one off? 5. At 2 months out, won't the grafts be totally secure, invulnerable and be immune to this temporary (I assume its temporary) constricting of blood vessels and the reduction of blood flow, just like our normal hair? 6. How long will the vessels be constricted for this one day of moderate smoking? 7. Is there anything that can be done to limit the damage if any/improve the situation? It is safe to assume that there won't be anymore smoking as I am now ADEQUATELY reminded of the surgery. LOL! Weigh in people.

That's the plan mate! Thanks!

Yeah, I guess. But, I get bored easily. I keep changing it.

You thought I meant you look like Jude law? Lol! I meant you are the type of guy who looks pretty good even after goin bald. Just like Jude Law. Now that you mention, your bone structure and the 'springy hair' does makes you look like Mark Z, and Chris M.

Those are the exact instructions I had read of Bill. Only that, all this while, I was stuck right at the first step of locating 'Your Info'. Until now. Thanks Vox!

Yeah, well, I can see him scrambling for aliases. After all, he did walk into an ambush. That's a neat signature you got there! How do you do that? I am not able to find how to add one. I saw one of Bill s instructions on it somewhere. But, I guess the website s been remodeled since.

I take it you are new to public forums of any kind. You can private message members. You will have to wait a few days though to get the PM privileges. You can try reaching out to the moderators for the same. Meanwhile, you ve got Djlazerblue here who can help you out. Do check his thread on why he wouldn't get a transplant. He has a kickass opening post which raises some interesting questions. And there are some equally well filed counters.

Neat idea Dr. Bloxham! Great post to fall back on.

I have always bought my medicines from a local dermatologist. He has a drug store attached to his clinic. But, you should be able to source them from Amazon. At least the popular ones. 'M', HaHa! It is no hair transplant jargon. You in fact had mentioned it in your original post that you have an 'M' shape in the front. I have it too. And much like you, I have or rather had a strong mid scalp and donor. As for the Fin affecting potential babies, not true. There are a lot of people in the forum who have been on Fin and went on to have healthy babies. Though there is a cautionary for pregnant women coming in contact with a broken pill. Read up on that. I am still an amateur. So, don't listen to me blindly. I would suggest you to use the search facility of the website and you l find tons of information on this topic which will corroborate with what I said. I would also suggest you talk to members like Spex, who have had first hand experience on this subject. And, here are the pictures I promised. Hair Wars - May the follicles be with you! - Forum By and for Hair Loss Patients

So, I was in a conversation with a mate earlier today from the forum and I promised him a few pictures to show what Rogaine can do (Positively). It had me thinking and I thought I might as well come up with a scrapbook that timelines how our mutual super villain Androngenic Alopecia plays havoc on us. Two birds in one stone! MayiraPochu's Scrapbook Presents 1. 1989: When I thought the biggest challenge in my life was to potty train. Little did I know there were worse nightmares like schools, exams, jobs, rent, girlfriends and Donald Trump. 2. 1990: I don't remember fancying to be a pilot that young. Was probably in the subconscious all the while. Oh, and of course, I would have thought I am always going to have a head full of hair and fly in style like Top Gun's Maverick. 3. 2001: Holy Mary, mother of god!! Aside from the horrible picture, which I wish never existed, will you have a look at that density! Thats like 700 hairs per cm2. Insane! The time when barbers used to run for cover. 4. 2004: Thick as F**K! 5. 2010: The year of the Pornstache. Still thick as thieves! 6, 7, 8. 2011: 'The Phantom Menace'. Enters our mutual friend Androgenic Alopecia and screams,"We are the future, Charles. Not them. They no longer matter." Much like Magneto to Professor X. I had suddenly lost half my head before I could blink an eye. It has begun! It is Waaaaaaar!!!! 9, 10, 11. 2012-2013 : Rogaine, my Robin, comes to the rescue. Turns the clock back. And in what style! Meanwhile, evil forces (Read: My local dermatologist. Like Sheldon Cooper says, "You know, it's amazing how many super villains have advanced degrees. Graduate schools should do a better job of screening those people out.") conspire and hides from me the fact that, there was a bigger brother, Batman, under the protection of Merck, our beloved Alfred! 12. 2014 : Rogaine goes rogue! There were always ups and down with Rogaine. Massive growth and massive sheds. Partly because, such is the nature of the beast and partly because of my physiology. The man behind in the 70 ft cut out is the one and only, South Indian Super Star Rajinikanth! 13. 2015: 'Return of the Jedi'. But, not with the same aggression. Much like part 2 and 3 of The Pirates of the Carribean. 14. 2016: 'The Empire Falls'. By this time, I was caught in a vicious cycle of gains and sheds for years now. And, I had enough of it by the end of 2016. Too tiring! I surrender. 15. 2017: Last of the good hair before it all started tumbling down the hill. Naturally, as I had quit Rogaine by the fag end of 2016 and my head went blank. (The picture was taken 10 months ago, just after I had quit Rogaine. I went under the knife this August.) 2017: Year of the Machines! Transplantformers Part 1. A walk in to the unknown. Hair Wars May the follicles be with you!

I agree with JeanLugBergman. But, I won't put it that cut throat. I say get on Fin and Min NOW to push the inevitable for another 6-7 years. You will manage very well. Else, you will look down the barrel in 3 years tops. Start Fin and Min only if you are prepared to use it long term diligently. You have a solid mid scalp and donor. Looking at your characteristics, I think it is save to assume you l respond well to a transplant done by a good pair of hands, if you choose to in the future. The 'M' guys are always a good bet. I am one! Il attach a couple of pictures of mine shortly to show what minoxidil alone can do.

Haha! Probably! I don't know. I was too pissed about the winds to notice what was happening around.

Gill! I am back to normal. Well, almost :D. Still on 1 mg everyday and will continue to be on it. Looks like it was the sides of the fever than the Fin itself. Thanks!

Haha! I loved Vox's initial thoughts better.

Civil District Court for the parish of HRN is now in session. The Honourable MayiraPochu presiding, god save HRN and this honourable court. Plaintiff: greyG Defendant: Darling Buds I have weeded out the unimportant parts of your opening post. Now, this quote forms the crux of your case. 1. You should have asked the doctor the question about PostOp Meds before putting down your deposit. 2. This is the second time you are approaching the doctor, out of your own volition. That makes point no.1 doubly important as you have cancelled once and successfully gotten back your deposit. Which as you mention is very generous. So, this time the onus was on you. You should have cleared all your doubts and should have been absolutely sure of everything before committing. Once you had committed for the second time, I don't think you were entitled for a refund anymore, regardless of circumstances. 3. Even though anyone taking a condescending tone at any point of time is not appreciated, Dr. Bhatti is human too. When dealing with a fidgety patient (There is nothing wrong in being indecisive. Its just how you are. No one should fault that.) for a long period of time, I think I will forgive him for taking a condescending tone once or twice. 4. I do not agree with his 95%/65% Fin stats. It was probably his way of telling you that Fin and Min is the bridge between an okay and a great cosmetic result, rather than him concocting wild, incorrect theories. But, I choose to believe you that he said that. I don't think you will be so vocal about it without evidence to back it up. If not, I apologise to Dr. Bhatti. I, again direct you back to point no.1. 5. And lastly, yes, I do believe you opening this thread warrants some merit. Doctors must try and be more proactive and be forthcoming with details like these. We all know they are busy people. But, I recommend them to delegate this work to their assistants or reps, if they cannot do it themselves. To emphasise a bit more on that last point, which I think is very important, as being compassionate trumps everything else. You could be the best in the business. Doesn't matter! The first time I got my hair checked was in 2012. Went to a reputed dermatologist in Chennai. I had some serious ups and downs with his medications. Some amazing hair for a few months and some crazy sheds for a few months. I was caught in this vicious cycle for 4 years before I got tired of it and decided to get a transplant done a couple of months back. In these 4 years with him, not once did he mention about a drug called Finasteride. You don't actually do tons of reading when you are at the beginning of your hair loss, do you? Or, at least, I was not too keen or obsessed with hair restoration so as to put some research hours on it. Naturally, when I began the research on hair transplants, I was SHOCKED to see that Fin is the magic pill and that it would have arrested my hair fall dramatically. I probably wouldn't have needed a surgery for another 4-5 years or so. He could be conservative. He, as a policy could be choosing not to prescribe Fin fearing its side effects. I don't know. But, that decision doesn't lie with him. He should have laid my options in front of me and should have asked me to go to some other doctor had I chosen to go the Fin way. It doesn't just end with him. The surgeon who did my transplant too did not tell me to be on Fin for a few months before having the surgery (We all know why it is super beneficial to be on Fin before the surgery. So, lets not get in to that). This, even after me explicitly asking the doctor for things that she would want me to do PreOP to have the best outcome possible and that I am not in a hurry. Make no mistake. She is very good. But, it doesn't mean she doesn't have flaws. Bottom line is, yes, the doctors can/should be a bit more proactive, open and compassionate. You are the experts. It is your moral responsibility to equip us with the best possible information. That being said, no brother! You do not have a winning case here. The plaintiff does not merit a refund, nor an apology. The court finds the defendant not guilty. I hope both parties resolve this issue amicably like gentlemen would do. Peace! PS: I am not a big fan of reps defending their clinics vehemently. You guys should pipe down a bit. It will only enhance yours and the clinic's reputation. This court also condemns the personal attack and unrefined language used against the plaintiff by some members of the jury.

Kind words Rawkerboi! Thank You! I am just going to quote myself to avoid repetition. There is also a picture attached in its original post on how the scar looks post removal. You can find pictures of the room I was staying in. The Pioneer, being relatively new and easy on the eyes, would probably be a better pick. I haven't had a first hand look at it, but, my friend who was in it liked it. I was in Vizag for two nights. And definitely wear a cap. As you must already know, a wide, semi circled cap that will not run the risk of touching your grafts (Baseball Caps) or at least a bandana like you say! Airports have these blowers in all their exits and Vizag airport is going to be windy and there is no aerobridge. You are most certainly not going to do any harm by roaming around like a joker with nothing on your head, as I did . But, if romcoms are anything to go by, most love stories begin and end in the airports. Leaving your head open might not harm your grafts but is certainly going to harm your chances with the ladies. Wearing a cap will definitely keep you at peace and more importantly keeps you from polluted air settling on your still vulnerable, infection prone head. I headed straight for a shower the moment I entered my house. My dog must have thought I ve gone bonkers. Picture: Me, travelling in style in Indigo Airlines' A320.

I just wanted to LOL! But, it wouldn't let me post anything below 5 characters. So, here I am writing a bunch of sentences which mean nothing. I think I am digressing. Let me just get it over with. LOL!

Two Months Update: As expected, this period has been like the aftermath of a hurricane. No scare. Peaceful. Not much of an activity to report, after an eventful first month. This is expected to continue for another month at least. Things Worth Mentioning: Is Nizoral a must even if you don't suffer from dandruff? http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/187925-nizoral-must-even-if-you-dont-suffer-dandruff.html Finasteride game plan http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/187993-finasteride-game-plan.html If you have read the Fin thread, I gave it a shot yesterday and I was almost back to normal performance. So, it does looks like it was a side effect of the fever rather than the Fin itself. Medications and stuff I have been on since surgery: Finpecia 1 mg. Sebamed everyday shampoo. (Ultra mild. Sulphate free. Helps with dandruff. Haven't touched Nizoral since.) WOW s Apple Cider Shampoo. (Twice a week. I oil my head prior to shampooing with St. Bottanica's 10 in 1 oil which has Olive, Castor, Rosemary, Sweet Almond, Jojoba, Grapeseed, Amla, Bhringraj, Neem and Tea Tree oil) Medications and stuff I will start and be using long term: Mintop 5% foam. (Was out of stock throughout the country since the surgery. Expected to be back this month.) Nature's Bounty's Hair, Skin and Nails. Now's Ultra Omega 3. I haven't started exercising yet. Haven't found that much needed drive required after a long break. Have somehow managed to find a nice sleeping window and have been sleeping well in general. I shall be back a month from now. Find pictures below that was taken some ten or so days ago. I had trimmed my hair down to 2 to facilitate my nasty war against dandruff. It also gave an opportunity to have a look at the scar at blade level 2. The scar can't be spotted at level 4. Laters people! PS: When I run my hand through the scar, its even with the rest of the head and I don't feel a thing except for a small area on the right side of the head. There is a clear bump. Clearly uneven. If you look at the pictures, the scar on the right is much wider than the rest. So, it sorta makes sense. Wonder if this happens to all or if its just me and if it will even out with time.

Had a talk with my doctor and she says there is no way I am going to experience side effects 2 months into Fin and that it generally takes about 6 months for any real side effects to show. So, I am recommended to do continue taking it. And I am going to do just that. She also said, fever could have been the cause for the change in performance. I have a related question. Minoxidil solution gives me an itchy scalp. So my doctor asked me to use foam. Foam unfortunately in India is out of stock and is going to be restocked only by October end. So, I have not been using minoxidil since the operation which was two months ago. I have been on Fin though since the tenth day of operation. The absence of Min since the operation is going to be a problem or Fin alone would have taken care of most of the problem? I will be starting Min in a month once its restocked. Or should I just jump on to solution temporarily? The last solution I was using was not so bad. The itching it gave was bearable.

Thanks BeHappy! I too have read in this forum about people experimenting with it and that helping them. One guy reported his side effects stopped after he started taking it every other day instead of everyday. That is precisely why I started the thread to ask the wise people in the forum for a plan on how to go about it rather than me doing some random experimentation.

Here! Dr. Bernstein on Propecia dosage. https://www.bernsteinmedical.com/answers/cycling-the-dose-of-propecia/