jjsrader

Who in Canada did FUE before Dr. C*le and Dr. Feller?

Cool.  You should get alot of other very good responses out of this thread besides me.

Cheers & good luck!

Mustang username guy is into that w/Mwamba as you probably know - check his thread out. 

Also, Bisanga will do that nicely at a premium (methinks).

I'm sure we will hear from some good veteran members who have done that in this thread.

Dr. Nadimi in Chicago if you can afford her at about $10 per graft.  Next choice Shapiro Medical in MN at about $7 per graft.  3rd place & cheaper - no comment from me. 

Good luck & keep us update if you like.

Dut & Oral Minox - well done.  If you are bold you can also do Spiro (oral med) into your routine for long-term hair retention.  Some even say 2% Nizoral 2-3X's weekly.

In that general vicinity I would look at surgeons in Greece, then pop over to do your vacation in Turkey.  However, I am sure other members have thoughts on the multitude of Turkey clinics available.

There is a MASSIVE difference long-term for FUE extractions & yield for surgeons completely hands on or w/1 or 2 assistants who are using the most advanced FUE punches & extraction & cleaning along the way not to mention custom blade sizes for incision sites et al.

Just saying since you have already had two most likely rather large FUT surgeries.  Travel is the good stuff in life - I get it.

peace...

Yea - microdose Cialis daily and get back on meds!   Ahahaha!

They say location is not the determining factor - cost can be (to a degree). 

Since you've gone 'world class' on the FUT's don't you deserve to keep your standards for crown work equally high w/perhaps finding & up & coming 'crown' surgeon who has trained w/the best if you want to buy at a discount.

Best of luck & keep us informed!

Cheers...

I would google search 'top-rated SMP artists in 2024' or something similar & find 5 clinics or so that seem 'top shelf' from around the world & email w/pics & your questions & compile a set of guidelines or something like that.

Also you could get on the autist crowd 'reddit' & sent pics/emails & your questions and again - get a set of principles.

For me I have 6 FUT scars {100 FUT grafts in 1990, 120 FUT grafts in 1991, 400 FUT grafts in 1993, 700 FUT grafts in 1994, 2250 FUT grafts in 2004 & 4500 FUT grafts in 2017, 500 FUE grafts in 2017 & 1550 FUE grafts in 2024 & 500 FUE beard grafts in 2024} & Mark Weston took 2 days and blended and did all his work based upon doing at least 3,000 procedures in his career after he was a tattoo artist previous to that for at least 10 years.  He began tattoos at age 16 in Hong Kong whilst in the Navy.  So -  a lifelong artist for sure.

I researched for years before making a decision but you need to do your own research so you can make your own 100% independent decision.

Cheers!

p.s. Sorry if I didn't answer your specific question(s).

On 5/1/2024 at 6:40 AM, hairthere said:

You are fine leaving the rest of the hair the length it is. However you should temper your expectations regarding thickening SMP. The dots are flat and thus will only give an illusion of density by cutting the contrast of scalp and hair. Also, you might want your artist too go darker with the treatment because you're not seeing enough of a difference. If you have a good artist and they tell you they can't go any darker, listen to them. 

 

Also, I'm sorry to say I agree with the others commenting that your HT was not done using the best current surgical techniques. 

^ This!

If you are going to wear hair at normal lengths for decades going forward - darker SMP always better.  Absolutely correct.  I had mine done by Mark Weston (who actually does DEEP tattooing of the scalp vs SMP) & he re-iterated the same.  After all, he basically created the entire industry way back in the 90's. 

He just permanently retired w/n the last 5 months.

You're hilarious writing skills make my day!  You're the 'ab etching' guy, right?  You are like the terminator T-1000 in Terminator 2.

🤙

Jeez - you deserve so much credit for your iron-will & resolve seeing this through.  I'm seriously impressed - such fortitude in the face of adversity.

When you are done with all this go forth & conquer in whatever future endeavors you choose to engage in!

Well done sir!

What's the problem?  You had a bunch of hair - had a couple small FUE's & now have a shaved head w/hair.  Even it out & it's all good.

This is very unfortunate.  I would get on dutasteride and oral minox & as others have written get your scalp tested before another procedure.

You do one more later this year and you are basically done. 

This is what happens to a small % of patients - sometimes hair-loss genes overpower all attempts to stop it & the scalp is just not suited for long-term retention of donor grafts in the recipient area.

Obviously discuss all this with Dr Soni.  Think on it.  Take your time.  You've got time on your side - make an informed decision.  Just my 2 cents

Looks like you have a big head - alot of real estate to cover.  Probably need another 3K in the frontal 40% of your scalp to get enough 'aesthetic coverage' - assuming you don't have some scalp issue that is giving you a lower-than average yield.

If you have fine/straight hair when grown out you will need more grafts and proper hair length to give you enough visual coverage to frame your face properly. 

Virgin scalp, so w/Medispa less chance of FUT scar stretching - you'll get full coverage & all singles in hairline.  You don't need temple points (which is good - your hair resoration will look more natural and aesthetic w/your excellent temple points still in tact) - so if you don't ever want to shave your scalp in back for fade cuts I would go to Medispa.  All grafts checked under good microscopes w/a large well-trained staff.

Dr. Soni is very experienced and will transfer alot of hair for you in one go so you'll get nice coverage.  He does do 2 surgeries per day but is always around checking in.

You have good hair so you might also want to get on oral minox from an Indian pharmacy.  Without meds all the hair you have on top will be gone over the next 10-15 years since you have advanced hairloss at a  young age.

You have a solid frontal 'tuft' that will add to naturalness & a center point (weight) to use as an anchor point to comb backwards/sides to blend in w/your new transplanted hair.

Latin American genetics - thick dense donor hair.  Simple as.

Good pics.  You have very fine/straight hair.  Good coverage.  If you ever wanted one last surgery (you probably don't) you could restart taking fin/dut to make your donor hairs as strong as possible. 

This is a very realistic result from a world-class surgeon working on a NW6 who continues to lose hair into later life.  Best part is how absolutely natural it looks and you have hair that properly frames your face.

Also a good case of someone who doesn't have more than 7-8K of donor grafts - shows a realistic outcome.

The fact that you waited later for 2nd surgery is advantageous for your new donor locations - as we all know the majority of transplant patients transplanted hair absolutely thins out over decades (sometimes alot less). 

What most don't realize here is that it's best to wait as long as possible for initial surgery and in-between surgeries 'cause hair and scalp 'ages' over time for those with advanced NW genetics (even when on all the meds).

Thanks for documenting your journey.  BTW - a good haircolor to eliminate greys is Schwartkopf permanent haircolor in supermarkets/pharmacies.

10 hours ago, kiwidan said:

Got a link to your profile.

And if you’re in the same boat how do you style your hair. I live in the windiest city in the world and it’s killing me!!! 

I’d kill for topical Dusteride. And maybe I’ll just have to suck eggs and do a low dose of oral min and deal with puffy eyes? 🤷‍♂️

Find the optimal hair length for illusion of density - use the shingling effect of combing to the side.  Use protein-enhanced shampoo & try some hair volumizing powder or something similar.  I found that dyeing my hair a bit darker than my normal brown/auburn color (dyed now to very dark brown or espresso) helps.

Finally, I had my entire balding zone & scars filled in w/by Mark Weston (a form of scalp tattoo that is deeper and more permanent than regular light SMP).  Mark's retired now.

I'm doing another 2K later this month for behind hairline & center midscalp.  That'll take me up to 10.5K and I have not ruled out another final FUE of hopefully 1K from scalp.  Might do FIT farming w/beard hair into scalp hair & place the scalp hair donor into recipient area.  If not I may scatter 1K up to 2K beard hair over mid scalp and towards the crown.

I've used dutasteride since 2003 and before that finasteride since 1998.  Worked my way up to 30% rogaine lotion over 25 years before switching to oral minox about 5 years ago. 

If your family history is strongly balding & your personal genetics are to lose all your hair on top and crown - all you can really do over 30-40 years is slow it down & keep the donor strong and healthy until you are out of donor.

My hair looks very normal now w/the permanent tattoo & darker hair color and I keep my hair length at 5.5 months of growth on top and front for maximum fullness appearance. 

Try and make peace that to most people you look like you have hair as you grow older - alot of people that are not hyper focused on hair see the framing effect of a frontal hairline and 'coverage' throughout scalp without a noticeable bald spot and say to themselves - oh, he's a guy w/hair.  Simple as.  It's like 95% of people.

The other 5% will be hyper critical - but nothing you can do about them.  It's just their nature. 

I wore hats/caps/bandanas alot w/a full head of hair & after my 1st hair restoration surgery at age 23 - I still do. 

Personally, I did all this just for me so I didn't see a 'bald' head in the mirror each day. 

Coverage is a good thing - it's never enough for us, but at a certain point you accept thinning (but w/hair) or you max out your donor & then you concede that you have done everything you could do & make peace with it.

Personally if I were you I would finish off your limited donor w/a very skilled surgeon in the U.S. or in Europe because if you decide to have another 1-2 surgeries you'll really need a low transection rate & a surgeon w/a good eye for giving you most visual coverage w/limited donor grafts.   Sure it will cost more, but it's towards the end of the road - make a wise choice if you go that route & then live w/the outcome.

Just my 2 cents.

You'll probably have to max out your donor to get fuller coverage.  Simple as.  I'm in the same boat but older (57) and doing another 2K to fill in behind hairline into middle of scalp (after 8.8K grafts).  You could take dutasteride & oral minox to keep your donor strong.  You probably need higher DHT protection.  Good luck.

I don't know but maybe shave your head for a few years and see where you are at in another 2-3 years.  You continue to lose hair in your early 20's despite powerful medical therapy. 

If you decide to do the frontal hair band - please go w/a very artistic & experienced surgeon 'cause you'll probably continue to lose in the middle and the crown and then will need more surgeries as you get older.

There are many surgeons that examine your scalp w/a densomiter & take their time in a personal consultation - sounds like you went to top surgeons that don't bother, regardless...

Very nice result - those singles look good for your hair type.  Continue on your meds and in 5-7 years - see how well you've held up (since you are a slow balder w/1st transplant at age 40 & no work needed on your crown).

Cheers!

I don't think 1 in 1000 people would ever look at you now and think you have any hairloss nor need any surgery.  You have strong sides (temporal points) which makes any percieved hairloss even less of an issue imho.  Stay on meds consistently & come back in a year and show us new pics!

Enjoy your hair - maybe get a top stylist & do your hair differently - but truthfully your hair is 100% fine the way it is.

I had a laser from Overmachogrande - used it for 2.5 years.  Zero difference.  It was worth a try.  Frankly, if it really worked longer-term you would see the most respected hair transplant surgeons (not the ones just marketing them for extra cash flow) telling private patients to use them.  Full stop.

They don't.  Just saying.

On 6/3/2022 at 5:24 AM, mrmane85 said:

Why did you choose the 9 month photo rather than the 12 month to critique?

I apologize - probably 'cause I work alot and am very tired when I read & comment in HRN.  I overlooked the more mature result.