SBSinNYC

I’m one month in on a 2400 graft FUT. Shedding has kicked in as expected and I asked the doctor when you hit rock bottom. He said 3 months. So worry not!

So sorry to hear that. Best of luck to you.

I’m curious what “butchered” means?

Here’s how I see it. You’re 39 years old, you’re on the meds to slow your progression, and you appear to have a decent donor supply. Go get a consult. Get an honest opinion from someone who is conservative and realistic as to what you can expect now and into the future. Get it from someone who isn’t giving you a hard sell. Full disclosure: I’m 55. Had a full head of hair at 42. Now NW5. I guess that’s what 3 kids can do to you. I wish I knew about and used meds over this period, because it would be significantly less expensive and seemless today if I had.

I think it is standard procedure with my doc. 1/2 out at 10 days. The other half around 3 weeks. It’s possible they gave me a couple extra days because I’m diabetic and couldn’t take a steroid for swelling. Or...it fit their schedule better.

Nice deduction! Saw my doc today. He removed a few more staples and said there was a minor infection. Prescribed some topical and oral meds. Otherwise everything looked ok.

As a 20 year old, you have the luxury of being smart and deliberate about your situation. You may or may not be facing a problem down the road, but either way it is still largely down the road. Find an excellent doc or two and talk to them. Have them help you determine your situation and montitor over time to clarify further. There may be others who disagree, but I would be highly suspicious of any doc who proposes a HT for someone your age, unless the circumstances are highly unusual. Yes, taking finasteride can help maintain your current density and volume, but beware side effects. Especially at 20years old, there can be side effects you don’t want to have to deal with at this time in your life. At the same time, starting the process of understanding your situation and path forward will help ease your mind. Best of luck!

I’m 17 days post FUT. Half my staples were removed on day 11 and the rest are supposed to go in another week. In the last day or so, the remaining staples feel like they are looser and it even appears that one may have fallen out on its own. There is also a tiny bit of evidence of weeping from the strip area on my pillow after last night. Is this normal or to be expected? Thanks

Coconut oil was helpful, thanks!

I hear you. My issue is the donor scar as I did FUT. I will put a cap on under the helmet to prevent rubbing against the incision site. Also, having a past experience where a helmet 100% saved me from severe trauma or possibly death, I will never ride without one. It’s amazing how hard you can smash your head into the pavement with a helmet on and be ok.

All I got was Johnson’s Baby Shampoo and some Vaseline for the scar. Any brand’s you like?

I’ve reached 13 days post-op (FUT) and have been told by my doc that all grafts should now be permanent. I was very gentle for the first 10 days, so I am now left with a very crusty chapeau. 1. Can I just scrub off all the dried up crusts/scabs with abandon at this point? 2. Any hairs that are lost are going to shed soon anyway, right? 3. Any suggestions on products to smooth this transition? (yes, pun intended) Thanks

Is it safe to assume you want to avoid FUT because you keep your hair short? If not, you can usually get more donor supply and possibly better Graf survival using FUT.

Thank you for your reply. I spoke with my doc after day 10. He was ok with riding, but wanted to make sure the helmet was clean and thought it would be a good idea to wear a cap under the helmet. I will do that, since I don’t need the helmet’s retaining system to rub against the donor scar and it will provide sun protection. Honestly, I was a little surprised since my doc has a reputation for being conservative. Now, to avoid crashing!

At your age, you will want to carefully consider what your thinning will look like decades down the line. You could lower your hairline now only to find other needs as you age that make the forehead feel like no big deal. I would consult with several highly experienced and reputable docs. Don’t skimp on that. You want someone who can do work that will keep you happy with your choices over a long time period. Best of luck!!

How old are you? How long did it take to go from your youthful full head of hair to where you are now? What are your goals?

I am an avid cyclist and getting regular exercise is especially important for me since I suffer from type II diabetes. Tomorrow I will be 10 days post FUT and want to understand if cycling is likely to create issues with the donor scar. I will , of course, carefully consider my docs advice, but I was curious if others have experiences with this. Cycling requires the rider to (mostly) raise their head, which I guess would release tension in the area around the donor scar, rather than increase it. Thanks for your insights!

I had a FUT procedure with him yesterday. Overall a good experience, but too early to really tell about results. My impression of the Dr. Bernstein is he wants his patients to have realistic expectations. He’s not selling. He would rather do 2 sessions than 1 mega session, so that he can fine tune the ultimate outcome. Some people are looking for a more gung ho doc, but I’m fine with the more conservative approach. Best of luck!

Thanks!

Going in for a full day FUT tomorrow morning. What can you do to pass the time while the docs do their thing? What can’t you do? When? For example, can you wear earphones during strip removal? During graft placement? Looking for tips! Thanks!

This is my first post, so thank you for your indulgence. I have an FUT procedure scheduled for next month. My doctors treatment plan included prednisone for 6 days during and post procedure. I am diabetic and my endocrinologist is concerned that prednisone will dramatically elevate my blood sugar. The FUT surgeon says for a diabetic they can skip the prednisone. My question is how skipping the prednisone is likely to affect the surgical and recovery process? Thanks again.