LaserCap

My concern is not so much the grafts. They're in there and will always be, and, like others have already pointed out, it is just too early. At this time you should be able to distinguish nothing, (unless there was PRP involved at the time of the procedure). Give it at least another 15 weeks and then at a year to reassess. My concern has to do with the placement of the grafts. You have a large diffused pattern. If the grafts were placed diffusely throughout, you'll end up seeing no visual change a year from now. Mind you, you'll never be empty as the grafts will be there, but they'll offer no density. If the work, however, was concentrated in the frontal 1/3, the grafts will allow for some framing of your face, a stronger forelock - which is appropriate for the patter you've developed, and will always serve you well. You seem to have a lot of miniaturized hairs. You can tell this by looking at the caliber of each strand. Notice how some are thicker than others. Discuss Propecia, PRP and Laser with the doctor. Most believe there is synergy with the simultaneous use of different modalities. Give it a year. If you end up experiencing some enhancement, your result will truly be a positive one.

You are tightly shaven and it's difficult to see if there are miniaturized hairs. Also, please photo the entire head, including the donor. Hopefully you are not dipping. If so, you may have some transplant options. Two things..... If you do have many miniaturized hairs, given how young you seem to be, I would try the meds. (Propecia, Rogaine, Laser and PRP) and give it a year. Based on the results you can decide if you should continue the regimen. If you see no results or it's insignificant, there's your answer. Have you consulted with a professional? Have them scope you. Perhaps there is a lot there that can be improved. What are your goals? Be specific. If you are considering adding a forelock to frame your face, proceed. If you are set on having a full set of hair, I would consider SMP and perhaps the meds. (SMP will give the illusion of hair, but there is none. If the meds are somewhat successful, the "the look would be that much better). Expectations are huge. Patience and take it a step at a time. Family history?

Native hair in the donor does get in the way and makes the day a lot longer for the clinical staff. Shaving is preferred. I do think, however, the staff should separate the grafts in clusters depending on where they came from. For example, FU from behind the ear should be placed in one dish while follicles originating from the middle of the donor should be placed in another. This would ultimately help the patient achieve naturalness. This is as far as the donor is concerned. As far as the recipient area is concerned. I disagree. If damage is going to happen, it will happen under the skin and not above it. So, in my view, there will always be some transecting. Additionally, how can the doctor mimic what the native hair is doing if he can not "see" it? I do agree it would be an easier job for the doctor and the staff to work in a shaven head. I doubt, however, if the results would be optimal - except if the patient decides to keep the hair very short. At that length it would make no difference. (But then why decide to do a transplant?)

A couple of things come to mind. We are not doctors and perhaps we should wait for a doctor's participation. In laymen terms, I can think of a few things to contribute. First magnification. This allows the doctor to truly see where best to make the recipient sites and minimize "damaging" native hair. There are two other points, but these are far more interesting. First is the angle and direction of the native hair. In my view this would allow for the most natural looking set of hair. By making the recipient site matching the angle of the native hair, hopefully, the grafted hair will just blend in with everything else. (The problem here is the fact that the native hair is typically worked before a procedure. It is either combed, shaved, etc). The second issue has to do with the doctor's training. Most believe the hair in the front grows forward at an angle. So, if the doctor does this and does not pay attention to what the native hair is doing, this may result in some of the grafted hair growing forward while the native hair is doing something else. To match grafts to native hair is truly an art and should be one of the key elements when looking at photos of results.

First, you need to stop worrying. This may be causing some of the issue. You've always had black hair. To offset some of the contrast, you would need to color to a lighter color hair, and I think people will know something is up. I think a better way to camouflage is to use toppik or any other agent that can help you darken the scalp. These "fibers" will adhere to the hair itself as well and thicken them up. Try that for a few weeks. The key is not to put a lot. Just enough to accomplish the effect. Eventually and to have something a bit more permanent, I would consider SMP. Typically angles are addressed at the time of the procedure. The doctor looks at the native hair and will try mimicking what your hair is doing. This is truly an art and a lot of variables go into it, particularly beliefs. Most believe hair in the front grows forward and at an angle. If the doctor decides to do this, without looking at the way the native hair is acting, you'll eventually find some "grafted hairs" coming forward. That happened to me. The way to address this is to use gel and train the hair. Eventually the hair will develop a memory. It takes time. Your hair is naturally wavy. This is a good thing as it gives more lateral coverage. The addition of grafts is not making your native hair curly. You are just self aware and trying to come up with answers. Most, I agree, do not know how to do PRP. I would return to the doctor and discuss this part of the procedure if you feel it was ineffective. I would not stat playing with medical therapy. Take the med as prescribed. 1mg per day. The mechanism of action of the med is such that it should be taken once a day. Think of it as a hair vitamin.

Typically transplanted hair, (no PRP), will start growing 3-4 mo. after the procedure. (And not all hair comes in at one time). The hair will be very fine and, with time, it will start thickening. Eventually it will have the caliber of the hair you have in the donor, as it is from there it came. While this is going on, shedding can continue. This speaks to the two types of loss we contend with. Shedding is normal. Most believe 100 hairs a day is the norm. The follicle gets tired of producing hair and it takes a vacation. This dormant period typically lasts 3-4 months. The hair then returns. This will happen randomly to all the hair in your head. Hair loss is different. Hair loss involves miniaturization of the native hair. This can be identified by looking at the strands. You'll notice the caliber of each. Some are ticker than others. Eventually the hair withers and dissipates. Once gone, it will never return. So, what you're experiencing is normal. I would give this another 8 months and then report. Take photos. Are you doing any type of medical therapy?

Typically it is the doctor who will do the extracting, and make sites. (If a site is made in a particular way, /, the graft can only go in that way as well. It could not possibly go in \. There are doctors that like getting involved with placing, check out Dr. Gabel. What you have to realize is the fact that this is not a regulated industry. There are groups out there where the grafts are harvested by a tech. It's also been known some techs will make sites and do the entire procedure themselves. The question then becomes, what schooling do they have. There has to be a difference between a tech and a doc. The ISHRS is always promoting and supporting the participation and work of the doctor. In the least, a PA could do the harvesting. I think the problem arises when a company selling equipment approaches a non-graft outfit and talks them into doing grafts. The company will not only sell the equipment - but also the staff. (The doctor, say in a dental office - for example), is in his office making money while the "rented techs" are performing the work. There are thousands of examples out there. A shame.

PRP and laser would do him good as well.

Dr Alexander is a fine doctor and will guide you correctly.

In most cases, agree. But you are "not" most cases. You have an advanced, large pattern and still young. At this point nothing is safe. If you end up being a class 7, you'll be stuck and in trouble. If you do try meds and they work, they'll continue working for as long as you take them. If you stop, you'll lose the benefit. This is as far as Finasteride is concerned. I am aware Rogaine tends to lose some of its effect at about 7 years. Perhaps you should try multiple modalities and give them a year. You can then decide what to do based on results. With regards to side effects, you'll know immediately. And, if you don't get them, you never will. Give yourself a good week to confirm this. If you are indeed, "affected" forget about transplants and consider SMP or something else. An examination of the doctor will not guarantee anything. He, like the rest of us, does not have a hair crystal ball to tell what's going to happen in the future.

I agree. In the world of caps, there are now knock offs of Kock-offs.

If you look at the perimeter of the crown you'll notice that the thinning is progressing. We call this dipping. If this continues, it will obviously have an effect on the donor. If you are a bit premature and move forward with transplants you can potentially lose all the grafts, particularly if they came from the area that thinned. If a doctor gives you the green light without confirming the effectiveness of the meds, I would run the other way as fast as I could.

If that's the way you're thinking, it is imperative you be on some type of medical therapy.

There is beard, and body hair. That's not the issue. Let's talk about how hair grows. Hair in the front grows forward at an angle. This is typically the reason why most will suggest hairline design be on the conservative side. Besides being age and pattern appropriate, everyone should think the hairline will automatically be about 2 inches down from its new home. On the top, the hair also grows forward and it shingles. In the crown, however, hair grows differently, it swirls. We all share a whirl. It is the weakest point. The hair grows away from the point and does not shingle. Let's do an exercise. Get a piece of paper and a pen. Draw a dot. Now draw a plus sign intersecting the point. Imagine that being procedure 1. Turn the paper up, (or down), a mm. Do the same. How many plus signs do you need to make before you can fill the circle? Transplants are similar. The crown can eat your lunch. You run out of donor and then you lose the front. It is important to recognize it is the front you see when looking in the mirror. It is also what others see when they interact with you. Having hair in the front will always serve you well. And if the back still bothers you, style your hair in a way in which it will help you cover the back. Can you eventually do the back? Sure, but this depends on the results of the front and donor availability. Be happy with the front and then make the decision. Don't forget medications

Based on the photos - which do not show your sides nor donor,.............. Large diffused pattern with a lot of miniaturized native hair. While you may have adequate donor, I doubt you'll have enough to cover the whole had. Besides, that's just a bad idea all around. Go to the mall and start looking at people with a 5/6 pattern. How do they lose their hair? They tend to keep a strong front, medium type density in the mid section, and much weaker in the crown. And with a very conservative hairline, (well receded). I would encourage you to do as many grafts as you can and concentrate them on the front and top and leave the back for a later time. When you're content with the results in the front, you can then tackle the crown. But wait......Are you doing any type of medical therapy? There is a chance you not only retain, but could enhance much of what you have. The opposite is also true. What if the meds do nothing and you continue dipping in the donor? You can potentially lose all the grafts. Have you had any consultations?

Why not go to the source? Lasercap.com. It is the only cap I know has a lifetime guarantee. Studies were done on the cap. The array of diodes it has provides for the most benefit. They also carry a model that covers the occipital area. This is particularly good for women as they tend to be global thinners. This cap has been copied by many others. It is by provider only and requires a prescription. Dr. Arocha and Dr. Alexander are providers of the cap. Call them, they can provide information. I use both Propecia and the cap. I would not have the hair I have had it not been for these modalities and the procedures I've had.

$3.24 per graft? and includes PRP? With our without a binding agent? Do you know how much blood they're drawing? Do you have any idea what equipment they use? How often would you have to return to do another PRP treatment? I gather you're planning FUT? Can you post some photos? I am assuming cost is important to you based on the way you wrote the msg. There are very talented doctors listed on this site. I would question, however, if any would allow the price you are seeking. Here is an idea.... If your schedule is flexible, contact the doctor's office and discuss your interest. Let them know you are open to fill their schedule, particularly if they have a last minute cancellation. Be honest and explain your situation. Given the way things are out there, you just might be able to move forward and invest the amount you have in mind.

By far, the best results I've seen - particularly in a single procedure. Make sure to ask him about PRP/Laser combination. This can help bring results in sooner and reverse miniaturization of the native hair.

We live in an era of transition. From the bad to the better. How you feel is dependent on a few things. First you. Are you generally confident? If so, less is hair of an issue and it's just right up there with any other chronic conditioning you may be experiencing. Take for example skin conditions. Second is the work itself. If it's bad, I'm sure you would care when either people stare or when they keep asking questions. If the work is good, it just becomes you. My story, as I've shared many times, is different than most. My grandfather was bald. Completely gone. I wanted to be just like him. I didn't care. It was not until I joined the industry I became aware of it. And I was told, how can you discuss transplants when you have no hair. So, I am thrilled I had it done. It's served me well. And the work was good.

If you were picking at the scabs, it is likely you'll bleed a little. It is typically recommended you gently scrub with the tips of your fingers. I would not worry about it however. Say you did lose a graft, which is unlikely, you will not be able to tell the difference when it's all said and done. 1 out of 1700 is insignificant.

Reach out to Dr. Arocha.

You've hit on a number of key points, let's address them. Numbers will depend on what your donor can support. Just tell the doctor you would like to do the max he can harvest. I would encourage you to concentrate on the front and top. Leave the back alone until you are happy with the front. It is normal and natural to be a bit thinner in the back due to the whirl we all share. Besides, you've been on medical therapy which is, perhaps, the best thing you ever did. I doubt if you would have as much native hair as you do had you not been on the meds. Cost is always an issue but I would not make it the determining factor. I would rather you spend time reviewing photos of results. Once you find results of cases similar to your own, I would consider that clinic. Then start the process of researching the doctor, etc. If you've always worn your hair the way pictured, I would exhaust FUT first. This will allow you to maximize the donor you have. Eventually, if needed, you'll have FUT available to you.

Aside of the fact it is just not good for you, it can have an effect on the cardiovascular system. It has been directly correlated to about 20% of deaths when it comes to heart attacks. Thus, if it has an effect on blood circulation due to the nicotine constricting vessels, it will have an effect on hair transplants. And then you have to contend with coloring of the teeth and the smell. Stick to the plan. You'll look good, smell good, and have a "commercial" white smile. Bet you will get a bunch of compliments. If you're not a candidate, (and the doctor is a straight shooter), they'll cancel the procedure and refund your money. If the doctor is despicable and less than honest, it is likely they'll move forward with the procedure and keep the money. You'll feel the effect for the rest of your life.

Terrific work and a great example of what can be accomplished with 1200 grafts. Most importantly, however, is the fact he did a successful FUE procedure. It can be done provided the Doctor is not only good, but understands the concept of curvature of the hair. How many times have we seen unsuccessful procedures due to the same fact and high trans-section rates. With the slight loss he's experiencing I wonder if he is doing Propecia/Rogaine/Laser/PRP.

Shedding is normal. Most believe 100 a day is the norm. Glad to hear you've been doing medical therapy. Perhaps adding a laser or doing PRP at the time of the surgery are options you're considering. I should mention, if the therapies are effective, they'll always be. The only way to lose the effectiveness is if you stop them. To confirm, go under a bright light and check your temporal areas. I'll venture to say you have only a few miniaturized hairs - if any. Your hairline should be pattern and age appropriate. It will always serve you well.