LaserCap

My wife is an avid fan of Botox, (nor for hair). Stuff is pricey. Can't imagine doing your whole head. The effect, as far as helping to relax the muscle(s) and help with wrinkles is about 4 months. I've heard of it being used in a number of applications....But not enough experience to render an opinion...Other than the stuff is expensive.

The doctor, if he knows what he's doing, has little to do with scarring. This is a function of wound healing. So, if you did not lift weights post op, slept on the scar the day after the procedure, etc....that's just how you heal. It is likely you'll heal the same way. Why not camouflage with FUE grafts on the scar? Or SMP? If you are moving forward, have the doctor check your elasticity. If you're going to do it at the same time of the procedure, have the doctor do a suture under and above. The suture under will keep most of the pressure and the one on top is more window dressing but the scar should be better.

For years 've heard Nioxin cotains Rogaine. Try it, see if you like it. The important thing to realize about using a shampoo is to avoid alcohol as this will dry the scalp. That's when flaking starts. Baby shampoo works great.

1st, are you doing 5% once or twice a day? While it's OK to use the men's Rogaine, (5%), most doctors will suggest women use it once per day. Rogaine does not regrow hair. Nothing does that. It can help retain the native stuff and perhaps even enhance it. Never heard of Rogaine causing water weight. The constant itching may be something else all together and coincidental to you using Rogaine. I would encourage you to visit with the dermatologist and have them biopsy the area. This will tell you, conclusively what's going on. Have you tried laser therapy? If your skin is irritated, Rogaine may be doing more harm than good when you consider alcohol content. So, if you want to continue Rogaine, I would suggest you start applying it in a different area. (The medication is systemic. By applying it in a particular area, it will be working throughout the entire head. Next day, change the area. Use a cap full, press it down with your palm and massage in. No need to spread it elsewhere. The only thing you're doing is wasting it.

In my opinion, the best time to do a transplant is the day of the procedure. PRP can do 2 things. It can bring in the results of an intervention earlier, and can help reverse the miniaturization of the native hair. Since you're already under local - the day of the procedure would be optimal. But obviously, since you had your procedure days ago, it is likely the doctor will ask you to wait until everything heals. The sooner you do it, however, the better. Yes, the procedure is important, but keeping the native hair should also be on the list of priorities. If you keep losing, you will have to return to do a 2nd procedure to replace what you just lost. Hopefully you are doing some kind of medical regimen to help you with retention. If the doctor told you to wait 4 weeks, then there is your answer......

Regardless of the type of procedure, the follicle typically will have a very short hair attached, (remember the donor was reduced down to stubble). Sometimes this hair can start growing from day 1. More commonly, however, hair will start coming in 3-4 mo. most op after scrubbing off. So, it is not that you're shedding. It's removal of the crusts along with the stubble what you're referring to. Logically, once the hair starts growing, density will improve. But It'll be gradually as the shafts mature. Density is a function of many factors: Native hair, native hair loss. Shedding, return of the "shed" hair, transplants, growth. Transplants, growth of transplants. So, if you lose native hair, add medical therapy and perhaps transplants. If you shed, add medical therapy to help minimize the shedding.

Well, that will depend on ethnicity - up to a point. Oriental guys tend to have hair that sticks out. For them a bit longer is needed so that it starts laying down. Anglo...drops immediately, probably 1/4". African American - it depends. At least 1/2 inch as it curls. Now, are you only talking about the donor?

Hard to say....the photos you've posted only show the front third. Good technique calls for not only strengthening the hairline, but blending grafts to the area behind it to avoid the island effect. How far back? It depends on the loss.... Currently you still seem to have a youthful hairline with a bell shaped curve....Perhaps you want to add grafts to mimic the density you have elsewhere....Don't do it. Being front heavy will catch up with you in the future. Being just a bit weaker in the front adds to the naturalness. I think it.s important to realize this is one of the most prominent areas.... What are you doing medication wise?

Throughout my career I've had the privilege to help thousands of patients, many just like you......If all the native hair is gone, why use medications? So, medications are meant for those who still have something to save. I do have a question...If you are a class 6, then it means you still have donor. Have you checked the perimeter? Does that seem weaker than the rest of it? If so, getting on Finasteride might not be a good idea. Perhaps you are not demarcating down. If, so - there is nothing to do. Are you content with the work they did?

As soon as I get home...shave. And then just let everything grow in. Typically hair starts coming in 3-4 months post op. And, not all hair comes in at the same time. I would then, with everyone paying attention, start wearing a hat. Let the hair come in naturally. When you are good and ready, leave the cap behind. That's what I would do.

When you're conversing with people you typically see their front and nothing else. Fortunately I had kept a forelock which is what tends to stay put the longest. So it looked as if I had thinned normally. That second procedure did help a lot. I also think Propecia contributed a great deal. Yeah, 7 procedures but 3 of them were relatively small. I think both Propecia and laser have helped a lot. So much so that my son decided long ago to get on the meds. He has a beautiful set of hair. Like many say, "I wish I would have started sooner."

Unfortunately at this time everyone is doing their own thing. Most are not drawing enough blood...and are under the impression it needs to be done on a regular basis. I am aware of other clinics that draw a lot more blood and will ask you to return months later. I will tell you that most practitioners will do it for a short time. When they see no results, they just stop all together. The clinics are are processing more, are not only getting earlier results, but are also helping reverse the miniaturization of the native hair. It is incredible, for lack of a better word, there is no uniformity industry wise...a shame. But to answer your question...all modalities we discuss when addressing the subject of hair restoration need to be ongoing otherwise you lose the benefit. Talk to the doctor(s) and see what they recommend.

I joined the industry in the late 90's. I had a forelock but little else. Strong class 5A. I didn't care about it as my grandfather was bald and I wanted to be just like him So, During the introduction to the industry and training I was told, "Al, you need to have hair...Otherwise how can you talk to anyone about it." They were right of course so I had a 1800 graft case in the front and top. (I also started the Propecia regimen but avoided Rogaine. Back then the liquid was the only thing available and I hated the grease). At the time it was strongly believed that grafts competed for blood supply and a separation between grafts were left. 4-12 mo later you could return and do a 2nd procedure to fill in - which is exactly what I did. Had my 2nd FUT, again 1200 grafts. About a year later I had another procedure and, by then, I was thrilled with the front and top. I started working farther back into the pattern, but never placing grafts directly on the crown. Then came FUE. It was a big deal. They invited all the doctors from around the Country to come and observe. The actually "drilled" the grafts out from my sides where my density is superb, (I've been told that many times). Did 102 grafts and I had them placed in the mid-back area. Mind you, I knew 100+ grafts was not going to do much, but the more the merrier. The following year I did the same procedure again. The same equipment was used. (It reminded me of a motorized box that is typically used to do spray painting). Another 100 grafts to the mid-back area. I should point out these procedures were great compared to FUT. A Tylenol and that was it. No wrap. (I did look like a mummy on the first two procedures as I was bandaged. The bandage was removed the next day. Touching anything back then was a no-no. Had to pour shampoo and poor cups of water to remove the soap. 10 days later you could scrub and sutures were removed in 14 days. I then flew to Beverly Hills and had another procedure....By then my donor was fairly tight..... All in all I've done 7 procedures, 3 of which were FUE....Just over 5300 grafts Many stories to tell in between these procedures...mostly from patients and their reaction once they knew most of my hair was the result of surgery. I have photos but they're in crates. If I find them I'll post them and then write a complete synopsis.

I am afraid there are no such reports. If we had a crystal ball - that would be great. Hair loss is complicated. It can skip generations, it can come from either side of the family - or both. And, just because one sibling has it, it does not mean the other one will. Off hand - family history. This would, at least, give you a bit of info. Much of what happens years later can be attributed to the donor. The patient is either experiencing retrograde alopecia or is starting to lose hair in the donor. Transplanted grafts will react the same way as if they were still in the donor area. Grafts do keep a "memory." So, if the patient is thinning in the donor, transplanted grafts originating from there will also thin out. Another problem is the native hair because it gets in the way. Now-a-days the work is so good and natural that most folks can't tell the difference between transplanted hair and the native stuff. So, the patient moves forward with a procedure, starts to lose native hair....He is going to think the is losing the grafts when in fact it's the native hair. Medical therapy is HUGE. And this same medication may also have an impact on the donor. It's complicated. But, if the donor is intact for a lifetime, so should the grafts.

Well put and thanks for cleaning up my thoughts...that's exactly what I was trying to say.

Of course you're right. I am just talking about how I felt at the time. And I was not reporting on anyone. I was reporting more about myself and how I felt.

Of course it makes sense....I also realize how many immigrants are here....and have come since 911. Just the way I felt at the time. I hope people are mindful of what it means to come here......

I was in Dallas....With a hair restoration practice....Watching the TV in one of the patients' waiting rooms....tragic. Wish I'd been there to help. And since you did share...... Like most I've been to Pearl Harbor, paid my condolences. I could actually "see" the planes attacking...Eerie. I became enraged when I saw people from Japan visiting. I actually had to go to one of the guards and explain what was happening to me. And you know what's going to happen years from now? People from Saudi Arabia are going to come down to NY as tourists. While I may be generalizing...people overall have no clue.....nor respect. Next time you see a soldier, a public servant....buy them coffee, buy them lunch....Help your community and fellow man.

I am so glad you're thrilled. At the end of the day that's the only thing that matters....but..... Did you have PRP? Typically hair starts coming in at 3-4 months and not all hair comes in at the same time. There can be a lapse of as much as 2 weeks post op. The hair is vellus-like. Very fine. It does take a full year to mature and really see the result. So, unless you did PRP which is known to speed things up, I'm not sure what results you are talking about. Are you doing any medications to help you with retention? Why was the doctor awesome? Did he do something special? What did the team do? I'm sorry but you are doing more of a disservice than anything by posting ....I can equate this to Karaoke and Rap. I call it KRAP.

The world is a crazy place....millions and millions of people. But it seems to me that everyone has someone they can rely on. Kids and young adults have their parents, guys have their wives and so on....It is these "supporting actors" to call them that, that will typically do the research. The internet is a huge part of this. Everything is so accessible now. Who doesn't have a computer? We do live in an advanced world and it's very exciting for me to be living in such times. But before I get derailed......Research. Seldom do I go out and don't hear someone say..."I read on the internet about...." Be a restaurant, a medical practice, hair......Yelp and so many other sites are part of it as well. And now the marketing companies behind it all can actually keep tabs on you...what you search for, where you shop....and then they inundate you with "marketing" images of all your desires. It is difficult not to research given the push everyone seems to give around you. I do think we need to be doing a better job of educating. The overall message that transplants are permanent, (if it's good work it's permanent, if it's bad work it's also permanent), is not getting to people. Doing the research is huge when you consider you'll have to live with whatever result you get. It better be good.

I can understand how dramatic that must have been. But we are dealing with two types of loss. The one you see and the one you don't. The follicle gets tired of producing hair and it goes into a resting phase. That hair returns. Hair you don't see, however, is hair loss. Look closely to the hair in your hairline, just to take an accessible area. Note the size shaft of each strand. Some are thick and some are thinner. Those miniaturized hair will continue thinning until the hair dissipates and withers away. Best thing to do is to get on a medical regimen to halt the loss. But here you need to be careful. Patients have a tendency to think and say "saw no change, I stopped. The medication was doing nothing for me." The medication is not intended to regrow anything. Nothing regrows hair. It can help retain. So, if you look the same a year from now, the medication did what it was supposed to do. In a small percentage of patients, there can be enhancement of the miniaturized hair. If this happens, stay on the medication FTROYL. The donor area is finite and very limited. There is not enough hair to allow for a full set of hair in the front, top and back when dealing with an advanced pattern. It is of utmost importance you keep as much of the native hair as you can.

Seldom do I hear "hard skin." Interesting...Perhaps doctors can jump in and give their opinion. I don't think there is such thing. Could it be less elastic? Perhaps that's what's causing the issue. But.... Typically when grafts pop it's not because of the quality of the skin. It is because you are a bleeder. What's causing that? Perhaps the diet. I am very aware of the many condiments in Indian culture - as I enjoy most of them when I cook. Tumeric is one. If this is the case, it is important to bring it up during the initial consultation. Leafy vegetables, fruits....that can help. The doctor can also suggest other vitamins to minimize the issue. But it's a bit early to question the results. I would give it 6 months and then start taking photos. Make sure you return to the doctor's office when scheduled to do so...and follow their instructions. I keep looking at your photo and it might be me, but you seem tilted somehow. Your left side is much higher than the right and it end on a point. The right seems blunted a bit, but slopes down. What this the hairline you and the doctor discussed prior to the procedure? Symmetry is typically a no-no in this industry....but this is an issue. Keep an eye on things and post at 4 and at 6 months.

For patients that'd had transplants, the overall thought is the pricing of 40-100 grafts should be $400 - $1000 if you base it at $10 per graft. This is incorrect......Eyebrow restoration is typically a package deal regardless of the number of grafts, $3500 - $4800 depending on a number of factors. So, if you have a full set but would like to add some grafts to the head of the eyebrows, for example, now you know the reality....If you didn't know it already. But that's the least of your concerns...... The finest hair available is typically harvested from behind the ear. But even that hair will be coarser than eyebrow hair and it will grow differently. So, now you'll have a different type of hair that will grow a lot faster than the rest. Given this is in the most prominent place, do you think it's worthwhile risking looking "off" just because? Third...this is hard work. The sites need to be opened sideways and flat. Consider that eyebrows lay. God forbid you go to someone with little to no experience and they make the sites completely vertical...Now you'll have hair growing straight out. If you have little to no eyebrows, get to it.....but just for the hell of it...I think you're playing with fire.

Typically the first 3 days post op are critical. In 7-9 days all pretty much returns to normal. If you hit your head accidentally, you're hitting the outer wall and should have no affect on the transplants. If you pull a graft the day of the procedure, you would bleed profusely. but it's only one graft. If you had 2500 grafts I doubt anyone could see the difference. (And, why would you do that?)

So what? And perhaps it's true. But if you are exercising for 20 min or 1 hour, the increased amount is negligible in the overall scheme of things. Best to speak with your PCP and discuss the possibility of a DHT blocker.