Djshakes

Hi All, I had a successful HT over a year ago and it has been life changing. I am currently only using Costco Liquid Min as ordered by the surgeon. I use in the morning and at night as instructed per the bottle. My post procedure care guide from the clinic states to use Min twice daily until 18 months, then back off to once a day, then after two years I think it mentions to stop. However, this conflicts with directions on the bottle and general consensus that shedding can occur if you stop. Do I stop per instructions of the surgeon or do I follow the label instructions? I'm sure the company doesn't want to you stop buying their product but I don't want to potentially risk hair loss. I am not opposed to using it on-going.

I told everyone before I had it done. Had some people try to talk me out of it. Did it anyway. I'm a bit of an open book and I didn't want the awkwardness of people trying to not to mention it, etc. Plus there is no way you are going to hide if you can't wear a hat to work. The first three months suck hard. Scabs, redness, etc. People like asking questions, etc. I have really thick skin and am self-deprecating so even if people give me shit I laugh with them and crack jokes about myself. Just yesterday my friend's wife came over to pick up her husband from a party I had the night before. We were sitting and she asked about my thinness more towards the crown bc my hair was a mess. Didn't bother me one bit. I'm not going to deny I have thin or fine hair. Once I comb it it is all concealed without fibers etc. I'm 44, I don't expect to have the density of a 20 year old.

Hope you get great results. I remember the early days. I had a calendar I was counting down until the 14 day mark because I was so paranoid about bumping head. Just follow the post op procedures to a T and you will be good.

Added a couple more pics because one is blurry.

Hi All, I got some messages asking about progress so figured I would post. I'm about 20ish days away from a full year. As you can see I am thin on top but concealable. So far so good. No finestride, only min. twice daily. Just hoping it holds on until I'm 50 or so and then everything else is a bonus. I'm 44 now.

Picture update for 8 months. Hoping the Min fills in the top as I feel like I am shedding. I had my PCP prescribe me Fin but I haven't picked it up yet and am probably not going to take it. Don't want to deal with the sides. Lost 10 lbs. since last pic. Need to get a hair cut soon but want to grow the top long so I can comb it back. Sort of just sticking straight up now.

Think it is normal to experience some shedding after two months of using Min the proper way? I notice ten or more hairs on my hands when I shower or apply it.

Quick question. Summer is coming up. My clinic says I have to wear a swim cap for a year. Is this common? Seems when research on line people state only 10 days to avoid pools? I'll do what they tell me but seems excessive?

Thank you for the kind words. Do you think the existing hairs thicken or new additional hairs will grow? I think the former but will be even more happy if it is the latter. Plus maybe by then the minoxidil will kick in as I heard it takes a few months and since I wasn't using enough for the last couple months I haven't seen the full affect?

Hi All, Almost forgot to post some update pics. Few things I also want to mention. 1. I was given Minoxidil in a spray bottle from the clinic. The instructions were to use 3 sprays each morning and night. It lasted about two months. I am now using the costco brand in liquid form. For convenience I was pouring the costco brand into the spray bottle I was given at the clinic because I liked to spray it on instead of the dropper. However, about a month ago I realized that three to four sprays wasn't nearly close to the 1mg dose recommended by the costco brand. I figured this out by using the dropper that comes with the bottle. So I think I wasn't using enough prior. I'm using the required dosage but I wonder if I might experience some shedding now that I am using the proper amount? Or maybe I have conditioned my scalp with micro dosing and now since i am using 1 mg I won't shed as much? I do notice hairs on my hands when I shower or rub in the minoxidil. I didn't before. Nothing drastic, but there is some shedding. 2. I got a hair cut two weeks ago and the barber went ape shit. Cut it very short which was disappointing. Don't ever say, "Do what you think looks good" at a $12 hair cut place. I hadn't had a hair cut in 10 years and my friend that goes that gets very stylish cuts. There are many barbers there so I might have picked a bad one. I plan on going to one of those trendy hipster places next time to see what they can do. My hair grows slow so it might not be for a month or so...maybe longer. 3. Lastly I must preface that I am extremely happy. This is life changing. Now, this might sound ridiculous but I don't think the graft survival rate is in the high 90% like most clinics claim. When I closely inspect it seems there are gaps in the hairs which vary from my memory of when they were placed. They seemed so tight when I first had it done. Again, could be hair greed or my mind messing with me and I reiterate, I'm stoked. I tried taking a close up pic. I tell people I would have paid double for these results and I recommend this clinic to everyone that asks. I'll keep updating but I think my growth has stabilized. I don't see new hairs coming in so I think this is the extend of the density I will achieve...which is fine by me if I can maintain it. Hoping the minoxidil will fill in the crown a bit.

I will be 44 in May. I feel I look better in person. I always hated the way I look in photos but I appreciate your comment.

That is correct, he did all the incisions. PRP was included, at least I negotiated for it to be included with my procedure.

Hi All, There seems to be interest so I will keep updating. I too noticed when researching that there was a doctor and Jacques...who I thought was a doctor as well in all honestly. Jacques did my consult via Skype. During the procedure he did the following: 1. Anesthesia 2. Graft harvesting 3. Created the hairline 4. Final checkup after grafts were placed. He spent a good 30 minutes looking at all the grafts and touching them up. I guess when he would try to set one a little better another would pop up. Probably due to swelling, etc. I never saw the doctor. Three techs placed the grafts. Basically everything you see in the videos is exactly how it happened. There were no surprises. Actually a brilliant marketing strategy if you think about it. It really takes away the anxiety of the unknown. Thank you for the comments. It really is crazy how much different you feel. I feel confident as hell, probably more than I should but after more than a decade of hating to look in the mirror I can't stop now. I notice the transplanted hair grows faster than my native. I will have to get a hair cut soon, but I was sort of holding off. It is still a little thin in some areas but seriously I can't even complain as the transformation is way more than I expected.

About six days from 5 month mark. Figured wouldn't be much change from now till the 19th. Feel like I'm leveling off with growth. If these posts are redundant I can stop.

I had a HT about five months ago. I was very concerned with taking Propecia and told my doctor I wasn't going to do it. My doctor told me he recommends it but also told me 75% of his clients have sides and how they are allowed to say only 5% or whatever have sides is insane. I'm 43 with a very strong libido. I didn't want to risk losing it. I am only taking minoxidil spray. Not doing Propecia. I just remember reading threads in which people were suicidal and felt like sexless zombies and the sides never went away, or they went away temporarily and then came back even after ceasing the medication.