Dazed

Should I assume that you want to wear your hair short? If that is the case just going to a longer hairstyle would solve your problem. I can't imagine you would have this much concern unless you want a short hairstyle. You gave this post a rather dramatic title, which sounds like you are limiting your options, and painting yourself into a corner. I suggest you drop the drama and flesh out your story so people can offer real advice. You have not supplied enough data, such as how many grafts were extracted. There are always options if you take the time to consider them, and I am not talking about body hair.

No comment on price, but 4000 grafts in one sitting is rather intense. I had 2300 done last Sep. and that took 10.5 hours.

Oh I was an Ugly Duckling alright, especially after FUE, but no I did not shed. Matter of fact. I did not shed with either of my transplants.

Healing varies from person to person so much it is difficult to say X number of days. The doctor would probably err on the side of caution, and say X days. I carry it further and think X+ days instead of X- days. What do you have to lose by being cautious? Doing it my way I had no problem with crust, scabs, shedding or shock loss. I can't say what I did is the answer, I can only say it works for me.

I would pat the shampoo on, let it sit a minute, and then completely rinse by using a Big Gulp cup filled with warm water. I never had any problems, but I did spend a lot of time rinsing.

Many people have done this. Mine were 8 years apart, but most don't wait that long.

Is there some overwhelming desire to scrub your head? Why not play it safe? I went at least 2 months with just putting shampoo on and rinsing, and letting it air dry. You just paid a kings ransom to get the implants and you can't be gentle for a little while.

SPAM

Eventually it will happen, but medicine has much more pressing concerns at this time. This is basically a cosmetic issue, just like wrinkles. Cancer and unclogging coronary arteries are much more pressing issues.

“Imagination frames events unknown, In wild, fantastic shapes of hideous ruin, And what it fears creates.” ― Hannah More

It is funny how you loose track of time, but I would say about 3 months, maybe less, but it was not something I couldn't live with. I found relief by just putting my hand on the donor area and not scratching. Actually the shots to numb the donor area was the worst part of the whole FUE procedure - I was squirming like a toad. I was on the table 10 hours, but I think they gave me Valium, so I was in Lala land most of the time. I insisted on driving home, but I would never do that again.

It would seem strange to have scabs at 5 months. What does the doctor say. I never knew when my hair was growing. It was so gradual that it would be like watching grass grow. Perhaps some of the people who have experienced the pimples and bumps will chime in here. My scalp never tingled, but I may be the weird one on here. I heal rather quickly despite taking blood thinners.

I have never been back, and things are going great. The doctor was checking up on me for the first month. My hair has been pretty stable since my first transplant in 2011, but you have to understand that I will be 72 soon. I did not suffer any complications, and didn't want to make a 2 hour drive to see the doctor for nothing. I believe I am experiencing a very high success rate. Back to the question at hand, I would say the donor area was like a semi-numb, semi-itchy feeling, and it felt good to just put my hand on the area without actually scratching the area. I am a very good patient who overdid the post op instructions. I don't understand why so many people are so eager to return to normal routine so fast. A little TLC goes a long way.

You should have shown your eyebrows.

Helper, he seems to be in that transition time when you aren't sure if you did the right thing. I went through that same thing twice, and then poof everything was alright. I may be wrong, but I don't think many people are satisfied at 5 months.

I just used a saline solution and baby shampoo for about 2 months. It felt kind of weird for a while, but now 9 months out it is normal.

I am at 9 months, and everything seems to be going good. I will reevaluate at 1 year, and take final pictures. At 5 months I was not so sure.

That would be interesting to hear Gillenator's story. Other than starting at age 64, my story is rather generic, with one FUT and one FUE, and I didn't suffer any of the side effects that I hear guys talk about. I worked with a guy back in the late 60s or early 70s who had the old plugs, and it looked awful. I wonder when the new techniques were developed, because I don't remember even thinking about transplants for a very long time after seeing him. Even someone as rich as Frank Sinatra could not get good transplants back then. It would be good to hear from guys who have had more than 2 transplants, and at what age they started. I am very satisfied with my results.

You really need to contact a plastic surgeon who specializes in Fraxel Lasers as there are several different flavors. There are nonablative and ablative lasers. Most people just use the word Fraxel, and that tells me nothing. only a doctor is qualified to advise you if any of these lasers are good for your condition. The last I knew there was Fraxel Re:store, Fraxel Dual and the granddaddy Fraxel Re:pair - the fully ablative laser. You must do a lot of research, and talk to a doctor. Research on the Fraxel lasers is very hard, and there is much confusion. NEVER rely on the public, as most are ignorant of the facts. I have done Fraxel Re:pair and it is effective, but I do not know if it works on raised areas https://www.fraxel.com/#where-it-works

Gillenator, I have tempered my goals over the years. In my early years it was always about getting the girl. Now I just want to look and feel good about myself, and women are not the driving force. As far as I am concerned I am done with the hair part, and I am moving on to conditioning, strength training, Yoga and Tai Chi, mostly for balance.

I did use the saline solution for over 2 weeks, and I did let my hair air dry, and I had good results. I also used baby shampoo for a few months, and didn't rigorously dry my hair for at least 2 months. I also did not rub in the shampoo, but used a large cup to wash and rinse my hair

BeHappy, there is a thin line you walk as you age. We have all known people who try to look younger than they are, and they look kind of strange. Now, I look like I have more hair than I did in my 40s. I have grown a full beard and it is white, but hair color is still brown. I do use Just For Men on my eyebrows only because I don't like white eyebrows. I am just telling the guys of the battles they will face as they grow older, and most will still care about their appearance. They will not always be 30. I have much more hair than Joe Biden, and I am sure he has much more money than I. https://parsamohebi.com/celebrity-hair-transplant-wrong-joe-bidens-hair-transplant/

Thanks, sorry to bother you. You gave a 0 star response jerk.

I am 71, and I had my first transplant at 64, and the 2nd at 71. I probably didn't start losing my hair until my 40s eventually becoming a Norwood 3-5 by the time I was 64. As I said, I have had 2 transplants for a total of 4300 grafts. I have had very good results. I posted a picture, before and after at about the 7 month point of my last transplant, but I will post an 'Official' one year picture on Sep. 10 2019. In about my mid 60s I noticed a decline in hair loss, as witnessed by my brush and comb. I also believe I did not get the shedding so often mentioned on this forum. I know most of you guys are much younger than me, but you too will age, and much quicker than you think. My question is if my experience is normal for someone over 60, and do you see better results the older a man gets? I could use implants in my crown area, but enough is enough.

There are a few doctors that post here so hopefully they can advise you. 2 transplants by 28 kind of tells a different story.