Dazed

The only way you can be at peace with this is to contact a lawyer.  They don't think like us, and they have different incites, including if you have waited too long.  Once you talk to a lawyer you will know if you can proceed or let it go and work on repairing the damage.  What do you seek as resolution.  What is most important to you monetary, or to have the damage corrected?

11 hours ago, TrixGlendevon said:

Jesus! I would never have the courage to do that. Good luck!

Thanks for the support - and no, it is FUT

Fut is easy to disguise after about 2 weeks when the scabs fall.  I have had FUT and FUE.  You will be fine.

Apprehension is natural.  You have done due diligence so trust yourself that you have made an informed decision.  I have undergone brand new procedures for which there was no history.  I am going for a facelift in Costa Rica in January, but I have been researching the doctor for over 2 years, and he has all rave reviews on RealSelf..  Do you think I still do not have apprehension.  A hair transplant is a piece of cake.  The worst part is the bad haircut if you get FUE.

Buyers Remorse is natural after any big ticket purchase, not specifically the hair transplant. 

You have apprehension and that is normal.  After the transplant you will have buyers remorse.  What I would question is having 2 procedures so close together

On 11/6/2018 at 2:57 PM, TrixGlendevon said:

I mentioned it in the context of shaving my head short to avoid the ugly duckling phase being so obvious. However, with FUT, this is not an option because of the scar.

I have no idea why you are in an ugly duckling stage I am 2 months into FUE this time and I look just like before.  I endured about 6 weeks with a horrible FUE haircut, but now its all cool.

Why would you have to hide for a year?  Nobody will notice as your new hair is growing in.  I think you are interpreting when people talk about a year they are more talking about thickness and density of the hairs.  You will be at ease a lot earlier than that.  Remember people aren't looking at you as much as you think they are.  They are too concerned about their own appearance.  Unless you were the hot girl in the office people don't notice you.

I am at the 2 month mark, and while I didn't see any shedding, I can also not see the grafts, but I can feel them as kind of prickly little suckers.  I really don't remember the shedding in 2011 either.  Is it at all possible that they don't shed for everybody?  Because of a post about blood thinners I was wondering if being on a blood thinner could effect the growth of the grafts in a positive way.  I was on blood thinners for both my transplants.

I was put on Rat Poison (Warfarin) in 2009, but I believe I was on Pradaxa by 2011 when I had my first transplant and it turned out great.  I am only 2 months into this transplant so I can't comment on that.

11 hours ago, brickellmoto said:

....have any of you successfully hidden it from others completely? 

Obviously you want yours to be kept secret or you wouldn't have asked this question.  I had FUT in 2011 - took off work for 2 weeks, and nobody had any idea I had anything done, and I worked with a lot of women, especially one heavy black lady that notice everything.  I couldn't sneak anything past her, but she didn't notice the hair transplant - that's when I knew I had it made.  You can't hide FUE very well.  I just had FUE and lucky for me I am retired so just wearing a hat hid my ridiculous haircut.  Now 2 months later all is well.  If you can't take a couple weeks off with FUT or FUE the scabs will be a problem.  With FUT let your hair grow.  Nobody knows about either procedure except one buddy of mine whom I told.  The best you can do with FUE is get your head buzzed and let everybody get used to seeing you that way.  You will still have the problem with scabs for up to 2 weeks, and some guys experience redness.

I assume you are talking about FUE.  I had no swelling or redness although the donor area was tender for about 6 weeks.  There was no real pain.  My scabs took about 1.5-2 weeks to drop off, but I was very gentle and never touched the implants until about a month later.  As mentioned by Aftermath your silly haircut will be a major concern.  In retrospect I would have got a buzz cut prior to FUE if I had it to do over again, but at 2 months I finally look normal.  I am retired so I can hide.  Most cannot.  I also had FUT in 2011, but that was very easy to pass off, and again I had no swelling or redness.

Markee, be skeptical of anything reported in the media.  Dr. Dean Edell who retired in 2010 goes into media deception in his book Eat, Drink & Be Merry.  He is a master of critical thinking and sorely missed.  He exposed many of the medical farces throughout the years, and tore apart the anit-immunization crowd.  Do you know that got its big push from Lisa Bonet and Phil Donohue on a frigging talk show.  How many children died because of that.  Anyway get your information from respected medical journals.

3 hours ago, AnalogFeel said:

did it come as small little hairs gradually or all at once or what?

As I remember it just seemed to be there at the same time.  I hope I get the same thing this time.

Why would you tug on them?

4 minutes ago, TrixGlendevon said:

That would actually be perfect if I was more or less looking how I do now. Thanks.

You mentioned the scar in the donor area with FUT.  That is very easy to hide as long as you don't cut your hair short.  I never even gave a thought to it with FUT.  Many people mention redness, but I never experienced that.

6 hours ago, TrixGlendevon said:

So, what would be the best way to hide this then with an FUT? Another point is that I do not want to go away with work as a NW4 and then come back as a NW2. The difference would be too obvious. So difficult!

The only ones who might notice are women.  Men don't look at men.  I had FUT in 2011 and went back to work after 2 weeks, and nobody noticed anything.  The hair growth is so gradual they won't notice the transition from NW4 to NW2.  A bunch of guys were standing outside talking about hair and one guy said 'you are lucky you still have hair', I just smiled inside, and that was at about the 6 month mark.  I am at the 2 month mark of FUE, and I look the same as I did before since the shaved area has grown out.  FUT is not hard to hide at all once the scabs fall off.  I had a 2 week 'Ugly Duckling' stage with FUT and about 6 weeks with FUE.

Really what can you do other than speak to the doctor.  I didn't pay close attention to my first transplant, but it seemed like all of a sudden it was there, and I would guess it was at the 6 month mark.  I am at the 2 month stage right now and paying more attention this time and I am going to stop that because it will drive you crazy.

I am a huge proponent of stem cell research, and I would say the potential is unlimited.  The only thing I would warn you about is that these are very seldom on schedule, and they are still in the development stage, so you could be waiting longer than you would wish.  Some day what we are doing today will be as antiquated as the horse and buggy. 

fallinghare, I suffered no edema with either FUT or FUE.  My major issue was with the scabs, and they took about 2 weeks to fall off  I took 2 weeks off work and nobody knew when I went back.  If you can't take time off disguising the transplant will be difficult.  Realistically you may just have to bite the bullet and take the ribbing.  Look at it this way, you could have had your head shaved and put up with the ribbing for months.  I just had FUE with the shaved donor area, but lucky for me I am retired and nobody could poke fun at me.

Since my procedure took from 7 AM until 5:30 PM for 2300 FUE grafts is this about average for FUE?  My question was really just triggered by the guy who had 5,000.  I have been through FUT and FUE already, but I was asking for the Newbies on how long they would be in the chair.

I guess I messed the terms, but what is you average time for your transplant?

There was just a guy who had 5000 transplants in 10 hours.  I had 2300 in 10+ hours.  What is the average time of your transplant?  I was worn out after mine.

Wow, mine took 10+ hours and I only had 2300. 

1 hour ago, Forever said:

Thank you guys for the awesome advice. I am relieved. I’ll update the post after 3 months. One more question. Should I use Plasma (PRP) ? On the doner area 

I am very happy members who know about this were able to reassure you.  Did you have a 2 day procedure.  I just had 2300 and it took from 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM.  I can't imagine 5,000.

I heard that it makes you go blind so I only did until I needed glasses.