follically challenged

4 hours ago, hairlossman1 said:

Thought I would start this by stating a huge thank you to this forum and its members for educating me in my hair transplant journey. I have learnt a lot and would like to share my hair transplant experience.

Background:

31 years old. Previous 2000 FUE graft procedure in England 4 years ago with very minimal growth (did the mistake of doing no research and going off celebrity pictures). 

Meds: Finasteride 1mg daily for 8 years - no real side effects. Minoxidil foam daily. Biotin daily.

On the 7th and 8th of February I underwent a 4020 FUE graft procedure at HLC in Ankara. 

I have seen a couple of slightly sub-par results from HL:C recently, but I must say that so far my experience with them has been excellent. My 2 day procedure was completed by Dr Umut. 

I was told that despite my previous 2000 graft procedure, I had around 6000 hair grafts left in reserve and at least 1500 beard grafts. I was told that my hair quality was good, although I have always thought that my hair was quite fine in thickness. 

The plan was to thicken the hairline with 50cm2 and then 40cm2 moving back to the mid scalp. 

Happy to answer any questions.

Your thoughts on my procedure and any advice moving forward would be much appreciated.

 

 

Nice work! Who did your first surgery?

2 hours ago, geochelone said:

Let me tell you the story about how I almost had surgery with dr Aygin.

First off, credits to them, the organization was exceptional and everyone was very nice and professional.

What didn't sit well with me 'though, was that the doctor that did the preconsultation was not dr Aygin, but another doctor that worked there. Also, the preconsultation was probably around 4 minutes and would have been even shorter if I hadn't asked questions. The doctor came in, drew my hairline on, that was almost it. Quickly said he wanted to do 2 sessions and where he'd take my donor hair from : 4 minutes in and out. 

Maybe I was wrong but the fact it was not dr Aygin that did the preconsultation and the fact it was 4 minutes only threw me off. I felt like losing control of what was happening and decided I wanted out. They reimbursed me, although I told them I was okay with paying full price : after all, the surgery was planned and I have my honor. Classy of them to insist on reimbursing.

I was probably wrong to blow it off. My colleage went there and his result is fantastic. But I went with my guts today.

This is definitely a valid concern but also understandable on their part too. 

They're busy. They run a business. I get it.

But the simple quick chair sitdown followed by a quick hairline drawn on would most definitely put me on edge and make me feel rushed.

Eugenix seem to show a lot of videos where they are sat down meticulously going through the details, showing what they'll do on the screen projection etc, etc, but then i also read a post on here a week or so ago, where he said he felt rushed with the hairline and had 4 technicians staring at him waiting for an answer.

Perhaps there is more time to go over hairline design with the higher priced packages, i'm not so sure...? Would be interested to find out about how much time should be allocated in this situation actually...

11 hours ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

I created this video a while back

 

Also, while it springs to mind, do you think Beckham has had a hair transplant...?

3 hours ago, LaserCaps said:

Propecia, Rogaine, PRP and Laser are the modalities we typically refer to when dealing with this condition.  The mechanism of action of each is totally different and are thus synergistic when used simultaneously.  Fin, by the way, is now available as a topical solution.  

Thinking about it, i guess the main reason for not getting on fin is simply the fear of sides...

But the necessary long-term (forever) use of it also bums me out.

Like, if i had a HT and then got sides 2 or 3 or 5 years down the line, stopped the fin and watch the transplant and fin gains deteriorate in a matter of months would be heart-breaking.

That kind of dependence on a treatment just bums me out, and i can't see it any other way no matter how hard i try...

40 minutes ago, kirkland said:

I can't speak for OP but for me, after buzzing my hair for 25 years, it's a bit of a transition to learn how to have long(er) hair again. I prefer not to be bald but I did appreciate the wash 'n go nature of having short hair. 

Thanks for the comment but i cant open those images on your thread for some reason, not sure why...

7 minutes ago, SadMan2021 said:

Just as you are limited with hair styling options when you are balding, you are also limited hair styling options depending on the quality of your transplant. I too have noted that there is basically a stereotypical post-hair transplant hair style of combing or slicking the hair back. This style suits hair transplants. 

Do not think that because you now have a full head of hair you can do some complex Timothee Chalamet or complicated model-type haircut. Transplants are an illusion of density, and need to be styled accordingly. 

Yes, that was my feeling. 

So what other styles besides the slick-back do you suggest..?

3 hours ago, LaserCaps said:

Fine caliber hair provides for the most natural result. By definition, however, it would take more grafts that someone with courser hair. I think I understand what you mean about hair length.  Perhaps 1/4 inch to a 1/2 inch would be a good length, (keep the hair from falling down.  Work with your hair stylist on this.  

Are you doing any type of medical therapy to help you with retention and perhaps enhancement of the native hair?

Not really, no. Taking Biotin, omega 3, and collagen, but have avoided finasteride simply out of fear of sides, though I do question daily whether or not I should just bite the bullet and give it a go 🤔

17 minutes ago, LaserCaps said:

I have a question for you.  If you are considering a transplant procedure, it is because you want more hair, not less.  Why would you keep it so short? Just wondering.

 

Good question. Well, my hair is so naturally fine that even after a HT i wonder what styles would look decent (and fear that many i would not be able to pull off, and thus would still have to keep it fairly short).

The problem with hair  as fine as mine is that not only does it seem gappy, but it is also looks quite lifeless, for lack of a better word. It hangs straight with absolutely no curl to it at all, and therefore the longer it is can sometimes appear worse...

16 minutes ago, gillenator said:

It really comes down to one’s hair characteristics…optimal degree of hair caliber greatly improves the visual illusion of density factor.

- but does finer hair mean more grafts could be placed in one square centimter, thus creating better density?

- A well-known phrase in this industry, but what exactly is it?

I'm wondering how good this 'illusion' would be if i were to get a HT but keep my hair fairly short, and style it short (grade 2-ish).

Would the transplanted frontal third look noticeably different to the natural hairs behind it? Can the natural density (with fine hair in my case) be matched with transplanted density?

Very often i see the transplant results with the classic combed-back style, which I guess, helps blend the HT hairs with the natural hairs.

So, I'm wondering can a HT result look as natural with short hair, or must it always be grown out and slicked back to fully achieve this 'illusion of density'?

Thanks!

On 2/5/2022 at 12:51 PM, ljpcarrera said:

Gatsby, in your research what do the surgeons say about implanting grafts into areas that had prior grafts reduced. I have old school punch grafts on both sides of my hairline. Lucky dutasteride has been able to keep most of my hair for 20 plus years, so there easy to cover up. 
 

I had the plugs reduced twice in the 2000s but the hair that was salveged and re implanted did not grow, maybe 20 percent of them. I know the can remove them by excise a line and your left with a small scar on the hairline. This removes all the scar tissue. 
 

Like you I had a bad transplant at 19 way before the internet. I just want to not worry about always having to style or avoid wind once and for all.

 

thanks

Ever had any sides at all from 20 years on Dut?

3 minutes ago, FUECAPILAR said:

Hi Everyone,

we would like to present below a case of a Norwood III patient with diffuse thinning in the mid scalp and upper vertex. You can find below the details of the surgery.

Patient Details

Level of Alopecia: NW III with diffuse thinning in the mid scalp and upper vertez

Surgical Plan: Hairline reconstruction, Frontal, and density increase across mid-scalp and upper vertex.

Hair Thickness: 68-69 microns

Hair Type: Asian hair, straight hair shaft

Number of grafts implanted: 3284

Graft Breakdown

1s: 458

2s: 1684

3s: 1118

4s: 24

Overall hairs: 7276

Overall hair/graft ratio: 2,21

 

 

 

Can you please show donor region? thanks

Great result! It would be nice to see some blonde, fine-haired patients results too.

Look forward to seeing those

Donor looks good!

Looking great so far. Any chance to see updates on the donor region too?

Very nice! Can i ask what size micron his hair shafts were...?

And can you show pics of his donor area? thanks!

16 hours ago, NARMAK said:

You can usually tell imo if you have a high hairline or not if you check your photos from when you were a kid. Some people just naturally are born with it higher, some very low and some with a medium hairline. 

I think an often overlooked factor on a "high" hairline or lower is actually the overall shape of your head. For example, some people could have a circa 6-7cm glabella to hairline but looks bigger than somebody else which might be even higher due to the shape of their head and the optical illusion that can create on perspective. 

Personally i think the frontalis muscle is also a good indicator for where you should place your hairline. 

I saw a picture of Zoomster from the Eugenix videos and his is literally sat on the very top of his with nary a gap, because his frontalis muscle goes up quite high and even though his hairline is appropriate it just goes to show you how you need to take a holistic approach to hairline design. No two patients are the same. Just similarities. 

To be honest, i always had the high hairline, and remember being mocked for ot once when i was like 13 / 14. For such reasons, i have ALWAYS had a fringe to camouflage it, but was unable to keep rocking the fringe as the hair thinned in my 20s. 

As for looking at photos, it is indeed interesting, because the juvenile hairline i had at 16, while high, the lower part of it (which is no longer here) was made predominantly of 'vellus hairs', so i guess looking back it seemed pretty obvious it was gonna go. Now the hairs that remain are fine, but less of the 'vellus nature' which comprised the hairs that were once there

16 hours ago, AlexMeister21 said:

My older brother was born with a big forehead and still pretty much has the same hairline as an adult. I was born with a big head but with a low hairline that started to pull back pretty quickly after puberty and I have worse hair than him.

ah, that's interesting. Most people i know with low hairlines often seem to have the density too. 

16 hours ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

No, I think high hairlines are similar in the sense that they are genetic. But high hairlines do not equal hair loss. Though, it should be noted, high hairlines are different than the typical recession. Many believe they’re born with high hairlines, but are in denial.

Interesting. I definitely had the hairline when young, but it's fair to say I also had some denial with regards to the thinning...

...just wondering if there is one?

I've always had fine hair and a high hairline as a kid. Do such characteristics increase the likelihood of MPB?

Or, is it that having such characteristics makes MPB more visible when it starts to happen?

Would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!

where is the result picture?

very nice!

I opened this thread last night just before going out for beers, but decided rather than skimming through it, i would instead take the time to properly digest it the next day (admittedly, in a somewhat hungover state) and i'll be honest... i'm glad i waited. Great write-up!

A very inspirational read.

Eugenix seem to be doing very well at the moment. All i can say is, I truly hope their ethics and attention to detail continue to be maintained, and that they don't fall prey to the money-chase which a number of surgeons have done over the years (no names mentioned though i'm sure all of you could name a couple). I'm sure Eugenix will be overbooked these next few years, and perhaps already are, so i really hope they continue to give each customer the same time and attention that you have received.

All in all, im super happy for you. MPB is an anxiety that some guys will never, ever experience, and let's be honest, in an ideal world NO ONE should ever have to experience it.

But with clinics out there such as Eugenix that seem to genuinely care about patients and enjoy achieving great results, it is almost like a stepping stone to ridding the world of an affliction that was once a fate we just had to accept - if they are now pushing the envelope and able to successfully use the downstairs department as a resource, then who knows what science will come up with next! 😂

So, once again, congrats and i look forward to seeing the results! 

Holy shit thats great

4 hours ago, JohnnyW said:

Hi Everyone,

It was in my early 20s when I first noticed that I had a hairline which was naturally high due to my wide forehead, making it look like a receded hairline. Some of my acquaintances also pointed out the same which got me self-conscious for obvious reasons. I used to persistently worry about it and about 3-4 years ago I started to seriously think about doing something about my hairline. I researched and found out about how transplanting hair is quite different from doing an organ transplant, that it was minimally invasive and just required existing hair from your own donor to be implanted on the front. At the same time, there was no urgency in my mind, I didn’t want to rush to a clinic in Turkey which was closer to me in terms of distance and lot cheaper. I came across Eugenix on YouTube and one of the major factors that drew me to the clinic was how natural their recreated hairlines were compared to results of a lot of clinics in Turkey where the transplanted hairlines were square-shaped. I felt Eugenix’s results were far more ethical and very natural, it didn’t look like their patients had got a hair transplant done.

Summer of 2020 was when I first spoke to one of their medical counsellors, booked my procedure but travel restrictions didn’t allow me to visit them. I was finally able to travel this time around and although I was quite anxious about getting it done, I was happy about finally getting it fixed. Everyone at Eugenix was very friendly & polite, everyone made sure I was comfortable & their top priority. I didn’t feel like just another patient or a numbered case. The planning & designing session was great and to my satisfaction as I decided to go for natural looking temples by bringing them in slightly, it was exciting. A total of 2750 grafts were implanted. While I would want the results to show ASAP, I am also ready to go through the shock loss phase. The overall experience was totally worth it and a big shoutout to Dr Pradeep Sethi who was very professional and also made me feel comfortable with his jokes. It made my relationship with the Eugenix team a lot more relaxed.

Pre-Procedure :

 

Planning :

Post-Op :

 

 

 

Nice. Looking forward to seeing the results