duchaine

41 minutes ago, FaganBecker said:

Thank you! Observed in most clinics, including top ones? (Or at least those in HLC's higher mid tier reputation?)

A double in first line can happen, especially if you were in a telogen phase.

microscopes reduce the risk but you can’t be risk free.

1 hour ago, FaganBecker said:

I think I disagree with your assessment here, though I do understand it. 

However, if you look closely at the pattern of implantation - the small spaces (necessary irregularities) between the very front row of implanted grafts - it is much the same as when the operation was first done. I think it is masked by the fact that many of these are multi-follicular units, rather than singles (with a few singles scattered throughout.) Also, combing through the hair and looking very closely, I can actually see loads of singles! Sadly, only a few of them are actually at the very front of the hairline, most are interspersed throughout behind the hairline. Clearly those single grafts grew just fine.

The doctor I had - Dr Elif -  did seem particularly experienced. I specifically requested her based on results I had seen online. However, given what I'm seeing now in my results what I took to be a sign of experience and professionalism when I was there - a very laid back and relaxed attitude - I'm now wondering if it was just a sign of not caring all that much. Another patient, another day. That kind of thing. 

When I raised concerns at the end of the transplant, partly on the hairline design, she waved concerns away with a kind of "oh well! if you need another one, you can come back in a year" kind of attitude, which given the stress and difficulty of actually getting surgery in a foreign country seemed like an overly relaxed approach to hair transplantation. It's surgery, not a haircut. 

Yes, she has a very relaxed attitude.

she was not my surgeon but I talked with her before the op.

in my case, she was helpful but I understand that her statement can be disturbing.

1 hour ago, Britanium said:

HLC isn't on the forums recommended list, and I dont seem to see any members mentioning them much these days (myself included) 

I don't think they are producing the consistent work they used to be renowned for. Shame really as they were always one of the better options in Turkey.. 

hlc had some flaws (no after op care and many grafts use) but was a very good clinic.

some of the doctors (and, from what I see, the best doctors) that were there until 3/4 years ago left the clinic and now they have an high % of poor results.

Btw, from what I see, all the multi in first line are because the single didn’t grow.

you can clearly see what I mean: the hairline had a lot of irregularities after ht. The irrugalarities are the singles.

now, the hairline lacks of irregularities: that means that the single didn’t grow.

Hard to say if that is because poor grafts managing or because the single grafts were weaker and died because the patient didn’t use the right medications.

7 minutes ago, TheGreatPretender said:

I will still keep it off for now, hopefully I can get some gains without the need of the needles. 

You are right.

I think that duta, topical duta and oral minoxidil make the 85% of the work.

all the other things are not cost/effective. 
 

3 hours ago, TheGreatPretender said:

A bit unsure about microneedling in general. I think there's very little evidence that suggest it works and I am also not into making my head bleed from it. 

For now I will keep these two medications and revaluate during summer. 

At 0.75/1 mm you won’t bleed. 
In some periods, I did use all over my head but just needled the stubborn areas (temporal peaks and crown)

24 minutes ago, TheGreatPretender said:

 Interesting. Seems like you are a hyper responder though to recover it so quickly. 

I am almost 7 months in and I am just starting to see it populate and get some more texture alongside my transplanted hairs. I haven't implanted any hairs in there so I am fully dependent in oral minoxidil + 0.5 MG of oral dutasteride.

If I was you, I would add some microneedling. I can see a difference when I use it

45 minutes ago, TheGreatPretender said:

Great showcase.
When did you start seeing results in the crown?

Mmmm… hard to say. 
after the ht, my crown was really bad (I think I had something like a shock loss even if I didn’t treat that area).

according to my pics, after 5-6 the crown was closed but I got this ultra covering effect after 10-13 months.

4 hours ago, TheGreatPretender said:

Those are wild results. 

 

this is the end result 😌😌😌

11 minutes ago, Eli_Avdikian said:

Fingers crossed. I hope the waiting time is worth it 

I think medecap is the best option price/quality

4 minutes ago, FaganBecker said:

Also in terms of getting responsive and cooperative and collaborative communication from HLC, would you recommend my sending them a link to this thread? or would that be very combative do you think?

 

They seem to be quite unresponsive, have indicated nothing about their view of the quality of the hairline, only that it's 'average', they also told me that multi-grafts are not possible, which seems untrue based on how this looks. They also said that they really can't say anything until 12 months passes. 

What did they mean “multigrafts are not possible”?

Just now, Eli_Avdikian said:

I booked with Dr. Felicidad Espinosa in May 2023 for a second transplant. The surgery is going to take place in November 2024.

You did a great choice!

1 minute ago, FaganBecker said:

Thanks for your response. Yes I have. I was told that there were no such things as multi-grafts. 

As for the growth, is that concerning too?

I tried to count the uf. It is not easy.

you can do the math by yourself.

take a piece of paper. Make an ho-le 1 sq cm (1x1). Put the she-et oh your hairline and see how many grafts are in it. 
 

2 minutes ago, FaganBecker said:

I don't think my attitude is incoherent! I think your bedside manner is just somewhat brusque haha 

I'm totally seeing what you're saying and sadly agree with much of it, but I'm just hoping that you (and my fears!) are wrong. 

Regarding lighting I purposefully chose a room where the lighting is very average. Not heavily exposed, but still downlighting. I sat on the floor to ensure that I wasn't directly under a light too. 

In some lighting it definitely looks thicker, but in other lighting - such as outside - it definitely looks thinner and therefore more unnatural. 

 

IMHO, the bathroom (3 months pics) was perfect 😉😉😉

9 minutes ago, FaganBecker said:

Well I do appreciate your comments, but am going to try not to take them too seriously for now. I've seen some of your comments on here and they do tend to be quite assertive and certain. I'm counting on you being wrong, honestly, as there is still a way to go! 

 

Nonetheless, if you're right, I'll eat my words. will post more pics soon. 

I hope to be wrong. I am happy if things turn for the best.

in any case, I invite you to have a more coherent attitude: You invited people to express their honest opinions and it is simply what I did.

if you will share better pics, maybe the comment can change. Lightings and background make a huge difference.

3 minutes ago, FaganBecker said:

Interesting that you say that. When people on here were saying the line looked nice, I was surprised as I have thought since the very beginning that it didn't match up to the shape of my skull. 

Hl design looks simple but is one of the hardest thing.

in any case, it is hard from some pics with shaved and bloated head if it is ok or not.

In any case, for a fair comparison, can you post better pics? Something like your pre op pics 

4 minutes ago, FaganBecker said:

And do you think this looks like resoundingly bad work?

 

Also presumably if topical minoxidil messed with my heart, oral would be worse?

The hairline looks unnatural (when I saw the hairline design it looked very nice the first line is very thick and doesn’t match your frontalis muscle and the shape of your skull) and the density is low.

oral minoxidil could give some issues, but at 2.5 mg I have never heard of anybody having problems.

2 minutes ago, FaganBecker said:

What makes you say that? 

If you are right, that's very worrying, obviously, given that I think that right now I'd say I was at just under 50%.

 

Yes, I'm taking finasteride. Topical min messed with my heart rate. I'm going to try with it again, but ease my way into it very slowly to see if I can get used to it. 

I was suggesting to use oral minoxidil to see a quick improvement.

i talked two weeks ago with a former hlc doctor. We both agree that an ht improves over one year but, in 90% of cases, you need just 5-6 months to see if it is a good or a bad work.

5 minutes ago, FaganBecker said:

So I take it based on that you think this is going to be a disaster? 

From what I see and from my personal knowledge, I think you will improve another 10-15% at its best.

Are you on medications?

Wonder what is happened to hlc.

2 hours ago, TorontoMan said:

Can you describe the dut meso treatments?

It is just a siringe with a small needle, very similar to prp. Sometimes I have prp and duta separately, one after the other. Other times, my doc mix prp and duta. There are not researches on the efficacy of the mix but some doctors say that prp and duta work in a synergistic way.

1 hour ago, TheGreatPretender said:

Those are wild results. 

It really shows how powerfull Minoxidil is when absorbed orally compared to its topical counterpart. Praying to get the same results on the crown.

You will! 

5 minutes ago, Electric said:

What is the brand name called?

Loniten 

@Melvin- Admin is there a way I can add some videos?

3 minutes ago, Electric said:

Can you talk more about it. Are there any side effects? Can you describe what happened after using it. Thanks.

Never had sides.

the only time I had sides was when I didn’t find Pfizer limited and bought a galenic product.

agter two days, I had edema all over my face.

i tried to lower the dose but I couldn’t handles 2.5 every other day!