Gatsby

As has been said it's too early to give a real appraisal on your hair transplant. And even if there is no density you can have (and will need) another procedure. Also are you on finasteride to try and stabilize your hair loss? What really worries me though isn't just the back yard surgeon who did this (though as Melvin stated you really are lucky to be alive) is that it cost $475. Because that tells me that you won't be able to afford another surgery to finish the job and/or correct the results with a qualified hair transplant surgeon. Just wait and see and wishing you all the best!

I can't even make a deposit because in Australia we are not permitted to fly internationally until a vaccine is obtained (unless you're traveling for something that is life threatening, etc). I'm hoping it will be by the middle of next year but the sooner the better. I am still in touch with Dr Sethi and we chat occasionally and keeps me up to date. You have nothing to worry about. Dr Sethi and Dr Bansal even from my experience are wonderful people and will treat you like a friend. I have no doubt that you will remain good friends with them after and beyond having a hair transplant. Take care!

Hey Ab93. I totally understand where you're coming from. You want a hair transplant and your hair to look like it should by last Tuesday! That is perfectly normal and incredibly frustrating. It leaves you feeling depressed and as if you are just 'wasting your time to go bald.' That's the horrible thing about the psychology of hair loss. It happens to us when we are in our prime so to speak. But trust me on this. Time flies. You want the end result to be the best that you can possibly obtain because after that you are stuck with it for life! Everytime you look in the mirror that's what you will see each time. You don't want to risk a botched hair transplant because the planning was wrong (or non existent) or simply because your hair loss has changed, etc. My advice is to start from the end and work backwards. If you are unable to tolerate finasteride then you have to realize that you, like so many of us here on this forum, will 'possibly' end up as a Norwood 6 over the years. And these years will seem as real to you as today does now. If you pull the trigger on undergoing surgery (and a hair transplant is just that) right now then you need to factor in so many variables for the future (donor availability, naturalness 'or lack of,' etc). There is a saying that you can always have a hair transplant 'tomorrow.' I would be discussing with all the top doctors your situation in 5, 10, 20 years from now and how do they plan to address your hair loss as time goes on? There are a couple of excellent NW 6/7 hair transplant surgeons. Perhaps you could discuss this issue with them. The last thing you want is to have a hair transplant that is marooned with the rest of your hair drifting away from it like 'Wilson.' Remember to plan for your hair loss over the life span. All the best!

@MNIK I don't think you could have picked a better hair transplant surgeon/s! Plus the fact that you are from India is an added bonus. You couldn't be in better hands from those who have gone before you. I'm also booked to have a procedure with them. Unfortunately I'm in Australia so I am still waiting until this Corona virus settles down so I can get a flight there. All the best and I look forward to following your results. Take care.

Melvin when I get a chance I will do a post on my story from the beginning.

I have seen them both and had a consultation with both. I saw Dr Vikram about three and a half years ago. I wouldn't touch them. Why? Because they don't have the skill set that other top hair transplant surgeons do overseas. When I saw Dr Vic he said I could have a hair transplant whereby my hairline would be created to frame my face with some grafts placed in the forelock region and a 'few scattered around.' I informed him of other surgeons who used beard hair as a donor source to which he replied he could do it but it's too 'difficult to perform.' I asked him about body hair and he said he had performed surgery with chest hair on about a dozen patients who were successful in growing hair. I asked him if he could show me the results and he said he only performed the first body hair transplant 12 months prior. I then asked him how can he know if they were successful if nearly all of them were performed less than a year ago! He wasn't interested in the rest of my questions. Dr Knudsen was trained by Dr Richard Shiell (who performed the first hair transplant in Australia in 1967 and whom I admire greatly). Dr Knudsen seems like a nice guy but again doesn't have the skill set to match other hair transplant surgeons. For your own sake, if you live in Australia or New Zealand, do not get a hair transplant here!!!!!! In addition the costs here are on a par with some of the world's best hair transplant surgeons! It was also Dr Shiell who I am ever so grateful too for knocking me back for a hair transplant after I had two failed ones and he also did some of the repair work on my donor scars. Again, in closing for the cost of a few days of your life and a return plane ticket do not bother with anyone in Australia. I think I've had a consult with nearly all of them.

Just bare in mind that you are only 26 now. In time you will need more than 3,500 odd grafts. The entire crown in itself is as large as the top balding area of the scalp alone. Also if you are going FUT are you positive that in the future you won't ever want to cut your hair short (or even shave)? You will obviously still have scarring with FUE but FUE scars are so much easier to hide with SMP. I really think that you will be looking at augmenting beard hair as a donor source if you are hoping to achieve total coverage to whatever degree. I would seriously consider consulting at least half a dozen top surgeons and get their feed back on what your goals are. All the best!

Looks really good fabofly. But honestly it's too hard to assess at such an early stage. At around six months would be a better indication of what's going on. I look forward to your updating posts. Thanks for sharing!

For me my two hair transplants were not painful at all with the exception of the needle to apply the anesthetic. That honestly hurt though it's only for such a short moment in the big picture. Also when I later had to undergo several procedures of plastic surgery to remove and repair scarring again, it was only the anesthetic needle that hurt. It's a strange sensation when you can hear the sound of what resembles someone biting into an apple and not being able to feel a thing! 😬 This happened when they were excising strips of scar tissue. I'll certainly make sure their is music playing when I'm at Eugenix! Lol! 😉

I'm 53 and I care about my hair and always will. With scars I chose SMP and I'm just waiting until lock down is over until I can get a flight to Eugenix. If I was genuinely not a candidate for a hair transplant at all I would still stick to SMP. Do I also care if I look fat, wrinkled, etc? Absolutely! I exercise and work out and I wore a wig for nearly 25 years to hide my botched hair transplant scars before having SMP. As has been said in this thread just look at women. They don't get to 50 and then say 'thank fark I don't have to wear make up/shave my legs anymore!' As you get older in life you never lose your sense of self esteem.

Well they have a long half life so I would say slow release (they have a coating for that reason). All the best.

I agree with all of the above advice. My only parting advice is that I personally believe that you are experiencing depression ( I was at 18 and I couldn't see a future due to my own 'catastrophic' view of my future as a bald guy). I really would recommend that you consider seeking out some professional help to deal with the psychological impact that you are experiencing. I pulled the trigger at 18 on having an unnecessary (at the time) hair transplant that only made a bad situation worse than if I had have left any thoughts of surgery for a later date. When you state that you can't imagine waiting until you are 25 I totally get it. But to me this is a huge red flag to see someone now to help you with this and to prevent you from making a decision now that you will certainly regret by not waiting until the time is right. Take care and all the best.

Hey Flash10. Really need more information about your procedure, etc.

I would also definitely recommend Eugenix. Speak with them about your issue with eczema, etc. You will want to get this under control first. All the best.

Firstly welcome to the forum and what better way than to show your excellent results. I really like the hairline and the height is perfect for your face. As others have said you still have a few more months at least to go so I look forward to further updates. Time to enjoy life! Thanks for sharing.

I wore a hair piece for nearly 25 years (well not the same one!). I had a scar along my hairline that I wanted to hide and I was balding. I had brown curly hair and I would buy the hair piece, have my hair dresser color it and perm it. Then she would work her magic with her scissor and cut it into my existing hair. They would last nearly six months and then I would repeat. It was taped on at the front and had clips on the side that would attach to my native hair. However I was open about it to my friends, girlfriends, etc. Everyone told me that it suited it me and that I looked much younger. I think with a hair piece you have to have the personality for it. In summer I wouldn't wear it due to the heat, etc. Also it doesn't have to be expensive for it to look natural. All the best.

Many thanks Melvin. Yesterday I rang in to the Bald Truth show. The reason why I rang was to let listeners know not only about my botched up punch graft experience (and that their is life beyond that), but that botched up surgeries are happening even more so today in Turkey, etc. Yes once I can get a flight I'm looking forward to going to Eugenix. Thanks Melvin! 👍

I saw this today on YouTube. Incredibly natural looking result! Thanks for sharing!

@andrew r I live in Melbourne Australia. Is the surgeon an elderely chap, Dr M? Feel free to pm me and I'm happy to chat with you over the phone. Please don't panic or stress man.

Definitely a big no in my vote. I'm glad that today people aren't left with only prehistoric options (punch grafts, scalp reductions and Juri flaps, etc). If I never had them surgically removed not long after two punch graft operations God knows what I would look like today! Having said that, I am very happy for all those on here, who were far more patient than me and have achieved excellent results.

Hands down I would have a serious research on Eugenix. Their communication is excellent and their results speak for themselves. They cover every stage of hair loss but really rock when it comes to high Norwood 6/7 cases. All the best!

@badhamatha The donor is fine unless you buzz it right down. You can always have SMP on the FUE donor scars if you want to keep it buzzed super close. Personally though I wouldn't bother. Looking good!

Not much to add except from own experience. If I could go back in time and I was given one wish it would be to not have had hair transplants at 18!! It's true why so many hair transplant surgeon's won't operate until you are 25. The reason is quite simply because it's not until 25 until you are able to establish the pattern of loss as well as the best use of finite grafts that you possess. I know this is not the answer you want hear but I have lost count of the number of young people (apart from myself) that have posted stating that they wish that they never had a hair transplant in the first place. I know a few years away feels like you are 'wasting' those years by not having surgery. The reality is you do not want to waste the rest of your life with scars and a procedure that leaves a hair transplant marooned from the rest of your native hair. If your losing hair as much as you say you are then that's even more reason to wait. Get on the meds both finasteride and minoxidil and see if you can stabilize your hair loss now for the future. Doing something like this will make you feel like you are taking things back in your control. All the best.

@MichaelD your hairline and temple points look excellent in framing your face. Stay on the meds and I look forward to your future updates. The best it yet to come. Thanks for sharing!

Looking very good with many months still to go. I like the work in the temple points that really add in framing the face. Congratulations and I look forward to further updates. All the best!