jimcraig152

On 12/19/2022 at 9:19 AM, Pubichair said:

It’s a very underwhelming result. Do you have any psychological problems with it?

I got pretty depressed after my failed HT. I felt very insecure.

No psychological problems.

"Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep and you weep alone."

I am just going to get this botch job repaired.

On 12/19/2022 at 9:19 AM, Pubichair said:

Thanks for showing this btw and keeping this log. It must help to prevent other from going to doctors like this. 
 

I hope he’s not in business anymore. 

Hope it saves someone else too.

These are pics taken 2 years post surgery. My hair is shoulder length in these pics.

This is the same pic. One is turned vertical to illustrate how straight and pluggy the hair line is.

The cobblestoning and ridging are pretty apparent in this pic.

Sometimes, I feel as if I got a lace front weave hair system, and not a hair transplant.

I feel my results are refund-in-full+restitution worthy.

So happy for you @Tnt1990! Well done Dr. Nader, well done!

Here are shots of the front and of the hairline. All pics taken after a shower, blown dry, then hairspray spritzed on to make my hair stand off my forehead to reveal the hairline, which I feel is too straight.

All the zig zags grew in as you can see when compared to the early post op pics. I feel it doesn't do anything to break up the grafts being placed in linear fashion next to each other:

What do you guys think? Too straight or no?

19 minutes ago, MagnificentAl said:

@jimcraig152gutted for you. Seems like you have really a similar hair type to myself. Hopefully, things improve more from now until the 12th month.

Thanks man. It isn't a disaster and I'll do something about it. Just waiting out the 12 months.

You on the other hand look great! I feel square inch by square inch, the bald areas you had filled in by Dr. Konior was equal to mine (if not greater?). Just amazes me how he was able to pull off the density with 500-600 less grafts compared to my procedure. Such judicious use of finite donor supply. Congratz brother!

6 minutes ago, RandoBrando517 said:

@jimcraig152

Sorry not trying to be pushy, but a picture of the front can’t be that hard to take. There’s only side shots. Totally understand about the donor.

Actually, it is a bit of a chore. My phone's charging port is dead, so I can't easily download pics from my phone. But I've posted a pic from the front with the last update. Things are pretty much the same since with the exception of the hair being longer. Like I said then and as I said earlier, I feel I do look better than before the surgery and things look better from the front. I'll post more pics after the haircut.

6 minutes ago, RandoBrando517 said:

Btw what product are you using? It makes your hair look really thick. 

Can't recall exactly what was in there when I took those pics. Hadn't planned on taking pics that day to update this thread until I saw @hybonix's reply. Been experimenting with different stuff with my new hair, so it is either:

• Layrite Supershine Medium Hold Cream, or
• Layright Mediumshine Medium Hold Pomade, or
• Axe Highshine Medium Hold Pomade, or
• Some Walmart brand pomade

Perhaps there was some Extra Firm Hold Tresseme spritz hair spray in there as well. I am going to dabble with hair tonic next. I feel pomade and cream is too heavy for me. I've always just used hair spray.

I don't think I got botched or butchered either. I never questioned growth or eventual yield (as stated here and here). The application of techniques diminishing the desired aesthetic result is what concerned me. Those concerns were not without merit. I would have loved to have eaten crow. But I am definitely am in need of a repair. Not going to spend the rest of my life fretting this; I am not fretting now. I have always just been honest with my journey.

@BDK081522, I am giving it the full 12 months. More grafts might sprout (doubtful though) and the hair might thicken further. But what I really needs is for the grafts to rearrange themselves in random natural order; that's not happening. I am just going to require a repair job.

@giegnosiganoe, yield was high in all areas. Even the grafts planted into the mole.

@RandoBrando517, I mentioned I do feel I look better before the surgery. Taking pictures of your donor is a hard thing to do on your own. Wait till you have you have your procedure scheduled and you start taking pics and you'll see what I mean. I have had 2 or 3 professional haircuts since around Thanksgiving. Before then, salons were closed and I was cutting my own hair. I had bought a selfie stick to take pics of the back of my head. I misplaced it and haven't taken pics of the donor since. Once I find it, I'll get a hair cut and post donor pics. Hopefully, that will be later this week.

@hairlossPA, even on the right side where density it is low, I feel yield and density meets the criteria to pull off the illusion with my procedure (from a certain distance). I've been following your procedure closely; you look good. I bet you are able to go out comfortably without head wear these days. When my hair was that short, I had a beanie on at all times because the rows looked really unnatural; made the ugly duckling stage that much more unbearable. Some guys are just on different schedules. I was an early grower which is probably atypical. I feel you are right on schedule which is normal. You're hair looks like where I was at 2.5-3 months with lots of vellus hairs sprouting.

@aaron1234, pitting/cobblestoning isn't something I am concerned about. Don't give me a complex man, LoLoLoL!! I am wondering though if the multi-hairs will need to get punched out or if the hairline it needs to be lowered to camouflage them out. I guess I'll find out when I discuss things with my next surgeon. In any case, the multi-hairs would probably be something I could live with and not require a repair procedure if it were not for the unnaturalness that I've called out.

@qui bono, always good to see you around sir. Thanks for the support!

On 5/5/2021 at 11:50 AM, hybonix said:

@jimcraig152Any updates? You are at the 9 month 11 day mark. I would love to see where you are at today.

No positive changes. Issues with the procedure are more prominent now:

• Hairline is straight as an arrow and pluggy has heck
• Multi-hair grafts galore in the hairline (zoom in and see for yourself)
• Rows placement of grafts looks like a hair weave and are even more prominent now that hair is longer

Hair is just longer. No new grafts sprouted. Hair hasn't noticeably thickened or was in need of refinement. The grafts didn't grow out kinky at all. Though, I do look better than before the surgery, I am resigned that I have to get a repair. At this point, I don't see any improvement in store in the the few weeks left. In passing social circumstances, the procedure looks ok. And so, that is the grade I would give the procedure at this point; a passing score of a D. In close group settings, the issues with the procedure are noticeable and a Iady friend I know called out something weird about my hair on the right side. Pretty mortifying. I'll get a hair cut this week and post donor pics.

I took lots of pics with styling product in it at different angles and lighting, so you guys can come to your own conclusions.

@timcfc

Tom Brady suffers from hair loss. He either responded well to medical treatment, or he had a HT. But his 24 year old hair line has been immortalized by Getty Images from his first Super Bowl season (2000-2001) for all to see:

• Link 1
• Link 2
• Link 3
• Link 4
• Link 5

On 2/10/2021 at 7:51 AM, hairlossPA said:

at what month did you experience growth? noticeable growth

At day 56, I was at the bottom depths of the ugly duckling phase. Started climbing out of the ugly duckling phase after then. See pic below:

Looking good @Micky597! Donor looks great from the side. You got a shot of the donor from the back?

35 minutes ago, giegnosiganoe said:

Good to have you back @jimcraig152! How's the donor doing?

Donor is looking normal in all spots except where extractions were made near the vertex, which is good. Excisions near vertex shows scalp where it didn't before, which is bad. My hair grows fast and it is right now well beyond an 8-guard, so I can't tell. Will post donor pics when I can get a professional haircut; soon as salons open back up on California.

In all fairness to Dr. Diep, I look much better now than before the procedure with him. Been on a plateau since about Christmas but have also been an early grower. There hasn't been much change since Christmas. I know that the months of best growth after a hair transplant is between 6-thru-9. I am right at the start of that period and look forward to gains.

In certain positions when I look at my hair, I think "HELL YES!!!!" Like in the next picture where my head is pointed down a bit. Looks great, yeah?

But then it is like a children's pop-up book. Looks good only one way. Tilting the head back even just a bit reveals the straightness of the hair line. Even the zig zags have grown in, but they really do nothing to break up straightness of the hairline.

All the pics above are taken right out of the shower. No Rogaine foam. Few presses of Tresseme Strong Hold hair spray, combed back with a long-wide tooth detangling comb, and locked in with medium heat.

Then the below pics really show the issues with my procedure. Really shows the unnaturalness. The rows down to the scalp look like a really bad hair system to me.

Halfway through and I feel I have satisfactory density/yield in 75%-80% of the recipient area. The unsatisfactory 20%-25% is due to the wide row spacing on the right side which makes the unnaturalness so glaring. The grafts are planted in rows and shall grow in rows. Meaning, no hairs shall sprout between the rows. Given that, I feel I am looking at a repair.

"Does row placement of grafts lead to achieving higher density due to limited blood supply?"

Right. I am not discounting Dr. Lindsey's position on the subject. Dr. Konior acknowledges that and states that he respects his peers' philosophies; he can't be more right in that regard. More important is:

1. The patient's goals are achieved
2. "Consistent excellence", as stated by Dr. Konior, is achieved

If these things are achieved, does it matter? And I agree with you, there is no blanket absolute answer. Even on this subject at the highest professional levels.

Dr Konior's (AKA:  The GOAT) unabridged take on the subject is quoted below. Direct link to that posting can be found here (last post in the thread).

Further reading on tech-driven hair restoration facilities by Dr. Konior can be found here. A very eye opening and quite humorous read I would encourage everyone to read. A bit out of context, so be sure to read that posting, but the following is an excerpt from that posting:

On 2/11/2019 at 7:15 AM, Dr. Raymond Konior said:

Face it, most technicians have little to no formal education, i.e. they receive “on the job” training.  Who is training them and who is supervising them?  We in this practice respect the doctor-patient relationship and feel that the patient is entitled to the doctor’s presence in the operating room from beginning to end. 

Even at the highest professional level, philosophies and/or opinions vary. Even Dr. Konior acknowledges that in his post. Surely, great results can be achieved either way. But as you've told me privately, let's not let bias be positioned as fact.

Perhaps you can pose the same question to Dr. Konior and Dr. Nadimi tomorrow? Would be interested in knowing if Dr. Konior's position has changed in the last 13 years. I do believe Dr. Nadimi does do 100% of all graft placement. I could be wrong, but please ask that question tomorrow.

On 3/8/2008 at 3:01 PM, Dr. Raymond Konior said:

I suppose it's time for me to "chime in". I will try to keep this simple.

 

It is a fact that I am present in the operating room for at least 99% of a procedure, and it is more common for me to be there for 100% of the time. I have a very strong opinion about how grafts are placed and who places them. I place grafts with one person who has worked with me for 15 years now. I have never said anything about getting tired or about hand fatigue. The plain and simple fact is that I don't fatigue, whether I am involved in a 6 hour case or a 14 hour case. I challenge anyone to identify themselves with proof that would substantiate anything to the contrary.

 

Some have posted their opinion regarding the placement aspect of the procedure. Comments suggest that it simply does not matter who does this. Some have said that they prefer the feel of a tech's hands on their head over that of the physician's hands. Others have commented that women are better at this portion of the procedure because men "can't thread a needle". I would have to ask these individuals, who would you want to sew in your coronary bypass graft? Who do you want performing your Lasik procedure? Many have trivialized surgical hair restoration and placed it into a category of being nothing more than a simple procedure. However, this is a surgical procedure and it is my firm opinion that nothing about it should be trivialized. Consistent excellence requires that each and every portion of this operation be performed with precision and quality.

 

The surgical hair restoration process requires a team. Any single flaw in an otherwise perfect team could jeopardize the final result. It is my opinion that I have a duty to my patients to be present for this delicate part of the procedure. I have witness dozens of techs in many different offices over the years. I have interviewed several "expert" techs from quality offices over the years. The fact is that very few meet the rigid requirements I have for graft insertion. I spend a tremendous part of my life looking through surgical loupes and see this part of the procedure from a perspective that a lay person could not possibly appreciate. I certainly do have respect for many technicians who are at the top of their game. There is no way we could accomplish what we do without their valuable assistance. However, any patient who has traveled a distance to be treated by me, who has made a financial sacrifice for bettering their appearance, and who has placed their ultimate confidence in me being the person who will be responsible for a life-altering event is entitled to my presence and my full attention for the entire duration of the procedure. Other docs have differing philosophies on this matter and I respect that. This is simply my belief and I stick by it without reservation.

 

Comments about things like refusing to remove staples are hard for me to comprehend since my office is glad to help out colleagues. I view the Coalition as a team. Most of us are friends and we support one another because we are professionals with patient satisfaction being the end goal. Many of us have patients from all corners of the country and often beyond. It is not at all uncommon for us to assist with staple and suture removal. I can only apologize if anything to the contrary was said.

 

With respect to recommendations, I certainly do not apologize for giving conservative estimates when they seem appropriate. Any scalp on any given day has the potential of being interpreted in different ways by different physicians. The balance of risk versus reward for a given situation is quite complicated. I tend to view "damaged" scalps with much more caution ??“ and for good reason. It is rare for someone who truly had the misfortune of being "maimed or mutilated" from a surgical misadventure to be completely corrected in a single procedure. My experience suggests that this subset of patients tends to favor a conservative approach (not always, however). Certainly it is often technically possible to perform more grafts than are recommended during a consultation, but risks increase as the size of the strip escalates. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose ??“ and I have hated losing since I was a kid. I do try to explain risk and reward scenarios with patients so that they realize there really is no single best answer. There are many options that can get someone to their final destination ??“ the route to the finish line may be different however. The key here is avoiding failure at all costs.

 

My average consultation lasts 45-60 minutes. Many times I wonder whether a positive connection has been made or not. Face it, not everyone hits it off. Knowing that patients have a choice to go where ever they want, and knowing that part of my mission in life is to protect those who seek surgical restoration, I often tell patients this line, "If for whatever reason you do not have my confidence, please go to someone like me, another Coalition doc, someone who will treat you professionally and as in individual". In the end, I am glad that our community colleague had the vision to go to someone who is on my very short list of physician recommendations for prospective patients.

Please post donor pics @Flash10.

2 hours ago, JohnBob said:

Hey man, why is that? Could you elaborate?

I believe that is in reference to this case where the patient didn't get great density. As I understand it, not all patients get good density. Luck of the draw it seems. But that makes Dr. Nader no different than any other surgeon.

My surgeon is known for producing great yield and density. But then look at this father and son's results here. So yeah, luck of the draw and thus would make Dr. Nader no different than any other surgeon.

Temple points look really good. The HT would not have worked without it. The conservative hairline works. Dr. Nader did a fine meticulous job with the vertex grafts. Placement, angles, direction all match your natural whirl; certainly does not go unnoticed.

I believe key out of everything is:

• Random nature-like placement of your grafts, and
• Donor management is excellent

Reason being is your alopecia areata. You may never know when that comes back (I am praying to gods for you it never does). But should that happen, you can buzz your hair low and not have to worry about exposing that you've had work done on you. You did a fine job picking Dr. Nader. And I am glad he relented and took you on despite the risk. You knew what you were getting into and this wasn't a case of overdoing it (a la Michael Jackson should have quit after his first nose job). Given that, there is no ethical dilemma here. He did you a solid.

Hoping for the best for you brutha. Will follow your case closely.

1 hour ago, JohnBob said:

@jimcraig152 do you know what are those brownish spots in your donor area? do you think they were caused by the surgery?

Yeah, they were. It's scarring from the excisions. Should fade with time as I reach the full 12-month recovery cycle.

I've experimented with viewing my donor in grayscale to see how it might look once healed. Check it out here:

https://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/topic/57329-fue-experience-wdr-diep-mhta-clinic/?do=findComment&comment=559302

With those results you got, I am over the moon for you. Hot damn! What were you, a Norwood 5, now a 0? And 100% via FUE? Can't be real. Some serious merit with DHI when we see your work. Those graft bulbs definitely were protected during implantation. Can't go from NW5->NW0 over 8300 FUE grafts if the yield isn't high.

There is this recent thread about Dr. Couto's work. Couto is talked about as sort of the Masamune of hair transplantation and it shows. But I'll be darned if I look at the early results compared to your 10-day mark if I can tell the difference. Which guy below had work done by the acknowledged master?

The pricing is just a bonus. Thanks for posting and the education brutha. Much appreciated.

Brad Pitt Legends of the Fall-type work there @Guy73. You don't suffer from hair loss anymore brother! Agree with the buzz down look in your prior post. Angle, direction, random placement. The doc has to put the time in if transplanted hair is to be indistinguishable from natural hair with buzzed low hair. So much flexibility with your what you can do with your hair when that is achieved.

Silly question about your personal safety. Did you feel in any way you were in jeopardy at any time? I read about travel to Reynosa and there is mention of daily gunfire. The presence of Cartels. Did you feel in anyway there was any hint of danger in your 3 trips to Dr. Nader's office?

Simplemente magnífico @RMancini! Fotos del donante, por favor.

Profile shots of your temples when you can please.