MM2020

@NDAustralia yeah, ive been looking on real self and a lot of the surgeons on there say it can typically resolve but can take anywhere from 2-4 years as hair needs to cycle through the different phases. But yeah on some hair transplant surgeon's websites they suggest that the texture difference can be permanent. Either way its a dramatic improvement for me and a small price to pay. I am yet to have a followup with the doctor due to covid though, so will see what he says.

Hey all. its been over a year now since I got the transplant. Really happy with the results. The texture is still a bit wiry and the hair is a bit darker than the native hair but I'm hoping that resolves over the next few years as the hairs gradually fall out and grow back.

@alexandros1977 tbh, I have had a lot of surgeries before and this one is very minor. I felt absolutely fine the next day. I only told a few close people. My housemate didn't even realise and still doesn't know I've had it. But yeah its normal to feel nervous, especially if you haven't had any surgeries before. well during the procedure I felt like they didn't use enough local. Don't be shy to ask for a lot of local, as you shouldn't feel anything at all. make sure you know exactly what hairline you would like and talk to him about it. Consider both vertical and horizontal recession. I asked him to fill in the hair on the sides as well. I watched a lot of this youtuber. He got me thinking not only about filling in the area but also the design of the hairline https://www.youtube.com/c/hairliciously. Get used to sleeping on your back. if this is something you struggle with maybe invest in a one of those post surgery pillows. try not to be too active during the first 3 days. this is when the grafts can fail. just try to relax at home if you can. Grow your fringe out a bit so you can hide the graft site as this is pretty ugly post surgery. feel free to DM me if you have any questions. Its honestly a life changing procedure. I would do it again in a heartbeat and I am extremely happy with my results. I will post a 1 year update next month and give some more details.

@bostonguy I cant say for certain whether it helped or not all I know is I had growth a lot earlier than many others and have really good density, so I assume a lot of my grafts survived etc. I did some basic research and a lot of clinics use PRP with the hair transplant. I see its the gold standard in Korea etc. So the use of regenera seemed like it would at least be on par with PRP. I think its fairly new though, so I guess time will tell with more research.

yes, I am extremely happy with the result. I have my follow up consult early next month. I am sure he will be very happy with the results so far. @Gatsby current regime: finasteride 1mg at night minoxidil dermarolled at night 1mg of oral minoxidil at night wash my hair 2-3x weekly with nizoral

more photos in natural light.

6 month update. its getting quite a bit of density now and length. I no longer feel any insecurity about my hair, which has been great. I am at about 70% of my growth apparently. I also notice that this hair doesnt have the same texture as my non-transplanted hair. I have been told this will change over the next few years.

@Rui I cant feel or see the scar. I don't wear my hair short though. I asked my hairdresser a couple of days ago if they could find it and they didn't really notice it at all. He also said the hairline looks really natural and a lot better than some of the other ones that he has seen come through. I am pretty happy with it all

@rickyrixon yeah, getting quite a bit of density going now at just over 3 months

almost 2.5 months and I am really starting to see regrowth since the shedding. Hoping by 4 months it starts looking a bit thicker.

@Rui yeah pretty much all shed from the area with a few hairs left over. Nothing major to report at this stage

@JohnMelb1234I think it is. I don't know if that reflects his skills in hair transplant surgery, but isn't a really good indication of character. Cosmetic surgeons seem to get a bad rep all around for this type of stuff. I think a lot probably have dreams of plastics, anaesthetics and other surgical fields but don't get the marks for the competitive specialisations. A lot seem to go into fillers, lipo and hair transplants which dont seem to require a surgical background. Its sad he had to lie about it but hopefully he has grown from it... I don't think my results are bad though, so I don't regret seeing him but will continue to keep the updates for people and let you know if I see anything dodgy

Hey @Rui I haven't had pain for quite a while now. If I actively rub the scar it is slightly uncomfortable but very manageable. The scar has just started to shed the dissolvable stitches. I cant really see the scar tbh as I have too much hair at the moment. Once I get a haircut I will see how it is. Yeah the team seemed really nice. @JohnMelb1234 I have shed a lot of the grafts now. I am feeling a bit impatient. Just have to kind of ignore it at this point I think I get on with my life and it will grow in due time. Also my hair is quite curly at shorter lengths so I assume my hair will be quite frizzy as it grows out. Will take quite a while to train this hair haha

Day 11 post op. I was advised to gently massage the area in the shower to help remove some of the scabbing and stimulate blood flow to the area. Some little hairs shed whilst doing this, but I was advised this is normal and that they will come back in the next cycle. Scalp is quite dry from the whole ordeal, so am using an antidandruff shampoo twice a week. I am washing my hair daily to keep it clean and have started applying minoxidil to the area again after a 7 day break.

@Rui yeah they definitely do FUE and they gave me the option of doing it. I think regarding FUE vs FUT, the result at the front will largely be the same, as the hairline artistry is determined by the skill of the surgeon. I assume that there are some botched cases of FUE at some dodgy clinics (e.g. not spreading out donor site and getting that patchy look). Nice. I was considering adding in laser cap at some stage, but I want to see how my recession goes after hair transplant. yeah would be so doable. I would be inclined to stay for the first 3 days though, as this is when grafts can dislodge. I got a travel neck pillow for my recovery, as it kept me elevated and stopped me from tossing and turning. For me I still had some pain at the back for the first week, but I assume with FUE you would have very minimal pain. I had my follow up appointment and everything is going well. Next follow up is in 6 months

Hey @Gatsby I personally don't enjoy the process of being unwell in a foreign environment. But that is just personal preference and some people are more than willing to brave it in other countries. I like the security of being able to easily contact and converse with the surgeon if a complication arises. I of course wouldn't suggest seeing a bad surgeon just because they are close and would advocate that your top priority should be your health and then your results. However, in this case, it was a bonus for me as it meant I was able to get home and rest straight away, so I included it in my list. This was a deciding factor between doing it in Perth or Sydney vs here in Melbourne. But yeah, I agree with your point; as surgery isn't a one dimensional decision but should be multifaceted and tailored to the individuals needs. I also believe not every case is the same. I honestly think if you have more advanced hair loss and an unstable donor area, the surgery itself will be more difficult and the results will vary drastically between surgeons. During the harvesting the nursing staff were commenting on how amazing and thick my grafts were, so I have quite high hopes in that department. If I wasn't convinced I would have just waited a few more years and gone interstate or maybe braved it and gone overseas, as I wasn't too impressed with any of the other local clinics, as most seemed to place most of their money in advertising and marketing. That's really cool. You seem to be a hair transplant aficionado and will definitely be looking into this forum more if I decided to undertake any additional procedures. Will keep you updated on the progress and let you know if I notice anything dodgy or anything particularly good.

@Rui yeah that sounds like a reasonable estimate if you have more diffuse thinning around the crown. I think also an assessment might be good as then you will be able to tell whether there is miniaturisation going on around the scalp. Might look at adding minoxidil or Laser etc. Another thing I got prescribed once was a compound drug which combined oral minoxidil and finasteride. I decided against using it though as it caused hair growth all over the body which I didn't want to deal with. However could be a good option for people who cant handle standard minoxidil. I got the script from Martinick. yeah tbh I think you would be a candidate for both and if the scar bothers you I would just go with FUE. Conservative surgeons will generally try and push most people towards FUT for their first procedure. Potentially if you are wanting FUE, I would go to someone who specialises in it. I've heard that the punch aspect of FUE grafts can cause them to fail if not done correctly. I would want someone who performs them a lot. Tbh I never really looked at getting it done overseas, as surgery and travel in general isn't something I have done a lot of. Maybe now I am more comfortable with the whole process I would consider getting operations overseas. People on here seem to know a lot about the various surgeons though. Personally, I was not invested enough to travel halfway across the world to fill in my temples. Maybe if my hairline was pretty much gone I would be more invested. But hopefully my journey will give some indication of whether the results are something the resonates with you. I cant say I am that experienced in the realm of hair transplants as I have only had one. But from what I had done, I am pretty sure it was a normal experience. I hope my results are decent and will keep you updated.

Hey so not results photos but will post updates every couples of months. the photo of me with short hair is me at 19. I did the classic comb over and you could tell my hair quality was reducing. the photo of me with thick hair is me now and 24, which I achieved with non surgical methods. Then the photo with marker is the extent of my recession. I didn't get this hairline, as it was one that was drawn by a different surgeon but this is what it looked like pre surgery.

I just got a transplant done by Vikram. I liked some of his results on FB. I think he is fairly new to the scene. I am not sure if he would be the best for people with extensive hair loss as the clinic routinely prefers a conservative approach (they do max 3000 grafts). I was looking for something around the 1200-1500 range (I am n3). I had a very large amount of 3s, so was able to get a lot of density towards the back without using too many grafts. I ended up getting 1270. Cost me $8250 Maybe if you need extensive work done, America might be a good option. My friends get a lot of different cosmetic procedures in Beverly hills. Obviously comes with a price tag though. They seem way less conservative there though. I would consider going there for face lifts etc when I get older, as they seem to have really good anti aging procedures. I do agree in general Australia isn't world leading in the cosmetic front though. But tbh I just wanted some lockdown work done Time will tell how it all goes. My goal is to not look unnatural and balding though. I guess we all have different priorities.

Just got my hair transplant done by Dr Vikram too. Hopefully we both get good results. I am N 2-3 and got FUT 1200 grafts.

Hi Rui, 1200 cost $8,250. they have prices listed on their website. I was a candidate for FUT and FUE. But generally if you are younger and start losing your hair, it means you have a very aggressive form of hair loss. Although my hair has stabilised, it is very common for people in my position to go through a second bout of hair loss in their early to mid 30s; meaning I may need to have further procedures in the future. The recommended age to consider a transplant is 27+ (I am 24 turning 25 soon) and they even disclosed to me the risk that my hair might recede in the next few years and I might need another procedure. Having multiple FUE can result in the thinning of the donor area and isn't generally recommended for younger patients. However, if you are someone in your 30s with say a Norwood 2-3 and started receding in your late 20s, then I think FUE would be a great procedure, as you probably have a more mild version of MPB. I might get FUE in the future if I start receding more at the temples/if I feel like I need more density (though the surgeon informed me the packed it quite densely). It is also good for detailing if you want your hairline slightly adjusted. other points to consider: how big your head is? my head is not very large so only two people could plant the hairs at any given time. This extends the time of the surgery. I also had no thinning at all on the vertex. This is because finasteride is known to be amazing at preventing hair loss in this area. It struggles to prevent the hair loss in the temples, which is why people still get a mild recession in this area on the meds. if you have advanced hair loss, FUT will be a lot quicker. You may need to get multiple FUE procedures to get the same amount of grafts. Going overseas is valid, but I would get an assessment locally first. That way you have a better understanding of your hair loss. the cost of these consults are around 150 if you are seeing a hair transplant doctor and free if you are consulting with a salesperson. Some of things that are important to know: - what is your donor area like? Is it thick? How many surgeries can you get out of it till it starts looking thin and terrible - is your hair actively thinning or has it stabilised? - how thick if your hair? You might need more grafts if you have extremely thick hair. - what is the laxity like for your scalp (poor laxity might mean you are better suited to FUE) - how many grafts do you actually need to be happy(a lot of overseas clinics will suggest you get way more than you need). They will draw out a hairline for you and you can play around with what is achievable and natural. I actually had 3 consults. I went to Martinick first and I found they were very informative, however they only do surgeries in Perth and Sydney even though they consult in Melbourne. This means you don't actually consult with the surgeon, but another doctor who used to practice as a hair transplant surgeon. I was quoted a little over 10k for 1200 grafts there. I also did one with Paul Spano. I sent him photos and he suggested I needed 2400 and he prefers the FUE method. He didn't seem keen on doing face to face consults as I assume he is busy doing procedures maybe? It seemed a bit odd to be as 2400 is something I see more commonly with with N4 patients. I wasn't sold on this but I am sure if I did undertake such a large procedure it probably would look great but I am still very much aware that this could jeopardise future procedures. I highly recommend you check out the knudsen clinics YouTube videos if you want more the whole process. I am unable to comment on overseas clinics. I think they could be worthwhile if you are needed a lot of grafts but if you are needing like 1200, the cost of flights accom and time dont save you that much. But really make sure you know the surgeon you are getting. I have heard of horror stories coming out of Korea, Thailand and Turkey. But in other cases, I have seen amazing results. Also we will probably be trapped in Melbourne for while, so might have to wait a while.

Hi all, I started losing my hair around the age of 16. Both my maternal and paternal sides lost hair at a young age. I started my hair loss journey at the age of 19 and began using topical minoxidil and finasteride daily. My hair improved drastically, and all miniaturisation was gone. But by 23, I found my hair had become unstable again, and the quality of my had become variable. I put this down to poor diet and stress, and this was when I implemented positive lifestyle changes; changing my diet, lowering my stress and creating an exercise regime. Another point I must stress is keeping your help healthy is vital! I found minoxidil can cause dandruff or even seborrheic dermatitis. Making sure I treated all this has significantly improved the quality of my hair. Also, regarding post-workout shakes, I use a product from help hair which is rich in biotin. By utilising these steps, I was able to maintain a Norwood 3 despite having an overly aggressive form of hair loss (if I didn't seek intervention I probably would have been an N4-5 by now). However, despite all the clean eating and medication, I knew that I would not be able to grow back areas which had no hair, so I started looking at surgical procedures. I had been considering the procedure since 19, but as a university student, I didn't have the funds. After doing my research, I had come to the following conclusions: I wanted a surgeon who worked locally or at least in Australia, as hair loss is a lifelong journey, not a day trip. I wanted a surgeon that would be more conservative and realistic with my hairline and the number of grafts. I wanted a hairline that didn't look receded and also one that wouldn't look like I had a hair transplant when I go into my 30s. For me, the goal is not to defy the natural ageing process, but to emulate someone who does not possess the gene for MPB. Plus, you can always get subsequent procedures 10 years down the track if you really want to lower your hairline further. I think its important to make sure your hair loss has stabilised. As a 25yo, I cannot be certain that this is the case. The consult I decided to go with Dr Vikram for the following reasons: He consulted with my prior (a lot of clinics will make you consult with a salesperson and not the surgeon). He expressed the same affinity towards safeguarding against future loss by performing a procedure that wouldn't decimate my donor area (e.g. recommending the 1200ish range and FUT procedure due to my age). His practice was near my apartment. He was well-spoken and seemed very engaged in new and emerging hair restoration technologies - check out his YouTube channel! He offered reasonably priced FUT procedures. What I had done I had FUT 1200 grafts + Regenera done. If you don't know about Regenera, look it up. It's similar to PRP - which you will see at many famous hair restoration clinics - but uses the tissue from the strip graft. The growth factors will be specific for hair and give the grafts the extra boost to survive and grow more quickly The surgery day step 1: draw out the hairline. step 2: receive a sedative that takes away the anxiety you might be feeling. step 3: numbing the front and back of the scalp. To me, this feels like a cat scratch. step 4: removing the strip step 5: making the holes that the grafts will go in. Not painful but creates a unique sound. step 6: planting the grafts reapplying local as it starts to fade. It doesn't hurt as the area is quite numb. step 7: injecting the Regenera into the recipient area. Step 8: injecting a long-lasting local into the back again, so you feel minimal pain that night. Comments: his staff were also fantastic. The head nurse was very motherly, attentive and brought great positivity to the operating room. I am currently one-day post-op, feeling mild pain from the donor area. However having had my wisdom teeth removed a few months prior, I can say with certainty; this is nowhere near as bad. I will update you all as I progress. Thanks again to Dr Vikram and the team at the Knudsen clinic.