MagnificentAl

9 minutes ago, JohnAC71 said:

Yep, all looking as you would expect. Donor does look like it’s recovered really well. Now the few months wait until the regrowth begins 😁

Patiently waiting 🤞🏻 

Hey guys 👋🏼 day 28 update. It’s getting worse, as expected. Let me know what you guys think. Donor looks amazing though.

Hairline is looking really sharp!

1 hour ago, baldlivesmatter said:

Wanted to get the group's thoughts on a potential FUE from my left donor to right donor to even out the thinness.

Not surprisingly, taking grafts from one side leaves that side thinner--even with my donor area ~2 inches.

I'm thinking something like 500 grafts above the ear area could reduce the contrast. My buddy had an Artas FUE with Dr. Alexander and that turned out well.

Thoughts on strategy, doctor, recommendations?

I think that’s an excellent idea, or maybe you could use your beard hairs?

Sorry if I missed this, but was the price close to what you would have paid with your initial option ?

Good luck!

Pictures of my implanted hair and donor area.

Day 21 update. Really downhill from here. I also gave myself a terrible shave since I didn’t want to get close to the implanted areas.

Good luck man! I had my procedure done around 20 days ago! Make sure you buy a airplane pillow and have some ice packs available.

@Kraistoffhow long do you stay at the hotel post op? Before you fly back home.

6 hours ago, jimcraig152 said:

I feel differently. Now that the hair is longer, the rows are more noticeable to me. Also, i am waiting for the zig zags to come in too. The hairline looks very linear IRL. The camera tends to not show these things. Will just have to wait it out and evalucept if I have to go in for a repair. The camera also doesn't pick up the complete story of the depletion in the lower area of my donor and near the right of the vertex. Looks worse in the mirror. Maybe I'll record a video so it is depicted better.

But, I am lucky. Other patients really get jobbed by Dr. Diep's method of not planning/mapping out donor harvesting and/or not diffusing extractions. I feel his transection rate must be on average high. This patient's donor looks like he had as many FU's extracted as I did, but this patient only had 1300 grafts.

Anyhow, I really do appreciate the remarks. Both the reassuring ones and especially the critical ones. The others to follow should know what they are up against.

It looks like, if I’m Looking at you, face to face and I can’t really notice those infamous rows. But on the picture where you take it from the right side angle it’s very obvious. I don’t know how noticeable it will be for someone that doesn’t know what’s going on. Maybe it’s not that noticeable to others?

19 hours ago, giegnosiganoe said:

@MagnificentAl, do you know if Dr Konior made all of the FUE slits and then implanted all of the grafts, or did he make a slit and then immediately implant a graft (one by one)?

Hey,  good question. I honestly don’t know, I was really gone during my surgery, but I can ask next time I talk to him.

2 hours ago, RecessionProof said:

The ugly duckling stage is tough but keep in mind no one is paying attention to your hair as much as you are. Hang in there for a few months and you're going to start feeling great -- the hairline design looks excellent

Thanks boss, 

I’m hoping to get similar results to yours 🙇‍♂️ 

30 minutes ago, jimcraig152 said:

Sooner you start the downhill slide, the sooner you rebound from it. The important thing is the work is outstanding as it lays the foundation for your ultimate result. In that capacity, everything looks great!

I just bought one of these selfie sticks. Look into getting one. Seems to be $2 off right now. I'll write about it in my next post.

Thanks man, was just surprised it started so soon. But I always knew that. I guess I was denial. I’ll be looking forward to your update!

44 minutes ago, giegnosiganoe said:

No problem man, we're all fighting our own battles. Just saying what you're going through right now is totally normal and expected, and that you don't even look bad!

I'm curious what it'll look like if you continue to buzz your hair. Don't feel like growing it out to cover the area?

I could grow it out but in order to achieve that blended look I’d have to grow it out for probably 4 months. But, I’m not sure if I can wait that long.

25 minutes ago, giegnosiganoe said:

Don't worry man you look great, we all still wish we had your hair

Hey man,  

Thanks! I’m definitely not trying to sound ungrateful, but if you go back to my before surgery pics, I was able to easily disguise my hair loss. Now shaved, there is no disguise. Will just try to be patient and not think about it.

Sorry all, not trying to compare my situation to anyone else’s.

55 minutes ago, JohnAC71 said:

Absolutely totally on track dude, and your donor looks great! 

Thanks man, I definitely need reassurance 😆 

Day 14 donor area

Day 14 update: it seems like I am regressing as expected? Let me know what you guys think. I applied minox today for the first time. Also, what do you guys think about where I am at 14 days post op? It’s starting to look bad but this is all expected so I’m not really worried.

Short quick update:

Day 10 results after a shower. Hair is wet and is looking very thin 😕

Thanks for sharing!!

48 minutes ago, jimcraig152 said:

If it weren't for the scabs (which will come out in the next 2-3 days), it is hard to tell that you've had a procedure done. Hairline looks natural and is not overdone. Grafts are placed in a natural random fashion. That is how it should be. Naturalness is the #1 goal of all HT procedures.

Enjoy the next two weeks. After the scabs come out, you'll look your best for a long time. Then it is downhill for a couple of months before you start to rebound.

Thank you! I forgot to ask my doctor about how the grafts would be implanted. But I’m beyond excited at how my hairline is looking.

Today is the 7th day after my surgery. Short update, I had just gotten done washing my graft area for the first time. Is the white stuff called scabs or crusts?

If it’s in your budget I’d consult with Dr. Konior.

1 hour ago, mustang said:

They are all super nice, they did a great job and I had good growth with all of them.

My favorite as a person (compassion, sense of humor and overall friendly) is Feriduni and Mwamba. Those 2 guys are amazing and such warm people. They perform surgeries for burned people for free and just have a good heart. Both based in Belgium although Mwamba has a new clinic in Atlanta as well. 

In terms of outcomes and graft growth I had good results with all of them. The nicest looking clinic is Feriduni's in Hasselt by far.

Honestly I would go to any of them but I would rather avoid going to Turkey. So HLC and Keser I would not be keen on repeating but the results were good. I just didn't feel welcomed and had a lot of pain during surgery, they are rough on the anesthesia. The Spanish and Belgians give you sedation and use a nerve distracting machine while injecting and take their time to numb you. With Mwamba you literally don't feel anything, it takes them 30 minutes or more and with Feriduni they give you an IV sedative that get's you high as f***!

I could talk about this all day but got work to do.

Thanks for your interest in my case, I really hope it's useful to some of you.

 

Can you expand on not feeling welcomed? For me, healing in a foreign country is absolutely terrifying and a big blocker for me going overseas for this.