No_time_to_dye

Completed 5 months on the 21st June

My thoughts so far: To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed with the results so far. I guess I'm comparing my journey to awesome & quick turnaround transformations I have witnessed here. But I guess, everyone's hair growth journey is a bit different. Having said that, I'm still very hopeful as I have not even reached the half year mark. Fingers crossed for the upcoming months.

Front Right & Left side: This is what's concerning me the most. As can be seen from the pictures, the density is very less and looks like it's taking a lot of time to fill the sides up. It looks very weird and looks almost like a bald patch. After consulting Eugenix, I have been using hair fibers when I go out or have been using my good ol' beret to hide this area. Seems to me that the hair that shed during the shedding phase are refusing to come back. 

Hairline: I'm super happy with the hairline. Looks so smooth and natural. I attended a few family functions and no one was able to figure out that I have had a procedure done. (A little bit of hair fiber helped too). I think it will grow more dense and give a more natural look at the 12 month mark. All credit to Eugenix for the hairline & temple points.

Finasteride: As you all know, my mid scalp & crown has also started thinning but we (the clinic & I) decided to tackle that problem with Finasteride and get the procedure done only on the front scalp. I have been taking Oral Fin 1 mg EOD since Oct 2021 religiously but I guess I'm not seeing any major changes in the density. After giving it a lot of thought, I'm planning to switch to a daily 1mg tablet regimen. A bit nervous, but I would definitely like to give it a try.

Supplements: Multivitamins tabs with Biotin, Fish oil tabs & Oral Collagen with Hyaluronic acid (on & off)

Lifestyle changes: I have been eating clean and just started lifting weights. I have joined a Cross-fit box and I'm absolutely enjoying the workouts. My protein intake is 1gms per kilogram of my body weight on most days. My body is getting used to this change slowly. I also make it a point to run a 5k at least twice a week. Doing pretty good on this aspect I would say. A healthy body & a healthy mind is super important.

Completed 4 months day before yesterday.

The old temple area is seeing some slow growth. But I guess it's too early to talk about density.

Continuing the Fin 1mg EOD. 

My bad for not giving regular updates. I just switched to a new job and have been super busy. I shall come up with my detailed experience in a few days

This is amazing growth in such a short time. It's only going to get better. 

On 2/13/2022 at 3:19 PM, rocketmas said:

Wow, it looks like a superb and very clean job. I definitely think you will have an awesome head of hair in a few months. The temple points are looking great.

We will be following the journey. Good luck.

Thank you ✊🏻

On 2/13/2022 at 3:24 PM, JC71 said:

@No_time_to_dyeThis is a excellent thread, and very well written. Very informative and will give people a very good insight in to what to expect.

Eugenix showing why they are one of the most consistent clinics anywhere worldwide. The work looks very refined and the hairline and temple points look spot on. Looking forward to seeing your subsequent detailed updates 🙏

Thank you. Just need all of your good vibes to get through the shedding phase.  ✊🏻

On 2/8/2022 at 9:29 PM, MazAB said:

Just looking at the strong donor you have and wavy hair, trust me when I tell you that your result will exceed yours and everyone else's expectation.

Will be following very closely!

Follow my Journey with Eugenix and Dr Arika Bansal!

Thanks Armen. Hoping to see amazing results as yours once the shedding is over.

Do you recommend doing a haircut (when the hair becomes ba bit unruly) or should I just let it grow?

On 2/13/2022 at 7:45 PM, NARMAK said:

Hey OP, your pictures look solid for 2 weeks post op and can't wait to see the results over the months till you hit the 12+ month mark. 

Can you tell me the breakdown on your hair grafts for singles, doubles etc. and how many did you have done specifically on the temple points. 

Also, what influenced you to go for 6.5cm vs going all the way down to 6cm? Did you feel it would require more grafts/cost and not going to ultimately make as much of a difference? 

 

Thank you for your kind words. I did take the picture of the whiteboard that had the graft breakdown but somehow ended up deleting it. I can go back to the clinic and ask if they have this information.

Regarding the hairline, I have always had a huge forehead and given the texture and nature of my hair, I feel like it would rest down on my forehead from the temple areas. So going lower didn't make a lot of sense.

Also, Dr. Somesh at the end of the surgery told me that a conservative approach is the best move forward for first timers. We can always go lower with future procedures if needed, but not the other way around. 

Do you feel some itching in the recipient area during this shedding phase?

Week 1 & Week 2 update

• Oozing from the donor area lasted for about 3 days for me. But the donor had already started to heal up. Followed the saline spray & betadine regimen religiously till the first head wash.
• Unfortunately, I was coming back to a Covid positive house and ended up contracting it myself. However my symptoms were not very severe and I managed to pull through.
• Head wash - Soaking my scalp in the shampoo for 15 - 20 mins didn't do the trick as not many scabs came out in the first go. I had to increase the soaking time to about 30 mins and was able to clear majority of the scabs by the 3rd head wash. 
• The Eugenix team was very active with their follow-ups. I couldn't converse with them over the phone call but we were in constant touch over WhatsApp Messaging. I was sending them daily pictures of my scalp just make sure things are on track. Some doubts started creeping in about the density after the first wash but talking to reps at Eugenix and going through other transformations on this forum again, helped me clear my doubts. Just fancy ol' over-thinking.
• The post-op team again reached out to me on the 14th day mark but asked for pictures this time. They sent it for evaluation with the doctors and turns out everything is right on track.
• Only concern is that my dandruff has been increased marginally. Washing my head everyday with a mild shampoo isn't cutting it. I have reached out to Eugenix stating this concern and am waiting for a response.
• Really happy with the way my face is looking. I have worn a cap/hat yet (I have a huge collection thanks to MPB).  Friends and Family are digging the new look. This just means that the shedding phase is going to hit me hard. But I'm ready for it and taking each day as it comes.

On 2/3/2022 at 8:09 PM, Ryan Daniel said:

Thanks for the write up as I myself will be going through the same experience as you. 

I have yet to make a video call with the amazing Dr Arika herself.

You have beautfiul dark curly hair, which will result in an incredible result. Mark my words. 

Your face is properly framed now, you should be happy. 

Good luck on healthy growth!

The Video call is crucial mate. Ask a lot of questions. I understand that the reps there are equally knowledgeable, but getting your queries answered from Dr. Arika gives you certain sense of satisfaction. Nothing beats the doctor's eye. 

And I'm really happy with the way my face is looking. I was dreading the egg shaped look but turns out I'd look nicer with a buzz cut as well. 

On 2/3/2022 at 6:47 AM, Melvin- Moderator said:

Your hair quality is excellent, I can't imagine how your result will be anything else other than incredible. 

Thank you for your extensive research on HT clinics. If it were not for this forum I probably would have ruined my hair for good. 

Your encouraging words help. Wishing you best for your for hair growth journey. I'm pretty sure it's going to turn out amazing.

On 2/3/2022 at 5:00 AM, Gatsby said:

A great write up @No_time_to_dye and it was great chatting with you in the car that we briefly shared. With your curly hair you are going to have a killer result! Wishing you all the best and I look forward to following your journey!

Thank you so much! It's a waiting game now. Sending good vibes & wishes your way too. 

On 2/3/2022 at 3:15 AM, Berba11 said:

52 grafts less than I had!

Good luck & will look forward to your future updates. Great write up!

Thank you! I have been closely following your journey and I'm pretty sure you are on track for an amazing transformation.

On 2/3/2022 at 12:53 AM, SLA said:

Beautiful- Thanks for the extensive write up!

Happy growing.

Thank you! Just waiting to brace the shedding phase.

I would love to share my hair transplant experience with Eugenix hair sciences with you all and would be happy to share my hair growth journey here. I won't be going into details of the procedure (just a few highlights) as there are amazing & detailed write-ups already present in this forum about the "Eugenix Experience". Overall I'm pretty happy with my experience with Eugenix and I would describe it was super smooth & hassle free. Feel free to ask me any question - I'd be more than happy to help.

My background: 30 M, suffering from MPB since I was probably 18 or younger. I had an accelerated receding of my hairline during my early 20’s but I was able to pull off the look because of my curly/wavy hair until I couldn’t in my late 20’s.

Consultation: I reached out to Eugenix some time in Aug’20, thanks to the amazing reviews that were posted on this forum as well as on their YT channel. They were very prompt with their response and assigned a counsellor asap. After initial interactions, I requested for a counsellor change and Eugenix were more than happy to help with that. I eventually had a video consultation with Dr. Arika where all my questions/doubts were promptly answered by Ma’am itself. She gave me an initial assessment of 2500-2700 grafts for the frontal third and advised to take Fin for the Mid scalp and the crown.

 Package: 

• Exclusive – It included 100% slits done by Dr. Arika in Gurgaon, India. The extraction and plantation were to be done by the technicians.
• I understand that the pricing packages have undergone some changes lately. Mine had extractions from Dr. Arika as I had booked this package earlier last year.

Hairline design:

• Got done with the post-op a day before which included anaesthesia testing, pending bloodwork, pictures and payments and was asked to show up in the clinic at 10 AM.
• Started the HT day with hairline design. Dr. Arika drew a conservative hairline on the first go which was at about 7 cms from the glabella. I asked her if we can get the temples done as well because just the 7 cms high hairline was not looking that great. Ma’am also mentioned that we can go as low as 6 cms and the choice was left to me. I was take ample amount of time to think this through before confirmation.
• My advice for everyone would be to take good amount of time in deciding the hairline that suits your head size & face. Looking at your pictures with the hairline drawn on a bigger screen might help - Ask the staff to help you on this. You know your hair better than anyone else and you can imagine how your hair would look like after decent growth. All in all, take ample amount of time, ask a lot of questions and trust the doctors and the process.
• I went ahead with a 6.5 cms high hairline with the temple points done. I had a few questions about the non-uniform hairline and the temple points and Dr. Arika explained that this would help achieve a natural and young look.
• The hairline design & finalization including trimming the hair took about an hour or slightly less.

Anesthesia & Slits

• This is the only painful part of the process. However, the Nurse and the technicians engaged me in a conversation which distracted from the stings. I was all good after the first 7-8 pricks.
• Make sure they test the whole surface area before beginning the procedure. And if at any point in time you are feeling any discomfort, inform them immediately so that they can numb the area again. You shouldn’t feel any discomfort/pain at any point in time.
• We started the slit-making process at 11:30 and it was a smooth sail. Dr. Arika definitely knows what she’s doing and does it with an amazing speed, precision and every bit of professionalism.
• We took a break for lunch after about 1.5 hours when the slits were done. They treated me with some absolutely delicious chicken Biryani from Ghee and turmeric.

Extraction & Implantation

• This was equally smooth and I was very relaxed throughout the whole process. I even fell asleep for a good hour or two.
• Me and the technicians had a good conversation going. They asked me if I was ok with the music they were playing and if I was ok with them conversing in their local language. I was ok with any kind of music and language as long as they were comfortable and efficient. It’s a great practice to check this with the patients and I commend the team for doing that.
• We slogged through the process with a couple of breaks for some Gatorade.
• Dr. Somesh and Dr. Shishir came in to check on me at the leg end of the process when my hairline and the temples were being done. Dr Shishir removed some grafts from the temple and implanted them to the hairline. I was happy with this level of attention to detail and thanked the staff & doctors for their effort. We finally ended up with 2710 grafts for the procedure.
• We concluded at around 8:45 PM and Anil from the Post-op team informed me about the Do’s and Don’ts for the next 7 days. I was given a saline solution with a spray bottle, a neck pillow and some disposable pillow covers (to help with the oozing for the next couple of days).
• I was very nervous about sleeping on my back. Had been practicing since months only to fail. But rose to the occasion when was faced with the real situation. The neck pillow helps a lot - DO NOT FORGET THIS.

Supplements & Medication:

• Oral Fin 1mg EOD since Oct'21
• Multivitamin (one with Biotin in it) daily
• Fish oil daily
• Collagen + Hyaluronic acid - daily
• Vitamin D3 once a week

Pictures: I'll ask Eugenix to provide the better quality Pre-op and Post-op pictures. Meanwhile, make do with these.

Pre-op:

Post-op Day 1:

It was such a nice surprise to run into you at the clinic @Gatsby. One more day to go. You got this!

On 9/23/2021 at 7:00 PM, MazAB said:

@No_time_to_dyethanks for sharing your journey in the early stages. Best way to leave no stone unturned by the time you pull the trigger on having the procedure done. 

Definitely consider micro dosing on fin in conjunction with topical fin. You cover all basis that way and are much less likely to experience the side effects. 

You've chosen the right clinic for sure. Have you booked a date yet?

Sure thing mate! I'm doing oral fin EOD and it's working out so far.

And yes! I'm scheduled to undergo the HT on 2nd Jan. Super excited but super nervous as well. 

On 9/22/2021 at 11:13 PM, Melvin- Moderator said:

I would definitely give the topical a try, it may be nocebo if you didn’t notice sode effects till past a month

Thanks for the recommendation Melvin. I've been taking oral Finasteride 1mg every other day. It's been 45 days now and I'm not facing any side effects.

I would connect with Dr. Arika after my HT to get started on the topical + oral (EOD) regime.

2 hours ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

Can you post some pictures? Have you tried topical fin?

Have posted the pictures Melvin. I haven't tried the topical finasteride yet. I plan on getting a prescription soon.

2 hours ago, rishibostonian said:

You're welcome. Just paying it forward in smallest ways.

 

I think there are a bunch of folks here who are NOT on Fin including @Melvin- Moderator and @Zoomster who can guide you. However, have you tried all options to understand (is it nocebo effect?) and minimize Fin side effects (Microdosing, alternate days etc?). I believe there is no other medication that exists that's as effective as Fin (citation needed)

 

I think the answer is forever?

I'd probably rephrase and say it hasn't been proven empirically with a large sample size; and backed by scientific studies and FDA approval like Oral Fin has. In this forum you'll find so many examples of topical fin (and variations with min, dut etc mixed) working really well for people. @mustang comes to mind and so does a bunch of posts from Dr Wesley.

I'm 100% open to a possibility of it being a Nocebo effect. I am visiting a local dermatologist tomorrow to discuss more on this. Alternate days of medication is something that I haven't tried yet. Microdosing would be 0.2 mg, right?

Will check posts of the folks you recommended. Thanks for the help.

Attaching the pictures

Before I begin, I would like to thank this incredible forum for it's immense wealth of knowledge and diverse experiences. Even being a silent spectator has been great learning journey. Talking about journeys -  I've thoroughly enjoyed the excellent write-ups from @MazAB  @paddyirishman  @rishibostonian  @Fluffhead, @Wandererind  (Just to name a few) which eventually played a crucial part in deciding to go for a HT. Special Thanks to @Melvin- Moderator for the recent Instagram live with the doctors from Eugenix, India  - It was very detailed & insightful.

My Background: I have been steadily losing hair from the age of 16 to the point that my hairline has receded quite a lot. I'm 29 (almost 30) now & at a NW grade 3 of baldness. My curly hair helps hide the receded hairline a bit & I had been ok with that up until last year.

Eugenix consultation experience:

• I found this clinic while foraging through the amazing hair transformation stories on this forum. IMO Eugenix is one of the most professional clinics out here in India in terms of communication and business ethics. I love the fact that the doctors here look at HT from an artistic perspective which is very rare in this industry.
• Since mid last year, I had been dabbling with the idea of a HT and have been in touch with the clinic since then. I never faced any delays from them in answering the numerous questions I've thrown at them. Both Dr. Arika and the consultant I'm working with, have been nothing but patient;

Recent Evaluation from Eugenix: 2500 - 2700 grafts on front scalp and Oral finasteride for the rest of the regression.

Challenge: I tried Minoxidil when I was consulting with a Doctor from BLR, India. Tried it for 4 weeks. Had minor side effects like migraine and increased palpitations. Post this, we decided to discontinue using Min. Unfortunately, finasteride didn't work for me either. Some side effects cropped up between the 45 - 50 day mark and I decided to stop it completely. It's been close to 6 months I'm off Fin.

What are my options going forward?

Option A) Try getting back on oral finasteride again before going for a Hair transplant to see if I'm responding to the medication w/o side effects.

• This option was suggested by the consultant from Eugenix itself.  They were completely transparent in communicating that Oral finasteride is the only option to save the existing hair before or after the HT and my side effects were most probably due to over-thinking (may or may not be true). As per the consultant, results from topical fin are not yet proven when compared to oral medication.
• How long should I be on Fin this time if I take this route?
• To be honest, I'm a bit taken aback by this and my enthusiasm about the transplant has taken a hit.

Option B) Go ahead with the surgery without taking oral Fin

• This is a pretty risky option in my opinion. The consultant explained that I might end up losing the existing hair in a year or 4 post HT - which might be true and can't be predicted.

Any thoughts and opinions are more than welcome. I would love to know if someone has been in the same boat as me.

N.B. Please excuse my writing flow.