ScottishGuy21

Also worth noting… If you need a large number of grafts it’s difficult to do in one session without putting your donor area at risk. A few very highly skilled surgeons have mastered mega FUE sessions but the majority of ethical Dr’s prefer to break such cases into 2.

A pic right after surgery of the donor may give more clues as it’s hard to tell the full donor area from what you’ve posted. It looks more like shock loss than over harvesting though - which given the amount of grafts you had isn’t abnormal so try not to stress too much. I never shed till around week 7 properly, with one section totally shedding whilst otherwise kept hair. It’s not called the ugly duckling face without reason!. You look like you’ve retained a fair bit of transplanted hair but don’t be alarmed if it does thin or fall out at this stage. Perfectly normal. Likewise it won’t grow or shed in a set pattern, often it will look patchy. (See my pic below for reference of my hair at a similar stage to you!) A red scalp is also normal and may be more visible as hairs shed. If however you do believe there is some sort of infection or reaction going on it’s important to speak to your Dr and a Dermatologist asap.

3 month update So far so good. Donor area back to pre op. Already have a fair bit of growth in my recipient area which I never expected so early on.

I only had my op 3 months ago so still in the early stages myself but I am starting to see growth Are you washing with shampoo every day? Maybe alternate and only use shampoo every second day when washing your head to see if that helps. Also be sure to not go outside right after a wash if the weather is quite cold or really warm as this dries the skin out too. Hopefully with Almond oil use you do see some changes as it helps hydrate the skin and keep it hydrate - so flaking much less 👍🏻

Mine was very similar. Mr Dr recommended Almond Oil which worked a treat. Always best to speak to your own Dr though as they all have their own methods. Nothing to worry about though it’s fairly normal, your head has gone through significant trauma don’t forgot!

Will continue to update thread with progress but may be in the wrong section now. Can you move it Melvin?

So 12 months on I finally bit the bullet and had my first procedure. I spoke to several Dr’s but in the end opted for Dr Bicer. She was the most open and honest about what to expect. It’s clear she takes great pride in her work and cares about her patients. Originally I wanted a slightly lower hairline but during consultation she convinced me otherwise, stressing the need for donor preservation given my circs. I’m mid to late 30s, taking 1mg Fin a day (Can’t take Minox, had a few reactions in the past to it unfortunately)and will need two procedures. One frontal and the second mid scalp / crown. Whilst Fin may be effective at the moment Bicer explained it’s important not to exhaust incase gradual further recession kicks in late on in life. So there’s some in the tank so to speak for touch ups if this did ever happen. We agreed on a conservative hairline to begin with during session 1 which looking back was a sensible idea. It’s one thing seeing the lines of where she will operate but it’s another when you see it completed minutes after you’ve got out the chair. Only then do you realise the skill and effort that goes into this. In the end she transplanted just over 4000 grafts which is the very top end of what she would be willing to do in a day. From arrival to finish I was there close to 11 hours but it didn’t feel that long. The procedure was practically painless, the only mild pain is the initial anaesthetic going in. The rest your head is numb so you don’t feel a thing. I was very comfortable throughout and Dr Bicer and her close knit staff are all very friendly. I opted for the transfer / apartment package they offer. Yes it is a little more expensive than independent booking but it takes away all the stress of travelling. The apartment is in the same block as her surgery which post op is very welcome, likewise the next morning when you go back to get your bandages removed and for a check up. I would recommend this as the first few hours are crucial for your recipient areas so the less stress or exposure to the elements the better. Im currently on week 8 and so far so good bar the odd pimple 🤣. After 6 weeks I had the beginning of the dreaded shed which is now in full swing but my donor has healed up well. In daylight it is slightly noticeable but after 8 weeks it looks much better than I expected at this stage. I did also have a dry scalp around week 4 but on Dr Bicer advice began using almond oil which has worked a treat. I wasn’t going to post my progress but with so much misinformation out there I think it’s important to do so. Above 5 days post op Above 9 days post op Above and below just before the shed kicked in. The above is straight out the shower, so my crown does look much thinner and it would dry as the photo above that shows

I used Bicer for my procedure. I can’t speak for the other 3 but I found a wealth of information out there on her which a simple google ‘Ozlem Bicer reviews’ search pulls up. Out of respect for those that run this forum I won’t post links to other forums but they’re out there.

It’s about opinions and fair enough if that’s yours. Her body of work and respect amongst leading surgeons world wide suggests she’s better than just above average. This forum serves as a tool like I’ve said before which hopefully guides patients to Drs with a proven track record and away from a potential life long disaster. let’s not lose sight of that.

I opted for one of the 4 surgeons listed in the opening post. Their results appear over all hair transplant forums. Frankly If you opt for a surgeon based on just one research source you’re asking for trouble. This forum is a handy tool and I’m appreciate free of the feedback from 100s if not 1000s of patients and Dr’s. You mention one of those listed as not being ‘worldies’ every time. That’s true but they are always good solid results and plenty of cases visible. Consistency is key. I’d be more worried with a Dr if all I seen was 10/10 work. That just isn’t possible all the time given the complexity of patients conditions. Transparency and openness is a big factor when choosing a surgeon.

My Dr advised Almond Oil (which really helped with my dry scalp)

Wash it as best as you can but you might not be able to wash it all out. When it drys it’s fine as long as it’s not large amounts. I too had my first wash at 3 days so I know how apprehensive you are so close to your procedure. During the next few days you will find it easier and gain more confidence

I’m sure you’ll be fine for such a short period of time exposed I’d just like to add that rain exposure isn’t just about the drops hitting your head. The acid in rainwater can have an impact on grafts too.

6 months in is still very early to be making a final judgment. Growth is good and lots more expected so I highly doubt what we see how is anywhere near how it will be in another 6 months time. Looks great so far.

At what stage is it reasonable to expose my head to sunlight? I live in Scotland. It’s mild at the moment (Between 10 and 15 degrees with UV force low) as I’m still a worried. Guidance on sunlight seems to revolve around sunburn impacting grafts from what I can find.

I still had some scabbing at Day 10. Think by day 12 all had come off. Every Dr has a different process so it’s important to stick to what you’ve been told. Everyone also heals at different paces so don’t get too worked up it’s normal My Dr for eg had me applying lotion from day 3 for 1 hour to loosen scabs before light washing . But I know some Dr won’t advise you to wash until day 10. So again it’s important to listen to your Dr

I’d steer clear of Reddit for your research and stick to well respected hair loss forums such as this. You’ll tend to get a lot of hair mills trying to discredit work of surgeons or worse still ripping off their photos on there Any of the 3 you mention are of excellent quality you’ve chosen well. Contact them to get a feel for how each works and what to expect. You’ll be able to make your own mind up which is best for you.

Again, thank you to everyone who has replied. A wealth of information that i’ll consider before taking my next step. As someone has mentioned would it perhaps be feasible to approach this in two stages with highly skilled surgeons? Stage one concentrating on frontal loss? Before going back for stage two as soon as economically possible?

Thanks for the swift reply I have read too much around various forums to fall into the trap of going down the cheap route which is why I have posted on here for advice When originally quoted for 3500 I did think that as a little on the light side given the extent of my hair loss. So it’s good to have confirmation my own gut feeling was right!

I’ve been gradually receding since I was around 22. Since hitting 30 however that has progressed from minor front hairline regression, towards my crown. I do not use any medication at present for my hair loss. I have been researching HT but I am finding it a minefield and would appreciate any advice. The costs in the UK are out of my affordability (Quoted upwards of £10k!) so like countless others I’ve like towards Europe / Turkey. I am aware of the horror stories and mistakes others have made thanks to this forum but am finding it difficult making a decision. From a previous consultation I have been advised I require roughly 3500 grafts? My donor area does appear to be strong. Can anyone point me in the direction of good surgeons with semi reasonable prices. Thanks in advance