Scream

Unfortunately I do not have an estimate on the density, sorry! However if you’re also scheduled with Dr. Hasson I can assure you he prides himself on his density and achieving a natural look!

My one month update!! The shedding started a little later for me than others I’ve seen on here! I didn’t notice any of the hairs falling out until around the 5th week! I’m sure a few did fall out of course, but it was not enough to be noticeable. Between month one and month two, however, almost all of the transplanted hairs fell out - which I will post for my month two update. One thing I am unsure about: how long do you have to shampoo the area daily? I was told to wash the recipient area every day, but was not told when that rule no longer applies. Before my procedure I probably washed my hair 4 times a week, but now I have been doing so every day. Not sure when I can return to a little less often. I apologize I do not have an image of my donor area for month one. I will have one for my month two update. But needless to say it looks normal and you can’t tell I’ve had anything done. I am very very happy so far, and just waiting for things to regrow. But a huge thank you to this community for talking me into getting this done and helping me select Dr. Hasson. I am using pins to hold back my natural hair for the photos!

Thank you @Gatsby, I really appreciate the kind words. I certainly hope you're right!! Hopefully the temples and hairline look full and natural. Will post updates as I move along in my journey!

Thanks!! I can confirm we did discuss that I was already taking Propecia and would continue to do so afterwards (in addition to him mentioning I had a larger-than-average head, and a wide forehead overall). I'll try to get some more/better photos in the coming weeks. I do recall Dr. Hasson measuring around my eyebrows and saying that distance to the frontal center point of my hairline was not overly high at all (I think it was around 6.5cm) it was just the receding corners that really needed some filling in. One side of my head (my left side) had slightly more recession than my right but both had moved back quite a bit. I think what likely happened is during my consultation, it was harder for James to see just how big my head was overall on FaceTime - leading to an estimate that was lower than what I actually needed. Either way I was mentally prepared for the number to be higher, and so when it was, I was not overly upset about it!

No problem!! I should have included Dr. Hasson told me before the procedure that my forehead is very wide, so I think my head shape/size is slightly different than most people! I definitely knew my graft count would be on the higher side! I have lots of donor hair left over (and thick hair in general) so I have no concerns about the graft count beyond the extra ouch on the wallet haha. I believe @Nordster34 temple work has grown quite nicely. Mine does look very similar to his, so I suspect the growth will be similar and will eventually look a little less aggressive.

I thought so too, initially.. but I have a pretty large head. The hat they provide at the end didn't even fit me, and it's adjustable haha. So I think this likely had to do with the size of my head in general combined with his classic density.

Hi, everyone. After years of being too scared to fix my bad hairline, I finally built up the courage to do something about it. I cannot thank you all enough, as it was the posters here that led me to believe I could withstand the pain and the slow regrowth duration. If you happen to be reading this and are considering getting the procedure - I hope my experience can add to your own belief that you will be okay. Here is a rough detailed breakdown of my full experience with Dr. Hasson and the team at Hasson & Wong. I always appreciated those posters who were very detailed, so I will do the same. I apologize to those of you who dislike the detailed posts - I hope you are able to still get something useful here. My Background I am a 31 year old male, and I first noticed my hairline receding at age 19. I was more or less fine with the recession until I was 23 or 24 - it was at this point where I began receiving comments on my "big forehead". When I turned 25 I began taking Propecia (1mg every day), and using Rogaine on and off, and since then my hairline has only slightly worsened. I have absolutely no hair loss on my crown, and I attribute this to the fact that I began taking Propecia proactively. (For those interested in the side effects, I personally have not experienced anything significant). Late in 2021, thanks to this forum, I began researching different clinics that had reputable doctors and impressive results. I knew I was interested in the FUE procedure, and so wanted to go somewhere that had experience with this method, and of course - good reviews. I am from Canada, so when posters here recommend Dr. Hasson, it seemed like a natural fit for me. While the price point was high, it felt like something that I did not want to "cheap out" on, and everyone I spoke to about Dr. Hasson (those of you on here likely know who you are) all said it was well worth the money. So even though there were plenty of enticing Doctors and Clinics around the world that deserved the consideration, I felt good about settling with Hasson & Wong. I have a very low tolerance for pain, and talked myself out of this so many times, simply because I was too afraid of the anesthetic pain. However, as others talked me up and encouraged me.. I decided I would finally try to go through with it. Consultation After contacting the Hasson & Wong office, I was able to email with a representative and easily set up a virtual consultation that was done over FaceTime. I had a very lovely chat with James, who was very helpful and answered all of my questions. As other clinics do - James himself was a former patient of Hasson & Wong, and had the same procedure I was looking at. I'm sure others can tell you, it is incredibly comforting speaking with someone who has gone through the big scary thing you're worried about and come out on the other side. I really appreciated his honesty about the anesthetic pain. He told me it would not be pleasant, but that it is certainly manageable. James then asked me about my hair restoration goals, which for me were simply to fill in the corners of my hairline. I didn't need to lower the hairline overall, I didn't feel like the temples needed much work, and I certainly didn't need anything on the crown. At the conclusion of our conversation, he estimated that my procedure would need to be somewhere between 3000-3500 grafts. I do remember feeling slightly surprised, as I thought somewhere in the 2500 region should have been plenty, but ultimately I just told myself that I am not qualified to know anything about this, so the graft estimate was fine. At this point I went ahead and scheduled my procedure for August 23rd, 2022 (and they also booked me in for a second day, which I was told is fairly normal for any estimate that is over 3000 grafts). I had to pay a deposit to secure my days, which I did straight away. I lived life very normally until it was time to head to Vancouver for the procedure! Day 1 The morning of my surgery, I woke up early to eat breakfast and wash my hair (they tell you to do both) before heading to the clinic. They put you up at a hotel in Vancouver for 2 nights (you are welcome to stay longer - but you will pay for those nights yourself) and I have to say the hotel was lovely. I had a great room, albeit the line for the elevators was a bit annoying at times. The drive to the clinic is fairly easy, there were always cabs in the morning, and Ubers found the hotel easily. It was usually a 7-8 minute drive, but on the first day I was quite nervous and it felt much faster. When I arrived, I was initially a little confused on how to get inside the clinic. It is on the 6th floor of a large building. Once I cracked that code, I walked in and sat down on their couches in the lobby. There was another gentleman sitting there filling out paperwork, and I sat there quietly until a technician came out and asked for my name before giving me my own paperwork to fill out. This does take some time. Probably 10 minutes worth. After this, you are able to pre-select lunch that they will pay for. Once everything has been filled out and decided, they take you back to change out of your shirt and into one of their standard medical shirts. Here you will have an opportunity to use the washroom, and then they take some quick photos of you before sending you into your operation room. While sitting in the room, a few technicians come in and talk to you about yourself, ask you medical questions, and walk you through the day/procedure before buzzing off some (or all) of your hair. I tried asking them what most patients do here - but they wouldn't tell me. I ended up not buzzing off all of my hair.. and in hindsight, I do regret this. I wished I had just gotten it all off. After about 10 or 15 minutes, Dr. Hasson entered the room and we spoke about my hairline and what I was hoping to achieve. He said I had a great donor area, which was good news in the event I ever needed future work on my crown. He took time drawing on a few different hairline ideas, and we both agreed on the one that looked the best. It was at this point where he stopped himself and said "hang on a second", and then began redrawing some temple work. When he was satisfied, he showed me what he had drawn on and said I would look more handsome if my temples resembled the drawing. It was of course up to me to decide if I wanted this, but I figured why not - I was already there, I might as well shoot for handsome! As you can probably tell by the title of this thread, my final graft count ended up being 4123 - so needless to say, much more than estimated. I am unsure if the temples were the culprit here, but nonetheless, I had read prior to my surgery that part of what makes Dr. Hasson so successful is his density. So, I knew going in my graft count would likely be on the higher side. For anyone reading this who is considering Dr. Hasson, I highly recommend going to their website, looking at their results gallery, and finding photos of hairlines that look similar to yours. I had done this, and knew something in the 4000 range was certainly possible - so I was not caught that off guard when he mentioned we'd do 2500 grafts on the first day, and somewhere around 2000 on the second day. I put my faith in the expert, and if he said this hairline and graft count would look good - that's what I was going with. Once all was decided, I was given a Valium, two pain pills, an antibiotic, and one sleeping pill. You take these as soon as he leaves the room, and instantly you are told to lay down to begin the procedure. I was the most scared at this very point. You lay face down so they may begin injecting the back of your head with the anesthetic. The technician I had, I didn't get her name - but she was wonderful. So caring, so kind, so attentive to my needs. She continued to reassure me I was doing well, and when the injections stung a little bit, she was quick to reassure me it was almost done. The harvesting itself was perfectly fine. You feel nothing. You hear some strange noises, and you can feel some pressure - like you're aware someone is touching your head, but there was no pain whatsoever. Honestly the worst part of this section is the face hole. Laying still became very uncomfortable on my face, but you are unable to move. It is otherwise a breeze. You then get a bathroom break and your lunch. I had soup, sandwich and a cookie. All were delicious - though I found walking very difficult as the valium made me very dizzy. When everyone is ready to begin again, Dr. Hasson comes in to make the incisions. He did warn me that most people claim this part to be the most painful part of the day: the injections above the eyebrows and by the temples, and he was right. I gripped the armrest of the chair, and this did help a bit. The pain only lasts 2 or 3 seconds, but it is a sharp stinging. Similar to a wasp bite, without the lingering pain. After this, you basically lay there and click a button every 100 or so incisions. I found it difficult to stay awake for this portion, as the sleeping pill was really hitting me here. But when he was done, and after another break, the implanting begins. This is by far the longest part (at least it was for me). The rest of the evening was spent watching netflix as technicians inserted the grafts. I was there until after 10:00pm (they did also end up buying me dinner). 15 and a half hours at the clinic... it's a long day. But when they were done, I received a hat to throw over my head to wear back to the hotel (however it did not really fit me, so it looked a little funny). Sleeping that night was a little rough, as the antibiotic pills made me feel a little nauseous (which I was told was normal) and so I slept on the floor, but overall, I survived! Day 2 and More The second day was almost identical. Surgery was scheduled for 7:00am again, and things started a bit faster this time. However, you still go through the 3 same steps and it took about the same amount of time all in all. I did find the pain to be a bit worse on the second day. They warned me ahead of time that the second day is often more difficult in terms of pain management, but it is nothing earth shattering. The only real difference was my temples reallllllly stung and made my eyes water. Ultimately, I got through the second day just fine and was done just after 10:00pm once again. I did not feel nauseous at all thankfully, and sleeping was a bit easier (with the help of a sleeping pill). You take your final pictures and then if you're sticking around another day or two (which I was), they schedule you in for a hair wash. I went in the following two mornings for a hair wash, which was quick and easy. It is here they provide you with the shampoo you will use to wash your hair when you return home, and give you any more pain meds you may require. The day after my surgery - the swelling was very rough. It didn't hurt at all, but I looked very funny. The technicians were quick to provide some pointers on how to push the swelling away from my eyes. They also ended up giving me a headband which fit my head much better. I wore this on the flight back home! When all was said and done - it was a great experience, and I was proud of myself for doing it. Pros The entire staff at Hasson & Wong are incredibly kind and professional You feel super well taken care of, and not once did I doubt any part of the procedure The pre-op and post-op instructions are very clear Cons I wish I had buzzed off all my hair instead of leaving some of it on my head If you are someone who wants the actual Doctor doing the work, he only designs the hairline and makes the incisions (I didn't mind, but I know others do) The swelling after surgery hit me bad, but this is not the fault of this clinic - I just got a ton of stares haha Overall, I am very happy with my choice.. and the growing has officially begun. I have included some before pictures and the after pictures are taken 3 days after surgery. I will hopefully update this as time passes. But again - thank you to everyone who is active on here and who was very detailed in their experience. It is because of you I decided to do this, and I can only hope my result is as good as those I have seen on here. If you're reading this, it is likely you all can relate to the feeling of low self esteem because of a hairline (or any hair loss), and I am hopeful Dr. Hasson will have just fixed this for me. I admit, the temples looked a little pointy after the surgery - but I am trusting when all is said and done, they will look normal and fine. I am awaiting the ugly duckling stage and when I start doubting everything, hopefully you all can talk me off the ledge. Until then, I am happy to answer any questions!

My consultation resulted in an estimate of anywhere from 3000-3500. However, based on what I've seen from others, I feel fairly confident it will be on the higher end, if not pushing 4000. I'd love to only need one day, but I am mentally preparing for two!

Thank you for this write-up. This was very insightful. I certainly hope my experience with the injections is as painless as yours! Others have described it as "lava" and "hell", so hearing someone say it was a non-event is reassuring. My hope is that it's just slightly uncomfortable for like 10 seconds. But I guess I'll see in a couple of weeks. I also have a two-day procedure. I was nervous the second day would be even harder - so really appreciate you including this detail. I'm having the FUE procedure too, flying in... just hoping it's not too stressful or painful. Looking forward to following your journey and thanks again for the response!!

I have an appointment with Dr. Hasson in a couple of weeks. May I ask how the anesthetic injections were for you? How bad did you find the burning sensation to be when you were first injected?

I'm curious, I assume you did not want to shave your head for the procedure - was there any discussion about this prior to your HT? I have a procedure coming up, and I would love it if I did not have to shave off all my hair, but I feel like their life is made infinitely easier if you shave it all. How was this conversation for you?

Cheers. This is very comforting for me. I hope my experience is similar to yours!

What a great write-up. Really appreciate the detail you put into this. I have never had botox, but I have been stung by a bee. That was quite painful, but I recall that burning sensation lasting for a long time before dying down. If these injections have that similar intense burning sensation, but it dissipates quickly.. I think I can manage that. Weird technical question - do they warn you immediately before the injection? Or do you just know it's coming, but are left in the dark until you feel the pain? Only feeling about 4 is reassuring. The graft count only confused me because other clinics had me pegged for roughly 2000-2500 grafts, but the consultation I had for Hasson & Wong had an estimate of 3000-3500. Now, obviously, they are world renowned and their results speak for themselves.. but I guess I just wanted to know how flexible they were with regard to how many grafts were needed. While I want the best result possible, I am not the wealthiest guy, so the lower number appealed to the wallet hahaha. Nevertheless, I have been so impressed by what Dr. Hasson can do for a hairline, so I will just think of it as a longterm worthwhile investment. I certainly hope my procedure isn't cancelled, but regardless of when it happens, I will try to make a post similar to yours! It's very reassuring to see others go through the same journey. Something as trivial as figuring out what hats you can and can't wear become bigger issues when you're trying to hide your head. Or how many breaks you get during the surgery. But your write up was great and extremely helpful! I'm looking forward to following your result. Happy growing!! This is also very comforting to read. I assume your experience with the injections was manageable as well then? Not overly painful for you either?

Thank you for this.. that is encouraging!! Does the pain subside quite quickly? Or do you find it lingers for a bit? I think I will be okay if it doesn't last too long. You say it's over in seconds, so that is very reassuring. It is literally the only thing that's held me back from doing this sooner. My procedure is just under a month now. Although, like you, I was told mine might have to be cancelled. So we'll see! Hopefully that doesn't happen. If I may ask, how much say do you have in the graft count? It seems like they usually go for a higher number to really pack the grafts, although I want to make sure I am not over-harvested incase I need another one in the future. Did you find the hairline design portion to be flexible? Or did you tend to go with what the Doctor recommends as he is the expert?

Wow, I remember talking to you months ago about this, and now it's done!! Congrats!!! How were the anesthetic injections? I am not sure how different they are for an FUE procedure, but I hope they weren't too painful!