windjc

Originally posted by Abedogg:

Hey Guys,

 

So, I'm going to give it the full 12 months before making a conclusion on my right temple. Its definitely thin but the procedure did make a huge cosmetic difference.

 

I could use concealers (i used to), but frankly I had this done so I wouldn't have to use concealers.

 

2 items that may be relevant:

 

1.) My head stayed redder longer on the right side and had more scabbing. In fact, if you look closely, its still a little red.

 

2.) The left side is perfect, and the right side hair sticks up pretty straight. I'm guessing maybe there was a different person planting on each side.

 

Thansk for all the comments and I will continue to update until the 12 month mark!

 

Also - I was an early grower. Should the hair on the right start to lay down soon?

Abe

I can't tell from your pics that the right side isn't laying down. The right looks a little thinner than the left. That is the only difference I see.

Its curious that you mention quality control issues - that maybe the right was done by someone else than the left.

Dr. Umar currently only has one tech and himself. She has worked with him for over 6 years. He did have another tech, who I believe left in 2009. Were there two women helping Dr. Umar when you were having your surgery?

But, based on the fact that he doesn't have new techs, I wouldn't see why the right would be done different from the left.

It is curious that your right was redder longer. While there is no scientific evidence to support this, I would think that the faster our bodies heal, the faster transplants will grow or mature or the greater likelihood that they will survive.

If for some reason your right side was more traumatized, it could theoretically have an effect. I think this is one reason why HTs differ from person to person, even with the best surgeons. People heal differently. Some people are healthier, react better, and recover better than others. And there are probably dozens of variables that we really aren't aware of.

Originally posted by iron_man:

Hi Abe. I'm scheduled for a transplant using nape hair with Dr. Umar in a few months. As another poster had asked, I'm also wondering if there is any visible scarring at the back of the neck? From all of the pictures I've seen of Umar's patients, I don't see anything visible, but it would be nice to hear firsthand. Could you please let us know? Thanks.

I am 2 months post-op with Dr. Umar. He used scalp and nape hair. I had what I would self-diagnose as a immuno-reponse in the nape area that resembled an allergic reaction. All of a sudden 2 weeks post op, my nape broke out and itched liked crazy. Dr. Umar gave me topical steriods and after a week or so the iching stopped. My nape area is still red and some of the "allergic bumps" I got are still raised.

NOW, having said all this, I think my reaction is very atypical. I haven't heard of anything like this, and I think my immune system simply got confused and attacked the area.

My hair has already grown out to cover most of the area and knowing how my skin heals, I would be shocked if the redness persisted long term.

Different people just reaction to different parts of HT's in different ways. For instance, my recipient area started regrowing hairs from Umar's minox in 3 weeks and started growing transplanted hairs in 6 weeks. This was well above average.

So, I only mention this to let you know that many things are possible. But I think that nape hair is a great idea. It can soften the hairline and if it for some reason doesn't last a lifetime, it really doesnt matter as Umar only uses it in the first two graft lines of the hairline anyway.

I've been on Propecia for 7 years and doing fine.

Originally posted by the B spot:

Hey Wind....what do think are the best thickening/density products to put on wet hair?

 

Thanks,

J

A quick first point. Umar only uses nape hair on the first two lines of hairline grafts. So, I doubt Abedoggs appearance has anything to do with nape hair.

As for gels, my favorite is Matrix hair thickening gel. When I get out of the shower I put a nickel size amount and run it through my frontal 1/3 of my hair. Then I just let my hair dry as normal (because I'm lazy and hair dryers are noisy . )

I also use Nioxin thickening conditioner, but the gel is the big difference maker. I tried different thickening mouses, but the gel works best for me. I have light brown thinner type hair and living in Cali, where there is no humidity, left to their own devices, hairs like mine don't give great coverage.

With the conditioner and gel and only washing my hair every other day, I can get thick coverage.

I also want to add, although I know it doesn't apply to everyone, that getting highlights can also thicken your head of hair. Highlight chemicals damage the hair (not the follicle if done professionally and correctly) which adds to its appearance of thickness.

I get subtle blond highlights (the same color my hair turns if I spend a lot of time in the sun) and this adds to my hairs thickness as well.

Originally posted by Einstein:

I'm sorry to say but this procedure looks like a failure to me. My heart goes out to you. At 9 months it is very very rare you will see newly sprouted hairs. Thickening will occur for a few more months, but very rare new hair growth. I wish for everyone's sake that after the 9th month post-op mark there are still many more new hairs to grow in.

Well, I don't know how you can say that. It certainly is NOT a failure.

First, Abedogg is, for the most part, pleased. That is the single biggest factor of them all.

Second of all, you certainly CAN get growth as well as thickening after 8 months.

Third, there is a HUGE difference pre-op to post-op.

Abedogg, I do have to say that the variety of lighting you've taken pics with shows a huge variety in appearance of coverage.

It seems like you would be a good candidate for a concealer like toppik for touch up. It also suprises me how few guys know that by adding some thikening gel to the hair when its wet immediately after the shower, can have a huge impact on density appearance. Certain gels go on wet, dry naturally with the hair. These aren't used for styling, simply for body.

I think I speak for everyone that for anyone to give you advice, you'll need to post pre and post op pics and pics that have the entire recipient area. Its really impossible to tell from that picture what is going on.

Originally posted by Jjarden:

Hello,

 

I'm pursuing an FUE procedure to build up my hairline and wanted to know if it is absolutely necessary to shave the rest of your head, or can the doc do it with your full head of hair?

 

Professionally I just cannot have my head shaved.

 

I'm hoping that the doc can do it without shaving.

 

Thoughts/Advice?

 

Thank You

I had a frontal third FUE with Umar 5 weeks ago (2600 grafts). I had temple recession on both sides. He shaved the receeding parts and he shaved the donar area.

My hair is fairly long (4-5 inches) so the hair he did not shave fell over the donor area in the back and covered it almost completely, except for the nape. In the front, if I comb it forward (which is usually how I style it anyway) it almost covers the shaved receeded areas. In fact, with a little hat head, I can mask the procedure completely. But of course, its not like I am beautiful with hat head, lol.

I had a FUE transplant (2600 grafts hairline and frontal 3rd) with Umar 5 weeks ago. If you want to PM me, I can give you my experience up to now and my opinion of Dr. Umar.

Thanks for the reply. The various growth cycle idea is an interesting hypothesis.

As for my hair growth its been a bit confusing, but I have seen 3 different things. I have seen hair grafts shed and then new hairs sprout in the same follicle. I have seen some grafts not shed and just grow as though nothing happened. And I think I have seen old hairs grow back from the minox.

I say "I think" because right now I have a fair bit of hair that is approximately 1/2 inch (1 month of growth) where I didn't have hair before. But the hair is miniturized, unlike the thicker sprouts that I see growing. So I guess it could be grafts that didn't shed, but I doubt it because most of the grafts shed in the area where the hair is now grown out.

Anyway, its way too early to talk about, it should all work itself out in a few months, and I'll have the advantage of 20/20 hindsight.

Thanks again for your input.

I am 5 weeks post HT (2600 grafts, frontal third).

I have already seen alot of growth in areas that didnt have hair. This is either grafts that just didnt shed (just decided to grow instead) or new growth from the minox I am using twice a day post op.

But that has nothing really to do with my question. My question is about this...I am already seeing new sprouts from grafted hair that shed. I see new ones everyday as they are popping up all around.

Which made me wonder...if the grafts are placed in the scalp the same day, the scabs fall off with 48 hours of each other, the grafts fall out within 5-7 days of each other (my experience), then why would new growth be so sporadic?

Why do the transplanted hairs grow back so randomly? I mean, from what I read, new hair starts to grow over a period of several months, some hairs soon, some hairs months later.

It seems a bit odd.

I mean, I am certainly happy that I am getting alot of early growth, but I am wondering why hairs dont regrow in a more organized fashion.

Cheers