SuperC

No one can tell you chances. It just doesn't work that way. I created a similar thread about my own anxieties before my procedure, as have countless others, and it seems that we all eventually realize that we're taking a leap of faith in having the procedure. Like all things in life, there is some risk. You could end up with a bad result and/or other complications. However, if you're a good candidate, and you go to a reputable clinic with reasonable expectations, and then carefully follow all pre- and post-operative care instructions, the odds are definitely in your favor.

How could anyone possibly know that?

No one can know that. Talk to a doctor. Come up with a plan. Give it time and adjust accordingly.

Try to relax. You are totally fine. I understand anxiety, but nothing you've described is the least bit concerning. You are obviously being very careful and mindful about your recovery process. A good surgeon knows to give instructions that are extra cautious because patients will often "bend the rules" to some extent. If you tell someone not to wear a hat for 2 weeks, they will wait 10 days, you know? You've done nothing to ruin your transplant, and at this point in your recovery, there's very little you can do to cause problems. The only challenge now is being patient.

No. That's nonsense.

Regardless of what we know about the process, we all get a little anxiety sometimes, don't we?

Looks normal to me. At 12 weeks, I'd say things are just getting started. Try not to worry.

Looking better doesn't always mean looking good. I'm not sure that you have realistic expectations. If not, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. My native hair density is somewhere around 75-80 grafts per cm^2. My recent transplant has filled in my hairline at about 45 grafts per cm^2 at the front, tapering off as it moves back toward my native hair and begins to overlap it. The transplanted hair will grow and look better than the bare skin that was there before. But at short length, it will still look bad against the higher density areas where my native hair still grows. I'll likely need to grow it out a few inches before it all blends nicely, and if I weren't willing to grow it out, I'd probably have been better off not having the procedure at all. Even if I were to have a super dense transplant by an elite surgeon where and 100% of the transplanted grafts survived, there are still things like angulation and hair texture to consider, which can still easily create a visible contrast between the native and transplanted areas at a short length. I think a natural-looking result depends heavily how you grow and style it. Wearing a buzz cut or similar almost completely defeats the purpose.

Absolutely. And paying a consultation fee shows that you are serious about the procedure. Many of the top surgeons are booked months or years in advance. At some point, it only makes sense for them to talk to only the most serious patients and let their representatives handle communications with those who are in earlier stages of their research.

If you're researching surgeons and one of your top picks charges for a consultation, then I'd say it's worth it for the opportunity to talk directly with them. It could be the deciding factor in selecting your surgeon. It also can't hurt to ask if the consultation fee can be applied toward the overall cost of the procedure later if you decide to book.

This is nothing new. The explanation is in the original post of the first topic you linked to. Whether or not the strategy is effective is another matter, but the results should speak for themselves.

Please share the clinic names. Also, posting some photos would be helpful.

The "pompadour" hairstyle is just popular right now. It doesn't mean the transplanted hairs weren't angled properly, though that does sometimes happen depending on the clinic. And yes, the way one's hair is styled affects the illusion of density significantly. With this particular hairstyle, the hairline is on full display. This is one reason why many hairline restoration procedures use more grafts out in front, along with grafts which have follicles that contain 2 or more hairs.

The only poor night’s sleep I had post-op was the very first night, but that was because I had terrible nausea and was up all night vomiting. Practice sleeping in the recommended position ahead of time so you know what to expect.

This comment is not helpful. Please be more sensitive in threads which are specifically about discussing anxiety. That said, no surgeon produces optimal results every time. I've spent countless hours reviewing the work of dozens of "top" surgeons (all the ones this forum seems to swoon over) and all of them had cases that didn't go so well. In additional to skill and expertise with different types of hair loss patterns, there is also the matter of ethics and integrity to consider. At the end of the day, selecting a surgeon is a leap of faith. While some will throw money at the situation, and others will travel to the other side of the globe to _save_ money, I am going with a reputable surgeon who is ethical, within my budget, who specializes in my hair loss pattern, and who I won't have to fly half way around the world to see again for touch-ups, a second procedure down the road, etc.

I don't have an ideal hairline in mind in terms of design. What works for someone else doesn't necessarily work well for me, and I'm no artist. That said, I did try to find some examples of the general idea and posted them earlier in this thread, but I assume you've seen those already. I plan to trust Dr. Rahal to advise on an androgynous design, while I focus on communicating my concerns and goals. No longer considering strip. I understand the pros and cons and have decided on this path.

We got it working, but thanks for the advice! I think the settings change just took a minute to go into effect.

Done. Sorry for the trouble. I don't see any other settings to change, but I'll keep looking until I hear back from you.

It should be enabled now. I forgot that I'd disabled my inbox due to receiving spam. Sorry about that.

I think 3,000 grafts can go a long way. I'm confident that you'll have plenty of options to get the results you're after. I'm self-conscious too. I wear hats at all times because my hair just always looks bad, and I tried the bald look and am not into it. I figure this is my chance to have a head of hair that I feel good about, and if it doesn't work out, I'll just keep wearing hats! 😅 Is Rolanda another forum member? I'm not familiar with the name. But I can sort of picture what you're describing, and it sounds like a few grafts near the crown is a good idea. 100% agreed! Gradual changes are definitely the way to go where possible. A hair transplant is kind of a mix between gradual and sudden, I think. If friends and family see the initial recovery phase, obviously that's a major change. But once the scabs are gone and the original hair begins to grow back, the growth of new hair comes in very gradually. Anyone who knows us well will realize at some point that we've had work done, but it won't be like showing up in a wig one day. 🤣 You're absolutely right about getting comfortable before moving forward. It takes me a while to find what feels right and to establish some reliable level of confidence after making changes to my appearance. This procedure will no doubt be the biggest challenge yet in that regard, but I think I'm ready for it. Makeup and skin care have both been a huge part of my new routine, for sure. It's all a lot to learn, and subtlety is key (especially for makeup), but it's definitely helping overall. Thanks! It does feel good. Lots of ups and downs, but overall good. And my hair is okay for the most part, just the hairline itself. I was looking at old photos and found one from 2007 where my entire head was buzzed down to a #1. I was 21 years old then and my hairline was basically the same as it is now, so hopefully I won't suddenly experience further loss as I age. I'm on Finasteride (1mg/daily) now, though, just to help ensure that. In your other thread, you offered to share some photos and I didn't see your message until today. Sorry for not replying. I'd be interested in having a look if you don't mind sharing.

Please do! Mine is a few weeks after yours. I'll be looking for all the inspiration and confidence I can get. 😅 This is a brilliant idea. I will probably do the same thing, now that you mention it. The surgeon should have as much info as possible to design the proper hairline. This makes sense to me. Have you talked to the doctor about that plan specifically? Do you find it difficult to make significant style changes? I ask because I've made major changes myself in the last two years, and there's certainly been some mixed feedback along the way. 😬 But it's been quite liberating for me, and was very long overdue! And as you said, the hair is just part of it, but definitely an important part.

This is it exactly. My hair is getting quite long now, but I really can't pull it off unless I wear a hat or headband to cover the hairline area. I do enjoy wearing such things, but it's less fun when I feel I have to. 😅 That would be awesome! The very idea of being able to have bangs feels out of reach right now, but who knows! Nothing wrong with uncommon. That's what makes us unique. Also, this is why I'm not planning to have any temple work done, even though my temples are quite "soft" or "weak" (not sure the right term). Not too far receded, but definitely not pointy or prominent in any way. I sure hope so! Do you have a procedure scheduled already? Let me know if there's a thread I can follow. I'd love to see your progress if you choose to share it. I'll probably be creating another thread in a few weeks to cover my experience, and then update it over the next year or so with my progress.

I wish we wouldn't treat surgeons like rock stars or professional athletes. Every surgeon, patient, and situation is different, and every procedure comes with a unique set of circumstances and challenges. The most highly-skilled surgeons will make mistakes, just like some "hair mills" have produced excellent results, all the while what we see on this forum is a tiny, tiny fraction of all cases. I'm not suggesting we pretend that all surgeons are equally capable, but perhaps it'd be better if we refrained from putting any of them on pedestals (or the opposite) and simply continued to share our first-hand experiences and help keep the official recommended surgeons list up-to-date.

Side note: I have provided hairline examples earlier in this thread, but noticed the image from this comment has gone missing. Should I repost it, or can it be recovered somehow?