SuperC

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?

@Rahal Hair Transplant I appreciate the followup. I did schedule my procedure for next month, so that's set, but I haven't spoken with Dr. Rahal directly as of yet. I'm not sure doing so would calm my nerves much, and it seems like details beyond what we've worked out so far (approximate number of grafts, pre-op requirements, costs, etc.) are generally figured out during the pre-op appointment and the morning of the procedure.

That said, if there's any benefit to an information session with Dr. Rahal himself at this point, and he doesn't mind taking the time, I certainly wouldn't be opposed!

@Melvin- Moderator Bump, in case you missed my reply.

@Rahal Hair Transplant Thanks for the photos. That looks like fine work. Are any of the examples from @zx_toth? That is what I was looking for initially, though the more examples I can see, the better.

Incredible result the first time around, and the photos from the second procedure look promising as well.

Has Dr. Rahal's process or the overall experience changed much since 2015? Also, do you have any post-op photos of the donor area?

Forgot to follow this topic so I've only just now seen the updates. Very nice results! Makes me optimistic for my appointment in July.

I'm going through the same thing and my transplant is still a couple months away.

My plan is to focus on trusting my past self. They did a bunch of research and made the best decision they could. Future me will be nervous, but that's okay. It just means you're doing something big for yourself, and that would be a little scary for anyone.

Looking forward to see how it turns out and what your experience is like (if you choose to share it here).

I'm interested in seeing how things are looking. I'm booked with Dr. Rahal this summer.

I would like to see this video. Will it be public again soon?

On 3/14/2023 at 2:06 PM, Melvin- Moderator said:

Can you share some pictures of the hairlines you like? When you say androgynous, do you want a feminine hairline? 

It's more about avoiding hard edges and sharp points. Feminine hairlines just tend to be more soft and rounded, and I want to aim more in that direction.

I'm not sure what this means in practice. Perhaps rounding of the temple connections, implanting grafts in a more even distribution (e.g. not significantly more dense up front)? The "how" is for Dr. Rahal to decide.

Finding examples is tricky, but I'll try!

I really like this one, because similarly to the image I attached in this comment, it is soft and maintains some of the "M-shape" I have now. I still want to look like me, after all. 🙂

This image also seemed like a good way to visualize the type of change I'm going for. It is soft and rounded. No points or hard lines.

Obviously my current hairline is far more receded than this "before" picture, but again, I'm just communicating the idea, not providing examples that I think perfectly reflect the reality of my situation or expectations. 🙂

Let me know if these help express my goals. It would be nice to have some appropriate examples handy when I arrive at the clinic.

Can we get an update on this? 🙂

Update: I've scheduled my procedure!

It's a couple months out, but I completed the form and put down my deposit. 😁

I was reading back through TorontoMan's thread here and it was this comment that really had an impact on me.

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you had amazing hair to begin with, so I can only congratulate you for choosing Dr. Rahal, because frankly you need a very dense and natural hairline that matches what's behind it

If Dr. Rahal can manage to improve upon an already incredible head of hair, I am confident that what I've got will be a walk in the park for him. I don't expect the same results, obviously, but I feel as though what can realistically be done for me is very achievable by Dr. Rahal.

Thanks for everyone's input on this thread. I'm more than happy to continue the discussion if anyone is interested, as I always appreciate more input. 😊

15 minutes ago, mister_25 said:

It’s to assess whether or not finasteride halts, slows or does not have any affect on your hair. This way you can plan for the future because procedures are rarely one and done for life. Right now you are probably a advanced NW3A or a NW4. You might one day start to thin in the crown or mid scalp if you haven’t already and might be NW5/6/7, reality is that you still have a lot of hair and the goal is to see where you are going to lose and what you will be able to hold on too.

Okay, I think I understand. This sounds like excellent advice, but I'm not sure it applies to me within a 1 year time frame, considering I've not actually noticed any change in my hairline in over a decade. In other words, I'm not sure I will ever be able to say finasteride is working for me, but more hoping that I won't be confirming it doesn't a decade from now. 😂  Does that make sense? Sorry if I've missed your point.

1 hour ago, TorontoMan said:

Glad to hear it to mate. It's a daunting process, it feels like there are so many things unknown and you can't control for everything and at the same time you want it to be done already 😅. It seems like you have your head on straight, just prioritize experience and results above personal convenience and money. In my experience people who went for cheap, quick and sometimes with fake assurances from doctors seem to often end up dissatisfied. 

I think part of the difficulty I'm having with the idea of prioritizing experience and results is that I start to feel like I should be identifying the very best surgeon in the world and spending top dollar, or not bothering at all. But I also know there's no objective measure of surgical skill to compare, and analyzing the tiny percentage of results reported to this forum doesn't seem like a good method of making a subjective determination either.

With very few exceptions, the work reported here by patients is all pretty impressive and I think I'd be happy with nearly any reasonable result I've seen here. So I sort of get stuck in a loop in indecisiveness, if that makes sense.

31 minutes ago, mister_25 said:

If you are very anxious and want to go in feeling like you’ve done everything you could do, ask a dermatologist if you have any underlying or hidden scalp conditions that may interfere with surgery. Also I would recommend wait to ATLEAST 6 months on finasteride, although I would do one year as that is pretty standard. I wouldn’t expect finasteride to regrow your front but it could strengthen other areas that are prone to miniaturisation.

A doctor that I would recommend for you to research is Dr Bisanga. And Dr Rahals assessment about 3000 grafts needed is right.

Very interesting suggestions! Thank you for your comment.

Are you saying to use finasteride for 6-12 months before having my procedure? I've never heard that suggestion before, so if I'm understanding you correctly, can you elaborate a bit? To be clear, I'm not expecting finasteride to do anything more than slow down the hair loss process over time.

Dr. Bisanga is overseas, I believe. I am in the US and am not willing to fly to have the procedure. 😅

12 minutes ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

I think they have your skin tone and hair color backwards. How long have you been on finasteride? Can you share some pictures of the hairlines you like? When you say androgynous, do you want a feminine hairline? 

Hey Melvin, thanks for the reply.

I've only just started finasteride a month or so ago, actually. 

As for the hairline, I want one that would be better suited for some traditionally feminine hairstyles than a typical male's hairline would be, if that makes sense. Mostly just the things I described -- softer edge and a bit more rounded connections to the temples. Sorry, I'm not sure how to explain better.

The image below is one I shared with Dr. Rahal's representatives, so maybe it will help?

Please understand that I'm not expecting this exact result, it's just an example that happens to be "M-shaped" like my current receding hairline, so it seems like the right direction, if that makes sense.

4 minutes ago, TorontoMan said:

I understand your anxiety and concern over making a decision, I experienced the same. Even when I had finished the surgery weeks later I still had anxiety wondering if I had chosen the right clinic and if I should have gone with someone else etc.. While I don't think that anxiety fully disappears until you are at the end of your journey, what I could add is this:

[...]

Hey, TorontoMan! In my research, I've become quite familiar with your case and amazing results! I appreciate you providing your thoughts. That really helps, and I completely agree with what you've said. Something just keeps me from pressing the final "submit" button on the forms. 😂  I will read what you've written a few times and try to internalize it, because I know you are absolutely right.

Update: I've scheduled my procedure!

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Let me preface this by saying that I understand all of the common advices made on these forums, e.g. there are no guarantees, no "right" or "wrong" decisions, and that only I can decide for myself what is best for me. I know that even the best surgeons can produce lackluster results. I know that distance and price should not be the primary factor in choosing a surgeon. I know that every case is different. I know all this. 🙂

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With that out of the way, I am posting this in an attempt to overcome some anxiety associated with scheduling my procedure. I tend to get "analysis paralysis" when making big decisions because I like to have all the information and sometimes I just feel like I'm overlooking something huge. I know some anxiety is normal, but I've been unable to submit the scheduling form for nearly a year now! I could use some help. 😅

So here's my situation. I am 37 years old and have finally had enough of not feeling confident without a hat on. I'm ready to do something for myself! I don't need a perfect hairline or supremely dense hair, just a less-jarringly-receding hairline that I can actually work with instead of just covering up.

My hairline has not changed much since my early 20s, and I am now on finasteride 1mg/daily and plan to stay on it indefinitely just to be on the safer side. I know the hair loss never completely stabilizes, but I'm confident that I'm not going to go "completely" bald, even if I weren't on finasteride.

As for surgeons, I've considered quite a few, and had consultations (all via video call) with several. My current top pick, all things considered, is Dr. Rahal. He does FUE and designs excellent hairlines, which is all the work I need. While distance is not a major factor in choosing the surgeon, he is within driving distance for me and I am not willing to fly to have this procedure.

Another consideration is that I am looking for a softer, somewhat androgynous hairline style (e.g. softer edge, more rounded temple connections, etc.), compared to many of the more rigid, masculine results I often see on this forum (which look fantastic, they're just not for me). I've spoken at-length about this with Dr. Rahal's representatives and it sounds like an easy accommodation.

Here are some images of my current hairline, and information from Dr. Rahal's office. I would appreciate any constructive input that might help me pull the trigger on this. 🙂

Can I ask who the surgeon was?

I understand, and thanks for the information! I don't believe I have any questions that James hasn't already answered, but if I think of any, I will certainly let you know.

I've spoken with James over a video call, and then a lot via email (he's been very patient with me 😅 ), but I've not spoken directly with Dr. Rahal yet, if that's what you're asking. At the time of my consultation, that was not an option.

Just now, Rahal Hair Transplant said:

@gaz9318054,

I thought I would tag and respond to you here as well because I see you also mentioned that you were considering Dr. Rahal.  I encourage you also to take a look at my above response which includes some photos of recent results we’ve presented. All of them are FUE and all of these patients are very happy with their results.  If I can be of any assistance either publicly or privately, don’t hesitate to ask and or contact me. I’m happy to help 🙂

Best wishes,

Rahal Hair Transplant

Thank you! I've been meaning to schedule something for a while now, but my nerves get the best of me. Big decision. 😅

I enjoy seeing results from Dr. Rahal and hope you will continue to share them regularly.

I am also planning to schedule with Dr. Rahal soon. I'm a little nervous about booking it, but I've asked everything I can think of and feel like I've got the information needed to make a decision. Watching this thread in case any new thoughts or concerns come up.

Edit: Just realized this post is a year old. 😅

I know it's a long shot, but I'd love an update on this one.

Please name the clinic.

I think Dr. Rahal consistently designs natural-looking hairlines. I'm planning to schedule with him soon for this reason.

From his bio page:

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Dr. Rahal's patients nicknamed him "The Hairline King" for the trademark hairline he designs: his Rahal Hairline combines his technical expertise and his artistic skills, resulting in youthful, natural hairlines with maximum fullness and density.

From what I've seen, most of the other popular surgeons here do equally impressive hairline work, like Dr. Konior, Dr. Hasson/Wong, etc.

If you haven't already, I'd suggest checking out the recommended surgeons list and looking at their work for yourself.