Robert_

I just had mine Friday, but I do seem to remember from posts ive read in the posts that this is the normal "shedding" of the transplanted hairs. The actual graphs remain inside the scalp to "hibernate" until they start growing in 3 to 4 months later. A more experienced poster will be able to give you more details, but I think youre fine. Call your Doc tomorrow just to be sure, though.

Your experience sounded EXACTLY like mine. I alomost felt guilty I was so comfortable in that chair! When you said that the staff take pride in their work, you said a mouth full. I know that there are other doctors that get alot of recognition on this forum (rightfully so), but going from my experience and humble opinion, I cannot fathom how the procedure could have been more pleasing and how any more care could have been given to me by Dr. Cooley and his staff.

I hope that you do get that fixed, Altair. Best of luck to you, man. It should be criminal what some "doctors" will do for money.

I didnt get the disolvable sutures since Charlotte is only an hour and a half away and I have nothing better to do on Fridays anyway. This coming Friday (1 week post op), i will go for a cleaning and the next friday (2 weeks post op) I will return to get the stitches out. Im not sure when the video will be available, thats up to Dr. Cooley and Pat. I know there was footage running much (if not all) of the time I was in there, but dont take my word for what exactly got documented. Im a lightweight with anesthesia it seems so I was off in LaLa land the whole time.

Altair, as Im sure that the picture posting software is highly adequate on this site, I have found a website called photobucket.com that you can simply upload your photos there, have them host them (FOR FREE) for you. Noone can look at them, and all you have to do is when you make a post here, you just "cut and paste" the "IMG" line from under your picture on the photobucket site. It may sound complicated, but it is really convenient for keeping all of your pictures in one place. Like I said, you can opt for noone on that site to look at your particular pictures and nothing beats free.

thanks, tex! yeah, i do recall that at around 4 pm, i asked if the clock was wrong, because it seemed like i had been in the chair no more than an hour. The biology lectures i have to endure twice a week are by far more tedious than the procedure!

I got a prescription for Valium. 20 came with the script, I took 3 before the surgery, 1 during, and 2 last night to sleep. That leaves me 14. I will pop 2 tonight before bed and, depending on how I feel, 1 or 2 tomorrow night before bed. I'm such a lightweight concerning prescription drugs that the beer isnt necessary, but thanks for the suggestion. I'm thinking I'll post more pics Monday or so in the "post pictures of your transplant here" forum. Then, perhaps twice a week after that. I truly do feel great, and I couldnt have timed it better, because this weekend I have 3 papers and 2 tests to study for, so I was going to be house bound all weekend anyway!

Well, its done! 2,300 graphs in all! I cannot begin to express how relaxed and easy this procedure was for me. First off, please forgive me for my inevitable leaving anything out of this post tonight, as I have already taken the two Valium that will help me sleep soundly tonight, and Im sure I will be missing something or another. I will say, though that the hair on the back of my head was extremely short. I had it in a "high-and-tight" hair cut so it was no longer than 3/8" or so. Looking at the stitiches, though, hardly noticeable. I feel very relaxed and only a SLIGHT tight feeling in the donor area. Im sure it will be sore tomorrow, but, I really still cant believe how painless and (dare I say it???) FUN the entire procedure was. I did an interview on camera beforehand. There is footage of Dr. Cooley mapping out the new hairline and narrating the planned process the entire way. Some more pictures were taken, and I was shown to the room where the magic would happen. I saw no less than 3 (though there may have been 4) microscopes along the far wall for dissection. The process began with my vitals being read and me taking some anti-biotics and two Valium to soothe me. I then laid face down on the chair (its just like one of those massage chairs where your face pokes throught the bottom, so its very comfortable). I was then given a shot to further soothe me for the extraction. Now, Ive read some stories on here about the application of the local anesthesia being painful, and I can see how it could have been, but Dr. Cooley has this really cool technique where he holds some kind of massaging apparatus next to the place its being administered while its being administered. This helped alot. I barely felt a thing. Not one time did I feel anything but a small prick. The donor area was shaved and I could feel something being spread on the surrounding area to separate the hair so they would have an unabstructed area to work with. Now, for the actually extraction, I apologize in advance because I wont be able to tell you much. To say the least, I was feeling pretty dang good at that point. I do remember the sound of them working, but as far as what was taking place, it beats me. Im pretty sure Brandy (the technician that was there the entire time...THANKS BRANDY!!!) was telling me what was going on, but who knows what I was thinking about. The next thing I remember, I was being lightly nudged awake. At any given interbal throughout the day, my comfort was ensured by the entire staff. I noticed that there were no less than three technicians dissecting the graphs under the microscope when I stood up. I really had no idea how tedius this job is. I saw pictures in the album and this job takes some kind of attention to detail! I was on cloud 9 (but never uncomfortably buzzed, just pleasantly euphoric) and went to the restroom for a quick break. This was the last time I would see my huge forehead the exact same way again. When I returned to the room, I sat down and was even able to kick off my shoes so I was more comfortable. Let me tell you, this is NO DIFFERENT than kicking back in your recliner at home. A list of movies was presented to me, and since I hadnt seen Monty Python in a while, I opted for "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". Funny stuff, but I tried my best to refrain from laughing, I certainly wanted to make their job as easy as possible. I fell asleep after only about 20 minutes into the movie, and awoke during the credits. By this time, it was lunchtime and I was given some Quiznos I had ordered earlier. Awesome stuff. Back to business. Im given another Valium and given another look at the movie list. I pick a James Bond flick. I'm thinking I got through approximately 3 and a half minutes of this movie before I was out like a light again. It was just so comfortable. I awoke and saw the last ten minutes or so of this. After that, I was immediately offered the list agian, but I opted to just say "nah". Seemed like a waste of time to keep popping movies in if Im just gonna snooze through them. They turned on the golf tournement, which was nice. Again, I drift off. I dont think it was so much the drugs as it was the fact that I had awaken at 5 a.m. to get to the office by 7:30 and didnt sleep the best the night before I was so anxious. When I awoke, the radio was playing softly. That was nice too. Dr. Cooley and Brandy assured me to speak up at any time I felt anything remotely discomfortable, so occasionaly if I felt something like a mild pin prick, Id say so and immediately another shot of anesthesia was given. They both worked so diligently for hours and hours. The longest break I saw either of them take was for no longer than 5 minutes. Even then, one would break, while the other continued to work. Heck, MY bathroom breaks lasted longer than that! This is just my best memory (they warned that I wouldnt remember much) but I think that I was in the chair until a little after 7 p.m. After all the graphs (2,300! can you say WOW!) were placed, a few photos were taken and I talked to Pat. He congratulated me and asked how I felt. I felt great, couldnt wipe the smile off my face. Me and Dr. Cooley took a picture together and my post care instructions were re-itterated to me. I was given a take home bag with some sterilewater-cleansing solution, a ball cap, some rogaine, some other topical foam, and some Valium to help me sleep soundly for the next couple of days. There is a likely chance that I wouldnt remember everything that was instructed, so Dr. Cooley gave me his cell phone number to call him tomorrow (how many Dr.'s can you call on a saturday???) so he can go back over it with me. I once again thanked him, Brandy, and Ailene as profusely as I could and got driven back to Columbia, SC by my roomate. I sit here now, feeling no less than awesome and excited. Like I said before, I will post pictures tomorrow, and it will give everyone a good look at my new hairling and redness (which is not bad AT ALL). But for right now, its bed time, for socialdrinker. Ill re-read this post in the morning to fill in any blank spots that Ive most assuredly missed and post those pics. Once again, thanks so much Dr. Cooley, Ailene, Brandy, and the rest of his staff, Pat, this forum and everyone that has given me the tremendous advice and encouragement that made today possible. *UPDATE 6/19/04* I awoke this morning feeling refreshed and with even less soreness than from when I went to sleep. I slept on my back. With the help of the Valium, it doesn't appear that I rolled around much, or even any at all. I decided that since I was feeling a bit more level-headed, some pictures were in order. So, without further ado, here they are. Now, remember, these are taken with my phone under a bright bathroom light as to ensure the limited capabilities of the phone will capture the most detail. My awesome new hairline!!! Scar? What scar? Actually, one can upon inspection see the stitches and Ill try to get a better shot tomorrow of them. Keep in mind that the hair on the back of my head is VERY short (about 3/8", a 1/2" is really pushing it)

Well, its done! 2,300 graphs in all! I cannot begin to express how relaxed and easy this procedure was for me. First off, please forgive me for my inevitable leaving anything out of this post tonight, as I have already taken the two Valium that will help me sleep soundly tonight, and Im sure I will be missing something or another. I will say, though that the hair on the back of my head was extremely short. I had it in a "high-and-tight" hair cut so it was no longer than 3/8" or so. Looking at the stitiches, though, hardly noticeable. I feel very relaxed and only a SLIGHT tight feeling in the donor area. Im sure it will be sore tomorrow, but, I really still cant believe how painless and (dare I say it???) FUN the entire procedure was. I did an interview on camera beforehand. There is footage of Dr. Cooley mapping out the new hairline and narrating the planned process the entire way. Some more pictures were taken, and I was shown to the room where the magic would happen. I saw no less than 3 (though there may have been 4) microscopes along the far wall for dissection. The process began with my vitals being read and me taking some anti-biotics and two Valium to soothe me. I then laid face down on the chair (its just like one of those massage chairs where your face pokes throught the bottom, so its very comfortable). I was then given a shot to further soothe me for the extraction. Now, Ive read some stories on here about the application of the local anesthesia being painful, and I can see how it could have been, but Dr. Cooley has this really cool technique where he holds some kind of massaging apparatus next to the place its being administered while its being administered. This helped alot. I barely felt a thing. Not one time did I feel anything but a small prick. The donor area was shaved and I could feel something being spread on the surrounding area to separate the hair so they would have an unabstructed area to work with. Now, for the actually extraction, I apologize in advance because I wont be able to tell you much. To say the least, I was feeling pretty dang good at that point. I do remember the sound of them working, but as far as what was taking place, it beats me. Im pretty sure Brandy (the technician that was there the entire time...THANKS BRANDY!!!) was telling me what was going on, but who knows what I was thinking about. The next thing I remember, I was being lightly nudged awake. At any given interbal throughout the day, my comfort was ensured by the entire staff. I noticed that there were no less than three technicians dissecting the graphs under the microscope when I stood up. I really had no idea how tedius this job is. I saw pictures in the album and this job takes some kind of attention to detail! I was on cloud 9 (but never uncomfortably buzzed, just pleasantly euphoric) and went to the restroom for a quick break. This was the last time I would see my huge forehead the exact same way again. When I returned to the room, I sat down and was even able to kick off my shoes so I was more comfortable. Let me tell you, this is NO DIFFERENT than kicking back in your recliner at home. A list of movies was presented to me, and since I hadnt seen Monty Python in a while, I opted for "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". Funny stuff, but I tried my best to refrain from laughing, I certainly wanted to make their job as easy as possible. I fell asleep after only about 20 minutes into the movie, and awoke during the credits. By this time, it was lunchtime and I was given some Quiznos I had ordered earlier. Awesome stuff. Back to business. Im given another Valium and given another look at the movie list. I pick a James Bond flick. I'm thinking I got through approximately 3 and a half minutes of this movie before I was out like a light again. It was just so comfortable. I awoke and saw the last ten minutes or so of this. After that, I was immediately offered the list agian, but I opted to just say "nah". Seemed like a waste of time to keep popping movies in if Im just gonna snooze through them. They turned on the golf tournement, which was nice. Again, I drift off. I dont think it was so much the drugs as it was the fact that I had awaken at 5 a.m. to get to the office by 7:30 and didnt sleep the best the night before I was so anxious. When I awoke, the radio was playing softly. That was nice too. Dr. Cooley and Brandy assured me to speak up at any time I felt anything remotely discomfortable, so occasionaly if I felt something like a mild pin prick, Id say so and immediately another shot of anesthesia was given. They both worked so diligently for hours and hours. The longest break I saw either of them take was for no longer than 5 minutes. Even then, one would break, while the other continued to work. Heck, MY bathroom breaks lasted longer than that! This is just my best memory (they warned that I wouldnt remember much) but I think that I was in the chair until a little after 7 p.m. After all the graphs (2,300! can you say WOW!) were placed, a few photos were taken and I talked to Pat. He congratulated me and asked how I felt. I felt great, couldnt wipe the smile off my face. Me and Dr. Cooley took a picture together and my post care instructions were re-itterated to me. I was given a take home bag with some sterilewater-cleansing solution, a ball cap, some rogaine, some other topical foam, and some Valium to help me sleep soundly for the next couple of days. There is a likely chance that I wouldnt remember everything that was instructed, so Dr. Cooley gave me his cell phone number to call him tomorrow (how many Dr.'s can you call on a saturday???) so he can go back over it with me. I once again thanked him, Brandy, and Ailene as profusely as I could and got driven back to Columbia, SC by my roomate. I sit here now, feeling no less than awesome and excited. Like I said before, I will post pictures tomorrow, and it will give everyone a good look at my new hairling and redness (which is not bad AT ALL). But for right now, its bed time, for socialdrinker. Ill re-read this post in the morning to fill in any blank spots that Ive most assuredly missed and post those pics. Once again, thanks so much Dr. Cooley, Ailene, Brandy, and the rest of his staff, Pat, this forum and everyone that has given me the tremendous advice and encouragement that made today possible. *UPDATE 6/19/04* I awoke this morning feeling refreshed and with even less soreness than from when I went to sleep. I slept on my back. With the help of the Valium, it doesn't appear that I rolled around much, or even any at all. I decided that since I was feeling a bit more level-headed, some pictures were in order. So, without further ado, here they are. Now, remember, these are taken with my phone under a bright bathroom light as to ensure the limited capabilities of the phone will capture the most detail. My awesome new hairline!!! Scar? What scar? Actually, one can upon inspection see the stitches and Ill try to get a better shot tomorrow of them. Keep in mind that the hair on the back of my head is VERY short (about 3/8", a 1/2" is really pushing it)

HAHAHA! MAN!, is it funny you mentioned looking in the mirror! I dont think 20 minutes has passed since I have looked in the mirror and just...smiled. Being only a week apart, yours and my progress is going to be very similar. I guess we'll just wait it out together, huh? By the way, are you still sleeping with the surgical cap on, after a week? Are you wearing it, a bandana, or ballcap during the day?

Well, its done! 2,300 graphs in all! I cannot begin to express how relaxed and easy this procedure was for me. First off, please forgive me for my inevitable leaving anything out of this post tonight, as I have already taken the two Valium that will help me sleep soundly tonight, and Im sure I will be missing something or another. I will say, though that the hair on the back of my head was extremely short. I had it in a "high-and-tight" hair cut so it was no longer than 3/8" or so. Looking at the stitiches, though, hardly noticeable. I feel very relaxed and only a SLIGHT tight feeling in the donor area. Im sure it will be sore tomorrow, but, I really still cant believe how painless and (dare I say it???) FUN the entire procedure was. I did an interview on camera beforehand. There is footage of Dr. Cooley mapping out the new hairline and narrating the planned process the entire way. Some more pictures were taken, and I was shown to the room where the magic would happen. I saw no less than 3 (though there may have been 4) microscopes along the far wall for dissection. The process began with my vitals being read and me taking some anti-biotics and two Valium to soothe me. I then laid face down on the chair (its just like one of those massage chairs where your face pokes throught the bottom, so its very comfortable). I was then given a shot to further soothe me for the extraction. Now, Ive read some stories on here about the application of the local anesthesia being painful, and I can see how it could have been, but Dr. Cooley has this really cool technique where he holds some kind of massaging apparatus next to the place its being administered while its being administered. This helped alot. I barely felt a thing. Not one time did I feel anything but a small prick. The donor area was shaved and I could feel something being spread on the surrounding area to separate the hair so they would have an unabstructed area to work with. Now, for the actually extraction, I apologize in advance because I wont be able to tell you much. To say the least, I was feeling pretty dang good at that point. I do remember the sound of them working, but as far as what was taking place, it beats me. Im pretty sure Brandy (the technician that was there the entire time...THANKS BRANDY!!!) was telling me what was going on, but who knows what I was thinking about. The next thing I remember, I was being lightly nudged awake. At any given interbal throughout the day, my comfort was ensured by the entire staff. I noticed that there were no less than three technicians dissecting the graphs under the microscope when I stood up. I really had no idea how tedius this job is. I saw pictures in the album and this job takes some kind of attention to detail! I was on cloud 9 (but never uncomfortably buzzed, just pleasantly euphoric) and went to the restroom for a quick break. This was the last time I would see my huge forehead the exact same way again. When I returned to the room, I sat down and was even able to kick off my shoes so I was more comfortable. Let me tell you, this is NO DIFFERENT than kicking back in your recliner at home. A list of movies was presented to me, and since I hadnt seen Monty Python in a while, I opted for "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". Funny stuff, but I tried my best to refrain from laughing, I certainly wanted to make their job as easy as possible. I fell asleep after only about 20 minutes into the movie, and awoke during the credits. By this time, it was lunchtime and I was given some Quiznos I had ordered earlier. Awesome stuff. Back to business. Im given another Valium and given another look at the movie list. I pick a James Bond flick. I'm thinking I got through approximately 3 and a half minutes of this movie before I was out like a light again. It was just so comfortable. I awoke and saw the last ten minutes or so of this. After that, I was immediately offered the list agian, but I opted to just say "nah". Seemed like a waste of time to keep popping movies in if Im just gonna snooze through them. They turned on the golf tournement, which was nice. Again, I drift off. I dont think it was so much the drugs as it was the fact that I had awaken at 5 a.m. to get to the office by 7:30 and didnt sleep the best the night before I was so anxious. When I awoke, the radio was playing softly. That was nice too. Dr. Cooley and Becky assured me to speak up at any time I felt anything remotely discomfortable, so occasionaly if I felt something like a mild pin prick, Id say so and immediately another shot of anesthesia was given. They both worked so diligently for hours and hours. The longest break I saw either of them take was for no longer than 5 minutes. Even then, one would break, while the other continued to work. Heck, MY bathroom breaks lasted longer than that! This is just my best memory (they warned that I wouldnt remember much) but I think that I was in the chair until a little after 7 p.m. After all the graphs (2,300! can you say WOW!) were placed, a few photos were taken and I talked to Pat. He congratulated me and asked how I felt. I felt great, couldnt wipe the smile off my face. Me and Dr. Cooley took a picture together and my post care instructions were re-itterated to me. I was given a take home bag with some sterilewater-cleansing solution, a ball cap, some rogaine, some other topical foam, and some Valium to help me sleep soundly for the next couple of days. There is a likely chance that I wouldnt remember everything that was instructed, so Dr. Cooley gave me his cell phone number to call him tomorrow (how many Dr.'s can you call on a saturday???) so he can go back over it with me. I once again thanked him, Becky, and Ailene as profusely as I could and got driven back to Columbia, SC by my roomate. I sit here now, feeling no less than awesome and excited. Like I said before, I will post pictures tomorrow, and it will give everyone a good look at my new hairling and redness (which is not bad AT ALL). But for right now, its bed time, for socialdrinker. Ill re-read this post in the morning to fill in any blank spots that Ive most assuredly missed and post those pics. Once again, thanks so much Dr. Cooley, Ailene, Becky, and the rest of his staff, Pat, this forum and everyone that has given me the tremendous advice and encouragement that made today possible. *UPDATE 6/19/04* I awoke this morning feeling refreshed and with even less soreness than from when I went to sleep. I slept on my back. With the help of the Valium, it doesn't appear that I rolled around much, or even any at all. I decided that since I was feeling a bit more level-headed, some pictures were in order. So, without further ado, here they are. Now, remember, these are taken with my phone under a bright bathroom light as to ensure the limited capabilities of the phone will capture the most detail. My awesome new hairline!!! Scar? What scar? Actually, one can upon inspection see the stitches and Ill try to get a better shot tomorrow of them. Keep in mind that the hair on the back of my head is VERY short (about 3/8", a 1/2" is really pushing it)

Well, its done! 2,300 graphs in all! I cannot begin to express how relaxed and easy this procedure was for me. First off, please forgive me for my inevitable leaving anything out of this post tonight, as I have already taken the two Valium that will help me sleep soundly tonight, and Im sure I will be missing something or another. I will say, though that the hair on the back of my head was extremely short. I had it in a "high-and-tight" hair cut so it was no longer than 3/8" or so. Looking at the stitiches, though, hardly noticeable. I feel very relaxed and only a SLIGHT tight feeling in the donor area. Im sure it will be sore tomorrow, but, I really still cant believe how painless and (dare I say it???) FUN the entire procedure was. I did an interview on camera beforehand. There is footage of Dr. Cooley mapping out the new hairline and narrating the planned process the entire way. Some more pictures were taken, and I was shown to the room where the magic would happen. I saw no less than 3 (though there may have been 4) microscopes along the far wall for dissection. The process began with my vitals being read and me taking some anti-biotics and two Valium to soothe me. I then laid face down on the chair (its just like one of those massage chairs where your face pokes throught the bottom, so its very comfortable). I was then given a shot to further soothe me for the extraction. Now, Ive read some stories on here about the application of the local anesthesia being painful, and I can see how it could have been, but Dr. Cooley has this really cool technique where he holds some kind of massaging apparatus next to the place its being administered while its being administered. This helped alot. I barely felt a thing. Not one time did I feel anything but a small prick. The donor area was shaved and I could feel something being spread on the surrounding area to separate the hair so they would have an unabstructed area to work with. Now, for the actually extraction, I apologize in advance because I wont be able to tell you much. To say the least, I was feeling pretty dang good at that point. I do remember the sound of them working, but as far as what was taking place, it beats me. Im pretty sure Brandy (the technician that was there the entire time...THANKS BRANDY!!!) was telling me what was going on, but who knows what I was thinking about. The next thing I remember, I was being lightly nudged awake. At any given interbal throughout the day, my comfort was ensured by the entire staff. I noticed that there were no less than three technicians dissecting the graphs under the microscope when I stood up. I really had no idea how tedius this job is. I saw pictures in the album and this job takes some kind of attention to detail! I was on cloud 9 (but never uncomfortably buzzed, just pleasantly euphoric) and went to the restroom for a quick break. This was the last time I would see my huge forehead the exact same way again. When I returned to the room, I sat down and was even able to kick off my shoes so I was more comfortable. Let me tell you, this is NO DIFFERENT than kicking back in your recliner at home. A list of movies was presented to me, and since I hadnt seen Monty Python in a while, I opted for "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". Funny stuff, but I tried my best to refrain from laughing, I certainly wanted to make their job as easy as possible. I fell asleep after only about 20 minutes into the movie, and awoke during the credits. By this time, it was lunchtime and I was given some Quiznos I had ordered earlier. Awesome stuff. Back to business. Im given another Valium and given another look at the movie list. I pick a James Bond flick. I'm thinking I got through approximately 3 and a half minutes of this movie before I was out like a light again. It was just so comfortable. I awoke and saw the last ten minutes or so of this. After that, I was immediately offered the list agian, but I opted to just say "nah". Seemed like a waste of time to keep popping movies in if Im just gonna snooze through them. They turned on the golf tournement, which was nice. Again, I drift off. I dont think it was so much the drugs as it was the fact that I had awaken at 5 a.m. to get to the office by 7:30 and didnt sleep the best the night before I was so anxious. When I awoke, the radio was playing softly. That was nice too. Dr. Cooley and Becky assured me to speak up at any time I felt anything remotely discomfortable, so occasionaly if I felt something like a mild pin prick, Id say so and immediately another shot of anesthesia was given. They both worked so diligently for hours and hours. The longest break I saw either of them take was for no longer than 5 minutes. Even then, one would break, while the other continued to work. Heck, MY bathroom breaks lasted longer than that! This is just my best memory (they warned that I wouldnt remember much) but I think that I was in the chair until a little after 7 p.m. After all the graphs (2,300! can you say WOW!) were placed, a few photos were taken and I talked to Pat. He congratulated me and asked how I felt. I felt great, couldnt wipe the smile off my face. Me and Dr. Cooley took a picture together and my post care instructions were re-itterated to me. I was given a take home bag with some sterilewater-cleansing solution, a ball cap, some rogaine, some other topical foam, and some Valium to help me sleep soundly for the next couple of days. There is a likely chance that I wouldnt remember everything that was instructed, so Dr. Cooley gave me his cell phone number to call him tomorrow (how many Dr.'s can you call on a saturday???) so he can go back over it with me. I once again thanked him, Becky, and Ailene as profusely as I could and got driven back to Columbia, SC by my roomate. I sit here now, feeling no less than awesome and excited. Like I said before, I will post pictures tomorrow, and it will give everyone a good look at my new hairling and redness (which is not bad AT ALL). But for right now, its bed time, for socialdrinker. Ill re-read this post in the morning to fill in any blank spots that Ive most assuredly missed and post those pics. Once again, thanks so much Dr. Cooley, Ailene, Becky, and the rest of his staff, Pat, this forum and everyone that has given me the tremendous advice and encouragement that made today possible. *UPDATE 6/19/04* I awoke this morning feeling refreshed and with even less soreness than from when I went to sleep. I slept on my back. With the help of the Valium, it doesn't appear that I rolled around much, or even any at all. I decided that since I was feeling a bit more level-headed, some pictures were in order. So, without further ado, here they are. Now, remember, these are taken with my phone under a bright bathroom light as to ensure the limited capabilities of the phone will capture the most detail. My awesome new hairline!!! Scar? What scar? Actually, one can upon inspection see the stitches and Ill try to get a better shot tomorrow of them. Keep in mind that the hair on the back of my head is VERY short (about 3/8", a 1/2" is really pushing it)

Oh yeah! I somehow forgot to stick that in! DUH! He said from 2000 to 2300. That's to reconstruct the hairline and fill in some density on the top. He advised (as he did with brianK, and we both agree) to leave the crown alone and let the Rogaine/Nizoral/Propecia attack that area.

Yeah, tomorrow. Wow, is right, huh? That was why I "squeeked" through the cracks, so to speak. Dr. Cooley apparently expressed interest in participating in the essay contest and, since he had some sort of problems with a trip he had planned, had an empty week. Therefore, I was called due to my convenient location and asked if I could do it this week. Can you imagine my astonishment? A pack of carnivorous elephants couldnt keep me away!

I have a "high and tight" haircut right now, so my donor scar will be very visible until the hair grows out. Sucks for me in trying to hide it, but good for everyone curious to see it when I post the pics tomorrow. BTW, looking good, brian! Did you grow your hair out in anticipation of the scar? I (naturally) didnt have time.

I am not having repair work done, but I did see many photographs in his album that chronicled some of his repair work. Simply unbelievable. There were a couple that I wouldn't believe were the same person. As for the price, it never came up, but I believe brando mentioned once that it was $5 per graph for the first 1,000 graphs and $4 per graph thereafter.

Hi, all. I just returned how from my "face-to-face" consultation with Dr. Cooley and his staff in Charlotte, NC. It's only an hour and a half drive for me so I decided not to stay overnight. As soon as I walked into his office I was greeted with a pleasant, professional environment. Even though I was early, Ailene came and got me almost immediately. This has to be one of the nicest ladies I've ever met. Before anything at all was said about the business at hand (and before I even took off my cap), we sat and chatted for at least ten minutes. Finally she said, "Ok, let me see." For any of you that wear a ball cap EVERYDAY like I do, it's a rare moment to take off your hat in public and it feels very weird. Her professional demeanor quickly put me at ease and it was a very liberating feeling to actually talk about my hair loss with a living, breathing human that handles it on a daily basis and is so knowledgeable. We then went through a photo album of Dr. Cooley's past patients. Again, I was impressed at not only the results, but of her knowledge and the professionalism in which this took place. Not once did I feel the need to hesitate to ask a question and was allowed to freely browse the album and look at the pictures with all of the scrutiny the naked eye will allow. Of course those who have looked at pictures of HT's can probably attest along with me that we look more at patients with similar progression and age. It wasn't long before Dr. Cooley, himself came in and introduced himself. I was extremely comforted in his relaxed, personable disposition and his willingness to speak to me in "laymen's" terms. I know that I'm not the only one who's been in a doctor's office and have them speak medical jargon, or even condescendingly to me. After carefully scrutinizing my so-called present hairline and every where else, he told me the news that I was so anxious to hear: There is no reason that I wouldn't be a good candidate. He then asked about my personal goals and expectations. I didn't feel that I had any unreasonable ones, since I am fairly used to having a slightly higher hairline by now. He agreed and proceeded to "map out a game plan" (my words for a lack of more suitable terminology, not his). This part of the consultation was the most exciting. Watching him sketch and "map out a game plan" for my new hair was thrilling. Again, there was never a time when I didn't feel that I every opportunity to ask a question. Nothing was left out and I was feeling very positive about the experience. (How could I not???) After all of this and going over what to expect from the procedure, he asked if I had any questions. I had about three days beforehand to deliberate on this and, boy! did I ever have a list! Most of them, I found that he had already answered and some were probably a bit superficial for me to ask, but he fielded each one of them seriously. I can honestly say that, yes, there is a plethora of great information to be found on the internet and on this site, but to have someone sit and discuss it with you is, by far, a huge comfort. I want to add that just the day before, Dr. Cooley, himself, took the time to call me (after I had already spoke with Ailene for no less than thirty minutes asking questions and giving medical history.) to personally congratulate me and to let me know that even though this procedure will cost me nothing, that he will ensure that I will receive no less than a commitment to my satisfaction just like that of a regular paying customer. Again, at the "face-to-face" consultation, he assured me that I was to be treated exactly the same as a paying customer. I didn't really have any hesitations about this before, but it comforted me to know that he had thought of this. So after the lines were drawn, the "plan of attack" (again, the words in parentheses are mine for lack of better terminology) was established, and my slew of questions were answered, he asked if I was comfortable taking pictures. Yup, I was ready. I know that under "normal" circumstances someone would rather not have pictures done, but 1) I'm pretty sure most of these pictures were for their reference and for the "in-house" files and 2) the ones that are designated for the site, I'm also really proud of, because it is the absolute least that I can do in receipt of this opportunity. After all this, I'm still in a state of shock. On the way back to Columbia, It dawned on me that "I'm really getting a hair transplant tomorrow." I look forward to posting my progress (at least every couple of days for the first few weeks on here) and from what I hear, there will be some video shot of the procedure, so if that's posted, all the better. Thanks a lot, everyone! P.S. I was thinking...maybe in the next 6 months or so, Ill have to change from "socialdrinker" to "hairydrinker"...whadya think?

Hi, all. I just returned how from my "face-to-face" consultation with Dr. Cooley and his staff in Charlotte, NC. It's only an hour and a half drive for me so I decided not to stay overnight. As soon as I walked into his office I was greeted with a pleasant, professional environment. Even though I was early, Ailene came and got me almost immediately. This has to be one of the nicest ladies I've ever met. Before anything at all was said about the business at hand (and before I even took off my cap), we sat and chatted for at least ten minutes. Finally she said, "Ok, let me see." For any of you that wear a ball cap EVERYDAY like I do, it's a rare moment to take off your hat in public and it feels very weird. Her professional demeanor quickly put me at ease and it was a very liberating feeling to actually talk about my hair loss with a living, breathing human that handles it on a daily basis and is so knowledgeable. We then went through a photo album of Dr. Cooley's past patients. Again, I was impressed at not only the results, but of her knowledge and the professionalism in which this took place. Not once did I feel the need to hesitate to ask a question and was allowed to freely browse the album and look at the pictures with all of the scrutiny the naked eye will allow. Of course those who have looked at pictures of HT's can probably attest along with me that we look more at patients with similar progression and age. It wasn't long before Dr. Cooley, himself came in and introduced himself. I was extremely comforted in his relaxed, personable disposition and his willingness to speak to me in "laymen's" terms. I know that I'm not the only one who's been in a doctor's office and have them speak medical jargon, or even condescendingly to me. After carefully scrutinizing my so-called present hairline and every where else, he told me the news that I was so anxious to hear: There is no reason that I wouldn't be a good candidate. He then asked about my personal goals and expectations. I didn't feel that I had any unreasonable ones, since I am fairly used to having a slightly higher hairline by now. He agreed and proceeded to "map out a game plan" (my words for a lack of more suitable terminology, not his). This part of the consultation was the most exciting. Watching him sketch and "map out a game plan" for my new hair was thrilling. Again, there was never a time when I didn't feel that I every opportunity to ask a question. Nothing was left out and I was feeling very positive about the experience. (How could I not???) After all of this and going over what to expect from the procedure, he asked if I had any questions. I had about three days beforehand to deliberate on this and, boy! did I ever have a list! Most of them, I found that he had already answered and some were probably a bit superficial for me to ask, but he fielded each one of them seriously. I can honestly say that, yes, there is a plethora of great information to be found on the internet and on this site, but to have someone sit and discuss it with you is, by far, a huge comfort. I want to add that just the day before, Dr. Cooley, himself, took the time to call me (after I had already spoke with Ailene for no less than thirty minutes asking questions and giving medical history.) to personally congratulate me and to let me know that even though this procedure will cost me nothing, that he will ensure that I will receive no less than a commitment to my satisfaction just like that of a regular paying customer. Again, at the "face-to-face" consultation, he assured me that I was to be treated exactly the same as a paying customer. I didn't really have any hesitations about this before, but it comforted me to know that he had thought of this. So after the lines were drawn, the "plan of attack" (again, the words in parentheses are mine for lack of better terminology) was established, and my slew of questions were answered, he asked if I was comfortable taking pictures. Yup, I was ready. I know that under "normal" circumstances someone would rather not have pictures done, but 1) I'm pretty sure most of these pictures were for their reference and for the "in-house" files and 2) the ones that are designated for the site, I'm also really proud of, because it is the absolute least that I can do in receipt of this opportunity. After all this, I'm still in a state of shock. On the way back to Columbia, It dawned on me that "I'm really getting a hair transplant tomorrow." I look forward to posting my progress (at least every couple of days for the first few weeks on here) and from what I hear, there will be some video shot of the procedure, so if that's posted, all the better. Thanks a lot, everyone! P.S. I was thinking...maybe in the next 6 months or so, Ill have to change from "socialdrinker" to "hairydrinker"...whadya think?

This post has never failed to give me a laugh.

$10 a graph? I feel sorry for a guy paying that these days.

hmmm...interesting. i just checked the site for nioxin (just the name + .com) and it was down, but i know you can get it off ebay. just ensure the seller is one that sells it regularly.

Awesome advise, smoothy. Im personally on a 50/25/25 split (protein, carbs, fats). A GREAT book on this is "The Testosterone Advantage Plan". You can find it on the Mens Health magazine website. Its worth a read to ANY man looking to improve his body and mind.

Thanks for the informative post and pic. I take it that you didnt need any work done on the crown?

fedup, in addition to the question i posed to you in another post: You mentioned $8200 for 2500 graphs at Dr. Epstein. What was the price breakdown exactly? Thanks, and looking good!

fedup, is there a reason you chose Dr. Epstein over Dr. Shapiro or Dr. Rose of the Shapiro Medical Clinic which is more in your neck of the woods?