caveman

I just had a consultation for SMP. It will be $3200 to get it done in 2 sessions. Now I’m thinking some more about what to do from here. If I choose the 120 rs package at eugenix, it will only be slightly more expensive than SMP, but I will have real hair. For 3000 grafts it would be around $5500-6000 including the flight and hotel. what does everyone here think I should do? Go for SMP to get a quick fix for now and then revisit the transplant later or go and get my second procedure done? I am sure I’ll do both SMP and my second procedure at some point regardless but I am confused about the order in which I do it. I have currently been more social and am worried that the 1 year recovery time for the transplant may be a hindrance in my day to day life currently.

Hey @SLA! Yes yes hah I know how you feel. When I put product in my hair and toppik and have a hair cut I think it looks sooooo good. I will upload a picture of my hair like that for everyone to see. The only problem is that if i touch my hair or take a nap, etc pretty much do anything that could disrupt how it is styled, it ends up looking like the pictures I posted. It becomes a daily stress for me, much like I was stressing before getting a hair transplant. I am very confident that one more procedure will surely help me gain the full coverage that I want. When I do the touch up, I don’t think the hair quality will matter as much because I will have more fullness and can keep it at a manageable length. The issue right now is that I have to keep certain sections long, like the hair in my hairline, so I can comb it backwards to create an illusion of density. Now when the hair sticks straight up ( which it tends to do naturally, unless I put a styling wax in it) the overall appearance looks very messy and unappealing. my hope is the SMP can augment the current procedure and add some density and when I am able to go back for the second procedure I can attain the final look! as always thank you for being a core part of my hair journey. Our talks and your advice helps me navigate the situation as strategically as possible 😊

@omarca awesome dude thanks for such a clear perfect answer that relates perfectly to my situation. Even if SMP gave me 4 years of worry free living I’d be so happy. By then, I will definitely be able to go for my second procedure so I could fix any additional hair loss at that point. You’re the man!

@omarca dude! Your result looks incredible. Congrats. I am excited for you. Also your experience is exactly what I was looking for. The SMP and 3 month post transplant look is so clean. That is ideally what I want to pull off. thanks for the insight about your journey. Please do make a late thread as I think many members can learn a lot from what you have been through. What number buzz was your hair in the first picture? Does anyone notice the SMP? Do you feel it ever looks super fake or noticeable? I am thinking to just get it under my current hair so that way as my hair grows itll cover most of the SMP but the SMP can just fill in the balding areas or less dense areas.

@omarca hopefully it will let you! Thanks haha

@omarca awesome thanks for the advice and well wishing! I will definitely be continuing the finasteride. When you got your SMP and buzzed your hair down, about what length were you able to keep it at? I’m fairly sure a number 1 guard will be too long.

I agree. Thanks for your feedback! Also in regards to your last reply, I too have missed the gym due to my hair. In fact I have to do a whole routine just to get ready so I can look presentable at the gym and I am beyond tired of doing it so I can definitely relate to that issue. Also applies to going anywhere or doing anything in general. Do you think with the current hair density I have, I’d I buzz it and get SMP it will look decent? Has anyone had SMP done that can chime in about how it blends with hair and what length I could keep it at? I am thinking a 0 guard on sides and back into a 0.5 guard on top.

@honey21790 for sure. The fact that there is hair where there wasn’t hair before is irrefutable. The result was solid. But to achieve the density and look I want it will take 1 more procedure most likely. The fact that my hair is of such poor quality doesn’t have much to do with the surgeon I don’t think. So overall I’m not unhappy. Just considering other options!

Here is the 13 month update. I just got a haircut today so please keep in mind this is the BEST it looks. In about 10 days it will look more untidy. I just want to be clear again. I do plan to go and get added density in the hairline mid scalp and crown. I think 3000 grafts would be more than enough. However I can’t do it currently due to the cost and the time it takes to see any results. with the current transplant I already have a solid foundation for my hairline and some density throughout the scalp. By adding SMP to my current hairline and scalp, I could achieve the look of additional density. If I decide I don’t like it I can just grow my hair back out to what I currently have. I have also attached some buzzed haircut pictures. I think if I keep my hair at a 0.5 guard and fade it into a 0 or skin fade, I can make it look more neat and it may look better than what I currently am rocking. Finally, I have added an example of someone with thinning that got SMP and that is the look I’d like to go for. let me know your thoughts!

@GeneralNorwood yes! I see we are thinking in a very similar way. The only difference is, even when I had more hair I always worried about how it looked and how it was styled but now that is on overdrive. i spend a lot of time money and effort just to get a busted head of hair that doesn’t even look appealing lol. I also took your advice of using a hair mask that we spoke about last time. I’ve tried using different oils and leave in conditioners yet there doesn’t seem to be much progress in improving the quality of hair. I thought about trying a different hairstyle but the issue isn’t just hairstyle. It’s just lack of hair. I think even after I get a second hair transplant (which I will in the future) the issue with the quality of my hair will still be there. So for those reasons I am considering SMP. Check out the next post to see some pictures of the current results!

@Gatsby Thank you for your comment. Yes everyone this is very true! A hair transplant is a lifelong commitment for sure. I did years of research and thinking before taking the dive. The only thing that I did not predict was the poor quality of my hairs. I was hoping to have the same texture/health of hair that the back of my head has. The hair is thick and luscious and can grow long and healthy without worrying at all. Unfortunately, the hair on the top of my head is not the same. I’ll be making a follow up post in a few minutes to show some pictures of what I am working with and what my goals could potentially be with SMP. 😊

Hey everyone haven’t updated in a while. As of now not much has changed. My hair is still dry and brittle but a big improvement from where I started. That being said I want to go for a second procedure. However, as of now I can’t afford it or spend another year to grow the hair back out. Instead, I’m seriously considering getting SMP done. I actually enjoy the buzz cut look and feel with the current coverage I have, adding SMP and keeping hair short can give a great result while having a 3D look (with the hairs that I have transplanted already). I will add some final update pictures tomorrow as it has been 13 months since the procedure. for the SMP, I want them to fix the hairline and temple points without “lowering” the hairline much. I’ll provide some examples tomorrow and look forward to getting feedback from you all. I DO NOT regret getting a transplant. I’m in a much better place than I was before. However, using toppik everyday and worrying about my hair all the time and getting constant hair cuts has gotten me exhausted. I was hoping the transplant would alleviate all these issues but it has not. Additionally, my hair quality in person is so poor that even when grown out it does not look appealing AT ALL. I think I would prefer to have a clean cut look and I believe the current transplant along with SMP might help me achieve my goals.

@sftraderHT thanks for the kind words. Yes, this a great supportive community and I am happy to give back where I can. I wish you best of luck for your upcoming procedure 🤞🏽

@Melvin- Moderator thanks Melvin! The comparison picture does a great job in highlighting the change that occurred. Sometimes it is hard to see the progress that’s happening since you see yourself everyday. Side by side comparisons like this really put things into perspective so thanks again for doing that for me!!

Hey buddy. I’ll add another picture later today showing the 2 points. As for who I go with, I am unsure. I’m broke right now so need to save some money up lol