Xanadu

11 hours ago, Gatsby said:

@general-etwan I think your results are looking great! For a Norwood seven not many people can achieve the naturalness and coverage that you have. This is just my opinion that due to your age and being a Norwood 7 I wouldn’t put anymore grafts in the hairline. I would only focus on the crown (if needed?) and for any weak spots either now or in the future. Wishing you all the best with your next surgery! 👊🏻

I agree with this. I think your hairline looks good, and the rounded temples in general (as Eugenix have made videos about) is not really desirable for males older than their teens. I know some think it looks good and teeny but personally I strongly agree with Eugenix here, and I think you will too over time if you don't now, Etwan. Better use would be crown and any weaker spots. In regards to you not being concerned about your donor and just wanting a homogenous distribution I think you are mostly right and put the edge hair on the top just have more value (to me as well) than hair on the sides and back. If the donor becomes really back you could get smp, so there I can definitely see your point.

On 12/30/2023 at 11:39 PM, GeneralNorwood said:

I voted for @mtb. We saw spectacular transformation after 1st procedure. Now he is only 2 months after 2nd procedure, so we will see the final effect of his journey in 2024. 

So for sure, he will get more votes next year, but i voted for best Hair transplant. First procedure, It was over 8000 scalp grafts in 2 consecutive days, insane. 

He will peak in 2024, and I think he might win 2024

Gatsby for me because it was the hardest case and a brilliant result.

Looks great, but as we know a car is perhaps the most thankful place to take pics for HT. Would be great to see your results in other lighting. 

13 hours ago, general-etwan said:

I don't know which of these pics I've shared before but I was looking back at some of my progress. It seems I really had great early growth from my procedures and then it kind of seems like the progress fell off or even got worse since then.

4 months after my first HT vs. 13 months after

 

 

March 2022 (6 months after first HT). It seemed the upper sides and lower crown area were regrowing a bit, compared to before and since then:

 

April 2022 (7 months after first HT), outside in the sun:

 

 

I have followed your journey and it seems to me that you have improved. At first quite a lot and later a little. The 4 month pic just had more favorable lighting and angle

I just saw a video on youtube of a guy with a high fade. Why does it seem to work for him if it doesn't for Etwan - or could it work?

@4.40 min

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nnZCWofXTg

My own doctor said the same a couple of years ago when I investigated finasteride. Are anyone else considering the alternative benefits of finasteride also?

https://youtu.be/sqrODiszyNk?si=jMiKfg3xJ86_qD36

I just wanted to share something, to hear if others have the same experience, or maybe some can try this.

I had a hair transplant with Eugenix and I have had a very good result (a few guys like Gatsby has seen the full result) coming from a NW6 going on 7, and pretty much done in one go!

So I'm very happy about that. However, I do find that since I have fine hair it does matter when I wash the hair. 

I only use shampoo every third (sometimes even fourth) day. The same day I use shampoo it looks a bit dry but very full. In the period 12-24 hours is when it looks the best. A bit of scalp oil has come onto the hair giving extra density and it looks healthy and shiny. Then from 24 hours onwards it slowly starts going down as the natural grease makes some of the hairs clump together a bit. It still looks fine and these are subtle changes. 

So if I am going to have a photo taken for example, I will use shampoo in the evening and then in the morning just shower with water, then that whole days it looks it's best. 

The next day I will again shower only with water and it looks fine if I don't really touch it, but if I fiddle with it with my fingers then it starts to look less dense as the hairs now have enough grease to clump together. Then if I look in a mirror it takes me just 30 seconds to make it fine again, so these are not big problems... just a small observation about timing of shampoo and showers.

1 hour ago, SLA said:

Looking good @general-etwan- What would it look like instead of combing forward, if you combed backwards instead. I am curious as to whether the density would look even better.

Yes, after having a HT I understand why Melvin and others have their hair back. Mine looks much fuller when back like Melvin than when set forward.

1 hour ago, Gatsby said:

It was great meeting you on my last trip to Eugenix Xanadu. I really enjoyed the many chats we had. Now you can enjoy the results of your surgery. Looking great my friend! The babes are definitely back! 👌💯

Cheers mate. Yes, they are! 😂

2 hours ago, Stewie said:

I came over to the farm house whilst you was there, they threw that bit of a gathering that night, was good to meet you and this looks like it turned out well for you, do you have more pics, of the procedure, different angles etc?

Yes, that was a nice night. How are you going? I will think about putting up more pics one of these days

I'm now over 7 months into my journey and just wanted to make a brief review of my trip to Eugenix in India if that might help anyone else. I booked the HT in August 2022, and got scheduled in January 2023. The trip went smoothly, and the stay was even smoother since I got to spend most days in India at the famous farm (which was a very nice experience in such a vulnerable state to be cared for so well). Dr Sethi and Arika are very friendly and professional - and I must say that all the employees that I got in contact with very great. Dr P is funny and likes to be involved in everything that happens. My overall impression is one of professionalism and family. I do not regret putting myself in the hands of Eugenix. I shared most of the days with Adrian who is one of the 'old dogs' in this forum and who has more experience with all things hair related than most, and who is a genuinely great guy.

I was NW6 going on NW7. We had planned for 5200 and knew that some of them might have to come from beard hair. Luckily Arika said that I had good facial hair. When inspected in person she said that the donor was excellent and there would be no need for beard hairs. I'm not sure what excellent means here, but I assume either high everage strands per graft or many grafts close together in the donor, or very healthy donor (little to no effect of DHT) or a combination. The operation took three days with about 8 hours, 4 hours, and 4 hours. I had higher BP so I got a pill to lower it. However, it did not help. None the less the operation went well, and I stayed about a week longer mostly at the farm to allow healing before the plane ride home. Healing went well, 

Healing went well, and I felt that I could go outside and do everyday things after about 4 months. Now, around 7 months later the donor and recipient areas seem to have completely healed, and it looks great. Only when viewed in very harsh light straight from above would it be possible to see it look thinner than in someone who has never lost any hair. Otherwise I will say that it looks natural and even like a good head of hair in most everyday situations that someone would find themselves in. There are no real disconnects or anything. The only thing is a bit of general sparseness when seen from above. Overall, I am very satisfied and have loved the entire experience, from meeting Adrian, Dr P , Arika, and all staff members, to the entire process, and not least the end results  Thanks everyone!

I use Ketakonazol once or twice a week and nothing but water the remaining days. That seems to work.

23 hours ago, general-etwan said:

I have been using this https://intelligent.shop/products/intelligent-shampoo

for about a year now 

But I seem to remember you are using sea salt too right? Apparently that really dries too.

Imo. this is very bad, but hopefully reparable if you (hopefully) have enough donor left. You need to go to a different doctor though because the yield of those 3000+ grafts was not okay as I see it. caveat: I just read the first few posts and this last one, so I might have missed some context.

Having said that, I also agree with Gatsby that it looks like natural balding. It would have been worse if it had looked unnatural.

Good video. I never did it because I was never sold on it.

Texturizing powder - is that the same as toppik etc?

On 8/9/2023 at 7:42 PM, mtb said:

 

I have to send Dr. Zarev my 7 month photos next week. I'll post those here as well.

It'll be for density. Under intense direct light, like my barber's chair or the sun, it is thinner through the hairline. Also, the crown will need a little bit. First procedure was 8,300 grafts. This one will only be 2k-ish

I'm feeling that way myself. Not sure why other surgeons aren't able to replicate.

My first contact to in-person consult was May '21-Dec '21, so 7 months. Then consult to procedure was Dec '21-Jan '23, so 13 months. 3 years til consult is just crazy. I feel very fortunate.

Your results look great. I'm very happy for you. 

57 minutes ago, mtb said:

Just had my first real hair cut. My stylist of 10 years was stunned. She ran out and grabbed her colleague to show him. Feeling fortunate. Don’t want to sound ungrateful but I barely even think about it anymore.
 

Maybe it’s too long to notice if there’s scarring but I don’t see any scarring. Two months of this and then time for my second procedure. 

second procedure for what? Please point us to the weak spots - they are hard to find

2 minutes ago, Xanadu said:

Is sea salt spray working well?

I asked ChatGPT

"Despite its benefits for achieving a beachy, wavy look, using sea salt spray frequently can have some negative effects on hair health.

Salt is a natural dehydrator, which is why it's able to provide that texturized, voluminous look that sea salt spray is known for. However, when used frequently, the salt can strip away the natural oils that keep your hair moisturized and protected. This can lead to dryness, brittleness, and potential breakage over time.

To mitigate the potential for damage, many sea salt sprays will include ingredients such as aloe vera, coconut oil, or other essential oils to counterbalance the drying effect of the salt. These ingredients to some degree can mitigate some of the damaging effects of sea salt and prevent it from drying out too much.

It's also a good idea to use sea salt sprays sparingly and not as part of your everyday hair care routine. Instead, consider it as a product for occasional use when you want a specific look. After using a sea salt spray, you might want to use a deep conditioner or hair mask to replenish any moisture that may have been lost.

As always, everyone's hair is different, so how your hair responds to sea salt spray can vary. If you notice your hair becoming dry, brittle of falling out after using a sea salt spray, it might be a good idea to reduce your usage or look for a different product that might be more suitable for your hair type."

Maybe use it sparingly mate. If the above is correct.

On 6/15/2023 at 7:50 AM, general-etwan said:

Not offended at all, just want everyone to understand that it is improper and disrespectful to state a fabrication as fact and then ask someone to confirm it as such. A learning experience for some on proper interaction and engagement. The last few months involved me using fade haircuts and sea salt spray to try to maximize the look. If I do ever use fibers in the future, I’ll want to try them on the crown area just in the back. 

I definitely felt like doing the temples was a big aggressive move a few days ago but looking at some more pictures, the temple work is actually pretty minor compared to most who’ve had temple work done. Also maybe a product of my natural temples having recessed so much already, but point being, looking from the front, this temple work only really gets me back to average-framing territory, so I think it’s going to end up being a good bargain. I’ll share some more pics soon…

Is sea salt spray working well?

1 hour ago, GeneralNorwood said:

Well, if i saw the same mistakes that were made in my case, i discussed this. But here i wasn't talking "about myself". Not everything is about me 🤣Funny thing, that recently i was acussed of being Eugenix lover on polish forum.

So the bottom line is that "Argumentum ad personam" is commonly used in discussion. I had procedure in Eugenix and when i talk about this clinic people will use this and call me "Eugenix hater" or "Eugenix lover", depending on circumstances. 

But in fact, i am neither of them. I had procedure, there were some mistakes, but i am propably more happy then you after your 1st HT. I don't know why you want to label me as "unhappy" patient. Life is not black and white, there are shades of grey too. 

 

Maybe this time (2nd warning) member (Ethan) told me to stop and i continued, but regarding 1st warning, it was you that was deleting my posts and told me to stop. And member of that journey later thanked me for my input, so in contrast to your warning, it's hilarious. You have bad attitude towards me, it is easy to see, just read your posts about me. 

But we are talking again about me, so maybe just stop, because it is not my thread 😆

GN, I honestly noticed you as someone who stood out early on. You stood out for having a very confrontational style. Especially in a place like this where people are dealing with things that have impacted parts of their (our) lives, people want honesty, but with a good serving of caring and respect. Not a contest to prove who is more clever or right. I think Melvin doesn't want to ban anyone, and if it gets to the point where he will do that, then it is because there is a good reason. Rather than trying to turn this around and try to find fault outside of yourself - first it was Etwan who was lying - and now it's Melvin who is after you - it would be much more productive if you did a bit of introspection. Just my 2 cents though.

1 hour ago, general-etwan said:

All back home in the USA. Trip went by in a flash. Back to life. I really hope to be able to do some actual tourist traveling to this part of the world in the future, but for now it's all work and no play for me

2nd HT: 
Areas to be addressed, in order of importance: 1) Lateral humps and lower crown, 2) hairline and temples (if enough donor supply)

Thursday June 8th ended up being entirely dedicated to planning and slit-creation and Friday June 9th was the transplant. Dr. Sethi personally invested time and input into the design and strategy alongside Dr. Das. He talked to me extensively about my situation, our plan, life, and all kinds of things. It was a fun time. We talked a lot about the situation of the progressive ring around the sides and back of my head and how to address it as best as possible. For those who understand, as hair loss continues to progress, the individual hairs continue to thin and decrease in diameter. If a hair has not yet decreased approximately 50% of its original diameter, it is still decently strong and can be maintained or recovered though proper medication and topical treatment, and donor hair cannot be transplanted too heavily into this area because it can damage the native hair too much. For hairs that have lost over 50% of their original diameter, they essentially cannot be rejuvenated, and these areas are the areas that can be transplanted into without hesitation. This is why, as we know, hair transplants cannot always go full-on straight up to the final/ultimate predicted edge of all future hair loss. They have to be done carefully and safely in respect to existing hair. The edge of the ring of hair loss, in advanced cases like mine, can also continue to lower over the years.

So, priority was filling all the areas where the hairs have lost enough diameter and density that they can never be recovered. Areas that still contain decent amounts of hairs and decent hair thickness were filled with less density of transplanted hair, creating a proper gradient. Lateral humps and lower crown were addressed in this manner.

Dr. Sethi also consulted with me that my preexisting hairline was acceptable at about 8-8.5 cm (above glabella) but that he really tries to get patients to around 7 cm and it's especially a big benefit to young guys to have strong framing of the face. He recommended a hairline and temple design alongside Dr. Das that we would try to tackle after the lateral humps and lower crown, if donor supply was good enough. Dr. Bansal also counseled me on the perspectives of the temple and hairline plan, all making clear that it was completely my decision to make if I wanted to do the hairline and temple work after the sides and back. I decided that I wanted to do it, if we had solid enough donor for it not to be unwise. Dr. Das did end up feeling confident enough in all my donor to continue and tackle the hairline and temples. The temples were of course addressed in a gradient as well, with lighter hair starting at the fronts and then progressively thicker hair toward the back sections.

 

In summary

• 2977 grafts total
  • 2,020 on lateral humps and lower crown
  • 305 on right temple
  • 310 on left temple
  • 192 on new hairline
  • 150 behind hairline
• Donor:
  • 2650 from back/side scalp
  • 162 from right side locks
  • 165 from left side locks

Dr. Das performed all of the slits; Dr. Somesh also sat in on some of the procedure and talked to me a lot, and Dr. Sethi dropped in a few times.

 

  

 

 

As always, I am extremely thankful to and appreciative of the entire team, to every single member including those who greeted me, took my vitals, prepared my medication, took all the photos, counseled me on the design, administered the local anesthesia, extracted, separated, and implanted my grafts, cleaned me up, comforted me, conducted post-care, and all my chauffeurs and all the staff who made the visit and transportation possible. I feel excellent about the way this one is going to turn out. Another handful of long months ahead for growing  

It was already a big improvement, so this will be even better I am sure. Dr P is a good and very hospitable guy, and I really enjoyed hanging out with him too. 

Any update?

17 minutes ago, general-etwan said:

To people who express concerns or doubt about needing to have all the hair from the top of the lateral humps down to the bottom shaved or buzzed super short...friendly and kind reminder that all of the below hairstyles are all far superior to being bald on top, and these styles are aesthetically good for young men. And if you're middle aged, maybe give one a try. Might even make you look a few decades younger! 😂

Point being, I just think getting as much hair upwards towards the top of the head is the most important overall goal in a HT. If you can grow enough on top and ridges to cover the ridges and spill over onto the sides, the actual sides themselves can even be shaved and it's still a good look.

 

 

I have the same attitude, and I am older than you. Top and front matters far more to me than back and sides.