Michael D

Here is the after my hair cut pic. 6 months.

It was only 2000 grafts. The grafts were spread out pretty well. I think that was a good idea. I'm still shedding the natural hair up there, I guess? and it would look weird if the new hair, (grafts), were too close together, and with the continued shedding of the original hair. It would look unnatural, or weird, later on.

This hair transplant has been one heck of a roller coaster ride.

After 6 months. Most Everywhere I read. It says that after 6 months you should see the majority, if not all the new hair.

It is obvious that I still need more work in the front. The plan was to take care of the front, then the mid and the back (or crown), this winter. The front still needs work. It is very obvious.

I am not sure, hard to tell?? Did I think that 2k grafts would be enough, and I was wrong? Or did none or very little of the new grafts stay?

Before you ask, I did discuss all of this (my plan, front this year, next winter the top and back) with Virginia Surgical, many times.

I do definitely need more work done in the front.

I don't feel sure, and confident, that it was a good operation. I was hoping that by 6 months I would be sure. I am not.

None of my family, and the people I work with, have seen any change, in my hair, when I ask them. I am not told anything negative by them. They just are silent.

Well, the 6-month pics will be up on the 19th. I tried to get an earlier appointment. Best they could do.

Please be honest with me. What differences do you see, after I post the pics.

Shouldn't I feel confident? See the difference by now. Know 100%, that it was a good operation? 

Thanks again.

8 hours ago, Fueway said:

Let’s see when haircut is done 

Will do. The appointment is Monday 19th.

Is it normal, that after 6 months, to still wonder if you had a good operation or not??

It was only 2000 grafts.

10 minutes ago, HappyMan2021 said:

no, just no. Please leave personality attributes out of hair transplant world lol. 

My view could be biased?? I dont want to think I got ripped off. I do like the people that did the work. I'm just going to put the 6 months after pics up after I get a haircut.

Please be honest. Fingers crossed that you see a difference.

Don't let your view be biased, because I didn't choose from a recommended HT Clinic from here, OK?

Time to take some pics. Want to cut my hair first. Longer hair can hide a not-so-great job, or a great job? I don't know.

I think my hair is a little better than before. 2000 hair follicles is not a lot for the space I needed to be covered.

My view is biased. I really like the people that did the work.

I HOPE that after sharing the pics you can tell me that you see a difference. I do and I don't see much of a difference, but it was only 2k grafts.

Got to get that haircut, and thank you very much for your interest in this.

17 hours ago, Zinedine said:

@Michael D Could you post some photos of your 6 months update? 

Will do. One more month to go.

I would have liked the hair to be a little bit more dense, maybe it will? It was only 2k grafts.

14 minutes ago, Fueway said:

@Michael D Another month along, how’s the progress? 

Hey, How ya been!

Getting closer to the 6 month mark!

Now I look at my hair, and ask myself if I need a HT, or would I get one. The answer is no. So there is some improvement.

It was only 2k grafts, and they were spread out somewhat. It was a good use of so few grafts for my level of hair thinning in the front.

I can see it in the mirror, but the camera doesnt really get it.

The goal wasn't to look 20 again, but make it better up there.

Will be posting some pics next month on the 6 month mark.

Fingers crossed the camera shows what I can see. And improvement shown.

On 4/12/2023 at 12:50 AM, bbow said:

Give me a text at removed It's not going to work out for you. I went to another transplant facility to have them review the work and they were appalled. 

You removed your text number? I was going to consider messaging you if after the 6th month mark and no difference.

I am at the 4-month mark after surgery there. I am concerned if it was a good job. I am supposed to be having these fears, during this time. I am going to wait for the 6-month period. Fingers crossed. Hope that I see some difference.

Let me add that I am glad that I went to a "local to me" HT place. It was more expensive. That sucked.

But I am in there quite often. They are looking at my hair and scalp. It is really quite nice. I am told that things are going as expected...

Except for the hair growth, (that comes later), everything seems to have been done very well. The donor area looks good, not over-harvested, or done irregularly. Can not even see it now, the donor area, when I get my hair cut short. The pimples have happened. There was some shedding. I still have a lot of the hairs that were transplanted that do not seem to have fallen out. There was shedding but not like I've seen others shed. Not as much.

I dunno. The 6-month mark is where I think I should really be able to tell if it was a good job or not.

Fingers crossed!!!

On 3/26/2023 at 9:12 AM, Fueway said:

Ok, have you got some current pics? 

I could take and post some current pics. It really looks about the same.

I look at my hair every 5 min in the mirror hoping to see something different!

The pimples are just about gone. So that is over!

2 or 3 more months (closer to 2 months now) and will be at the 6th month mark after the surgery.

I'll be taking some pics then for sure! and hope to be seeing a big difference!!!!

Anyone heard of Washington Medical Hair Clinic before?

5 hours ago, Fueway said:

@Michael Dhey man, how’s the progress? 

Did the 90-day check-up at Virginia Surgical.  Everything is looking as expected they said. I can't wait for 3 more months to be here, and be at the 6-month mark, and see some real difference.

I am actually seeing some hair shedding. More than before. I dunno. It's a roller coaster ride right now. 3 more months, can't get here fast enough, LOL!

I am about around the 2.5-month mark now. Have been kinda bummed out about my hair lately. I'm not really seeing any positive things going on up there on my head. I have less hair than when I started, I think. The new front hairline is basically gone? Most of it. It's really hard to tell.

The reviews of the place I visited, and the thoughts about them, here. This has been playing heavy on me. This ugly duckling phase sucks.

I decided to watch some YouTube videos of where others are at. 2 months after surgery. This was a good idea. I am about where they are. I am glad they made those videos.

I watched some 3 month videos. It seems like, that is when, it is going to start getting Good for me too!

I hope so.

Anyone reading this; here is some good advice, I guess? Watch some videos of other guys where you are at in your transplant journey. It might make you feel better.

I think it helped me go another month, and not worry.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that back of head has healed except noticing some pimples back there. When getting my hair cut today, my barber asked me about them. One video said that was normal. Hair follicle pushing back through or something? Ingrown hair?? I also noticed some pimples on the front hairline. Same thing there, maybe. I am beginning to have some feeling in my front scalp. Not as numb as it has been.

10 hours ago, Steeeve said:

Actually, all those things, the minox, fin, laser, they all work really well in conjunction with one another. If you have the option to get your own laser cap and add it to your regimen then I would do so. I apply the minox only at night and take oral fin. I don’t really suffer with sides from oral fin, though. I’m about to purchase a laser cap. If you want to maintain what you’ve got then it’s worth it to stay on those medical treatments.

I guess, my concerns are that with reading your last post, at the end of the post you say that you feel that you received top-notch service but the very first sentence of the post you’re asking if we believe you received all 2000 grafts. You added three question marks as if to emphasize the question.

There should be no question in your mind as to whether or not you received all 2000 grafts-especially if that’s all you could afford. This is only my opinion, take it with a grain of salt but that’s not the mark of a top-notch clinic. I’ve been looking at and researching hair transplants for over a decade now and just that alone, that you came to this forum to ask these questions, tells me that you should use this forum as a tool to look at other clinics as possible candidates for further work.

From the pictures you’ve shared there’s nothing to say that what’s been transplanted won’t grow in just fine and, in that, your transplant will be successful but…you came here for help. Do your due diligence and at least talk to other clinics for possible further restoration, even if you don’t consider them affordable there’s still extremely valuable information you could gain.

Again, take this with a grain of salt, but I would really urge you to give this hair transplant 12 months, at the very least, to decide what you want to do. And I strongly encourage you to read other clinic reviews posted by patients. Look at Dr Nader in Mexico if you’re concerned about costs. His prices are excellent and his patient reviewed work is consistently strong.

All the best. I hope this turns out well for you.

Sounds good. Dr. Nader too. His reviews are superior!

I am going to wait the whole year, and hope for the best.

I was thinking about getting a laser cap. Can you recommend one? There are many on Amazon that I have been looking at.

10 minutes ago, Steeeve said:

Are you considering other clinics for further work down the line?

 

Currently, not at all. I'll be going back to Virginia Surgical in McLean Virginia.

I only got 2000 grafts, I will need another 2k. Maybe more, or maybe not.

The crown, in back has been getting better, maybe. The Hims spray seems to be working back there? Topical finasteride and Minoxidill.

The 2k grafts that were done, doesn't go very far back. I still got the middle too.

I would like this Hair Transplant to finish out well, with the work that was done, and see some familiar faces!

Here is a question I have in the back of my head, maybe someone could answer?

Does Laser treatment do the same as topical finasteride and minoxidil?

I would really like to stop spraying that s*** in my hair.

I am almost 2 months post-surgery. I used Keeps Biotin shampoo before. It has a thickener in it. I am also wondering if there is something better.

Did I get all 2000 grafts???

Toward the end of the surgery, 12 hrs. I was becoming uncomfortable. laying there for so long, I was getting "itchy", wanting to move around. I think I remember my leg falling asleep, just kidding. LOL!! I am not used to being still for so long! There was a 1 hr break in the middle.

They prob could have given me something to calm me down. I wanted to drive home. So no dice.

I was wanting to call it done. They could have easily agreed with me. They kept telling me it was almost completed. Told this many times. They offered to let me get up and walk around a little, and I did.  I think I was becoming a "bad" patient toward the end? LOL!

About the number of grafts, I received. They insisted on doing all 2000. To complete the job. I gave them an easy out and not do all 2k. They kept telling me it was almost done. Until finally it was done.

So I probably did get all 2k? 2000 is really not a lot of grafts? Some have shed? This waiting sucks. I'm about 1.5 months after surgery. So, 3 or 4 months from now I'm hoping to see some real changes? That's around the beginning or middle of summer.

This waiting sucks.

Swelling: There was some that gradually came down my forehead a few days later. It wasn't much, compared to others I've seen. I easily massaged it to the sides of my face, easy peasy. It really wasn't an issue at all.

Quality of Service Received: I think I received top-notch service at Virginia Surgical. That is going by the donor area, after surgery, and how it has grown back. The swelling wasn't much really.

From what I can see so far. Things are looking pretty good.

5 minutes ago, Archan said:

Thts nice..and u can ask to doctor for oral minoxidil and finasteride which would be an easier option to tht of topical ones if u dont get any side effects from that ...even i stopped topical one and switched to oral one since long as it is more convenient 

That is an option I will look into. Thanks!

6 hours ago, Archan said:

@Michael D yeh as u mentioned its good tht ur donor is fully recovered and thts a positive thng...yeh u will start seeing good growth after 4-5 months from the date of surgery till 16-18 months ....

Its hard to judge from ur pics abt the grafts count bt in my opinion right nw u have the only option to trust thm and trust ur decision to choose thm and look forward to their advice and hw to improve ur result...

I wish u r on medication ..!

Thanks! I am back to the topical finasteride and minoxidil. Not as often as I used to. I hate that stuff. The oily residue. I am back using it again. I did wait a couple of weeks after surgery.

Also, I am getting laser treatments from Virginia Surgical. Can't hurt.

Hey! it has been a while. I've had a haircut.

The donor area looks great! I haven't shed, the ugly duckling phase. This is my first HT. Much of the hairline hair is gone?? Maybe that has shed? I hope so, and it grows back. I feel that I am being more critical than I should be?? One side does seem to be done just a little bit better??? Not a really big noticeable difference???  Maybe I'm imagining it? I know that the new follicles pushed out the old ones. then you wait.... Many/most hairs are just getting longer!! The majority of the hairs are just getting longer! Hard to see but you can feel them. I haven't gone through the ugly duckling phase. Also It hasn't been 6 months or a year yet. It would be so cool if I don't shed much at all! Not going to hope for that, but it would be cool!

I took a pic after the haircut. That was a couple of weeks ago. I'll see if I can find it....

Found it! I wanted to keep basically the same hairline, it was made a little bit better in the back corners. Rounded off better. Her Idea, and a Good one! Really cant tell much in the picture. Maybe much of it has shed? I dunno. I did everything I was supposed to, and then some, Post-op.

Fingers crossed that in 4 or 5 months, or sooner, I start seeing a real difference. A couple of people have said they notice more hair.

Everyone about seems to be correct. The area would be around 2k. maybe more, depending on thickness and a few other things.

This is something to consider also. The hair you transplant from the back to the front will be more permanent than the hair you have currently on the front middle. You must think about 10, 20 30 years from now. It is possible that the hair will recede and you have these 2 patches of more permanent hair still there. And the hair you currently have has receded.

I'm not good at typing and explaining stuff. Hope that helps. The clinic you go to should explain better.

heres the pics

Not great Pics, I get some better ones done later. This is about a week and a half after the surgery. The back is healing well. The front of the transplanted hair is growing and getting longer. Hard to see the transplanted hair. Things seem to be going well.

Was it 2000 grafts or not, It was about 2k? 

Not looking forward to the shedding phase.