Digs49

@Felipe Pianzoli that is an incredible write up. I’m a few months behind you and in the beginning stages of feeling the same way. I simply just don’t wear a hat anymore…ha. You look like a younger, new man. Congrats!

@Melvin- Moderator @Gatsby Thanks to both of you for the responses and for being available pre & post surgery. I actually got my first normal haircut before posting those 4-month photos. It was the first time in well over a decade that I didn’t have to tell the barber to not cut my combover while being nervous in the chair…

@omarca I stayed at the Sheraton Vitoria Hotel. I wouldn’t walk but you can talk to the clinic and they may help you arrange Ubers, which are common there and Vitoria is very safe.

Hey Grouse, thanks for the comment. 1. Beard hair only accounted for less than a third of the total hair, fyi. I was on fin before the surgery so I just maintained. I also believe it’s wise for me to help stabilize as I age. I haven’t had any side effects so it seems like a low risk, safety net. 2. Hmm, I would say on the finer side. No clue how much I have left but Dr Pittella said that if any touch ups were needed in the future, I have a good amount leftover. 3. Nope. I asked him not to and I didn’t even need to ask…he will try his best to ensure you can still grow a beard if desired in the future, which I’ve done and it looks solid (I would shave/trim the neck when I grew a beard previously).

4-month update Things are slowly progressing out of the ugly duckling phase. There are still some areas where hair hasn’t grown yet and others where it has. I’m hoping that the next few months bring a thicker look. All in all, I am pleased so far. No pain, still taking biotin, oral minox, and fin. Beard feels great, still have a lot of hairs there. Even at this rate, I’ve had many people compliment on my hair so far. It feels great and would feel even better if I’m able to get more thickness.

Simply remarkable…don’t know what else to say…

@Jefferson Botan Lopes This is truly incredible. You gained back 15 years…remarkable!

@OliverAtom Hey, thanks for the message and I hope you’re right! Ref the beard hair, it was mainly mixed throughout. I believe the reason for that was to lessen the chance of those hairs sticking out in bulk, in a specific region versus having a more uniform or homogeneous look.

Thanks @Melvin- Moderator and @Gatsby! It definitely requires a lot of patience…ha. I can see a lot of hairs starting to break through. Also, despite the fact that Dr. Pittella’s popularity skyrocketed, he’s still so down-to-earth and checks in occasionally to see how I’m doing.

@Jefferson Botan Lopes how is it going my friend?? I thought I saw your growth in IG…please post the progress here, it looks amazing!

Hey @Felipe Pianzoli, how is it going? Any update on your progress?

Forgot to add my neck and a better/straighter picture of the back of my head.

3-month update. Definitely still in the ugly duckling phase but I think I’m starting to see some growth. It might not be visible in the photos but I have a lot of vellus hair (peach fuzz) in the recipient area. No pain, no itching, but still have redness. Nothing too major to report but overall feeling good. As always, feel free to question or comment.

Holy smokes! This is incredible, especially for only 6 months. An absolute homerun.

Great call on this one Melvin! Congrats @Dr. Felipe Pittella, this is very well deserved! You’re an extraordinary doctor and great person too.

For 15 days post op, I think the donor looks solid. Probably still some shock loss and WAY too soon in the recovery process.

Thanks @Melvin- Moderator. Appreciate the words. Particularly during the “waiting” or shedding months, talking with people on this forum has been key. Also, @Dr. Felipe Pittella has always been available for any questions or concerns i have and even checks in on me every so often. Couldn’t ask for anything more from a surgeon at this point.

Thanks @BaldingEye. I’m hoping for the best and that the red area will be hair one day…ha.

63 days post-op. I shed most of the hair but some hairs haven’t. Redness is still there. Beard/neck heeled well and only get red after I shave. Overall, my head feels good and hoping for a solid result after this ugly duckling phase.

Incredible! Looks so natural and dense.

@Dr. Felipe Pittella Totally agree Dr. Pittella! If the patient can do 3-4 days in Rio then take the quick flight to Vitoria, that is ideal. Things are going well, fully in the “ugly duckling” phase but I’m staying positive and excited for the road ahead. I will be in touch soon! @Pelange & @Gavinlee - you heard the doctor, the surgery will be in Vitoria, which is easy to get to and it is a beautiful little city. Very clean, safe, good food, and on the beach. I’m telling you, you will not regret going with Dr. Pittella.

@Gavinlee Aside from a long flight, it’s not really a ball ache at all. You would fly into Vitoria airport and either have surgery in Vitoria (his main office) or Linhares (another office). If you have to have surgery in Linhares, it’s not a long drive from Vitoria and the clinic will almost certainly take care of you. Feel free to DM me if you have any other questions. Also, see my post on my experience as I traveled from the USA. All in all, I made a trip out of it and it was an incredible experience. Vitoria and Rio are both amazing cities.

Looks great, coverage is outstanding. Prepare yourself for the shedding…it’s likely coming soon. You’ll get through it and have a great head of hair!

@gingerhair I think it was about 6-7 months from my consultation (where I scheduled short after) to when I had surgery. That said, they gave me a later window for surgery but I was restricted to an earlier timeframe due to my job. The clinic worked with me and was able to get me in earlier.

Here it is.