SPMorrissey23

I am yes!  My before and after picture show the difference . I feel more confident.
 

Just wish the hair would mature a bit as styling is so hard and I have a few kinks, waves, and cow flicks to contend with… but sure that will come with time and I guess is a nicer problem to have 

Yes it’s probably been described as all those colours at various points . 
 

styling is still an issue at the moment. When wet it’s ok but dries very “frizzy” so hard to style even with product 

Month 9.

Let me know your thoughts.

Pictures after a shorter hair cut recently. Still finding it difficult to style but hopefully that will improve as the hair becomes less fuzzy etc 

Month 8 update 

when dry hair is still very fuzzy and feels like it needs to mature somewhat so I need some wax just to get it to stay in style. As I have always combed my hair over in an attempt to cover the loss I now have a bit of freedom to brush up and to a side which I never would of attempted previously. 

Short  haircut this week and feel more confident and happy within myself which was half the battle I was fighting internally 

One side is still slightly stronger than the other but when I compare the before and after picture below I can only be happy with the outcome so far. 
Let  me know your thoughts 

So 7 months. Wow it feels like ages ago I was wearing that bandana post op. 
 

Pics below are pre and post haircut. I found this month really difficult to style my hair . Almost felt I had 2 layers with the natural hair and then the new hair which was really frizzy and almost like baby hair. I’m guessing it will mature as the months go on.  Due to this I didn’t feel as good month 7 as I did month 6 but I’ll let you guys let me know how you think it’s doing . 

I’ve never taken any meds bud . 

So just about 6 months. Definitely more growth happening and starting to fill in. One side still stronger than the other but hoping that sorts itself out.
 

Attached some other pre surgery pics to show difference so far. 

Yes sorry last few pics was after a shower so hair stuck up somewhat. Thanks 

So I am now at 5 months! Things starting to fill in somewhat. Be interesting to know peoples thoughts etc. 

I’ve still to figure out how to get it cut / style it and will probably wait for more growth before I do. 

Early signs are promising though and hopefully more growth in the months ahead . 

Just over 3 month update 

looks like I’m starting to see some growth albeit one side is more sparse then the other as it’s been from the outset 

managed to conceal everything so far with cap and styling of native hair, so far nobody but my wife knows….

Hoping for more growth this next month - appreciate any feedback good bag or ugly

About 45 days in now and went for a hair cut this afternoon. Told the hairdresser but I’m still concealing this in public with hats and trying to brush my hair over. I normally sweep to one side but still redness there and that makes it all the more noticeable

Took some of these pics pre cut. Looks like I have shed on one side but not on another - is that common? Should I expect the other side to fall out soon also? 

3 weeks in. Not sure if I have entered the shed phase yet but one side does seem to be more sparse than the other.  

Still wearing a cap out of the house, and hoping my native hair will be able to cover the recipient area the more it grows. 

redness continues clinic recommended some Emu oil, but not sure it’s having any effect, I have bought some aloe Vera gel - has anyone any experience in applying that to recipient. 

thoughts welcome.

14 day update . Cannot believe it’s 2 weeks since the surgery.

Scabs seemed to fall off after 7 days, doesn’t look like anything has shed yet but I’ll let you guys let me know on how you think it’s going …

Native hair is growing so hoping I can cover at some stage . Pics shows my attempts to cover at the moment 

Getting used to wearing a baseball cap whenever I venture out at the moment 

Thought I’d update with some post op 7 day pics - let me know what everyone thinks? 

Donor looks in great condition and cannot really tell any work has happened here. 

Be glad to start some of the post op shampooing of recipient today to hopefully remove some of the scabs. 

Swelling lasted 3-4 days and gradually went down from head to face. Sleeping ok upright although urge to scratch in the middle of the night sometimes a worry.

Still keeping it a secret from everyone although the kids are questioning why I have started using a bandanna around the house ….

Thanks JD Jones, your case was one I was following before choosing the Dr! 

Where to start? I have looked at forums for the best part of 15 years on and off, looking at peoples stories, seeing if any where similar to mine, but never having any real courage to do something about my own loss despite it having a big impact on my self esteem. I have a wife and 4 beautiful children but not one family photo of us all together due to my own insecurities. 

My temple recession probably started when I was in my mid 20s I’m now mid 40s. Back then  panic sent me online to various forums. I actually met someone locally who had strip surgery with Dr Feller in NY and I drove 2.5 hours in the Uk to meet one of his reps. Nothing came of this as I guess I just wasn’t ready and had things happening in my private life and my career. 

Fast forward 15 years I am now married with 4 kids, mid 40s and thought now was finally the time to address what had always bothered me and looked again at online forums for help. Surprisingly most the clinics that used to dominate most patient threads seemed to have disappeared which surprised me but amongst most of the research one name kept jumping to the top of my list Dr Bisanga. 

I was doing some work in London when he had some consultations and it seemed like the stars had finally aligned for me. By now I was open with my wife who supported me attending so off I went to meet the doc in person. The consultation didn’t last long,  the doctor was pleasant, seemed happy with what I wanted and gave an estimate to assess my temples of 1800-2100 grafts. I made my way home - checked in with wife and booked the surgery for 5 months later (yesterday!!!!)

Before I go into the surgery few things about me which might go against the grain. 1) I don’t take any meds (sounds stupid I know just the commitment and possible sides always put me off) 2) only my wife knows! I’m still deluding myself that I can get away with this without anyone knowing including family and friends. (God knows what the kids will think when I arrive home tomorrow!)  

Throughout the last 15 years everything has felt like a secret including my self esteem issues. Booking this whole things has been secretive (dads gone to Belgium with work) My struggles and worries I am not open about and I’m a natural introvert. Maybe this is a way of still trying to hide? (So why am i sharing now? Who knows?? Maybe to help someone else just like me)

TRAVEL 

Travel to Belgium via Manchester with Brussels airlines was easy enough flight under 2 hours. Despite waiting 1.5 hours to get through arrivals I jumped out of the airport and grabbed the first taxi. A note on taxis in a moment as they can add up in cost. This one cost £62 but by that time I just wanted to get my bag dumped at the hotel ibis which I had booked. 

Despite landing at the IBIS for around 10.00 my pre surgery meet at Dr Bisangas office wasn’t until 16.30 so I slept a little at the hotel before booking a taxi . The driver said it would cost 25euros each time so again if you have to be back and forth between hotel and the Drs office this soon adds up. In hindsight I would of booked at a hotel closer as I understand one hotel is in walking distance. 

After locating the office and navigating the lift I finally made it and sat down in the reception area. When I was called into the Dr’s office I spoke with him for a short while told him I wasn’t on any meds and he drew on a hairline he felt was suitable. I asked for a partial shave which he was fine with as again I wanted to hopefully grow my native hair and comb this over. One of his team then took me to another room to do some bloods and shaved the back of my hair ready for tomorrows surgery. I did look like a bit of a mushroom at this stage but had a cap with me. Taxi back to the hotel, uber eats came direct to my room & an early nights sleep ready for the big day. 

OPERATION 

Arriving at 09.30 at BHR we really didn’t get started until 1 hour later. I changed into a gown at the clinic and we were finally ready to get the show on the road. At this point it was just staff looking after me and although I expected Dr Kostis to assist in surgery I was told he was on holiday  so it was a mixture of Dr Bisanga himself and his team. 

I laid on a side and injections started in the side of my head . Maybe 13/14 of them in the side some more painful then others for me maybe a 7/10 on that threshold. I could feel my head numb immediately . The Dr then entered and did work on the donor (I presume extracting grafts) by this stage I started to feel a little groggy and thought going to sleep was my best way to pass time. The Dr did make further injections to the middle of my head. I know these were from the Dr himself as he wasn’t as gentle as his assistants lol, and then the other side of my head also. From memory the DR did all of the extractions. Note make sure you are in a comfortable position at the start , as you don’t really get the opportunity to move about and at one point I had pins and needles in my shoulder. 

At this point the Dr informed me the graft count would be nearer 2200 but I was a little out of it so didn’t really comprehend and just wanted the surgery over. 

Further injections in the recipient area where made (painful) and the doctor made the appropriate incisions. 

Around this time we broke for lunch, I had beef noodles and chocolate cake and the food was fine. Thinking I was over the worse I then headed back to the hot seat for the graft placement into the recipient area . I was given a remote control and sat near a TV so I could select something of my choosing on Netflix. Two operatives then set about placing grafts, squirting my head at regular intervals along the way. This went on for some time with the Dr popping in a couple of times throughout. Again I drifted in and out and probably woke myself up with me snoring lol. 

At one point the assistant told me I was done , allowed me to get changed and I headed over to reception to discuss some aftercare. Although I spotted the Dr in the corridor he never came over to me to look at the final result which I thought was a little odd although he may have been happy with what he saw when viewing the grafts inserted into the recipient area. 

Heading back to the hotel via taxi I felt fine and a bit in shock of what I’d just gone through after years of back and forth in my mind. I once again order some food via Uber eats and tried to get some sleep .  At one point I woke up and struggled to get back over and sleeping upright for me was a bit of a challenge . 

The next day I had to go back to the office for a post op check up (again taxis back and forth) and Hilde did an amazing job cleaning me up and going through all the relevant potions and lotions. I didn’t see the doctor at this stage but Hilde said everything looked on track and even got there local driver to drop me off at the airport. I did get a prescription for Oral Minoxidle   but again unsure if whether I want to take it. Swelling at this stage had started to drift down my head and it looked like I had a large lump in the middle of my forehead . I had some ice applied at the hotel but I’m guessing that might get worse over the next few days. 

I must point out everyone at BHR including my consultant Ian have been amazing and I wouldn’t think twice about recommending the clinic to anyone else moving forward . 

Graft breakdown 

1 follicular unit - 400 grafts

2 - 913 grafts

3 - 709 grafts

4- 176 grafts 

Total 2197 

Hope to document on here as I go but for now it’s a flight home , bandanna in tow and back to the family.

Hi, this is my first post on forum and your journey sounds so similar to mine . I too opted for partial shave with the view of concealing as best I can. I’m literally 50 mins post transplant and trying to get comfortable in my room after 2200 grafts today! I’ll look to post my journey over the next few days.