T218HT

2 hours ago, civic said:

Hey, it’s holding well, considering i was  a NW 6, for 1 pass , am happy, of course more density in crown would make me even more happy 😃 but i have to be reasonable, 5k grafts for such level of hair-loss is awesome. Im in mid 40s,  so probably will not get a 2nd pass, if i was younger in my 20s of course i would be more inclined to, but what i got from this ht, really changed my life for the better, if i really want to flex on some special occasion event, i might sprinkle some fibers, but never done so, i feel for my age a bit of see through is expected. Hope this helps you with your decision, its all about what your expectations are out of ht, for me it was adequate coverage, & that’s what i got out of it, nothing more, nothing less 👍 .

Can you get a nice haircut and show us how looks pal?  Great job!

On 9/4/2023 at 4:31 PM, Big Rome said:

go look at @DrMunibAhmad work & tell me hair transplants can’t look totally natural 🔥

Well he actually said on his YouTube channel that it will never look 100% natural. 

1 hour ago, Bucky O Hair said:

I would like to keep my hair short, ha ha.

But I had deeply receded temples that I would have to comb hairs over it to hide (and have to grow my hair out to about 2-3 inches)...but I hate the shaggyness of the hairstyle.  I have to grow my hair about 3 inches everywhere to cover the receded temples, but my hair on top has thinned out so it looks worse when long.    

I am only 4.5 months postop (I went to Rahal) but my temples are beginning to fill, so I will be able to finally cut my hair shorter (to probably 1 inch lengths) without having to always think about having to hide my temples anymore.  I also have a big bald spot on my crown, so I need to address that as well.  

My plan was to get a hair transplant to simply eliminate the PATTERN (receded temples and circle bald spot on the crown) and enjoy it for as long as possible, then buzz it shorter as it thins out (with possible future transplants and SMP to fill in any future bald spots).

The jury is still out on the results, but we'll see if this plan works.

 

Hey man that's great you did it! How many grafts did you get?  And are you going back for round 2 for the crown?

8 minutes ago, Bucky O Hair said:

You have a good shaped head and beard.  I am similar to you in this regard in both hair loss pattern and even hair type/color.  I also do not take any meds.

I am trying for a full, front to back, hair transplant in two sessions.  I just did the first one in April.   I am planning for the crown session early next year.

My plan is to do FUE, get full coverage, but with the understanding that it won't be original density.  Wearing hair short or longer in certain areas can work well, if you know how to style it.  As my native hairs continue to fall out over time, I can buzz the head on a two-guard with clippers, and sport a nicer buzzed look (with a better framed hairline).  

I'll eventually post photos on here.  We'll see how it goes.

 

Oh wow!  So you like to keep your hair short too?  How do you like your transplant so far?  Who did you go to?

14 minutes ago, BackFromTheBrink said:

If you could have a perfect (angles, positioning, growth rate) transplant, where would you have the hair placed?

You don't have enough donor hair to get back to your natural density, and probably don't have enough for full coverage even at half natural density. 

The only way to make it look more natural is to grow it out post transplant.

So your choice is, grow it, or live with it as it is. 

Since (IIRC) you don't want to take medication (apologies if I have misremembered your position on that) your situation will get worse, so any plan would have to assume you will become slick bald on the top of your head.

 

I don't want to take medication (I take foam Rogaine) and tried Fin for several years but it DID screw up my libido in a big way.  

Are there advancements in medication that don't have those side effects?

Well I am 42, and haven't lost much of anything in the last few years.

If I DO get the FUE transplant, can it look BETTER as far as just a straight bald top?I know I won't ever get 100% density.  The illusion of hair is what we all want right?

13 minutes ago, BadBeat said:

I had my first FUE in 2012 and I've never been asked once if I did something and I have a ton of friends who would 100000% "call me out" on that if they thought something was up. I have had a ton of people tell me I look a lot better has I've gotten older though which I think a lot of it has to do with the HT's.

This is my hair now!

5 minutes ago, BadBeat said:

I had my first FUE in 2012 and I've never been asked once if I did something and I have a ton of friends who would 100000% "call me out" on that if they thought something was up. I have had a ton of people tell me I look a lot better has I've gotten older though which I think a lot of it has to do with the HT's.

Really?  I mean I just want BETTER than I have.I just want it to look good with the hairline.  I know nothing is 100%. I know that. 

38 minutes ago, gaz9318054 said:

Looking better doesn't always mean looking good.

I'm not sure that you have realistic expectations. If not, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.

My native hair density is somewhere around 75-80 grafts per cm^2. My recent transplant has filled in my hairline at about 45 grafts per cm^2 at the front, tapering off as it moves back toward my native hair and begins to overlap it.

The transplanted hair will grow and look better than the bare skin that was there before. But at short length, it will still look bad against the higher density areas where my native hair still grows. I'll likely need to grow it out a few inches before it all blends nicely, and if I weren't willing to grow it out, I'd probably have been better off not having the procedure at all.

Even if I were to have a super dense transplant by an elite surgeon where and 100% of the transplanted grafts survived, there are still things like angulation and hair texture to consider, which can still easily create a visible contrast between the native and transplanted areas at a short length.

I think a natural-looking result depends heavily how you grow and style it. Wearing a buzz cut or similar almost completely defeats the purpose.

Great answer! I understand now.  It sucks it's not 100% there yet though.  I wonder what the next few years will be!?

2 minutes ago, BackFromTheBrink said:

If you want to shave your head to a 2 guard, surgery really isn't for you.

On your point about naturalness, I was with you until you brought up other cosmetic surgeries. 

They're not going to give you a 100 percent natural result - they will look good, but if inspected under a microscope will be inferior to nature.

I think you know what I meant.  I believe hair transplants are the toughest of all surgeries to "look natural" since it's not skin/body it's a totally different thing.

And why isn't surgery for me?  Because I like my hair short?  I just don't want the bald there!  haha

1 minute ago, Vann said:

It’s usually best longer, the shorter your transplanted hairs are the easier it is to see scalp… 

If your donor isn’t depleted… sure you can keep it short. 

Well like I said I understand it's not going to be a full head of hair, but "better".

I'm not asking for much, just a natural hairline and it looking good short that's all haha

4 minutes ago, Vann said:

 No one’s hair looks 100% natural, your definition of natural is not the same for everyone. 
 

even then, you are working to get an illusion under the best circumstances. 95% is probably best outcome… 100% is unrealistic

OK I appreciate this realistic response.  Do you think it would look more natural with short hair (like a 2 clip) (if the donor area doesn't scar bad that is).

Guys am I wrong for wanting something to look the best that it can?

When you go get your teeth done, don't you want it to look natural?  Breasts, cheeks, anything?

Fortunately for all other surgeries, it looks natural.  But I am just asking if a HT can EVER look 100% natural.  Like will the hair in the front ever look exact?  Like original?

And if so, what do you ask to get that look?  And who do you go to?  The best in the game?

Sorry if you don't think I am a good candidate, but I don't think it's wrong to ask these questions.

I don't care if I have a full head of hair.  I just want the spots mostly covered, and to be able to shave my head with a 2 or so.

Just now, jjalay said:

 

Why you think that it won´t look natural? With fut you can get more grafts and later on even plan for a second procedure with fue to add even more density.

Your donor area does not look bad although you have to let it grow 1-2 cm to ger a better idea of your donor capacity.

If you are not sure about getting a hairtransplant and feeling ok with the shaved look then definately the best choice is not do anything and keep rocking the shaved look.

OK I understand.  I like it shaved, but I just don't want to be bald ya know?  And FUT won't work because the scar will show!

14 minutes ago, Gatsby said:

You are not crazy and once you have had surgery their is no going back. There are some great results for sure. But if you are already worried about how transplants look, my concern is that you may not be happy with your results even if your transplant is a home run. In the nicest way possible I don't feel that you would make a good candidate for this reason. Some people have average results and are over the moon. Some people have brilliant work done and regret the whole thing.

UGH, great.  I guess it will never look 100% natural.

10 minutes ago, jjalay said:

Looking at your pictures you have a high degree of baldness at NW5, you will need a lot of grafts to restore your baldness, about 6000 grafts. The best for you would be to start with an FUT and not FUE, so that you can get more grafts without compromising your donor. You can consult doctors like Hasson and wong, Hatingen hair and Laorwong for an fut procedure.

Yea after I grew it in Laorwong said I had a NW3 but who knows.  He said 4K-4500 grafts.

But honestly what's the point if it will never look 100% natural?

I've asked and everyone has said it NEVER will look absolutely 100% natural/real.

6 hours ago, Vann said:

If you are this hesitant to proceed, I don’t think you’re completely ready to take the dive in. 
 

Any surgery should be your last attempt, if everything else is exhausted, because once you go under the knife. You do not revert the damage done.

 

although I will say your concerns are perfectly warranted. It’s difficult to make any decisions that are life altering. Just understand that if you get perfect results (if all goes well) you’ll be ecstatic. If not you’ll wish you can undo. But in reality, what is done is done. 
 

take all the time in the world deciding your surgeon, get the tests you need to get done locally, rule out any outliers that can potentially be harmful. Do all your due diligence you can before making a surgical approach. However, remember, even if all is done well. A hair transplant is an illusion not a perfect remedy. There is no perfect hair transplant on go number 1. 
 

my best advice… if you are willing to wait, get on a wait list with a great surgeon that’s over 1.5+ years out and see if verteporfin makes a breakthrough. If it does, bring this up with your surgeon and see what they’re willing to do. 

Are you saying a transplant will NEVER look 100% natural?  No matter who I go to?

3 minutes ago, Turkhair said:

I looked at your pictures.

You’re not going to be able to keep your hairs at that length after HT, your donor area will show scars even after 3k grafts and for somewhat full coverage 6k will be needed for front+crown. There is absolutely no way you can keep your hairs short without showing off scars in the donor. Your transplanted hairs will also look very sparse and may not be what you think they will look like.

Getting SMP will work wonderfully though I think and then the short hair plan might work.  But then you can get SMP now and still get somewhat of a decent result, why go through HT?

 

Eh I don't want SMP. And I don't mind keeping it longer than this at all.  I can keep it longer for sure.  I have seen skin fades after a year show no scars though.  Why do you think I will have scars and they will never go away?

17 hours ago, Gasthoerer said:

It is always good to post pictures. 

You do not need a hairline specialist, but a clinic focusing on large cases. 

How old are you? 

Are you on meds? 

What is your goal? 

I'm 42, topical foam rogaine - goal is too keep head shaved (like a 2) but have hair LOL

23 hours ago, Gasthoerer said:

From Cooley I have seen very natural results, De Freitas focus is IMO spectacular over naturalness. 

I would add to the list:

- Shapiro

- Heitmann

- Feriduni

But to give a real recommendation, it is preferable if you share you case in here. 

there ya go!  LOL

50 minutes ago, UKLad81 said:

De Freitas does some great hairline work. Checked most of his videos on YouTube and they done come better than him. 

WOW so good!

Man the guys who do the sick hairlines are def more expensive!

33 minutes ago, GoliGoliGoli said:

What is Pekiner's approximate cost per graft? He is quite higher than the Gur's/Turan's right? 

I think - I think it is like 3

I mean I have one shot at this ya know?

2 hours ago, ITA said:

Bisanga and Pekiner, in my opinion.

Yea Pekiner is nice!!!!!  Thanks!

12 minutes ago, Logan_P said:

I've been very impressed with Dr. Cooley's work.

I don't think he focuses on FUE sadly..

Doesn't matter the location.

Is Laorwong up there with the best?

22 minutes ago, LaserCaps said:

No, you're not crazy.  And I truly empathize.  It all boils down to - who do you trust?  Research, look at photos of results, particularly of those completed in a single visit. Consider,  most practitioners are under the impression grafts compete for blood supply. They feel the need to leave a separation in between grafts and will ask you to return a year later to work around the separations and add density.  They'll explain they're placing a foundation to which you can add density down the road. You might even require a third visit to add density.  This work in progress approach will have you questioning results for years.  

Undoubtedly, if you've shown the propensity to lose, you'll continue losing hair.  What are you currently doing to mitigate the progressive nature of this condition?  

Well I have stopped losing for the most part (or so I think haha), but I am just so worried about this unnatural thing.

I wish there was a doctor that was 100% undoubtedly natural looking results!  

Maybe Dr Laorwong?