Apk0214

Work looks good! I have a similar hair pattern and my doctor also recommended a conservative approach of 2500 - 3000 to restore the hairline to frame the face. Depending on results I may go back for the crown. Happy growing!

2 Month Update Still some itching in the recipient area and I decided to buzz my hair during my first haircut post HT since the area that was trimmed around the donor was becoming more noticeable due to the difference in length. On a positive note it allows a decent view of the hair and I’ve included a picture of the FUT scar since I will most likely not choose to have my hair shorter than a 2 or 3 to cover up the scar. A few hairs appear to be poking through and experiencing some slight inflammation and infrequent pimples but staying diligent with keeping the area clean post workouts and especially going into the summer months. Some less dense areas where the implanted grafts were as we head into the ugly duck phase.

For sure, also keep in mind that each doctor you consult with could have different views on what they believe is best for you so make sure you try to consult with others via Zoom. Even if you have to travel a little to get the desired result I would say the cost for flights or hotels outweighs the recovery and time investment to do it all over again

I also looked at Dr. Cooley and he is $300 for a consultation and his assistant is $150. I think due to the volume of requests they are billing for their time as well as vetting out who is serious about getting the work done. Even if you don’t go with that Dr. I would try and get as much information and knowledge as possible by having questions prepared

I agree, I’ve been trying to get some consultations set up but as we know, it’s a very expensive procedure and I’m going to take my time with the second. I’ll continue to update for comparison purposes and I’m hoping for results down the road for us both (growing or legal)!

So they said they weren’t going to charge you for so they didn’t? Or were they threatening to? Regardless of my result I am going to try and refocus the thread back on the intended use for updates from my perspective for feedback and support during the growing phase instead of comparing experiences.

Thanks Berba, that is helpful. The instruction was to “gently grasp the transplanted hairs to see if they come out and if they resist to leave them be” which seemed strange to me. It sounds like the best course of action is to just let them grow as they are and see what the results are in a few months. Appreciate the help!

That was my thinking as well as I have never seen that recommendation on this forum so figured I would ask. Not to second guess the recommendation but wanted to see if anyone had advice or a similar experience. I still have some of the grafts intact at around 6-7 weeks and I guess the thought is that the new hairs growing below would cause inflammation by pushing on the transplanted hairs, but I would think they would just push them out naturally? Hoping this isn’t something to be concerned about and I can continue to wait till the 3-4 month mark to see some hairs poking through the scalp. Picture below for reference

I’ve read that the general timeline for shedding grafts post-transplant generally last a few weeks. I am approaching my 2nd month and after reaching out to the doctor he stated that the grafts should be shed by the first month. He instructed that a gently grasp and assist the grafts with removal to prevent inflammation. Is this recommended? I’m slightly concerned that this would inhibit growth or is indicative of the grafts not growing. While it is too early to tell and I would assume most of the grafts are still in the resting phase, would it be better to just let nature run its course and have the grafts push the transplanted hairs out? Wondering if anyone else has experienced this.

Mine was exactly double that for 2500 plus some adjustments for extra grafts. I was also coming from out of state and filling a spot that had a cancellation which may have been considered in the quote. From what I’ve seen the work from Nadimi is very good and if I had the means I would consider it, but she may be booked out for several months.

I had a few consultations where my grafts were measured which I brought to my video consultation and when I came for my surgery it aligned with the graft counts that he was projecting. From the consultations I attended the tugging is to check for elasticity as well as projecting the graft measurements. I have seen some other doctors who are using microscopes as well as 3D technology for more accurate graft calculations as well. I would see who other members on the forum suggest and start planning as most of the well known ones have a waiting list for consultations and surgeries are usually booked a year and a half or two out.

I am also experiencing some shedding but it’s hard to say if that’s a result of starting Fin in January since there is usually a preliminary shed. My expectations are still aligned with what I’m seeing in terms of fixing the frontal third and I’ve already budgeted to have another in the next year pending the results but will most likely be looking for doctors who specialize in diffuse thinning and FUE procedures for the mid scalp and some of the crown while saving grafts for future procedures. Sorry to hear you did not have a positive review. I’m about to hit the 2 month mark, so it’s definitely too early for me to see results for comparison purposes. Hoping for some results for us both down the road and I’ll continue updating to see how things progress.

Shouldn’t need too many, the first HT seemed to be effective so a second one should give you the density you want. Best of luck!

The biggest red flag to me is the 2-3 surgeries a day. Especially if there is one doctor and they can do up to 5000 grafts. By most standards that’s an all day surgery with the type of doctor involvement you want and tech assistance. Leads me to believe it operates more like a hair mill and there’s probably some delegation to the techs you won’t want.

One Month Resumed going to the gym and continuing to shower daily to reduce infections due to bacteria and sweat. Concerns regarding itchiness in the recipient area and a few pimples were communicated to the doctor and I was advised to use some dandruff shampoo for itching and monitor for “lots of pimples” before potentially starting an antibiotic. The doctor also communicated that all transplanted hairs are usually gone by the third week, and advised to lightly pull on the transplanted hairs to assist with shedding. If they resisted then I am supposed to leave them be. Continuing to shed during showers and I was able to gently brush and assist some but there are still a decent amount of transplanted hairs left. I’ve read on other posts that this may not be a concern and I should be able to let it run its course? This is also marks my 3rd month taking Fin and I’ve begun taking a 5000 mcg biotin pill in the morning (no Min but the doctor said we could explore an oral min prescription down the road). I have noticed some significant shedding in the top bridge and vertex area but hoping we will see some stronger hairs come back. Referring back to the original post, I will most likely see how this first FUT HT turns out then address the crown area once we feel the loss has stabilized. I was able to get a haircut to trim around the ears and neck this week but the donor area is slightly noticeable since I haven’t instructed my barber to even it out yet and I’ve included a side view as well as an update of the scar (which appears to be healing some).

Day 18 Light shedding during showers but still enjoying the last few days of the hairline until the inevitable ugly duckling phase. Hoping the density looks ok in the previous pictures with the age appropriate hairline. I resumed light physical activity this week and will hold off on anything more until at least the one month mark if not longer to be precautious with the scars.

Day 11 Continuation of daily baby shampoo and conditioning using the recommendations from Melvin’s video on scab removal. It’s honestly hard to tell if I’m removing them and they are growing back or if it’s just a lot that needs to be removed over the course of a few days. Feeling is starting to come back in certain parts of the scalp and I’ve been able to resume normal sleeping positions and showering routines. Redness in the scalp has subsided greatly over the past few days. Stitches have pretty much dissolved and added a picture for reference. The scar tends to look a little worse with my skin type without much summer sun so hoping this will fade with time and proper care. Also the hair around this area was trimmed, so no fear of miniaturization since I know it looks thin here currently.

I had a surgery with Dr. Haber two weeks ago and was scheduled for 2800 grafts. About 2200 were used in the hairline and the rest put in the mid scalp per my request but I don’t really have a way to confirm if the remaining 600 were used. For 2800 he said during my consultation that it would take a full day from 7am to roughly 5pm even with his techs alternating in for placements. I was also able to tell from a lot of his before and after pictures that he seems to mostly focus on hairline and some mid scalp work and is hesitant to work on the crown without knowing that the patients hair loss has stabilized and with a finite number of grafts so I thought he might be a decent fit for me for my first procedure. I’m staying hopeful and I’m hoping for the best result for you as well, I was very much in the mindset that as a NW5 I will need a second surgery but I can understand your frustration going into it thinking it would be a one and done and then coming to find out you may need another. Keep us posted on your results since we seem to have a similar timeframe and we can see if the results stack up

You must have a 6th sense because I just stumbled on this and the shampooing for the scabs video you made. Thank you so much for all the materials and effort you have put in for those of us going through it. It’s very easy to read and think you are prepared vs. actually going through it sometimes

Appreciate the reassurance! I see most posts have shedding starting at 2-3 weeks so I was slightly worried. Hopefully that’s a good sign

Day 8 Finally able to start working the crusting and scabs off by gently using my fingertips. I did notice a few hairs attached to an unknown object. There is no blood associated with any of the massaging with the fingertips so I’m 90% certain this is regular shedding and scabbing from what I’ve read on the forums but I guess I didn’t expect it to start this early? Post Op instructions stated to shower daily and massage until all scabs and crusts are gone before returning to regular shampoo intervals.

I have been wearing hats for many years through my mid 20s when I was a NW 3/4 until my early 30s when I became a NW 5A. Hats are a common thing in my area for guys my age so it didn’t look odd, but the problem comes when I have to go somewhere without a hat like a formal event, wedding, or a nice dinner and it would draw attention to my lack of hair because I was never seen without a hat. It’s gotten to the point where I almost want to turn down events where I can’t wear one because of the embarrassment. In public if I didn’t wear a hat there would be comments from strangers and I was always hesitant to wear them on dates because of “hatfishing” but being bald in the dating world tends to make things more difficult.

Day 7: Minimal changes but ensured that I applied slightly more pressure when washing the scars and continuous application of ointments to reduce itching. Majority of my itching occurs at night in the recipient area as scabbing has occurred. I usually wear a surgical cap at night which would deter any potential subconscious scratching. I’ve been instructed to begin using the pads of my fingers to assist with removing them along with any crusting tomorrow. It seems like the majority of my grafts have been retained and I expect some shedding will occur after I resume regular showers. Closely observing the hairline it looks like only singles were used so I’m hopeful for a good result down the road.

Thanks! Hoping the density is good and following up to get an electronic copy of the hair counts for the grafts that I can share later if people want to see for reference.

Agreed, I’m usually not one who has any issues with getting blood drawn or anything so it was definitely a weird sensation but wanted to include that so people don’t make the same mistake. Day 4: Currently going through scab formation and I’ve seen varied responses on the forums for when grafts are fully adhered and normal shampooing and washes can occur. The post-op packet says I should be fine by the 8th day and I noticed that the study posted by several people regarding Dr. Bernstein’s research stated 9 days so I may wait the extra day just to be careful. I’ve continued to use saline spray and antihistamines to help with the itching but also want to make sure that the sutures don’t get infected. Headaches and swelling have subsided by this point.