gillenator

Shedding and shock loss are two different issues. Shock loss is more related to the level of trauma from the procedure and shedding can be attributed to a number of reasons. Yet if the recent loss is within the recipient area or adjacent to it, then it's probably shock loss and like David stated will undoubtedly grow back unless those shed hair shafts were very diffused and weak.

It's best not to rush into things and really take the time to research and compare all of the options and doctors...

I think you're going to be just fine and happy growth to you!

The front view photo was helpful. Obviously an adequate number of the grafts will be used to fill in the temporal recession areas to blend in with the front forelock. As those temporal areas are brought forward, a fair number of single hair grafts will be necessary at the base of where everything blends in, and if you plan to lower your existing hairline a little bit, then even more single hair grafts will be needed. So you may find that your estimate will be higher towards the 4,000 mark and maybe a tad bit higher if you are filling in the crown. Another consideration would be to maintain the level of density in your crown at 40 FU cm2 or lower so it does not look barren but yet you would be wisely managing your donor reserves as you need more work in the future. Because MPB is progressive over a lifetime, your temporal zones can recede further and the crown can open up to a wider zone of loss. You would not want to be left with an island of hair where the grafts are presently going to be placed and then have a ring of thinning all around those grafts in the years ahead. Are you taking low dose finasteride? That can potentially keep your crown from expanding with more loss. Let us know how everything turns out because I think you are going to like your final result from this upcoming procedure.

And at this point in time post-op, all of the crusts should also be removed in the shower with the shampoo suds and using your fingertips to remove them.

herroprease, Did you by chance remove a photo of yourself as I see your past post was edited by yourself. After reading your initial post, my first thought was to see some pics of you. That would help greatly. Even without pics, I highly doubt that 6,000 grafts would cover both the frontal zone and crown area. It could be possible if you were to lower the density level throughout the entire recipient area, however the degree of visible coverage would be compromised. So it depends on what you are willing to accept in expectations as it related to your donor limitations. My concern for you is more related to the confined area of your donor being a more permanent zone. In other words, could the area under your crown in the back have any miniaturization and/or diffusion going on?

Your grafts should be fine as any shedding whether by rubbing on the pillow or from the procedure itself will not hurt your grafts...

You're welcome my friend and it never hurts to err on the side of caution...

Some very good advice provided... And I agree that first and foremost, consider the docs that you believe do the best work and would give you the best result. And if it were me in your location, definitely consider your choices in Europe as you would be able to take the train to various clinics in Belgium very economically and quickly to be evaluated in person. That way you get to meet each recommended doctor in person and may be able to see some of their patients face-to-face. The closer these European clinics are to one another, the more competitive they are going to be to each other, generally speaking. This gives you the opportunity to really fine tune your choice which will be more related to the skill of the doctor rather than choosing one because of the price being cheaper.

RR, It never hurts to send your surgeon the same photos for evaluation. Normally the staples should not create a red line like that but it could be just from the tension that the staples created. Staples enable a tight closure to prevent scar stretching. The effect could just be from the tension of the closure. The good thing is that the area and scar does not appear raised or problematic at this point in time post-op. Personally, I think you will see improvement as the area begins to relax from the staples being removed. One thing that will help in the short term (30 days) is to apply a rich aloe vera cream to the entire scar and the area just above and below the scar. This will help relax the scalp tissue and help to reduce the redness and inflammation. Possibly your doctor may suggest something as well to facilitate the healing and reduce the inflammation. If you are a good healer, you should notice a significant improvement in the next three weeks or so. Congrats on your recent procedure RR...

MrMatt, The 6,000 figure that you are referring to is approximately the average number of "harvestable" FUHT grafts for an average level of donor density. Obviously this will vary between individuals. The only way to know your own donor density is to have it evaluated and calculated by a reputable surgeon. There are other factors that can impact the numbers such as how your scar heals, future scalp elasticity, whether you have FUHT or FUE, and the skill of the surgeon. You do appear to have good hair quality regarding the degree of coarseness to your hair and you do not appear to have a diffused thinning pattern. Are your grafts going in the frontal zone or are you wanting to restore the area in your crown? You will undoubtedly experience further loss in your crown as the years go by. Crown loss can demand as much as 60% of one's available scalp donor which is significant so careful and prudent management of our limited donor is critical.

RR, It looks like two scars...was this a second procedure? At 18 days post-op, this could just be some inflammation which should subside over the next several months.

TL7, You stated that 9,000 hairs were extracted... wondering how many grafts did this equate to?

celebrity, You appear to have a diffused pattern of loss more so than a recessionary form of MPB. That puts you at a higher risk of shock loss and you want to be sure that you go to an extremely competent surgeon "if" you feel that you want a HT procedure. Only after adequate research and being fully informed can one decide if they "want" a HT procedure versus "needing" one. If it were me, I would wait it out and possibly consider using some cosmetic topical options to hide the thinning. You may also have lower density throughout your scalp and this will potentially show more of the scalp as you diffuse further.

Yep, you could still possibly have another 20-30% growth left from the first initial procedure...:rolleyes:

JGF, The bleeding could be from residual scabbing from the extraction sites. That is what it sounds like to me. Normally, the donor area would be healed by now but I suppose the size of the punches could have been larger than .50 mm and it also depends how quickly each individual heals. You could have "unknowingly" scratched the donor area during your sleep and dislodged some scabbing. Do you have any scabs still remaining in your donor zone? The blood stain on your pillow appears to be toward the lower area of your scalp and not where the recipient zone is located. If the hair shafts that came out do not have any crusts attached to them then you might just be experiencing some shock loss because this is the point in time when shock loss normally occurs (three weeks). In other words, I don't think the hair is from the grafts, but more from your native hair. You might also be going through a shed cycle. And I agree that you did not damage your grafts. Just try and not worry about it and see if you can get your mind on other things like walking or some other form of cardio exercise. No weightlifting. Wish you the best on your recent procedure.

The best thing to do is to keep the scalp covered with a hat or cap that sufficiently blocks UV rays. A good rule of thumb is to cover the scalp if you are going to be exposed directly to UV rays for more than 10 minutes.

Some docs will advise to stay our of the direct UV rays for at least 6 months after a procedure and others feel that 10-12 months would be best or at least until the procedure fully matures.

Most docs will inform you that swimming in a chlorinated pool at 6 months post-op is not a problem...

Is this occurring after a recent HT procedure? If so, it's not uncommon and the great thing is that new growth will follow a shedding cycle...

It never hurts to get evaluated for high anxiety issues especially if it seems overwhelming. It could be simply an issue of getting some counseling and then again if it is something that requires clinical treatment, you will know by getting evaluated.

We tend to want an instant fix to our hair loss dilemma. It doesn't work that way. Results take time to manifest. And I would never have a subsequent procedure in the same zone at 7 months post-op. I would give it at least 10 months if not longer for several reasons. There could still be some new growth albeit probably not much, but every graft is worth its weight in gold IMHO. And growth in terms of length and caliber maturation both contribute to the illusion of coverage. Our expectations need to be realistic within our own limitations otherwise disappointment can set in.

Are you having issues with your scar at 6 weeks post-op?

The hair color won't make a difference, you just want to be sure you select a good competent talented doctor...

Are these from manufacturers outside of the US because I knew there were products like finpecia made overseas.