gillenator

DD, That looks amazing...what a difference...CONGRATS!

If you did not receive PRP concurrent with your recent procedure, I would not recommend having it done until your scalp heals. IMHO, the additional injections into the scalp could potentially raise the level of trauma that you already sustained with the multitude of recipient incisions. I actually heard from a guy who did this and said he immediately went back five days later for PRP injections. He then ended up sustaining a very high level of shock loss. Was it from the PRP injections? No one knows for sure yet the level of his shock loss was alarming to say the least. And he did not have this type of shock loss from his previous procedure where no PRP was used. Possibly his experience would have been very different (with a low level of shock) if the PRP was added "during" the procedure, but again we just cannot say for sure. Just a thought...:rolleyes:

I would get multiple opinions from the specialists/physicians directly on this one.

The instrumentation is only as good/effective as the level of skill of the surgeon using them. So even though blades are generally less invasive, they too are only as proficient as the individual(s) using them. I have personally seen an endless number of cases where diffused weak native hair ends up with shock loss, on meds or not. And the more diffused the hair shafts are, the more likely they will be susceptible to shock. Still, we cannot deny those cases where some individuals feel that the meds have made a difference with post-op shock loss. So a part of this equation is not only related to how we all individually respond to the level of trauma, but the meds as well.

newhair7, It's very encouraging to see the improvement and especially in such a short time. IMHO, the new growth and improvement above the scar where you have not been applying minoxidil is right on course. This is why I am of the opinion that applying nothing post-op and just allowing our own bodies to function and do the work often produces the right results. As far as the delayed growth below the scar, it's no doubt related to the dormant stage that those hairs are currently in after they were shocked out and the initial impact of the minoxidil having a reverse effect. But give it another two months or so and I think you will start to see improvement in that area (below the scar)as well. Remember my friend, once the hair is shocked out, those follicles will rest for another 3-4 months before they enter a new growth phase. In time, the redness of the scar should also start to dissipate and it certainly would not hurt to put some aloe rich cream on the scar at bedtime and allow it to absorb into the scar tissue overnight. I think you are going to continue to see improvement and wish you the best in your progress and thanks for the update newhair7...

WTC, Thanks for sharing your story with us. That's takes a lot of courage to share your unfortunate experience. Are you willing to put up a few photos so we can see what you are referring to regarding your hairline? It's difficult to see the work without photos and you can always cover up your face if you wish to avoid recognition. It is possible to have some of the grafts removed in the future to make a more aesthetically pleasing hairline and those grafts can potentially be relocated to soften the appearance. Obviously you would be doing much more extensive research beforehand. Hope things work out for you.

Now how many guys would absolutely die for hair like that?...:cool:

We all respond differently to these type of non-surgical treatments and to date, there are really not enough cases to measure hair loss efficiency from a clinical standpoint.

Scabs should not affect the regrowth unless they are picked at too early such as potentially pulling out the graft within 72 hours of placement. Scabs are basically blood that has clotted and formed to close the incisions or wounds. Yes post-op saline sprays and some other applications can help facilitate the healing however scabbing should ideally be left alone because they will come off when they are ready as our bodies are designed to do just that...

Overall, my observation has been that blades are less invasive but like anything else, it's the proven skill of the surgeon using them and especially when its a case of working within a diffused hair mass. Meds helping to minimize shock loss is a controversial issue and overall I tend to have the opinion that they do not help significantly because shock loss for the most part is related to how the individual responds to the level of trauma caused by the surgery. And the more diffused the existing hair is, the more susceptible it can be to shock loss.

Borromeo1517, IMHO, what you are experiencing is not abnormal. It is probably related to many nerves that were severed when the recipient incisions were made and the nerve endings are now healing and growing. And yes, it can cause feelings of soreness or sensitivity to the touch and even feel like little electrical type shocks or tingling in the area. Regrowth of grafts can also cause this tingling feeling in the recipient area. In addition, you may not feel like you are seeing density gains in the area because you may have sustained some mild shock loss. And although the area may appear thinner at the present time, it should look much better after 12 months have passed. Your new grafts will also mature in hair shaft diameter (caliber) which will definitely make a difference in visual gain of coverage. It is perfectly normal for subsequent HT procedures to grow in a bit slower. Many are of the opinion that the blood flow to the area not being as rich as a virgin or uncompromised scalp. Let us all know how things look after 12 months and I think you will see a difference. Obviously 1100 grafts was a smaller procedure and depending on how dense the grafts were placed in proximity to each other is going to also have an impact on visual density. So if you lost some native hair since your first procedure in the area, you may be replacing some loss but not necessarily making a significant gain in visual coverage if you know what I mean. But better that you added some new grafts and coverage than doing nothing and wish you the best on your recent FUE procedure...

You're very welcome buddy, and listen, if the spray you are using is for post-op healing such as saline spray, then no it's really not necessary anymore IMHO. But you always want to follow the post-op instructions that your doctor provided you. Now, if you have some mild lingering redness, I would not recommend using any minoxidil in the area because of the high content of alcohol and alcohol related based additives. That could potentially cause more redness and even some inflammation which would be counter-productive IMHO. A fair number of guys like to use minoxidil in the recipient area post-op to "jump start" their grafts into sooner or for quicker regrowth but I am of more an opinion to just allow your own body to do its own thing. And yes, I do think that a fair number of your grafts remained in the growth (anagen) phase and are continuing their growth. Yet they will eventually shed and begin a new growth cycle after resting for 3-4 months. But don't worry because they shed and regrow on an intermittent basis. Shock loss normally occurs to existing weaker native hair which is not a concern for you. The hair behind your grafts looks strong and not diffused which is what I meant in my earlier comments so I doubt that this will be an issue for you. You will shed your grafts eventually but good things are coming your way. Meaning, new growth will occur after the dormancy period is fulfilled and that my good friend is definitely worth waiting for, don't ya think?... You're gonna look awesome Mr6435!...

Possibly the more practical question would be, "should I save these limited number of grafts for future loss or use them up now?" MPB is indeed progressive over a lifetime so what about planning for future loss? Where does that fit into the equation?...:rolleyes:

The average growth stage (anagen) is approximately 6 years after resting. Although in the first 12 months following any HT procedure, the hair does cycle more frequently on an intermittent basis. Before the prolonged anagen periods occur, the transplanted follicles must first fulfill a complete cycle between all stages to complete a full cycle period.

IMHO, it really comes down to the proven skill and track record of the surgeon being considered. A subsequent consideration to that would be whether this session was the initial first procedure or a subsequent one.

IMHO, the term "anchoring" is subjective in its definition. I think secure is probably a better definition because the impending issue is whether a graft can be dislodged and therefore lost. Certainly up to say 10 days would be more than enough time for the graft tissue to mend or attach to the scalp enough that it is secure from being lost or dislodged from normal activity. Nine months must be addressing something totally different because even the slowest of healers are not going to have any dislodged grafts at that point in time...:rolleyes:

The redness also has to do with the level of collagen in the scalp tissue and for some individuals, it takes some time for it to dissipate. Just don't use any topical steroidal creams like Mederma so soon after your procedure...:rolleyes:

hairlosscpa, Sorry to say that there really are not any specific topical DHT blockers that I recommend and the reason for this is because nearly 100% of them are supplement based, not medications where they are scrutinized and are required to support their claims with scientific clinical trials. So they are really hit and miss for individuals who try them. Not trying to say that none of them have any efficiency, but if they did, we would be hearing about them much more. One of the products for example is Hair Genesis which claims is very effective in treating thinning hair and states that it removes accumulated DHT sebum from the scalp and hair follicles along with adding DHT blockers. Does it work? Who knows, however they include testimonials from individuals but again, may not be supported with verifiable clinical trials. However, their oral soft gels do contain saw palmetto, prim rose oil, niacin, and many other additives so this product is loaded with lots of nature based supplements that may have a positive effect on some individuals. Nioxin offers a Bionutrient Formulation which claims to remove excess sebum containing elevated levels of DHT. Does it have any efficiency with blocking or removing DHT? Who knows. Again, many of these products are supported by "independent studies" or "peer-reviewed" research studies that have questionable conflicts of interest in my honest opinion for the obvious reasons. So when any individual does not want to take medications such as finasteride, dutasteride, etc., to avoid side-effects and other issues, the topicals along with oral supplements are limited in supply but may be worth a try...:rolleyes:

Aloe vera is very good during the initial post-op period but be very careful regarding the use of topical steroidal creams too early and requires your doctor's advice if the redness lingers on beyond 90 days or so.

hairlosscpa, Forgot to add that your photo of your donor looks strong and of good quality...

RelRay, Not enough feedback and clinical trials have been done on this med so it's really hard to say what benefit and to what extent it would be. IMHO, these ointments are really not necessary unless you are dealing with some other issues that would call for the added use of these meds.

hairlosscpa, You would be very happy with Dr. Konior IMHO, and even if the graft price is slightly higher, the end result is what counts... You definitely have a diffused thinning pattern so this is where a more conservative approach is of benefit to lower the trauma level, lower the shock, minimize transection, and thereby increasing the overall yield to get you to a more restored appearance. With a diffused thinning pattern, additional follow-up procedures will be inevitable so again, approaching a more methodical restoration is more appropriate IMHO. Have you considered a topical DHT blocker to avoid the side effects?

That's a good point of the possibility of the recipient sites being smaller than the peripheral size of the grafts that were placed in those sites.

Hairsearch, IMHO, it does not appear to be retro-alopecia yet I also agree that only an in-person examination for density variations, along with evaluation for miniaturization would be best. Comparisons of hair shaft diameter can be done with a scope. It also does not appear that you have strong evidence of diffusion in the area. You may have just have variation of density as your hair commences from the nape area upwards into the scalp. Other than that, your donor looks fine.

Hey buddy, I just took a peak at your day 13 post-op pics, both of them, and it's amazing how much cleaner things look from your 8 day pics. You have done a very good job in cleaning up your recipient area... You are healing very nice as well. Hey, it looks like many of your grafts are growing? Have you noticed that? You can tell that's where the grafts are. Your frontal zone is going to look very different having hair there again because I see your loss is a pattern of recession, not diffusion. So having hair mass there again is going to give you a nice new frame and hairline. Please let us all know how you progress with more pics especially when the area fills in. Then after 12 months you can post the before and after photos showing the matured result. You know what happens then? The "more hair" bug will bite you like it bites most of us for even more coverage... Thanks for the update buddy!