Tarasilk

Scarred...I'm sorry you had a bad experience, but I don't know of ANY type of Doctor, working in the cosmetic improvement field, who would offer the type of "money back" guarantee you are describing. Why should HT surgeons be held to a different standard that those offering liposuction, laser treatments, nose jobs or the like? Even surgeons who specialize in more essential, non-elective proceudures don't guarantee their results. Wouldn't a HT surgeon offering that type of guarantee ("I'll get your hair on track or your money back") sound like hucksterism too? And every invasive procedure typically requires signing a release of one kind or another. And if the results are bad due to incompetence or neglect by the surgeon, then there is a thriving field of medical malpractice attorneys who might be able to offer some relief during the applicable statute of limitations period. And, personally, as a woman, having a HT represents my best chance of avoiding a lifetime of extensions, hair pieces, or wigs. He's an attractive guy, don't get me wrong, but I really don't think I could carry off the Vin Diesel look very well.

Photos updated with pics taken 5 days post HT, as well as with a pic which shows my pre-HT diffuse thinning on top. Tomorrow (Tuesday) will be Day 7. Thought it didn't feel like a day at the spa the entire procedure was surprisingly not too uncomfortable, and I slept well that same night (sitting up in a recliner, of course). My donor density turned out to be better than expected, and I ended up with 2337 grafts rather than the estimated 1800-1900. I don't know the exact breakdown though. I haven't seen anything what I would call shockloss yet...but I also haven't lost a single scab or crust yet either. Today (Day 6) was the first day I let the shower hit the grafts directly. I haven't noticed if any of the hair shafts from the grafts have fallen out. All of the facial swelling I posted about on another thread is gone...you guys were right. Last night was the first night I slept in a bed rather than a recliner..what a relief!!! My main issue really is that the donor area is a bit uncomfortable...it feels tight and itchy, especially at the right and left points where the end sutures are. I've been applying pure aloe vera gel there, and it does seem to help somewhat. I'll try to post more photos as things progress.

Thanks Bill! Whenever you can take a look at it is fine. I still need to get some photos taken too. By the way, the swelling seems a lot better today!!!

7 days shouldn't be too bad...thanks for the responses!!!!

I am 3 days post HT, and my face is now really swollen...not much in the forehead area, but I have really puffy cheeks and little pouches underneath my eyes. When I look in the mirror, all I can think is of is moon pie. Seriously though, how long does this usually take to resolve??

Awesome results Bill!!!!! The two side by side pics almost look like an age progression...but in reverse! Looking great!

Thanks for the good wishes everyone! Angel...thanks for the information....I did cover the possiblility of shockloss...but it is always good to keep that in mind. By the way, would you believe that we just bought a new recliner? It wasn't for this purpose of course, but it is so plush and comfy that you almost can't help but fall asleep in it!!!

Thanks everyone! Yes, I am a female. I'm in my early 40's, and my HT doc is Dr. Epstein. No, I haven't always had this type of hairline....I have a medical condition (PCOS) which is known to cause MPB-like hairloss in women. My husband took these pics and they don't really show that I also have some diffuse thinning on top. The diffuse thinning isn't nearly as dramatic as what is going on at my hairline or the recession at my temples, but there are spaces within the diffuse thinning which I understand can be relatively safely addressed. The sides and back are still thick though.

I didn't see the episode, but having seen someone through a facelift, I can only imagine. That entire experience made me extra diligent about taking care of my skin.

Ok...with some trepidation, I am posting what I suppose are my official "before" photos. Surgery day is just over two weeks away, and I now am more exited than anxious! The first photo shows me with my hair styled the typical way for me...I'm not using any styling products in this picture (I usually don't anyway). The wavy texture of my hair is usually good at concealing what is going on underneath my bangs. The second picture shows my hairline (which is my main concern!), and the third and fourth are my left and right temples. All of which will be the chief focus of my upcoming surgery (1800 to 1900 grafts planned), with some additional work done on top, when possible, to add additional fullness there.

Miles...I'm not a guy, but I can tell you that you should be able to find 1% Nizoral at most of the larger drugstores and I've purchased it in the past at drugstore.com Nioxin products are usually carried at salons and some of the beauty supply stores. Nioxin.com has a store locator which you can use to find a place which sells it in your area. You can find Toppik at their website (toppik.com) and sometimes for a cheaper price on eBay. Hope this helps!

Irishgirl--I really don't think the Spironolactone has regrown any of my hair, but it may have slowed things down from where they might have been if I hadn't taken it. Because Spiro has the effect of lowering testoterone (and enhancing estrogen), for women, it can also help with other issues like acne, or overly abundant body hair growth. One other thing it can lead to is increased breast size, which is why I am always a little bit alarmed when I read that some men are using it.

Hi Irishgirl! I'm a woman, and I have used 2% minoxidil, as well as the 5%. I didn't see a whole lot of improvement with either, perhaps just a bit. I stopped using the 5% liquid because it was really greasy. I haven't tried the 5% foam yet, but I've read that it is better. The makers of Rogaine recommend against women using the 5% but I have had several doctors tell me the 5% is OK for women as long as they can deal with the possibility of some facial hair issues. Some women (including myself) also take Spirnolactone (brand name is Aldactone), which is a potassium-sparing dieuretic which can also lower testosterone, thus theoretically improving hairloss, acne and excess hair on the face/body. Men aren't supposed to take Spironolactone. The problem with women taking Propecia is it can cause serious birth defects if a woman were to get pregnant while using it. By the way, if you have diffuse thining on top, I STRONGLY recommend Toppik. It's like a hair powder, but is actually little colored fibers which you can shake on to conceal thinning areas. My main problem is in my temples and hairline, but I've used Toppik when I want a fuller look on top to conceal those areas and it works wonders!!! Hope this helps!!!!

Hi Sandy!! I'm also thin in the front and center (among other hair problems), and I know how aggravating that can be for a woman. Are you thinning anywhere else, or is it just the front hairline? Many of the coaltion docs listed on this site offer online consulations...it might be worth a try to contact one or two and see what they have to say. You have an awesome complexion by the way!!!

Bill (and Justme), thank you so much for replying. I didn't think I was the only one that ever felt this way before surgery, but it does feel better to hear it from others "on the other side", so to speak. That being said, I will definitely post pictures so that my exact situation (which is kind of hard to describe) is a bit clearer. I guess one way of putting it is that I have Norwood-type receding at the temples (both at the side and the top of the temples) which form a "V" shape at both sides. I also have a gap which started out small but is now just slightly larger than a dime right in the middle of my hairline. If I were a guy my age that would be one thing, but it isn't a pretty picture when it happens to a female. There is some diffuse thinning on top as well, particularly right behind the hairline, more akin to FPB. But what seemed encouraging to the surgeon I'm going with (Dr. Epstein, by the way), is that there are spaces within that thinning which can be worked with, meaning they are of a size large enought to accomodate transplants. My hair in back and on the sides remains thick, which is why I'm not overly concerned about my donor hair. When the Doctor took a comb to the back of my head he mentioned that he wouldn't have expected to find that. Particularly in the occipital (spelling?) region, it's really full, and grows very fast. And it's naturally wavy, which I have read is a good thing also. I'm also glad to hear I'm not the only one who brought their spouse along! I will definitely have my husband take some new pictures this week....I had some older ones but lost them when we had to reinstall our hard drive.

I'm newly registered, but I have lurked for a while and have learned a lot by reading the posts here. If you can't tell from my user name, I'm a woman, and I've been dealing with hairloss in one shape or form for over a decade. Due to a hormonal issue, my hairloss seems to have stronger elements of MPB along with lesser elements of FPB. On the one hand that is very unfortunate because the way I've lost hair has made me feel even less feminine, but on the other hand, makes me a better candidate for a HT. After years of using minoxidil and oral spironolactone without a whole lot of success, I decided to explore a surgical option several months ago. After discussions and some e-mails with several offices, I recently had an in-person consultation with my first choice surgeon (who is in the coaltion, by the way). Suffice to say it went extremly well. I'm now scheduled for surgery for next month, and booked plane tickets for my husband and myself. That's kind of a long-winded intro to my question.....though I'm not having doubts or second-guessing myself or the surgeon I'm going with, I feel really jittery about this whole thing, and wish the surgery was next week rather than having to wait several weeks. My husband has been incredibly supportive about all of this, more than I could ever have imagined, but he is almost the only person I can talk to about this. I bet I can't be the only person to have felt this way in the weeks leading up to a HT...does anyone have any suggestions that might help me? Thanks so much.

I'm newly registered, but I have lurked for a while and have learned a lot by reading the posts here. If you can't tell from my user name, I'm a woman, and I've been dealing with hairloss in one shape or form for over a decade. Due to a hormonal issue, my hairloss seems to have stronger elements of MPB along with lesser elements of FPB. On the one hand that is very unfortunate because the way I've lost hair has made me feel even less feminine, but on the other hand, makes me a better candidate for a HT. After years of using minoxidil and oral spironolactone without a whole lot of success, I decided to explore a surgical option several months ago. After discussions and some e-mails with several offices, I recently had an in-person consultation with my first choice surgeon (who is in the coaltion, by the way). Suffice to say it went extremly well. I'm now scheduled for surgery for next month, and booked plane tickets for my husband and myself. That's kind of a long-winded intro to my question.....though I'm not having doubts or second-guessing myself or the surgeon I'm going with, I feel really jittery about this whole thing, and wish the surgery was next week rather than having to wait several weeks. My husband has been incredibly supportive about all of this, more than I could ever have imagined, but he is almost the only person I can talk to about this. I bet I can't be the only person to have felt this way in the weeks leading up to a HT...does anyone have any suggestions that might help me? Thanks so much.