Bushy

Thanks so much, guys. In some ways this round has been more troubling because of the shock loss, but it's so comforting to see it come back. I can't wait for the real results. Mr. Joe: Thanks! Indeed, even the lst few weeks alone have been huge. Hairbank: Wow, you're looking great yourself, and you were only about 3 months before me! Can't wait to see your updated pics. B Spot: I hope you prove correct! JB: Thanks for your compliments. BTW, H&W don't require that you shave, but strongly recommend it. For a serious mega-session, I can't see why you wouldn't want to! Also, I, too, have a "normal look profession," and two weeks after surgery was successfully using Dermmatch/Toppik to camouflage the damage. And, as far as laxity is concerned, you can do exercises to improve that . . .

I've updated my blog with month 1, 2 and 3 pics. I suffered a ton of shock loss, but seem to be recovering now in month 3. I can feel the fun beginning! Here is a comparison pic for a quick view:

Looks great, Bill!

Pat, I'm now just about 2 months after surgery. I use Dermmatch/Toppik, but am concerned about it stunting the growth. Dr. Hasson doesn't seem to believe that there will be any effect. Have you known of any posters that have claimed any of the black stuff has been detrimental during the early months?

GORGEOUS

Hi, Kevin. Thanks for the compliments. I plan to post some more pictures in a week or so, after most or all of the new hairs have fallen out. As for H&W FU prices, I suggest you give H&W a call and speak with Joe or Doug. They can discuss that subject more accurately than I. Good luck with your research!

I finally got to complete my discussion with Dr. Hasson about this isuue. He was neutral in response to my suggestion of taking both Propecia nad Avodart for a while. He basically feels there's no harm in it, but that it's more or less repetitive. Emphatically, he insisted that if I were to choose this route I should, nonetheless, continue to take the daily Avodart along with Procecia, as opposed to alternating between the two. The Propecia, he reasoned, would basically mimic half of Avodart's work, so there was no scientific reason to believe it would yield any benefit. I'm thinking of just sticking with Avodart and throwing in Prepecia or two every now and then. What do you think?

The pictures you see are just after surgery. I took a week off, staying home mostly and not going out without a hat. After having my staples removed on day 15, I went straight to my hair stylist. She tapered the sides down using a #4 on the sides, #3 and #2 toward the top. The overall look was acceptable, and I used some Dermmatch to help conceal the scar. Not a perfect fix, but ok for a day or so. I'm back under my hat now. Played tennis today! (Tomorrow was supposed to be my first day of allowable exercise per Dr. Hasson's post-op guidlines, but I cheated a bit.) Go figure, I hit the ball better than I had in months. Maybe the exrtra grafts helped balance things out. Good luck with your growth!

Oops, I appear to have made a mistake. He got 6,700 in one session (I confused it with my 7,600 total). I guess it was a small session, after all.

Steve, that's a great question. Funny you should ask it, because I intended to ask Dr. Hasson about it, but during our conversation there was an emergency and he had to leave abruptly (some patient wasn't feeling well). I will follow up with him later this week and post his reply. Cheers to you, too!

BSpot, I do think it's safer to leave them in a few more days. Of course, I'm no doctor so for me it's mere conjecture or, at best, good logic. My thinking was largely base on my last HT: When I removed the staples on day 10, but I still felt a lot of tension in the back. My scalp was never particularly lax, and I can't imagine how leaving them in another 4 days wouldn't benefit me in giving the skin an opportunity to regain some more of its laxity. Which is why I was surprised when my plastic surgeon friend told me they routinely wait two weeks on head wounds. Dr Hasson completely agreed with the additional wait. I understand (don't we all) the eagerness to remove these horrible beasts from the back of our head. It is a mild form of torture to live with them. Sleep works only with 2 Tylenol D's every night (I ran out of Ambien). But right now I have only one more night to go!!!! Tomorrow morning at 9 AM I'm scheduled to head out. Can't believe it! In the end, I think it will prove to have been well worth the wait. Nor do I feel that after 10 days they "took root" or hurt any more than previously. Just the same old pain in the neck . . . or just above it. And don't envy me -- envy the dude who just got from Dr. Hasson 7,600 in one session, almost the same total as I now have! In fact, you and I can go out, have a drink, and envy him together (more like sulk together)!

I updated my blog to include the new, HT #2 day 13 pics. All my scabs are now gone. Dr. Hasson agreed with my suggestion, and I'm leaving the staples in for two full weeks, out on day 15 (this Monday morning at 9 AM). My friend, a plastic surgeon, will be removing them for me. Incidentally, he told me that he routinely leaves head staples or sutures in for 2 weeks, whereas on other parts of the body they remove them after 7 or so days.

I got to speak with Dr. Hasson about it yesterday. He told me that he bases his confidence in Dutasteride/Avodart on their own patients: Of the approximately 100 patients they currently have on Avodart, there is one reported complaint, involving nipple tenderness. Growth seems to be solid across the board. I know Dr. Hasson to be a straight-shooter, not a salesman. On several occasions he has voiced crisp criticism of his own work, including certain parts of my pre-op HT #2 hairline last week (which I believe I damaged by using a piece after HT #1). Therefore, when he makes a strong statement I trust him. I am now more hopeful and confident that Avodart will work.

Thanks for your reply, Robert. It's so unusual that some people, like you, swear by it and others report positively horrific experiences. Regarding shedding, is this global? Specifically, if I experience shedding, will it include hairs from my first HT?

Very cool to know. I'm looking forward to results now. On my countdown calendar on my computer, I had for some reason listed "Major Hair Growth" and it is still 103 days away from that marking. Hopefully it takes off soon! I realize that every patient is different (chemistry/biology), and that every doc's results varies, but if you look at my blog, check out the progress in HT #1. The first signs of growth were evident at week 13. Then at week 15 and on they really started taking off. The first "full" look happened at around week 22. That's over 5 months. So I say be patient. Unfortunately, this is a tough part of the process . . . waiting.

That scar looks more than just good to me -- it looks unimaginably phenomenal! Who could have envisioned a strip scar with tons of hair growing right through it? That is the most impressive scar I've ever seen.

Huge, it does look like stuff is beginning to happen, but it's still way too early to see any real results. I'd say by day 120 and forward you might begin to see some real action. BTW, I, too, lost my hair at 20. Sucks big time, my friend. Glad you're taking care of yourself. Good luck!

Dr. Hasson wanted my crown area (not covered in surgery) to become thicker. I'm eager to hear from anyone else who has switched what their experience has been.

After my recent surgery, Dr. Hasson had me switch from Propecia, which I've been taking successfully for the last 10 or 15 years, to Avodart. Have any of you made the change? If so, what difference did you experience?

After my recent surgery, Dr. Hasson had me switch from Propecia, which I've been taking successfully for the last 10 or 15 years, to Avodart. Have any of you made the change? If so, what difference did you experience?

Joe, the video (at least on my pc) was not the clearest in the world, though the scar is obviously miniscule. However, I was blown away by the tricho scar I saw at H&W on the day of my surgery. I mean I simply couldn't find it.

Thanks, The B Spot. It's good to be back here. I used to post a great deal here, and am happy to see how wonderfully the industry has progressed since! Do you have pics up? I'd love to see them. Dr. Shapiro is one of my favorites.

Thanks, Bob. It's incredibly exciting. I'm glad I waited this long for #2, because they now have the tricho closure down to an art. I saw one guy there who had it done about 5 months ago, and I couldn't find his scar! And your own work is historic! By the way, how do you put the hyperlink to "my hair loss blog" in your signature?

Note: A codensed version of this post, but many more pictures, are found at my blog. Well, after nearly two and a half years, I finally had my second installment ordered, installed and delivered with perfection. It's hard to overestimate the thoroughness, professionalism and, of course, quality H&W deliver. Round two brought not only unexpectedly high graft numbers, but a whole new insight into the process, viewed against a backdrop of so much more research, knowledge and information on the subject. I arrived in Vancouver at around 1:30 AM Sunday. A quick ride to the Granville Island Hotel, and I was fast asleep. After a late breakfast, I perused the beautiful, engaging island. Street performers, art galleries and the incredible market place quickly consumed my afternoon. Soon thereafter, Mike Ferko, Scott and Doug Kline arrived from Seattle. We had some fun at the hotel room designing hairlines with Dermmatch. Then we went down for some appetizers and drinks, where we met Nick, who was to have surgery the next day with Dr. Wong while Dr. Hasson worked on me. We all went out to dinner at around 7 PM, joined by Jotronic and the lovely Amber. My intention in round two was twofold: 1) Refine the hairline and some of the temple angles, and 2) fill in behind the frontal third covered by HT #1. At first, Dr. Hasson predicted he'd get only about 2,500 grafts. Accordingly, he delineated an area on top that would not quite reach back as far as the crown, leaving some area uncovered. I was a bit disappointed, but Dr. Hasson said he wanted me to start on Dutastride anyhow, and was very confident that it would fortify the area not covered by surgery. Another thing that really impressed me about Dr. Hasson at this point: He told me he was less-than-satisfied with my current hairline -- critical of his own work. It takes a truly honest, self-confident, and pretty impressive person to be that self-critical. (In truth, I believe I may have done some damage to some parts of his original hairline by wearing a hairpiece after surgery #1. The frontal tape may have suffocated some of the implanted grafts.) The process began at around 7:45 AM. Dr. Hasson first consumed about 400 grafts refining the hairline. We did not shave down the existing frontal hair, as it was my intention to have a small hairpiece designed for the recipient area and, thus, appear at work as if nothing had changed. As soon as the hair grew back, I'd remove the piece and get a short haircut. Dr. Hasson then started the top area, behind the existing hairs from HT #1. Late in the afternoon, as he progressed with the incisions and the techs inserted the grafts, Dr. Hasson finally came back with the great news: We got over 3,500 grafts! So he covered the entire area on the top, and then came back and told me he had another 500 grafts left. He now wanted to shave me down up front and implant the extras up front to increase the density there. Well, I gave him a hard time about shaving down the front, considering the problems this would cause me. But my voice was quited as he pulled out the clipper and started cutting away. We both laughed and I was, of course, happy about it in the end. In all, I received another 3,537 grafts and the process ended at 8:15 PM. Dr, Hasson's incredibly talented and friendly staff helped make the experience so successful and relatively enjoyable. Particularly noteworthy were Slava, Anna, Rebbecca and Farah. And the ever-delightful Christina, of course. Above all, Dr, Hasson is the consummate professional. He is charming, funny, honest, ethical and, of course, supremely skilled.