thanatopsis_awry

Very impressive; I assume that you don't wet the applicator at all when working w/ hair so short..? How long does the whole process take for you? For me I would say well under 5minutes, and maybe 5minutes when I take into account applying toppik and styling as well.

To me the key w/ dermmatch is how wet to get the applicator, and the dish, w/ each coating -- when I strike the perfect balance for my hair length the results make me go from a veritable NW4diffuser to a NW1.5 w/ no discernable balding.

I completely agree w/ above advice.

It's brutal, I know....but, personally, I would also recommend: shave your head, get on propecia (obv stop if you happen to be one of the unlucky ones w/ bad side effects), and try to put issues of hairloss behind you as much as possible. You are VERY VERY young -- it would be a shame for you to get consumed in any meaningful way by MPB and HTs at such an age, especially when you have such (relatively) little control....know that treatments like HTs, even hair multiplcation, wait in the wings for you down the road, and you just pop a miniscule pill once a day.

In the meantime, I would honestly try shaving your head, get a tan, workout, etc. if you feel generally self-conscious about your looks. This isn't ideal, of course, but I think it may very well be your best bet.

FUE is great if you don't require a ton of grafts; want to keep your hair short; want/need less post-op healing; don't mind paying a premium. Many -- even good -- doctors aren't up to employing FUE; though, some are and can do it ethically and with wonderful results -- e.g. Feller.

I'm a bit surprised he said buzzing to a 1.5 would "not be a problem" when you mentioned a poentially visible scar; I could be wrong, but I would say it def would be visible (?).

The "cold laser treatment" sounds fishy, but what do I know...I'd be shocked if it did you any harm, though if there was great, credible evidence for its efficacy I would think at all the elite, progressive docs would be all over it.

It's tough to say how appropriate the 2k figure is for you w/o pics. I would most definitely get at least one "2nd" opinion.

Of the docs you listed, I personally have liked the work of Gabel, Keene, and Alexander vmuch.

GL, of course, and it's good to see you are taking a pragmatic approach to this and not rushing in!

You may very well be a "slow grower", so at this point you have much less than 30-40% of growth (?); couple that with the fact that from this point on you should start to experience the most dramatic, month-by-month changes. Keep up the documentation, I have a feeling by the end of month 9 you will see very noticeable aesthetic improvements.

The great news is that the "hardest" times of your transformation are over and this is where things typically get good, perhaps very very very good for you!

I'm following your case closely, as I too have suffered incredible hair loss at a young age and am undergoing a HT.

Secret,

This "doctor" actually *threatened* you if you attempted to reveal the results and your level of satisfaction with your surgery!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

This is the lowest, most sleazy HT tale I have ever heard of; I hope you reveal the name so others might be spared going to this manipulative butcher. Also, if anyone is getting sued here it would be (and should be) HIM!

X, I may have misread, but it seems you have had several prior procedures with antiquated methods -- even a scalp reduction, I think I read in another thread. It is really vital that this go around you go with the best person out there for your individual case -- Dr. Wasserbauer may or may not be that person.

In any event, the bottom line, I think, is that there is plenty of doubt which has been raised that needs to be resolved before you make such a monumental decision; you should have clear, plentiful information about her methods and her results. Immediate post-op pics, especially, to go along with clear before and afters of various people with varying levels of hairloss.

In the end, you will act with your own tolerance for risk; I would, however, heed the advice in this thread, as well as arrange a consult (online or live) with a "Coalition" doc...Feller, H&W, Shapiro, etc. all of whom have showed again and again and without doubt that they are in the elite.

We are at a point where it is no longer impossible to find an elite doc, I would take advantage of that opportunity and move ahead with total confidence!

Best of luck, of course, with w/e you decide.

Hmmmm, the ASAP thing is a bit alarming (to me)....so many people who get brutally hosed by a surgeon, or even walk into something that simply isn't as good as what they could have had, do so because they rushed into it.

That you can't find clear, detailed info on her is even more alarming. Regardless of how great she seems from her website or in person, proof is truly in the pudding -- think Bosley, MHR, etc...

This seems to be a seminal surgery for you, so I would really do what it takes to get what you acknowledge you need -- an elite HT with an elite surgeon.

She may very well be great, I don't know -- I would def recommend you don't go through with it until you know either.

The lack of a top-down picture to reference at ~12months may be exagerating the effect, or lackthereof, of improvement (?). After the 7th month mark, at least to me, I found it hard to get a good grasp of things -- and certaintly a *ton* can happen between the 7th month to the 12th.

I have to say though that I too was quite "underwhelmed" by the difference -- it just didn't feel at all like 2400 grafts. Like Bill/hairthere mentioned, it looks like the grafts were widely distributed over a vast area; perhaps that, along with no top-down photos and your hair charachteristics are playing a large role in this sentiment.

Bottom line, though, is that you are pleased and you know your hair better than any of us ever could.

Ya, things seem to have stagnated a bit of late. I think BHT-FUE will be the next big thing -- definitely before HM. I'm considering investing in the Intercytex stock, nonetheless; it happened to plummet quite a bit of late (50ish% I beleive). High-risk biotech stock for sure, but could be a fun ride.

Pretty sure, btw, that it won't be a pill. I put the O/U at 12yrs for HM to come into practice, and 15 before it's something I would wanna actually do.

Hahah. Wow. TBH, I would never be able to live either down; thankfully, I only plan on partaking in 1 of the aforementioned. lol.

So so true....so many situations like you just mentioned that get taken for granted.

And ya, count me in as voting "yay" as well for having prison sentences dished out for getting an S2000 w/ auto.

Absolutely, man. Going to make sure everything gets well documented....just countin' the days down and thinking up some good excuses to tell my gym mates!

Nice choice on the ride; S2000 has a sweet shiftbox (if you got stick, that is). Either way, nice car and nice HT, obv, look to be healing extremely well.

EDIT -- I almost bought an S2000 a couple years ago, but opted for Mazda RX-8 at the last min.

I can barely imagine the anticipation....but, that really is going to make it all the sweeter once you get closer and closer to being fully grown....just checked out your blog, you are going to look great man; it is so wretched to have hair loss in your early-mid twenties, really happy for you, it's great that your doing something about it with such an elite doc!

Damn, I can imagine that no matter how rational you try to be about it, or how much you anticipate it, that the ~3.5ish month mark when things take a step backwards before taking two forward must be torture. But, the bright side is that no matter how worried or paranoid ya invariably get you *will* be getting good results bottom line.

Do you use concealers Arrie? I know quite a few people who have gotten HTs use dermmatch/toppik to great affect to get them through the rough period your describing.

dhuge,

I look to be in a similiar boat as you. I've kept my hair buzzed at various lenghts of late, and also found Dermmatch to be a miracle worker! I never buzzed quite as short as you, however...good to know I could go that close and still be able to use dermmatch to such effect.

If I can acquaint myself w/ the 21st century and find a way to get some before/after concealer pics I would love to....it is absurd how different I look -- virtually a NW1ish with dermmatch and toppik combo and the right hair length.

Biggest pain is the "hair-print" that Mrjb mentioned, and after an intense workout I can look strikingly different. +, it just ain't hair!!!

Russtaman,

I feel your pain, man...or, at least I will *soon* be feeling your pain! I am on the cusp of undergoing an HT w/ Dr. Feller. The downtime from exercise has always been my biggest grievance w/ undergoing the HT process -- the pain, swelling, whathaveyou has never been a big concern.

It's encouraging, wanthairs, that you resumed boxing after but 4 weeks. Dr. Feller has also said that after the 4wk point you can start to resume pretty much all types of exercise....a sharp contrast from the 6(!) month figure I received from another coalition doc...hmmm.

Keep us posted!

Hmmm, thx for all the replies....you make very valid points. that he denies even taking creatine as a supplement, nor ever even diets, and looks like this w/o any "effort" is what really cinches it I think, which you've all mentioned as well. Though he does mention that he drinks, and I quote, "carrot juice"

He just acts like *any* supplement is foreign to him....but, like you say NG2GB, you yourslf knew guys who swore to pretty much everyone they didn't do it. Even w/ every "typical" supplement the guy would be classified as a total genetic freak. Perhaps he is a freak among freaks, but it has to be more likely that he juices....also, if it was known that he did roids' it would *severely* be to his detriment....would put a huge asterix on his otherworldy performance....strength, explosiveness, endurance, recovery....

He also has this super "dry" look, like he doesn't have an iota of fat or water retention to mask his muscles.....dunno if that is roid-related.

Thx for the opinions, appreciated!

Thx, wasn't aware that it had such an effect on the scarring, or lackthereof, and tightness!

Fwiw, my forearms became surprisingly fatigued doing the 10minute scalp exercising....

It seems like the importance of doing exercises to improve laxity can't be overstated -- it really makes a big difference in your doctor being able to get you maximum # of grafts.

At the same time, if I'm going into my first HT, getting ~3k grafts not because it's the most I can prolly get but b/c it's all that I need should I still dilligently do the exercices? Is there a benefit to how easy the procedure will be for my doctor, or are scalp exercices really only beneficial for a procedure where your doctor is trying to get the absolute maximum?

It seems like the importance of doing exercises to improve laxity can't be overstated -- it really makes a big difference in your doctor being able to get you maximum # of grafts.

At the same time, if I'm going into my first HT, getting ~3k grafts not because it's the most I can prolly get but b/c it's all that I need should I still dilligently do the exercices? Is there a benefit to how easy the procedure will be for my doctor, or are scalp exercices really only beneficial for a procedure where your doctor is trying to get the absolute maximum?

dhoose (or anyone who is in the know about bodybuilding):

there is a russian I train with....Drago....seriously, his name is Drago...anyways, he weighs ~190-200, ~6ft tall and **YEAR ROUND** is big and shredded....he could seriously walk onto a bodybuilding stage in a day's notice and look the part....obv steroids is the first thing that pops into our minds, which he vehemently denies -- and also states that he takes no other supplements like creatine....is this possible? can someone have like 5% bodyfat year round w/ size w/o taking any supplements? and if so, how rare is this.

I have a hairmax laser comb, which is collecting dust as we speak. I don't buy into its efficacy, though I'm more than willing to change my opinion if future results/information come out in favor of it. I would then go back to it and give it a try.

To me, the biggest problem the laser comb represents is that it might lure people into using it IN LIEU of the best treatments -- The Big Three...propecia, rogaine foam 5%, nizoral (or revita).

IMO, what has happened w/ Dr. Bosley (who may very well be, or have been, a good progressive doctor in his own right at a time) may very well happen with Armani, though perhaps to a lesser extent and over a large period of time.....over-expansion and the valuation of $ generation over quality control and consistency, which gets worse and worse w/ time.

Arrie is correct, I would def heed his advice and research tons. "Mini" grafts are antiquated modes of hair transplantation and are *FAR* less desireable than the latest methods utilized by elite, progressive doctors.

If you have walked into a place that is throwing around terms like "mini grafting" be *very* cautious.