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Joe Transplant

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Everything posted by Joe Transplant

  1. Texas Usually after 8 days the grafts are pretty set. Try to be careful, but don't sweat it too much - a few days after my surgery, I slammed my head against the wall (accidentally of course) and things still turned out OK. The only time I lost a graft was by picking a scab with the graft still attached to it. Joe
  2. That doesn't seem right, first of all a graft with 5-6 hairs would be a pretty big plug. Also, I think you're right when you said 10,000 hairs. You can achieve a pretty good density with 5,000 graft containing and average of 2 hairs/graft. This all depends on the size of the balding pattern. You may have 100,000 hairs on your head, but only a portion of that will thin out to less than 50%, usually the hairline, top and crown. Hopefully I can explain this correctly; When it is said that you start noticing baldness after losing 50%, it's not the entire head we're talking about, it's only a certain area. My numbers aren't accurate, I'm just using them to make a point. If your balding area is just the crown, then we're only talking about 2000-3000 HAIRS leaving approx. 97,000 in the other areas. If it's the entire top, then we're talking 25,000 HAIRS leaving 75,000 on the sides and back. If you harvest 6,000 GRAFTS totalling 12,000 HAIRS from the remaining 75,000, then you can get close to 50% density on top. I don't know if this makes sense, sometimes getting info from my brain to print just doesn't translate well. If it doesn't, hopefully someone can clarify.
  3. Mahair, I really feel for you, but I've seen photos of guys who have been butchered and have had their transplants redone by a great doctor and the results were great. I have read a lot of your posts about how this has destroyed you and I understand the emotional pain this has caused, but now it's time to start thinking about a solution. First, ask yourself how the transplant truly looks visually, separating emotion from the result. A great way to do that is to post your pictures up so we can do it for you. That way you get a fair assessment. Then we can give you some direction on how to fix it if there is a really big issue. Not to push aside your feelings, but sometimes we do see things worse than they really are. One point that leads me to this is that you mentioned you had permanent nerve damage in your donor area. You're only a few months post op, and we all lose feeling after the surgery, but most of it comes back. Calling it "permanent nerve damage" may be premature and inflammatory. But then again, you might right on with this and the other issues - the rest of us just don't know. You are not the only person this has happened to, and unfortunately, not the last. Others have come out of their tragic ordeal with great results, and it's time to take their view on the situation. A great role model would be jotronic. I myself am not totally happy with my HT, as I mentioned in detail in other threads, but I know I will go to someone else and have it fixed. So for now, I just keep brushing my hair forward. Please take this knowing that I have only your best interest at heart. I just want you to focus on the positive, as hard as it may be. Others have done it, am I'm sure you're strong enough to come out of this as a shining role model to others. Also, I am a little confused, in one post you mentioned you went to Bosley, and in another MHR. Not that it's important to your feelings, but we want to warn others about the doctor you went to. Take care, Joe
  4. PD, I noticed my hair thinning about 6-7 years ago. I remember running my fingers through my hair and having a bunch of it fall onto the bathroom counter. That really freaked me out so I started using Nioxin. That was the first thing I looked into. I believe it helped with the daily shedding. My hair kept thinning, but not at the previous fast rate. Other than trying propecia for about a month five years ago (don't like taking meds,) Nioxin has been the only treatment I used, and still do. Again, the thinning still occured, only slower, and at the beginning of this year, I received my first HT. It definately wouldn't hurt to try it and see, especially if you want to "attack" it from all angles (propecia, rogaine, shampoos, etc...) There are other shampoos you may try like NANO and Nizoral. I do like the way it leaves my hair. It appears thicker, and it leaves my hair and scalp feeling really clean. I've tried other shampoos, but it's harder for me to style it without Nioxin. Of course this could all just be mental, but I feel good using it and that's fine with me. I use the cleanser and scalp therapy everyday. Hope this helps. Joe
  5. Vocor, (Actually, this is for anyone with propecia experience.) I know you've had some great results with Propecia, and was wondering about the shedding. How bad was/is it, and during the shedding phase, did your hair look thinner? or did you just notice more hair on the pillow. I've never been one to really take meds, so any additional personal info you may have on side effects would be great. Thanks.
  6. Vocor, (Actually, this is for anyone with propecia experience.) I know you've had some great results with Propecia, and was wondering about the shedding. How bad was/is it, and during the shedding phase, did your hair look thinner? or did you just notice more hair on the pillow. I've never been one to really take meds, so any additional personal info you may have on side effects would be great. Thanks.
  7. Dorian About 9 months ago, I had 1800+ grafts done by Dr. Elliott in Newport Beach. Overall, I am happy that I made the decision to get a transplant, however, for my next procedure; I am going to look at other doctors. I feel my results could have been better. I haven't discussed this with my doctor, because I realize there is not much that can be done other than having another procedure to touch things up. Now you might be asking what I was unhappy with? Well, the biggest issue for me is the hairline. Up in my right temple, the grafts were placed systematically as opposed to randomly. Although it does not look like the plugs of old, it still has a slight "linear/cornrowish" look to it. Then there's the front hairline itself. Here I noticed some 2 and 3 hair grafts growing out when only singles should have been placed. These look a little strange since I have these thicker shafts in a thinning area. It's not as bad as it may sound, but it is noticeable to someone who is knowledgeable about HTs. For this purpose, I comb my hair forward. I believe it may have to do with the fact that assistants place the grafts instead of the doc and don't pay as much attention to detail- but then again, the doc did make the recipient sites in the temple. I would give my HT a grade of a "B." Some can live with that; others demand an "A." Next time, I want an "A"
  8. I'm 30 years old and have noticed my hair thinning since I was 24.
  9. Mahair, Don't stress too much. Everything you're experiencing now if pretty normal. The first four days I looked like frankensien. My head was swollen and my left eye almosst closed completely. Maybe rocky is a better example. Anyways, the swelling will go away by the fifth day or so. As far as the redness on top, that may take a few months. For some it went away sooner. Hopefully you have enough original hair to cover things up. If not there are always little techniques to blend it in. Your scabs should all be gone by the tenth day. Just follow the instructions of your doc and keep them moist. Expect some shock fall out. Most of us experience it and it is quite normal to think that maybe the decision was a bad one, but PATIENCE is the key here. Allow yourself a few months to really start seeing the benefits. If you can, share some photos of what you were like before and how things are progressing. You can check out my pics at: My Photos These are only at four months, I need to update. I don't know if you've read a lot of the posts here, but most of us don't like Bosley, but that doesn't mean that you made a mistake. Some people have come out looking great. Remember it's normal to start regretting the procedure, especially right after, I know I did. But it gets better and as time goes by, you can really assess the situation and take actions from there. I did mine five months ago and I am now happier than ever even though I do want to do it again and correct a few little things. Keep asking questions!
  10. YMe, If you can, post a picture. I feel you are in the same boat I was not too long ago. I am early NW 5a and I still had a good amount of hair before I had my HT nearly five months ago. I too was worried about the rest of my hair falling out and whether or not to do a large session. I figured that most of my hair would eventually fall out anyways, seeing that almost all the men in my family are completely bald, so I just went for the largest session I could go with. My doctor did 1800+ grafts. Not huge compared to some of the 3000+ sessions other guys have done, but it's still a significant. I did experience shock fallout, but a lot less than I had expected. I thought I would be completely bald after the surgery, but if your doc knows what he is doing, then it you should be ok. During the two months I wore a hat and if I had to go out, I used a masking lotion to cover it up. Now almost five months later, it looks good and I am extremely happy with my decision. I do know that I will have to go back and do at least one more session in the future. Here are some pics of me: My Photos As far as FUE and strip method, I'm sure someone can get more detailed and give you links to sites, but from my understanding ??“ the strip method (which I did) is exactly that. They cut out a strip from the back of your head (ear to ear in my case) and then dissect it for insertion. FUE is follicular unit extraction. They cut out each graft individually from the donor area and there are no stitches and/or scars. Just a bunch of little dots that heal up nicely. In some photos that I've seen, a guy shaved his head completely bald and you could not tell anything. From what I hear FUE is the way to go, but it takes a long time, it cost a little more, and not too many docs doing it. I'm not sure how far along you are, but if you are starting propecia and still have a good amount of hair, you may want to hold off on the HT. See how propecia works for you. Take care.
  11. Hey Arfy, About four years back I tried Propecia. I stopped using it only after a few months. Even though I know it's pretty safe, I freak out at the fact that I would have to take it every day for such a long period of time. I don't even like taking meds when I'm sick. It's just a personal thing. I'm sure a lot of guys have benefited from it and should continue if its working. If my hair can eventually look decent after a few HTs then I'll be happy with that. Thanks
  12. tkotko Yeah the scar still shows when wet, not as much as before, but I do have to muss up the sides and back a little so it's not so noticable.
  13. TKOTKO: I'm glad to hear you're feeling good about your decision too. I also sometimes feel a little guilty about freaking out over something so small compared to the big challenges in life. But now that I feel better about myself, I can help others in the same situation and have the confidence to go out and contribute to those who have really big problems. Texas: Up until two weeks ago, I used Couvre. I stopped using it because my hair's looking OK without it and personally I feel better having it look thinner than being self-conscious about people noticing or touching the couvre. But thanks for looking out for me.
  14. Manko: Thanks a lot. I had 1822 grafts done by Dr. Elliott of Elliott & True. I know I'll get more done as my natural hair continues to thin. Vocor1 Thanks to you also. You definately hit the points I ws trying to make. And yes, Hard Rock is the best.
  15. For about 6 years now, I've been slowly losing my hair, and my sanity. LOL! Four months ago I decided to do something about it and I got an HT. As you will tell from the pictures, I wasn't completely bald, in fact, I still had a good amount of hair - that when combed right - looked OK. I think my emotional ride really came from the unknown future. The biggest thing for me was whether or not to start searching for the woman of my dreams now, or wait until after the surgery. But I wasn't happy with the way I was looking, and I knew that it would only get worse over time. But what if I looked worse after the HT? So on and so on.... It went on for a while. Finally I made the decision to do it. Looking back, it was the best thing I could have done. I know I could have postponed it and still look good, but those "what ifs" would constantly pop up in my head. What this HT has done for me psychologically has been incredible. After only four months, my hair still doesn't look totally full; in fact, it's probably a little thinner than before. But I feel like a huge burden has been lifted from my shoulders. That burden was the fear of the unknown. I didn't know how this was going to turn out. I didn't know how long I would look messed up. I didn't know if it would ever look good. I didn't know how it would play in my love life. These were all insignificant fears that were controlling my life. I let my situation get the better of me and stopped doing the things I loved; swimming, working out, kickboxing, go out with friends, meeting women, etc... A month after my HT, I started hitting the gym, then kickboxing, a couple months later I started going to bars with friends, and just this weekend I was in Vegas shooting down the water slide with my buddies at Hard Rock! Sure my hair at the pool didn't look good, and every once in a while my buddies would tell me my scar was showing, but I would just fix it up and keep having fun. The best thing about the pool was that even though my hair looked jacked up, I met a bunch of girls and got numbers! ??“ All because I was so much fun. I'm not saying this to brag, I just know that a lot of guys, including myself, think that we have to look a certain way or others will judge us. Well, they judge our attitude over anything, and my attitude before my transplant was pretty freakin' boring. I think the HT was the catalyst to me really working on myself. It helped me to work on my body and then my attitude followed. Who knows what would have happened if I would have done that stuff before my transplant. But that's history now. I'll quit rambling. I'm not quite sure what message I want to convey to everyone reading, I just hope this helps out in some way. Anyways, take a look at these pictures and tell me what you think and feel free to ask any questions. If you click on the pics a couple of time, they'll zoom in. My Photos Thanks for reading! [This message was edited by Joe Transplant on May 13, 2003 at 10:41 PM.]
  16. For about 6 years now, I've been slowly losing my hair, and my sanity. LOL! Four months ago I decided to do something about it and I got an HT. As you will tell from the pictures, I wasn't completely bald, in fact, I still had a good amount of hair - that when combed right - looked OK. I think my emotional ride really came from the unknown future. The biggest thing for me was whether or not to start searching for the woman of my dreams now, or wait until after the surgery. But I wasn't happy with the way I was looking, and I knew that it would only get worse over time. But what if I looked worse after the HT? So on and so on.... It went on for a while. Finally I made the decision to do it. Looking back, it was the best thing I could have done. I know I could have postponed it and still look good, but those "what ifs" would constantly pop up in my head. What this HT has done for me psychologically has been incredible. After only four months, my hair still doesn't look totally full; in fact, it's probably a little thinner than before. But I feel like a huge burden has been lifted from my shoulders. That burden was the fear of the unknown. I didn't know how this was going to turn out. I didn't know how long I would look messed up. I didn't know if it would ever look good. I didn't know how it would play in my love life. These were all insignificant fears that were controlling my life. I let my situation get the better of me and stopped doing the things I loved; swimming, working out, kickboxing, go out with friends, meeting women, etc... A month after my HT, I started hitting the gym, then kickboxing, a couple months later I started going to bars with friends, and just this weekend I was in Vegas shooting down the water slide with my buddies at Hard Rock! Sure my hair at the pool didn't look good, and every once in a while my buddies would tell me my scar was showing, but I would just fix it up and keep having fun. The best thing about the pool was that even though my hair looked jacked up, I met a bunch of girls and got numbers! ??“ All because I was so much fun. I'm not saying this to brag, I just know that a lot of guys, including myself, think that we have to look a certain way or others will judge us. Well, they judge our attitude over anything, and my attitude before my transplant was pretty freakin' boring. I think the HT was the catalyst to me really working on myself. It helped me to work on my body and then my attitude followed. Who knows what would have happened if I would have done that stuff before my transplant. But that's history now. I'll quit rambling. I'm not quite sure what message I want to convey to everyone reading, I just hope this helps out in some way. Anyways, take a look at these pictures and tell me what you think and feel free to ask any questions. If you click on the pics a couple of time, they'll zoom in. My Photos Thanks for reading! [This message was edited by Joe Transplant on May 13, 2003 at 10:41 PM.]
  17. I got in on this threat kind of late so I haven't read all the postings. Sorry if any of my info is redundant. This is an article I found a couple years back when I was looking into the whole thing on density: THE DENSITY ISSUE B.L.Limmer, M.D. Professor of Dermatology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas; Diplomate American Board of Dermatology, Inc., Diplomate American Board of Dermatopathology, Inc., San Antonio, Texas All hair restoration techniques should seek to mimic nature in both quality and quantity. Results so natural that recognition as a transplant is difficult are readily accomplished today through the use of large numbers of very small grafts. Whether density comparable to other techniques can be accomplished with small graft methodology remains a contested issue among transplant surgeons. A review of the literature reveals a significant variation in naturally occurring density as determined by surface anatomists, microscopic histologic studies, and the intraoperative findings of hair restoration surgeons. These findings are noted to be influenced by age, race and various alopecias including androgenetic alopecia. Using horizontal sectioning methods, Headington found terminal hair counts of 160-280 per square centimeter. Surface anatomists have found average densities ranging from 154-240 hairs per square centimeter. Using surface microscopy, Barman et al found the frontal scalp of non-balding men age 16-46 years to possess an average of 210 hairs per square centimeter. Sperling and Winton6 found the frontal scalp of patients undergoing hair transplantation for androgenetic alopecia to possess 111 hair per square centimeter of which approximately 85% were vellus and 15% terminal. Other estimates of total hair density have ranged from 435 per square centimeter for 80 year old men to 615 per square centimeter for 20-30 year old men. Hair restoration surgeons counting terminal hair in the donor area of patients undergoing hair restoration surgery have generally found a lesser terminal hair density than surface anatomists. By counting terminal hair in 4.0-4.5 millimeter diameter donor plugs, Nordstrom found a range of 82-190 hair per square centimeter. By counting hair in an approximately 10 square centimeter elliptical donor specimen, Limmer found a range of 120-140 hair per square centimeter. Summarizing the densities encountered by these investigators it would appear with reasonable certainty that the naturally occurring density in the adult male lies in a range of 130-280 terminal hair per square centimeter with an average density estimated near 200 hair per square centimeter. It is generally accepted that hair density must decrease approximately 50% before alopecia becomes very obvious to the naked eye. Assuming a range of 130-280 terminal hair per square centimeter as "normal", a goal of 65-140 hair per square centimeter would be required to generate the appearance of "normal" density restoration. Based upon counts of density in cases done by both plug and mini-micrografting methods, these estimates required to produce the appearance of normal or cosmetically acceptable density hold true in this study.******" Now, what I understand from this is that "normal" density is from 130-280 HAIRS/cm2 and to get up to the "appearance" of normal (50%) would require 65-140 HAIRS/cm2. I also read somewhere that an HT averages about 2 Hairs per Graft, so you would need about 32-70 GRAFTS/cm2 to achieve 50%. Again, I'm not sure if this is all acurate, I'm just going by the article and what was told to me.
  18. The red dots are scabs that usually fall off by the second or third week. But again, the ingrown zits can look wierd around the second to third month. At four months, most of the numbness has gone away, however, I still feel sore around the donor scar at times - never any pain though. You may not be "fully" recovered for months after.
  19. I had 1800+ grafts done four months ago and my scalp is still a little more pink than my face. I still have a lot of original hair left and the grafts are at a good length, so you can't notice it. The scar however is still noticeable if not combed "correctly" and especially noticable when wet. I also experienced a lot of ingrown hairs that resulted in big "zits" on my scalp between the second and third month. I still have a few. You may want to wait until after your trip to do it, but that's my opinion based on my experience. Hope this helps!
  20. Three days after my procedure, I was feeling the scabs on my head and one felt like it was about to fall off so decided to "help it" Mistake! The scab was raised, but still attached to the graft and when I lift it with my finger nail, the whole graft came out. It looked like a little worm or magget (Gross analogy) with a shaft of hair going through the middle. Some blood came out also.
  21. I'm now 4 months into my first HT, my scar is also noticeable when wet, and I still have a little hat head when dry. From what I can tell, it's from the hair just around the scar. Some of it is still shorter from the rest because of the trimming, and some I BELIEVE went into shock and they are now just growing out (I even have some ingrowns in the donor area.) I have a reletive that had two HT's before me and a third one with me. After his first two, spaced over a year apart, his scar was still noticeable in certain areas. Mainly on the left and right side of the back (if that makes sense.) It seemed the scar stretched in those areas. His scar now looks great after his third, but the is is a little portion on his left temple that shows only when wet - I just told him to say it was a small scar from fight where he beat up six body builders all by himself. Anyways, hopefully in your case, and mine, the hair will grow out and there wont be too much, if any, stretching of the scar. If there is hopefully is will be resolved with my next procedure, or with a scar reduction. Hope this gave you a little more insight.
  22. Vocor1 Glad to hear about your positive experince. I agree that it's mostly about positive attitude. Before my transplant I wasn't feeling too confident about myself and it showed. I constantly worried about the future and what women would think. Now that I've done it I feel great even though my hair is thinner due to shock fallout. It's not how I looked, but how much fun I was having that attracted not just those two women, but a bunch of people to hang out with me and my friends. I believe we sometimes look in the mirror and see things worse than what they really are. Then it shows in our actions or worse, our inaction. Through this transplant, I have learned to let go of those insecurities because I now have "experienced" that I can do something about it. Six years of emotion have been settled by one day of surgery, 3 months of recovery, and a future of knowing I will constantly improve my hair and myself.
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