tkerr22

sometimes people don't lose too much of the transplanted hair, it's rare but I've heard about it. I know I even had a few hairs, not many, but a few that just sat there and didn't do anything for about 2 months or so then they started growing. Ya never know maybe that is what is happening to a lot of yours?

I got sutures. I talked to my doc yesterday and he basically told me the same thing. He told me to just soak the suture area for awhile each day, rubbing it gently with soap, and then in a week or so to get a little more aggressive

you still got a couple of months at least till the hair will start growing

I just had 1650 dense packed in my midscalp, if the doctor has the ud to date techniques and tools it works out great since the smaller blades leave less trauma and more grafts can be planted closer together

It's been 3 days now since my last HT. Has been rough sleeping with every time I lay on my sutures they cause pressure and some aching. I am still pretty tight, but seems to be not as bad as the first day. I noticed that there is quite a bit of dry blood around my sutures, especially on the left side that was very tight. The grafts themeselves look allright and have quite a bit of scabbing going on. I bled very bad during surgery and the doc said this meant I have good blood supply. Didn't make his work any easier though, but is a good environment for growth. I think when I can get this excess blood off of my suture area it might loosen things up a little bit. Other than that no pain today and I am feeling good! Looking forward to this stitches getting out friday and to get on with the waiting period! am excited to know in a few months will have a nice head of hair minus a half dollar sized bald spot on my crown. But with my new hair, if it grows in as good as it did in the front, will be able to cover that small bald spot! I have added a pic of the area that got transplanted, pic is pretty blurry, but that's my camera I have. You at least get the idea of the density he creates with all the grafts packed into a smaller area. And like I said, there is quite a bit of bloody grafts cause I am a bleeder, damn scottish heritage!!

slept better last night Brian. Would wake up a bit to make sure i wasn't rubbing my grafts, but they all look in good shape and no bleeding so I guess I am ok!

anyone got any suggestions how to clean up dry blood around sutures?

anyone got any suggestions how to clean up dry blood around sutures?

K, my post op instructions are kinda hard for me to follow, can anyone help it states. I had my suregery on Friday, June 23rd

2nd day after surgery

Take a shower. Don't let water pressure hit grafts directly for the next 3 days. Using your shampoo, create a lather on the side and back of your head where the grafts are not present. Rub with suds gently along the suture area with fingers. Take some suds and place into 16 oz. platic cup filled with water. Gently pour over graft area. Repeat several times. You must do this to keep the area clean of excess grease build up. Do not be timid. Rinse with plastic cup and water to get all suds out. You may let water hit grafts if covered by a wash cloth.

ok, so does this mean wear a washcloth over my grafts as I pour water on it? Or just if I am standing under the actually showerhead have a washcloth? anyones else's experiences at this time would be great! thanks

K, my post op instructions are kinda hard for me to follow, can anyone help it states. I had my suregery on Friday, June 23rd

2nd day after surgery

Take a shower. Don't let water pressure hit grafts directly for the next 3 days. Using your shampoo, create a lather on the side and back of your head where the grafts are not present. Rub with suds gently along the suture area with fingers. Take some suds and place into 16 oz. platic cup filled with water. Gently pour over graft area. Repeat several times. You must do this to keep the area clean of excess grease build up. Do not be timid. Rinse with plastic cup and water to get all suds out. You may let water hit grafts if covered by a wash cloth.

ok, so does this mean wear a washcloth over my grafts as I pour water on it? Or just if I am standing under the actually showerhead have a washcloth? anyones else's experiences at this time would be great! thanks

your grafts should be all set in place by day 3 or 4. With the new techniques and blades it doesn't take long to get set. You should be fine and you should be fine in wearing a hat being 11 days out. Myself I am going to wait till 5 days out to wear a hat

thanks brianf, got no sleep last night. going to go upstairs and crawl into bed with my comfortable pillow under my cheek and ear and get some zzzzzz's!!!!

gotcha, so if I am laying on a pillow where only my side hair and ear are touching, not the grafts, I should be fine? all my grafts are in the midscalp and this never touches my pillow, so I am ok?

by putting pressure on grafts what do you mean?

K,

Have had my 4th HT yesterday and I cannot sleep cause of being uncomfortable trying to prop my head up. Got a question, is sleeping upright recommended for the swelling and to avoid your grafts rubbing against something and getting dislodged only? because I could really care less if I have a little swelling and I know last time I had a HT with Dr. Alexander I had no swelling at all(I think it was due to his small blades and minimal invasiveness). I feel much more comfortable with a pillow resting against my cheek and ear so the pillow never comes close to my grafts thus I never experience any potential rubbing of the grafts, especially this time since they were all midscalp only except for a few up front. Like I said I sleep in a postion that won' bother my grafts. Are there any other reasons for sleeping elevated??? thanks in advance

K,

Have had my 4th HT yesterday and I cannot sleep cause of being uncomfortable trying to prop my head up. Got a question, is sleeping upright recommended for the swelling and to avoid your grafts rubbing against something and getting dislodged only? because I could really care less if I have a little swelling and I know last time I had a HT with Dr. Alexander I had no swelling at all(I think it was due to his small blades and minimal invasiveness). I feel much more comfortable with a pillow resting against my cheek and ear so the pillow never comes close to my grafts thus I never experience any potential rubbing of the grafts, especially this time since they were all midscalp only except for a few up front. Like I said I sleep in a postion that won' bother my grafts. Are there any other reasons for sleeping elevated??? thanks in advance

congrats action! It will look great in a few months! I felt the same way after my last HT, will it look thin when it growns out? And boy was I pleasantly suprised! when it growns out it will thiken up and make a huge difference! Congrats and look forward to seeing your updates as I am not far hehind you on the HT as I had mine yesterday for my midscalp!

K, I have got some of the palest scottish skin you will see and freckle easliy. In some pics my head and hair look quite red but when in person not as much. I have had a few HT's and my skin gets very pink for a short time, but when the hair grows thru it you can not notice it, in fact with my pale skin I think a slight hint of redness hepls the hairs appearance especially if your hair has some red in it, it can make it appear fuller than it is. My head might still have a slight red tint, and I mean slight, but it doesn't stick out at all, with your hair color and skin it might even help your appearance as well when the hair starts to grow

Okay, got back from Phoenix a few hours ago from having my second HT with Dr. Alexander. Overall, a pleasant experience and now I play that dreaded waiting game once again.

I arrived at his office around 7:30 where the doc and I talked for a bit about our gameplan and what would be best. He was very honest with me and stated that with my past HT's my donar area was not as dense as it once was and was a little tighter as well. So we came up with the gameplan to fill in the rest of my midscalp very dense and leave the small crown spot alone. At first I was a little sad about this but I know I would rather have a nice, thick mane of hair up front and on the top of my head than a thick front with a thinner midscalp and thin crown area. So, that was the gameplan and that is what we did. He densed packed somewhere around 1600-1700 grafts behind my new front and to the spot on my head where it slopes down. He really packed them in and cannot wait to have that thick hair all the way to my crown! I got outof his office around 4 and my wife drove me back to the wonderful Arizona Biltmore which is only a mere 5 minutes away

I recouped the rest of the night there taking pain meds for my donor area from time to time, no extreme pain just annoying aching. My donar area is very tight right now and it hurts to lay on the back of my head as the stitches make it not so comfortable. But other than some mid aching and tightness I feel fine and we ordered some room service for dinner. Tried to sleep but didn't get much, and we drove home this morning. Have spent the day jus trying to get some more rest and have taken some tylenol to alleviate some aching. Will be going to go take a shower here soon and wash the donor area good, going in next friday to get the stitches out, as Dr. Alexander believes leaving stictches in too long can lead to more scarring, and I know from previous HT's it feels so much better when they are out!! Will put up some pics most likely monday, thanks for all your support! and if you have any qurstions feel free to ask!

You don't need to take propecia before a HT but from what I've been told and read it can help in preventing some shock loss. I know after my last HT I still had quite a bit of shock loss even while on propecia, maybe it would've been even worse had I not been on it, I don't know.

thanks guys, probably will do that. Our pool in Scottsdale will be able to swim in at midnight as well during the summer as well.

I am getting ready to head down to Phoenix tonight for my next HT with Dr. Alexander tomorrow. Am really excited yet nervous as well. He did a great job for my front 1/3 and am looking to get the same results for the rest of my midscalp and crown. Will be asking him to give me all the info on the procedure and will be updating my pics as well when I get back home. He is putting me up at a 5 star resort for two nights as well, so afterwards I get to recover in one of the nicest resorts in Phoenix. wish me luck, not that I'll need it!

Hey, am having my HT friday and am purchasing a new home with a pool. Does anyone have any idea how long after a HT you can go swimming??

Hey, am having my HT friday and am purchasing a new home with a pool. Does anyone have any idea how long after a HT you can go swimming??

I did the same thing about 2 months after my last HT, except I used Toppik for about 3 or 4 days straight. I had some shock loss and wanted to cover the balding area. I washed it out and it was fine after that, no issues. Wouldn't do it consistently but I think for a short trip that it would be perfectly fine