Time to do something

I left some important information out in my first post titled "Hair Replacement and HT Density". I wear a lace hair replacement and would like to hear from others out there that have worn them. I'm trying to figure out if when the HT was matured if the density was close to that of your hair replacement. I looked at the NW chart and I think I am a 5. My hair is very thick and each individual hair is "fat" so I'm told that will help with the illusion of density. I have a relatively narrow area directly on top of my head that is bald or very thin the exception would be a spot just in front of my crown where the hair still goes all the way across my head. I am currently attaching it with clips due to the HT and pulling it below the transplanted hairline in the font and using a water based glue. My doctor moved my hairline back a little to not only fit the age appropriateness but to save more hairs for other areas. I've always used the glue in the front for a very natural appearance but I used doubled sided sticky tape around the rest of the perimeter before the HT. My doctor told me he could get close to the same density but not as thick which was ok with me. I just don't want to have hair that looks like I am balding when the light hits it or it gets wet so that is my concern. I am prepared to have another procedure but I will have to decide in the coming months which route to go. I had 2520 grafts in the first procedure and will have that many on the second. What I need to determine is will the next 2520 go in the front for more density or will they go on the crown? That is going to be a BIG decision for me. The guy that cuts my hair and provides me with my lace replacements has numerous clients that have gone in for hair transplants and many of them have the same predicament that I do and that is what to do with the remaining grafts on the second procedure. What my stylist says many of them have done is elected to use the remaining grafts to thicken up the front and then he makes them a small lace piece for the crown. He says it is totally undetectable and has a client he wants me to see. I am thinking this might be the way to go if I don't think the first procedure got it thick enough. I have been wearing a replacement for almost 20 years so I am used to any maintenance and reducing it to something the size of a silver dollar will be a walk in the park. Of course I'd rather use them in the crown and be done with replacements if the front comes out thick enough. I've read on this site where crowns are really hard to do because of the swirl pattern and require more hair than the front and in most cases all one can hope for is a light dusting of hair. In ten years we will probably have hair cloning perfected (although who knows what it will cost) so theoretically I could go back and get the crown done then if I'm still worried about it. So, I guess I'm where many people have been before and in the next couple of months I need to figure out which road I'm going to take. Any feedback from anyone who has gone through this would be most appreciated. Thanks!

I left some important information out in my first post titled "Hair Replacement and HT Density". I wear a lace hair replacement and would like to hear from others out there that have worn them. I'm trying to figure out if when the HT was matured if the density was close to that of your hair replacement. I looked at the NW chart and I think I am a 5. My hair is very thick and each individual hair is "fat" so I'm told that will help with the illusion of density. I have a relatively narrow area directly on top of my head that is bald or very thin the exception would be a spot just in front of my crown where the hair still goes all the way across my head. I am currently attaching it with clips due to the HT and pulling it below the transplanted hairline in the font and using a water based glue. My doctor moved my hairline back a little to not only fit the age appropriateness but to save more hairs for other areas. I've always used the glue in the front for a very natural appearance but I used doubled sided sticky tape around the rest of the perimeter before the HT. My doctor told me he could get close to the same density but not as thick which was ok with me. I just don't want to have hair that looks like I am balding when the light hits it or it gets wet so that is my concern. I am prepared to have another procedure but I will have to decide in the coming months which route to go. I had 2520 grafts in the first procedure and will have that many on the second. What I need to determine is will the next 2520 go in the front for more density or will they go on the crown? That is going to be a BIG decision for me. The guy that cuts my hair and provides me with my lace replacements has numerous clients that have gone in for hair transplants and many of them have the same predicament that I do and that is what to do with the remaining grafts on the second procedure. What my stylist says many of them have done is elected to use the remaining grafts to thicken up the front and then he makes them a small lace piece for the crown. He says it is totally undetectable and has a client he wants me to see. I am thinking this might be the way to go if I don't think the first procedure got it thick enough. I have been wearing a replacement for almost 20 years so I am used to any maintenance and reducing it to something the size of a silver dollar will be a walk in the park. Of course I'd rather use them in the crown and be done with replacements if the front comes out thick enough. I've read on this site where crowns are really hard to do because of the swirl pattern and require more hair than the front and in most cases all one can hope for is a light dusting of hair. In ten years we will probably have hair cloning perfected (although who knows what it will cost) so theoretically I could go back and get the crown done then if I'm still worried about it. So, I guess I'm where many people have been before and in the next couple of months I need to figure out which road I'm going to take. Any feedback from anyone who has gone through this would be most appreciated. Thanks!

Glock08: Good questions. I knew I was going to leave something out. I looked at the NW chart and I think I am a 5. My hair is very thick and each individual hair is "fat" so I'm told that will help with the illusion of density. I have a relatively narrow area directly on top of my head that is bald or very thin the exception would be a spot just in front of my crown where the hair still goes all the way across my head. I am currently attaching it with clips due to the HT and pulling it below the transplanted hairline in the font and using a water based glue. My doctor moved my hairline back a little to not only fit the age appropriateness but to save more hairs for other areas. I've always used the glue in the front for a very natural appearance but I used doubled sided sticky tape around the rest of the perimeter before the HT. My doctor told me he could get close to the same density but not as thick which was ok with me. I just don't want to have hair that looks like I am balding when the light hits it or it gets wet so that is my concern. I am prepared to have another procedure but I will have to decide in the coming months which route to go. I had 2520 grafts in the first procedure and will have that many on the second. What I need to determine is will the next 2520 go in the front for more density or will they go on the crown? That is going to be a BIG decision for me. The guy that cuts my hair and provides me with my lace replacements has numerous clients that have gone in for hair transplants and many of them have the same predicament that I do and that is what to do with the remaining grafts on the second procedure. What my stylist says many of them have done is elected to use the remaining grafts to thicken up the front and then he makes them a small lace piece for the crown. He says it is totally undetectable and has a client he wants me to see. I am thinking this might be the way to go if I don't think the first procedure got it thick enough. I have been wearing a replacement for almost 20 years so I am used to any maintenance and reducing it to something the size of a silver dollar will be a walk in the park. I've read on this site where crowns are really hard to do because of the swirl pattern and require more hair than the front and in most cases all one can hope for is a light dusting of hair. In ten years we will probably have hair cloning perfected (although who knows what it will cost) so theoretically I could go back and get the crown done then. So, I guess I'm where many people have been before and in the next couple of months I need to figure out which road I'm going to take. Any feedback from anyone who has gone through this would be most appreciated. Thanks!

I wear a lace hair replacement and it looks very natural. Back in July I had a HT which is still "cooking" so I'm still wearing the hair replacement until it is ready. My doctor told me that he would be able to get my density close to that of my hair replacement. All of the posts I have read on here indicate that the HT recipient is thrilled with their results. I am guessing that these are guys that didn't wear a hair replacement and were bald or had very thin hair so any thickening of the hair was a godsend. Is there anyone out there that wore a hair replacement and then got a HT? I'd love to hear what the difference was between the hair replacement and the HT as far as density goes. I'm not expecting a huge bush of hair on my head and I'm not sure I'd even want that but I would like the results to cover my head adequately and not look like I am balding if the light hits it wrong or it gets wet.

I wear a lace hair replacement and it looks very natural. Back in July I had a HT which is still "cooking" so I'm still wearing the hair replacement until it is ready. My doctor told me that he would be able to get my density close to that of my hair replacement. All of the posts I have read on here indicate that the HT recipient is thrilled with their results. I am guessing that these are guys that didn't wear a hair replacement and were bald or had very thin hair so any thickening of the hair was a godsend. Is there anyone out there that wore a hair replacement and then got a HT? I'd love to hear what the difference was between the hair replacement and the HT as far as density goes. I'm not expecting a huge bush of hair on my head and I'm not sure I'd even want that but I would like the results to cover my head adequately and not look like I am balding if the light hits it wrong or it gets wet.

Speculation is he had a HT.

I have been using Rogaine for the past three months and have hair in the front where I did not have it before. I am pretty sure it isn't the transplanted hair. I wouldn't say it is strong cosmetically acceptable hair but it is hair. I'm sure it will probably fall out once the Rogaine is stopped.

I had a headache for a couple of days but I never stopped using it. The headaches went away. My doctor said to use Rogaine for about three months after the surgery so I'll be off of it in about a week. I'd say stay on it unless they are unbearable headaches. You probably should ask your doctor though.

I am really excited for what I have coming up! It sounds like after month three is when the action starts. I am at month three and the growth I see I beleive is my own hair which is coming in maybe due to the Rogaine I've been using for almost three months. I do see a few hairs pushing through the surface that look like they are from the transplant but I know I have a long way to go. When I first had the transplant it looked like I had a buzz cut so I know there will be much more to come. The waiting game is a killer.

In some cases it is just plain good genetics. An example would be Ronald Reagan. He had a thick head of hair up into his old age long before good transplants and hair replacements were available. He also retained his natural color without dying it. The irony of men that age which still have thick hair that hasn't gone gray is, people assume they have had a transplant or wear a hair replacement because so few people as they get older retain their original color and density. If you notice these are usually men with very little body hair. I suppose the DHT that causes baldness turns on the switch for hair on the body and turns the switch off for hair on the head. Go figure.

The reason some celebrities use hair replacements vs. a HT is the same as everyone else. They may have a bald area too large for a HT. Some may want a thicker density than what they might be able to achieve with a HT. The price of hair replacements has gone way down due to competition and the quality has gone way up. To a lot of guys though having something "artificial" on their head just doesn't sit right.

Elton John wears a lace hair replacement. They have been perfected to look very natural. I wore one until my HT. The downside of the hair replacement is that it can be high maintenance. The most natural look for the front comes from using a water based glue for the attachment and the rest can be secured with double sided sticky tape. The glue in the front allows the lace to "melt" into the skin and looks like the hair is growing right out of the scalp. The glue can be a mess but it is the most natural look. The other thing that always bothered me is if anyone touched your hair they would be able to feel the base of the replacement. Also after about four months they really need to be replaced because the hair starts to look dull and worn. Finally for hygiene purposes I took mine off every three days for shampooing which is also high maintenance.

I had a HT July 4th. I had 2550 grafts put in the front only. I believe I am a NW 5. For my second procedure I must decide if I want to place the second 2500 grafts in the front or put them on the crown. Approximately how long do I need to wait between surgeries?

I had a HT July 4th. I had 2550 grafts put in the front only. I believe I am a NW 5. For my second procedure I must decide if I want to place the second 2500 grafts in the front or put them on the crown. Approximately how long do I need to wait between surgeries?

Hey Guys, Thanks so much for your replies. It is a double edged sword. I'm feeling better that it is normal to have very little growth in three months but I'm not too happy to learn it could be another five or six months before it really looks cosmetically acceptable. I'll just need to realize the pay off is a lifetime of my own real growing hair and not be in a hurry. My hair is straight, very thick and dense so where it was thinning or lost on the top and front looked really off balance since the rest of my hair was so thick. I had 2550 grafts put in the front and once that grows in I need to decide if I want the next 2500 in the front to have maximum density or if I want the remaining grafts on the crown. I know someone that does lace hair replacements and he said if I decide to use the remaining grafts in the front to thicken it up he could make a small lace piece for my crown which would be undetectable. He said he has other clients that have done that. I suppose I'd have to see them first to decide. My bald area on the crown is a little bigger than a silver dollar. If I had my procedure July 4th how long will it be before I will have enough growth to determine if I want the remaining grafts in the front or on the crown? Thanks!

I had a transplant with Dr. Epstein on July 4th. I have found one thing out...to slow time down have a hair transplant. I try not to look at it every day but this has been the longest three months I've ever lived waiting to see some evidence of hair growth. I think I see a few bits of stubble coming in and I assume they will come in at different rates. His post op instructions say that patients should see hair begin to grow 2 1/2 to 3 months after the procedure. It has been three months and I really don't see too much. Can I get some feedback on how long it took others to see their hair start to grow? I have used 5% Minoxidil since about 10 days after the procedure and I will continue that until mid October per his instructions. The top left part of my head above the donor site is also still numb and sore to the touch when I am shampooing. The post op information says that is also normal.

I had a transplant with Dr. Epstein on July 4th. I have found one thing out...to slow time down have a hair transplant. I try not to look at it every day but this has been the longest three months I've ever lived waiting to see some evidence of hair growth. I think I see a few bits of stubble coming in and I assume they will come in at different rates. His post op instructions say that patients should see hair begin to grow 2 1/2 to 3 months after the procedure. It has been three months and I really don't see too much. Can I get some feedback on how long it took others to see their hair start to grow? I have used 5% Minoxidil since about 10 days after the procedure and I will continue that until mid October per his instructions. The top left part of my head above the donor site is also still numb and sore to the touch when I am shampooing. The post op information says that is also normal.

Another question. There are multiple hair transplant doctors with the same names and I want to make sure I am looking at the ones recommended on this site. Where would Dr. Shapiro and Dr. Keene be located? Thanks.

Is the Dr. Alexander mentioned as one of the top surgeons Dr. Scott Alexander in Phoenix? Thanks.