Alexander

I agree, steroids are commonly used to prevent the hypertrophic or keloid scarring as the previous poster mentioned. It will not help with stretching directly, but I think keloid formation adds to the overall tension of the scar which can lead to stretching down the road, so preventing that will help. In general, injecting around a scar closure after surgery is a common preventive measure to aid in reducing inflammation during healing so it shouldn't raise a red flag.

Great point Gazza- I believe if most of the top notch docs used as many grafts as Armani their work would be as good if not much better time in and time out. Personally while I think Armani does decent hairlines, I still think others like H&W and Shapiro do much more natural-looking work w/ much fewer grafts anyway.

Bisanga seems to have a really solid rep, and from the different forums where his results have been posted he seems to have a really good artistic eye for hairlines. I think he's even got some videos up on youtube. Good luck.

This is old news, but I was on Bernstein's site and came across this info, and remembered this post about pioneering FUE, etc. Anyway, in the interest of putting the debate to rest, here is the article link http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/hair-transplant/follicular-extraction.php If you don't feel like reading it, here's the relevant quote from Bernstein: "Using direct extraction to harvest follicular units was initially introduced by Dr. Woods in Australia as the "Wood's Technique," but he did not disclose the details of his technique."

Just a guy, Don't feel bad man, this site is one of the more pro HT sites, so people in here take it personally when you bash the HT industry for some reason. I also wonder why people who are happy with their results post on this site. Are you trying to convince yourselves you made the right decision? If I wasn't in the situation I'm in (needing repair) I wouldn't be posting online at all. I'd be living my life, far away from the Internet forums that I feel compelled to read now to try and search for useful information in pursuit of getting things fixed. So, If hair transplants are so wonderful, why are people with "great" HTs still posting here? If your life was enhanced so much, shouldn't you be living it offline? Unless you are marketing it doesn't make any sense to keep posting everyday unless you are either: 1.) Unhappy with your results. 2.) You are not sure about your results or your decision and need validation from others. I think it's a very common thing for a guy to get a HT and then tell others to go ahead and get one done, it's no big deal, you'll look better, the surgery was painless, the doc was great, etc... just so they can feel like they did the right thing w/ their own HT, and have a sense of sympatico. It is basic human psychology. The board is full of guys like that. 3.) You are marketing/selling. 4.) You are happy with your results, but your lack of hair wasn't really causing the problem, since you are still unable to live a normal, socially functional life even after your appearance has been "enhanced" with the appearance of more hair. These are usually the guys who get an HT and love their new hair and then turn around and bash bald guys for being bald. Self-hatred manifests itself in strange ways. I've read a few posts in this very thread that represent this trend. 5.) You got good results, and you are a good samaritan, and want to do good deeds and prevent guys from getting bad results, so you recommend your doc or other good docs to them, in hopes of just lending a helping hand. If this is the case, go volunteer somewhere, there are people who really need help. If you are regulary posting on an Internet site, I think this is a socially unhealthy pursuit. This is my opinion of course. If you come in here every once in awhile, that's one thing. But guys who are happy with their HT and live on these boards- what are we to think? That they are doing it out of the kindness of their hearts? I believe there are other motivating factors to consider here. Not all HTs are bad. I've seen some really good ones, but they have been on older guys with limited NW balding. Maybe a nw3 or 4 recession (max) into their 40's. "Slow" balders. Younger guys who get HTs are headed for multiple surgeries to chase the hairloss, have to constantly use meds and topicals to preserve their hair, and if they are headed for NW6 or 7, will look ridiculous as they age, even if they got a "natural" HT because the pattern of hair loss will not be natural, and they will not have enough donor hairs to "spread the wealth," and the donor will recede and show the scarring, trico or not. We have been programmed to believe that baldness is socially unacceptable, the same way girls have been socially programmed to be thin. There are pleny of guys who like women with a little extra meat on them, and there are plenty of women who like balding men. Think about it. Guys think women don't like them because they are bald, but the truth is that women don't like a guy who is vain. If he is focused on his balding and insecure about it, then it will show in his body language, and a woman will have you marked as insecure and self-obsessed. It's not about the hair, it's about the vibe you are giving off. Not to shift the discussion to women, but that seems to be a real source of the fear/depression/anxiety surrounding MPB- a guy's apparent inability to appeal to the opposite sex.

Spiro is a topical anti dht, supposedly performing the same function as finasteride (propecia) or Dutasteride. Xandrox is a combination of azelaic acid, which is supposed to perform an anti Dht function (I believe the only tests done with Azelaic acid were done in vitro), and minoxidil, which has been proven to regrow hair in a limited fashion. So in theory, Xandrox will perform the function of regrowing hair and preventing further hairloss, while spiro will act in similar fashion to Propecia, which only blocks DHT, but doesn't really stimulate regrowth. Of course, with each product, you have to use them consistently for 6-12 months before you can really tell whether or not they are effective, and you will likely experience some shedding when you start to use them. Some guys claim great success using a combination of different meds, and some guys either get no results, or can't handle the scalp irritation from the topicals. Also, you need to continue to use them for life if you want to maintain any hair you gained while on the products. As soon as you stop, you will eventually go right back to where you would have been had you not used anything at all. Hope this helps.

Franklin, Exactly. I cannot understand people on this site who don't think Woods is the real deal.

Arrogant based on years of reading posts, articles, blogs, interviews, etc from both docs. I get bothered when docs constantly attack one another and fight for position in the public forum- it happens way too often in the HT industry, and it can be counterproductive and confusing for the patients. John, I wasn't suggesting you go to Australia, I was just replying to a "side" discussion about a particular doc. Sorry if things fell off track.

L'anonyme, I wrote a reply to your post, but it got "flagged" for content, and since it's been a few days since I posted it, I'll just assume it's not going to make it to prime time. Funny, I didn't use any profanity or other offensive language- I was just pointing out some things about the docs mentioned. Oh well, suffice it to say I'm not a fan of either of the these two docs we were arguing about- I think they are both arrogant. However, the one in Australia was doing FUE in the 90s, and definitely before the doc in the US came out with his publication in 2002. The fact that he put out a publication before the Aussie means nothing, other than he is a capitalist. If there's any doubt, take a look at his strip prices..$10 a graft!!! Outrageous. The best FUE docs are charging only around 8 per graft, and he's charging 10 for strip? Wonder what his fue prices are. whew Ask around diferent forums, the doc in Australia has plenty of patients to back up his work, he's been a big factor in the game for awhile, there's no doubt about that. He might be a bit unconventional, but he's a major player for sure.

Who is Dr. Woods? Are you kidding? You need to go outside of this site my friend- if you don't know who Dr. Woods is you are way outta the loop! Hint: He basically pioneered the FUE technique we see today! And his results are all over the net.

Brian, I'm sorry if I didn't catch the tongue in cheek nature of your response. Your post didn't come off that way, so I apologize if I was too critical. But this is a serious post, and guys in here are trying to support a guy who is really struggling with his hairloss, and trying to come to terms with his life and a possible decision about getting a HT. And you told him in a nonchalant way to just go ahead and get the HT, as if it were no big deal. Even though the surgery is much more refined these days, and the days of butchery are mostly a thing of the past, it is a very serious consideration to get cosmetic surgery, and there are ramifications and potential downsides that everyone should be made aware of. I just found your post a bit cavalier for the overall tone of this topic. No hard feelings, ok?

Brian, You said the following: "Make sure you break a few of those hearts that gave you the brush off because you were bald when you get your new hair." That is some really shallow shit my friend. If you live in the world of shallow (ie nighclubs, bars, frat parties, etc) trying to "score" every weekend, you can't be surprised when those tables turn on you. Men have it easier than women actually, because as women mature mentally, they don't care as much about hair or other aspects of looks. Men remain much more judgemental when it comes to looks than women over time. I've seen lots of attractive 30- ish women with men in their 50s, even 60s. It's too bad that through this process you've learned nothing but to get revenge on superficial women who brushed you off.

Never heard of Kelo Cote, have to check that out. A few ways to tackle this problem: 1.) Have an experienced FUE doc take out some of the FUs in the ridged area that are responsible for the ridging. This will decrease the volume, and flatten the area out. A really good FUE doc will leave imperceptible scarring in the extraction area. The reason for the volume is that fat grafts that were too large for their holes were stuffed into your scalp. Debulking the graft will excise some of that extra fatty tissue. 2.) Kenalog injections. Kenalog will atrophy the tissue, so it must be performed in small increments, and very conservatively, as if it's done too aggressively it will leave a "ditch" as opposed to a ridge. 3.) Dermabrasion/Laser resurfacing- will also help smooth out the area, but is more subtle. 4.) A combination of one or all of the above, depending on the severity of your ridging.

I have to agree with B-spot in some ways- I'm not sure what kind of girls you are meeting or where you are meeting them, but I've dated girls as well who either didn't care about hairloss, or found it masculine and attractive. Seriously. I mean they really couldn't give a sh#t about hairloss at all. And I'm not trying to wave off what you are experiencing, but if women weren't attracted to bald or balding men, then the human race would cease to exist, because every guy is genetically programmed to lose his hair, some less than others of course, but still. I'm curious also about this quote: "I'm seeing a trend where a woman will look into my eyes as if she's found her dream man, and as soon as she notices the hairloss, she begins to distant herself slowly and carefully" So is this all happening in one instance? It seems like a weird comment. Wouldn't she notice the hairloss right away? It seems odd that she would look into your eyes first and fall in love, and then look up and fall out of love in a split second. Usually people take in the whole appearance when they are "eyeing" up someone. Or are you wearing a hat at first? Hair is such a small variable amongst a million other things that generate sexual interest. You must be giving off some other vibe, because a woman can sniff out a lack of confidence from a mile away. I know you say you're confident, but how can you be completely confident? If you were confident then you wouldn't feel as though you need any surgical enhancements at all. I'm not trying to burst your bubble, but what if you spend a bunch of money and time on transplants only to find out that wasn't the problem in the first place? There is a way to find out. Take some pics (without a hat) that at least show your face and hairloss pattern, and put them up on match.com, yahoo personals, etc. Write some stuff about yourself, what you're looking for, etc. Wait a few weeks or a month or two and see if you get any responses. If you get a good number of responses, then you know that hairloss isn't your problem, and maybe that will give you the confidence you need to go back out there and take what's yours! It certainly can't hurt.

Yes H&W get results. But let's make sure we realize why they get the results. It's not becaue of the lateral slit technique...It's becaue they figured out a way to extract larger numbers of grafts from patients. If the lateral slit technique is inherently superior, then they wouldn't need to use as many grafts to achieve a look of coverage, right? But they use more grafts than anyone else to get the results they do, so just keep that in mind. And there is no such thing as total coverage, there isn't enough donor hair to achieve such a thing.