Sir Fivehead

I've had permanent shock loss in the donor area. It's had me so bummed out, I stopped updating my blog months ago. It's better than it was, but it appears to be permanent at 11 months out. I actually just finished emailing Dr. Keene to see what to do about it.

I asked this question on another thread a while ago and didn't get too many responses. Some said that most people couldn't put their finger on it. However, I just don't believe this, especially if you haven't seen someone for a long time. It may be gradual if you see certain people on a consistent basis. What about friends or family that haven't seen you since before your procedure after a year or so? 1993-2008=no hair, 2009=hair? I have been quite anxious aboout this myself, as I've been hiding under my hat for the last 6 months. I have had an especially difficult time due to shock loss that is still coming back (as well as some pinkness still lingering), so I really haven't had an opportunity to reveal the "gradual" return of my hairline to the public. Eman, what specifically have your friends said, and how have you responded? I've been toying with the "meds" explanation. Will people buy it? Any others have any stories that they could share with us? I really don't want to be out in public with a bunch of people I know and have one of them say, " Dude, did you get a transplant??". That's my worst fear!

Exactly, balody! It's the same ol' look, day after day. After 15 years, I was ready for a change as well. I think as we get older, our expectations change as well. I'm not looking for a hailine of a 16 year old. I'm comfortable with having thinner hair on my head. I just don't want a shiny scalp! Would I have been happy back in my early 20' with what is possible to achieve? I highly doubt it. So yes, I agree that most young men should wait. It is incredibly difficult at that age, becuase that is precisely the time when you feel you need it! But as others have stated, your priorities change as you get older. I have gone through this procedure for my own satisfaction. It wasn't so I could bag more chicks (and believe me, I still did plenty of that when I was younger with some not-so-great hair). Unfortunately, the younger you are, the more important it seems. Also, when you get older, the money usually isn't nearly as big of a hurdle as when you're young. Ahh, the cruel irony...

WolfmansBrudda, I commend you for looking at your hairloss problem and making the best of it. I actually did the same thing for a long time. I shaved down with a 0 or 1 guard for about fifteen years. I actually have been happily married for the same amount of time. I had looked into hair restoration back in the early nineties before I had gotten married. I was actually turned away because the Dr. said I was too young (23) and asked me to come back in five years so we could see where my thinning would level out. At the time, I was devastated! However, it probably ended up being a godsend, because I went to the Beverly Hills Insitute to look into getting the Flemming/Meyer Flap procedure. Chances are that I would be very unhappy right about now if I would have gotten it done back then. Anyway, after approximately a one year imprisonment by the Scare Club For Men, I decided to do what you did: Shave it off. I got used to it over time. Actually, more and more men were starting to do it, so it wasn't a big deal. Even though I accepted my baldness and was living a normal life, I still wished I had hair every once in a while. My wife never even thought twice about it, though. Up until about a year and a half ago, I didn't give Hair Trasnplants any thought whatsoever. However, I was surfing the net one day and came across an article that peaked my interest. I realized that a lot of significant advancements had been made over those fifteen years. In addition, I discovered Toppik and Dermatch. My hairloss has been stable at about a NW4 for at least ten years now, so I decided to grow my hair out and give the concealers a try. All I can say, is that my friends and family liked me with hair...a lot. They were giving me unsolicited comments like, "Don't ever shave your head again" and "Wow, you look so different! You look great". Now, when you hear things like that, you know that hair makes a quite difference in one's appearance. But it's up to each of us to decide how we want to deal with the hand that we've been dealt. There is no single best answer. If one feels better about himself by having a procedure, then so be it. If one wants to shave it all off, then that's cool too.

Dude, how'd you get Jamie-Lynn Sigler to marry you? Nice!

Sounds good, Chuck. I'll have 5 mo. pics in about a week. Things are progressing, but man, it's a killer! I want my results now, dammit!

bouquek, I also had the same concerns with Finasteride (as does every other guy), and really didn't want to take it. My Dr. finally convinced me to try it. I can tell you with certainty that I experienced absolutely zero side effects. I actually believe it had the opposite effect on me, to be honest...as if any guy needs to be MORE horny! I know that the possiblity of side effects are real, but I believe many guys worry about it so much that they psych themselves out and end up causing them to happen.

Simonsez, It sounds like you are experiencing shock loss. In most cases it grows back, but it can take months. I myself experienced shock loss with my procedure back in August. I would say it's about 75% grown back, but I still have a few small areas with little to no hair. Unfortunately, there is no "quick fix". It just takes time.

Hey Chuck, Yeah. I've been kind of lazy. I took 4 mo pics. Just haven't added them yet. I'll try to do that in the next day or two.

Hey Flyby, Yes, that is exactly what happened. The first day they took from the center to up over the right ear, and on the second day they took the left side. There are two main reasons why Dr. Keene does this for large sessions. First, is because she does all of the graft placement herself. The second is because she feels that it is easier on the patient than having to sit for 14-16 hours at one time. Some would disagree and say they just want to get it over with. However, I actually had no problem with it. Actually, the second day is much easier becasue a) It is usually a shorter day and b) you know what to expect and aren't as nervous. I'm actually more of a NW4, so I wasn't completely bald either. However my temples had receeded big time and I had a prominent tuft in front. The good thing is that I kept my hair clipped anywhere with a #0-#2 guard. You could see some of the diffuse thinning, but not as much as if I had kept it longer. The biggest area of change is my temples. I had Dr. Keene keep them recessed somewhat (NW2-3ish), but it is stll a rather drastic change.

I've been battling with this for months now. As I wait (in agony) for the hair to grow out, I have stressed out about what to say/do when the subject arises in the future. I mean, come on, we all have friends and family that we don't get to see very often that that have known us for years as being bald. I have several buddies that I see maybe once a year. I am having a hard time believing the guys that say "no one noticed". Dude...you were bald, and now you're not! How wouldn't your best friends or family notice?? The only fib that could possibly work is that you've been taking meds and they've worked very well. However, you still will be forced to discuss it, and it might be in an atmosphere (i.e. party, restaurant, etc.) where you would rather not. I'm SO sick of wearing a hat. However, I am having more anxiety thinking about taking the freakin' thing off than I had by being bald! As of now, the only people that know about my HT are my wife, kids, and doc. I'd love to hear from anyone that has had to deal with an akward or embarassing confrontation and how they handled it.

Maxxy, I'll be updating my photos within the next couple of days as soon as I get some time.

Imissme, Take a look at my pics. I know EXACTLY what you are going through! I tried to trim my hair before those pics because it looked terrible. I messed up and ended up having to buzz down to a #1 guard. NOT pretty. I also had a funeral to go to about two weeks ago. I freaked out for the whole week prior. My transplanted hair was just little fuzzies and my donor area had a big bald spot behind my left ear. With some careful use of some Toppik and Dermatch, I somehow pulled it off. The hair had just grown long enough to help hide the scar. All I know is that I feel your pain, bro! The donor hair is slowly coming back, but not enough to be going anywhere without a hat. There is no doubt that this is the worst part of this whole journey. However, we are getting closer to the end than the beginning. Good luck, man.

For those who don't know any better...possibly. You could explain it away to a rash, sunburn, etc. Anyone that's ever seen an HT before would know. You're probably asking the wrong people here, though. We all know what to look for! Good luck!

Hairman, to be blunt, just about everything that was stated is a load of crap. Where in the world did that come from? Why would anyone get a transplant if you had to go back to the Dr. 3-4 times a month?? After the transplanted hair grows in (which usually starts between 3-6 months and is fully mature within 12-18 months), the only maintenance you have is getting your hair cut...and you can go anywhere for that. It is YOUR hair. That is why people get transplants. Most people go back to the Dr. once...maybe twice...just to check the progress and make sure everything is on track. Now, you may need to go back and have a subsequent procedure if you continue to lose hair. Also, with extensive thinning, some people have to have their restoration split up into two surgeries, but that is pretty much it. I suggest you peruse this website. It will answer pretty much any and all questions you may have.