Eman

Right where you need to be Newbie!! The days of the doldrums will continue for a bit more, but you will begin to notice some real growth soon. Keep patient!

Great result!! At 25, building up the front 2/3's was a great strategy. Looking good.

I was very similar to you in terms of loss and where I was headed in terms of hairloss.

It got to the point where I simply didn't want to spend my thirties as the bald guy. I wanted to have my hair and not have to constantly be the guy who looks easily ten years older then friends and girlfriend.

I did my research, picked a highly recommended doc and came up with a strategy in terms of how we would attack my hairloss. I wanted a one and done transplant--even though I know at some point down the road another one might be necessary. I just didn't want to have to do it twice in my thirties.

Five years later and still going strong and could not be happier. At some point, I just decided that for me...it's time.

It's great that you are asking these questions. Keep asking, keep researching and good luck with whatever decision you make!

I agree with Rootz. I got as much sun as possible to avoid the look of too much redness. It worked, but the redness remained for a good period to time for me.

With that level of loss, a better strategy was needed to get a better result.

In my opinion, two large sessions--first session focused on the front half and the second session focused on the back half with some refinement to the front.

Thanks for all the support. It is nice to be back and to share a little with everyone.

And since those longer haired pics, I cut it short again. It was more of a trial to see how it would look. I enjoyed it for a while, but it does look better shorter!

SADbutTRUE, I appreciate it...thanks!

I completely understand wanting a lower hairline. Luckily I realized my limited donor supply, the size of my head and the future needs with being a higher NW level--plus Dr. Rahal was very diligent in his placement of my hairline due to those factors.

In your case Spanker, I think your result looks great and in the future Dr. Konior and you can work on your HT strategy that will assist in increasing your density. In terms of taking meds, I was taking Proscar for the first 2.5-years. I have not taken any meds in the last 3-years and feel that I have maintained density.

Since21- It's good to be back. Like you said, in the first year one is super involved in this community and then with great results you kind of fade away into life. I have always wanted to give back to this community. I figured it's been long enough since I posted pics and an update and wanted to show that HTs really do last over time.

Thanks for the responses!

I cannot believe it has been over five years and my hair still looks great--time flies!?

Have there been thoughts of going back in: maybe to add some density someday, but thoughts have always been to save the donor for a rainy day. Lowering the hairline is not something I am interested in and feel that Dr. Rahal chose an ideal hairline that fits my face.

I feel my case shows that going to the right doc, with the right strategy, can result in a lasting result that someone would be really happy with. To this day, I feel that going in for my HT was one of the better decisions I have made!

A little background for those that do not know me:

I had been losing my hair since college and once in my 30's I decided I needed to do something about it. At this time, I was a solid NW 4 and going to a NW 5.

Self confidence was never a big issue, I never really hid under a hat, but at the same time I didn’t like how I looked in the mirror and especially being in pictures. The bald jokes were getting old. I tried shaving my head, but my head is large and it did not look good.

I researched HTs for a couple of years. Spoke to a ton of people on this forum. I sent my pictures to several different clincs, spoke with several docs, and met with patients.

The decision to take the plunge was still a difficult one. Is it too vain? Does it cost too much? Should I be using my money for something more important? Am I going to the right doctor? Will it look natural? Once I answered all those questions in my bald head, I was secure in my decision—Dr. Rahal.

Today:

It has been 5.5-years—I cannot believe it. Dr. Rahal planted 4278 grafts in the front half of my head including temple points. To this day, it looks great! My goal was a one and done procedure and feel I got one. Now should my crown go, I would return to Dr. Rahal in a heartbeat.

Please don’t think I am gentle with my head of hair. I swim (pools, oceans, lakes), ride a motorcycle, play basketball, workout, wear wool winter caps, go out in the sun, vigorously dry my hair, and use regular shampoo. And through everything, my hair still looks great. The only thing I think about is how I am going to style it everyday and how I want to cut it next. I like what I see in the mirror and pictures.

The only issue in the beginning was the coloring of my transplanted hair—it was darker. But over time, it matured and now matches the native hair. No sign of the scar either!

My hair is not something that I worry about anymore--which it great! Thank you to this community, thank you Dr. Rahal and Staff.

Please ask me any questions and I will be sure to answer you.

Here are some pre-HT pics, and current pics from this summer to now (in the bright sun, in the water and with it long).

Plus, some original threads:

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/152544-emans-hair-transplant-dr-rahal.html

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/136253-emans-8-month-update-i-have-full-head-hair.html

Great choice in docs...love his work. Very clean and great looking hairline design. Now all you need to do is wait. Not fun, but once this grows out, you will love the result.

Thank you for the write-up and quick question for you, Did he ever say way it was difficult for the grafts to hold?

Look forward to following your progress!

Wiring money from your banking institution is an option. Cashier's Check made out to the doctor would also work. Credit Card is an option if you are one who pays off the balance monthly (you don't want to have their ridiculous interest rates tacked on).

The best option is to simply ask his office what works best.

Thank you for the write-up. This will be a fun journey to follow. Once the sutures are out you will feel a little better and then for the next couple of months look worse. But in due time, the waiting will be over and the growing will have begun in earnest.

Congrats!!

Excited for you and tracking your progress. The emotional roller coaster will be a distant memory soon!

Looking good!

Going above and beyond...that is why Dr. L is such a great doc! Looking good ThintoWin

In a month, I will be at the FIVE-year mark and still looks great. I probably have lost additional native hair in the transplanted area, but Rahal did such a good job in giving me a HT with the additional loss in mind.

The fun is about to begin...

Thank you for the write up. It sucks not getting the number of grafts you were hoping for, but you have a great perspective about it all and your result will only confirm the great choice you made in docs. I know as I wanted 4500+ and got a little over 4300 and was a little disappointed at the time--but my result turned out fantastic and the number doesn't mean much when you look at the result. I am sure Rahal got out exactly what was needed for you for the best recovery and result.

Keep us posted!! Your NW6 days are long gone.....

Love your one year results pics. Funny about the your hair cuts!! I actually let it grow out and then shave it down to a #3. It is fun to have all of these options. Right now long and starting to curl in the back. Feeling a little 70's hairstyle going on. Play around with it a little

Start a new thread of your own, take some pictures, ask a lot of questions and do some research on the doctors recommended here:

Click this link:

Hair Transplant Network - Find Hair Transplant Clinics and Doctors

The number of grafts they are looking to give you is not nearly enough to get you where you would want to be cosmetically-- at that rate, it would be a long road to get the result you would want. A rule of thumb is for every Norwood level, 1000 grafts are needed per the level you are. In other words you would want 6000+ (NW6 x 1000) grafts to get coverage.

I would do a lot more research and and stay away from any doc that is not recommended here.

Great transformation!! You had a good shaped head before when you shaved down, but you look even better with all that hair...plus the growth and maturing is not yet done!

Congrats!

what a transformation....love it!

If you want to enjoy the summer, maybe re-schedule for the fall where you won't have to worry about the fact that you had a HT.

Personally, I would keep the recipient area out of the sun for a longer period of time than you plan before headed 2-3 weeks after the surgery. You have spent that kind of money looking for a great result...why risk the recipient area at all?

Coming from someone with significantly more hairloss than this guy, there is no way that I would have the HT at his stage. Everyone is different in how they feel about their hairloss and he is probably feeling the way I did when I started losing hair in my early twenties. Mine progressed to a NW 4 and I am glad I didn't do anything until that stage. This guy may have stabilized and the new hairline would work great, but what if he begins to have more recession-- he'll have to go back in for another HT to keep up with the new loss.

In my opinion, I would wait if I were him. Should he decide to go forward, he is in great hands with Dr. Feller and I like his conservative approach on this guy.