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Update 1-28-2009
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Here are pictures after 6 months.
Thumbnails:
http://www.kfzy.com/hair/thumbnail_1.jpg
http://www.kfzy.com/hair/thumbnail_2.jpg
http://www.kfzy.com/hair/thumbnail_3.jpg
http://www.kfzy.com/hair/thumbnail_4.jpg
http://www.kfzy.com/hair/thumbnail_5.jpg
http://www.kfzy.com/hair/thumbnail_6.jpg
http://www.kfzy.com/hair/thumbnail_7.jpg
http://www.kfzy.com/hair/thumbnail_8.jpg
http://www.kfzy.com/hair/thumbnail_9.jpg
Full size:
http://www.kfzy.com/hair/DSC_0001.JPG
http://www.kfzy.com/hair/DSC_0002.JPG
http://www.kfzy.com/hair/DSC_0003.JPG
http://www.kfzy.com/hair/DSC_0004.JPG
http://www.kfzy.com/hair/DSC_0005.JPG
http://www.kfzy.com/hair/DSC_0006.JPG
http://www.kfzy.com/hair/DSC_0008.JPG
http://www.kfzy.com/hair/DSC_0009.JPG
http://www.kfzy.com/hair/DSC_0011.JPG
I've already sent these questions to Dr. Ross, but if I could get some responses here, I'd be appreciative!
1) Is this a normal result for one surgery, or not because it is scar tissue? It doesn't seem thick enough to be normal.
2) Do you think a second surgery help significantly, or not really?
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Hello all,
I am an 18-year-old male in southern California area. I was born with a condition called "aplasia cutis" - I had a round bald spot about 10 cm2 in area at the crown of my head.
The skin of the bald spot is scar tissue. There were never any hairs in the area.
Picture:
http://www.picvault.info/images/537076154_pic1.jpg
In 2006, I had two plastic surgeries to try to remove the bald spot. Immediately after both surgeries, there was no sign of the bald spot, but it soon stretched. Now the bald spot is about the same size, but a different shape. I also have a fairly thin scar down the back of my head where they cut a flap to try to make the scalp reduction easier.
Last year, my family moved to California and I went to see a local plastic surgeon and see what the next step would be. She recommended hair transplantation, saying it would work even in scar tissue (which I didn't know before).
Since then, I have had consultations with the following practices/doctors:
Ziering Medical
Dr. Chang (Natural Hair Transplant Medical Center)
Ross Medical Hair Restoration
Dr. Reed (La Jolla Hair Restoration Medical Center)
I've had mixed responses as to whether hair transplants would grow well in my bald spot (scar tissue).
Ziering Medical and Dr. Chang were optimistic about it working well.
Dr. Ross's technician (after examining it) said something along the lines of, "I think there's a chance it would work," but by the end of the consultation, was much more optimistic, for some reason.
Dr. Reed was not as optimistic about it working well. He said my bald spot scar was thin and that that made it less likely to work. He recommended that if I did it, I only do 300 grafts for the whole bald spot and scar line. Dr. Ross's technician recommended 600.
(I'm not sure about Ziering, but the rest recommended transplanting follicular units of 2-4 hairs each)
So, my questions boil down to...
1) What's the story on scar tissue and hair transplants? I've read multiple times that it works but not quite as well as normal tissue. However, Dr. Reed made it sound as if it may work significantly worse.
2) Has anybody had experience or heard anything about the doctors/practices I mentioned? Ziering is significantly more expensive than the rest and I'm wondering if they're really any better.
Thank you so much!
Keith