biscuit

H&W can do jaggy if you ask for it, pics in my gallery.

That photo looks like it was taken a few days post-op so it's not an example of recipient area scarring. The grafts are still healing under the surface of the scalp so that's why there is a slight bumpiness to the scalp. But that goes away quickly and you should see no long-term scarring when done by a top clinic.

Is your scalp still pink in the recipient area?

It varies so much I think you have to plan for the worst and hope for the best. Diffuse thinning is tough to predict. And if you thin too much it's almost impossible to make any HT work. I know a guy who is in his 20's who has coverage all over his head, but it is so diffused it would be a disaster if he got a HT.

I told several of my family and several of my friends and co-workers before I had the HT so it wasn't a big secret. I'm more than 5 years post-op so most people don't remember me when I was balding. In general, we worry too much about our own hair. The people around us don't notice very much and they certainly aren't hair critics like you see on forums. But it's great to see hair in the mirror!

Oops, good catch. Check my blog for the number of days post op. That's the easiest way to compare dates because there are different ways to count weeks and months.

I don't remember my exact numbers but I think it was something like: 2500 front 1500 middle 411 crown

Our goals are different. My goal would be to improve the scar and get some coverage at the same time. I would go back to H&W for a tricho strip revision and use the grafts in my crown. Your goal appears to be to improve the look of your scar with a shaved head with no desire to add any coverage to other parts of your head. Unfortunately you have a hypertrophic scar, so the first step would be to get it flattened. I've never looked into that so I can't give any recommendations. But once it was flat I would probably use beard hair FUE into the scar, assuming you have a decent amount of beard hair. Dr Umar has shown some good results with that kind of procedure.

Do you have any photos of the scar repair from when you had your hair shaved? I'd like to see it.

You just have to be patient. The hair will grow at its own pace depending on a lot of factors. Worrying about it won't help, and stress might even make your recovery time longer. So relax! Do you have any photos? Here's where I was at 10 days short of 4 months. Everone goes through the ugly duckling stage!

Both. Try to get close-ups, it will take some practice with your camera settings. If your camera can't do macro shots there are lots of low-cost cameras you can get that will do the trick. Here's an example of a macro shot I took. Then take a bunch of photos to accurately show your overall condition before, during, and after your treatment. A variety of lighting should be used. See my blog for examples. I took most of those photos myself, just hold the camera in one hand at arms length and fire away.

Moro, here's an example of a scar similar to yours. See the pre-op pics and then see the shaved pics when he was having his hairline work. http://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/blog/journal.asp?CopyID=5349&WebID=1654 Shaved: http://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/blog/journal.asp?CopyID=5352&WebID=1654

Wow, long road you took to get to this point. The strip scar repair looks really great, I can't even find it in the shaved photos. The hairline and temples are coming in nicely. Congrats.

CD, thanks for the review and congrats on the surgery. Regarding photos, be sure to take some for your own reference. Good clear pics showing the graft placement immediately post-op can be very helpful for your own future reference. And monthly progress pics can also be useful because it's not always easy to see progress when it happens over a period of months. So please take photos and share them when you feel ready.

I read those links but I don't see your point. Some of them are talking about the process of follicular unit transplantation, not the strip scar. The others never say you will receive an undetectable scar. However, the clinic I went to does say "virtually undetectable scar" on their web site, which I think is misleading. Donor Area Scarring | Trichophytic Closure Technique - Hasson & Wong AFAIK, no HT scars are undetectable on a shaved head so no clinic should make that claim. Saying "virtually undetectable" or "nearly undetectable" would only be accurate if they qualified it with the length of hair necessary to conceal the scar. But I'd prefer a more accurate portrayal of the scarring with a clear statement about scars on shaved heads, for both FUE and strip.

Try to take good photos using consistent lighting. Use the macro setting so you can really zoom in on the individual hairs. The only positive visual improvement I've seen from lasers has been in promotional material by the manufacturer. I've never seen real world results with any visual benefit from the laser alone.

Is any clinic promoting strip as undetectable with a fully shaved head? Unfortunately it sounds like you weren't able to get feedback from this forum before your HT. From my experience most people here try to discourage 20 year olds from getting a HT. And everyone would tell you that strip will leave a scar that will be visible with a shaved head.

Your hair looks great! I'd say no HT is needed based on those pics.

Great results in such a short time. I like the top view comparison. Did you end up taking intermal meds? Congrats ES.

It's pretty common knowledge that if you get strip you can't shave bald without a visible scar. If you plan on shaving your head bald the best solution is to not get a HT.

Congrats on the surgery. The placement looks good and I like the jaggy hairline. Good growin to ya.

I don't think the scar is fully matured until the 12 month mark. If it's still pink it isn't fully healed. And a lot depends on your scalp laxity. If you are really tight I think it could stretch any time during the first year.

Be careful though, a lot of times you'll find significant hairloss and miniaturization if you were to shave your hair. It's tough to estimate from the pics you posted, I'd say they portray your loss in the best case scenario.

azjoe1, I was in about the same condition as you are when I was 44. Meds are tricky. Do a ton of research. If you do decide to take them I think it's best to wait a year to see how you respond. That will give you a better idea on your best HT strategy. You already wear your hair short, but I'd also recommend going even shorter for at least 6 months to see how you like it and how others react. Some people look great shaved down, which would be the best scenario.

I think you get most of the results by month 12, but the color matching and texture continues to improve for 24 months. Great results, congrats.