Mac1

Hey guys, I had my donor scar excised and revised by a reputable surgeon. He used staples to close the wound and will remove them on the 10th day. I asked him about working out post-op and he said he is not to strict on it as long as I wait about two weeks after surgery, and just to refrain from heavy lifting. I just wanted to get some thoughts from you guys if you have any recommendations or suggestions. I love working out and its very important to me.

thanks guys, i used dermmatch and love it so far. it is tricky with how damp to use the applicator. i dont want to bother with toppik or nano, i feel like if somebody ran there fingers through my head stuff would come off. with dermmatch i feel more safe. however, the scar does not look any better with dermmatch unfortunately.

nobody else?

Another question I have is that is it possible to achieve a look at isn't COMPLETELY full of hair? I think it would be unrealistic to go from severely thinning to completely full. Can you achieve a middle ground with dermmatch?

this is what i was thinking. should i apply it dry or wet? blow dry or air dry?

how come? i have read it comes off easily.

Dermatch vs. Nanogen vs. Toppik? I have heard great things about dermatch. Is it the best one? Short hair being about a 2-guard. I will grow it out longer but right now it is at a 2-guard. My hair is pitch black and skin is tan. What should i use?

Hey guys, is there a product that you can use to disguise the HT scar if you keep a close shaved head? I will get SMP but can't afford it yet. I am looking for a stopgap solution just to hide the pinkess. I have heard using some womens makeup products?

what is the best way to take pictures? indoor or outdoor? flash or no flash? i want to start taking pictures but i feel like there is a drastic change depending on settings. what is a fair setting to monitor progress?

Are these months considered the "golden months" as far as noticing the greatest cosmetic difference? Is this generally the case? I feel like by month 6 most cases can generally be deemed a success or a failure. Not that the 6 month mark is the final result, but at that point you sort of know if you will be satisfied with the result. Months 3-5 are generally considered the tip of the iceberg? Is this correct?

Hey guys, It has been 4.5 months since the procedure. I am hoping if I grow the sides out long enough that eventually the weight of the hair will force it to straighten out.

Anyone have this issue? The hair above the donor scar seems to lay sideways, or at an angle. Instead of just dropping straight down over the scar. Is there any way to remedy this?

Got a reply from Dr. Rassman, informed me that the minimum wait is six months. I am guessing because it is basically a procedure that requires 2-3 touchups anyways, so no real danger in getting first procedure done 6 months post-op. Just my 2 cents.

How long post-op should you wait for SMP into the scar? I know common answers would indicate a year, but I wonder if anyone has heard from a doctor. I have sent a query into Dr. Rassman but he has yet to respond.

I will get FUE into the scar down the road, but I think SMP is a good stopgap solution. My only worry is the redness doesn't seem to be getting any better. I am using Rogaine, does that have anything to do with it?

I did no exercises at all. Only thing I can think of is that when I sleep, my chin almost touches my chest, my head is facing down. I would feel pinching type of sensation and then try to reposition my head better. Is there anything I can do at this point? My plan was to get SMP done in January.

Please check my scar, this is 3 months post-op. 3700 grafts were extracted. It seems really wide and stretched out, and really red.

It appears that the redness around the strip scar post-op is greater than the scar eventually appears. Is this true in most cases. In other words, the scar looks thicker in many pictures when it is red, almost 1/2 centimeter thick, then several months later it doesn't look quite as bad. Is the skin just red around the actual incision because it is irritated? Or does the redness that lingers about one month post-op actually tell you exactly how big your scar is going to be? How can you decipher between what is a result of shedding post-op around the scar, versus the actual width of the scar itself.

Wow, Still impressed. I have been following your progress. I agree about the donor looking a bit thinner, but I think at this stage you can try to grow your hair out longer a little bit all over? I would send your pics over to Dr. Rassman just to get his opinion on your possibilities of SMP. Best of luck bud, and congrats so far.

Hair Today, Check out the last few weeks on Baldingblog.com. I am a young NW5 and will never have a full head of hair again. My long term plan is to get a session of 5,000 grafts done to create an image of hair, then fill it out with SMP. In your case, I would wait 6 more months and then see if you will even need it. As for HDUDE, You are right, I would probably stop and take a second look at its current state too. However, 90 percent of HTs i would stop to look at. Main point is that coming from where Hair Today is coming from, this is a massive imporvement, and nowhere to go but up. I don't think anybody is saying it looks great as a final result, but for 5 months this is very very promising. Hair Today's journey has been arduous, no doubt in my mind he is going in the right direction.

Hair Today, Wow, just wanted to offer some support. You may be a bit down, but from the outside looking in, this looks amazing for only five months. Im glad you chopped your sides off, it enhances your appearance 10-fold! Have you given some thought to cutting the top even shorter? Happy healing! Also, have you given any though to SMP? Dr. Rassman is offering it and he is in socal. I think for NW6+ it can be very helpful. Good luck buddy!

Norwoodsman, I am in the same boat as you! I think a combination of micropigmentation with about 5,000 grafts can look awesome. However, my optimism hasn't really been reinforced on this board. Wonder if there is something I am not looking at? I think this combo is our only hope!

As far as the copper peptide, you can apply it the day of the procedure? While the grafts are still fresh? Recipient and donor sites?

Dr. Lindsey, If a patient had used Neosporin in the past with positive results, would it be ok to use it on the donor area?

So wait two weeks for Minoxidil, that makes sense. I have heard aloe vera won recipient AND donor helps a lot too. This cant hurt can it? I would assume witch hazel would go first, as it is generally thought of as a "cleaner" for minor cuts, which is essentially what a transplant is. Followed by the Aloe Vera/Vitamin E Lotion. Once I start the minoxidil I would assume it would go on right after the witch hazel. However, don't know what form of copper peptide to purchase, or when it would be applied. Thank you for the comments so far!