KulMD

Bill, I am looking forward to sharing, opening and updating a hairloss blog in the next week. Several months on this site prepared me incredibly well for the procedure and after care. Members sharing their experiences helped me set up realistic expectations and reduced anxiety.

Flyby, First of all, I am by no means a nutritional expert. I also followed Fr. Fellers pre-op protocol to discontinue vitamins the week befopre surgery. Many supplements can cause thinning of the blood or increased bleeding which is not optimal while operating. This is also why Rogaine is discontinued prior to surgery due to vasodialtion I started my regimen the day after surgery. Much of the post op vitamin protocols are anecdotal but I believe as long as it can't harm you, its worth a little time and money. I have always believed that Zinc and Vitamin C aided in healing. Vit E also has been shown to expedite the healing process. The others, I am not sure since there is less data. Some people believe that a solid Multi Vitamin is sufficient which is why I take the 6 per day Multi from Natrol. The best advice though is to follow your surgeons post op instructions. Dr. Feller's is pretty basic and straightforward and "knock on wood"; no pain, minimal if any swelling and mild itching.

Blowdry, You make a valid point about Omega 3s. I have been unsuccessful in the past with the side effects of these oils. I currently use pharmaceutical grade highly distilled fish oil from the Antartic. These brands meet the high standards of Europe and Canadian regulations for pharm grade items. The US does not regulate supplements. Anyway, I just started taking 2 Nordic Natual Ultimate Omegas w/o any side effects plus a Krill Oil which is supposedly a potent Omega 3 w/o the GI upset or after taste. I believe the Zone also offers a pharmaceutical grade Omega.

I doubt suture vs staples should have much impact on post op healing. Perhaps it can in certain individuals. When I first performed orthopedic surgery I always closed with sutures; sometimes absorbale and other times non- absorbable. I had several suture reactions to absorbables which prolonged the healing process. I was reluctant to try staples becuase I was concerned about railroad track scarring at the suture line. I gradually started closing via staples and was pleasantly surprised how well the wound was re-approximated, lack of scarring and No tissue reactions. The recommendations made by posters are very good and you need to wait it out. For itching, I usually like 25 or 50 mg of Benadryel at night and during the day Benadryl spray. Icing may help if there is residual swelling but usually has limited effect as the post op days progress. I would still elevate at 45 degrees and take it easy. Naprosyn or Ibupofen are anti-inflammatories that need to be taken consistently to obtain the optimal anti- inflammatory effect. Each of us responds differently and in the end we will be happy with our thousands of new hairs. Patience and hang in there and do what works best for you!!

Second Day: Post 3300 Feller graft Update Still no pain. Taking Tylenol just in case. As expected,some itching. I took a Benadryl last night and that seemed to help. The staples near the end of the incision remind me that they will be camping out for another week. I have come to the conclusion over the years that vitamins have helped me in the healing process. Although much of this is anecdotal, I believe there is no harm attempting to jump- start the healing process. Started: My Favotire Multi Vitamins by Natrol - a very complete multi vitamin (6 per day) MSM starting at 3000mg will raise to 5000 Biotin - 5mg Vitc C - 2 grams Zinc - start at 50 mg up to 100 mg Omega 3 - 1 gram; finally found one that doesn't give you the burps or that fishy after taste. Niacin 500 mg Coenzyme Q 10 - 100 units Vit E plenty in my multi vitamin Of course I have made the long term commitment to taking 1.25 finasteride Minimal edema of the forehead although it is not noticable. In the words of Larry David; "Pretty,pretty, good!!"

Thanks for all your congrats. So far so good. One day post op without a drop of pain or swelling.

To all, Just thought I would briefly share today's 3300 graft HT today. I will create a blog shortly once I obtain my photos. I have previously posted my experience searching for a top notch HT surgeon. I always conduct detailed research prior to embarking on important health issues. This website provided invaluable information. The following are my objective observations 8 hours after departing Dr Feller's office. 1. Dr. Feller - incredibly honest and straightforward. Detailed pre-surgical review and patiently answered questions from my wife and I. 2. Prep- simple and quick. Minimal pain from injection 3. He showed me the tiny blades he planned to use. I believe they were .6 and .8. I have never seen such small blades. 4. He spent several hours mapping out the incisions and was meticulous in their placement prior to graft insetion. He expected to utilize 3000 grafts for my hairline and crown. 5. His technicians/nurses were pleasant, efficient and worked well together as a team. They inserted some of the grafts with Dr. Feller and under his supervision. He asked if he could show his work to two of his consult patients. Both traveled far to consult with him; one European and another fron the thr western US. I believe both had unsatisfactory results with their previous HT surgeons. 6. A lucky bonus - Dr. Feller informed me that he had an additional 300 grafts which he strategically placed in my crown. This was quite welcome news and I gladly accepted the newcomers. An added bonus! No extra charge for the additional 300 which is 10% of the proposed surgery. This was greatly appreciated by me and extremely thoughtful on his part. Post op we had a nice chat and he provided some tips and best post-op practices. We share similar views on evidence based medicine. Dr. Feller practices innovative and cutting edge surgery while at the same time does no jump on the bandwagon with all new treatment modalities entering the marketplace. Examples may be his laser comb opinion and early beliefs regarding FUE. My wife met him early AM and when she picked me up. She is an experienced medical malpractice defense attorney and said he was a breath of fresh air in the medical profession. Although I am still pain-free. I will take his advice and pop a Vicodin ES before bedtime. I guess if you haven't figured this out already, I really liked the guy What a long and productive day! No second thoughts regrets! Looking forward to the healing journey that lies ahead! I will stay in touch!

Thanks for the offer Michaellovesnyc! My wife will be dropping me off at the office. I am lining up my post op items. Maybe we should have a Dr. Feller Patient Reunion in the summer. First let me get through Thursdays procedure!

To all, I think I am ready for my HT with Dr. Feller this Thursday morning in Great Neck, NY. I will keep you posted and set up a hair blog shortly. I am quite lucky to have stumbled upon this site several months ago. All of the advice, opinions, etc... truly help along the journey. I shall return later in the week!

To all, I think I am ready for my HT with Dr. Feller this Thursday morning in Great Neck, NY. I will keep you posted and set up a hair blog shortly. I am quite lucky to have stumbled upon this site several months ago. All of the advice, opinions, etc... truly help along the journey. I shall return later in the week!

I am trying ebay for these items. So far so good with Rogaine purchased on e bay.

Mrjb, Good point. I will place a bid on one of the items. I need a back-up Dermmatch for travel.

Has anyone had any experience purchasing Dermmatch or Toppik on ebay? I have purchased Rogaine/Minoxidil on e bay and was quite satisfied while saving money.

I consulted with Dr. Epstein in NYC recently and Roxy waived the $175 consultation fee as a courtesy. I fully expected and had no problem paying for his time although most HT surgeons do not seem to charge a consult fee.

Rapid, Please check out my NY HT Surgeon Search 10/18 post: http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/showthread.php?t=146817

I have read several accounts stating that Rogaine's half life may support once a day dosing. Any thoughts? The quote below is from Dr. Bernstein: Once a day topical use of Rogaine (topical minoxidil 2% and 5%) seems to be almost as effective as using it twice a day. The reason is, that although minoxidil has a relatively short half-life of several hours when given orally, when topically applied, it has a half-life of 22 hours in the skin. This suggests that once a day dosing is a reasonable option. It is important to realize that Pfizer, the company that now makes Rogaine, specifically states that it will be less effective if used only once a day."

I have a planned HT in December and having seen these post op results made me have second thoughts. Fortunately, my surgeon has a proven track record, responds to difficult questions and posts numerous cases. Fortunately, we have the Coalition Surgeons and excellent feedback amongst members. When I see results of Drs. Martinick, Lehr, Hitzig and several others, I wonder what thought process plays a role in choosing their surgeon? Is it proximity, $3 grafts? For those who choose a hair mill after researching this site, I guess you must live dangerously. Several months ago I consulted with a Bosley salesman. Today, I received a one month follow up post-op letter thanking me for my decision, wishing me well and offering a discount on # 2. There is only one problem. I booked my case with Dr. Feller.

Ditto, hairthere! You have two choices: 1. Go with a hair mill that spends hundreds of thousands of dollars advertising and has dozens of physicians with varied skill levels OR 2. Proven track records & results aka Coalition Surgeons. The Mills may yield a good result; but then again maybe the physician who flew in for the day only brought his 1.8mm blades. Unfortunately,"you get what you pay for" does not apply to hair transplants in general. When was the last time Dr. Bosley performed a HT?

Yes, Great Neck NY is very convenient to airports and NYC. It's an upscale suburb and closest of the Long Island towns to Manhattan. You can hop on the Long Island Railroad and be in NYC in less than a half hour. My date with Dr. Feller is appraoching and fortunately I reside 20 miles from his office. For the NY metro area your top choices for full time HT surgeons are Feller, True & Bernstein. Epstein and Rose visit NYC primarily for consults. I hear that Epstein has a great set up in Miami and recommends having the surgery there. You can't go wrong with any of the above. It's more a preference of your needs and gut feeling.

The 5% should be administered twice per day as per the label. However, several HT docs believe that once a day dosing is sufficient since the liquid or foam has a long enough half life. I would consider the foam over the liquid. It's easier to use, less greasy and supposedly has enhanced absorption. You can load up on good deals for the liquid or foam on ebay. I would give it at least 6 months before re-evaluating if it has provided any benefit for you.

Yeah, I average the following costs including shipping for recent purchases: 5% Minoxidil $4.50/month 5% Rogaine Liquid: $6.00/month Rogaine Foam $11.00/month I am all set for through 2008.

YoungGuy, You make a good point. When they shave down, how far do they go? Does any hair remain or is it 1 mm? 2mm?

I discovered a good source for Rogaine or Minoxidil. I purchased both the liquid and foam from ebay sellers. My first "trial" transaction was for a small amount. I have since ordered larger amounts. Easy and very reasonably priced!

I discovered a good source for Rogaine or Minoxidil. I purchased both the liquid and foam from ebay sellers. My first "trial" transaction was for a small amount. I have since ordered larger amounts. Easy and very reasonably priced!

Michaellovesnyc, You bring up a good point. Although there is no hard evidence that shaving improves outcomes, it appears that some of the finest coalition physicians believe shaving will result in an optimal outcome. This does not mean that no shave results will not be good. Feller, Shapiro, Hasson & Wong appear to be some of the current leaders in HT today and if you choose them you will most likely opt for shaving. The big 4 seem convinced that in their hands, you are better off with a shaven recipient site. Dr. Feller reiterated this point and made suggestions on how to conceal the shaven areas with existing hair. They seem adamant that shaving will minimize transection & shockless as well as provide the optimal placement of grafts. The thread by Dr. Hasson certainly makes sense. I guess they believe in giving the patient the best opportunity for a successful HT and with few exceptions will not sacrific the result for short term cosmetic results. If one opts out of shaving there are plenty of MDs who can perform quality work. We see many of these results on this forum. The bottom line is that you need to do what's best for you. Although anecdotal, it appears that you are setting yourself up for the best possible result by shaving. Other post op protocols attempt to maximize outcomes (Biotin, Rogaine, MSM, etc...) to differnt degrees. There are some questions as to the benefit sof some of these post op regimens. On the other hand, when a surgeon believes strongly in shaving the recipient site for the best outcome, you have to believe them based upon experience.