SouthCarolina

This week I retired my hairpiece! This has been a long journey. I started transplant in 2000 and have had a total of 3 and about 5500 grafts. I am/was a NW 7 and have made great progress. Because of the great hairloss of a 7 I did not expect to get as much coverage as many of you but at least I am out! I still have much recession. I had to fill in the sides some (lateral humps) as well as the middle area. The crown is still gone but I have at least some hair 2/3 the way back. Most of you after having a HT you gradually gained more hair. When a system wearer removes the system the result is usually a loss (visually) of hair instead of gradully gaining. This is why "coming out" is such a big deal and a shock. This story would be too long with all the details but here's a summary. Over the last year (after my last HT) I have gradually removed hair from my system and even adding a "see-thru" crown getting ready for this week. I also let my hair grow pretty long for about 3 1/3 months. This week I got a "big" hair cut. I expressed to everyone that noticed that my new look is the result of the hair cut. My basic hairline is almost the same since my system was very thin and I had major recession while wearing also. It seems about a third of the people I normally see didn't even notice. Maybe they were just being kind and didn't say anything but you can usually tell if someone is checking out your head, right? OK. Here's where I have "cheated" (at least during this transition). When I got the haircut I added more hair with the Cyberhair Micropoint link system. They tie a hair (which is actually a few hairs) to a natual hair. This addition thickens th elook and added some hair I could comb back to the crown area. I also beefed up some on one side which is very thin still. I added about 600. I also use Toppik in the back. With the added strands and Toppik my crown is basically covered. I felt I needed this much coverage as not to shock everyone or let them realize I was wearing a system. I also didn't want to shock myself! I also understand from 2 different doctors that my hair MAY thicken some more since I was wearing a system over the transplants for so long. It may take 3 or 4 months to find out however. It would be great but who knows. This process has seemed to work for me. I may not be totally natural yet but I am out of the system. That's the short story and I hope it is helpful and encouraging to other system wearers. Let me add that these Micropint (MP) link strands are great to thicken up a transplant or someone with diffuse thinning. The worst part of a system is having to deal with the base and how it covers what hair is left. MP addresses this issue and looks real as you can see your own scalp. Yes - you can feel a knot if your press DOWN but it is not even as big as a gain of sand . If you are in the middle of a planned sequence of HTs or just want more thickness then you might check this out. I know someone will ask so ... my doctor was Dr. Shapiro. He's done a great job for me and is personable and approachable as well. Thanks for listening!

This week I retired my hairpiece! This has been a long journey. I started transplant in 2000 and have had a total of 3 and about 5500 grafts. I am/was a NW 7 and have made great progress. Because of the great hairloss of a 7 I did not expect to get as much coverage as many of you but at least I am out! I still have much recession. I had to fill in the sides some (lateral humps) as well as the middle area. The crown is still gone but I have at least some hair 2/3 the way back. Most of you after having a HT you gradually gained more hair. When a system wearer removes the system the result is usually a loss (visually) of hair instead of gradully gaining. This is why "coming out" is such a big deal and a shock. This story would be too long with all the details but here's a summary. Over the last year (after my last HT) I have gradually removed hair from my system and even adding a "see-thru" crown getting ready for this week. I also let my hair grow pretty long for about 3 1/3 months. This week I got a "big" hair cut. I expressed to everyone that noticed that my new look is the result of the hair cut. My basic hairline is almost the same since my system was very thin and I had major recession while wearing also. It seems about a third of the people I normally see didn't even notice. Maybe they were just being kind and didn't say anything but you can usually tell if someone is checking out your head, right? OK. Here's where I have "cheated" (at least during this transition). When I got the haircut I added more hair with the Cyberhair Micropoint link system. They tie a hair (which is actually a few hairs) to a natual hair. This addition thickens th elook and added some hair I could comb back to the crown area. I also beefed up some on one side which is very thin still. I added about 600. I also use Toppik in the back. With the added strands and Toppik my crown is basically covered. I felt I needed this much coverage as not to shock everyone or let them realize I was wearing a system. I also didn't want to shock myself! I also understand from 2 different doctors that my hair MAY thicken some more since I was wearing a system over the transplants for so long. It may take 3 or 4 months to find out however. It would be great but who knows. This process has seemed to work for me. I may not be totally natural yet but I am out of the system. That's the short story and I hope it is helpful and encouraging to other system wearers. Let me add that these Micropint (MP) link strands are great to thicken up a transplant or someone with diffuse thinning. The worst part of a system is having to deal with the base and how it covers what hair is left. MP addresses this issue and looks real as you can see your own scalp. Yes - you can feel a knot if your press DOWN but it is not even as big as a gain of sand . If you are in the middle of a planned sequence of HTs or just want more thickness then you might check this out. I know someone will ask so ... my doctor was Dr. Shapiro. He's done a great job for me and is personable and approachable as well. Thanks for listening!

What brands of hairpieces did you work with and/or which ones do you think are the best?

I've had 3 with Shapiro and the proceddure is about the same as MDM describes. I stayed an extra day in the hotel before going home. This allowed me to provide a little more concentrated attention to spraying the scalp (etc) that next 24 hours.

Bravo ... Brave Man! Good for you!

Great post! As you know ... the actual procedure is nothing compared to the wait afterwards! Questions: Are you still wearing the hair system? Have you gone back to work and if so ... what was your experience?

In April he used stitches for the inner layer and staple on the outer layer of the incision. This may or may not be current procedure.

These are some summaries of "technical articles" I found on the subject. Since we aren't allowed to link to them, I copied them below. Sorry if it is too wordy for a forum but I thought there might be interest. ---------------------------------- Losing Hair, Losing Points A study by Thomas F. Cash reveals that "the psychosocial effects of common male pattern baldness (MPB) have been largely neglected." An experiment conducted for the study measured social perceptions of both men and women when presented photographic slides of balding and nonbalding men. Cash concludes that "MPB caused generally less favorable initial impressions, including lower ratings of physical attractiveness, judgments of less desirable personal and interpersonal characteristics, and misperceptions of age. The moderating effects of perceivers' sex and age and stimulus persons' age were examined, mostly without consequence. The baldness stereotype was substantially attenuated when physical attractiveness was statistically controlled." Thomas F. Cash, Journal of Applied Social Psychology 1990; 20: 154-167 ---------------------------------- Does Fortune Favor The Bald? In the British Journal of Psychology, Dr. Pamela Wells* and co-authors write that "fortune does not favour the bald". They reveal that "bald and balding men are generally rated less favourably on dimensions such as physical attractiveness, self-assertiveness, social attractiveness, personal likeability, and life success." They also found that "Increasing degrees of hair loss were associated with loss of self-esteem, depression, introversion, neuroticism and feeling unattractive. These effects were more marked for young men in the case of self-esteem, introversion and feeling unattractive." *Pamela A. Wells, Trevor Willmoth and Robin J. H. Russell Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths' college, Lewisham Way, London SE14 6NW, UK A study by Dr. Charles Gosselin of Harvard Medical School in Personality and Individual Differences, found that the personality and behavior changes brought on by premature baldness can be not only serious, but permanent. ---------------------------------- Effects Of Self-Perceived Hair Loss In A Community Sample Of Men Background: Few studies have quantified the psychosocial effects of hair loss using standardized instruments in men not seeking treatment for hair loss. Objective: Examine self-perception of hair loss and its effects on men from the community. Methods: Men 18-50 years of age recruited without regard to hair loss, from households near Dayton, Ohio, completed a questionnaire assessing self-perception of hair loss, satisfaction with hair appearance, hair-loss-specific effects and general health status. Results: Men with greater hair loss had more bother, concern about getting older, perceived noticeability to others and greater dissatisfaction with their hair appearance than men with less hair loss. These effects decreased with age for men with hair loss, but regardless of age, perceived noticeability of hair loss increased monotonically with degree of hair loss. Conclusion: men with greater hair loss report more negative effects due to their hair loss across all age groups, but the effects were more pronounced in younger men. C. J. Girman, T. Rhodes, F.R.W .Lilly, S.S. Guo, R.M Siervogel, D.L. Patrick, W.C. Chumlea Dermatology 1998;197: 223-229 ------------------------------------------- Quality Of Life Issues In Male Pattern Hair Loss J. Passchier (Reasmus University, Rotterdam, The Neatherlands) in a study indicates that "For clinicians who treat patients with a range of diseases, many of them severe or life threatening, it may be hard to take seriously the effect of male pattern hair loss (also known as androgenetic alopecia or AGA) on the quality of life of those affected by it." The report goes on to provide "evidence in support of the contention that, despite being so common, male pattern hair loss can still have a significant negative impact on those who experience it." Passchier states that "studies over the last 20 years have confirmed the consistent advantage, in most human interactions, of being perceived as attractive (by the standards of a particular culture) and, conversely, the social disadvantage conferred by being considered unattractive [6], especially when this is caused by a dermatological condition. The consequences of such behavior can extend beyond personal isolation, to extremes that include overt discrimination in employment practices." Although many tend to trivialize a man's balding condition, the study indicates the following: "Given the psychological and symbolic importance of hair and the fact that its removal is used as a punishment in many cultures, it is not surprising that hair loss may have a potentially adverse impact on a person's quality of life (QOL). Unfortunately, this impact is often trivialized or even ignored by those not affected by it. A number of studies have now verified the psychosocial difficulties experienced by men with AGA [7-11]. Overall, these studies show that men with visible hair loss are generally seen by others as being significantly older, less physically or socially attractive, weaker, duller and less potent then their peers. Analogous results, highlighting the relationship between self image and hair loss, come from studies that compare the psychosocial responses of people with AGA to those without: common responses are dissatisfaction with body image, the feeling of being older, a sense of inadequacy and loss of self-confidence [1,7,9]. The results of Girman et al. [1] are particularly valuable because, unlike many of the previous studies, they reflect a sample of men not already seeking medical treatment for hair loss. Their data confirm that men with a greater degree of hair loss are more concerned about getting older, feel they are noticeable to others and are more unhappy about the appearance of their hair than men with less hair loss. Despite this, few of these men had sought treatment for their hair loss in the past. The author suggests that this could be due, among other things, to not wanting to be seen as vain or to skepticism about available treatment options." It is common that many men simply accept their baldness as a natural event and accept it gracefully. But those in the grips of substantial hair loss also know that their condition has greatly affected their lives and lifestyles. Passchier writes: "However, it is also clear that many men with AGA do experience a reduction in their QOL [Quality Of Life]. Moreover, the evidence also suggests that there are subpopulations who, for a number of reasons, experience a greater degree of adverse psychological response to their hair loss. For example, younger men are significantly more affected by what they consider to be premature hair loss [7]. This is corroborated by the results of Girman et al. [1], who find that, although negative effects due to hair loss are reported across all age groups, they are more apparent in younger men." The report concludes that "many men are hardly affected by the loss of their hair. For them, the possibility of retaining or regaining their hair is primarily of cosmetic value. Nevertheless, for those who do suffer distress, the existence of realistic treatments constitutes a major and radical step forward. These treatments, and the general change in the perception of AGA into that of a treatable condition to be taken seriously, will dramatically improve the QOL of this population of men." J. Passchier, Department of Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Reasmus University, Rotterdam, The Neatherlands Dermatology 1998; 197: 217-218

Website correction: http://ShapiroMedical.com

My experience with Shaprio was great. I just had my 3rd procedure with him (I'm a NW7). I started with him in 2000 when he had an office in Florida in addition to Min. Now he is only in Min. He is very interested in you and your results and I found him to be up front and is very likeable. On my first HT we went long so after we finished he let the staff go and he actually drove me to my hotel instead of calling a cab and stopped to get a quick burger at Wendy's. My second one also went long so he and Dr. Rose took me to a restaurant along with a few staff members for a meal. Very unusual but appreciated. His staff is very friendly and accomodating during the procedure but very foucused on the task at hand. You can read throughout the site about his technical ability. Those are some of my thoughts. Check out his website for some new patient photos ... http://ShaprioMedical.com

There's Dr. Cooley (http://www.haircenter.com) and Dr. Baxa (http://www.pilc.com) in Charlotte, NC ... right on the SC/NC border. Don't be afraid to travel if you find someone you like. I went to Dr. Shapiro (http://www.shapiromedical.com) in Min.

Hairboy I'll have to get some pics of myself to put them up. In the meantimeyou can see Shapiro's work on his site. His pics are pretty clear. Clik the small pics to enlarge. Here's a directlink: http://www.shapiromedical.com/gallery.htm Thanks ...

Density probably does decrease in many and would be a problem to address. BTW, once in my teens and twenties I thought hair probably wouldn't make a difference when I was in my an "elderly" 40's. (I am in my 40's now) I thought life and about everything else would be of little consequence by that time (my parent's age) anyway. Boy was I wrong!! 70's may seem that way to many now but I know one thing ... I didn't get a HT for the chicks ... I got it for me. :-) Just a thought.

Thanks for the response. BTW, I had Shapiro for all 3 HTs. It was just pure dumb luck I found Shapiro back in 2000. This site and other info was not in such supply on the net back then. I think Pat had a personal site up at that time and that is how I heard of Shapiro ... Can't quite remember all the details. I think I even called Pat as a reference on my 1st HT. Shapiro did mention the possibility of another small HT later but I am real concerned about having donor area look natural in the years to come. You never know what can happen. If I was a firm NW6 then I probably wouldn't worry about it. I think I was a little worse off initially than Joetronic. FUE would definitely be the way to go for little touch-up work ... crown for example. My hairline is very conservative for obvious reasons and I may also want to bring the tip down just a little for a better "illusion" of frontal hair. One thing that is different from my last strips. He closed all inside layers with stitches and the outside with purely staples. Last year he used some staples and mostly stitches on the outside. I think maybe he got better at using staples. Didn't think to ask when I was there. Thanks for the support.

Just had my 3rd procedure with Dr. Shapiro on 4/15/04. This will probably be my last because ... Well, I am a NW7 (47 years old) so much to cover and not much donor left. Had 1900 grafts in 2000, 2100 in 2003 and now almost 1500 for about 5500 total grafts. I wear a system so the grafts have not been seen by others. My system is REAL thin and getting thinner ... expecting the day it will be removed all together. (My hair system is balding you see!) After the 2nd HT I could have ALMOST gone without the system but for some particular areas. In a NW7 the sides are lower which are sometimes called the lateral humps. I had to have some more work done in this area to bridge the island of hair I had grown from my previous HTs. This procedure filled these humps in more and we also "weighted" more grafts on the part side (which is done quite often with more severe Norwoods) and down the middle. Non-part middle side is almost untouched. Of course the crown will not be touched but coming from a NW7 ... it is a small section that can be overlooked for now (until the miracle hair cure at least). Of course the "verdict" will not be in for months to come but things look hopeful at this point. I am hoping I would at least be good enough for a NW7 "poster boy" as many of you are for your own docs. I haven't heard much from other NW7's around here but would like to. Of course their results will never be like the many NW5's & 6's but a natural looking improvement can be a great boost for those that many HT docs won't even touch or talk about (excluding those who are of course non-candidtates for various reasons). Anyway ... The surgical details are about the same as you've heard from other Shapiro patients ... most excellent. I really enjoy the process ... well not "enjoy" actually but I do find it very interesting to observe and experience. Shaprio was great ... interested in my ideas and input and his staff was most accomodating and friendly. I couldn't have asked for more.

Just had my 3rd procedure with Dr. Shapiro on 4/15/04. This will probably be my last because ... Well, I am a NW7 (47 years old) so much to cover and not much donor left. Had 1900 grafts in 2000, 2100 in 2003 and now almost 1500 for about 5500 total grafts. I wear a system so the grafts have not been seen by others. My system is REAL thin and getting thinner ... expecting the day it will be removed all together. (My hair system is balding you see!) After the 2nd HT I could have ALMOST gone without the system but for some particular areas. In a NW7 the sides are lower which are sometimes called the lateral humps. I had to have some more work done in this area to bridge the island of hair I had grown from my previous HTs. This procedure filled these humps in more and we also "weighted" more grafts on the part side (which is done quite often with more severe Norwoods) and down the middle. Non-part middle side is almost untouched. Of course the crown will not be touched but coming from a NW7 ... it is a small section that can be overlooked for now (until the miracle hair cure at least). Of course the "verdict" will not be in for months to come but things look hopeful at this point. I am hoping I would at least be good enough for a NW7 "poster boy" as many of you are for your own docs. I haven't heard much from other NW7's around here but would like to. Of course their results will never be like the many NW5's & 6's but a natural looking improvement can be a great boost for those that many HT docs won't even touch or talk about (excluding those who are of course non-candidtates for various reasons). Anyway ... The surgical details are about the same as you've heard from other Shapiro patients ... most excellent. I really enjoy the process ... well not "enjoy" actually but I do find it very interesting to observe and experience. Shaprio was great ... interested in my ideas and input and his staff was most accomodating and friendly. I couldn't have asked for more.

Where did the link to just view posts since your last visit I used that exclusively almost daily. I I just not seeing it? I wrote an email concerning this a few days ago but have heard nothing. Going Subject by subject looking for the new posts is just too hard.

Going for my 3rd with Shapiro next month. Top notch!

Don't know if you need it but Dr Baxa's website is www.PILC.com (Professional Image & Laser Centre)

Dr. Shapiro has some new photos on his website at http://shapiromedical.com/gallery.htm

There is also Dr. Baxa in Charlotte, NC He is a member of IAHRS, the BaldTruth site. see http://www.pilc.com (Profession Image & Laser Center)

I should really check my spelling. Sorry about that. Just washed my hands and can't do a thing with them!

I would towel dry the transplanted are by very gently dabbing. I would dry the rest of my hair with a blow dryer on cool and on low force. Since my hair was a little long I would use the style brush as I dries. Letting it dry by inself since it was longer dodn't look good. If the top of my head was not dry enough I would use the bow dryer (on cool and low force) at arms length and kind of wave if back and forth to create a sort of mild "breeze". No direct heat or blowing.

FYI Here's the list of all docs associate with Dr. Shapiro & quick bio. http://shapiromedical.com/about.htm Rose, Charles, Keene

It seems Hair loss affects men differently. How many times have you heard you shouldn't feel bad about losing your hair ... so and so doesn't? And don't even mention the .05% of men who look good without hair (ie Sean Connery). On a looks scale of 1-10 they were probably 12's before they lost their hair. Research shows many men really don't care but it also shows many men do. I wish I was one of the former but like most of you ... I am not. Here are some SHORT summaries (a paragraph or 2 each) of scientific research that indicates what men really feel about the subject and also how if affects their lives and in some cases their jobs. Titles ... Losing Hair - Losing Points, Does Fortune Favor The Bald?, Effects of Self-Perceived Hair Loss, and Quality of Life Issues in Male Pattern Hair Loss. See http://pilc.com/newsArticle1.htm .