Gorpy

One thing I have noticed after researching this subject for quite some time now is that certain doctors have certain "styles". By that I mean they will follow some similar patterns with their work. They might be very subtle differences, but they do exist. For example, if you like Shapiro's hairlines, don't expect to go to one of the others and get that type of hairline. As mentioned above they are all excellent, but with subtle differences in their styling characteristics. Your best bet is to meet with them in person. Doctors have more pictures at their offices that they don't put online. Meet with some patients. That will help the decision become clear.

I like it. Looks like quality work. How many grafts and who's the doc? Hopefully the propecia will fill in your crown a little. Oh, nevermind. I see in another post you had 2500 with Dr. Epstein.

Dude, bite the bullet and go to a good barber au natural. They work on a variety of people all day long. I guarantee he won't think twice about your lack of hair. Look for an old fashioned male barber shop. They're the best.

Supercool, redness car vary greatly from person to person. For some, after a few days it is gone, for others it can last months. There is NO scarring in the recipient area IF you go to a top doctor.

I have been on 1/4 Proscar for about 8 months. I am noticing a slight thickening of my crown and the hair just above it. I had slight thinning in those areas. It looks less "see through" now. No side effects.

Thanks Ailene. A little open debate and information sharing is a good thing.

I would say, from a pure "naturalness" point of view, Dr. Keene. That is why I went with her.

Hoping, I had a very similar procedure 3 months ago. I am experiencing the same thing. The growth in the back is coming out much faster than the growth around the hairline. I am seeing new hair around the hairline now, but just not as fast as the back. The new growth is the baby fine hairs. They quickly take off and become visible with the naked eye.

Wow, John Se, I hope my hairline looks that natural.

The red dots quickly fade and it becomes a ping hue on the scalp. That ping hue could last from a few days to a few months. Depends on the person.

I was close enough (Phoenix) that I could just drive down. You would want to spend the night after the surgery and get a wash by the clinic the next morning. Not only does if feel great, but they inspect the grafts to make sure everything is ok. Many people remove the sutures themselves or get a local doctor to do it. It's up to you. The advantage of going to the clinic for it is that the doctor inspects your progress and gives you advice on scab management etc. The doctor does not actually remove the sutures, an assistant does. It doesn't look like a difficult thing to do.

JDub, It's great that you mom is generous enough to pay for a transplant. The problem is, hair transplant doctors can be very deceptive. They can have a high priced advertising campaign, great looking web site, even infomercials on TV. That means absolutely NOTHING as far as hair transplant quality goes (stay away from the big hair chains). Most of the quality doctors have low key offices and websites. This particular site does not have a Hair Transplant Repair category. If you look on some other sites under this type of category, you'll see absolute horror stories that are scarring people for life. This is happening today not 20 years ago. See my other post on Plastic Surgery Nightmares. Now back to you and your father. If you father goes to H&W, he'll be in good hands. You on the other hand need to get on Finasteride and stick with it. It works and best of all it seems to work great on the crown. Why would you want a huge scar on the back of your head if you could stop your hair loss with a pill a day. Even if you get a transplant, you'll still need to go on Finasteride to stop your loss. Otherwise you'll be chasing your hairloss forever with procedure after procedure until you run out of donar hair. You'll never be able to shave your head if you get strip surgery. P.S. Keep in mind there are many shills on these message boards. Don't be fooled by them. OK, I'm rambling. I'll try to answer your questions. 1. What exactly is shock loss and why does it happen? Shock loss occurs for two reasons. One, existing hair can actually be transected as the insision for new hair is created, thus killing it (permanently). Two, a transplant, even with the ultra refined techniques of a top surgeon cause trauma to the area. This can cause existing hair to fall out. This type of loss is "usually" temporary. It grows back, but you'll look worse than before until it grows back. 2. What do you think is the best course of action for my hair. What I said above about the Finasteride. NO transplant yet. 3. If I get it done, how bad will the redness be? Looking through some of the pics posted it seems that the redness can stay around for months. I live in Seattle so it would be kind of hard to say that I'm sunburnt. That is an unknown. It can last for months or even be permanent in rare cases. Yes, even some H&W patients have redness for months. 4. Should I use Rogaine? I read on these forums that if you start taking it and then stop you lose any progress that you have made and even more hair. Due to the track record regarding the diligence I have when it comes to taking any kind of medicine, I'm worried that I will just end up hurting my hair. If you're not going to stick with it, then don't use it. You must commit yourself to lifelong use. If you're worried about your hair enough to consider a transplant, then for God's sake worry about it enough to stick to finasteride. People on these boards tend to talk about transplants like it is going to the dentist. Believe me, it is much more serious than that. If I had to equate it to something at the dentist, I'd equate it to surgically implanting a tooth. You know, with the screws into your jaw, etc. 5. When consulting with these hair specialists, are there any ways that I can tell if they actually care about my hair being restored or if they want my money and don't care if I end up worse than I started? No, there is no way to know. They are very slick and good at selling. They know all the right answers, even if they are lies. 6. Okay, stupid question. I like to shave my head from time to time, but since I'm losing my hair, I am honestly scared that it won't grow back. Could this happen? I don't think shaving your hair has any effect on Male Pattern Baldness. If you get strip surgery (the most common type), you will not be able to shave your head unless you want everyone to see the foot long ugly scar on the back of your head. 7. If I get a hair transplant, how likely is it that I will need to get it done again? At your age, it's almost guaranteed. Unless the Fin worked perfectly for life, which is unknown. 8. If I get a hair transplant, how likely is it that It would just make it worse? Right now I believe my hair doesn't look bad at all, it is just starting to become noticeable on the crown of my head. My worst fear is regarding a transplant is that it would hurt my hair instead of help it. Very good chance it could look worse if you go to the wrong doctor. Ask Mahair what your chances are of looking worse. Even with a top doctor, it is possible to look worse (have a net loss of hair). I don't mean to be overly negative. But hey, let's look at the positive side. You found this forum before you were butchered. You have most of your native hair remaining with a chance to stop future loss. That's great news. Ethical doctors will not give you a transplant at your age. However, you will have no problem finding a doctor to take your money if you want one.

Ha ha! Don't rub it in.

How long does what last?

Mr. Invisible. For temporary cover, a little makeup like Almay Soft Beige works wonders. It's easy to put on, even where there is hair.

What is interesting is the HUGE difference between the 4 month and 4.5 month photos. There's still a lot happing there Bill. Hang in there.

You are doing the right thing in trying to find out. It could be that he is good, but good marketing and a fancy presentation are not a guarantee. Maybe Pat can put him on his list of surgeons to visit. Pat does an excellent job of checking these guys out. Check out the list of recommended surgeons on this site listed here. I would not take a chance on any outside of that list.

If you've spent some time on this board, then why are you going to this doctor? You need to be very careful. The majority of hair transplant surgeons are bad (I'm being nice). Wait a while SoCal. You are not ready.

I actually tanned before my HT. Well, at least as much as my pale skin would let me. I still had redness, or pinkness as Jotronics states for quite a while. I agree with Jotronic. The scabbing will be visible for up to a week unless you have exiting hair to cover it and the doctor does not shave it off.

That's cool. We are in the same time frame. My procedure was Sept 28. I also am seeing some fine hairs coming out. Very exiting.

Nash, you had a great result from you first procedure. You were an insiration to me. I can't wait to see the results of your second!

Generally people speak of grafts per cm2 because that's what the Dr. told them they got. They don't actually count them themselves.

Dr. Keene in Arizona does great hairlines.

You can use the lather, dab and rinse technique. It works well and feels great afterwards. Have a plastic cup or glass nearby. Wet your hair by pouring water from the cup over your hair. Just lather up some shampoo on your palms and then dab it on lightly (no rubbing). Once you have covered your hair with lather, rinse it off with water using the cup. At 7 days, you can actually rub the lather in a little bit. Just avoid rough scrubbing. Man it feels great afterwards and eliminates some of the itching. You can also lightly dab your hair with a towel to dry.

I appologize if I was too hostile in my comments. I do however believe it is good to debate the pros and cons of certain techniques. Sometimes hair transplantation companies can get carried away, over-hyping a device. That's especially true if they've spent large amounts of time, money and effort developing it. I think it is clear that the problems with FUE lie in the extraction process. Many doctors are trying to develop new devices to facilitate this and that's a good thing. The insertion process is, on the other hand, state of the art.