Veteran HT Losing Hope

[justmyluck]

I'm really feeling in the dumps this past week and the outlook isn't good. This all came about when I looked at the family vacation pics from the previous week. My hair just look bad and has been progressingly so over the last few years. That and the fact that the Dermatch was coming off as I played and wrestled with my kids in the pool just doesn't help. I know my donor area may be limited since I've had several sessions back in 1990/91 where there was quite a bit of work done using the old ancient method. But in an attempt to be optimistic, I'm hoping the newer approaches and better doctors endorsed by this site may be able to perform miracles and somewhat get me back to where I was say five years back.

After checking with the recommended docs here, it sounds like I need to take pics of my head, send it in prior to a phone consult. Since I normally use Dermatch and occasionally Toppik concealers, I know the evaluation will have to be done without them on. So, a few days back and after a shower, I decided to take a close look at my head before applying the concealers. I-was-shocked. I had no idea how effective the concealers were at hiding my hair loss!! The realization of how much hair I've lost (NW5 I think) began to set in and I began to feel angry and depressed at the same time. Angry because all the effort and resources I've spent 15 years ago resulted in this paltry condition. Was it shock loss, bad HTs, did the transplanted hair fall out or was it just simply not enough to cover?? Depressed because it doesn't look like there will be enough donor hair to do anything now.

As I quickly apply the dermatch before my wife gets a glimpse of it, I became sadden with the thought that there wasn't much I can do. I explain to my wife this is one thing that there isn't much to work with when it comes to hair loss. There's hair pieces and HTs. I know a hair piece is just out of the question for me so unless I can have more HTs, I'm doomed to wait until some new innovation (cell cloning?) comes along.

At this point, I'm not even sure I should bother taking pics, sending them and continuing with the phone consultations. I'm inclined to proceed, if not, to be told there's some small relief possible, some small glimmer of hope and if at all, a chance to talk about options.

Anyone else in the same boat, not enough donor hair?

 

History

44 years old

90-91 - lost count of HTs

90-91- scalp reductions

Older brothers perhaps nw5

Scaring at donor site limits ability to shave-it-all-off

[terry mitchell]

justmyluck, all of us understand your anxiety and depression. Some more than others. There is always hope. Put your thoughts to rest for a while. Consult with a couple of the recommended ht docs on this site, in person, if possible. A lot of docs do repair work on the older procedures with excellent results. The only way to assess your donor hair situation is to consult with a doc, not a consultant. I'm an NW6, have had 1 ht of 2800 grafts, and still have enough for another session. Good luck, Terry.

[arfy]

If you are donor depleted then you should look into the FUE technique, that can harvest hair from "non-traditional" zones. This method does not require a donor strip, as each tiny graft is harvested individually.

[SorleyBoy]

Justyour(good)luck to find this site!

 

It's that bloody Dermatch that has created your shock-horror depression. You'll find a wealth of good advice and first hand experience on this forum which will snap you out of this frame of mind you are in and quickly give you renewed hope - and scope. . . because it did for me when I first discovered this network of dozens of folks, all sharing differing degrees of the same problem - available day and night to bounce your problems off.

 

And yes my son, I was a 55 year old NW5 with what I thought was limited donor hair (a 'band' of less than 2" of useable FU's) . . . turned out to be more than enough for the surgeon I chose - she just recently covered my entire crown and front (but not temples) with over 2,600 grafts (harvested from an 'ear to ear' strip, but which only needed to be approx. 1 cm deep).

 

Yes I know the hair density will only be about half of the currently suggested optimum, but, in 9 months to a year I'll have wavy hair (diffuse though it may be) everywhere, where I've never had that much hair for 2 decades! . . . and I'll end with a postscript which you can make of what you like.

 

4th August, I hadn't seen my regular friends for over 2 weeks (I'd been away having my H/T) so last night I decided not to refuse the invitation of a chat and a few beers with good company . . . but I had to face that demon - would they notice what I'd had done? I decided to smarten myself up and caught the bus into town.

 

I showed up at 8pm and put on a brave face as I went across to meet everyone . . . you could have knocked me down with a feather. Dave, who I'd worked with for the last 15 years said "Hi Tone, nice to see you again - good, holiday? . . . you're looking well - have you lost a lot of weight or somethin' " . . . It's difficult to explain the relief and exhuberance that I felt at that moment. . . . and I hadn't been on any sort of diet! (Q. - Do bald people tend to project an impression of being fat(ter) than people with hair?)

 

I can only surmise that the transplanted 'all over stubble', (blended in with what threadbare but now neatly trimmed original was left from forelock and median) - had looked convincing enough after only 8 days! to create some sort of deceptive and new demeanour - I'm conviced now that even minimal but well executed H/T's can have the most profound effect on your appearance.

 

Needless to say, it was a massive boost to my confidence (I can tell you) - and that's coming from someone who only a week or so before, was in exactly the same situation as you. So my point is simply this, that you are not alone by any means; you will find the very best of help from this community and in all probability, quickly find the right professionals who are capable of resolving your problem - if you set yourself measured, realistic and achievable goals.

 

Best regards, don't despair - help is at hand . . . and go easy on that Dermatch!

 

Sorleyboy (UK)