Quick Question Regarding HT

[Switch]

Hi guys,

 

I have been following this community since last one yaer but never posted. I am going for an HT with Dr. AP aka Dr. A in Delhi India on 7th April. I am going in for 1500 grafts. I am originally from india only. Have few basic questions.

 

 

Q. How scary can be the scar of the stich ?

 

Q. I know a lot of you would argue on this but the doc originally asked me to go in with 1200 grafts but i am doing 1500 as i dont want to get another HT done. I have a diifuse all over the head and specially the front though i dont have a receding hairline but thier is a definate big hair loss in front and i cant comb back my hair. After the HT i plan to comb all my hair back and keep it that ways only. Is my decision correct cause i think a higher number of grafts in front would help me do this better?

 

Q. I havent got a hair cut since last one and a half month and my hair is about 4" long as of now. Should i get an hair cut before the HT or should i keep it that ways only so that after the HT people will notice less ?

 

Q. How long is it than one can get back to work after the HT ? I dont plan on taking any leave as i run my own store ?

 

Q. Can i wear a hat or a bandana just after the surgery as i can do that at my work place ?

 

Q. Is it difficult to sleep with the stiches on the back of your head ?

[Switch]

Hi guys,

 

I have been following this community since last one yaer but never posted. I am going for an HT with Dr. AP aka Dr. A in Delhi India on 7th April. I am going in for 1500 grafts. I am originally from india only. Have few basic questions.

 

 

Q. How scary can be the scar of the stich ?

 

Q. I know a lot of you would argue on this but the doc originally asked me to go in with 1200 grafts but i am doing 1500 as i dont want to get another HT done. I have a diifuse all over the head and specially the front though i dont have a receding hairline but thier is a definate big hair loss in front and i cant comb back my hair. After the HT i plan to comb all my hair back and keep it that ways only. Is my decision correct cause i think a higher number of grafts in front would help me do this better?

 

Q. I havent got a hair cut since last one and a half month and my hair is about 4" long as of now. Should i get an hair cut before the HT or should i keep it that ways only so that after the HT people will notice less ?

 

Q. How long is it than one can get back to work after the HT ? I dont plan on taking any leave as i run my own store ?

 

Q. Can i wear a hat or a bandana just after the surgery as i can do that at my work place ?

 

Q. Is it difficult to sleep with the stiches on the back of your head ?

[Follicular Slippage]

Hi Switch -

 

I had my first HT last November. While I certainly am not a "veteran", I can answer your questions based on my experience:

 

1. The scar - The appearance of the scar is determined by the skill of the physician and the amount of grafts being transplanted. Based on the posts that I've seen, I believe that Dr. Poswal is well regarded. Also, the relatively small number of grafts being transplanted should not produce a particularly wide scar.

 

2. Number of grafts - I think 1,500 grafts is better than 1,200. Concentrating them towards the front would the best strategy to improve your hairline.

 

3. Hair length - Some doctors actually cut the hair in your recipient area to facilitate placement of the grafts - my doc didn't. I assume Dr. A would have mentioned this to you. At any rate, given your diffuse hair loss, I think it's a good idea to grow out your hair to help hide the HT.

 

4. Getting back to work - I understand that you have your own business but I think it's a good idea to take off at least 1 week. Why? Some people experience swelling. There may also be some discomfort. Plus, my doc recommended keeping the grafts moist to reduce scabbing by spraying Graftcyte on them every 2 hours or so for the first several days - it would be hard to do that at work. Lastly, your head isn't going to look pretty after surgery - I'd stay home if I were you.

 

5. Wearing a hat - You can wear a cap for limited periods of time. My doc thought it was important not to keep my head covered for extended periods of time.

 

6. Sleeping with stitches - I didn't have any problems. Frankly, the entire back of my was numb from the anesthesia for several weeks. In fact, after 5 months, I still have numbness at the back of my head. This should be the least of your problems.

 

One word of advice - on the morning that you go in for surgery, don't drink any coffee, tea or any other caffeine and make sure you have a good-sized meal. Evidently, this will help counteract any reactions you may have to the anesthesia. Here's a thread on my experience that I posted in the Forum (you can learn from my mistake!):

 

Nausea and almost fainting during HT

 

Good luck on your HT.

FS

[Smoothy]

Best of luck w/your HT.

 

Dido above replies. Your 1500 is best for frontal as described by your situation-- good call and combing back will probably be the best style. Buy 2 bottles of GraftCyte to use immediately after HT for 10 days per instructions every 30 min-- this will aid in faster healing and help regrowth faster, put it on the new grafts and the donor scar.

I used Mederma 1 week after stiches removed and continued for a couple of months which helped reduce my scarring.

Best of luck.

[Switch]

Thanks for the reply guys... Yesterday night i was also confused one major thing... Should i go in for Strip or FUE... If i go in for Strip i have a life long scar and to be honeest my beleif is that if you are going through a plastic sugery you should be able to show it and not hide it.

 

I am low on finance and thats why iam leaning towards Strip. FUE/FUSE is thrice as expensive here. But maybe i would just increase my budget and go in for a 1000 grafts along with FUSE/FUE and maybe a year later top it up. But i wanted to get done with it once and for all. Its a BIG decision. Having a 10 inch or so wide scar at the back your head is not so easy. Everytime i have to go to by bourber i have to tell him to watch out for that scar. And thats a scary thought in itself.

 

Switch

[Smoothy]

Switch,

 

If you have limited budget, I would recommend strip as it is far better perfected in survival yeild than FUE-- even though FUE is getting better with more physicians trying this technique, it is just behind strip with results right now. THE top surgeons in the industry have perfected the extraction of donor and clousure where the scare is very fine and with meds like GraftCyte and Mederma, it can not be noticed or felt unless you shave your head.

Do you see scars on patients who have eyelid lifts by the best costmetic surgeons? Not really, same with top notch HT surgeons.

Also, you get more FU's for your money.

[Switch]

As i said earlier i am an Diffuse thinner so one more thing which is eating up my mind is the SHOCKLOSS. This one is tricky to answer i know but Dr. A has assured me not to worry at all. He said he would cut my Hair pretty short where he would be performing the surgery so that the root of the original hair dosent get cut and dosent result in a shockloss. I have another two hours left before my surgery. Hope end results goes well. Wish me luck guys.

[Follicular Slippage]

Hey Switch -

 

How'd the HT go? Please update us on your progress.

 

FS

[Wallywonka]

Hi Switch, I agree with all that has been said...though I am not a veteran...I did have my 2605 futs done on March 31 with Dr True and Dorin. Exactly three weeks later, my scar is a thin red line only noticable if you lift my hair and look for it. It was annoying to sleep on for the first 10 days. Now I don't even notice it. I was on some Hydacorzon{?}or something prescription for pain during that time to help me sleep..but it is absolutly unneccessary for me now. Wish you well with your HT I'm totally excited about mine!!!