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What exactly is the HT growth timeline?


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  • Senior Member

The transplanted follicles cycle and sprout intermittently over time regardless of the FU size and why it takes one full year post-op to fairly evaluate the end result.

 

Crowns can potentially take longer for the regrowth to fully manifest and no one seems to know why. One opinion is that the blood flow is slower to that region of the scalp.

 

Caliber maturation continues all the way up to 15 months or so post-op and can make a significant cosmetic improvement in coverage. As the regrowth gains length, both contribute to total visual hair mass.

Gillenator

Independent Patient Advocate

I am not a physician and not employed by any doctor/clinic. My opinions are not medical advice, but are my own views which you read at your own risk.

Supporting Physicians: Dr. Robert Dorin: The Hairloss Doctors in New York, NY

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  • 11 months later...
  • Regular Member
I too have the new hair line out line but lack density. My crown isnt too good yet either leading me to think the single shaft grafts (as the ones in front) might pop up first and the multi follicle grafts come in slower for the density. I have no science to back this up but Im hanging onto hope!

 

hey. did you have a secind HT for the crown area? what is the latest situation?

Watch this to have some fun :)

 

Funniest Hair Transplant Commercial

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  • 1 year later...
  • Regular Member

Great thread for those of us in the "just be patient stage". I especially appreciate the timelines and percentages Bill provided.

Just 3 and half weeks out right now, so suffering through the "it looks the same as before accept like I got sun burnt stage." I know it's coming though, just cant wait to hit that 3-4 month mark and start to see daily progress. It's almost like waiting for Christmas when you were a kid, feels like it's never going to come but there is some entertainment value in that anticipation.

By the way, I went with Dr. Keene in AZ she gave me a very generous rate for being on a short list and I was very impressed with her knowledge and professionalism. She was actually off to Turkey the next day to present at a conference.

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  • Senior Member

Hi riverside. I am 3 weeks and one day removed from mine so we're on the same timeline.

I'm also looking the same now as you describe. You went to Az, but where are you located?

I'm serious.  Just look at my face.

 

My Hair Regimen: Lather, Rinse, Repeat.

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  • Senior Member

Riverside,

 

Tried to view your pics and they would not open.

Gillenator

Independent Patient Advocate

I am not a physician and not employed by any doctor/clinic. My opinions are not medical advice, but are my own views which you read at your own risk.

Supporting Physicians: Dr. Robert Dorin: The Hairloss Doctors in New York, NY

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  • 1 year later...
  • 11 months later...
  • Senior Member

So, here it is folks, I also spoke with some docs regarding new growth and some say 12 months you should see your potential growth conclusion with maturing only afterwards.  Some docs even claim 7-9 months it concludes with only maturation after.  It looks like some people claim they saw a continuation of growth of newly transplanted hairs up to the two year or 24 month mark.  That is they saw “distinct” growth to make a “distinct” change on the scalp.  I don't think that's the result of the transplant still sprouting new hairs for such a long time.  Here is why and I am going to summarize what I learned from researching below and explain why I feel this way about going beyond the 12 month to 18 -24 month or longer for "growth":

 

You got three stages of hair cycles: Anagen, Catagen, Telogen.

 

Anagen phase lasts around 2-8 years (depending on individual genetics) and is the growth phase.  This is where your hair keeps growing.  Around 85%-90% of the hairs on a persons head are already in this phase at a given time.

 

Catagen (also known as regressing phase) is a transition phase after the Anagen and lasts around 2-3 weeks. The hair cuts off from blood supply when the papilla (basically the tissue enclosed in the bulb at the bottom of the hair shaft) detaches and rests.  That's when the hair shrinks 1/6 of it's length.  Around 1%-2% of hairs are already in this phase at a given time.

 

Telogen phase can last 1-4 months and is known as the shedding phase.  This is that long resting phase where hair doesn't grow even when the papilla is attached to the hair follicle.  Around 10-15% of hairs are in this phase at a given time.

 

On average, human hair grows 0.5 inches per month which means 6 inches per year.

 

So, hair from the growth phase is extracted from the donor area.

 

Then, I believe we are pretty much in Catagen phase right after the doctor has planted the grafts into recipient area, hence, the cut from blood supply. 

 

Then we go through the shedding phase aka Telogen, and it lasts 1-4 months.  This the long resting phase where we see shedding and no growth from a transplant initially.   

 

Then we hit the Anagen or growth phase of our transplants.  The grafts start to push out slowly as they are new and softer, they start thickening and some sprout a little later since the hair has to cut through the scalp again for the first time to pass through your skin where it was planted. 

 

The result of medications such as propecia/rogaine also speed up your growth cycles by inhibiting DHT and reviving circulation/blood supply and forcing the graft into the growth phase (ANAGEN).

 

Remember this and KEEP this in mind— When the hairs start growing, it grows 6 inches a year, so the hairs should poke definitely before the 12 months as per the logic.  So, this is why 1 year should be more than sufficient to see conclusion of new growth.  Anything else, just maturation and thickening of existing hairs.  Sometimes you have to utilize logic and use the 1+1=2 mindset.  

 

Obviously, an outlier to poor growth could be disease, infection, too much scar tissue, or lack of blood supply due to another health concern.  Could also be vitamin deficiency or Thyroid issues.  Even certain medications or antidepressants can throw the cycles off.  These would be your outliers that may hinder growth progress.  

 

FYI- my explanation attempt/effort to write this out hopefully helps see the logic behind common growth timelines. 

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  • Senior Member

Great post!...;)

Gillenator

Independent Patient Advocate

I am not a physician and not employed by any doctor/clinic. My opinions are not medical advice, but are my own views which you read at your own risk.

Supporting Physicians: Dr. Robert Dorin: The Hairloss Doctors in New York, NY

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