Hello All. Long time lurker, first post after HT

[Guest]

Hi all. I really appreciate the information you all share on this site. A little about me...

 

Male

31 years old

Had HT 3/4/05 (2000 grafts)with Dr. Cooley (thanks for point me in the right direction)

Lives in Memphis, TN

Die-hard fan of a certain NFL franchise

 

Had my 2000 grafts distributed over temporal region and front of scalp (vertex?). I'm right now at day 79 after HT...experienced some shock loss...praying that the results turn out favorably. I can see a few poppers in the temples, and and feel prickly short hairs in my scalp in the recipient region.

 

Anyone know when I'll go..."holy cow, I have more hair!!!"? I know everyone goes through this, and I have a ton of faith in Dr. Cooley's work...but I don't have as much faith in my ability to grow hair on the TOP of my head!

 

I guess all of those years of hair loss, and the post HT shock loss, kind of kills the confidence even though you had an expert surgeon.

 

Again, nice to meet you all.

[damo]

Packer dont panic my friend theres exciting times to come.It will take 4-6 months before anything can start to come through.I just had my 2nd procedure yesterday and wont see any growth until september im guessing.Be patient and they will come.

 

Damo

[gillenator]

Packers fan,

 

I hope you don't mind an ole' VIKINGS fan replying to you!! I wonder if Pat will chime in with me on that one! I guess I'll be nice to you on your first post but after the football season starts, cannot make any promises especially if you're still a cheesehead! JUST KIDDING OF COURSE!

 

Dr. Cooley does some awesome work and is very talented. He's been around for awhile and I have seen a fair amount of his work sionce he is in North Carolia (a stones throw away).

 

Hang in their my friend, the best is yet to come. Have you seen Robert's pics? In nine to twelve months you will say to yourself, "that looks awesome" you'll see. Ultimately, give it a full year to evaluate the full "aesthetic" effect. I think you will be a very happy camper Packer!

 

BTW, I still think Brett Fahre is in the top three QBs in the league. Definitely a hall-of-famer one day. Take care and keep us posted man!

[Guest]

Thanks for the replies guys. I have seen Robert's pics. Unbelievable growth in the first 6 months. Does he have more recent pics?

Gillenator, the rivalry just won't be the same without Moss's trash talking...or Grandpa Favre when that day comes. The guy is so darn competitive and durable.

 

Through this whole hair loss deal, I have found the one thing that is more boring than waiting for paint to dry........

[Pat - Community Publisher]

Packers Fan,

 

Will you still accept my input if I tell you I grew up in Minnesota - where horns rather than cheese are worn on the head?

 

After 7 years of getting emails and being on the forums I think wondering if ones hair transplant will really grow is the number one concern.

 

What can I say but - "have faith and your faith will be rewarded"

 

Many have come through these hallowed digital door steps to find hair redemption and their leap of faith rewarded. I expect you will soon be another one.

 

Best wishes for a bumper crop of hair.

[Brando]

C'mon guys, lighten up on him! Packers Fan, you stole the name I wish I would have chosen. I am a 100% DIE HARD Packers fan. I plan on going and watching Green Bay at Carolina in October on Monday Night Football! Hopefully Favre will lead them to the Super Bowl in the next year or two, then Rodgers can pick up where he left off..which will be whipping up on those Vikings!!!! Lol.

 

So ya went with Dr. Cooley? I did as well. Hang in there and I'm sure you'll be very happy. Patients is the biggest factor. Good luck!!

[Follicular Slippage]

I had my HT last November (1,650 grafts - NW 6) and am just shy of 7 months. Based on my experience, by 3 1/2 months, I had a sufficient amount of hair grow back that I felt comfortable enough to walk around without a hat. Between 4 1/2 and 5 months, I started to re-use a bottle of hair gel that had been gathering dust for some time (for some reason, that was a HUGE benchmark for me!).

 

All this is to say, I think you're on the cusp of having that "holy cow" experience. Since you had a few more grafts than me and went to Dr. Cooley, I'm sure your results will be quite dramatic.

 

All the best - FS

[Guest]

I wish I had taken "before HT" pics, but Dr. Cooley has them.

Brando, I will also be at the Oct. 3 game at Carolina. My sister and I went to the game last year and had a blast since the Pack won. Game tickets go on sale I believe July 30.

Anyway, when I make my trip for the game, I'll try to see Dr. Cooley. It will be right at the 7 month mark post-HT.

I have a hunch that I'll see a dramatic difference once I see the "before" pics.

 

For you guys who have been through this, have you noticed a difference in how people treat you with more hair? Is it like people are complimentary about your appearance but they don't know why?

 

There probably is research on this. Why else would we care so much about having hair?

[gillenator]

PF,

 

The one thing I always noticed when I lost my hairline was that everyone would first tend to look at my "missing" hairline, then their eyes would drift down to mine.

 

Now I notice folks will make direct eye contact with me 'cause nothins missin' anymore!

 

Our hairline is what "frames our face" so when we lose it people tend to notice "what's missing". Obviously the reverse is true when we re-gain the natural frame we once had so then people see our facial features without the eye drift.

 

I think "cheesehead" is still an available handle, JUST KIDDING!

[Hair Apparent]

Packers Fan,

 

Congratulations on your HT!

 

I don't think I add anything to what the other posters have already told you, except to reinforce what has been said, and it is all positive.

 

First--and you already know this--you picked a top-notch surgeon in selecting Doctor Cooley. He does quality work and his office set-up is second to none. For some reason, his name isn't bandied about as often as some of the other top-drawer HT surgeons, but several of us who post here are Dr. Cooley's patients and it's interesting to read our various comments. From the descriptions of the process throughout all of the follow-up, we echo each other, particularly in the singular touches which make Dr. Cooley stand out.

 

As Pat said, I think every HT patient, in the beginning, worries that, for some reason, his HT won't "take". I would bet that thought has crossed the mind of every HT patient. It doesn't help that it takes several weeks for the results to even begin to show.

 

You're well past that stage, now, and you're beginning to see the first vestiges of new growth. I commented in another post that, in some ways, this stage is even tougher than the initial "When the hell is it going to grow" stage. One knows the hair is growing, so now one starts to wonder "Is that as thick as it is going to get?"; "Will there be any more?"

 

Trust me, there will be more.

 

A little background on myself: I'm almost fifty years old and I was a severe Norwood VI. On top of that, my scalp was dotted with scar tissue from an implant procedure I had done years ago, when I was young and stupid and figured that I would never go without some kind of hairpiece. In short, I was one of the tougher cases.

 

During my consultation with Dr. Cooley, he informed me that my donor hair was sufficient to provide approximately 5,500 grafts, but recommended an initial HT of 2,000 grafts to see if the scarring would inhibit the growth of the transplanted hair. (As it turned out, I got 2,500+ grafts and the scarring didn't cause any problems.)

 

You had your grafts placed in the front and top. I don't know what Norwood classification you were, but for those in the higher classes, that is the recommended approach--for all the "framing the face" reasons. And for your age, I agree that was the way to go. In my case, I could not stand the idea of having a big shiny bald spot in back, even with hair in front, so I opted to have Dr. Cooley more evenly distribute my grafts over all of my balding area--front, top, crown, and back.

 

There were trade-offs in doing this: I had to keep my temples receded and the overall density would be less, obviously. But at my age, I could get away with this--no-one expects a fifty-year-old man to have Elvis hair. Dr, Cooley initially recommended the same approach that he used with you, but once he knew that I understood the trade-offs, he was on board and came up with an excellent design for my hairline.

 

I had my HT performed last September, so I am a little over eight months along--right in the middle of the "golden" stage. To be honest, even with modest expectations, I overestimated how much density I would get by distributing my grafts all over the way I did. That's no reflexion on Dr. Cooley--I know he maximised whatever gain I got--but the hard reality that I have a great deal of balding area to cover. It's just disappointing that I fell short of my goal.

 

Even so, I have a hairline, now--something I haven't had in thirty years--and a noticeable amount of hair in front and on top. (Typically, for some reason, grafts in the crown and back take longer to sprout and reach maturity. In my case, the crown and back have been running about three months behind the front.)

 

I'm almost at the end of the period when I can reasonably expect to see new growth burst through, but I still have several months in which the new hairs will mature; for them to thicken and relax. Right now, I'm seeing more and more of the hairs thicken on a weekly basis and I'm making a reasonable estimation that six months from now, I'll probably be about 30%-40% short of the density I had originally expected.

 

Even so, my new hair has been noticeable since the four-month period. (One rather left-handed advantage to being a Norwood VI is that any hair is a definite improvement.) I never made a secret of my HT, and I stopped wearing my hairpiece the day I had the HT done. I never heard a single negative comment on suddenly "going bald" and at the four-month mark, I got my first compliment on my new growth.

 

Since then, I've had co-workers comment that I should be going in for my first haircut soon, so even my modest growth is apparent--in a positive way. The most striking comment came from my wife about two months ago, as she leant forward to kiss me before I left for work. Now, the sun was still down and the lighting in the room was subdued, so keep things in perspective. Still, she leaned up, because I am tall, then suddenly reared back and said "Whoa! Your hair!" I said, "What about it? Has it suddenly turned green or something?" And she replied, "No, but it looks like you have almost a full head of hair." Now, when I tilted my head forward, she saw that most of it was just a trick of the angle and the poor lighting. But still, it was a remarkable comment for hair as sparse as mine.

 

I mentioned all of that because, since you had your grafts all placed in front, your results should be even more remarkable. When you hit month seven--the start of the "golden stage"--you should definitely see a noticeable improvement, more striking than mine. As far as any reaction from others, I think you will find that it will be almost completely positive. And I guarantee, everybody who knew you before will notice. When I thanked that person who complimented me on my new hair at the four-month mark, I mentioned that I was impressed that she noticed, and she replied, "Oh, everybody sees it. It's just that nobody says anything."

 

In my case, while it is disappointing that I didn't get even the modest density I had anticipated, it's not fatal. All it means is that I'll have to undergo a second HT (which I would have had to do anyway, if I had gone your route, to cover the bald spot in back). I was in Dr. Cooley's office this week for a procedure to remove some of the scars which are still visible (my new hair conceals the ones on top) and he made it a point to mention that I still had plenty of available donor hair left.

 

When I can spare the cost of another HT without denting my nest egg (I have a Depression-era mentality; I'm not about to risk our financial security just for more hair), I'm going to readjust the distribution, now that I won't have a slick bald spot in back, and have more of the grafts placed the way yours were. That should bring me to where I had hoped to be.

 

The most damnable part of the whole HT process is the waiting. It's at least a year before one begins to see the final results, and that's plenty of time to be plagued by doubts. But don't sweat it--in a few more months, you won't believe what you've got up top. And your friends with hair (the lucky #@*%#*#'s) will be impressed and your friends without hair will be jealous.

 

Best of luck, and keep us posted!

[Guest]

I've never worn a hunk of cheese on my head, but I guess it could be something guys could wear right after surgery to not draw attention to their head.

 

The week after surgery, everybody new my favorite teams from all of the hats I was wearing.

 

Funny, some days I look in the mirror and go, "that doesn't look bad. I feel comfortable going hatless." Then, the next day I'm like, "Man! That looks horrible...better find the Packer cap!"

I can't wait until the day comes when I go, "I need to cut my hair on top!"

[Guest]

Hair Apparent, we posted at the same time so I just read your post. I like the way you didn't keep the procedure secret. Although I'm usually not bashful with telling embarrassing stories to friends, I got the courage to only tell my sister that I had the procedure done. Most guys my age have more hair than me, so they wouldn't understand. However, I think this is the best investment I've ever made.

 

I'm at a time in my life where I've had a couple things really shell-shock me within the last 2 years. I became a widower in 2003 at the age of 29 when my wife died unexpectedly. I think I've felt older than I should have with her loss, the continuing hair loss, and suffering from chronic abdominal pain.

This transplant was a huge event for me emotionally and symbolized an attempt to resurrect myself. I also moved myself out of our apartment the week before the surgery to start my new life. With this new life, I'm focusing on doing things that are right for me...exercise,saving for retirement,developing interpersonal skills, etc.

So, yes, this whole procedure is far more than just growing hair...it is a rebirth.

 

I know I'm not the only man suffering from Male Pattern Baldness who felt that the procedure represented a new beginning for the rest of his life.

 

Ok, I'm done philosophizing this whole thing.

 

But anyway, thanks for the encouragement guys.

[Robert_]

Packers Fan,

 

I have read your thread with interest. First of all, let me congratulate you on your recent procedure. Dr. Cooley and his staff are excellent as I you have found out.

 

Hair transplant surgery can be viewed as a new beginning as long as expectations are realistic. Before my hair transplant I was under the cover of my ballcap almost 24/7. Luckily, this is almost standard apparel many of my friends most of the time except for at work and "dress up" situations. It was those situations that I dreaded the most.

 

I utilized concealers to the best of their abilities (and my own artistic abilities). Since my own transplant covered the hairline and forelock, I still use a little Toppik or Dermmatch on the crown to this day.

 

Nothing, however, works on hairlines. There is nothing that comes in a bottle that will replace a hairline.

 

Since my hair transplant I am able to come out from under the cover of my ballcap and not be self-conscious about my HUGE forehead any longer (and as an "owner" of a huge forehead since the age of 20, I know what a huge forehead is ). I can style and wear my hair most anyway that I want.

 

About my pictures, in less than a month I will be exactly 1 year post-op. June 18th. Time flies when you're having fun. Thing is, just yesterday I was looking at my hairline in the bathroom mirror (try not to get into this habit - it's addicting) and I noticed more terminal hairs coming in at my hairline. So, in essence, at 11 months post-op I am still getting some new growth!

 

Hang in there, PackersFan! You are going to get "in the zone" here shortly and I guarantee that you will be wearing a big grin before long!

 

-Robert

[Guest]

Well, I can hardly wait to see your 1 year pictures, Robert. I'd like to see what my hair will look like in 9 months!

[Kez]

Originally posted by gillenator:

Packers fan,

 

I hope you don't mind an ole' VIKINGS fan replying to you!!

 

 

Same here. We get Monday Night Football here in England, and I've been a Vikings fan ever since the days of Jeff George throwing 50 yard bombs to Moss & Carter ( Culpepper may be powerful, butJeff had the freedom not given to QBs in today's "West Coast Offense" dominated game with it's short passing & running game, not to mention the much-missed RB Robert Smith. Green Bay's my other fave ( Favre? )

 

Talking of Monday Night, what happened to Dennis Miller & Dan Fouts? John Madden may be well-informed, but his "over-commentating" gets up my nose. He's still rabbiting on about the last play when I'm trying to concentrate on the next snap....John - please SHUT UP!

 

Oh yes - hair stuff(!) It's taken about 9 months for my 3500 grafts to shine through and it's a great improvemnet on my Norwood 5.

[Robert_]

haha.

 

I have to agree with you on that Kez. We even have football video games where Madden comments too much!

 

-Robert