My 9-15-06 HT with Dr. Cooley = Fantastic!

[Mark H]

I'm sure the other top surgeons discussed on this site do an excellent job, but I can't see how the HT experience I had with Dr. Cooley could be improved upon.

 

Soup to nuts, this experience was professional, attentive, and left me feeling confident through all stages of the procedure.

 

There is so much to go through, I think I might actually be able to write a whole book about the experience.

 

I'm waiting to get some before/after pictures from Dr. Cooley, which I expect in the next couple of days, and I'll be doing as full a write up as soon as possible on my hair blog at that time.

 

Meanwhile, I'll provide a few details:

 

The surgery was Friday 9-15-06

 

Goal=4000 FU's to restore hairline primarily, and further back as able.

 

I am...was, an NW5 I believe. Some pictures as I was can be seen at my blog site noted at the left.

 

Actual FU's transplanted was probably slightly over 4100 because Dr. Cooley added an additional 100 FU's after techs left and had finished their official count.

 

Here is the official count:

 

Grafts:

 

FU Total Hairs

1's 651 651

2's 2587 5174

3's 699 2097

4's 100 400

 

Total Grafts: 4037

Total Hairs: 8322

 

Donor Density: 80 Occipital/60 side, avg. 75/cu2

Donor Laxity: good

Donor Strip Length: 1.8-1.2 (avg 1.5)

Donor Width: 36cm

 

I'm told my count of 2's and 3's is above average, and that I can expect an excellent result. My wife says it looks okay right now...which I think is a bit of a stretch, but She's on the payroll.

 

My hairline is as the Doctor and I agreed on, but is still a bit higher than I would like. He assures me that it is age appropriate, and will fill in well. I trust him, and it may well be that I need to come to grips with being 52 years old...lol, and also that as it fills in it will appear lower.

 

My sutures will come out in a couple of weeks. I was offered dissolveable, but went for std ones that need removing because they are supposed to make a less noticeable scar. I can't see going all the way across the field, and then stumbling just before the touchdown.

 

There is so much else to go into, but I'll pause here, and let anyone who wishes ask questions or comment. Meanwhile I'll put more detail together for my blog as the pics come in.

 

Final comment in this note: I drove up and back from Indiana to NC for the procedure, and so didn't take pain pills to be as clear headed as possible for the drive. Pain is minor though and is more centered in the sutures than the top of my head, which is tender, but not too bad considering I've got 4100 holes in it.

 

I feel that I have been very fortunate to have received a combination of knowledge, craft, artistry, and industry that could be met by others, but surely not exceeded. Let me also put an A+ grade on his staff too...a whole battery of techs that assist in placement and worked over a fleet of microscopes.

 

Surely this experience is the GOLD standard for how an HT should be done.

 

Mark Tyler

[the B spot]

congrats Mark! I think it is tremendous that you had 4000 grafts and 8000 hairs planted. I like the part about the wife being on the payroll

Anyway, sit back and relax, and wait for the new you to appear!

[Mark H]

Thx for that. I'm very happy. I'm working now to follow all post op instructions as religiously as possible, and be very careful in general.

 

BTW, I have had no noticeable swelling at all, and the redness this morning (Monday) already seems to be subsiding a bit.

 

The transplanted area of my head has no pain at all, its just a bit sensitive, and tingly.

 

There is very slight intermittent pain in the suture area, and of course its annoying having sutures, but overall this is much easier than I expected.

 

I am walking on eggshells, because this is very much like having a new garden: everything needs to be done just right up front so that it will grow strong on its own later.

 

mark h

[Mark H]

Additional random thoughts:

 

I don't know how most HT's go, but I've had so little pain, that it isn't even worth mentioning.

 

The drugstore in my one-horse town didn't have the pain med in stock, so I just told them to forget it. Without any pain, it seems like a waste of money.

 

I do get litle tickly tingles up top, and the sutures are annoying, all the more so because my side hair is kinda' gross just at the moment, and its going to be a laborious process to get it half way clean without interfering with anything, and making sure the shower head doesn't get to my HT area....too soon for that.

 

What else...started using Rogaine foam. I've seen it poo-poo'd elsewhere on this forum, but apparently it doesn't contain ingrediants that can irritate the scalp as the spray/liquid version does, and so _may_ be helpful in encouraging early growth, although apparently nobody really knows for sure.

 

more soon,

mark h

[Mark H]

Okay here are three pics I rec'd from Dr. Cooley today:

 

the first is called before, and is just that, a picture taken after I arrived at his office before the procedure.

 

The second picture is a before pic after he shaved me. Now Dr. Cooley doesn't require this, but it can make the procedure go faster, and I agreed enthusiastically.

 

The third picture is Saturday around noon, the day after the procedure showing the grafts in place, and my new hairline.

 

Comments welcome.

[Mark H]

Here is the before picture after I was shaved.

 

This took all of two or three strokes of the clippers btw...

[Mark H]

Here is the final pic showing me post op on saturday around noon:

[thinkingaboutit]

Mark,

 

Nice to hear that you had a pleasant experience.Sounds like you are still very excited.Thats great!

 

I too had a procedure done by Dr. Cooley and drove myself home 2 days after the procedure.

 

I can echo your comments about Dr. Cooley and his staff.I think going with him was the absolute best choice for myself. He is a stand-up guy.

 

It is going on 6 months since my procedure and my grafts are finally beginning to flourish after a long wait.

 

Good Luck!

[Mark H]

thinkingaboutit, did you experience much apparent shockloss in the interim, or did you merely pause until now?

 

The reason I ask, is that, I'm not that unhappy with how the top of my head looks now...I'm coming to think of it as better now than just before the op, so if I gave myself a number 3 buzz around the sides after the stiches are out, I might match up okay....its a thought.

 

do you have a blog?

 

mark h

[troy]

Your post op pics look great. you should heal fast. It will be a bit of a roller coaster ride emotional, but it helps to stay plugged into the forum as you go through the different stages. Congrats you choose a great doctor!!

[Pat - Community Publisher]

Mark H,

 

Congrats on your procedure. But the link to http://www.hairlossweblogs.com/home-page.asp?WebID=99 is not working.

 

Is your hair blog actually the one at -

 

http://www.hairlossweblogs.com/home-page.asp?WebID=102

 

Please email me and let me know so we can get it to work. The instructions for embedding the link properly are on the main page at www.HairLossWeblogs.com

 

All the best, Pat

[Mark H]

Hi Pat,

 

I don't know how I came up with the bad link. I'll email you, but yes, you've located the right one.

 

thx,

mark h

[Mark H]

okay, i followed the directions...

[Pat - Community Publisher]

Mark,

 

Congratulations on your positive experience. It would be great if you could visit the blogs at www.HairLossWeblogs.com and login and update your blog with your above comments and photos.

 

This way any time you post, people can simply click on your weblog link to see your hair restoration history and how you're progressing.

 

To add your photos and text just click on the "edit journal" menu once you have logged into the online admin using your email and password.

 

If you don't have your password handy, just click the lost password link and enter your email and it will be emailed to you.

 

Best wishes for great growth, Pat

[Mark H]

Thx Pat,

 

I'll try and have my blog updated Tuesday.

 

mark h

[Mark H]

My blog has been updated to not only reflect info already given here, but with a few supplemental pics.

 

cheers,

[thinkingaboutit]

Mark,

I don't think that I had any shock loss at all.I was very concerned about that but so far it hasn't been an issue.

 

The grafts did not grow as fast as I thought they might, especially given that I think I followed post op instructions to a t and took mega doses of vitamins.

 

It still is not as dense as i had hoped for but I know that it is still a bit early ( not yet at the 6 month mark ) so it is too early to m ake an accurate assessment on that.

[Mark H]

No shockloss? Thats good news. Of course everyone is different. So you're just approaching six months? do you have a blog?

 

What did you have done?

 

cheers,

mark h

[psychojr]

Just had my HT with Dr. Cooley on 11/7/06 and the experience was excellent in all respects. My first was with B, I'm embarassed to admit. The results were OK, but I did more research for the second and thanks to this site I found Cooley -- and he is only a few miles from my house!! I drove to Atlanta for the first! What was better? First, Jerry spends virtually all his time with you, not assistants like B. I'll bet the B doctor wasn't there an hour out of the whole day. I felt like I was being rushed through the process. 2,000 grafts with B lasted from 9-5 while 2,200 with Jerry was from 6:30am - 6pm. Quality time with lots of explanations about what he is doing. The procedure wasn't as painful and the aftercare much better. Jerry also cost less -- probably due to the fact that 30% of B's cost is infomercials. Would be glad to share any other details.

 

BTW - I found Cooley based on the recommendations from this site. It's just amazing that I learned his office is 5 miles from my home and he personally lives in the neighborhood next to mine!!!

[Vijay]

Hi,

Can some one send me Dr.Cooley clinic address and contact details so that i can fix an appointment.

 

Thanks

Vijay

[Mark H]

Vijay, there's a link right at the top of this page that says, "Coalition Doctors". Doctor Cooley's information is in there.

 

There are other fine doctors in the coalition, but you can't go wrong with Dr. Cooley, full stop.

 

BTW: I'll be updating this thread and my blog on Thursday, since that will be the two month mark for me.

 

cheers,

mark

[Salt-N-Peppa]

Mark H, you are looking good at this point. As someone that is only 5 years younger and only somewhat less bald, I can appreciate what it took for you to make the step for a HT.

You have two big issues in front of you. You will have an impatience for the transplants to start doing there thing and once you do start sprouting, a desire for significantely more hair. I have been there and I expect the majority of the post HT readers here have too. You are going to be shocked at how good you feel about yourself 6 months from now.

You seem to have been in good hands and I wish you the best.

Please follow your Doctors recommendations to the "T", no sense coming this far and not scoring that touchdown.

BTW, I think your hairline is going to be quite nice indeed. Cheers, S-n-P

[Mark H]

Salt, I REALLY appreciated your note. I was just expressing to Robert on another thread, that my current appearance is really starting to weigh on me negatively, even tho (as I think you'll see) I'm actually beginning to sprout a little at 2 months.

 

thx!

[Bill - Seemiller]

Mark,

 

That's great you are seeing some early sprouting at 2 months....but the fun hasn't even started yet. You're in for a lovely ride over the next 4-6 months especially. Hold on tight bro. Hang in there. I know how discouraging it can be to wait this thing out...wondering if things will ever grow. It will...rest assured.

 

Bill

[Mark H]

Thanks Bill,

 

Having a terrific doctor like Dr. Cooley has meant that I haven't suffered the kinds of doubts that some have when they come on here and wonder if Dr. so-and-so was the right choice. I did my research BEFORE my HT.

 

But...I'm human, and its not easy looking like a steaming pile of poo in the interim, so I appreciate the encouragement.

 

mark