3-4 Month mark. Why is it Hell?

[Arrie]

Hey guys I am 3.5 months post op and I would like to know why is this the worst time of an HT. To be honest I read about this a year ago and I thought you guys would be wrong, I know i know I'm stupid ! I figured that as soon as I got my HT I would be ecstatic from the day I got it. Just like you guys said the first month your still taking it easy and its all still settling in. The second month your at were you were before a ht with a messed up hair cut (if you let the doc buzz it), the third month has signs of growth but it feels like its been like this forever. I seriously am taking my progress for granted, with my hairline becoming more established everyday and even slightly lower than before. We begin to become "spoiled" on how our progress has to slowly begin at this point. If I didn't take pics to document my progress I most certainly would have been real uneasy! It really does get worse before it gets better, and I believe this is the worst time just right before things begin to sprout. Any suggestion to help would be appreciated, but most importantly how do you guys feel about this time frame of a HT, if your going through it or went through it. The 3-4 month time frame is bad and makes you wonder when things are gonna take affect. Thoughts of is it gonna look as good as I hope it does (realistic expectation in mind), better or worse, I got a scar on the back of my head, I'm committed to meds and future possible but most likely HTs in my life. Is this worth it? etc etc.... I went to a great doc so I know I will be alright, but I know this is what we all went through and are going through. I guess I am lucky to have a forum and people to give me insights on what they felt. Once again this forum is great keep it patient driven, thank guys in advance.

 

P.S I have tried to stay out of a mirror as much as possible...

[Arrie]

Hey guys I am 3.5 months post op and I would like to know why is this the worst time of an HT. To be honest I read about this a year ago and I thought you guys would be wrong, I know i know I'm stupid ! I figured that as soon as I got my HT I would be ecstatic from the day I got it. Just like you guys said the first month your still taking it easy and its all still settling in. The second month your at were you were before a ht with a messed up hair cut (if you let the doc buzz it), the third month has signs of growth but it feels like its been like this forever. I seriously am taking my progress for granted, with my hairline becoming more established everyday and even slightly lower than before. We begin to become "spoiled" on how our progress has to slowly begin at this point. If I didn't take pics to document my progress I most certainly would have been real uneasy! It really does get worse before it gets better, and I believe this is the worst time just right before things begin to sprout. Any suggestion to help would be appreciated, but most importantly how do you guys feel about this time frame of a HT, if your going through it or went through it. The 3-4 month time frame is bad and makes you wonder when things are gonna take affect. Thoughts of is it gonna look as good as I hope it does (realistic expectation in mind), better or worse, I got a scar on the back of my head, I'm committed to meds and future possible but most likely HTs in my life. Is this worth it? etc etc.... I went to a great doc so I know I will be alright, but I know this is what we all went through and are going through. I guess I am lucky to have a forum and people to give me insights on what they felt. Once again this forum is great keep it patient driven, thank guys in advance.

 

P.S I have tried to stay out of a mirror as much as possible...

[thanatopsis_awry]

Damn, I can imagine that no matter how rational you try to be about it, or how much you anticipate it, that the ~3.5ish month mark when things take a step backwards before taking two forward must be torture. But, the bright side is that no matter how worried or paranoid ya invariably get you *will* be getting good results bottom line.

 

Do you use concealers Arrie? I know quite a few people who have gotten HTs use dermmatch/toppik to great affect to get them through the rough period your describing.

[Arrie]

Than,

No I don't use concealers I have never been a big fan of them. I know i am gonna look back at this time in a few months and laugh... I would say my step back was at the 1-1.5 month mark I have been progressing ever since, its just now I am on the verge of sprouting and I can't wait..

[thanatopsis_awry]

I can barely imagine the anticipation....but, that really is going to make it all the sweeter once you get closer and closer to being fully grown....just checked out your blog, you are going to look great man; it is so wretched to have hair loss in your early-mid twenties, really happy for you, it's great that your doing something about it with such an elite doc!

[finnari]

I had mine done june 30 and I still really havenet seen as much improvement as I like. I know the hair is growing but it still doesnt give me ther coverage I want. Patience is tough in these situations considering how much money we spend but what choice do we have?

 

My wife had breast implannts done in November. She recovered in two weeks and her satisfaction is immediate (and mine).

[Here I Grow Again]

Hang in there Arrie,

 

You are going through the exact process we have all gone through. In the next several months you will be more and more at ease as your hair starts to come in. Take pics on a monthly basis if you can as it will be hard to see your progress unless you can look back. It's like trying to watch your grass grow.

 

All will be well.

[MrJobi]

Hello My brother

 

Listen to thou's 10 commandments..

 

I've had three of these things and have experienced all of these crazy feelings triple...

[hairthere]

You have a ways to go my man. Things will start to look esthetically pleasing probably around the 7.5-8 month mark.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Arrie, the beginning times are difficult and waiting is the hardest part. Try not to keep looking in the mirror and progressively your newly transplanted hair will grow.

 

Bill

[pushing 40]

These are the worst of times!! No doubt about it. There is just almost NOTHING you can do to get that "hurry up!!" feeling to go away. I don't know what else to say. When you hit 5 or 6 months it will feel like time is cruising right along but until then.....

[paris_caine]

Arrie, are you frustrated because its not as good at 3 month mark as you had expected? when did you start seing growth, if at all? i am asking because i have always wondered how long after the HT, can one expect to look at least the same as he did before, if not better?

 

Ciao

[Arrie]

Hey guys thanks for all the input and suggestions.

Paris Caine,

I have already seen growth and actually I am one of the lucky ones in which I saw growth as early as 2-2.5 months. It really is just a long process even when (like me0 your an early grower.

[TheHairLossCure]

The first several months after ht can be an emotional roller-coaster! It is understandable. You spend weeks or months doing research and planning...and then the immediate surgical "result" is a pinkish recipient area and a line in your donor. Hang in there though. Things are going to start getting good for you. God's delays are not God's denials

[diamondlight]

Lookin good for such a short time arrie. Looks as if your going to have an excellent end result. Any remedies you used in thought to help speed the process? As Im taking 2g of MSM a day along with multivitamin and working out and eating very healthy so....

[Arrie]

Hey Diamond light thanks for the compliment, like I said I guess I take my early growth for granted. Besides and excellent doc, some luck on my part, and a lot of rest I take 3,000mg of msm daily and for the first months and a half I used rogaine foam on the front. I discontinued rogaine on my own because I didn't want any of the native hair in the front third to become dependent on it. Mrjb thank for reminding me about the 10 commandments so so true especially about the scar line on the back of your head at the three month mark. Noticing a significant amount of redness fading starting on the right side

[EmuSteve]

Hey buddy. I'm right behind you at 2 weeks post op... 3 more months and I'll be where you are now.

 

It looks to me like its growing in nicely. If you want to shoot me an email, I'll sent you a graph I found a while ago that outlines what you can expect at each week along the way.

 

Question for you... your scar at 11 days post op looks a lot like mine now... but your 3 month scar pics look a little different. Do you think your scar got a little wider? Or do you think its pretty much like it was before?

[Arrie]

Emu,

Whats up buddy nice to hear thats all going well with you. If you can send me that graph that would be pretty cool.

As far as my scar I believe that its still healing everyday so I really can't tell if its gotten wider. Keep in mind the camera and lighting have changed. In my opinion I think I am the only one that has documented the scar month by month with such close and exposing pictures. I see many people take a medium to long range shot to catch the profile of the whole head. There is nothing wrong with how other take pictures, but I like you, am concerned about the scar for some reason. At first I thought the right side was stretching then, now I think the left side is stretching and the right side is thinner than before. See I think its all a mind game until the 6 month mark to were I really can get a good idea of how things are progressing on the scar. I do think that my scar is still pretty pink and that in itself makes it look wider in pictures than it really is, thats specifically my healing characteristics everyone is different, in the last week the pinkness from the scar is beginning to fade. I really don't believe I have done anything to stretch the scar. I didn't work out at all until one month post op, and I didn't go back to work for 40 days. I will be tracking the progress and I will probably measure the scar about month six to get an idea of were I am at. Hope this helps take care...

[NervousNelly]

Arrie,

Things are looking great for you so far. It appears like there is a lot of growth and the scar is healing up nicely. You are like myself in that the pinkness makes things look wider than the scar really is. Another 2 or so months for both of us and it should be pretty good.

[Arrie]

NN thanks for the reassurance I think we talked before how we would look back at this time and laugh, considering we were both nervous for no reason. How are things going with you and your growth? Take care buddy and live life to the fullest!