UPDATE: Eman's 2-month Doldrums and Shaved Down to a 3-Clip

[Eman]

Updated: 2-month pics and Shaved Down to a 3-Clip

 

 

 

[Eman]

Take a look at my sexy pics (used a flash both inside and out)! I have hit the two month point and hopefully the halfway point through the doldrums and as bald as ever!! It has probably been the longest two months of my life in terms of the waiting and hoping to see some changes. Have not yet ditched the hat in social functions, but will do so come Thanksgiving time.

 

A good guesstimate is that 75% of my newly planted hairs have shed so far. The ones that are hanging on are growing and I am not sure when they are going to jump ship, if at all. The forelock is slowly coming back, but probably not fully due to some shockloss.

 

The recipient area remains a tad pink, but in certain light it cannot be seen. Sunlight and fluorescent light are where you can see the pinkness. I think that the color remains due to the recipient area being dry. Too much shampooing (1x a day) and the use of Rogaine foam (2x a day) doesn't help. I use an all-natural mild shampoo, but like the baby shampoo, it is still drying. I apply aloe or vitamin e oil every once in a while to add some moisture. As you can tell, I am trying to use only all natural products in the recipient zone.

 

The fun pimples have come out to play in earnest. Every time I think I am clean and clear, another one pops up (literally?!). I feel like a teenager again, except as an adult they are more than annoying.

 

The scar is a non-issue. The existing hair around the scar zone covers the scar at this time, but I need to get my hair cut again as it kind of sits strangely in the back. I equate it to hat head. Every third night I have my girlfriend apply vitamin e oil to the scar to assist with the healing. She says the left side is almost possible to find, the right side is still a little pink and that hair is beginning to grow through the scar.

 

Not much else to report. It is like waiting for water to boil, watching the paint dry, or watching the grass grow??¦I will be patient, I promise!

[thanatopsis_awry]

Hey bro...you are looking real solid, no doubt! Obv you are stuck with the pre-op baldness, but you really don't look bad, and considering your juncture in the journey, you look quite good, IMO. Your recovery itself seems to be going well, and your "style" (hair and otherwise) seems to have good synergy....

 

The wait is (and will be) difficult, but it will be well worth it. Yer outlook seems positive, and I think the process -- as well as the result -- will go along swimmingly!

[wantego]

Doldrums or not you pull off the look very well. I really hope you get an amazing result because I remember how much research you did before your HT. If anyone deserves a great result it is you.

[Chuckisduck]

You know. Even during the doldrums, its not horrid looking. Keep posting, I am about 15 days behind ya.

[DeDom]

Hi Eman.

scar seems to be nice and only one month up to your starting point! Must be a great feeling...

[Fallenstar]

Hey Eman,

 

dont worry about of the first 3 months...u sound like a very confident geeza :-)

 

the fun starts around the 3-4 months time...then each week you notice changes...boy that feels great !

 

hang in there for another few weeks, and things will start to happen.

 

but currently u r looking great...the public would not even guess u had an HT.

 

happy growing in meantime !

 

best

 

FS

[Eman]

Thanks for the positive comments guys, it is really nice to hear from you all!! And great to be able to track all of your progress too.

 

I think that I am just a bit more critical about how I look right now, aren't we all more critical about ourselves typically? But like I said, I will be ditching the hat shortly so friends will see a gradual change and not a "holy cow" change if I were to wear a hat for the next few months.

 

Exciting times...oh hold on, got to remove another pimple on my head .

[ezduzit]

Your scar area looks great Eman and you have healed well! Congratulations on being able to ditch the hat.

[new2thissite]

Looking good k-buddy. I am very happy for you! Like you said, I think we generally are too critical when it comes to ourselves. Congratulations. (Soon, you can sell all of your hats on ebay!)

[Bill - Seemiller]

Eman,

 

Other than the slight remaining discoloration in the recipient area, you have healed very well.

 

The first couple months are tough, but you won't look back once you have a nice new thick head of hair in the months to come

 

Thanks for keeping us updated.

 

Bill

[tommyf]

looking good dude. we now look like twins, i kid you not, everything looks good, your temple points seem to be coming in a little, so all looks good, hopefully we will celebrating in a few months. til then, keep the faith and we will talk later!!!!

[Eman]

You all are right about being patient. Since I look almost the same as prior to the HT, albeit a little less in the forelock and a little pinkness, I am really pleased where I am at this point. And getting away without having to wear a hat now makes being patient easier.

 

I celebrated Thanksgiving with a lot of family members and some friends and did not wear a hat and really didn't get any comments. I did get some comments from my immediate family, who by the way are brutally honest (myself included), saying it looks as though it has thinned a little on top--more so than normal I should say. I told them that I began to take proscar and rogaine and the initial affects are a shed and then three months later fuller growth will begin to occur. Kind of the truth, wouldn't you say?

 

I will be shaving my head down to a number 4 clip tomorrow as I need a haircut and will post some update pics for everyone. Hopefully the scar will still be hidden under my existing hair at that clip # as I don't want to have to wear a hat at Christmas time. And I kind of want to see what I can get away with at this point.

 

So, keeping my fingers crossed that a four clip will be ok...

[Eman]

Like I said the before Thanksgiving, I wanted to shave my head down again. I had told you all that I would shave down to a number 4 clip, but as I started I decided to go even lower to a number 3. And I am really stoked about the result!! You can kind of make it out when the flash is used in the pics, but in normal bathroom light you barely make it out.

 

Take a look at the updated pics and let me know what you think. If I can shave down to a number 3 clip now, just imagine what I will be able to do in six months when the area has healed even more. Exciting times!!

[Bill - Seemiller]

Eman,

 

Your hair looks good shaved down to a 3 clip. I think I shaved down as low as a one clip and then a 2 for the first few months while I awaited transplanted hair growth. I figured there was no sense in letting my thinner hair grow and then cut it again later to make it even with the transplanted hair.

 

You think your stoked now, wait until the hair grows in

 

Bill

[Raphael84]

Eman,

 

Congrats on the possibilty of shaving down to a grade 3. In all honesty man, it is only possible to see when under close scrutiny, along with your other HT photos and with a note explaning youve had a HT. Im pretty sure 99% of others would have no idea, and I agree it has a kind of "hat-head" look to it if anything.

Real interested in you pics man because your pre HT pics are somewhat similar to my current situation, and Im currently planning the possibility of my first HT with Dr. Rahal. Considering your graft count and the great work in the front 2/3 of your scalp, Im sure you going to have great results. Im as excited as you are. Best of luck to you!!!

[headinahole]

Eman

 

I have to agree with Raphael. I could faintly make out the scar in the side shots but again I was trying to find it. All and all I think things are looking great for you and if the pinkness fades a touch more in time I think you will be able to try a #2 clip. Congrats and keep the updates coming!

[new2thissite]

Emak,

This looks excellent. I am very happy for you.

[wantego]

Looks good!!! Any chance you will try for a #2 comb? I would be curious to see that.

[Eman]

ALL-

I went out to dinner last night without a hat with a few couples and not a word was said by anyone--they may have noticed but didn't say anything. The pics were taken shortly after a shower and by the time we went out for dinner the girlfriend said it couldn't be seen and I looked using two mirrors and couldn't see it either in the bathroom. On the other had, when my head is wet you can clearly see the scar.

 

Bill-

I remember your pics from shaving down to a #1 clip and must admit I don't have the cajones to do that. I agree with you about being stoked even more in the future and cannot wait until the top begins growing in!! Come the new year, hopefully new sprouts will begin popping out and by summer...

 

Raphael and Head-

I was able to find the scar pretty easily in the pics too. I think it partially has to do with some shockloss, it being a little pink and the flash from my camera. Also, I had just gotten out of the shower and the exising hair was not fully dry. When I went out, you couldn't see it at all, besides the faint hat head. I will keep you updated!

 

Thanks new2thissite!

 

Wantego- I was tempted on using a #2, but with Christmas and New Year's right around the corner and not wanting to wear a hat I figured I would wait until after New Year's. I will shave down to a #2 after the holidays.