Progressive Density

[Guest]

Once an area is transplanted, can you add more to that area later without incurring too much shock loss? I'm getting 2000G FUE in about a month and a half, and I'd like to continue getting more grafts possibly in another 8-10 months for more density.

 

Are there limitations in transplanting more hair into an area that has already been transplanted to achieve more density?

[Guest]

Once an area is transplanted, can you add more to that area later without incurring too much shock loss? I'm getting 2000G FUE in about a month and a half, and I'd like to continue getting more grafts possibly in another 8-10 months for more density.

 

Are there limitations in transplanting more hair into an area that has already been transplanted to achieve more density?

[Robert_]

It is my understanding that this is entirely possible as long as an adequate amount of time is given between the procedures.

 

I would like to hear some of of the physicians thoughts on this subject, however.

[eastend]

It's not a good idea. It has been shown that in a given area of scalp, the first transplant grows best, in part due to microscarring that occurs on implantation which impairs the vascularity of the region. So if you plant in a region a second time, you risk two things. The first risk is shocking the previously planted hairs, possibly by transsection which would mean permanent loss, although a high level of surgical skill can lessen this risk. The second risk is a less-than-optimum yield of the newly planted grafts, due to the microscarring mentioned above.

 

This is why one-pass dense packing of FUs in a particular area of scalp is the method of choice for successful surgery.

[Robert_]

True, eastend, but like you said, I think that it is accomplishable.

[eastend]

I'll rephrase - I think it's in the best interest of the patient to plan for one session in one area, as opposed to planning for multiple sessions for one area. If I come across as overly opinionated, it's because it's the guys with the virgin scalps that have the most potential to make their lives better with the correct choice of their first surgeon and the greatest risk of messing up years of their lives with the wrong choice. Over on another thread, there's a guy talking about MHR. Good lord, run like hell. Meanwhile, baldcasanova is saying Straub "did a good job", on a strip surgery for 630 grafts. 630!!!! That's criminal for a strip surgery!! Nobody should be cutting open anybody for less than 2000 grafts on a first surgery. Additional surgeries are case by case. The first one should always be a megasession unless we're talking about a guy 50+ who's lucky enough to have stayed a strong NW3 and just wants a fixup.

 

To the people reading who have never done a transplant: If you pick the wrong doctor, you get screwed in at least four ways. First of all, you will ABSOLUTELY NEED WORK LATER to correct the first botched procedure. That means you will need at least one more period of recovery and at least as much money, but likely more money, than you spent the first time. Second of all, you will have a depleted and scarred donor area to work with, which will make your second surgeon's life harder. Third, you will have a compromised recipient area and your new grafts will likely have a lower survival rate. Fourth, you will be messed up psychologically, and you will have wasted some number of years hiding from the public.

 

Plan wisely, and the younger you are, the harder it is to do.

[eastend]

Interesting question, and I must admit I never really thought about the flexibility that FUE would provide for this scenario. It's a great theory, now that I think about it. Affordability is the real question, I suppose.

 

I would envy any guy with hairloss progression that was slow enough and "even" enough to stay ahead of the game in the way you describe (I may also envy him for having the $$$ to pay for it). If all of a sudden his hair loss accelerated, though, he would have a real problem with an un-natural look. Although I'm not totally convinced he would have to permanently remove the transplanted hair .. might be possible to buzz it all really short and then go for a megasession that would give a natural look e.g. decent frontal scalp and the standard thinning/balding crown.

[Smoothy]

I think that if you are NW 6 or so, then 1 pass it the best way to go-- like Futzyhead- but then again he had a 2nd touchup session???

You do risk shock loss due to transection of existing grafts-- regardless of what surgeon this will happen but a great surgeon will limit the amount. The microscaring is an issue that isnt talked about. The more HT you have the worse the scarring and increase risk. I've had multiple HT and each one had slower growth.

As far as having another FUE after 10months? First if you have enough donor- I would recommend strip because you can get a better yeild and growth. If not, then you need to probably wait at least 12-18 months after FUE for your 2nd HT because FUE tends to be slower growth than strip-- that's just what I've read from several sources. So you might want to give it an extra 6 months to make sure all your regrowth is in.

[DaiVernon]

there are numerous examples of guys with 2, 3, and even 4 passes in the same transplanted area. all of whom praise the results. I myself had a 400 FUE pass in an area I had transplanted a year ago. Dr. Feller performed the operation last week. Ill be returning in a couple of weeks for another 400 FUE session in the hairline.

[baldcasanova]

I'll rephrase - I think it's in the best interest of the patient to plan for one session in one area, as opposed to planning for multiple sessions for one area. If I come across as overly opinionated, it's because it's the guys with the virgin scalps that have the most potential to make their lives better with the correct choice of their first surgeon and the greatest risk of messing up years of their lives with the wrong choice. Over on another thread, there's a guy talking about MHR. Good lord, run like hell. Meanwhile, baldcasanova is saying Straub "did a good job", on a strip surgery for 630 grafts. 630!!!! That's criminal for a strip surgery!! Nobody should be cutting open anybody for less than 2000 grafts on a first surgery. Additional surgeries are case by case. The first one should always be a megasession unless we're talking about a guy 50+ who's lucky enough to have stayed a strong NW3 and just wants a fixup.

 

To the people reading who have never done a transplant: If you pick the wrong doctor, you get screwed in at least four ways. First of all, you will ABSOLUTELY NEED WORK LATER to correct the first botched procedure. That means you will need at least one more period of recovery and at least as much money, but likely more money, than you spent the first time. Second of all, you will have a depleted and scarred donor area to work with, which will make your second surgeon's life harder. Third, you will have a compromised recipient area and your new grafts will likely have a lower survival rate. Fourth, you will be messed up psychologically, and you will have wasted some number of years hiding from the public.

 

Plan wisely, and the younger you are, the harder it is to do.

 

 

Eastend,

 

I'm happy doctor Straub went forward with the surgery because I will NEVER be able to afford 2000 Grafts. That's why I have entered the contest.

 

I only got the front hairline "base" worked on so with the next surgery I should be able to go into the other areas of my scalp, without running the risks forestated with planting hair in areas already populated with grafted hair.

 

BTW the donor scar is only 3 inches long.

 

Cas