New Member Questions Part Two

[TomA]

Thanks for all of your help so far. I have a few more dumb newbie questions.

 

I'm leaning toward Dr. Pathomvanich in Thailand based on my research here. I think Dr. Wong seems great, but he's just out of my price range. I'm going to be in SE Asia anyway, so I'm not paying for the flights either. (Well, except for the cost of the $30 flight to Bangkok.) Any comments on the doc?

 

Do they typically shave the donor area?

 

Do they typically shave the recipient area?

 

How long before a session did you start the scalp exercises? Do they really need to be 30 minutes a day?

 

How long before I can safely travel (10,000 miles) after a large (say 4000+ graft) session?

 

My job requires presentations in front of LARGE groups. How long after surgery can I expect before the surgery will REALLY be unnoticeable? I can't have everyone in the place thinking, "What is UP with that guy's head?!" rather than paying attention. If I schedule a surgery for July 20, will it likely be noticeable on August 22?

 

Assuming a mega-session: When you see the same people week after week and your hair starts to grow back, do you start to get comments? It would seem like if you have 4000+ grafts that people would notice once they started to grow. If so, what do you say?

[TomA]

Thanks for all of your help so far. I have a few more dumb newbie questions.

 

I'm leaning toward Dr. Pathomvanich in Thailand based on my research here. I think Dr. Wong seems great, but he's just out of my price range. I'm going to be in SE Asia anyway, so I'm not paying for the flights either. (Well, except for the cost of the $30 flight to Bangkok.) Any comments on the doc?

 

Do they typically shave the donor area?

 

Do they typically shave the recipient area?

 

How long before a session did you start the scalp exercises? Do they really need to be 30 minutes a day?

 

How long before I can safely travel (10,000 miles) after a large (say 4000+ graft) session?

 

My job requires presentations in front of LARGE groups. How long after surgery can I expect before the surgery will REALLY be unnoticeable? I can't have everyone in the place thinking, "What is UP with that guy's head?!" rather than paying attention. If I schedule a surgery for July 20, will it likely be noticeable on August 22?

 

Assuming a mega-session: When you see the same people week after week and your hair starts to grow back, do you start to get comments? It would seem like if you have 4000+ grafts that people would notice once they started to grow. If so, what do you say?

[Gorpy]

Hi TomA,

 

All docs will shave or buzz or cut short the donar area. Some docs are more careful than other in doing this. If they are not careful and take a wide swath, it becomes very difficult to hide post op.

 

Shaving the recipient area varies from doc to doc. You should be able to ask your doc that before hand so you'll know what to expect.

 

Scalp exercises will improve your laxity. It is suggested that you start up to 6 weeks before. 30 minutes a day. Well, you can break that up into a few shorter sessions.

 

I've heard of many people traveling after a large session without problems. It's a good idea to at least spend the night there after the procedure. You won't feel like traveling.

 

REALLY unnoticeable - A month might do it. If your recipient is shaved it would obviously still be very short. You probably would have some lingering redness/pinkness in the recipient area at that point. REALLY unnoticeable would be about 2 months. Hey, I'm being realistic.

 

When the hair starts to grow back, it grows in very slowly. The hair starts out baby fine and slowly matures. Some people will suspect that you used to shave it and now you are simply letting it grow out. If all else fails, just tell them the drugs must be working.

[TomA]

Thanks!

 

I usually cut my hair with a #4 or #3 guard on the back and sides (but leave it--or what's left of it--longer on the top).

 

About what length should I let it grow just BEFORE surgery? Should I stay with the short guards or let it grow out some?

[Gorpy]

I would let it grow out a little longer. You would have a better chance of covering the donar area post op.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Tom,

 

Do they typically shave the donor area?

 

Yes, but most of the shaved portion is removed, with the strip.

 

Do they typically shave the recipient area?

 

some do, some don't. It's different for each clinic...though there is a great case made by Hasson and Wong as to why shaving is beneficial.

 

How long before a session did you start the scalp exercises? Do they really need to be 30 minutes a day?

 

 

2 weeks is a minimum...but the sooner the better. Also, 30 minutes a day isn't mandatory, but again...the more you do it, the better. But split the half hour up into a few segments...personally, I liked doing 2 15 minute segments.

 

How long before I can safely travel (10,000 miles) after a large (say 4000+ graft) session?

 

 

You can travel immediately...but be careful not to bump your head for the first several days.

 

My job requires presentations in front of LARGE groups. How long after surgery can I expect before the surgery will REALLY be unnoticeable? I can't have everyone in the place thinking, "What is UP with that guy's head?!" rather than paying attention. If I schedule a surgery for July 20, will it likely be noticeable on August 22?

 

 

This depends on many factors...somewhere in another thread I wrote a breakdown of this...but I'd say, in short, 2 months is a good safe bet for COMPLETELY NORMAL (even though that's a relative term). But scabs will be gone by about 10-14 days, new grafts will fall out between 2-4 weeks. Redness should be gone between 10 days and a few months (yes I know...long range), but it varies. Depending on if your recipient head was shaved, you have to consider that hair only grows about 1/2 inch per month.

 

Assuming a mega-session: When you see the same people week after week and your hair starts to grow back, do you start to get comments? It would seem like if you have 4000+ grafts that people would notice once they started to grow. If so, what do you say?

 

 

Comments sometimes happen, but rarely do people notice that you have regrown hair. Most people tend to notice that SOMETHING is different about you but they can't put their finger on it. BUT, in the event someone notices you have more hair, you will have to have some kind of answer. You could always just say that Propecia worked wonders for you . Or you could just be honest...depending on who asks and how comfortable you are.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Bill

[TomA]

Thanks for the great responses!

 

Speaking of Propecia, should I start taking it before I go in for surgery, or not bother with it?

 

I haven't taken it for at least 7 years.

 

If so I suppose that the rationale would mainly be whether it would help with the new grafts, as I don't have a lot left to lose...

[JRD]

Hello all!

Newbie here. Where could I find a great scalp surgeon accepting a payment plan?

Any good doc in, or near San Francisco? Thank you all

JRD

[JRD]

Hi,

Any info on www.Bosley.com ?

[Bill - Seemiller]

Tom,

 

Speaking of Propecia, should I start taking it before I go in for surgery, or not bother with it?

 

If you have any native hair left, it's advisable to get on Propecia to minimize the risk of losing that hair.

 

JRD,

 

I strongly recommend you use the "find" feature of this forum and research Bosley. Most people that I have read about over the years have had BAD experiences with them. They are great at advertising, not so great at delivering a quality hair transplant.

 

I strongly recommend that you do some research so you understand what hair transplant surgery is, whether or not you are a good candidate, etc. Then choose a doctor ONLY after you've seen a number of before/after pictures from PATIENTS posting on the forums. I suggest you choose a doctor from our coalition who has proven to be the best of the best: http://www.hairlosslearningcenter.org/hair-loss-content...s/our_physicians.asp

 

Also...do not let travel effect your decision as to who you end up seeing.

 

Bill

[hairbank]

Originally posted by JRD:

Hi,

Any info on www.Bosley.com ?

 

For a surgeon referral, check out the Coalition Surgeon listing from this site and do some research.

 

My only recommendation for you on Bosley is not to go there because they've had inconsistent results at best.