Timeline for Growth

[korec]

I was just wondering if anybody could enlighten me what percentage growth should one expect at 6 and half months. I've researched this variously around this forum but there seems to be a lot of conflicting information regarding it.I know each specific case is different but there should be some general rule of thumb surely. Some say all growth would have come through by now and that you can only expect thickening and maturing from now on, others say 50 per cent, more say 70 per etc etc. In fact I have seen I think, Bill mention somewhere that growth can be expected up to 18 months. All very confusing!!

 

In my own specific case bearing in mind the recipient area was on a previously failed transplant, I seemed to see a huge surge in growth around the 3 to 4 month mark. Intermittently I have seen a few hairs pop up in the following months. In fact I saw one come through the skin at the hairline two days ago!! But at this juncture should I only expect thickening and lengthening or maybe much more additional growth?? And also on a parallel theme, how much does thickening and maturing affect the final cosmetic appearance?? For instance when I exam my own transplant, I think I have great coverage with the newly transplanted hairs all over the recipient area, but some hair is still very fine and wispy and as a result I still look very thin/balding in areas. This is very evident in photographs and harsh lighting, though I feel I look much better than those would show!!

[Sparky]

Your friend sounds like a horrible person.

[badger_01]

I know this isn't what you want o hear but results vary drastically from person to person as far as growth timelines. I was a little disappointed at the 8th month mark when I thought that I'd achieved close to my final result. and boy was I wrong! I'm not sure whether I experienced additional growth or if it was all thickening but my result 18 months out is drastically better! Good luck and grow well. Time will answer your questions

[TakingThePlunge]

My experience was similar to badger's. At six months I looked awful. I was a little better at 8 but it didn't become acceptable until after 10 months and I continued to see improvements up to 14 months. Some guys look great a six months. There's no predicting it.

 

Don't give up hope. You may be a slow grower. It happens.

 

TTP

[TakingThePlunge]

Spex,

 

I always appreciate your input and I've gotten a lot of great information from reading your posts but when you say, "...it doesn't matter how many times we say this people will always remain skeptical and feel their own HT is not successful in the early stages..." I have to point out that it greatly depends on who the "we" is. The more research one does on any forum results in a single constant: no two people seem to agree on anything from how to close the donor area to aftercare to growth expectations. In fact, when a contributor (Dr. or layperson) is pressed to explain why their advice conflicts with another's then the ultimate reply is, "trust your doctor and follow his instructions."

 

I feel that is important to note that many of us don't invent our expectations; we develop them from what we read and what we are told. In my case, my doctor told me to expect great results by the 6th month. When I didn't get them I became worried. When I didn't get them at 8 months I began to give up hope. At that time I had people telling me to forget it, it was over, others telling me it wouldn't be over till 12 months and still others telling me not to panic until 14 months. It's hard to buy into the idea that things are going to improve so late in the game when doctors routinely post fantastic results after 7 or 8 months. Fortunately it turned out to be true for me

 

I think it would be a huge benefit to patients if the doctors in the coalition would confer and try to come to consensus regarding the advice that they give their patients. When you've got some doctors telling you to remove scabs at 5 days, others telling you 10 days and still others telling you to let them fall off naturally, how can you trust that anything you are told is correct?

 

TTP

[1664]

'The thickening' for me was certainly after the year mark and continued for at least another 6 months.

[Dr. William Lindsey]

TTP is correct. Everyone is different. I like to see people at a week to take sutures out and remind them that all the hair will fall out... Then I like folks to come in at a month for a scar check. There is rarely a scar problem, but if there is, its easy to deal with a little problem early, rather than a big problem late.... and of course to remind them that they'll usually start to see hair around 6 months. Then we like to see them at 6 months to tell them that things are just starting and a final check around a year. Frankly I'd rather see people at 15 months, but noone can remember that and its hard enough to get folks back at 12 months...

 

But give it a year til you start getting near a final result.

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[Megatron]

with respect to the timeline for growth I'd say the best way to judge your results is by comparing it with as many people's blogs as possible that had a similar hair loss pattern and around the same number of grafts.

 

from personal experience combined with looking at hundreds of blogs I'd say that thickening makes a HUGE cosmetic difference. I bet a lot of guys don't even realize they sprouted new hairs a few months back and only begin to notice it once it starts thickening. I'd venture a guess that most hair come out by the 8 month mark and the rest is mostly all thickening / lengthening.

[Dr. William Lindsey]

Excellent advice megatron.

 

Dr. L

[KLD2246]

I have received many HT over the years and feel my last 2000 in December will complete my crown area. It's been 5 months and so far nothing and since all the previous times I seen grown around 4 months, I freaked out. I seen my doctor and he stated it looks good and due to me having so many HT on previous visits, growth could be delayed due to scar tissue etc. I was told a year is the right time to really see results so patience is in the air.

[hairlosscursed]

Having Ht s before and late growth for the new one ht is a "new" factor we discovered in the forum lately...i wish i knew for all these wonderfull stories before...21000$ is a too much too risk anything specially these days...only thing i m afraid is that i don t want to be the one who discover a new factor for ht ...eg poor yield or graft survival issues due to previews ht s...it s kind of scary thing...we are on 2010...we should already know these stuff...not discovering it after.....i mean is really wired seeing people with huge problem having great improvement with half of your native hairs and people with double native hair with same amount of grafts be almost the same...something is going really wrong...and there is NO SPACE for any wrong....we live at very hard days that we are trying to save some money and instead of this we are having a HT.....so there SHOULD be completely knowledge about everything and not experimental items to be found....