Important - please advice

[Danielkiwi]

Hi guys

 

I have scheduled my surgery with one of the real quality physicians on this site. But after having seen some unflattering results and other concerns from some patients even in the best of hands, i am in two minds about this surgery...I would really appreciate some honest feedback from some of the experienced people out there..

 

I suspect that having a risk taking personality, i will end up going for the procedure as i dont want to live with a feeling of "What if" either...However i want to be prepared for the worst and try to understand what are my options if the procedure does not go well...I will give it one shot as i still have some hair remaining but definitely dont want to be chasing this all my life...

 

Being completely bald is out of question due to the scar...Worst case scenario, if i am not happy, what if i shave off my recipient area completely and leave the hair on my back to hide the scar? would my recipient area look wierd with a couple of thousand grafts that were implanted now being shaved(Scarring etc)...Second option i guess would be to buzz the entire head and get FUE on the scar..How low of a buzz could i go without the scar being visible after the FUE on the scar.....I would really appreciate honest and straight from the heart answers.......

Edited June 21, 2010 by Danielkiwi

[Goldilocks]

Hey there. While I can't answer your questions as I would never shave my head (I'm female by the way), I did want to say that I thought it was interesting how you describe yourself as a risk taker. I compared that to myself, who is NOT a risk taker and have a fear of surgery, but I did end up having hair transplant surgery. Two of them in fact. :eek: I couldn't stand the thought of having my head cut open, nor could I stand the thought of being poked, stitched, sliced, punctured etc but I wanted this so badly that I went through it anyway. So far, I think I am glad I did. (I'm only two months post-op at the moment so I am in the ugly duckling, can't stand to look at my hair in the mirror phase.)

 

I'm not exactly sure what my point with comparing myself to you is, but I did want to reassure you that I am sure most of those of us who have or will be going through hair transplant surgery have had doubts about the success of the procedure and the final results.

 

In my mind, the questions you ask are your rational side talking, which is extremely important when deciding to go through this kind of life changing event. Not everyone seems to have that inner voice and thus they make decisions without thinking it through rationally. Kudos to you for thinking about the "what ifs".

 

I hope you find the answers you are looking for and wish you all the best in your journey.

Edited June 22, 2010 by Goldilocks

[Danielkiwi]

Thank you Goldilocks for your detailed reponse...This forum is otherwise turning to be disappointing as people dont want to answer out of the block questions. I would have really liked some guys with bad transplants sharing their experiences.

 

Goldilocks (i like the name BTW), i think that you have had the courage to take this major step two times....Being a finance major, the first thing they teach you in class is more risk more reward...having said that the best of the investors (Warren Buffett) has said that dont buy a stock unless you are comfortable owning it for the long haul...this is where research comes in to play...and i am sure you did that...so hats off to you....i do have a couple of questions for you...

 

Did you do a FUE or FUT.

If some of the grafts did not grow, would the naked eye be able to detect any scarring in that particular area.

 

Finally, who performed your surgery..i am sure you will do well...

 

All the best

[mahhong]

Hi Danielkiwi,

 

First off let me say I haven't yet had an HT, so my advice is coming from my own research and discussing HTs with others.

 

The biggest thing you have to do is plan your HT with your surgeon. You'll find, with a good surgeon, the majority of negative comments probably come from people who didn't fully understand what an HT can do and what the surgeon had planned for them. Most people usually don't like their hairline, felt their density wasn't what they expected or generally don't see what they thought they'd see on top of their heads.

 

You need to really discuss with your surgeon what you want and what you can expect. What should the scar look like, what sort of density to expect over the balding area, the shape of your hairline and the need for further surgeries or drugs etc. Ask the surgeon if they can show you similar patients to you to help gauge your ambitions. A good surgeon will really help you understand what you can hope for and if it's not enough then don't get the HT. Don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions; you're spending a lot of money on this and a good doctor should have both a duty and desire to give you good results and results you wanted.

 

After research if for some reason you end up unhappy with your results then there are options. Firstly, a good coalition doctor should be willing to repair any obviously faulty work. This again comes down to lots of research and asking questions. If both you and your doc are really crystal clear about what to expect it's much easier to know if something has gone wrong. Often a patient thinks their hair is going to look different only to find out that's what the doctor intended, which causes difficulties when it comes to asking for repair work or extra procedures. If you and your doc really know what you're aiming for and you don't hit the target it's much easier for you to request repairs (which, if the doctor has made a genuine mistake, should be free of charge as I understand it). Obviously this can be a sticking point between doctor and patient sometimes so I can't stress enough: discuss your ambitions, discuss the plan, agree on the outcome you both want and you'll have a crystal clear set of goals.

 

Repair work can be done by lots of other doctors if results weren't satisfactory. There is a guy on this site called Jojotronic who had early implants that went wrong, and Hasson and Wong did a fantastic job repairing his hair (which now looks great). Jo is not alone; lots of people have had really quite major repair work. Hopefully you won't need to go down that road but the point I am making is that good repairs can be made from quite significant damage, so have faith that there are options if things don't go right.

 

Buzzing your hair down is another potential option, as is shaving your recipient area. Your recipient area shouldn't be very scarred but obviously it's not ideal to have to shave it down. This plan is a possibility but I think the more realistic option would be to get a bad HT repaired than to go shaving it down.

 

If it's possible try and keep in mind the (slim) possibility that you may need some extra cash to have a repair done or (more likely) get a second procedure in the future to keep up with your hairloss. If you have some flexibility in that area you have options if things don't go to plan.

 

I'm sure everything will be OK however. HTs are well practised procedures these days and I would guess most problems (when it comes to reputable docs) stem from patient expectation vs. patient outcome and miscommunication.

 

Finally, make sure you really, really want it. An HT isn't something you can "try" to be honest. It's a lifetime commitment to try and restore your hair to a level that's both realistic and that you're happy with. If your ambition is just to give it a shot and see what you come out with, it's probably not for you. You'll likely have to commit to staying on drugs for the rest of your life (propecia etc.) and to further surgeries down the line as you continue to bald. It really is a long term journey and can't be viewed as a one off gamble. With proper research, realistic expectations and a good doctor, however, your results could be great and see you through the rest of your life!

[Goldilocks]

Great post mahhong!

 

Hi Danielkiwi,

 

In answer to your question about my own surgeries, I had two strip procedures by two different physicians, both of whom are quality physicians found on this site.

 

My first procedure was almost three years ago with Dr. Rahal and my second one was this past April with Dr. Simmons.

 

I must say that my scar revision, which was recommended by Dr. Simmons so that he wouldn't have to make a second scarline, has been healing very well and so far looks quite fine; better than my first scar which was up to 3mm wide in one area. What I have experienced this time around though, is shock loss in the donor area, unlike after my first surgery. This is a little off-putting I have to admit, but I am reassured that the shocked hair will regrow in a few months time.

 

In answer to your second question, if some of the grafts do not grow hair, it would not be obvious at all, unless for some reason there was a whole cluster of them in the same area that did not grow. From my own experience, that did not happen. In fact, my first procedure could have been a stand-alone one, but I went through with a second one to increase the density and refine the shape of the hairline.

 

If there is anything else you'd like to know, please don't hesitate to let me know. I'd be happy to share my experience and even my private online album if you wish.

 

Out of curiosity, who is your surgery scheduled with? And how long are you waiting to take the plunge?

[Bill - Seemiller]

Daniel,

 

This forum is otherwise turning to be disappointing as people dont want to answer out of the block questions.

 

Given how many discussions there have been discussing not only the advantages, but the limitations and risks associated with hair transplant surgery on this forum over the years, I don't understand how you can even make a statement like the one above. Additionally, patients are welcome to share all genuine experiences, good or bad on this forum.

 

Hair transplant surgery isn't a perfect science and as you know, there are risks associated with it. I think ultimately you have to determine whether or not the potential benefits are worth the risks. I also think you should have a detailed conversation with surgeons you are considering about the possible risks and how they handle problems should they occur.

 

Upfront, you should be familiar with your selected physician's policies including if and when they provide free procedures or refunds in the event of problems, how they handle scar stretching, risks associated with "repair" procedures, etc. Knowing this information before you undergo surgery will take away all the guess work in the event you're less than satisfied with the procedure. I

 

t's also vital that your expectations of what can be accomplished for you are realistic. Frankly, I think some of our members are overly critical of procedures and results because their expectations of what hair transplant surgery can achieve is too high. Simply put, anyone who is aiming for perfection should not undergo hair transplant surgery.

 

However, if you have reasonable expectations about what can be realistically achieved for you (after speaking to a few quality physicians) and can accept the possible risks and risk management policies provided by the physician you ultimately choose, then you may just be a candidate for hair transplant surgery.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill Seemiller

[Danielkiwi]

Bill

 

Thanks for your response. I know that there has been a lot of discussion about the merits and demerits of hair transplant..I have done all the possible research and in my opnion have selected the best doctor possible...and i want to rephrase your own statement

 

"Hair transplant surgery isn't a perfect science and as you know, there are risks associated with it"

 

All i want to do is prepare for the risks...If you think your forum has provided answers to all my concerns, can you please point out one thread that talks about scarring in the recipient area..If my surgery did not go well, i dont want to {a} go back to the same doctor and {b} chasing this all my life...All i asked for was a simple answer.for the following question...

 

Is there any evidence of scarring in the recipient area if one were to shave off the transplanted hair.." Is this question so difficult to answer.

[Danielkiwi]

Thanks for your descriptive response Mahong. I appreciate the time you took to write this post.. i have done everything you have narrated but want to plan for the worst...i dont have any financial issues currently but who knows 10 years down the road with a family, i may not want to part with $10,000...and many want to be done with it....hence, i am looking for patients who were not satisfied with their transplants but could not shave off the recipient area due to scarring..

 

Thanks Goldilocks..your posts are really nice and you seem like a wonderful person...i will email you later in the day and tell you my exact story...

 

Good wishes,

Gaurav

[Anouar]

if you got to a top a top doc u will not get scarring in the recepiant are. However, the donor scar is a different story. U donor scar could stretch just depends on you skin characteristics. Ur concerned about scaring I would research Bisanga and Feriduni. I know u were talking about 3000 grafts but u dont have to do it all in one session.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Daniel,

 

I think it's good that you want to prepare for the risks associated with hair transplant surgery. However, you asked a question and then took a shot at this community for not addressing it moments after you received a response.

 

As to your question:

 

"Is there any evidence of scarring in the recipient area if one were to shave off the transplanted hair.." Is this question so difficult to answer.

 

Everyone is different, but assuming the physician you choose uses tiny blades, shaving your head shouldn't reveal any noticeable scarring in the recipient area. As an example, take a look at my pictures below right before my 4th procedure after my head was shaved.

 

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Danielkiwi]

That is awesome Bill...This is exactly what i was looking for!!!!it looks like no evidence of any scarring....it makes we feel a lot better now...how about if someone were to look at it from the naked eye..do the blades not leave any evidence at all?

 

Anouar - thanks for your response..unfortunately, all of the top doctors that i have consulted dont have a definite answer about the graft survival rate after a FUE..IMO it is too much of a risk to take given the limited nature of our donor supply!!!!

[Danielkiwi]

is there any body else who can share their experience like Bill did?

[EpilepticSceptic]

D,

 

Don't worry so much about recipient area scarring. There are other things to worry about that are much more serious, like hairline design, density, scalp laxity, total # of donor grafts available to cover future balding, etc...

 

If you go to a top 5 clinic who uses custom cut flat blades to make micro incisions, chances are slim and none there will be any recipient scarring. I'm 1 month post-op from my 1st HT (a megasession of 4496 grafts) and there were MANY incisions placed extremely close to each other. For the first few days there are little holes, but then by the 5th day the holes are closing up and little scabs are forming. Once the scabs and crusts have all fallen off you are left with smooth skin that looks perfectly normal, though it will remain reddish pink for some time afterward.

 

I'm 1 month post-op and all the redness has just about faded away, and my skin (which is olive complexion) looks perfectly smooth and normal in the recipient area, so much so that it still amazes me how 4496 incisions would leave no noticable scarring.

 

When somone goes to a hack HT surgeon they are taking a BIG risk for scarring in the recipient area (like many of the bitter posters you see on here bashing HTs), and they may never look normal again. Once that skin is messed up it will likely be that way forever, so you get no second chances in this game.

 

You are wise to be concerned about this. Most people today just focus and worry about the strip scar, but if the top gets messed up you will be in a much worse situation than the nastiest of strip scars because it's the front that peeps see when they talk to you -- plus there's no hair there to cover it up!!

 

Who's your doc ?

Edited June 23, 2010 by EpilepticSceptic