2nd HT with Dr Feller - hairline BULK up

[skinnyshaft]

Hi guys,

 

Former regular poster at SHN - just been recommended this forum and would like to share my recent experiences.

 

I think those afflicted with VERY fine natural hair will be interested in this…

 

I’ve just returned from having a second strip session on my hairline with Dr Feller in New York, which was yet again a great experience and am very excited by what it will hopefully achieve.

 

As anyone who knows me (met me at any of the showcases Spex organised), my hair is about as naturally fine and straight as hair can possibly get. It’s been the bane of my life and I use LOADS of product to give it a ‘normal’ appearance (if you can call 2pints of hairspray being normal!). This procedure was 1,100 grafts ‘bulk up’ of an op I had 3 years ago, where Dr Feller transplanted 2,167 grafts into the hairline. I’ve kept this follow-up relatively quiet for simple reason that some people might misinterpret it as a result of my original HT not being successful, which is NOT the case at all!!!! far from it!

 

My first procedure grew out very nicely. Unfortunately, my hair proved too fine to get the desired results from a one-off op. Dr Feller admits that he normally wouldn’t operate on someone with hair as fine as mine, except I’ve been lucky to have (and kept) so much of it. I actually started receding when I was 18. I’ve just turned 32 now. Dr Feller and I discussed my individual characteristic at length originally and i was never in doubt I might require a "bulk"

 

Dr Feller has basically packed just behind the hairline with a load of doubles, and then put a load of singles along the front. He also fractionally lowered my problem left side by about 4mm, as this is where I’ve been having particular difficulty in achieving the illusion of coverage and obtaining a natural framing. Although it’s just immediately post-op, the recipient area seriously looks like a proper buzzcut on a full head of hair (redness aside!). I’m utterly thrilled to look at it. Basically, the place which was so fine before now looks packed to buggery

 

The Doc says it’s as dense packed as he’s ever gone. The only possible slight downside was that he ran out of grafts to bulk up the little side bits, although he didn't think this was necessary anyway and hadn't initially planned to work on this area (it was only because I mentioned it that he said he'd see if he had anything left over!) There should now be more than enough density in the frontal hairline to compensate for this – fingers crossed!

 

I will keep you guys posted with pics so you can monitor the growth/progress. I’m very keen, excited and anxious to see how it grows out (with my hair being so fine, I refuse to get carried away just yet), but I currently can’t stop looking at it in the mirror. I’m praying for the day when I can just roll out of the bed and not worry about how long it will take me to style and whether I’ll get to work on time!

 

Many thanks for Spex and Dr Feller for all their help and expertise as always, a true mentor and friend. It’s been said millions of times before, but for anyone in the UK, I can’t recommend hooking up with Spex enough to gain from his experience and advice. The guy knows his onions and supported me throughout this journey! Here’s to the waiting game…

 

Oh, and pics soon!

 

S

[mattj]

I'm definitely interested in seeing photos. Sounds like an interesting case. Good write-up too.

[skinnyshaft]

oh yeah, sorry - as Spex pointed out - my previous username on other forums is SteveyD, in case anyone wants to check out my old pics/posts.

 

MattJ - just waiting for the good doc to send over my immediate post-op pics, then will pop those up.

 

I still can't stop staring at the new work in the mirror - it's so packed with grafts that it literally looks like I have a full head of hair buzzed down to the scalp. Just a few days ago, it was populated by just fine hairs and relied on the hairs behind it to achieve coverage.

 

Looking forward to this!

[skinnyshaft]

2 MONTHS PICS:

 

Hi guys, here's pics of me just after 2 months, so you're literally looking at my existing hairline growing back, with all the new grafts long since shed and prior to any sprouters coming through.

 

I'd just had a haircut prior to these pics, and my hair is slightly damp.

 

I've been wearing a hat since the op and I've maintained the illusion of having a cool-ish indie rock haircut, because the sides and back have been quite long. It's actually looked ok, but I've not been going out socialising because I hate wearing hats!

 

I'm in a HUGE, huuuuge quandry of whether to return to styling my hair how I was prior to the second op (basically, a very contrived messy style which was a LOT of hard work, courtesy of my problem left side). Or just coping by wearing a hat for the next six months!

 

oh the joys of naturally fine hair...

 

(PS I'm still waiting for my pre/post-op pics - I understand Dr Feller has a bit of a pic backlog, but I will put those up and soon as I have them).

[hespeler]

This is definitely interesting for me as well as I have very fine hair too. Similar to skinnyshaft except lighter in color (medium brown). I had 869 fue into my hairline by Dr. Feller also. I'm a little more than 3 months out and nothing yet but given that I did not get a large number of grafts and my hair characteristics I am trying to temper my expectations.

 

The good thing is I recall one of the techs saying that there were a lot of triples as she was preparing the grafts. Dr. Feller had her keep most of them as triples since I have fine hair.

Edited December 8, 2010 by hespeler

[skinnyshaft]

Was that your first op? Would be interested to see pics if you've posted any. If you're just gone 3 months, you're only a couple of weeks ahead of me.

 

I don't think you really notice anything properly happening until the 6month mark, and even then it creeps up on you. I've had a couple of new sprouters where my hairline has been lowered but they're not visible in those pics.

 

I'm in a tricky place at mo - I can't bear the thought of going back and trying to style my hair the way I was before my 2nd op, but then I really don't want to put my life on hold for the next few months.

[hespeler]

Was that your first op? Would be interested to see pics if you've posted any. If you're just gone 3 months, you're only a couple of weeks ahead of me.

 

I don't think you really notice anything properly happening until the 6month mark, and even then it creeps up on you. I've had a couple of new sprouters where my hairline has been lowered but they're not visible in those pics.

 

I'm in a tricky place at mo - I can't bear the thought of going back and trying to style my hair the way I was before my 2nd op, but then I really don't want to put my life on hold for the next few months.

 

Honestly I didn't take pictures. I kind of wanted to just do it and forget about it. And yes, it was my first op. My goals are modest. I've inherited my father's hairline and can live with a high hairline and receding in the temples. I just want some thickness in the middle and off to the left side so I can spike it up in the front.

 

Of course, Dr. Feller took pictures. If possible, I can pm spex and he can get them from Dr. Feller and I have no problem with him posting them here. When I go back to Dr. Feller in 6 months I'm sure he will take more pictures and I will also post those.

 

spex let me know and I will send you my info.

[multiplier]

Looks great. But looks like you did not have to shave any surrounding area for this?

[skinnyshaft]

The good Doc was beefing up the area that had already been worked on, so it was exactly the same area shaved down as in my first op (with the exception of the side bits, which weren't touched in this thicken up). The hairline you're looking at was all shaved down (the hairs growing are my existing hairs, nothing from the 2nd op).

 

You'll get a clearer idea of what I had done if the virus hasn't swallowed my pre/immediate post-op pics - fingers crossed! It'll also show the extent of the density of what Dr Feller managed to achieve.