Help! 3.5 months post op with little to no growth! When to start really worrying?

[SteelWorker]

I recently found your web site! It is thankfully helpful knowing others out there have gone through similar experiences.

 

I received a session of greater than 4000 graphs about 3.5 months ago. I have noticed very little growth so far. The grafts originally got a good deal of coverage all the way from my front to the top of the crown.

 

The grafts originally looked so good and I was so enthusiastic about it. Then all of a sudden, that huge shed occurred. Then I looked awful. I looked worse than I ever did before the transplant. After the shed, it exposed huge bald areas because I was shaved down prior to surgery.

 

I have noticed maybe a few hairs here and there sprouting through the skin, but nowhere near the 4000 grafts I had originally gotten. I would say only 10-20 % of the grafts have started to grow. Is this normal for 3.5 months? Should more be sprouting out already?

 

I have this huge fear that hundreds (if not thousands!) of grafts I got are going to end up not growing. I know it is only 3.5 months, but when should I really start worrying?

 

Do some people take longer for them to start growing after they are all shed? I was hoping at 3.5 months I would be seeing some significant growth. Is it normal for some of the grafts to take longer than others to start coming through?

 

This whole thing is starting to get me down. I check the mirror multiple times a day and it is driving me crazy.

 

When did most people start seeing growth where they could really tell a difference?

 

Sorry for all the questions, but this has started to get frustrating and I never thought it would be this hard afterwards. I did go to a doc that is recommended on your site, so I don't necessarily think it was anything the doc did.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice you may have! Looking forward to hearing from people who have been through this before!

[mahhong]

Hi SteelWorker

 

The good news is, not yet! I have seen countless examples of people who have had very little growth at 3, 4 or even 5+ months and suddenly it all starts coming together for them. Really and truly it's only after 12 months or so you can start forming proper opinions on how successful your transplant has been.

 

The shed and slow initial sprouting are perfectly normal! Unfortunately it's just a waiting game now, but all the signs so far point to a normal and healthy procedure that will turn out fine. Of course it's a shame that nobody can guarantee that but, believe me, so far everything sounds spot on. Some people are lucky and their hair barely sheds from the moment it's transplanted, others have only really seen significant improvements around the 6/7 month mark - and plenty of people are between those two extremes.

 

I think you have to wait at least another 3-4 months before you can start really beginning to look for definite progress - up until that point it's very easy for the grafts to sprout slowly, or produce very weak hairs. In time, everything should turn out just fine - there's certainly nothing to indicate that won't be the case!

 

You can check out the hairloss websites on this forum from other users. Many of them don't see much happening until quite a few months after their transplant, and the common consensus is that it takes at least 12 months to really judge the situation properly. In reality a transplant may continue to "mature" for 12-18 months or more, but after 12 you should have a good idea if the transplant has worked or if there may be problems.

 

Transplants done by good doctors are generally very successful, however, so sit back and try to enjoy watching the hair slowly but surely thicken up and grow in - 4000 grafts should make a great difference for you!

[Blake Bloxham]

Steelworker,

 

I would not start to worry yet. Most people report initial growth anywhere between 3-5 months, and continued growth up until the 1 year mark. You are still quite early in the process, and, in my opinion, it is too soon to start jumping to any conclusions. I hope this helps! Keep us updated, and try not to focus on it too much!

[imun]

SteelWorker,

 

I agree with mahhong and Future_HT_Doc. be patient and hope for the best. where did you have your surgery and whats the name of your doc?

Can you post some pics?