Awaiting hair transplant growth

[gforce]

:confused:

 

I had a hair transplant six and a half months ago, April 2010, and I am still awaiting to see any growth. About one third of the hairs never fell out, and I can still feel them on my head althought they are not really visible to the naked eye.

 

I contacted my clinic with recent photos, and they say I am a "late developer" and to submit more photos to them in January. What do people think?

 

gforce

[Tsakalos]

i am at 15 months and no growth ... usually when things go well u see it taking off after month 5

[Spanker]

That does not sound too good....do the two of you have any before and afters?

 

Also, do either of you care to list your clinics?

Edited November 10, 2010 by Spanker

[Blake Bloxham]

Gforce,

 

It is possible that you are a "late bloomer," and most hair transplant experts recommend waiting a full year before judging your final growth. However, if you would like to share some photographs with our community, we would be more than happy to analyze the situation and offer advice! Contact me if you need help updating your social profile or creating a patient weblog with photographs.

[Bill - Seemiller]

gforce,

 

Can you provide us with a little more detail about your experience? Admittedly, most hair transplant patients see at least some if not significant growth by 6 and a half months however, everyone does grow at different rates. If you are a late bloomer like many others before you, you should begin seeing results over the next couple of months.

 

Have you been charting your progress with photos? Is it possible that the transplanted hair is growing but you may have lost additional natural hair making it appear like you haven't experienced growth?

 

I encourage you to share your photos and experience on this forum including the number of grafts you received, where, your surgeon, etc. I trust we can provide you with continued support as you continue waiting for growth.

 

I'm glad you've contacted your clinic with your concerns. I do encourage you to wait the full year for your hair transplant to mature before evaluating your results.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[gforce]

Dear Bill,

 

Many thanks for your reply. In fairness to my surgeon at this stage, I would rather not say who he is, except to say that he is regarded as one of the best in the world. I was impressed with the effeicency and professionalism of his clinic. However, I am very nervous about the lack of growth. I had 2000 grafts which broke down into just under 5000 hairs. Initially the hairs were slow to fall out, giving me a false sense of hope that I was one of the lucky few who would not lose all of the transplanted hairs. I also thought that it might mean quick growth. I would estimate that at least one third of the grafts never fell out. As I mentioned before, I can still feel those transplanted hairs on my head almost 7 months on. So those follicles at least must have survived, and that is the thing I can't understand. Can I draw hope from that? If I was one of the unlucky ones where surgery fails, then surely all of the hairs would have fallen out and the follicles would have died?

 

I can also categorically state that there has been no hair loss since surgery. I am on proscar, so I don't believe that the new hairs could be growing, with the old ones falling out. I am 41 years old, and I have been aware of losing my hair since I was about 30 years old, (so i guess I was losing it even before then). So my rate of hair loss has been very slow, as I am a Norton 4A.

 

I e-mailed the clinic photos about one month ago, and on the basis of that they reported that I must be a late bloomer and to post them more photos in January. If there is no sign of growth by then I will insist on a free consultation and will want to know what the surgeon proposes to do next, without me having to shell out 10K again! Is there any research of the percentage breakdown of time for growth? I am familiar with the statistical notion of the "bell curve", and the fact that not all of us will fall into the average growth rate. However, there is also a small group for whom this does not work.

 

Kind regards, and thanks for your interest.

 

gforce