FUE Considerations

[RockZ]

I'm 28 and have been experiencing hair loss for about a decade but it's only been in the form of a receding hairline. I would say I'm around Norwood 3. I'll try to post some pictures soon. From my consultations with HT clinics the number of grafts would only be anywhere from 900 - 1200. I'm fairly certain I'm going to schedule a FUE transplant in the middle of 2011 at Shapiro Medical after consulting with them and a number of other clinics.

 

I'm trying to figure out a way to blend back into the workplace (corporate office setting) with the least amount of issues as discreetly as possible after the transplant. If I took off ten business days, which would give me about two weeks to recover, would this be sufficient to have any noticeable redness, swelling, cobblestoning (can that happen?) disappear for the most part? Also, from what I understand, the new implanted hair will grow for about six weeks and then fall out before resuming the growth cycle over the next year. So with that I would assume that after a FUE procedure even after the redness goes away the addition of new hair would certainly be noticeable immediately, perhaps a little bit less in my case given the number of grafts I need. All in all, I understand there's going to be some attention drawn to my hairline and I'm okay letting people know I went through with a HT but I'd rather not advertise it so to speak.

 

Also, I do wear my hair fairly short (1/2 inch on the buzzer on the sides and back and about an inch and a half on top) so I think getting a shorter haircut before the procedure would not be an issue.

Edited December 29, 2010 by RockZ
Addition of story.....

[RockZ]

I also take Propecia (have been for about two and half years). I used some generic Minoxodil solution for a little while but I stopped due to the daily application being somewhat tedious given my busy lifestyle.

[js2004]

I had 513 grafts done in end of oct with dr feller. I wear hair same way alittle longer in front all grafts were done in temple area, and similar job setting took 2 weeks off recpt area was better about a 2 weeks alittle redness and donor area was fine in about week, hardest part is they shave some hair in front to place grafts and its just starting to grow baclk so i look worse than when i got it done. good luck.

[Levrais]

Rockz, I was in your exact situation with work. I had just under 1500 fue to the front last month. I went back to work on day 10 or 12 (cant remember which). I remember thinking that day 14 or 15 would have been better as I still had some scabs at day 10 or so. But otherwise it went fine. My donor area was shaved but by day 8 I was able to get a haircut to blend it in and it looked about like my normal hair cut by then. As for the grafts, they will show for the first 6 weeks as you say but depending on what you have done, it may just look like a shadow.

If you have other questions or would like to see more photos etc, please let me know.

 

Levrais

[moses0324]

Rockz do you have any before and afters...that would help us assess your situation.

[Spanker]

We are in the SAME situation, grafts and everything, considering the same doc.....

The only difference is that I am still unsure about FUE. I have been quoted anywhere fron 600 to 1000. I would like to see more SMG FUE results.

[aaron1234]

FUE has a quicker recovery time than strip. But if you do shave down the recipient area for the procedure (which I highly recommend), the hair is not going to grow back to full length in 10 days. If you can, grow out your hair longer behind the area getting work done and comb it forward to cover the transplanted region.

 

As for cobblestoning... you only get that with crappy doctors. Certainly won't be an issue with SMG.

[mattj]

You seem to be aware of all of the visible signs and changes that you'll need to contend with, so I'll just add that it can be pretty amazing how people fail to notice when a person's hair 'magically' thickens or starts to cover previously bald areas. A lot of patients seem to move easily back into daily life without much hassle.

If you're fine with people knowing then all the better.

[RockZ]

Gentleman, thank you all for your excellent insight. Levrais, looking at your pictures and journal was particular helpful as well. I feel a little more at ease knowing what to generally expect. I'll post some pictures this weekend of my current hairline. Spanker, that's understandable with regard to FUE as I understand SMG is still relatively new in penetrating that market segment but I would hope their renowned reputation certainly carries over to that and that they continue to build an excellent track record there. Personally, my largest initial concern I had with FUE was the 75% - 100% survival rate of the transplanted hairs as opposed to the near 100% with the standard type.

[Spanker]

Gentleman, thank you all for your excellent insight. Levrais, looking at your pictures and journal was particular helpful as well. I feel a little more at ease knowing what to generally expect. I'll post some pictures this weekend of my current hairline. Spanker, that's understandable with regard to FUE as I understand SMG is still relatively new in penetrating that market segment but I would hope their renowned reputation certainly carries over to that and that they continue to build an excellent track record there. Personally, my largest initial concern I had with FUE was the 75% - 100% survival rate of the transplanted hairs as opposed to the near 100% with the standard type.

 

That is mine too. I am 32 and doubt I will want to wear my hair as short as I used to. I used to wear it very military. Now I am sporting a little longer, more layed back look so it is pushing me more to strip because of the proven track record.

[largechris]

Don't laugh, but you can experiment beforehand with either ladies concealer - comes in a small tube and is pricey - 10 bucks for almost nothing lol - or I found the 'men pen' quite good, has a website that enables you to match your skin tone. BUT 14 days absolute minimum to stand any chance of being undetected and only then because it is such a small procedure you are having. Growing your existing hair forwards sounds good if possible, but I don't reckon most guys considering a transplant would have enough strong front growth to manage this.

[Tonycc]

spanker,

 

Is your hair long enough right now to cover up a scar?

 

I am assuming that if you got a strip that you would have to always keep your hair at the length you currently have or longer.

[RockZ]

Well it sounds like with a 1000 graft FUE procedure and two weeks of recovery I have a fair chance of blending back in with little hassle. I wish I could take more time off but what job let's you do that nowadays. Largechris, did that work out in your case?

[RodG]

Hi RockZ,

 

I read threads like this all the time. You are 28 years of age and obviously a mature person. I had 3743 grafts transplanted using FUT and I am Norwood VI and I am 49 years of age and started noticing MPB at 21 years of age.

 

I returned to work about 16 days after the procedure and I had scabs all over my head and it was impossible that no one would notice that I had a HT. I am a government employee and I decided to tell as many people as I could that I was going on holidays and I was having a HT and on most occasions I received positive comments and only a couple where people told me not to bother to have a HT (a colleague actually told me to shave me head).

 

I am 4.5 months post HT and I get positive comments from my co workers regarding my hair growth. Do yourself a favour and try not to worry about what other people think about you and the decisions that you make in your life.

 

Good luck with your HT.

 

Regards

 

Rod

 

ps I'm proud that I finally did something about my lack of hair.

Edited December 31, 2010 by RodG

[RockZ]

Thanks Rod for sharing your experience. I really appreciate your perspective. Best of luck with the future growth!

[Sparky]

2 weeks is enough to not see fue marks.

[largechris]

Well it sounds like with a 1000 graft FUE procedure and two weeks of recovery I have a fair chance of blending back in with little hassle. I wish I could take more time off but what job let's you do that nowadays. Largechris, did that work out in your case?

 

Well I took 2 weeks off, imho my head didn't look presentable for 2 months, the office where I work is a bit of a shambles anyway so I ended up wearing a rather fetching Lacoste baseball cap for that period. Sure a couple of people asked why, i just bluffed it out. I do a fair bit of travel anyway - and I wasn't bothered about customers noticing, just something to talk about if they did.

 

Though I had a much bigger op than you are considering.

 

HOWEVER do not let short term (even 6 months) considerations put you off. In a year's time you'll laugh about all this, and be in a happy place knowing you've taken control of something that is bugging you.

[hespeler]

I had a FUE procedure done to my hairline. 869 to be exact. I wear my hair pretty short too and also took 10 days (with 2 weekends) off from work. I didn't plan on it but I had to wind up buzzing my head before going back to work. I don't see how anyone wouldn't have to do that. The donor area started to grow back in 2 weeks but it still was way too much of a discrepancy. Even with a #1 buzz cut you could still see the difference in the donor area. That redness stayed for almost a month for me but I must say after about a month, it blended together very nicely and it now looks like nothing happened.

 

Also, as mentioned earlier in the thread, the clinic will probably shave some hair in your recipient area to do the transpant. This left me no choice but to buzz my whole head to a #1 to blend it in. The good news was that it didn't look too bad and I actually got a lot of compliments and was even told that it made me look like I have even more hair with a buzz cut.

 

In hindsight I should have been honest but I just told my co-workers that I got a skin rash and the dermatologist buzzed some of my head to look at it and so I just shaved it off to blend it. Nobody ever suspected a hair transplant in my office. None of my friends know or suspect either.

 

Now 4 months later my hair is pretty much back to the way it was before the transplant, though I think there has been some shock loss. No new hair has grown yet and I am starting to get antsy. One thing to consider is that you must be prepared to be patient. From what I've read the process is very slow and subtle and it is hard to tell the changes on a day to day basis.

 

Best of luck.

[RockZ]

Update: Here's some pictures of my current situation. I've been quoted anywhere from between 900 - 1200 and it would only be for my hairline. I haven't had any surgeries but am hoping to get something (FUE) scheduled in the Spring at SMG. Let me know what you guys think.

[RockZ]

You require higher numbers than that IMHO. Looking at pics i would suggest 2000+ to address the entire affected area at the front.

 

Thank you Spex.

 

I consulted with SMG again and after looking further they revised it upward to 1200 - 1800 (mainly because it of the thinning behind my hairline which I think would add another 300 or 400 grafts). I think the initial estimates were probably conservative.

[HARIRI]

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Edited February 2, 2011 by Future_HT_Doc

[RockZ]

Alright, just to provide an update I'm around eleven days post-op after having a FUE procedure at SMG. I went out to some bars to meet up with friends and nobody could detect the work. They just thought I had a short buzz cut. Even a coworker who would comment on about my hairline in the past frequently (in good fun of course) did not even give it a second look. He was the only other person I mentioned it to. Needless to say I don't think I'm worried about going back to work on Monday an having people notice.

[RockZ]

I went to work two weeks post-op from my first surgery day and had some minor redness (noticeable between hairs that were shedding). Nobody noticed or commented other than the fact I have a buzz. Case closed for something I was agonizing over off and on for several months.