How many more grafts would I need?

[Its_Going_Fast]

Gents,

 

I needed some pointers from some of you who seem to have more knowledge than I do about transplants.

 

Some background: I am an unfortunate victim of a butcher named Dr. Richard Gionnatto. He performed three surgeries on me. The first was in October '05 (Approx 1500 grafts). At the time, I was 21 and had no knowledge what-so-ever about this website and thus I chose whichever doc that I had heard of on the radio. After about 15 months of not seeing the results that I was expecting, I went back to see the same Dr and he advised that due to my young age, my hair loss had progressed and said that another surgery is required. So in Jan '07, I shelled out another 7k and had a second (filler) surgery performed approximating 1800 grafts. To my luck, a year later- the results were still no where close to what I was initially promised, and after complaining the Dr offered to perform a third surgery to compensate me for my disappointment. (Stupid idea) I took him up on this offer, and had an additional 2000 grafts placed on my head. These grafts were probably applied using the punch method (I assume)and were spaced out drastically. I compared the pictures from my surgery(ies) to the pictures on this website and found that my surgery was bloodier and far more unprofessional than all of the results found here. I visited the Dr in early January '09 and asked him why the results aren't close to what we anticipated, and his response was that whatever hair I have on my head right now, is the result of all of the transplants. However, I find that highly. The Dr. claims that the hair came out of the dormant phase only 4 months ago (even though the Surgery was in Feb '08) and that I should continue to see results within the next few months.

 

At this point, I'm confused and somewhat hopeless. My hair loss has affected my life dramatically and I just want a solution to this problem. I have been applying concealers for the last 4 years (and that too only when I go out). I've cut back on socializing only bc I don't want to apply the concealers on a regular basis and damage what's left of the hair. I am contemplating another surgery to fill my crown and add density to the top/front, however, I'm not sure how many grafts that would require, but I assume that I'm in the 2500-3000 graft range to get the results that I want. But, another prob is that my hair is very very fine and thin, so I'm not quite sure how to add fullness/density to the hair? It seems like I've got a lot of individual hair(s), but the quality/thickness of them sucks. Any pointers?

 

Due to financial constraints, I doubt that I can afford to pay $10k for Dr. Hasson/Wong/Shapiro, so I'm opting to fly abroad to one of the Dr's on this website's recommended list.

 

Do you all advise that I should wait? Or simply get on with the show and get another surgery? If so, please advise on how many grafts would suffice.

 

I have yet to take a pill of Finasteride or Propecia. Would that reverse the hairloss or help in any way?

 

Please see the attached pics and offer any advice that you possibly can to a fellow member of this excellent and sacred community! Thanks

 

I wanted to get some insight from you all on what I should do next? Shoul

 

I

[Its_Going_Fast]

A picture of the top/crown

[Its_Going_Fast]

Crown

[Its_Going_Fast]

Top

[Its_Going_Fast]

Side

[Its_Going_Fast]

Crownn

[Its_Going_Fast]

Post Op Feb '08 - Day 2

[Its_Going_Fast]

Post Op - Day 2 - Crown

[hairthere]

Wow, this Dr. Richard Gionnatto sounds almnost as bad as Dr. Joseph Karamikian. It's unbelievable hacks like this can still get patients.

 

Unfortunately what he should have done given your age was put you on meds first for at least 1 year.

 

You look to be a NW 4/5 and your hairloss is pretty aggressive so I'm not sure how much the meds will do for you at this point. I think your best option for future HTs would be a megasession into the front (forget the crown for now--hopefully the meds can help you there). You're gonna need at least 3500-4k grafts. My advice is to save your money and go with a top clinic like H&W.

[mmhce]

Wow, this Dr. Richard Gionnatto sounds almnost as bad as Dr. Joseph Karamikian.

hairthere,

Was Dr. Karamikian ABHRS certified?

[mmhce]

Its_Going_Fast,

Likewise, was Dr. Richard Gionnatto ABHRS certified?

[Dewayne]

It's going fast:

 

First of all, there are people walking around, socializing, dating, etc. that look much worse than you do so you need to get the "inside" of your head worked on too.

 

Now, I'm not saying your transplant looks good I'm just saying you don't look so bad that you can't go out doing whatever it is 20-somethings like you do.

 

I know, I know, it's very difficult going through this. I did it too, but I hope young guys won't make the same mistakes I made. I had the perfect life it seemed and then at 24 or 25 my thinning got the best of me and my life was really bad in many ways for the next 10 years. I mean, I got married and had kids and all that was great, but it just didn't seem the same after my hair started thinning.

 

Now for some advice: You only have a finite number of grafts in the back of your head, so be very careful from this point forward. I would suggest someone like Cooley, Feller, etc. to take what you've got and work some of their magic on you. There are probably some good ones overseas too, but I'd be damned if I would go so far away that I didn't have much recourse if things went bad again.

 

In the meantime, while saving up some cash, try to ignore your thinning. There are PLENTY of guys with thin hair who do great socially. Work out hard, jog, get yourself in tip-top shape and that'll make your head less noticeable. Shave it for a while if it looks good. But, try like hell to not 'lose' your 20's as some of us have done and regretted.

[Its_Going_Fast]

Sorry, I guess I misspelled the Dr's name. It's Dr. Richard Giannotto

[kaounis]

If my addition is correct, you have had 5300 graphs. Even if you were totally bald to begin with, 5300 graphs should have given you a lot more coverage. I don't think you actually received what you were told. It looks like the Dr. either placed mini graphs in the back or DfU's. I think your best possible course right know is to get on fin. and have as many in person consults as you can. Sending pictures is good to, but because you may have limited donor left,it's better to have the surgeon see you in person to give you the best possible assesement. Don't be in a hurry, take your time and research well. Good luck and god bless...

 

 

Just a thought from the peanut gallery...

[Its_Going_Fast]

Hairthere: The doc did recommend meds, but I chose not to since I needed my sex drive to be peaking at that time. (stupid mistake). As for the aggressive hair loss, I'm guessing that whatever is towards the front region of my head is not going to fall out (since it's been transplanted an re-transplanted). You really think I shouldn't focus on the crown? I think if I drop roughly 2k grafts in the crown and another 1500 or so in the front, I'll hopefully have the results that I'm looking for.

 

MMhce: I'm not sure if he's ABHRS certified, but he sure as hell has a ton of degrees and certifications all over his office as soon as you walk in, so I'm assuming maybe he is?

 

Dewayne: Thanks for the words of wisdom, but it's just one of those things that can't be forgotten/overlooked. However, I'm not letting it get the best of me just yet - concealers work wonders, and to them I owe tons of gratitude.

 

So I have a finite number of grafts on the back of my head? Even if I'm 25? I'm clearly clueless about all of this and don't understand how the number of grafts on the back of my head would be limited even if the hair in that area is pretty darn thick? Could you please explain?

 

At present - I'm leaning towards Dr. Mohmand since he's rec'd. by the forum and will fit the budget. Any pointers? I'd love to be able to get one here in the US from Shapiro/Cooley or check out H&W, but realistically - if I'm shooting for 35-- grafts, none of these docs will do it for any less than 10-15k, which isn't something I can afford at the moment. (and waiting isn't an option since I've decided that til I can fill this damn head up with hair, I refuse to get married, lol)

 

Thanks again for the pointers guys. If some of you can relook at the pics and tell me in your opinion how many grafts would suffice, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

God bless.

[Eman]

Its Going Fast-

 

I agree with Dewayne. You need to slow down and take a step back for a moment. Don't take the route that you need to go to a place you can afford simply to have more work done. Take this time to discuss your options and come up with a plan with a top doc. And more importantly, if you don't have the financial resources...wait until you do!!! The best docs will be able to do amazing work for you, so do not be in a hurry. Spend this time while saving to do research and have some consults and ask tons of questions.

 

Before opening your pictures I was holding my breath and to be honest they don't look that bad. You are aggressively thinning but cosmetically it could be a lot worse. Like it was said, you only have a finite number of donor hairs to use on the back of your head. When a strip is taken, there is that much less skin available to remove for future procedures.

 

Save yourself the heartache of going through multiple procedures that may not ever make you happy or you simply run out of donor supply. Research, plan, SAVE money, and go to the best you can. You don't have many more chances to get it right!

[Dr. Bernardino Arocha]

Its_Going_Fast, you have been given some excellent recommendations. Your hair is a little thin, I would recommend consideration of maximal medical therapy. That means propecia, rogaine 5% bid, and nizoral shampoo 2%. This regimen will likely slow or stop the progression, and there is 5% chance that you might get a strong re growth in the crown, and a 21% chance of medium re-growth. The front half will not likely respond to the medical regimen less than 2% do. So if that is of concern, then a thorough evaluation of your donor is necessary to determine where you are. I do not think that you need too large a session.

 

Mmhce neither Drs. Gionnatto nor Karamikian are ABHRS diplaomats.

[Nirbain]

Originally posted by Dewayne:

It's going fast:

 

First of all, there are people walking around, socializing, dating, etc. that look much worse than you do so you need to get the "inside" of your head worked on too.

 

Now, I'm not saying your transplant looks good I'm just saying you don't look so bad that you can't go out doing whatever it is 20-somethings like you do.

 

I know, I know, it's very difficult going through this. I did it too, but I hope young guys won't make the same mistakes I made. I had the perfect life it seemed and then at 24 or 25 my thinning got the best of me and my life was really bad in many ways for the next 10 years. I mean, I got married and had kids and all that was great, but it just didn't seem the same after my hair started thinning.

 

Now for some advice: You only have a finite number of grafts in the back of your head, so be very careful from this point forward. I would suggest someone like Cooley, Feller, etc. to take what you've got and work some of their magic on you. There are probably some good ones overseas too, but I'd be damned if I would go so far away that I didn't have much recourse if things went bad again.

 

In the meantime, while saving up some cash, try to ignore your thinning. There are PLENTY of guys with thin hair who do great socially. Work out hard, jog, get yourself in tip-top shape and that'll make your head less noticeable. Shave it for a while if it looks good. But, try like hell to not 'lose' your 20's as some of us have done and regretted.

 

Dewayne knows what he's talking about. Take his advice. I'm a 24 year old guy who's thinning pretty significantly in my crown and somewhat in the front. I will be the first to admit that I outpunt my coverage when it comes to the whole socializing/dating department. Why? Because I got out of the funk I was in about my hair when it first got bad (and after I made a big mistake and naively went to someone who I didn't research adequately enough) and just started enjoying life as it is and refuse to let my hair (or lack thereof, lol) get the best of me. I was a miserable SOB for a while, but, through some experiences (spending some time in Africa specifically) I realized that it just isn't everything. I understand that people see your hair when they first meet you, but once you come to grips with it, other people won't (well, they will, but to a lesser extent) even pay mind to it.

 

*steps off soapbox*

 

Now, don't let that fool you, I am still saving up for a possible procedure down the road. I can't be arsed to right now though, as I am a graduate student with 30K of student loans piled up (majority of that will be paid off due to my profession) as well as saving up to spend my summer in Africa again this year.

 

In the words of T.I., just live your life.

[youngsuccess]

Was going to reply in your other thread, but it was locked right before I posted.

 

Your hair looks really thin in certain areas, but I think if you use the remaining, estimated 1500 to try to dense pack your hairline with a top doctor, then you could be on the road to looking much better. Maybe the old scar could be excised as well. If the refund being offered could cover this, you might want to consider it over an exhausting lawsuit. On the other hand, if you have a strong shot at getting more money, you could look into FUE options once you're stripped out.

[Drew35]

Originally posted by Its_Going_Fast:

Hairthere: The doc did recommend meds, but I chose not to since I needed my sex drive to be peaking at that time. (stupid mistake). As for the aggressive hair loss, I'm guessing that whatever is towards the front region of my head is not going to fall out (since it's been transplanted an re-transplanted). You really think I shouldn't focus on the crown? I think if I drop roughly 2k grafts in the crown and another 1500 or so in the front, I'll hopefully have the results that I'm looking for.

 

MMhce: I'm not sure if he's ABHRS certified, but he sure as hell has a ton of degrees and certifications all over his office as soon as you walk in, so I'm assuming maybe he is?

 

Dewayne: Thanks for the words of wisdom, but it's just one of those things that can't be forgotten/overlooked. However, I'm not letting it get the best of me just yet - concealers work wonders, and to them I owe tons of gratitude.

 

So I have a finite number of grafts on the back of my head? Even if I'm 25? I'm clearly clueless about all of this and don't understand how the number of grafts on the back of my head would be limited even if the hair in that area is pretty darn thick? Could you please explain?

 

At present - I'm leaning towards Dr. Mohmand since he's rec'd. by the forum and will fit the budget. Any pointers? I'd love to be able to get one here in the US from Shapiro/Cooley or check out H&W, but realistically - if I'm shooting for 35-- grafts, none of these docs will do it for any less than 10-15k, which isn't something I can afford at the moment. (and waiting isn't an option since I've decided that til I can fill this damn head up with hair, I refuse to get married, lol)

 

Thanks again for the pointers guys. If some of you can relook at the pics and tell me in your opinion how many grafts would suffice, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

God bless.

 

 

You should go on Propecia and Rogaine immediately.

 

Are you at least using Rogaine?

 

If Propecia affects your sex drive then you can always go to EVERY OTHER DAY. That will normally alleviate any side effects of Propecia.

 

You won't know unless you at least try it!! If you are this young losing hair then getting on Propecia could be a huge benefit.

 

 

I would take your refund and go to a Coalition Physician that are recommended and screened by the Hair Transplant Network.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Drew,

 

Not to knock the ABHRS at all, but you seem to be lending a lot of credibility to it, probably more than it deserves in my opinion. Do you know many of the leading surgeons recommended by this community are not "board" certified diplomates of the ABHRS and still do excellent work? Do you also know that there are members of the ABHRS that don't meet our high standards for recommendation?

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Guest comb]

Totally agree with Bill. Board certification does not mean much in most areas of medicine, and probably means nothing in hair transplantation.

[Drew35]

Originally posted by Bill - Associate Publisher:

Drew,

 

Not to knock the ABHRS at all, but you seem to be lending a lot of credibility to it, probably more than it deserves in my opinion. Do you know many of the leading surgeons recommended by this community are not "board" certified diplomates of the ABHRS and still do excellent work? Do you also know that there are members of the ABHRS that don't meet our high standards for recommendation?

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

 

You are right Bill.

 

I meant to say only go to Coalition Physicians that are recommended and screened by the Hair Transplant Network.

 

I'll edit my post to reflect that accurately.

[mohamed]

hy.. i wish to know the price per graft ( fue ) with dr. armani ??

[trooper]

I dont post to often and im usually skeptical when i do, however, based on the pictures you supplied, im confident that with the right doctor, you will see positive improvements. I have seen far worse HT than yours and believe me.... Its no where near as bad as you think. I agree that the results VS the amount of transplanted hairs you received should have been more dense, however, it doesn't look like your at that stage where its a dead end issue. Search this site as the right doctor can dramatically make the difference. Best of luck.