Driving me Nuts!!!

[Frdtrtnv8]

Well I am 2 days from being 6 weeks post op, 1600 grafts. I suffered serious shock loss on the top of my head. My problem is, I feel so depressed... I look in the mirror everyday waiting for all of that new hair to sprout, but I know I am weeks/months away from seeing a drastic change. Some of the smaller hair grafts on my hairline never shed and just kept growing. The larger 3 or 4 hair grafts on the top of my head, some havent shed and they feel like a crew cut. I am just going nuts, one minute I feel stressed wondering when these new hairs will grow, the next minute I feel depressed because I look horrible. Even though my doctor told me I can continue with my life just as I did before my HT, I am scared to exert myself 100% at the gym, I am paranoid when I go outside, I always make sure I wear a hat so my scalp isnt exposed to the sun. But when I wear a hat, I think I am doing harm to my grafts. Most of the pimples/cysts I had on my head have subsided for now, I called my doc last week freaking out, he told me to relax and they will go away on there own, which they did. I thought something was horribly wrong. I am looking forward to the day when I can get a haircut and not feel so paranoid. I know its only 1600 grafts, but my doc said it will give me better coverage than I had. I guess I am thinking waaaay toooo much and I just need to relax and think positive.

Edited March 30, 2011 by Frdtrtnv8

[Dutch]

You just said it. You need to relax & be positive! You need to be patient. Many ppl go thro the ugly duckling phase. You have to go down before you go up.

Stay strong

[Cant decide]

The ugly duckling phase sucks. We have all been there and its not fun. I came out of mine a couple of months ago and I feel better then I have in 10 years. I remember feeling pretty low like you going through it but it will be worth it in the end.

[Raj Jayukdht]

OMG Frdtrtnv8, its also gone be six weeks in 2 days time when I had my HT. I had 1750 grafts and Im in the same shoes as you, as some of the grafts have fallen out, some are still there (they feel like crew cut). I suffered some shock loss on the top of my head but tbh I don't feel depressed and I don't even wear a hat when going out.

 

When I had my HT, I was told not to shave my hair, so after my HT, Ive not had a hair cut (need one), my hair is curly and wavy, my donor area is healing nicely. Ive created a web site (Link removed by moderator - see Terms of Service) where me and my friend are sharing our experience of HT, I will post some pic's of my donor area and where I had my grafts by this weekend.

 

Just relax man and be patient.

Edited March 31, 2011 by TakingThePlunge

[hairthere]

I am in the ugly duckling phase right now too. This is my second time and it is just as hard as the first. It's tough, but just be positive and think of all the hair to come. Also helps to have some hip hats. Keep in mind too that it does take at least one year for your full results to be realized.

[Michael5577]

We've all went through it. It's part of the getting an HT. It's like being on a diet and gaining 20lbs before actually losing 40lbs. There's no point in obsessing about it.

[Tao]

Take heart in the fact that this is the worse it will be. It'll get nothing but better from here on out. After my first HT, I had some shock loss of the last remaining little hairs that were clinging to the top of my head. I definitely looked worse than pre-HT. But I just settled in and pretended that that pretty much would have been my normal life. Except that I had the incredibly hopeful prospect that now things were certain to change for the better. I had no idea how much better, but it really couldn't have gotten any worse. And boy did things change! Hang in there, man. You're headed in the right direction!

[mattj]

If you feel that you need to wear a hat to cover up right now then don't worry, it won't harm the grafts.