Dr Madhu - 9 Month Results Mixed

[TomA]

These are my 9 month results. The front looks great, but the scar line area looks like a problem to me. This is is freshly cut with a number 7 guard. Some of the problem is that the hair below the scar line is very thin, but the other issue is that the scar line itself is quite visible.

[RodG]

Hi Tom,

 

Thank you for the update regarding your HT with Doctor Madhu. Firstly I'm glad that you recipient area has improved for you but it is definitely an issue that the donor area is so thin.

 

It looks like you have shock loss in this area. I'm wondering whether you have had feedback from the clinic?

 

Kind Regards

 

Rod

[TakingThePlunge]

Tom,

 

I see in your photos, as you have already pointed out, that your hair below the scar line is very thin. To what do you attribute this? Was this condition preexisting and, if so, were you advised that you had low density in that area? I've followed your hair restoration website so I know you are a hair transplant veteran.

 

If you have not yet discussed your concerns with Dr. Madhu, I highly suggest doing so. If you have, please let us know what his opinion of your results is thus far and what can be done to correct it if necessary.

 

Best of luck!

[HARIRI]

Looks like Dr. Pathomvanich's work was better. You should have done your 2nd with him again. However im interested to see more photos of your receipent area, I wish you could upload more. All the best and luck TomA.

[RodG]

Hi,

 

Both doctors are recommended on the site. I think I remember reading that Tom had experience shockloss with his first transplant. I hope this gets sorted for you and it would be great to ascertain what backup the clinic is willing to offer.

 

Tom is the only veteran member that I know of to have undergone a HT with Doctor Madhu's clinic and I think that it is important that the issue is resolved for him.

 

Looking at the photographs it is a bit difficult to see the result in the recipient area.

 

Regards

 

Rod

[bigcow]

Tom,would it be possible to see some clearer pics if poss?

many thanks

[Dr. Pathuri Madhu]

Dear Members of forum,

 

The following is the explanation for the more visibility of scalp and decreased density in the donor area after repeated sessions:

 

In general after two consecutive strip excisions involving 2cm to 3cm width of the scalp for extracting so many grafts, after healing the scalp can appear thinned out as all the existing hair gets redistributed and definitely the density will decrease.

 

Otherwise for example if the donor area happens to have 20000 grafts and if we have extracted 5000 grafts in 2 sessions we should expect at least 25% decrease in the density per sq.cm area. If the earlier density was around 60 grafts/sq.cm area it may come down to 40-45 grafts/sq.cm area.

 

In some candidates the natural density above the ears is less when compared to the density in occipital area hence more thinning can occur there because of the re distribution of grafts.

 

In addition to this second scar can be wider when compared to first scar because of more stretching and tension involved over there while healing. Hence thinning will be more obvious in the areas very near to the scars and those who have tight scalp.

 

Furthermore in the candidates with thin, straight hair characters and with white colored scalp visibility will be more.

 

This may not be obvious in candidates with thick, coarse, curly hair characters and brown or black scalp.

 

Thinning and visibility can happen only after extracting so many grafts with repeated sessions but not after first surgery.

 

The other factors are:

There might be some sort of miniaturization of existing hair in some cases which can occur as age advances, which can be minimized to some extent by medicines.

 

Natural graying of the hair also can make this more obvious to some extent. And as the age advances the natural caliber of the hair shaft decreases,

 

This can be tackled in two ways:

 

A) Comouflaging the area by maintaining lengthier hair.

B) Permanent correction by implanting some grafts in the obviously thinned out area by FUE method.

 

 

If Mr. Tom is very much concerned about this I can definitely help him.

[RodG]

Hi Doctor Madhu,

 

Thank you for your response to this thread. I'll send Tom and email and get him to respond to this thread.

 

Kind Regards

 

Rod

Edited May 6, 2011 by RodG

[TomA]

Thanks for your replies!

 

Sorry, I've been out of the country (and still am) for work. I posted this just two days before I left and only now had the time to come back. I will try to answer all of the above questions in this one post.

 

I took these photos with my iPhone. I will post some better photos later, but I think these are fairly representative of the 9 month result at a normal distance,

 

I can say that my hairline is EXCELLENT. I couldn't be happier with it. I no longer have an issue with scalp show through anywhere along the hairline when my hair is parted on the left. You cannot detect any problems along the hairline even at point blank range.

 

My concern is not so much the shock loss behind the ears. I did have extensive shock loss after my first transplant, but it corrected itself by the eighth month. This time it didn't. It's not that I am happy about it, of course, but it is what it is--correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think that has much to do with any specific physician. In any event, the area could be viewed as naturally thinning. I do think this means a third strip surgery is out of the question though--correct?

 

My pressing concern is the visible lines above the thinning areas. They can be noticed quite easily even when my hair is fairly long--and the thinning begins right at the line, it is not gradual. Dr. Madhu has emailed me noting that the scarline issue can be corrected with FUE, and I will write back as soon as I finish here. I'm guessing you could remove grafts via FUE above the line and place them in the scar or below the line to even things out.