6 months post FUT and unhappy with density.

[fakeplstctrees]

I am new to this, I signed up months ago, but just now figured out how to start a thread. Here is my problem. I am 29, and was experiencing moderate hair loss in the crown area and frontal area. My hairline was non-existent. Back in February, Valentines Day to be exact, I had a FUT procedure of 1500 grafts. I researched surgeons, this site certainly helped with that, and decided on someone close to home, and recommended by this site. I am practically 6 months post op now, and unhappy with the density in certain areas. The left side of my hairline has actual areas of no hair growth, and the same in other areas to a lesser extent. I understand that the transplanted hair will thicken with time, but shaft thickening will not be enough to provide adequate coverage. I mean there are areas of my scalp completely visible, even in dim lighting. In direct sunlight, my head is very shiny. I do admit an improvement over what I had before the surgery, but the results so far are not up to my expectations. I feel depressed over this, I invested a fair amount of money, time, and hope into this, and now I am at a loss for what to do. I even met with the doctor last week, and he told me that I shouldn't expect any more growth at this point, but to wait until December and go back to see him. He is a top notch surgeon, highly experienced, and recommended. Should I believe what he told me last week, or is there hope for me? I feel lost. If I see him in December, and my results are still disappointing, what should I do. Do I negotiate for a free procedure? I mean a crap institution like Bosley guarantees their work, but I chose a master of his craft, and not some young HT surgeon, eager to get the experience under his belt, to venture away from Bosley, and start his own business, because we all know that is what happens there, the best surgeons they have, leave to start their own practice.

 

A highly respected surgeon like the one I chose, based on the ratings of this site, should stand behind his work, right? He said we can work something out if I am still this let down in December, but what is my argument, and what can I do without insulting the man, he is a world renowned surgeon. I won't mention his name, that would be unfair, but he is one of the better ones, and pioneers in this industry.

 

If anyone actually reads this, please offer some real insight as to what I can expect realistically, and do once my expectations are not met.

[greatjob]

If you post some before and current pics it would be easier for members to give opinions on your situation. 6 months is early though, you should see definite improvement in the next 6 months

[fakeplstctrees]

I just posted 33 pics, and carefully labeled each picture before uploading, but the uploader took the labels off, and put them out of order.

[fakeplstctrees]

I managed to organize them by making an album for each month since the procedure, 1,500 grafts via the FUT strip method. Please give me some feedback people, I've felt so alone since February. I have kept this a secret from friends, family, and co-workers. I've literally had no one to discuss my concerns with. I need to know how this will work out, if I can expect wonderful results, or need a second procedure. So expensive, monetarily, and emotionally.

[hairthere]

Check out this thread....

 

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/158665-growth-times-patience.html

[jessie1]

Fakeplstctrees,

 

Go ahead and check the thread above which is excellent advice ,considering that you are only 6 months. This will hopefully give you some reassurance that there is hopefully plenty to come. Your Doc seems to have gone against the grain in their advice to you. I would seek further clarification and reassurance as you are still relatively 'early days' and you are now at a time where some growth may start to take real effect.

 

Many forum members on here will be able to relate to how you feel, not just about concerns with progress and growth, but just as importantly, the emotional journey that goes hand in hand with a HT procedure.

 

The fact that you have kept your HT a secret, like many other forum members by the way, is a HUGE stress within itself. I didn't even tell me partner about the first HT mate!!! When I look back, I regret not doing this. The emotional anguish and constant lies, not just to my partner, but family, friends and colleagues, was awful. It wasn't just a hair transplant, it was a personality transplant and the constant lies made me sick and completely stressed out.

 

My partner has been involved with the HT journey with me since and let me tell you, it is such a relief for a loved one to be able to help you through the rough times. I respect that everybodys situation is different however.

 

Telling my family and friends is still out of the question for me but sharing your anguish with somebody close is important I feel.

 

Ok, its good that you are on board with your Doc but I can see why you feel concerned in light of what they have said. I would urge you to pick up the phone again and seek clarification. Most forum members on here will say that 6 months is far too early to throw the towel in.

 

The Doc should stand by you. You are absolutely right about this. Open up to the Doctor, him him exactly how you feel. They have heard it all before, you are not unique. This is all part of the aftercare and you are entitled to it. The Doc should assess your personal needs and the pair of you could work out a follow up schedule for the lext 6 months. Waiting till December without benefit of sharing your concerns is far too long a period to dwel on this and harbour negativity. Having said that, this advice may be irrelvant if you develop a growth spurt.

 

In any event, growth or no growth, talk to your Doc about the prospect of arranging a couple more appointments prior to December, this seems reasonable (pending your traveling situation and personal circumstances of course).

 

Also consider opening up to somebody close. Only you will know who that person is. This will be a huge weight off your shoulders and I speak from personal experience here.

 

Oh, and congrats about sharing your experience so far. This is the start of you feeling better, as people on here can tap into exactly how you are feeling and give you the support that you need to move forward.....

 

I wish you every success,

 

PM me if you wish,

 

Jessie

(or Jeremy Kyle / Jerry Springer based on this post!)

[Capelli11]

Upon viewing your photos it appears 1,500 grafts were not nearly enough to cover your frontal 1/3. It seems the grafts from viewing it post op didn't even make a dent. Granted I don't know exactly what your game plan was with the doctor but it appears the graft count is low for such an area with loss like you seem to have. Was it the game plan to be very conservative the first time round? Did the doctor tell you that you would definitely need to come in for another procedure for density? Granted you are only 6 months out and more growing is ahead of you I still am not truly convinced that the the graft count was ideal for your loss pattern even being ultra conservative. Can you perhaps PM me who the doctor was? Did you consult with other doctors prior to the surgery...did they also recommend 1,500 grafts?!

 

Also as a side note to perhaps deal with the current situation...I am a big fan of concealers...Toppik mainly. If you put some toppik over your affected areas it would look dramatically improved for the short term and give you back a little more confidence while you wait for the hair to grow. Keep us all posted and definitely consult with your doctor about this whole situation. Hang in there buddy you are not alone as this is what this forum is for...to help all of us out!

[fakeplstctrees]

Thanks for the support guys. Capelli, I don't know how to PM you, I click your name and send private message is an option, but it just opens a new window where sending a message is not an option. I went with 1500 grafts, my surgeon never indicated that a second procedure would be necessary, not during the consult, or the day of the operation, I thought 1500 would provide adequate coverage, and was what my budget would allow at the time. I am not trying to recreate my youthful hairline, but a mature recessed widows peak instead. I just wanted it to be a dense one, and that doesn't seem to be happening. I think I will require a second procedure, but the surgeon never mentioned it until our follow up last week. So you can see my frustration. But you guys are telling me that I can expect more growth in the coming months? That would be wonderful, but if I have to get another procedure, I am wondering how low I can get him to go without insulting him.

 

Jessie, you are the man! I greatly appreciate your positive feedback, it is a relief to know that I am not in this alone.

 

Hair there, thank you for the informative link. I still have questions though, and am looking for more feedback from people in, and who have been in my current position. Did I go with too few grafts? My surgeon never mentioned that. I just want a dense widows peak, something comparable to what Joel Mchale is sporting on his head now. A thick, dense, mature hairline, with density behind that. How many more grafts will I require to achieve those results? Can I expect something comparable to that with my existing operation?

[orlhair1]

Six months is definitely still early, so you should see continued improvement in the coming months. I would agree that 1500 seems light for what you were trying to do, but I am not a doctor, so I could well be wrong on that. Keep talking to your doctor and have some more patience to see how things turn out.

[fakeplstctrees]

Orlhair1, how many more grafts would you suggest?

[Cant decide]

I bet I can guess who your doc was. Anyway, six months is very early and I saw huge improvement from 6 to the 8month mark. There is still plenty of hope so hang in there.

[orlhair1]

I am just looking at it and I am not a doctor, so it is hard to say.....depends on the goals you discussed with your doctor and a lot of other factors. You may find that after it fully matures, you achieve what you set out to do. Again, I would really recommend continued good communication with your doctor and see how it comes out. Then if you think you need more, talk to your doctor about how much. Could just be a small procedure if you need additional grafts.....500 - 1000 maybe. You definitely came to the right place here for support.

[fakeplstctrees]

Thanks for the encouragement, Cant Decide. PM me who you think the surgeon was.

[Capelli11]

Hang in there...see how much growth you get in the next few months. Don't be too envious of Joey McHale as I think he wears a piece...one show he has a receding hairnline the next he has this thick frontal 1/3 that is way too dense...something fishy is def going on up there.

[greatjob]

Defiantly hang in there! Most people on this board can relate to what you’re going through in one way or another. I really suggest staying in contact with your doctor and maintaining a positive dialogue with him while voicing all your concerns and questions. From my experience all issues in this industry, assuming you've selected a proven recommended surgeon, stem from miscommunication. So make sure he understands your concerns and expectations and I'm sure whatever the final outcome your doctor will do everything he can to work with you. Good Luck!

P.s. - I’m assuming you’re a Radiohead fan, listening to the king of limbs album on vinyl as I write this 8^)

Edited August 13, 2011 by greatjob

[TakingThePlunge]

fakeplstctrees,

 

You've received excellent advice! I'm quite surprised to hear that your doctor told you not to expect any more growth at this point. You are only halfway there and should have a lot of improvement yet to come.

 

Don't allow yourself to become disheartened. Wait 6 more month before evaluating your results. Doctors recommended on this site consistently produce great results but there are many variables at play and sometimes a procedure does not yield the expected growth. However, I'm sure your doctor will stand behind his work in the event that your results are truly less than optimal. I was in the same boat with my first hair transplant. Take a look at my Hair Restoration Website.

 

One thing that concerns me is your profile mentions that you are using minoxidil but there's no mention of Propecia (finasteride). I understand this is a personal choice and some guys prefer not to use it but, the fact is that finasteride is the single best medical option that balding guys have to retain and possibly regrow hair. While minoxidil may help on its own, it's much better as an adjunct to Propecia. Please understand that the likely result of omitting this treatment is continued hair loss behind your transplants which may necessitate a second procedure sooner than later.

 

Please keep us updated on your progress and communication with your doctor.

 

Best of luck!

Edited August 13, 2011 by TakingThePlunge

[jfables]

I had the same experience with my first one, not understanding how little amount of grafts I was getting and that I'd be doing more in the future (4 so far). To get the kind of results you were expecting you would have needed at least double of what you got.

[jfables]

...and as everyone is saying just have some patience. Six months is way too early. It isn't until months 9-10 that you really see results. Even after a year it will thicken slightly.

[cardel25]

Like the others say give it some time. I would suggest that you need around 1500 more to get a good density.

[Spanker]

Man, I really really hate being the one, but....I guess it looks like I will.

 

Here is the thing. With your level of loss, you should have been told that you would most likely need 2 surgerys...and that is just to get your desired result...not maintain. You will most likely need at least one more eventually.

 

Getting a HT is a life long commitment. Honestly, you should have gotten AT LEAST 3500 grafts in the 1st shot with your level of loss. And that would be if you did not put any in your crown. It takes about 2000 grafts just to give you a nice hairline that is 2cm deep, that is on the average head.

 

How many are in your crown?

 

Other bad news. Notice that you were miniturizing in your existing forelock that no grafts went into. That forelock appears on its way out and you are gonna need grafts there as well. It just looks like poor planning in my opinion. I feel really sorry to say that.

 

Are you on medication? Medication may help you hang on to it much longer.

 

If your goal was a solid frontal 3rd....it was a poorly planned proceedure. If you were going for the American Pickers guy hair du...I think you will have it.

 

Now for the good news. You will probably have enough hair with concealers to pull off a nice look for a while. You wil also probably see some growth and maturation of your implanted hair, but I really really doubt you are going to get the results you were hoping for. You should look at cases with your level of loss that reached the goals you were looking for and that will help give you a good guess as to how many grafts you need.

 

I hope my tone is not rough but you asked to see the brass tax and I wanted to give it to you (IMO) so that your expectations from here on out can be realistic.

 

Also, to be honest, there are less that 10 superstars IMO, just because they are recommended does not mean that you are going the get and SMG, Rahal, Konior, Gabel kind of result. There are a few more others I consider consistently"awesome", but not many. That said, most of your grafts could have taken...its too early to tell. But even if they did take, the density was planted too low for the result it seemed you desired.

[fakeplstctrees]

Spanker, Thanks for the "brutal" honesty. This has me in a really bad state at the moment. To answer yours, and taking the plunge's question. I am on Rogaine Foam Currently, and waiting for Propecia to go generic, I find it to be ridiculously overpriced.

 

Not at any point in my initial consultation, or at any time pre operation did my surgeon mention that I would require a second procedure, and he never said that the graft amount chosen would not offer sufficient coverage and density to meet my results. I am a mess now, Spankers comment really got to me, although I do appreciate the honesty. Does anyone out there have any advice or other words of wisdom to the contrary?

 

How should I handle this with my surgeon, in regards to a second procedure? I really thought I was going to reach my desired results with the procedure I underwent this past February. I need some encouragement here, and some solid advice on how to address this with my surgeon.

[fakeplstctrees]

Also, being new to this forum/site, I am having difficulty opening PM's and I "Do not have permission" to accept friend requests. I sent a message to the admins, hopefully this is resolved soon.

Cheers,

[fakeplstctrees]

Also, does anyone know where I can get quality generic propecia?

[alexdelarge]

Come on man, who was the surgeon?

[Aski]

Thanks for sharing your experience with the forum. I got my hair transplant May 5 this year and im a norwood 4. My doctor was a complete bull shitter and transplanted 1200 grafts to my crown first and I am norwood 4. My doctor didnt advise me about FUE nor did he advise me about the ladder technique involved in transplant surgery. He told me I would have a pencil thin scar and its like 5mm on the end s and like 2-3 mm in the middle Transplant success revolves around the use of propecia and i asked my doctor for some prior tosurgery and he told me he would prescribe it after surgery. What a scumbag? Well after surgey i had to stop propecia because of the serious side effects involved. So imagine how i felt. If the doc prescribed me the propecia earlier like i asked i would have never had the transplant. Theres a lot of emotions involved with hair transplants. You will feel depressed at times and sometimes this can effect your work performance and over all social activity. Don't stress to much cause you know stress can accelerate hair loss. Keep positive. There's so many options to repair your work and get the results you need you just need to be patient. Keep up with post maintenance like laser therapy, scalp exercises to increase blood flow and a healthy diet. If you smoke take this opportunity to stop cause thats bad for circulation and get the proper vitamins you need. I drink green tea every night to relax my nerves and green tea is good for healthy hair and i exercise alot. When you get really stressed go online and check out some patients who had major flap surgery and scalp reductions and look at some of the amazing results they had after their repair work. That should cheer you up. If those guys looked horrible and disfigured and now have a natural look then that should give you some hope about the future. Right down A list of questions that concern you and when you see your doctor ask him these questions. He should be able to work out a plan for future treatments. Stay positive, things could be worse. I hope you feel better and I'll keep u in Prayer. best of luck