Illusion of Density and Youtube

[Spanker]

So after all this time on this forum, and never having seen a real life transplant from a top doc; I went to youtube and started looking at video of transplants.

 

I look at the pics and they always look great, but I wanted to see what it looked like in motion.

 

Long story short, I finally understand what is meant by the illusion of density.

 

Out of maybe 20 videos I watched, maybe 2 looked solid when it was being brushed through and did not look like the person ever had any hair issues.

 

The rest of them, it was noticeable when being brushed or when a bright light was on it.

 

So my question is, do most people with ht's have a thin look in flourescent light in real life?

 

Keep in mind, many of the people looked better than pre-op, but a couple hours on youtube did teah me about the illusion of density.

 

Also, I only watched reccomended doctor's videos.

 

What you your thoughts on this?

 

I feel slightly disappointed, but it is good to know what to really expect also.

 

 

TL; DR: Pics don't give the whole picture. Spend some time looking at video too.

[Dutch]

Spanker, BTW, which docs did you look at on YouTube, I also want to take a look if you saw some that impressed you. Cheers.

Edited March 15, 2012 by Dutch

[Dutch]

Spanker, BTW, which docs did you look at on YouTube, I also want to take a look if you saw some that impressed you. Cheers.

Edited March 15, 2012 by Dutch

[Spanker]

They were all doctor presentations. Most were Hasson and Wong ( they put the most videos on), Dr. Konoir, SMG (Mostly slide shows without video of brushing through it).

 

There were some that impressed me, and some that didn't. Not that they were bad at all, but I learned a little from it.

[Dutch]

Yeah I responded to your initial comment but it didn't get updated. Never mind.

To be honest, you'd never get a full mullet or even close enough, you know this & I know it's frustrating & disappointing. It's true what they say about the illusion of density with the way you style the hair & the colour etc. It's just not enough grafts to give the density we had originally, no where near. What can you do. Can only work with what you have & lower your expectations.

What I respect about H&W so much is their true honesty in presenting these results & the way the hair is combed like that. Credit to them. I'd go back to them in a heart beat.

[michaeljames]

G'Day Mate;

 

One of the challenges for most hair loss sufferers is setting realistic expectations. the level of apparent density. As you duly noted that many HT patients just look so much better after their transplant. Since a patient is donating hair from one area to another the reduction of density is an obvious consequence. So, the art of the science in our serving HT patients is to provide the illusion of density through artful and skillful placements of grafts by the hair transplant surgeon.

 

Michael James

Edited March 15, 2012 by michaeljames

[Davis91]

Having visited a number of the "top docs" noted on this site, I can unerstand how critical communication and expectation setting is, and while the burden is both on patient and doctor, it really is crtical for the doctor to set the bar straight. I know it is a business, but the best plastic surgeons tend to be both technically and verbally competent--the execution and the communication/expectation setting to the client, even if it means turning business away. Agree the H&W have set the bar as far as videos go, even if those shown are usually good results.

[El Nino]

So my question is, do most people with ht's have a thin look in flourescent light in real life?

 

 

Yes, most do but not all.

 

If you are a candidate for high density (65+) by having an above average donor supply, unlikely to progress to a high NW level and are at an appropriate age then Dr. Rahal will give you more than the "illusion of density".

 

The result of my first HT with him gave me the "illusion of density". He filled in 80% of my crown with an average density of 47 FUs cm2.

 

When I returned three years later I was a candidate for high density. So Dr. Rahal filled in 100% of my crown with an average density of 72 FUs cm2.

 

I have seen results from other Docs as well where they have dense packed a lot of grafts into small areas. And they are known for being conservative.

[NEWHAIRPLEASE]

Yea unfortunately its just not gonna be like it was when we were 16..

[orlhair1]

It won't look like a full dense head of hair before hair loss......just like slightly thinning hair in bright light. However, you get a huge improvement. I would venture to say that no one would ever know I had a HT if I did not tell them. It is all about the patient having realistic expectations. No doubt however that while photos are great they can't be a substitute for seeing the result in all conditions.....styled, not styled, wet, etc. however, the can give a good idea of what the result looks like.

[chrisdav]

I think it entirely depends on your level of hairloss.

[RCWest]

I believe anyone with a NW5A pattern of hairloss or less can get a good result. When the sides start dipping lower or the crown expand, there just isn't enough donor hair to move. NW3 and 4 can almost always get great results if they take meds or that is as far as they are genetically programmed to bald.

[Spanker]

I believe anyone with a NW5A pattern of hairloss or less can get a good result. When the sides start dipping lower or the crown expand, there just isn't enough donor hair to move. NW3 and 4 can almost always get great results if they take meds or that is as far as they are genetically programmed to bald.

 

Good results, yes. Results as awsome as still photos look, most of the time I think not. Spend a little time on youtube (if you haven't) and let me know if you think the results are as good as pics. Not in my opinion. I am not saying that HT's suck, I am just saying that now I know what they mean "illusion" of density. I think photos do a lot for the illusion because it takes out that 3d component.

[Spanker]

It won't look like a full dense head of hair before hair loss......just like slightly thinning hair in bright light. However, you get a huge improvement. I would venture to say that no one would ever know I had a HT if I did not tell them. It is all about the patient having realistic expectations. No doubt however that while photos are great they can't be a substitute for seeing the result in all conditions.....styled, not styled, wet, etc. however, the can give a good idea of what the result looks like.

 

orlhair,

 

I think you will have a great final result. You seem to have many factors in your favor. Age, color of hair, one of the top doctors in the nation, natural hairline being high enough, and there are probably more I can't think of.

 

You should change your handle to lucky_orlhair1.

 

I am happy for you.:cool:

[bonkerstonker]

Yes I think it's just common sense moving the hair or brushing it through will show gaps as oppose to a still photo I think the key is to get it so once your hair is styled in the best way for coverage it doesn't show too many gaps then I wax mine in place and don't disturb it.

 

Like Jotronic posted with that picture a strip of hair on a nw5a isn't gonna give you a full head of hair but will give value for money in illusion.

[Spanker]

Yes I think it's just common sense moving the hair or brushing it through will show gaps as oppose to a still photo I think the key is to get it so once your hair is styled in the best way for coverage it doesn't show too many gaps then I wax mine in place and don't disturb it.

 

Like Jotronic posted with that picture a strip of hair on a nw5a isn't gonna give you a full head of hair but will give value for money in illusion.

 

 

Not so much gaps, l but lack of density overall.

[Shampoo]

It always goes back to expectations and each patient's particular age, hair, and goals. It's all relative. Definitely a "2EachHisOwn".

 

Many of us have been dealing with creating "illusions of density" on our own for years. My hair has been thinning for awhile. And of course every morning when I get ready I do the best I can to create the best "illusion of denisty" that I can. But once you reach a point of having lost enough hair it begins to get harder and harder...more and more frustrating.

 

So yeah....just give me something to work with via a transplant....something I can use to create the "illusion of denisty" I had previously been so good at doing while I had enough to work with.....I'll be happy. No I wont have hair like when I was 16, but I will be much happier than looking bald.

 

Heck what are my other great options?

Shave it all off? Wear a rug?

Uh....no thanks!

I'll take an "illusion of density" transplant any day over the alternative.

 

And don't under-sell an "illusion of density". I recently had dinner with a guy that had a very similar loss pattern as mine, not bald but pretty thinning on top and crown. He had a transplant at Hasson & Wong. I was shocked at how well his hair looked. I promise you no one at the restaurant would think the guy had any form of thinning hair. Our dinner lasted well over an hour, the restuarant had great lighting and his hair looked great.

 

So when you get right down to it...yep you can get an "illusion of density" or what?

What are the great other alternatives?

Edited March 16, 2012 by Shampoo

[bonkerstonker]

I suppose a Ht is like a modern comb over it lays over areas where they should be more strands I think that's why when you grow your hair long like Jonny b has done it gives a higher dense effect simply because there is twice as much hair.

[RecedingTide]

It's simply all in the shingling effect and the angulation of implantation which will allow multi FU hairs to splay in a manner which will maximise coverage. Often a lot of the really great restorations focus on quite high density in the frontal third and particularly the hairline and central forelock in order to block the passage of light through the hair which tends to cause the thin look. If you create that high density frontal third you can look at yourself in the mirror and turn your head and it shouldn't appear to let much light through. This is how people see you when talking face to face. The worst angle will always be the top down, usually in the crown or midscalp.

 

Numbers of FU are very important but just as important is hair calibre.

 

Best comb through I've ever seen? London Lad after his first op of about 7000. And to think he had a 2nd procedure bringing him up to 11200ish! Mind boggling. He's at the point with his hair where it is definitely something better than just an illusion.

[Spanker]

I suppose a Ht is like a modern comb over it lays over areas where they should be more strands I think that's why when you grow your hair long like Jonny b has done it gives a higher dense effect simply because there is twice as much hair.

 

That is my least favorte look. If my head was normal, an didn't look like a prune, I would definitely just shave it off.

 

Spex has some pretty nice looking hair.

 

Mine is almost black, and most of the videos I looked at were almost black as well. On the good side, I am starting to get a little grey sprinkled in there.

[Dutch]

Best comb through I've ever seen? London Lad after his first op of about 7000. And to think he had a 2nd procedure bringing him up to 11200ish! Mind boggling. He's at the point with his hair where it is definitely something better than just an illusion.

 

That's the best result I've seen I think.

[RecedingTide]

That is my least favorte look. If my head was normal, an didn't look like a prune, I would definitely just shave it off.

 

Spex has some pretty nice looking hair.

 

Mine is almost black, and most of the videos I looked at were almost black as well. On the good side, I am starting to get a little grey sprinkled in there.

 

Grey hair works incredibly well for HT. I'm the same but then again I remember being 21 and people commenting that I was beginning to get greys. That didn't bother me one bit though. I was far more concerned about balding.

[Shampoo]

That is my least favorte look.

 

The guy I had dinner with that had a Hasson/Wong transplant

looked a million miles from any comb-over, it was not even close.

His hair looked great and looked very natural under the lights.

We even had an individual light over our table and there was

zero comb-over look. I guess it depends on each person and

the doctor.

[bonkerstonker]

Sounds like you're really going off a Ht spanker?

 

London lad is one lucky git the second op he had just took him to a new level.

[mattj]

If grafts are planted to a high density then I don't think there's any illusion to it.

 

I actually just posted a video result.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cymJHxFsqk0

 

 

I've noticed that you can see scalp on people who have no hairloss whatsoever if their hair has the right characteristics, is short and the light is strong.