Large grafts removed and distributed by Dr. True

[SparkPlugs]

I am a 59 years old who had his hair transplant in the early seventies, done by a well known and established Dermatologist in Manhattan, NY. At that time hair transplant was still in its "diaper" stage (just starting out) and large grafts of hair were extracted from the back of my head and transplanted in to the front making it look like what was called as " the corn field " look.

I never considered it to be a bad or botched hair job because at the time this was considered top notch work and nobody knew any better. Forget FUT, FUE or BHT, just the idea of taking hair from the back of the head and distributing it to the front and have it actually grow, was considered nothing short of a miracle. I was in my twenties, still having my native thinning hair that were thinning evenly in the borders of a Northwood 6. The large grafts blended nicely with my native hair and gave it a more dense and still natural look.

Through the years, I lost my native hair completely and used the comb over technique to try to conceal the "pluggy" look. Today, with a comb over, added Toppik, and some hair spray applied to lock the fibers in position, it still looks relatively decent. (All achieved with the heavy cost of spending 30-40 minutes every morning to arrange it. Please see the last attached photos).

Nowadays, after hair transplant rapidly advanced and I achieved some financial stability, I explored the possibility of having a repair job done that will camouflage the large grafts and eliminate the comb over all together.

After consulting with almost a dozen physicians nationally (US) and abroad, I came to realize that I face two major obstacles.

1. A depleted donor area which leaves me with approximately only 1300-1500 grafts that could be still harvested.

2. The large grafts (15-25 hairs) in the front row that created my hairline, were placed very close to each other, which makes it difficult to work around them in order to conceal them. Placing a new row of single, double and even triple hairs in front, will still leave them dominate the hairline and therefore jeopardize the whole camouflage idea (also making the hairline appear a little too low for my taste).

The removal of the front row grafts and distributing them to secondary rows would enable the creation of a new and more natural looking hairline. This could be done in two ways.One is a punch graft removal and the second is a linear excision. In both methods the scar(s) will be sutured to remove the underling scar tissue and give a better yield to the new hair transplanted into the scar. In both methods, I will lose some of the removed and distributed hair because the yield decreases to 50-70 percent once hairs are being transplanted the second time around.

In my case, with large grafts, a punch removal will most likely brake the roots of some of the hair and therefore reduce the yield percentage. Also, since the grafts were so condensed, a punch graft removal will leave me with a line of large circular scars as opposed to a thin incision scar with the linear excision. A scar that would be easier to conceal when the new hairline is transplanted into it and all the removed hair stay in tact.

The task of choosing a doctor was not easy. There are many skilled, talented and capable physicians in the hair restoration field. Some take pride in not using a scalpel or sutures in their practice, others do not advocate BHT all together. I went with Dr. Robert True of Manhattan NY because of:

1. His phenomenal artistic skills in creating the most natural looking

hairline.

2. Body and facial hair transplants are part of his practice in cases like mine with depleted head donor area and last but not least

3. I felt very comfortable with him right from the start.

The linear excision and the distribution of the front row grafts took place in Dr. True’s office on 7-12-11. Dr. Dorin (Dr. True’s partner and a great physician himself) administered the local anesthesia and Dr. true preformed the excision and sutured the wound nicely (I was comfortably watching TV and did not feel anything). After lunch, the dissected large grafts which produced 142 grafts (mainly singles and doubles), were re-planted at secondary front rows on the left side of my head. I slept well that night and did not need to take any pain killers. Next morning, with no swelling what so ever, I went to Dr. True’s office for a clean up and for the next five days shampooed my head carefully, not wanting to hurt the re-planted grafts in the recipient area. The stitches were removed after 9 days and the new hair shaded off on the 4th week.

Today, after 8 months, the scar is completely healed and the blood flow to it returned to pre-operational levels. I’m a bit disappointed though with the growth (or lack thereof) of the re-planted hair.

The second stage of the repair job scheduled for 4-18-12. Dr. True will use a combination of head and beard hair to create a new hair line and add density to front secondary rows. Between 1300-1500 grafts will be harvested from my donor area via the FUT method and would be used to create the new hair line. Approximately 400-500 facial grafts will be harvested via FUE to be used as a "filler" to front secondary rows (creating the ratio of two third head and one third beard hair used in the process).

I was quite aware that "repair experiences" appeal more to, and are more likely to serve, the older generation of the hair restoration community (to the younger generation we all look like dinosaurs who try to become stallions LOL), but I went ahead and posted my experience because of its rarity and to bring to light again the exceptional skills and talent that Dr. True brings to the table in helping people with cases like mine.

I look forward to the second stage of the repair and will definitely post up my experience accompanied by relevant photos. The third phase would be repairing the crown area with anything I have in body and facial hair (anything but the kitchen sink).

Thanks so much for bearing with me and I would appreciate all comments and support.

[JustOne]

Hey Sparks,

 

So .. in the last 2 photos you posted, thats after the plugs were chopped and replaced? with no additional grafts harvested?

[SparkPlugs]

JustOne,

 

The last 2 photos are of the comb over I use to conceal the “pluggy” look. I know it’s a bit confusing. I should have posted the photos at the beginning, otherwise it might look like the end results.(which is definitely not the case).

 

The procedure, by Dr. True, to create a new hairline and add density to the front , is scheduled for 4-18-12.

[HARIRI]

Ouch, These plugs were horrible. Dr. True hopefully will save your life and you will look normal.

[SparkPlugs]

Thanks HARIRI,

 

Dr. True is definitely a life saver and I can hardly wait for him to apply his phenomenal skills in creating my new hair line.

 

It also appears that we are neighbors, so why wouldn't you hop in and pay me a visit?.. (dinner is on me).

[RCWest]

Great write up, Sparkplugs! True and Dorin are definitely world class surgeons and people. You will do fine.

[SparkPlugs]

RCWest,

 

Thanks for the words of encouragement.

[wylie]

Congrats SparkPlugs on your repair, I have to say you did a bang up job with the comb over, it looked pretty good, much like any other comb over, only this one hiding some bad plugs. I wish you luck and hope you will keep this thread fresh with new developments as your repair continues.

[SparkPlugs]

wylie,

You’re absolutely right. As good as a comb over might look, it goes only as far as covering up bald spots (or in my case, a “pluggy” look).

I am eagerly waiting for my new and natural looking hairline and can’t wait to get rid of the comb over once and for all. Once the procedure is completed by Dr. True, I’ll definitely post an update and some photos.

[wylie]

wylie,

You’re absolutely right. As good as a comb over might look, it goes only as far as covering up bald spots (or in my case, a “pluggy” look).

I am eagerly waiting for my new and natural looking hairline and can’t wait to get rid of the comb over once and for all. Once the procedure is completed by Dr. True, I’ll definitely post an update and some photos.

 

Well, it's been two years, how are things looking? Any updates you care to share with us? Hope things are looking good for you.