4,000 fue with Dr. Bisanga

[Levrais]

Nice. I haven't seen any interviews from him and his non-involvement with forums(I know his reps are involved) have made him a mythical figure almost. I'm a big fan of his work both FUE and FUT, it all seems very consummate from his extraction patterns to his intricate suturing.

 

Yea I know what you mean. I was a little star struck when I first met him. After months of reading about his world class results, he had a bit of rock star status in my mind but he will put you at ease quickly.

[stinger99]

since im a higher NW (5 i would say) i was led to believe that strip was my only option. i researched strip extensively, consulted with some docs but just never could get comfortable with the idea of cutting a chunk of flesh out of the back of my head, not to mention the scar and potential of the scar stretching. i then start researching more about fue and noticed that some dr's were doing larger fue sessions and on higher nw patients. this was very interesting to me and i am convinced fue is the way to go for me. problem is that i live in NA and unfortunately i n my opinion the best fue docs are in belgium and turkey,.

 

i would want to do a first session of 2500 (if i can get more then great) to re-establish the hairline and first half on my head.

 

then a year later get another 2500 grafts for second half and crown work.

 

with 5000 grafts, assuming yield is strong, i am confident this will help me achieve my goals of my hair restoration.

 

i am realistic in my expectations and i am o with having a higher hairline and having an illusion oif coverage as opposed to thick full head of hair. also hopefully after 5000 grafts fue, i would still have another 1500-2000 in the bank in case i needed it for future crown work.

 

i also like to keep my hair really short oin sides and back (grade 2) so fue made sense.

 

finally, if i am an unlucky person who has a failed fue at least i can still shave my head without having a huge scar.

[Levrais]

Stinger. that sounds like good reasoning. That is the exact same analysis I went through and came up with the same conclusion.

[Levrais]

Hi All,

Here is an update showing where I am 5 months post op from my third procedure. These pics are taken with my phone so the quality might seem a little different.

 

I had been keeping my hair longer in the front which would cause the hair to hang over a little like bangs (or fringe as my UK firends call it). But this time, I decided to cut it short so the hairline is exposed and stands on its own. I was pleased to find that it looks very natural this way. Even under extreem light. I do tend to like the shorter cut.

 

The crown is continuing to fill in. Its completely covered by hair but light still gets through and shows some skin. I still have some new hairs poking through and am sure there will be more density in the next few months. But, when I started this process, I decided that I did not want to take meds and I have been sticking to that. It is a trade off, however, so my lower crown has continued to thin. I may consult with Dr Bisanga again soon to discuss adding some grafts there.

 

Please feel free to ask any questions

Edited April 15, 2013 by Levrais
typo

[stinger99]

looka good , should see more denisty as the new hairs grow out and im sure it will look even better at month 10-11-12. how many grafts did dr b say u have left for a 4th procedure if need be?

[Levrais]

Hi Stinger,

The doc said I do have some donor left but we haven't discussed how much. I will probably meet with him in the next couple months to see what the possibilities are.

Thanks for the feedback.

[JohnnyDrama]

Fascinating case Levrais, have just spent the last 45 mins or so going through all of your pics from day #1. Fantastic results to say the least, and it'll probably be another 6 months until you get a complete picture!

 

I'm going to Dr Bisanga with my virgin scalp in August for around 2000 FUE, so your thread is of great help to me. Can I ask, what Norwood level are you?

 

I found out when I visited Dr B that I'm actually on the Ludwig scale, which is rare in men. My loss is mostly in my midscalp/forelock area, so it gives my profile a very 'see-through' look when you look at me from the front. I suppose out of your 3 procedures, your second one is what comes closest to what I'm going to be getting done, albeit I'm not touching my crown. I should be getting around 1800 to the mid area, and 200-300 to strengthen around the hairline.

 

I noticed that in each of your procedures, you never quite got your entire head shaved. I'm guessing this was all at your request? As much as I hate admitting it, but shaving down is something I am dreading. A pale Irish bloke with a thin midscalp and a less-than-desirable shaped skull being among the factors! If I were able to pull off what you seem to have, in that quite a bit of native hair was left on your head during the OP, I'd be over the moon!

[Levrais]

Hi Johnny,

Thanks for your comments. As far as my NW level. When I was doing consults 3 years ago I was told 3 or 4 and that I was maybe headed to a 5. But I think I am actually a hybrid because my crown is dipping low in the back like someone even higher on the scale. My guess is that I would be a 5 to 6 right now if not for the grafts.

 

As for the head shaving, you're right I never quite went that far. For the first op they shaved my hair back in the front a bit but I was able to pull off an acceptable look after a couple weeks. I'm glad I didn't shave all the way because I was not ready for something so extreme at that moment. For my second op, I looked really bad for a few weeks and maybe should have just buzzed it all. The shaving was done in an odd way and Im sure people thought I had escaped from some type of hospital, The doc and I didn't really discuss shaving, I just told him to do whatever he needed to do to get me the best result. For the third op (because of my look the time beore) I asked the doc if he could do it without shaving. To my surprise, he agreed. I think he could do it that time without shaving because there was little to no hair in the areas he was working in. So, again after a couple weeks, the look wasn't so bad. I think the bottom line though is to give him the final say so he can work in the proper conditions.

 

In your case, with the loss you describe, you will have native hair all around the recipient area and will probably be able to hide the work quite well. Either way, you have chosen an outstanding clinic. I look forward to seeing your results if you decide to post them.

 

I'm glad my thread was useful to you and please feel free to ask any more questions you have along the way

Edited May 8, 2013 by Levrais

[JohnnyDrama]

Interesting point regarding the meds alright, and I guess it is a trade off. As you can see from my sig I'm using meds. When I visit Dr B I will be getting a new prescription to adjust my dosage intake. My body is a little different than when I was not on them, I'll admit that, but the thoughts of losing everything at a young age (I'm 30 - and my dads side of the family have been struck by the MPB bug) scare me enough into using them for a few years anyway.

 

Ah yes, I'm fully aware that in the grand scheme of things, a shaved head is a relatively minor aspect. Short term pain long term gain etc etc. I'm happy to let the doc do as he wishes for optimum results. I'll just let him know I'd greatly appreciate whatever length he can leave on. If it's cosmetically dodgy afterwards, I'll just bite the bullet and buzz.

 

I fully intend to document everything. I've already posted my consultation/selection process in quite a bit of detail.......https://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/169664-blitzing-belgium-2-days-4-top-docs-bisanga-feriduni-de-reys-mwamba.html........and want to do the same post op.

 

Detailed patient cases are priceless in that it gives prospective patients a real feel of how the person got on etc. It's one of the bigger decisions in life a person will make so why not help others where I have been helped. I'm confident in my decision regarding the clinic as well, and reading up on cases such as yourself only strengthens my belief.

[Levrais]

You have the right approach so things should work out well. As for the meds, its a tough call. I was on propecia for several years and it really did maintain the crown. I thought about going back on it at one point and even bought a 3 month supply but so far haven't taken them.

Edited May 9, 2013 by Levrais
typo

[Levrais]

Hi All,

Here is my update at 6 months. I am going to try to take a better crown pic as this one makes it look a little better than it actually is. 6 months is early as crowns go, so there will likely be more progress in the next 8 to 12 months.

 

Please feel free to comment and ask any questions

[Nick153452]

Fantastic!! Looking great man! Your hair color goes wonderfully with the hairline!

[Levrais]

Hi Nick,

Thanks for the feedback.

Edited May 14, 2013 by Levrais
typo

[Bobilero]

Looks great Levaris. Very dense look overall. Crown is looking real good. Dont see too much thinning there.

[Levrais]

Hi Bob, thanks for the feedback. I went back and looked at my crown consult pic on page 2 and there has definitely been an improvement. I used to have a shiny bald spot.

[mosd]

any update?

[Levrais]

Hi Mosd,

Sorry for the late reply. I haven't taken any photos recently but I will try to do that soon. I'm at just order 14 months since my last procedure. I'm still noticing new stubble in the crown which for me proves that you can still see new growth well after the 12 month mark. I met with the doc last month to check progress and evaluate donor for the future if needed. I do still have some donor available. So, at this point I'm happy with my results but I'm keeping my eye on the lower crown and considering adding some grafts there. Thanks for asking.

[Levrais]

Hi All,

Here are a few pics to show how I look these days. I've been buzzing it short lately as that is the look I like best. I'm at 2 years post op from my last procedure. I was planning to go back for more crown work and some touch ups this year but decided to wait until next year.

[Yonex]

hi Levrais, I like your hair buzzed like that, suits you

 

can you tell me how many grafts in total you've had in your crown and have you been using propecia at all? have you had any sides from it?

[Levrais]

Hi Yonex,

Thanks for the feedback. I think Ive had somewhere around 2000 total in the crown. Most of them are on the upper part of the crown. I have tried propecia and believe that I had some sides from it so I stopped using it. This was a few years before my HT.

[TakingThePlunge]

Looking good!

[stinger99]

I think it looks reAl good. It he crown has definitely dipped but it's not like it's slick bald so I would leave as is for now and see how it progresses. Are u using rogaine. Rogaine might help thicken up lower crown are at least maintain it. How many fue scalp grafts did Dr b say u have left. To me it seems u can probably get another. 1000 to 1500.

[Levrais]

Hi Stinger,

 

I've tried rogaine in the past and didn't notice any significant improvement from it and I ended up getting side affects. I know it does work well for some though. The doc didn't give me an absolute number of future grafts available but he suggested that my next op he would use 800-1000. After that I probably wouldn't use anymore unless there were a drastic need.

[stinger99]

What did eftects did u get from rogaine. Thx