Jump to content

HT Network + RESEARCH x1000 hours + Dr. Path + 4020 grafts = ???


Recommended Posts

  • Senior Member

Greetings everyone from down under!!

 

WOW!!! is all i can say.. I had no friggin idea I was about to embark upon such a journey just under a year ago, June 2011 when I decided it was time to do something about this problem that has so many of us concerned.

 

My story, I hope you will all take the time to read goes back to when i was 17, 20 years ago when i started losing my hair. I wont go through 20 years of feeling bad about losing hair as I am sure you have all been there. I tried the shaved head look about 5 years ago however it just didnt work on me unfortunately. So back to some clever comb over I was and the same old feelings about going bald and using a ton of spray to make sure wind and rain wouldnt ruin a given day..

 

I had heard of HT back 15 years ago but never had looked into it. So about 3 years ago I came across an Australian clinic which were advertising HTs and splashing videos and photos of before and afters on the net and newspapers. Naturally my attention was captured and after a little research on the net (still hadnt come across this site) I found myself in this particular clinic sitting across the room from a salesman. With what little knowledge I had in HTs i spoke with him for one hour, where he took pics and told me i needed about 3500 grafts.

 

Fast forward 2 weeks and I called back the clinic to organise the next step which was to have a consultation with the doc. This doc apparently had been performing HTs at this clinic where he learned from the founder of the clinic and took over from him. I was just glad i was finally doing something about this and started to get mentally ready for the op.

 

The day before the consulation i got a call from the clinic and was advised that my consulation would be with another surgeon. Although a little annoyed, i didnt care too much about it. After all surely HTs are HTs and dont matter who does them right??????????? LOL

 

Well i walked in the next day and got called into the room and met the surgeon. He seemed pleasant enough at first, although soon after alarm bells started going off in my head as some of the answers to my questions were very odd. It was as if he was trying to conceal his ignaronce of HTs with mumblings and going off tangent here and there and giving really long answers as is he was trying to confuse me into agreeing with him. So i asked him how long he had been doing HTs for, his answer was ' Well i work here once a week and been doing HTs for 18 months and i do about one or two a week so you do the math <insert nervous gigle here>'..

 

He followed that with telling me that surgeons are surgeons and that its just an incision the doctor makes and the rest is all done by the tech girls and they are very experieinced etc etc.. There were more bizzare words that come out of him but you get the pic..

 

So I walked out of there like a stunned mullet, confused as hell at what i just heard, yet still made the appointment for the op in 2 weeks from there, payed my $100 consulation fee and drove home.

 

Dazed and confused I thought maybe i was being too cautious, maybe this guy was right that experience wasnt such a huge issue, after all he was a surgeon so he must be ok. But just to be sure i thought i better put in some serious hours of research before the op in 2 weeks time.

 

Enter HT Network!!! I stumbled across this site finally and was immediately gob smacked at all the info and all the experiences and the support etc.. WOW!

 

So i spent the next week reading all the goodness that is filled in here. So many stories, so many people with so many HTs. The recommended doctors and all the befores and afters, all the videos.. I became obsessed with this site, reading everything and anything.

 

So about half a week away from my scheduled op with this clinic, and this unknown doc, I was saved from a lifetime of agony ( chances are i was gonna have a nightmare on my hands if went thru with it) thanks to all of you and this awesome site.

 

I wont bore you guys anymore how I finally ended up in the care of Dr. Path of Thailand, but I did look into H&W and Rahal and Feller as well. At the end the convienience of the shorter trip to Thailand, and also the excellent reputation Dr. Path has on this site and i must admit the savings from the AUS$ to THAI Baht was plenty and I initiated first communication with Dr Path.

 

He replied immediately and I must say he was not forceful anytime to try to get my business, rather only seemed concerned about providing info to me. After a few emails and pics were exchanged, Dr Path was able to squeeze me in for surgery and i soon found myself in his dressing room taking my shirt off to put on the gown after all the blood tests and pills.

 

I have to say, for me the op which took 9.5 hours was completely pain free. Even the injections were totally pain free and i didnt feel anything especially when the donor area was being worked on. Dr Path was constantly checking with me how i was feeling and if i was feeling any pain or discomfort.

 

During the later stages of the op if i felt any pain at all Dr Path would inject the area and discomfort would stop. It only happened once or twice but i was in and out of sleep most of the time. I did remain awake for the last two hours of the op, and probably the only real discomfort was my neck which was numb from staying in one place for so long. Again nothing really.

 

Once the op was done, i was taken to a taxi by a couple of the very easy on the eye nurses that worked on my noggin. I remember reading here people commenting on how easy Dr Path's staff were on the eye, i sure do agree. :)

 

But more importantly, his nurses and staff were extremely caring, i cant speak any more highly of them. Especially one nurse who washed my hair daily, was fantastic.

 

First night in my hotel room after dinner i didnt take the pain killers like Dr Path had advised on time as i didnt have any pain. However once it kicked it i ran for the meds and for about an hour i endured intense pain, until i was knocked out.

 

Apart from that the experience was very pleasant indeed. In fact it was a very exciting and interesting trip. I spent the next 6 days in Bangkok sight seeing, shopping and relaxing in my room. I was back at the clinic every day to get cleaned up, and on the 6th day Dr Path took the stitches out, told me all was looking very good, gave me post op instructions sent me on my way back to Australia.

 

I took the next few weeks off work. The knowledge gained on this site I was ready for the next 12 months. The initial shed, ugly duckling stage, first few growth stages etc., I was ready!!!

 

But i gotto tell you when the ugly stage did kick in even though i was ready for it, I was down in the dumps!! Must say it hurt as i did look friggin aweful!!! LOL

 

The roller coaster ride that everyone talked about here was so spot on, there were days when i was so happy and excited, other days when so depressed thinking nothing was growing and probably that never would!! It didnt help that ugly duckling stage for me lasted for about 4 months, but felt like an eternity.

 

But it was all forgotten about when i hit around 4 to 5 month mark and like the cherry blossoms of Japan i started to sprout everywhere. From being covered in pimples for months, and putting up with the redness that lasted for so long, finally seeing blackness coming thru was a most magnificient site i tell you.

 

Without going to any further details, as i am sure you all know anyway, the whole experience was nothing like i ever experienced before. The ups and downs, the doubts, the ugly stage, pimples, shockloss, the ecstacy, the joy. Reverse balding someone once said on this forum, and as much as it hurt to lose my hair the joy of gaining back my hair has been equally great.

 

I wanted to write this and share my experience and hope that I may also save someone from falling into wrong hands, and give someone out there courage to go for it like i did with the help of this community. I also would like to say how i feel for those who have not had great results or have had bad surgeries and are suffering still. My heart goes out to you guys.

 

Once again a huge thanks to this forum, its founders, moderators and all the contributers. For all your help I am grateful.

 

I will post some pics, apologies for some o fthe bad quality, i will try to get more pics soon.

 

Here is my graft totals:

 

1h 698 2h 2832 3h 345 3-5h 145

 

The total hairs 7977

The total grafts 4020

 

Enjoy the pics, i look forward to comments.

 

Befores

 

IMGP1249.jpg

 

2.jpg

 

3.jpg

 

4.jpg

 

5.jpg

 

6.jpg

 

7.jpg

 

IMGP1257.jpg

 

IMGP1258.jpg

 

Here are 1 day post ops

 

IMGP1301.jpg

 

IMGP1294.jpg

 

IMGP1295.jpg

 

IMGP1299.jpg

 

And here are the next few months..

 

033.jpg

 

088.jpg

 

093.jpg

 

111.jpg

 

199.jpg

 

196.jpg

 

 

 

192.jpg

 

190.jpg

 

202.jpg

 

 

 

203.jpg

 

These were about the 8 month mark

 

248.jpg

 

252-1.jpg

 

As you can see i am very happy with the results.. I will take a few pics now that i am 10 months mark, my hair is much longer.. But that you will have to wait till later i am buggered from putting this thread together, hope you all like it..

Edited by jollyfolly
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 63
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Senior Member

From what I can see your hair is looking amazing! The before and afters are dramatic. A few better photos with more lighting would help show the true density.

Finasteride 1.25 mg. daily

Avodart 0.5 mg. daily

Spironolactone 50 mg twice daily

5 mg. oral Minoxidil twice daily

Biotin 1000 mcg daily

Multi Vitamin daily

 

Damn, with all the stuff you put in your hair are you like a negative NW1? :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member

Wow! Dr Path's work shines. Look how great the graft placement is . The outcome blows me away... you were slick bald up front ..now you got a great head of hair ! I always get excited when I see patient posted results like this .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member

Looks really good. When I first saw that hair line I thought it looked a little aggressive but it turned out great. Love to see more pics.

I am an online representative for Dr. Raymond Konior who is an elite member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians.

View Dr. Konior's Website

View Spanker's Website

I am not a medical professional and my opinions should not be taken as medical advice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member

Hey Guys, thank you all for your comments, I still pinch myself at times if that is me looking back in the mirror at me..

 

As requested here are some more pics, i tried my best to show true density, most of the pics are wet hair and close up with the camera. I will continue to take pics hopefully out in the sun. As you can see my hair is quite long right now as i have been enjoying it and was thinking of growing it long but I might get a cut soon and die the greys, something i haven done in months as you can see..

 

Here are dry hair pics

 

Untitled.jpg

 

499.jpg

 

497.jpg

 

1-2.jpg

 

500.jpg

 

and here are straignt out of the shower soaking wet hair

 

512.jpg

 

509.jpg

 

508.jpg

 

517.jpg

 

515.jpg

 

514.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

hope these help see the true density, i will keep posting more pics if requested.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member

Jollyfolly, Great write up! I enjoyed reading about your journey as well as seeing your progress pics.

 

You must have really good pain tolerance as I remember when I got the initial injections to numb the scalp, I was just clenching my jaws and tried to distract myself or talk to doctor and techs nearby. lol

 

Completely agree with you on that roller coaster ride in the months that go by. As soon as the waiting period kicks in, you end up looking at mirrors and analyzing so much. To many if, ands, buts, hows, and fears circulate through your head. It's like you get beaten, abused, kicked, left to starve, and then suddenly you win the lottery when your result grows out lol.

 

Now, as for your results, after analyzing your photos, and the fact you have received the following, 4020 grafts which consist of a total 7977 hairs, I think this restoration was a great success.

 

By analyzing your breakdown of donor hair density, your density also seems pretty decent based on your graft counts of 1h 698, 2h 2832, 3h 345, 3-5h 145, totaling 7977 hairs.

 

Again, considering the amount of coverage you got based on the length/width of your recipient zone, I think it's a great result. The temple point reconstruction/angulation really helped a lot with your hair restoration. They were truly key pieces to this process and I am glad you got them in with the restoration. Dr. Path did a great job on them as they look very even and they really helped bring everything forward. Without them, I'd say this would be incomplete and look somewhat odd. The work right now absolutely looks natural with those key temples.

 

1- Do you by any chance know at what density your hairline was planted at, the density planted behind the hairline, as well as the density planted at your temples?

 

2- Do you also know if Dr. Path told you an estimation of how many grafts you may have left for any future possible use? I ask because I am assuming you are about the same age as me 30 (since your hair restoration network profile says year born 1982), and you seem to have some slight thinning in the crown at this age. The crown seems to be an area that Dr. Path did not work on. Want to let you know that there are treatments that may help with that situation though and you may not need to work in those areas or others for a while if you needed to by utilizing those treatments.

 

3- Are you using any medications such as Rogaine or Propecia or Nizoral? If not, I know that some may be hesistant to use propecia due to possible long term side effect warnings so I wouldn't recommend it as a first resort, but Rogaine foam may help greatly. I personally also use Proscar (1.25mg finasteride estimated dose daily). But I think Rogaine Foam has done wonders for my crown and possibly for the overall quality/texture of my hair. If you haven't tried it, you may want to check it out. It also makes it easy to style straight hair by having a very mild mousse like styling effect. One of the few downsides with medications/treatments include that you use them daily and you can't really quit once you start. It takes a few months to see the effects but usually 1 year of treatment can give you enough time to analyze if it actually works for you. But the increase in blood flow by Rogaine foam to your hair follicles may revive and thicken them greatly causing few possible thinning areas to get thicker and have added density overall. For me, I think it must have been one of the best decisions I made. I use the stuff from where my recipient zone is to the crown, basically the entire top of the head.

 

4- How does your scar look in the back?

 

I personally would hold off on dying the hair until all the grafts have grown out, just to make sure no dye chemicals interfere with the process and to be on the safe side after such an emotional and pricey investment. Unless the doctor tells you it's ok, then go for it. You still have a few months of growth left as you are just at the 10 month mark.

 

I really look forward to your future updates. Congrats and it must be an awesome feeling right about now!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member

Sean;

 

Firstly thanks for taking interest in my story and writing such a comprehensive post. I had been following your HT and I am very happy to see good growth, you do have quality hair.

 

In regards to pain yes i do have good tolerance however i think the pills had

kicked in nice and eary for me as the injections were a breeze..

 

My density according to the good doctor was very good, medium to coarse waivy/curly hair, but Dr Path was particularly impressed with the scalp laxity. The strip at the back was 2.5 cm wide, and yet post op day 1 Dr Path told me that i still had good laxity. I did do scalp exercises about 30 mins 3 to 4 times a week, about 4 weeks pre op. But i think the laxity was there to begin with, i just took it up another notch.

 

The temples are my fav part of the whole re-co asyou can see before pics they had

receeded considerably and were a major pet hate of mine. Also i should note that

they hardly shed at all, just as Dr Path advised that they would not shed like the rest of the transplanted hairs. I have to commend his artistry here as i know not too many HT docs like to go too aggressive as we did on the temples.

 

I will try to answer your questions as best as i can.

 

1- Initially we discussed that we would do 50% in the front and 40% towards the back.

However on the day just before i went in, he told me he was going to do 50% all around. But i remember in my grogy state just after the op him telling me that he went with 40% all around. I guess the real estate to be covered was bigger than he first thought. I remember being disappointed at 40% however i felt comfort in that the doc knows exactly

what he is doing.

 

2- I am about to turn 40 years old. I did ask Dr Path about the remaning supply as i was already planning HT 2 for the crown before the op. He didnt want to even consider HT 2 then, he said that i would most likely be content with just one pass but at a quick glance he told me i would have at least another 4000 given the excellent laxity and good density.

 

3- I started using proscar 1.25 mil a day 1 month before the op in June. I

also started 2 x rogaine foam 3 weeks after the proscar start. Luckily the

side effects for me have been very minimal and almost disappeared now, 11 months time.

I will try and find a pic pre meds, i can say that crown and mid area certainly

benefited from the meds with new hairs sprouting, and existing sickly hairs becoming

thicker. I will continue the meds as well as nizoral which i do about once a week.

 

4- The scar at the back is good. I cant see it anymore. I can feel bumps in some

places but thats it. I have been having haircuts about every 5 weeks (i used to

dread going to get a hairy, now i absolutely love it) since 3 weeks post

op with the same barber, so he knows exactly where the scar is, but two days

ago while getting a cut it took him a while to find it. He has seen HTs over

the years, and commented that the doctor did a good job.

 

Once again thanks for taking time to post a reply, if you need further info

let me know.

 

Here are a few pics i just took 2 mins ago. These are

after the haircut on saturday.

 

77.jpg

 

55.jpg

 

114.jpg

 

1-3.jpg

 

2-3.jpg

 

66.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member

Jollyfolly, thank you for the kind words and feedback about my growth/hair. You are lookin good with the fresh hair cut. With 40% density all around, this is great. In these pics I can see your crown has responded to meds and can see that hair texture has changed/thickened up overall. If the doc said you have at least 4000 grafts left that means you probably have a little more than that. So, this is a very good thing. You really have ammo to play with in the future and address any other concerns you may have. This is very great news. When do you plan on going back? I think you should wait at least up to the 13 month mark to see the outcome as things will continue to mature. Not to mention, you've been on medications since June, and maybe another few months with them can also enhance your result by enhancing your crown more. This is because it takes at least an year of continuous use to see the full results of medication. So, Congrats again, and do keep us updated with your progress. Very nice transformation. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member
Wow, that is one great transformation! The little waviness of your hair helps our a lot. You look awesome, dude. Congrats!

 

Tao,

 

Thanks for your kind words :)

 

Although most of the time wavy/curly hair can be a nightmare to style, i knew it would pay off some day.. :o

Edited by jollyfolly
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member
Jollyfolly, thank you for the kind words and feedback about my growth/hair. You are lookin good with the fresh hair cut. With 40% density all around, this is great. In these pics I can see your crown has responded to meds and can see that hair texture has changed/thickened up overall. If the doc said you have at least 4000 grafts left that means you probably have a little more than that. So, this is a very good thing. You really have ammo to play with in the future and address any other concerns you may have. This is very great news. When do you plan on going back? I think you should wait at least up to the 13 month mark to see the outcome as things will continue to mature. Not to mention, you've been on medications since June, and maybe another few months with them can also enhance your result by enhancing your crown more. This is because it takes at least an year of continuous use to see the full results of medication. So, Congrats again, and do keep us updated with your progress. Very nice transformation. :)

 

Thanks Sean :)

 

I will try to find a pic just before i started meds which will show the improvement i hope. I can definately see and feel the difference in 11 months. i will hope to see a bit more from the meds but the hair loss for sure has stopped for now, in fact i noticed my hair loss had stopped within weeks of starting meds. My bathroom floor would be covered with hair after a shower, nowdays i can barely see any hairs on the floor. And when styling hair i my hands would be covered in hair but nothing at all these days. I feel lucky to have halted the loss for now and i hope it continues that way.

 

At the moment i am not planning on further procedures but there are a couple of spots i would like tweaked in the future. But i am very happy with the result so far and will wait at least 18 months post op to make a decision. Dr. Path was very good at making sure i didnt rush into next HT. Also i feel confident to have the reserve at hand should a need arise years down the track. But having said all that if (or when) hair greed kicks in all options are on the table :D

 

Once again thanks for your interest and kind words.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • Senior Member

Just found these two pics i thought i would share to demonstrate how the transplanted hairs on the temples hardly shed yet the rest of the transplants were totally gone, Dr. Path did advise that the temples would not shed as much and that he did not know why this phenomenon happens..

 

These pics are exactly 2 months post op, notice all the pimples (this must have been a good day, some days i was covered in pimples but they were never too stubborn and would disappear in a couple of days only to be replaced by new ones lol) and the persistent redness that i had for up to 6 months!!!

 

151.jpg

 

059.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member

jollyfolly,

 

Amazing transformation and a true testament to Dr. Pathomvanich's work. Congratulations. Thought I was looking at David Hasselhoff for a sec. :)

Edited by TakingThePlunge

David - Former Forum Co-Moderator and Editorial Assistant

 

I am not a medical professional. All opinions are my own and my advice should not constitute as medical advice.

 

View my Hair Loss Website

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Regular Member

Jollyfolly,

 

This is truly an amazing transformation. Congratulations and I wish you the best with the future.

 

 

I am from AUS myself and I had considered Dr Path as one of my first options. Would you have any idea if he also performs the FUE technique and how experienced he is at this technique?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member
jollyfolly,

 

Amazing transformation and a true testament to Dr. Pathomvanich's work. Congratulations. Thought I was looking at David Hasselhoff for a sec. :)

 

 

Hi David;

 

On those late nights spent researching on this wonderful site, i have come across many of your posts and read your story. Although this is the first time we are conversing, i feel like i already know u.

 

Thanks for your input into this forum, and for doing a good job moderating.

 

Dr. Path is a true legend in my mind right now, very happy with the results.

 

As for the Hoff, thank for the compliment ( i think?) :)

 

Cheers

 

JF

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member
Jollyfolly,

 

This is truly an amazing transformation. Congratulations and I wish you the best with the future.

 

 

I am from AUS myself and I had considered Dr Path as one of my first options. Would you have any idea if he also performs the FUE technique and how experienced he is at this technique?

 

MoeyK;

 

Thanks for taking the time to post and encouragement with your kind words.

 

In my research i didnt come across any FUE performed by Dr. Path, nor did I ever speak to him about it, so i dont know if he does but if i was gambling man i would say that he doesnt. Best to drop him an email or check his web site though.

 

Is there a particular reason you want to pursue FUE? I can certainly understand why people would choose FUE over FUT but personally with the loss that i had and the results that i was after, FUT was the only option for me.

 

I have to say you are on the right track though, as a fellow aussie, that you are looking outside of Aus as there are no quality work being done here.

 

Let me know if i can answer any questions mate.

 

Cheers

 

JF

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Regular Member
MoeyK;

 

Thanks for taking the time to post and encouragement with your kind words.

 

In my research i didnt come across any FUE performed by Dr. Path, nor did I ever speak to him about it, so i dont know if he does but if i was gambling man i would say that he doesnt. Best to drop him an email or check his web site though.

 

Is there a particular reason you want to pursue FUE? I can certainly understand why people would choose FUE over FUT but personally with the loss that i had and the results that i was after, FUT was the only option for me.

 

I have to say you are on the right track though, as a fellow aussie, that you are looking outside of Aus as there are no quality work being done here.

 

Let me know if i can answer any questions mate.

 

Cheers

 

JF

 

Hey JollyFolly,

 

The main reason I want to do FUE over Strip is because of the scar. I do understand that both methods cause scarring, FUE creates white dots which are barely visible and Strip causes the line across the back of the head.

 

I just feel uncomfortable knowing that there is the potential for the scarring from the strip surgery to turn out bad and stand out! Id prefer to be balding then to have a scar on the back of my head. I understand there is a new method of closing the scar.

 

In your own opinion, do you believe if I visit a doctor at the top of the tree in strip, that the scar would be barely visible? Its so frustrating this whole hair issue lol.

 

Yeah I will definately be going out of AUS for surgery. I cant believe the prices that surgeons in AUS charge when they dont even have a repuatation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member

Hey MoeyK;

 

I can certainly understand your concerns regarding scars from FUT. I know i pondered about it for hours. But i was confident in Dr. Path's work so for me it never came back in to my thoughts as an issue, i was more concerned about yield and if my physiology would be suited for a good result.

 

I believe that with a top surgeon the chances of a better outcome whether it be scar size or yield or a natural looking result increases. Hence why it is so important that you research as much as you can and pick a doc that is not only highly recommended on this forum, but also a doc whose work you think looks good and would suit your physiology. A doc who has the skills and experience to make your outcome a good one given your pattern of loss and other individual factors unique to you.

 

I had another haircut yesterday and cut the back with a 6 guard and the sides even shorter, the scar is not visible at all. I just hope the scar does not stretch over time but i was blessed with very good laxity and hope scar remains as is.

 

Just wondering though, what are you on the NW scale and how old are you? Your profile says that you are 23? If thats correct you may be too young for HT and if you are not on any meds perhaps it may be wise to have a look into them before you consider HT.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Regular Member

Hey jolly folly,

 

Yeah that's 100% correct. Better the surgeon better the yield outcome and scar

 

 

I've been on rogaine two years and finasteride 4 months. When you see my pictures you will 100% agree I need a HT for my hairline.

 

 

If you add me as a friend am I able to send you pictures?

That way you can tell me what NW I am cause I got no idea lol need someone's HONEST opinion.

 

 

Let me know ASAP.

 

 

Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...