Senior Member rsn Posted June 1, 2012 Senior Member Share Posted June 1, 2012 Had a transplant today. My first. The doctor was planning to do 2800 FUT, and we had agreed on the price for it. After I took valium, he asked me if I wanted him to try to do more, and told me it would be $3 for each graft he could get above 2800. I told him yes, to do all the grafts he could. He said I have pretty dense donor area so he might be able to more. As the surgery went on a few hours, I could hear him chatting with the tech's things like "no I'll never get more out of here. I'm going to try the other side." In the end he said he could only get 2764 grafts. As I was leaving, I told him the donor skin felt extremely tight. It actually felt tight for the second half of the 7 hour surgery. He said that yeah, he had to make it tight to try to get as many grafts as possible. Anyway, once I got home I took a look in the mirror to see a disaster. The top of my forehead is pulled back, making my receding hairline recede even more. It is clear he took out a very big strip and it stretched my skin when he closed. It looks much worse than I can communicate. The top of my ears are now pointing outward. (This is because the skin on the bottom of the scar is yanking the bottom of my ears inward, so the top of my ears get pointed outward.) My entire face looks appreciably wider. Faces are supposed to be oval, and now my face is really wide. Did the doc botch things by taking too wide and too long a strip? Or is this what everyone looks like the day after, and it goes back to normal after a few days? I am hoping like hell, my face does not look like this forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member RCWest Posted June 1, 2012 Senior Member Share Posted June 1, 2012 I agree with Spex. Dr. A is highly regarded. I wouldn't worry much. 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member RodG Posted June 1, 2012 Senior Member Share Posted June 1, 2012 Hi, Why didn't you discuss your concerns with your surgeon? If you had concerns you should give him the opportunity to talk to you about them prior to posting on HTN. Did you conduct any research prior to having your HT? Regards Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Spanker Posted June 1, 2012 Senior Member Share Posted June 1, 2012 Some of this may be swelling. Give it a few days and see how you look. 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 More sharing options...
Senior Member aaron1234 Posted June 1, 2012 Senior Member Share Posted June 1, 2012 Yes to all of the above. And of course it's going to feel tight in the donor area. It will feel pretty tight for a few weeks (maybe months) - all completely normal. Have you never read a post-op blog before? Dr. G: 1,000 grafts (FUT) 2008 Dr. Paul Shapiro: 2,348 grafts (FUT) 2009 ~ 1,999 grafts (FUT) 2011 ~ 300 grafts (Scar Reduction) 2013 Dr. Konior: 771 grafts (FUT) 2015 ~ 558 grafts (FUT) 2017 ~ 1,124 grafts (FUE) 2020 My Hair Transplant Journey with Shapiro Medical Group Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Bandito Posted June 1, 2012 Regular Member Share Posted June 1, 2012 One day and problems now? I do not believe, it is early. Not early, it is not yet time. WAIT!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member gillenator Posted June 1, 2012 Senior Member Share Posted June 1, 2012 My suggestion would be to call your surgeon and discuss your concerns. Gillenator Independent Patient Advocate I am not a physician and not employed by any doctor/clinic. My opinions are not medical advice, but are my own views which you read at your own risk. Supporting Physicians: Dr. Robert Dorin: The Hairloss Doctors in New York, NY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Blake Bloxham Posted June 2, 2012 Senior Member Share Posted June 2, 2012 RSN, Like others have stated, you should definitely try to remain calm and relaxed! What you're describing sounds like normal post-operative findings, and I don't see anything indicating a "botched" procedure. Frankly, you should always wait a full 12 months to completely analyze the results of a hair transplant procedure, so you definitely have plenty of time to grow, mature, and make a full assessment. However, if you're concerned or still feel anxious, I highly recommend contacting the clinic. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask or send me a private message. Good luck (and remember to keep calm)!! "Doc" Blake Bloxham - formerly "Future_HT_Doc" Forum Co-Moderator and Editorial Assistant for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum All opinions are my own and my advice does not constitute as medical advice. All medical questions and concerns should be addressed by a personal physician. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member PupDaddy Posted June 2, 2012 Senior Member Share Posted June 2, 2012 (edited) As Spex said, rsn, try not to panic. You seem overwhelmed by the procedure because you've just had it done and because of what it means to you. Listen to the vets here. They've been through it and know all the signs. And read a lot of the transplant vets' accounts of their post-op experiences on this board. Everything you are mentioning sounds par for the course. You have a long waiting game ahead of you. In your immediate future, you might well have some swelling that can make your forehead look like something alien, a feeling of significant tightness and discomfort in your donor area that can last for weeks (even after your sutures or staples are removed), and some numbness and "stingers" in your donor area and up to the top of your scalp. All of that is perfectly normal and expected. Try not to freak out! But as others have said, do call your doc's clinic if you have concerns. My strong guess is that you will be assured that everything is fine and on track. Good luck! Edited June 2, 2012 by PupDaddy typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member RCWest Posted June 2, 2012 Senior Member Share Posted June 2, 2012 Tightness is normal after any hair transplant. But what feels tight to you might actually be a no tension closure. You have a lot of swelling back there. 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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