Very worried about my hair 17 months after transplant.

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I've already posted a similar post on this but got no response so gonna re-post. Help appreciated!

 

I got a HT of 2,200 grafts 17 months ago by a very reputable surgeon.

 

By 17 months post HT it should be at its best as I've hear it takes 1 year and sometimes more for a transplant to show results. However my hair is looking terrible now. It looks very much like I will need another transplant. It is worse now than at 6 months post transplant. I was very happy with results after 6 months and didn't really need to worry about concealer then which was great and what I wanted from the transplant. Now, I definitely need it.

 

I noticed it looking thinner about a year after my HT. I thought this may be because I wasn't taking rogaine and propecia anywhere near as much, as I was travelling for 3 months and not really in a routine. However, I'm not sure rogaine made much of a difference anyway as I didn't always use it on the front and top of my head. It was mainly just on the crown. I only started to use it (and propecia) a month after my HT so hard to say if it worked. For the past 4 months I've been using rogaine twice daily again but it doesn't appear to be doing much. I've also been taking propecia regularly since then (about 1mg every 2 days) but it also does not seem to be working. And, I've heard propecia only really works on the crown anyway. Anyway, even if I never used propecia or rogaine I would not expect my hair to look this bad 17 months after a HT. I was told it was between 40-50 grafts per square cm and it doesn't look like that all over (and that's assuming all my native hair is gone there which would make the regression extremely fast over 17 months).

 

 

I've just taken a series of pics. I've used the flash in some and not in others and the pics are inside but right beside a window to let the light in so the conditions are a bit harsh.

 

Previously, my pictures were not under daylight and not as close-up so it isn't easy to compare but I'm sure it was better at 6 months and and at 10 months it definitely was. I'm not sure it looks this bad in real life. Whenever I use a mirror outside it doesn't seem as bad as the pics I've taken, but I'd imagine the pics are more accurate. Maybe the flash makes it worse than it actually is though.

 

I've heard of seasonal shedding but it's been looking thinner for 5 months now and this seems a bit long for seasonal shedding. I don't know if seasonal shedding has anything to do with it being summer or winter as I've kinda not been in normal summer/winter routine from travelling to southern hemisphere. I travelled from northern hemisphere to southern hemisphere in April (I noticed it thinner around June) and I've been southern hemisphere since then. I seriously doubt this has any effect though.

 

I'm wondering what I should do. I'm pretty sure I'll need another HT but looking at other options first of all. I'm thinking of going for minoxidil 10% or 15% as the 5 % does not seem to be working. Also, applying the 5% twice a day is annoying especially if I'm wearing dermatch which means a lot of washing my hair.

 

It is so frustrating after spending 4,500 euro and putting my life on standby for around 6 months.

 

Pics labelled.......(I'm aware of the inconsistencies in lighting, distance, and my hair length in the pics but I hope you get an idea of the differences in hair quality)

 

1) Hair after HT. to show the are I had work on. He didn't touch the forelock/island at front as he thought this was ok and going near it may damage it with shockloss. This area seems thinner now though.

2)Hair after 6 months.

3)Hair after 10 months.

4 and 5) Hair now - inside with flash. About 5 cm long.

6 and 7) Hair now - Beside window. After haircut, maybe 2-3 cm long.

8-12) Just added these. Hair after 3.5 months to get an idea of the are I had filled in. Hair was beginning to grow in the temples.

13) Another of hair after 10 months.

14) Hair now from the front.

Edited November 25, 2012 by logo

[MAGNUMpi]

Hi Logo,

I have been using propecia for the last few years and it has really stabilized my hair loss all around. I take 1 mg a day and try not to miss to many. I would suggest you really keep that as a part of your routine. Especially after a HT you need to be on the meds to keep things looking right from what I've read.

The more I research, the more it seems almost standard that no one gets away with just one HT. Its always seems to take a few to get a solid/lasting result.

Could be that the hair after 17 months just naturally got thinner around the HT. Could be some weird delayed shockloss but I've never heard of that happening. You should talk to your Doc, maybe he'll give you a deal on the 2nd procedure. Good luck, M

[logo]

Thanks MAGNUMpi,

 

Perhaps it could be because I wasn't on Propecia as much from around month 9 to month 11 post-op but I would still think it should be thicker than this after 17 months even if I never had meds at all. Assuming all native hair in that area has gone (which I think is very unlikely so soon), I'd imagine it should be thicker with just the transplanted hair.

 

It doesn't look this thin when looking in a mirror, outside or inside. I'm not sure which is more accurate the mirror or the camera? The camera with a flash also shows my donor scar on a no.4 blade (the mirror doesn't), though I don't think this is noticeable to people as I'm sure someone would have said it to me.

 

Thanks for your input