What is "Illusion?"

[OtherSyde]

I just decided to make this thread because I typed way too much and got off-topic in another thread earlier, so rather than hijacking that thread I transferred the discussion into its own thread.

 

People were arguing over whether transplanted hair is an illusion or not, and if the density is an illusion or not. In some cases, the density is an illusion, and has to be; I get that once you hit N5 or N6 you can't cover your head with as much density, but just simply having transplanted hair doesn't necessarily mean "lack of real density," nor does it make it an "illusion." My rule as far as any cosmetic procedure is that it has to be durable and self-sustaining; no special products, no concealers that can't be touched or stroked by human hands or can't get in the pool/ocean without coming off, and no constant daily maintenance. That's why I chose HT's over Rogaine, or stuff like Toppik, or a "hair system." HT's are real, and if they are able to be done with enough grafts, there isn't any smoke-and-mirrors illusion that you have to keep up; it's just there.

 

I'm not ragging on anyone with lower density who uses hair products; I certainly would too, if I had low density and lived in normal society. But durability and lack of maintenance is especially important for me - in the military I get deployed all the time and there is no room for vanity on deployment; it's just you and whatever you have permanently attached to you. You're stripped down to the bare essentials; women scarcely even wear makeup or do their hair. Some guy standing in front of a mirror with a can of Toppik, a big hair brush, and a can of volumizing hairspray on a cramped warship or in the middle of some jungle or desert war-zone is just not happening.

 

I hated the image I first saw in the mirror at boot camp at age 21, when I had to cut my styled, highlighted hair short and expose my ugly receded hairline, quickly became pale from lack of sunlight (face protected by hat brim whenever outside), had to take out my contacts and put on those big stupid ugly BCG's (Birth-Control-Glasses; military slang for those big hideous goggles they make you wear for glasses, because you're never having sex as long as you wear them), and leave all my stylish clothing behind in favor of what was basically a glorified prison uniform (the Navy's old Utilities uniform that was replaced with the blue cammies in 2009).

 

I was almost immediately transformed from a moderately-attractive person into what basically amounted to "Hi, I'm a serial-killer-rapist Hollywood stereotype." I actually had a black girl that I'd never even interacted with before tell me that I scared her (and she was taller than me!) because I looked exactly like Freddy Krueger from Nightmare on Elm St, but with creepy glasses. Then another guy that I didn't really know beyond his name and face just walked up to me a few weeks later out of nowhere, straight-on, and said - totally matter-of-factly and with no malice or mockery in his voice, just a neutral sense of detached honesty - "You are the scariest-looking human being I have ever seen in my life." In those exact words. It was a shocking and harsh lesson, being faced with that reality and that image and those reactions from people, but honestly, it was one of the best things to happen; otherwise, I would likely have kept trying to continue the facade with surface props and methods, hiding reality more and more, until it couldn't be hidden anymore and by then it would be cataclysmically bad. Being forced to see my base appearance stopped the delusion in its tracks, and immediately got me working on ways to permanently upgrade my base-level equipment.

 

Boot camp and deployments taught me that if you naturally (or via permanent surgery) have pretty/handsome features, like good hair and facial structure, then you get to keep them and look good in any situation or environment, even devoid of any available vanity. If you rely on delicate fake hair products, skin lotions, or makeup-type stuff to look good in society, all of that is inevitably ripped away from you sooner or later, and you're suddenly facing everyone just as you are, under the harshly intense lights of cruel scrutiny, and having everyone, including you, see you with all the flaws you can't escape.

 

And this makes it even worse when you get back to society, because then everyone (even people at home, due to photos and word of mouth) will know that's how you truly look, and then you look all the more ridiculous and vain trying to hide it once you return to regular society with everyone knowing the thinly-veiled truth. So any appearance-changer I get has to be permanent and rugged, and it has to change the way that I truly look. No illusions.

 

I guess those of you that aren't military and don't live particularly active lifestyles (involving water-sports, heavy sweating, potentially rough contact to your head, wearing gas masks or fire suits, etc.) and aren't forced to live in the often-Spartan environments of deployed military personnel can get away with the "illusion" plan and its associated products. I cannot sustain such things, so whatever I get done can't be an "illusion." Which leads back the the original, more philosophical question...

 

What would you consider to be an illusion in terms of self modification? I mean, Botox is obviously an illusion, because it requires constant upkeep and it will sag and fail if left unattended for even a relatively short time. Same with fake spray-tans and collagen injections, and big elaborate comb-overs, and hair-piece rugs, and booster shoes that make you a little taller.

 

But what about, say for instance, a set of jawline implants that are permanently screwed into or fused to the jaw bone, or cheek bone implants that are fused to the skull, which will stay with a person and require no maintenance whatsoever (or even awareness of their presence) for the rest of their lives and will remain there until they die?

 

And if those things are still illusions in your eyes, then what about the surgeries that require no foreign device to be permanently implanted? Like using bone saws and surgical tools to strategically break and rebuild someone's jawline; to actually change the structure of the bones themselves permanently? Or using the Ilizarov Device (Google that) to lengthen one's leg bones permanently, making a person several inches taller?

 

Or even using the non-surgical Sorribes method with that double-sided tape to permanently flatten a person's ears back against their head after several months/years of wearing the tape? Or using huge amounts of protein supplements and mass gainers in combination with long, hard hours in a synthetic man-man gym using mechanically engineered made-made equipment to artificially pump up your muscles to ridiculous sizes that you would never be able to achieve without all the supplements and elaborate man-made weight devices?

 

Some people might even say that anything you're not born with is an illusion. But does that mean a big ugly burn scar across your face from a car wreck, which ostracizes you from society and mostly prevents you from ever finding romance or human intimacy, is an illusion as well? Or is that real, while any cosmetic procedures to fix it aren't real? Is it only real if it's random chance or "God's Will," as the religious might say?

 

Personally, I think conscious measures are the very answer to being victimized by random, unfortunate circumstance. Evolution is the deliberate effort of any life form to change and adapt itself in order to be better suited to its environment and to thrive. This extends to your own will as a social creature; if society worships the good-looking and the educated, are you smart enough and survival-driven enough as an organism to adapt to that standard, and thus to be all the more prone to succeed?

[Dwight]

Thank you

 

Loved your thoughts

[zenmunk]

Interesting thoughts. Thanks for sharing. I think everything ultimately boils down to illusion. We all perceive and interpret "reality" through our own lenses or filters. What we believe becomes real to us. Hence the expression, "As you think, so you are." At the end of the day, we have to follow our best instincts with any decision we must make. Do what feels right and makes you happy as long as you aren't infringing on another's life, liberty or property.

 

Regarding the illusion of HT, from what I've learned from this site and other places, unless you have very minimal loss and the surgeon is willing/able to transplant at ultra-high densities successfully (ideal hair characteristics don't hurt, either), you will always be forced to be conscious of environmental factors which may betray the differences between your native and transplanted hair. Even with ultra-high density procedures, you will not achieve the natural density you enjoyed before MPB started.

 

However, in the above example, I'd venture to say that you could probably have a HT and then not worry too much about environmental factors. I doubt others would be scrutinizing your hair so closely that they'd notice any differences (and, they may not even if they try). The question is how many lucky folks fall into that category?

[MAGNUMpi]

you will always be forced to be conscious of environmental factors which may betray the differences between your native and transplanted hair. Even with ultra-high density procedures, you will not achieve the natural density you enjoyed before MPB started.

Zenmunk, Do you mean to say that no HT will never be 100% completely undetectable and natural?

p.s. Great post Othersyde!

[zenmunk]

Nope, didn't say that Magnumpi. You didn't include the entire paragraph or the last paragraph in my post:

 

"Regarding the illusion of HT, from what I've learned from this site and other places, unless you have very minimal loss and the surgeon is willing/able to transplant at ultra-high densities successfully (ideal hair characteristics don't hurt, either), you will always be forced to be conscious of environmental factors which may betray the differences between your native and transplanted hair. Even with ultra-high density procedures, you will not achieve the natural density you enjoyed before MPB started.

 

"However, in the above example, I'd venture to say that you could probably have a HT and then not worry too much about environmental factors. I doubt others would be scrutinizing your hair so closely that they'd notice any differences (and, they may not even if they try). The question is how many lucky folks fall into that category?"

 

I believe a HT can be completely undetectable and natural. If I didn't, I wouldn't have spent as much time on this forum as I have. However, what you start with will determine what you end with (as long as you go to an excellent doc with excellent techs and your physiology cooperates).

 

Of course, it's all about the effective blend. If you have a slight recession, but very thick, dense hair otherwise, then that hairline is going to have to be very densely packed to create the effective blend (that's the kinda guy I was talking about in my example). However, if you're a diffuse thinner and you're filling in areas around native hair, you can get away with much less density. In both cases, I believe you can achieve an undetectable and natural result (if lady luck is on your side). You just have to make sure it blends effectively. However, it's probably harder to create the effective blend for a receder with otherwise thick, dense hair, because you simply can't approach what nature provides in a safe manner (imo).

 

But that has nothing to do with what you're willing to accept. If you're the diffuse thinner who wants to look like the guy with thick, dense hair, then you're going to have to use products or SMP to create that illusion. I don't believe a HT alone will cut it. Othersyde was talking about having a stand-alone procedure that requires doing nothing else. I believe that's possible, but it largely depends on one's needs and expectations.

Edited February 12, 2013 by zenmunk

[MAGNUMpi]

Ah yes zenmonk. sorry I misunderstood. got it now.

[Shampoo]

don't hold me to the exact numbers...I am speaking in broad general terms.

 

the "illusion" comes from the fact that most middle aged guys that get a hair transplant have lost say 50,000-75,000 hairs but generally only get about 5000-9000 grafts transplanted over a surgery or two...or even three surgeries

 

So since you are trying to replace 50,000-75,000 hairs with 5000-8000 grafts you must rely a surgeons's skill in making the most of the hairs that are transplanted and hopefully end up with an illusion of denisty.

 

There are millions of guys that have lost 30,000-70,000 hairs and there is just no way at this time to replace that many hairs with current limits on donor supply....so most balding guys considering a hair transplant can expect a surgeon to try and use transplanted hair to give an illusion of density....because less hair is trying to cover more area.....and as we see the best surgeons are very good at doing this.

[Dwight]

don't hold me to the exact numbers...I am speaking in broad general terms.

 

the "illusion" comes from the fact that most middle aged guys that get a hair transplant have lost say 50,000-75,000 hairs but generally only get about 5000-9000 grafts transplanted over a surgery or two...or even three surgeries

 

So since you are trying to replace 50,000-75,000 hairs with 5000-8000 grafts you must rely a surgeons's skill in making the most of the hairs that are transplanted and hopefully end up with an illusion of denisty.

 

There are millions of guys that have lost 30,000-70,000 hairs and there is just no way at this time to replace that many hairs with current limits on donor supply....so most balding guys considering a hair transplant can expect a surgeon to try and use transplanted hair to give an illusion of density....because less hair is trying to cover more area.....and as we see the best surgeons are very good at doing this.

 

This logic is as clear as day to me.

 

I cannot comprehend how some folks resist what is so obvious.

 

These posts raise an issue for me. I've been told by two respected surgeons that after my 2100 strip surgery I should have a FUE transplant.

 

One way strip surgeons achieve a greater illusion of density is doubling and tripling follicular units. In my case I have a disproportionatly high number of single hair follicular units. With FUE each unit is transplanted, singly. With Strip surgery it is possible to dissect single hairs into 2, 3, 4 groups. Then a "4" group of single hairs can be implanted to achieve greater density.

 

Not possible with FUE. Yet FUE is the "thing of the future".

 

I wonder if others have considered this. It doesn't seem to be a problem for FUE surgeons.

 

Maybe they use larger diameter tools. My understanding of tools is the greatest size is for a 3 unit follicle.

 

Now I am frustrated.

[Shampoo]

Not possible with FUE. Yet FUE is the "thing of the future".

 

Dwight have you seen Dr. Feller discuss FUE?

 

I really like his ideas on FUE.

 

 

[scar5]

"Illusion" is a word that can be spoken of in various ways regarding appearance and perception, be it a mental-psychological thing or just an optical but when the HT surgeon tells you about the 'illusion of density' he or she is talking about one and one thing only.

 

As Shampoo says, it is a numbers game. The key point is hair length vs color contrast and the need to find that 'sweet spot' as Jotronic aptly calls it.

 

The 'shingle effect' often spoken about is a form of 'the illusion', where a sparseness is hidden by the effect of the 'canopy' - a kind of facade created as the hair begins to buckle over due to its characteristics and its own weight and lie upon the neighboring hair doing the same thing. At certain lights and angles, one can see through it, but that is the compromise you get with 'the illusion'. For most purposes, you can trick the world you are not bald in that area.

 

I think Othersyde's point about wanting durability and robustness etc., rather than a 'paper-tiger-for-hair' is something most of us consider when designing the HT. (whether or not it pans out that way is another thing) I think the change to the contours of your head, as the wind and rain batter it and render it different is something we should, and of course do, consider. Again length plays a part.

 

If my hair is an inch long, dry and freshly washed, it looks thick. If oily, it breaks up into clumps of pluggy mini and micros and vague and dull minutarized hair. But if I grow to two inches, it doesn't separate like this if oily, so the illusion is working. On the otherhand the crown looks balder but this little problem - also an illusion kinda thing, is not the illusion of density spoken about as 'THE' illusion viz-a-viz HT surgery. If my hair is half an inch long then the geometry of the hairline and forehead makes me look stupid, even ridiculous. Again not 'the illusion' they speak about but a kind of illusion anyway. (although you might think otherwise lol)

Edited February 14, 2013 by scar5

[james84]

Scar, so if you have a transplant you cant wear your hair short on top, say half an inch? It will look stupid?? Im asking this because if i have a procedure i would like to wear my hair quite short.

[scar5]

James,

 

Absolutely not!!! You can have half inch hair transplanted and it can look excellent!.

 

But you do have to consider density vs angle and then you have color contrast, but that variable can and will change.

 

In my case half inch hair results in the eye being distracted from the vertical thing (being a faux-mohawk) to a horizontal thing, being a nasty hairline that is unnatural, revealing a huge potato like almost deformed forehead. Think 'The Rock' sans white teeth and good skin. It's awful, and for so long I told myself it rocked, and yet knew something was up! (That is the mental illusion lol)

 

Short HTs are great but angles-of-exit in relation to the plane of the skull as well as the geometry of the hairline are paramount. A few degrees off and you will look stupid, so design is everything for short HTs. With length, you can soften the effect.

[Spanker]

Othersyde,

 

I listened to your post on "voice over" on my iPhone and it was pretty hilarious. You should try it.

[OtherSyde]

Othersyde,

 

I listened to your post on "voice over" on my iPhone and it was pretty hilarious. You should try it.

 

I bet anything would be hilarious on voice-over... Like one of the weird fetish-romance scenes in 50 Shades of Grey? I bet that would be borderline creepy haha

[Bobilero]

If you have realistic goals and you are a good candidate you can have a great result.

 

People go on about not like having your teen hair back. Of course it aint. But thats so long gone for most you can more or less forget what its like to have.

 

If your a good candidate and get a good result you will be estatic to see decent coverage come back even if its half the density of your teenage self. Managing your own expectations is key to the whole process.