Dr Rahal FUE, January 2013

[stinger99]

although i agree the yeild is certainly not what it should have been, but your hair looks pretty damn good. im a nw 5 going on a 6 and would love to have the hair u have. ur hairline doesnt look bad at all man. i agree that some counselling should be seriously considered.

[mahhong]

I hope it doesn't sound condescending, but I too would also seriously suggest counselling or some kind of advice might be useful, if you feel so desperate as a result of this transplant.

 

To me, your photos look great. A huge improvement on where you were and a very normal looking head of hair. Sure there might be the mildest hint of sparseness at the hairline, but you're only 8.5 months in and your hair looks natural and pretty full overall.

 

The frank reality is 99.9% of people would class you as having a nice full head of hair. Sure, you might be able to compare it to genuine non-balding men and notice a difference yourself, but this has by no means been a failure - not only because the current result is great, but because you still have another 3-4 months minimum of growth.

 

As many others have pointed out, it seems your feelings about this transplant suggest that your esteem, self-confidence and personal perception are what need improving, not your hair. One of the biggest problems with cosmetic surgery is that many people don't put it in perspective with the rest of their lives, and instead believe a physical change will solve everything.

 

Your hair looks natural and good. It may not be quite as dense as you would like - but that is ultimately going to be true for nearly every hair transplant patient no matter how good their results. Nearly everybody here would like a little bit more, even if they're happy with where they are.

 

If your results had caused some sort of disfigurement or serious cosmetic imbalance I could understand - but if you could see how almost everybody else would see you, I think you'd realise most people weren't judging you by your hair anyway, and even if they were, almost everybody wouldn't see anything remotely lacking with it.

 

You have to change yourself from the inside too, if you are unhappy or feel unable to face yourself or the world. We're all here because we want good hair, but most people also have wives, girlfriends, friends, careers, hobbies, passions and a sense of worth outside of their appearance. If your reaction to this result is so extreme, it suggests you were placing too much emphasis on your physical appearance alone.

 

Don't become reclusive, or refuse to acknowledge yourself. That is a slippery slope and one nobody, least of all yourself, needs to be on. If you feel you are on it, you can get help and support and in time I hope you'll realise you're more than just your hair and, in fact, you look good and should hold your head up high. You have to be more than just the follicles on your head, else all the follicles in the world won't change how you feel. Next it'll be wrinkles, or body shape - we can always find something we'd like to change, but it's important to be proud of what you have.

 

I hope you find a way forward from this, because life is too short and it's not even like the results have been disastrous. I appreciate we scrutinise and criticise ourselves and we're all capable of doing so, but you have to be able to see the real you and how looks in context. There are millions of guys walking around out there with worse hairlines, or no hairlines at all! And they do great. This is not the reason to throw it all away.

[Sean]

You had 1400 grafts but definitely don't beat yourself. Folks have had megasessions in excess of 2500+ grafts in similar sized areas or less. I agree with Mickey, give yourself another 3-4 months to compare. Hope things turn out great for you.

[hairthere]

I'll never forget the first time I visited Dr. Feller after my first poor HT with Joseph Karamikian. Dr. F thought my hair looked fine. Then he combed through and had a closer look and he understood why I was upset and wanting another HT.

 

Sometimes what we see in pictures is the best case scenario, and doesn't truly illustrate what the person sees every day.

 

That being said, from these pictures you appear to have a very nice, new hairline and it does not look at all like you are suffering from MPB. If I was to nitpick, I'd say you can detect that the hairline could perhaps be a little more dense at the temples.

 

You seem very concerned with what your friends and family think (understandably). I would show them these before and after pics and see if they have the same opinion. But by no means should you be living like a recluse. As many have stated, most guys on here would love to have your hair!

[britboy]

This hairline in above photos looks very acceptable.. I wish I had it:-)

[Number47]

You pulled the trigger too early on transplants even psychologically you were not ready, you looked fine before and with some creative hairstyles it would look great but you are a perfectionist as most are early in the game.

 

There is nothing wrong with how you look now, we are our worst critics. I would understand you if it was just a yield disappointment issue but you act as if you turned into a freak of nature.

 

Give it some time to get used to it, let the year mark pass and you will eventually relax and think of your options with a clear head don't rush into decisions now. If it was me i wouldn't do nothing!

 

Get up go get drunk with friends and have some fun, use some styling aids like clay it helps a lot and everything will look uniform and nice.

[RNZ]

I don't say this too heavy handed, but there is a box on your medical form that said "is this patient mentally fit for a hair transplant?" Your doctor should have selected, no.

 

Oh bullshit. Most people would be feeling the same way. He got a raw deal from the beginning when he didn't get the 2000 promised, then what looked like a low yield. I'd be really really down and even angry about it as well.

 

Some of us know the feeling of the self-esteem being down before my HT, and then having the HT and feeling hope again, then having it all taken away again when they all fall out after about 3 weeks, but now I'm in the position that they grew back great strongly, but he didn't get that satisfaction in the end.

 

BridgetJones - I wish you luck with the the extra 400 that you do, and I hope it comes out right in the end. My HT has given me a new lease on life, and I hope you get to experience it.

 

The distant pictures actually do look pretty good, even if the close up ones don't.

 

Good luck.

[mahhong]

Oh bullshit. Most people would be feeling the same way. He got a raw deal from the beginning when he didn't get the 2000 promised, then what looked like a low yield. I'd be really really down and even angry about it as well.

 

Some of us know the feeling of the self-esteem being down before my HT, and then having the HT and feeling hope again, then having it all taken away again when they all fall out after about 3 weeks, but now I'm in the position that they grew back great strongly, but he didn't get that satisfaction in the end.

 

BridgetJones - I wish you luck with the the extra 400 that you do, and I hope it comes out right in the end. My HT has given me a new lease on life, and I hope you get to experience it.

 

The distant pictures actually do look pretty good, even if the close up ones don't.

 

Good luck.

 

But you have to be concerned when people use phrases like, "my life has become a nightmare", or "all my hopes are broken" - especially when you see the results they're talking about are frankly really not that bad. It could just be hyperbole or a particularly sensitive moment, but if somebody really is feeling that utterly distraught because their hairline is a bit thin there are deeper and more profound issues at play. What happens if that person needs a second or third, or even fourth HT? There are no guarantees somebody will be able to keep up with their loss. I very much hope that won't happen to this person (certainly the hairloss doesn't seem extensive), but none of us know how things will pan out.

 

I think a big part of hair transplants, ironic as it sounds, is that you want good hair but don't invest absolutely every hope you have in the belief you need it. You have to be able to place your desires into a realistic framework and accept the limitations and risks that come with entering the world of hair restoration.

 

I keep looking at the photos and think, not only do they represent a vast improvement on where the patient started but it's also pretty decent work for 1,400 grafts - especially considering there are a few months left of maturing and thickening.

 

In short, I think it's fair to say objectively the reaction doesn't balance up with the outcome. And that unfortunately suggests somebody who won't be able to deal with the inevitable ups and downs of hairloss and hair restoration. Sometimes yield won't be quite as high as you'd like it and sometimes it can go a bit awry or not quite fulfill expectations. Those eventualities need to be thoroughly built into your mindset - if you absolutely cannot handle them, you have to question whether it's a path worth going down.

 

As I say, I think it's a different kettle of fish if a patient gets "butchered" and I know this patient has had previous bad experiences - but not with Rahal of course. If you're left with life changing scars or a ravaged donor area and virtually no yield, then being extremely upset and angry is understandable - but these extreme instances are rare so long as you go to a reputable doctor.

 

I think the work here is good. Sure it might not be one of Rahal's absolute "knockout" results, but nobody can fail to see the difference and for 1,400 grafts an very appreciable cosmetic difference has been made.

 

You have to be able to handle the expectation and reality of hair restoration, and the fact it is an ongoing journey and rarely a destination. I feel for people when I see them talking doom and gloom over results that are really not that bad - I hope this patient gets to where he wants to be aesthetically.

[BridgetJones]

Hello Everyone,

 

Thank you very much for your comments. While I have definitely contributed but I didn't push myself into such a terrible state:

- First if I start with my family and friends. Yes, they are all supportive and say that it all looks fine. But even they admit that the hairline is far from being OK. The back of the temples did grow which does create a cover when looking from the top.

- Second, my work involves working with a lot of different/new people. I swear to God, 70% of them always look at my hairline. And it's not a random look, they are deliberately looking at the hairline with the very curios looks. Not into my eyes (when talking to me), but to my hairline.

- Third, I even had some people of the tube coming up to me and asking what has happened to my hairline. I had only 2 occurrences so far but still.

 

When you have go through this everyday; when you meet new people and when shaking their hands they stare at your hairline, when saying goodbye people stare at your hairline, when people you already know/met also look at the your hairline everytime you see them again.

 

If that all sounds amazing to you, let it be, I won't go into polemic. I didn't come here to argue with anyone, I am only sharing my results and experience.

 

P.S.

I still believe Dr. Rahal is a great surgeon. But it looks like I am not suitable for FUE and I wish doctors had better tools to identify who is suitable for what, but I understand that it's not possible currently. The density of my hairline was 47-48 follicular unit grafts per square centimetre, but the hairline does appear less dense than 20 FU/cm with some spots having pretty much 0 hair which can also be seen on the pictures.

[greatjob]

Hello Everyone,

 

Thank you very much for your comments. While I have definitely contributed but I didn't push myself into such a terrible state:

- First if I start with my family and friends. Yes, they are all supportive and say that it all looks fine. But even they admit that the hairline is far from being OK. The back of the temples did grow which does create a cover when looking from the top.

- Second, my work involves working with a lot of different/new people. I swear to God, 70% of them always look at my hairline. And it's not a random look, they are deliberately looking at the hairline with the very curios looks. Not into my eyes (when talking to me), but to my hairline.

- Third, I even had some people of the tube coming up to me and asking what has happened to my hairline. I had only 2 occurrences so far but still.

 

When you have go through this everyday; when you meet new people and when shaking their hands they stare at your hairline, when saying goodbye people stare at your hairline, when people you already know/met also look at the your hairline everytime you see them again.

 

If that all sounds amazing to you, let it be, I won't go into polemic. I didn't come here to argue with anyone, I am only sharing my results and experience.

 

P.S.

I still believe Dr. Rahal is a great surgeon. But it looks like I am not suitable for FUE and I wish doctors had better tools to identify who is suitable for what, but I understand that it's not possible currently. The density of my hairline was 47-48 follicular unit grafts per square centimetre, but the hairline does appear less dense than 20 FU/cm with some spots having pretty much 0 hair which can also be seen on the pictures.

I know you already had a failed strip procedure, but were you tapped out of donor for strip? I ask this because you needed more than 1400 grafts to get to where you want to be, although you do still have some time to grow yet, and since you already had a strip scar I don't see the point in switching to fue until a final last resort. Unless you have an extremely tight scalp, I think you may have been able to get an adequate amount of grafts from strip, but by going the fue route instead you may have shot yourself in the foot so to speak.

[BridgetJones]

I know you already had a failed strip procedure, but were you tapped out of donor for strip?

 

I did not have a strip procedure. I only had FUE.

[MTL30]

I think the Hairloss industry should come up with something new that works for sure instead of ruinning peoples life and pockets.The strip method is so old and nasty should be out of the market by now....

[stinger99]

bridgetjones, did dr rahal offer to fix your results?

[Slickers]

 

- Third, I even had some people of the tube coming up to me and asking what has happened to my hairline. I had only 2 occurrences so far but still.

 

 

 

Seriously, this isn't true is it? People do not just approach total strangers on the tube and ask them highly personal questions. I travel on the tube everyday and I've seen all manner of people and many weird and wonderful things and the reaction from commuters is the same, they don't bat an eyelid.

 

You expect us to believe that, not once but twice, total strangers have found your hairline so compellingly unusual that they have ignored all social boundaries and come up to you just to ask about your hairline? LMAO. You could have two heads on the tube and no one would stop to ask. I'm sorry but I think you might be embellishing for effect here.

[BridgetJones]

Wow, Slickers I won't even try to convince you. You seem to know everything and everyone in this world and that everyone operates the way you think.

 

P.S.

I personally approached one guy on the tube and asked him who did the surgery, because I could see the scar on the back of his head. But of course you will probably say that I am lying again.

[Slickers]

You've had a lot of good advice on here. Get out and enjoy your life. If the pictures you've posted are truly representative of how your hair looks, you have a nice head of hair.

 

At the end of the day only you know how you really feel but as others have commented I don't equate your comments with the pictures you've posted. Either way I hope you can find a way to not let it affect you so badly.

Edited November 7, 2013 by Slickers

[Cant decide]

My hairline is 100% transplants and nobody has ever even batted an eye. Not once!! I am not saying you are lying but its just so hard to believe your hairline would bring that much attention from the average person on the streets. I would love to have your hair as it is today. I think you need to post some other pictures because we are just no seeing it on here at all.

 

Good luck though. I do wish you the best.

[BridgetJones]

But I am not saying that people are paying attention to the "transplanted" hairlines. If we look at many Dr Rahal's or other surgeons' hairline pictures they all look great. And of course you probably wouldn't even say that it's transplanted.

 

What I am saying is that in my case the hairline does not exist pretty much. There are dozens of hair sticking out creating very unattractive look.

Dr Rahal treated wider frontal area which has grown as expected and creates the cover. It looks alright from the distance but when standing closer you see a completely different "picture".

 

[Cant decide]

Now that picture bettter proves your point. It looks a bit pluggy and actually even scabby. I still dont think its aweful but I do see your point more now. How is Dr. Rahal handling this for you? This is obviosly not representative of his work.

[rev333]

bj

 

how anyone can defend the results you have gotten is beyond me

 

it is totally fixable though

 

have you considered a try at "strip" for the next one?

[BridgetJones]

Hello Everyone,

 

I had a call with Dr Rahal today and I will outline his feedback below but before that I would like to clarify few points. I believe there is a misunderstanding probably caused by some of my comments.

 

Dr Rahal treated the wider area of my head: The hairline zone and the frontal area (behind the hairline).

1. The hairline zone (the strip aprox. 1.5cm in width) is my main concern as it did not grow as expected with only few dozens hair sticking out.

2. The frontal area did grow as expected. I have NO concerns about this area and I am glad it has grown as it creates a big difference on the overall appearance.

 

As we spoke today and back in July, Dr Rahal reassured that he will do 400 grafts, or maybe more as it needs to be evaluated in person. We will also look into doing strip (FUT) procedure. Dr Rahal and his team are aware of my concerns about the hairline and we are exploring options of how to fix it. I know Dr Rahal cares about his patients and wants them to be happy and satisfied with the results. They were and are in contract with me and I know that they will take care of it.

Edited November 9, 2013 by BridgetJones

[stinger99]

thx for posting that close up pic of the hairline. i totally see your point and would not be happy with this result. it is far from a disaster but definately not representative on what dr rahal's work typically looks like. did he mention why he thinks this happened?

what is however important is that dr rahal is taking the time to speak with you, meet with you, evaluate the situation and has offered to fix it., hopefully for free. in the end a HT has its risks. although risks are minimal, especially when chosing a quality surgeon like dr rahal, even at that there are always risks, often uncontrollable by the surgeon. what counts is how the dr handles the situation.

pls keep us posted on your follow up with dr rahal. i trust he will fix the problem and make it right. if he does, please post it on this thread so everyone can know dr rahal's after patient care. good luck.

[slugworth]

While in Canada I several times checked with Mike and nurses if I could start wearing bandana after 2 weeks post-op. I even brought all the bandanas with me to show them. They gave me all clear! I didn't have much scabs, the head looked really good. Just a bit of dried blood from the surgery (no blood post-op). It was really clean. For the next 1.5 month I was wearing bandana (not tight) and only while in the office. In the end or March I finally got my first haircut and didn't need any cover in the office anymore.

 

I have a question regarding the downtime (I know the topic of this thread has changed over time but its a from your post post). I am curious if you were wearing a bandana in your office, what excuse did you use for wearing it? Fashion fad

 

I have to say I think your results look great, although I can see thats a controversial opinion. It doesnt even look to me like you are balding much in the recent photos.

[Sean]

OP, did the area get better or did you go for another repair? How is the recipient zone doing now? Its been sometime since your last post.

[Aftermath]

On 11/7/2013 at 9:44 PM, BridgetJones said:

But I am not saying that people are paying attention to the "transplanted" hairlines. If we look at many Dr Rahal's or other surgeons' hairline pictures they all look great. And of course you probably wouldn't even say that it's transplanted.

 

What I am saying is that in my case the hairline does not exist pretty much. There are dozens of hair sticking out creating very unattractive look.

Dr Rahal treated wider frontal area which has grown as expected and creates the cover. It looks alright from the distance but when standing closer you see a completely different "picture".

 

Any updates on this? Did it get repaired? Refunded?