4200 FUE with Dr Villnow (800 body hair)

[cousinr]

I went to see Dr Villnow in January this year (2013) and I'm at five months after the operation now.

 

The operation took 4 days. 3 days of scalp hair grafts and 1 day of body hair grafts.

 

The result is amazing because I've gone from Norwood 6 to a full head of hair.

 

His team were great, really experienced but the doctor himself was always there and he did most of the work himself. The team mainly helped out with placing the grafts afterwards.

 

The reason I chose Dr Villnow is because of his experience. He's been doing it for more than twenty years. Also I knew he did FUT, FUE and body hair transplants and I knew I needed a lot of

 

grafts.

 

I didn't want to go for FUT because I didn't want a scar so we went for as many FUE grafts as we could and as many body hair grafts as we could.

 

The other thing was that I wanted to have it all done in one go. Dr Villnow suggested a 4 day operation with 3500 grafts from the head and 1000 grafts from the body. In the end my donor area had 3400 grafts and the body hair grafts got up to 800 but that was enough. In four straight days, it was over.

 

Another reason I went to him was his price. His prices for scalp FUE were the best I could find. I knew the body hair grafts would be more expensive but he was still cheaper than other surgeons I spoke to in Belgium, Germany and England.

 

Here are photos before the operation started:

 

 

You can really see how bad I was from these photos. I ha no hair at all on my head, just wisps, a Norwood 6.

 

Now these pictures are from the first day of the operation.

 

 

 

The first day was the longest. We started at 0730 and it went on all day. Dr Villnow and his team extracted and placed 2000 grafts that day.

 

Here are some more photos from the first day:

 

 

 

With these two photos you can really see where the donor area on the sides of my head was operated on.

 

Here's another photo from the first day.

 

 

You can see the job isn't done yet but most of the front was covered.

 

Now the second day was the body hair day. I have to say that this was not pain-free. The painkiller injections into my chest were more painful than the ones into my head but it I could handle it. The day was much shorter than the first day.

 

Dr Villnow did this part all by himself and in the end he gave me some medicine to calm me down. After that it was ok but I'm glad I don't have to do it again but it was definitely worth

 

it.

 

Here are the photos from the second day:

 

 

 

You can see where the grafts were taken from my chest. You can also see where the body hairs were placed. They were placed on the back of my head to pack out the crown.

 

Now here are the photos from Day 3. The last two days were all scalp FUE and used to fill out the back of my head.

 

 

And now here are the photos on the last day of the operation. All the grafts are in place. 4200 grafts in four days.

 

 

The operation finished at 1500 on the last day and I had a good rest. On the next day I already travelled home.

 

The clinic gave me painkillers, pillows and plenty of advice.

 

I had taken some time off work (one week) and I let myself recover.

 

I knew the hairs would fall out after a while and it started after about ten days. I know this is normal but it was still sad to see them start to fall out.

 

It tooks months before they came back and when they did, I took another set of photos. Here they are:

 

 

These photos are at five months after the operation so the hairs are very young. I am very, very happy with this operation and I will keep putting up some more photos soon.

 

Thank you for reading my journal and please let me know what you think. Thank you.

 

Now I am adding photos at eight months after the operation. You can see the density is very good and it seem that all the grafts are growing well. Now I have cut my hair short again before I took these photos. Next time I will let it grow long.

 

 

On the back of the head are the body hairs. They have grown well and look the same as the scalp hairs.

 

 

 

 

Density is good all over on the next photo.

 

 

On this next photo you can see the donor area.

 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2013 by cousinr
spelling

[hairshopeing]

Very interesting case!! I wish you look!! So far it's looking good!! Already a big improvement from Pre op!

[sapo]

Congrats. it can only get better .where is dr Villnow based?

[KO]

HOLY S**T.

 

That's what I'm talking about!

 

 

I think Mickey85 just ejaculated all over his screen.

Edited May 26, 2013 by Future_HT_Doc

[Blake Bloxham]

Cous,

 

Wow! Very interesting case. Congratulations.

[Yiddo]

Very ambitious !

[scar5]

I thought your results would be poor, but far from it, they are excellent, given the immense amount of scalp and the risks of BHT.

 

More grafts would be welcome, and maybe some SMP, but for now, you are looking great. So much better than before.

 

It's cases like this that break down walls.

 

Just think of all the people are led to believe FUE is only for 'small jobs' and that strip is needed past 3000.

 

not only do you look better, you have NO STRIP scar...and that is precious for a baldy!!

 

Congrats. I hope you keep growing well.

[Mickey85]

HOLY S**T.

 

That's what I'm talking about!

 

 

I think Mickey85 just ejaculated all over his screen.

 

HTN owes me a new laptop!!!

 

Very interesting case, will be curious to see how it turns out after a few months in terms of yield and how the body hair blends with the scalp hair.

Edited May 26, 2013 by Mickey85

[Davis91]

I think readers need to understand that this will give this fellow the ability to have a nice buzz cut/shadow and will likely look good consistently cut short.As noted, if he added some SMP it may look even fuller. To get a fullish effect at a buzz cut, for most patients it would take a combination of 10,000-20,000 grafts.

 

I hope this guy keeps posting photos.

[Mickey85]

I thought your results would be poor, but far from it, they are excellent, given the immense amount of scalp and the risks of BHT.

 

More grafts would be welcome, and maybe some SMP, but for now, you are looking great. So much better than before.

 

It's cases like this that break down walls.

 

Just think of all the people are led to believe FUE is only for 'small jobs' and that strip is needed past 3000.

not only do you look better, you have NO STRIP scar...and that is precious for a baldy!!

 

Congrats. I hope you keep growing well.

 

Could not agree more...

 

Everyone is free to make up their own mind but FUE has constantly been breaking down walls for a few years now.

 

First it was "FUE is going back to the plug days" debunked

Then it was "The transection rate does not make it viable" debunked

Then it was "FUE is only good for small jobs and slight recession" debunked

Then it was "FUE cause too much fatigue for anything more than 1,000" debunked

Then it was "FUE is only good for 3,000 grafts' debunked

Then it was "Lorenzo can only restore high norwoods cause they are Spanish and have dense donors" debunked when he has restored Norwood 5 and 6s with an average amount of grafts.

[TakingThePlunge]

Congratulations! This looks to be a very interesting case and I hope you'll continue to update us as your hair transplant matures. Best of luck!

[cousinr]

Congrats. it can only get better .where is dr Villnow based?

 

Thanks to all of you for your comments! I will definitely put up more photos!

 

I went to get my consultation with Dr Villnow at his clinic in Duesseldorf and I was treated at his clinic in Belgium which is in Hasselt.

[tacolinowest]

i cant see your face much but you look 15-20 years younger, in those after pics where you have glasses on you look to be in your early- mid 30s and in the be4 pics you look 45-50

[William38]

This is a fantastic result! I think the body hair at the back is especially good!

 

I went to see Dr De Reys last year and I've had superb growth but I'm wondering if I should beef up the back (crown) with some body hair too - kind of like you've had done. Was it really tough when the body hairs were extracted?

[cousinr]

The body hair was a bit painful but it wasn't too bad. I could bear it. It was worth it for the extra hairs and the price was very good.It was a good experience and I'm very happy with the result.

[Denny]

This is really amazing. Where is Hariri to see this? ;-)

[Spanker]

Looking forward to seeing more on this case. I clicked on the link because I have never heard of this doctor before.

 

Very impressive. It looks great and you got a LOT of coverage.

 

It doesn't look like you have a lot of body hair, did they shave it all down and what caliber would you say your body hair is? Mine is pretty fine for body hair and I don't know that it would be of much use.

[Dwight]

Great Job Man

 

Looking good

 

I am envious. I have your degree of balding. I had 2100 FUT a year ago. I am happy with my result. However I see the fruit of a superior surgeon in your case.

 

Questions.

 

Why did you not utilize beard hair?

 

In the first picture after surgery (after you write "Now these pictures are from the first day of the operation."), the implantation seems to be angled. It might be an optical illusion. If it is not it might mean clever placement for combing from your left side to your right side. Is that correct? Angled for combing left to right?

 

In the second picture after the above (side view with your head facing to the right), it appears there is redness along the hairline and a bit downward. Is this a donor site or a recipient site?

 

If it is a donor site do you have a concern of the hair line dropping lower causing a small cosmetic problem?

 

The pictures of the recipient site immediately after surgery (I mean showing a day later) seem to have less redness compared to mine. Is that a camera effect or was there little redness? Mine was red for a long time. How long did redness last?

 

With your seeming hair numbers you have sufficient reserves to move your hair line down, move the temples forward, temple points, have you thought of this for the future?

 

There are many negative posters who seem to think that if one cannot get the result of a Brad Pitt the effort is futile. I applaud your character in posting.

 

Take care

 

I appreciate your details because it shows me visually what is possible. I was told by certain physicians that my case was "hopeless". My hair loss is very similar to yours. There are many dumb and/or unimaginative and/or fast buck seeking physicians.

[evil]

You look awesome at 5 months, I really hope it turns out to be all you want it to be and it sure looks like you're on target for a spectacular result.

[cousinr]

Hi Spanker, yes, I didn't have as much body hair as I'd hoped but 800 grafts was still good. Dr Villnow said the most he could get was 1000 grafts from the body.

 

My chest hair is also pretty fine but he said it changes once it's on the head. It grows longer and thicker than it is on the chest. I've seen this in my hair

[cousinr]

Dwight, I chose Dr Villnow because he is a famous celebrity surgeon (maybe he's only famous in Germany?) and because he's been doing it so long (more than 20 years). For your questions,

 

-Why did you not utilize beard hair?

 

It was already a four day operation. I think five days would have been too much. Dr Villnow charges more for beard and body hair then for scalp hair although his scalp hair prices were really good. 3000 grafts for 7000 euros.

In the first picture after surgery (after you write "Now these pictures are from the first day of the operation."), the implantation seems to be angled. It might be an optical illusion. If it is not it might mean clever placement for combing from your left side to your right side. Is that correct? Angled for combing left to right?

 

I don't know if that's the reason. Maybe it's to create a natural-looking swirl across the head? Dr Villnow made a real effort to design it rgiht.

 

 

In the second picture after the above (side view with your head facing to the right), it appears there is redness along the hairline and a bit downward. Is this a donor site or a recipient site?

 

that's the donor area. That's where he took grafts out.

 

If it is a donor site do you have a concern of the hair line dropping lower causing a small cosmetic problem?

 

No, it seems fine now.

 

The pictures of the recipient site immediately after surgery (I mean showing a day later) seem to have less redness compared to mine. Is that a camera effect or was there little redness? Mine was red for a long time. How long did redness last?

 

My redness didn't last too long. My skin is darker anyway so it wasn't too visible.

With your seeming hair numbers you have sufficient reserves to move your hair line down, move the temples forward, temple points, have you thought of this for the future?

 

No, I'm happy at the moment but, yes, Dr Villnow said I could get more done later if I wanted.

[Gary1911A1]

Hi Spanker, yes, I didn't have as much body hair as I'd hoped but 800 grafts was still good. Dr Villnow said the most he could get was 1000 grafts from the body.

 

My chest hair is also pretty fine but he said it changes once it's on the head. It grows longer and thicker than it is on the chest. I've seen this in my hair

 

Thanks for posting. I didn't know chest hairs would grow longer and thicker on the head. Makes me glad I have a lot of chest hairs. I think you are looking good after five months and hope it fills in to your expectations.

[Atticus]

Amen - I heard/read all the myths you listed below when I first joined. The more I researched, the more I liked FUE. It was a no brainer decision for me - scar or no scar, I went with no scar. I am glad FUE is getting the recognition it always deserved. I hear less and less of the myths you listed as time has gone on, and the more exposure it gets, the better.

 

Atticus

 

 

 

Could not agree more...

 

Everyone is free to make up their own mind but FUE has constantly been breaking down walls for a few years now.

 

First it was "FUE is going back to the plug days" debunked

Then it was "The transection rate does not make it viable" debunked

Then it was "FUE is only good for small jobs and slight recession" debunked

Then it was "FUE cause too much fatigue for anything more than 1,000" debunked

Then it was "FUE is only good for 3,000 grafts' debunked

Then it was "Lorenzo can only restore high norwoods cause they are Spanish and have dense donors" debunked when he has restored Norwood 5 and 6s with an average amount of grafts.

[William38]

This is great. What's the waiting time like? How long did you have to wait to get your op?

[cousinr]

William38, I got a diagnosis from him in December and I went to have the operation in January.