6 months post op care

[lacroix123]

Hi guys, I'm just looking for some recommendations on the above topic.

To cut a long story short I have taken a 6 month sabbatical from work in order to travel around the world. I also thought it would be a good time to get a hair transplant as I'll be away from work etc.

My plan was to get the transplant in the first month( FUT from a well respected doctor), then backpack for five months, and return to normal life with the transplant well on its way.

In summation I had a hair transplant 6 years ago, 2400 in the frontal third. I also started on propecia. I was 85% happy with the results, I just wanted to create some density and finish off the hairline. I had another 2300 procedure 2 weeks ago into the frontal third.

My plan was to keep my hair long on top and after a month everything would return to normal. What I didn't factor in was shockloss. I have almost 100% shock loss in the frontal third. I have no hair left there. I'm not going to turn this into another shockloss posting, so I will focus on what to do next.

 

From what information I can gather the following can effect hair regrowth

1)Nutrition

2)Illness, being run down

3)Shots such as Hep B shot and Malaria pills

4)Sun( with huge variations on time lag and whether it stops growth or not)

5)Gym supplements such as Creatine, whey isolate and anabolics.

 

Because of the above 4 first points I have abandoned my planned trip. Something I had planned for over 4 years. Devastating.

I don't want to risk picking up an illness etc etc.

My only goal now is to return my hair back to the way it was before I stupidly got greedy and decided to get another transplant.

So I have decided to stay at home, wait it out and pray I can return to the way I was before the transplant.

I reckon the only thing I can do to put in the time is work out and eat healthy. I have bought P90x( a weight lifting exercise plan) and plan to start it 1 month after my transplant.

 

My questions are

a) Is it ok to strenuously exercise( i.e body build) using something like P90x over the next 5 months. I'm not talking about going to the gym a couple of times a week for a run, I mean proper weight training everyday, combined with nutrition etc, avoiding supplements.

 

b) Is there any other advice on things to take/ avoid over the next six months?

 

I don't want to make the same mistakes again. I just want my old hair back.

Many thanks in advance

[shaggy1]

That's a pretty sound plan.

 

A world tour sounds like a perfect idea if you can do it. I think you might be a little paranoid about getting sick vs the benefits of taking the trip. I can imagine once the trip is started, the time would absolutely FLY by as opposed to staying at home.

 

Just be VERY conservative about what you eat/drink. The body is pretty strong...I'm sure even a stomach flu wouldn't really hurt an HT after the grafts are well in by let's say a month. All that hiking seems to me, just working the body processes more which in theory, should really help you heal/grow quicker. Just stay away from going to India and drinking from gutters!

 

My story is very similar. I had 1900 FUT two years ago. I stayed home for 2 weeks post-op to recover/stitches removed, etc, then I took a cross country road trip for a few weeks. Time to not think about recovery and time to contemplate life after having this crappy thinning problem reversed...very therapeutic!

 

It worked excellent except for the shock loss which took at least three months to recover. And even at that point, Toppik was a must. However, by month five/six i was returning to normal.

 

The hair eventually grew in great however, the shock loss did knock out a good amount of my native hair which would have gone eventually anyhow. Where that left me after a year was slightly worse than where I started....BUT the new hair was strong and permanent.

 

Like you, I knew I needed a second procedure to fill things in. I certainly wasn't looking forward to the whole shock loss thing which to me, is THE worse part of a transplant.

 

So, just over two months ago, July 9th, I had a second procedure for 2800 FUT. Luckily, I work from home so I've just been laying low through the shock loss period. After the first month, the shock loss was pretty scary...worse than the first procedure. I'm sure this is because I've have so much more grafts planted/more trauma to the area. I look like crap but from other stories on the site, I know this too will pass.

 

So, I guess my advice to you is to not just sit there waiting for the hair phone to ring and take your trip. Hell, even if it's hiking through the US like National Parks. I'm sure it will do you some good. As far as what to avoid....just live your life. The grafts are stronger than you think.

 

Anyhow, good luck on your journey!