Worried-Is this shock loss, transection, both

[ajm0266]

I had a

 

 

 

[ajm0266]

I am new to the forum, and so not familiar with how to do discussion. But anyway, above are my pictrues, can anyone tell me if this is Shock Loss? If so, how bad is it? Will it get worse? Should I be concerned at this stage?

There were 251 grafts done to fill in the hairline. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks

Alan

[Forrest Gump]

Can I ask why you had a HT surgery in the first place? Your hair looked pretty good, as far as I can tell from the pictures. Also, I never heard anyone getting any cosmetic change with 251 grafts. I don't think you needed the surgery in the first place.

 

Regarding your question: It is tough to say if it's transection or shock loss or both. My guess is it's a bit of both. The best solution is to wait for 3-4 months. If the hair comes back, then it's temporary shock loss. Otherwise, it's transection.

 

Hopefully, it's shock loss only. Good luck!

[Severn]

I think I remember one of the reps talking about there is a much higher liklihood of shock loss when transplanting into areas above 30-40 FU/CM2. Your pre-op pics look to be at least 30 FU/CM2 on density. On temporary shock loss look for the hair to remain dormant for about 4-6 months then start to regrow again.

 

Who was your doc btw?

[lostandgone]

ajm.

 

i agree with forrest gump.. there didn't seem to have a need for a HT .. but i guess its your choice..

 

regarding your question.. i dont think its a shock loss cos, once a HT is done, these suckers fall off and then re-grow.. so give it some more time and they will re-grow..

 

fyi.. if shockloss does occur, it take few months to get them back....

[Bill - Seemiller]

ajm0266,

 

Welcome to our community.

 

Honestly, your photos are a little unclear and the degree of hair loss you had prior to hair transplantation is indistinguishable. Can you post some photos showing alternative angles of your scalp?

 

It does appear that you may have had a little bit of shock loss, which is typical any time hair is transplanted in between or around existing natural hair. At 35 days post op, this is typical.

 

Honestly, the first several months are the hardest as often times we look worse before we look better.

 

Hang in there.

 

Bill

[ajm0266]

I am sorrry. I didnt give much details.

I am and have been a hair transplant patient of Dr Leavitts since 1992. He has done all my surgeries.

I was basically done in 2005, but due to my long face, I felt the hairline needed to come down. Because of all the surgeries, and my lack of donor, he has always done small procedures . I do have may strip scars to show for it, but I have learned to accept it. Propecia, Avodart and Rogaine have halted my hair loss. THis surgery concerns me because really, I am at the end of available donor and if in fact this doesnt grow, or the shock loss hair doesnt grow back, then I will be incomplete.

I appreciate all the comments. Dr Leavitt feels confidant that there was no transection, and has assured me that it will all grow back. But I cant recall ever havig shock loss i my prior surgeries, which has me concerned. Thank you for those wishing to comment. I will post pictures weekly and keep you up to date.

[kaounis]

Honestly, your recipient area loss dosn't look all that bad...Your donor area looks brutal....I also had some shock loss on my second HT, but it all grew back...So don't worry...I think you will be fine..

 

 

Just a thought from the peanut gallery...

[Severn]

With that much scaring, why wouldn't you grow your hair out longer to cover them up?

[ajm0266]

Because being 43 years old, the frustration of "doing my hair" became a huge hassel. When it gets to be an inch, you would be amazed what a hassel it is to comb and style and spray -and every hair has to be in place and that in itself becomes unnatural. I was so scared to clip it, and I know that it draws attention to the fact I have had "something done"-(to those who dont suspect), but I can accept that. We all have crosses to bear, and the strip scars are mine. Technology back in the early 90s was not very good, and of course, I am a product of that time.

I just made the decision this year to clip it because I got to a point in my life I dont want to fuss and spray. The true problem in growing long isnt really the dies and the back, it really has nore to do with the front . The spaces I went to fill in this surgery, if it grows and the shock isnt permanent which is what my post is about, then I suspect that I will be able to comb it back without all the bald spots I had in the hairline.

[aaron1234]

ajm0266,

 

I assume that the shocked hair around the recent transplanted area was also transplanted hair. Thus, if it was taken from the safe zone it should grow back.

 

But 15 surgeries? Wow, is that some kind of record. If I were you, I'd be more concerned about the scars. I just made a post with pics of concealer covering the scar from my very recent surgery. Check it out, it's titled "Concealer on donor". But it sounds like you don't want to put up with the hassle.

 

All the best and good luck.

[ajm0266]

Wow-The conceler looks good!

My hair is so short, I would think with the may sacrs I have I would look like Jermaine Jackson. -Unnatural-Dont you think?

Plus, my hair this short -If I darken the sides, then the top will look sparse.

Yours look great, and you have so much donor left. Very luck you didnt start in the 90s! Funny, back then I felt so bad for those whom started int the 80s.

[Severn]

Originally posted by ajm0266:

Very luck you didnt start in the 90s! Funny, back then I felt so bad for those whom started int the 80s.

 

lol I'm sure in 40 or 50 years from now, people will look back and feel bad for us for having to have a transplant at all. A simple gene therapy shot and your done! (or something like that)

[aaron1234]

ajm0266,

 

Yes, I'm very happy with the concealer indeed. It doesn't completely fix everything, but it holds me over on the days I can't wear a hat (3-4 days a week). You may be right, that your hair wouldn't work well with concealer. You know your hair better than anyone else. But it doesn't hurt to try. I know it has taken me awhile to get the dermmatch to blend well. And it isn't perfect. But give it a shot. Who knows? That cross you bear may become less burdensome.

[miked]

Did someone delete pictures or commentary? i see no donor area and i missed the part about 15 prior procedures. 251 grafts? multiple strips? i doubt you were able to drop the hairline much using 251 hairs (singles are almost exclusively used for hairlines).

 

In my opinion permanent shock loss is a real risk you are taking when going for these micro sessions. not to mention much discomfort for what few if any would recognize as cosmetically significant improvement.

 

with a history of many prior HTs you would be no stranger to the shedding that typically occurs weeks after an HT. So I guess I am a little confused and more than a little befuddled with this entire thread.

[ajm0266]

Hey Miked,

I deleted the donor pictures because they arent too relevant as my concern is with the shock loss.

The hiarline as you can see in the gallery has already been lowered via 3 prior surgeries. (1st=110 grafts 2nd= 160 3rd=281)

This 4th one as shown above was to fill in the spaces, because when it grows longer than an inch it lookd transplanty.

So, as seen above, I have had post op shedding, and in all my prior surgeries I cant recall ANY shock loss in my prior. ALl the hair on the top of my head is transplants, so I wasnt expecting shock becaause 1) I have never had shock, and 2) I thought transplanted hair doesnt shock. Sorry for the confusing post

[Severn]

Originally posted by ajm0266:

I thought transplanted hair doesnt shock.

 

Unless I'm mistaken, transplanted hair most certainly can go into a shockloss phase. It has nothing to do with how resistant the hairs are to DHT. You'll see many photos of patients experiencing temporary shockloss from the donor and recipient area. It's just the trauma of the surgery causing the follicles closeby to go into the telogen phase. But that certainly doesn't imply that it's permanent. The huge majority of shockloss is temporary and lasts around 4-6 months.

 

And if the shockloss isn't temporary, then either the follicle was transected or the hair was miniturized and on its way out. The surgery was the final knife in its dying heart.

[AutoPilot]

ajm0266,

 

Im still quite confused why you considered procedures of 110/160/281 grafts?

For argument sake, a 110 graft procedure will prob give you around 200 hairs. Assuming you get a good yield of 85% transplanted hairs, that gives you 160 transplanted hairs.

 

Forgive me, but i think its crazy to go under the knife for 160 hairs and possible shockloss.

 

Was this your doctors suggestion?