Depressed with Recent FUT

[aaron602]

hey guy id like to comment on this thread regarding my experience with a strip procedure..

 

when I went to consult with a coalation doc recommended on this site I thought I was in good hands(the doctor also has a reputation for "honesty in the field of hair restoration"...but this couldn't be any farther from the truth.

 

I went in for a consult thinking I could trust this person. I was 19 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME OF MY CONSULT AND SURGERY, I was recommended a strip procedure because I wanted to wear my hair long, even though I wanted fue instead of fut. I made a decision out of desperation to have a normal head of hair for my age. I only needed 1600 grafts.

So I trusted this doctor and went ahead with a strip procedure.

 

This was the worst mistake I have ever made in my entire life, everyday im suffering/crying about this terrible decision that has made me a different person that hides from society. I had such high hopes for this and I want to do so many things in my life. But im now intensely hindered by the cons of the fut procedure.

-My scar stretched

-Extreme amounts of shock loss that has not returned almost 10 months post op

-Thinning under my scar and now thinning in the donor area

-Hair direction change under scar.

 

im now seeking help, my life is literally on the line. I need all the advice I can get... I need to restore normal density/gradation of hair in the donor area and I need to get hairs into my scar

 

im exhausted, this depression is intense, not to mention I was depressed for 10 years before my HT, and now after this procedure...idk what to do

 

ened fut at 19 years old when I only needed a small amount of grafts?

why me? why did this doctor take a risk on someone so young like me who supposubly "has the rest of his life ahead of him"

 

I went into a follow up last month after avoiding my doctor because I couldn't bare seeing this persons face after what they had done to me.

 

I showed this doctor my blantantly obvious thinning in the donor area,under my scar and on the sides of my head where the scalp is showing...the doctor then replied to me that "it looks like normal density"...wow I was so heartbroken when the doctor said that to me...this doctor should have had there license revoked after saying that to me..i babied my strip scar and was a couch patatoe for 10 months...and still am because I just don't want to move on with my life. I was then recommended a revision for my scar...even though I told this doctor it might stretch further because they even said that I don't heal well.

 

Let me remind you guys..that apparently this doctor has a reputation of honesty.

 

I bet this post gets deleted, because ive noticed my posts get deleted on here..because no one gives a fuck about a 20 year old male who spends all day crying in heartbroken despair isolated in a small studio apartment, with nothing to do. all because of an unethical procedure.

This procedure didn't just affect me...it affected MY FAMILY. my mom has never been so depressed b/c of my serious depression, I feel responsible for the way she feels, but I cant help it, I cant help this feeling, im alone, I don't want to be here anymore.

 

I hope this post doesn't get deleted,because ive never been so sad in my life, and like I said above I suffered from 10 years of depression

please mods, I beg you, if you truly care about my well being...please don't delete this post.

and fellow HTN members/friends please reach out to me, I need all the guidance I can get so I can get this fixed, and maybe,just maybe live a life?...something I haven't been able to do with a smile on my face since the age of 10.

 

I beg the mods...please don't delete my post.

Edited April 12, 2014 by aaron602
editing grammar,

[hsrp10]

I bet this post gets deleted, because ive noticed my posts get deleted on here..because no one gives a fuck about a 20 year old male who

 

hey that's absolutely not true, I and about 7 other veteran members have been sincerely trying to help you on your repair journey.

 

you opened 3-4 posts on the same topic, and I think Blake just merged them into the same thread.

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/174620-strip-scar-repair-what-would-you-advise-desperate-need-help.html

 

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/174674-opinions-please-thinning-under-strip-scar.html

[hsrp10]

Blake's words to you:

 

Aaron,

 

A few things:

 

1. I just merged your two thread so it is easier for member to read your posts and offer helpful advice.

 

2. After merging the threads, I saw your comments about depression and suicide. While I understand that you are in a very emotional place right now, these comments are concerning. If you do have any thoughts about hurting yourself or feel like you are severely depressed, I highly recommend seeking the counsel of a mental health professional. Obviously we are here to help guide you in the right direction with regard to your hair loss, but issues of depression and feelings of doing something serious should always be evaluated by a trained professional. Do you have someone you can talk to about these issues? Are you serious about these comments? I understand fixing this situation will help greatly, but I simply want to make sure you are healthy and safe in the meantime.

 

3. It does appear as if you are suffering from some shock loss in the donor region. Normally, temporary shock loss resolves by month 5 (sometimes month 6), but it does depend on when it occurred. Do you remember when you first noticed the donor thinning?

 

Please remember that this can be fixed. We are all here to help and make sure you receive the assistance you need (with regard to the hair loss). Please send me a private message if you would like to discuss any of this out of public view.

[aaron602]

im sorry hrsp and other members/veterans here, I don't not mean to offend anyone here

 

 

 

ejj if your out there, please Skype me

Edited April 12, 2014 by aaron602

[hsrp10]

not offended just surprised.

most people on the street don't give a f*** and cannot help you, but folks here do and can.

 

smart move contacting ejj, good luck and hang in there man

[aaron602]

thanks hrsp

ill try to keep my heart beating for as long as I can

[TakingThePlunge]

aaron602,

 

I'm extremely sorry to hear about your hair transplant experience. It's clear from the emotions you've expressed that you need to seek face-to-face professional counseling immediately if you have not already done so. We are here to listen and to help as we can but there are grave limitations to the support that an online community can provide.

 

I see in your final post on this thread that you've chosen to identify Dr. Keene as your physician. I know if offers you no comfort at this time but I know Dr. Keene to be a very ethical, caring and talented physician. In order for the community to understand the full story, I am notifying Dr. Keene of this post and requesting that she share her side of the story publicly and also contact you privately in order to assist you in finding a resolution. I know that Blake has already advised you that this can be corrected.

 

All members are permitted to share their real experiences with all physicians, Coalition, recommended or not. However, our Terms of Service dictate that anyone bringing a complaint against a surgeon must provide that surgeon with the required permission to discuss the case publicly in order for the discussion to stand.

 

I also see that you have expressed concern that your previous threads have been deleted. Please let me assure you that we do not delete discussions unless we can prove that they are dishonest or malicious in nature or otherwise violate our Terms of Service. We have never deleted any of your posts and I see that it has already been pointed out to you that Blake simply merged your threads into a single discussion and that you were advised of this move.

 

I have not yet moved this discussion but please know that it belongs in a separate thread and I will be moving it to a new thread shortly. I wanted to wait until you were made aware so that you don't think we have deleted it.

 

I know that you feel hopeless and helpless but try to hold yourself together until you can find a solution. I'm confident that your hair transplant can be repaired.

 

Sincerely,

David

[aaron602]

well how about I just delete my post instead o drama...

[hdude46]

Just speaking in generalities here, but I've seen too many times on this board people who have POOR LIFE CHANGING RESULTS and are met with "well so and so is a good surgeon and he or she is ethical and let's get them to chime in and see if we can work something out".

 

In some cases this is an appropriate response but in many others this is a load of crap given the money spent on something that is going to be life altering.

 

Yes patients must have realistic expectations and know the risks involved with surgery but part of the problem is this site and the "coalition" includes way too many doctors who I wouldn't let go anywhere near my head. There are probably about 6-8 doctors MAX doing world class work and even they have poor results from time to time.

 

This site has been invaluable to me and many others but it's time to reexamine the coalition list because people are using that as some sort of validation for doctors when I can tell you as someone who has researched HT's for almost a decade and seen hundreds of results there is no way in hell I'd let 90% of these "coalition" docs touch my scalp.

 

A strip scar at 19 years old? Come on. That's borderline malpractice.

[aaron602]

hdude46 I couldn't agree more

I definantly had realistic results as im a low nw

I thought coalation docs could be trusted on this site...but I was dead wrong...im only 19 but yet I feel like I might as well be in my late 70's because I feel as if my life has already gone past me

 

ombination of recell into the scar and then adding 1000 grafts into the scar and about 500 grafts on top and be done with this....but this is extremely unlikely...but all I can do is hope and wait in isolation while I watch my life pass by with many missed opurtunities and things id love to be doing at this age...to many activities to name

 

this is all my fault... and I take 100% responsibility and I have accepted what has happened to me...but, this does not make me any less depressed or have any sense of relief

 

I will be traveling the country to the few FUE docs that I have seen that have provided evidence of trustworthiness,honesty and perserverence with making the best aesthetic result for the patient that he will not regret

 

the doctors I will be seeing soon for consult/repair are- Lorenzo,hakan,asmed,mwambabisigna and maybe feriduni or umar and one that can not be named here for some reason

Edited April 12, 2014 by aaron602

[aaron602]

I just wished I was pointed in the right direction by the doctor, to someone who had more experience with fue instead of recommending strip because the doctor doesn't do fue often and probably thought I would not get an aecthetic result

 

and you know what...the strip scar is just as bad as the other fut cons I had absolutely no idea about...thinning under the scar/abruption of natural hair gradation and a change of direction of hair growth under the scar..... it takes going through a minefield of info to find these other two cons of fut that aren't talked about often, and if I had known about one of those to I would have run for the hills away from fut

 

its just haird for a na?ve 19 year old with severe depression/bdd to navigate his way through misinformation and photos that don't tell the whole story, while being ina rush to live a normal young adulthood before all those years get wasted.

 

idk how im going to get through all of this

Im thinking Lorenzo or bisigna for a strip scar repair and adding density, any opinions?

[hdude46]

Don't waste 1000 fue grafts on a scar.

 

Get a scar revision from a doctor is known to be excellent with scars like a Konior or SMG or H&W. They may even do it pro bono.

 

If you aren't on meds get on them asap.

 

Reassess after that. My guess is a scar revision will do you a world of good and the extra grafts that come out of that can go into the problem areas up top. Doing scalp exercises will likely help a lot in this case so do those every night for a few months as well.

 

Then if you are still unsatisfied with the scar after all that consider scalp smp into it.

 

I felt the same way as you did when I was your age about hair loss. It's tough when you are young and no one around you is going through it. However take solace in the fact that as you get older most of your friends WILL start going bald as well.

 

Don't give up yet.

[hdude46]

I just wished I was pointed in the right direction by the doctor, to someone who had more experience with fue instead of recommending strip because the doctor doesn't do fue often and probably thought I would not get an aecthetic result

 

and you know what...the strip scar is just as bad as the other fut cons I had absolutely no idea about...thinning under the scar/abruption of natural hair gradation and a change of direction of hair growth under the scar..... it takes going through a minefield of info to find these other two cons of fut that aren't talked about often, and if I had known about one of those to I would have run for the hills away from fut

 

its just haird for a na?ve 19 year old with severe depression/bdd to navigate his way through misinformation and photos that don't tell the whole story, while being ina rush to live a normal young adulthood before all those years get wasted.

 

idk how im going to get through all of this

Im thinking Lorenzo or bisigna for a strip scar repair and adding density, any opinions?

 

See my post above.

 

FUT actually has better yield than FUE and in most cases the scar is usually not visible.

 

She should have turned you away.

 

Get the scar revision, use your meds, and maybe get some small fue/smp into the scar after a scar revision. Konior, H&W, and SMG are three of the best in the world IMO.

[aaron602]

thanks for your input hdude46,

im conflicted between fueing the scar and up top, or doing a revision and adding the grafts from the revision up top.

 

im scared about a wider scar, but I concur with you that all 3 of those strip surgeons have provided evidence of excellent donor closures and are all around top notch strip surgeons.

but im also scared about more tension in the donor area and reduced laxity that may add to my problem with thinning under the scar and further distort the natural gradation/hair direction growth under my scar.

 

id say I over quoted the amount of fues I need for my scar, id say between 500-800, not 1000

up top I need about 1000-1500 for something I can be happy with.

 

what do you think?

once again thanks for your input, its greatly appreciated, seriously

[TakingThePlunge]

hdude,

 

I can appreciate your perspective. However, it's important to remember that the community has, thus far, heard only one side of the story. While there is no reason to believe that Aaron is anything but sincere in sharing his story or that all of the details that he's presented are true, don't you think that it's only fair to allow a surgeon with a stellar reputation to have the opportunity to address these concerns before being criticized?

 

The obligation of the publishers and moderators of this community is to maintain a fair, balanced and transparent environment for the benefit of everyone. If you value transparency and free speech in this community then it must go both ways.

 

 

Just speaking in generalities here, but I've seen too many times on this board people who have POOR LIFE CHANGING RESULTS and are met with "well so and so is a good surgeon and he or she is ethical and let's get them to chime in and see if we can work something out".

 

In some cases this is an appropriate response but in many others this is a load of crap given the money spent on something that is going to be life altering.

 

Yes patients must have realistic expectations and know the risks involved with surgery but part of the problem is this site and the "coalition" includes way too many doctors who I wouldn't let go anywhere near my head. There are probably about 6-8 doctors MAX doing world class work and even they have poor results from time to time.

 

This site has been invaluable to me and many others but it's time to reexamine the coalition list because people are using that as some sort of validation for doctors when I can tell you as someone who has researched HT's for almost a decade and seen hundreds of results there is no way in hell I'd let 90% of these "coalition" docs touch my scalp.

 

A strip scar at 19 years old? Come on. That's borderline malpractice.

[aaron602]

im on propecia 1mg, topical minox 5% w/ azelic acid .01 % propecia and biotinyl tripeptides, im using LLLT therapy laser helmet "theradome" and nizoral alternated with regenepure. my hair loss up top has stabilized, but unfortunately the trauma from my last surgery progressed me a nw even while I was on propecia, which really amazed me

 

im so unhappy with this result, I just cant live with no hair after this, I want to be normal, I want a life, I guess that's to much for me to ask

[aaron602]

well let me give you a quick background on how I am as a person.

-I enjoy making people happy, im a people pleaser

-I have trouble standing up for myself and telling someone that they have ruined my life in person, this would be hard for anyone to do, especially me.

-it was hard for me to bring up my serious concerns to the doctor in the first place because I didn't even want to go see the doctor, because my mom made me go in order for her to help me pay for another sugery, she wanted me to follow up with the doctor, I did not want to go see the doctor

soo I can already predict how the doctor might have thought I felt about the surgery, and what the doctor will say in the rebuttal, but whatever I guess

I gave the impression that I was ok with my results, just so I could get out of there, I honestly ddint want to be there and had some low key panic attacks

Edited April 12, 2014 by aaron602

[hdude46]

thanks for your input hdude46,

im conflicted between fueing the scar and up top, or doing a revision and adding the grafts from the revision up top.

 

im scared about a wider scar, but I concur with you that all 3 of those strip surgeons have provided evidence of excellent donor closures and are all around top notch strip surgeons.

but im also scared about more tension in the donor area and reduced laxity that may add to my problem with thinning under the scar and further distort the natural gradation/hair direction growth under my scar.

 

id say I over quoted the amount of fues I need for my scar, id say between 500-800, not 1000

up top I need about 1000-1500 for something I can be happy with.

 

what do you think?

once again thanks for your input, its greatly appreciated, seriously

 

Scalp exercises before a revision would probably really help with the laxity and result. Jotronic from H&W has a video on these exercises on youtube I think. Check it out. You need to do this for about 2-3 months.

 

I would PM Jotronic and arrange a time to talk possibly by phone. He was in a similar situation to you only way worse off in that he was a nw6 and had a pluggy hariline at just as young an age. He more than bounced back from it and now look at him, he's living life to the fullest, has a job he loves, and if I recall correctly in engaged to be married.

 

He can guide you in the right direction. But my advice would be to save those grafts for the top and get a scar revision. You can always smp into the scar after that if you are still not happy with it, but i suspect you will be.

[Mickey85]

 

A strip scar at 19 years old? Come on. That's borderline malpractice.

 

Thank you! I can't say how much I agree with this. Keene was totally unethical by performing surgery on a 19 year old with minimal loss. I don't care if she is a coalition surgeon, that is unethical in my opinion. Even FUE at 19 would be frowned upon, let alone strip. Keene was dead wrong in the decision to operate on a 19 year old with minimal loss, coalition approved or not.

[TakingThePlunge]

Aaron,

 

Forgive me but I have to say that I'm quite shocked at your response which appears critical of my reply. You have made a number of posts recently expressing a real and true desire to end your own life. I am taking that threat seriously and advising you to seek help. Is that "drama" on my part?

 

I'm concerned for your safety. The members of this community cannot help someone with suicidal thoughts. You need to talk to the people in your life and get help.

 

well how about I just delete my post instead o drama...

[Mickey85]

one that can not be named here for some reason

 

If the surgeon's name starts with a "C" I would certainly NOT go to him...

[hdude46]

well let me give you a quick background on how I am as a person.

-I enjoy making people happy, im a people pleaser

-I have trouble standing up for myself and telling someone that they have ruined my life in person, this would be hard for anyone to do, especially me.

-it was hard for me to bring up my serious concerns to the doctor in the first place because I didn't even want to go see the doctor, because my mom made me go in order for her to help me pay for another sugery, she wanted me to follow up with the doctor, I did not want to go see the doctor

soo I can already predict how the doctor might have thought I felt about the surgery, and what the doctor will say in the rebuttal, but whatever I guess, profits over 19 year patients I guess, all day every day

 

You need to stop playing victim here aaron.

 

Yes you shouldn't have been operated on and have a bad scar.

 

But it's not fair to the doctor if you don't voice your concerns and hide behind the idea that you are a people pleaser and have trouble standing up for yourself. That's weak man.

[TakingThePlunge]

I have moved this discussion to a separate thread in Hair Transplant Experiences and Surgeon Reviews.

 

Aaron, if you have a preference for the thread title, please let me know and I will update it.

[Mickey85]

hdude,

 

I can appreciate your perspective. However, it's important to remember that the community has, thus far, heard only one side of the story. While there is no reason to believe that Aaron is anything but sincere in sharing his story or that all of the details that he's presented are true, don't you think that it's only fair to allow a surgeon with a stellar reputation to have the opportunity to address these concerns before being criticized?

 

The obligation of the publishers and moderators of this community is to maintain a fair, balanced and transparent environment for the benefit of everyone. If you value transparency and free speech in this community then it must go both ways.

 

David, unless the patient is lying about his age, there is absolutely NO excuse or reason to perform a HT on a 19 year old with a minimal amount of loss. I don't care if the patient was kicking and screaming for a HT or that the surgeon was acting in sympathy, a surgeon should be the voice of reason and logic.

 

A while ago a recommended surgeon posted up a result he did on a 17(or 18) year old with minimal loss and the community was shocked. The surgeon then said the patient was suffering from depression so they decided to perform the surgery. That is not acceptable to me and was not accepted by the community.

[aaron602]

hdude46-

im not trying to play the victim here,

I take responsibility for this, its my fault,

you don't know how my life has transpired up to this moment, I did bring up some come concerns but I was disappointed with the response.

 

taking the plunge- I came here for support, im depressed, and unhappy yes. but you not in my shoes, you don't know me personally, and im smart enough to know that the surgeons are in coherts with this site, im not the only one who has advocated there severe depression after a failed ht. im only 20.

 

I state all the time here that, I don't mean to offend anyone, but im often attacked even after explaining myself, im not on here everyday complaing or starting "drama", but I thought it was important to put my story and struggle with this failed ht so other young men my age think twice about the fut method.

 

sorry if I offended anyone, im a young man, id like you guys to put your self in my shoes. I started loosing hari at 15 and now im 20 with a ht im unhappy with, and I feel like I cant live my life.

im sorry for being brutally honest, and seeking support on here because I have been to about 20 counsolers in my life before and after my transplant, I have been to hypnotherapy and I still do the hypnosis today, I eat a paleo diet and ride my bike 2hrs a day and go for long walks, I have done brain training and I see a functional medicine doctor, I have tried brainwashing myself with positive affirmations and positive mind movies, I have been on every anti-depressant in the book, and I currently see a physcitrist.

 

so when I get the moderators on here saying to go seek professional help, I ignore it completely because ive been here and done that and im currently doing that, ive tried harder than most people on this site to get over an issue like this.

 

I feel like I get attacked on here because its easy to tell someone who is suffering to go get help and to calm down and not play the "victim" when they themselves are not experiencing the same issues as me.

im not an idiot, I just came here for help,