1700 grafts on hairline - 13 days post op. Stressing out.

[Paulygon]

it might not be bad, actually.................

true, not very dense.. but it is a badass hairline... i wonder how it will look when it grows out and you style it properly.. could look good.

[keysersoze]

I just don't understand why the density is so low. Particularly when my native hair is quite dense. I wanted thick and even said use max grafts you have to as I don't want to have to worry about the front again. To say im distraught is an understatement.

 

Going to keep the hair buzzed for a while I guess. Something I really wasn't prepared or wanting to do but right now no choice. If it ends up like this and this obvious im not sure what I will do. For now more concerned about meeting everyone who I haven't told and work. Hard to think right now. Just don't understand. Was not expecting this so thin and bare at all..

[keysersoze]

So buzzed the native hair. It still looks so bad. The red doesn't help but I mean the hair is completely see through until my native hair and its so jarring. I look like a freak. Im having a breakdown and cant stop. This isn't what I expected at all. Why lower it like this and make it so damn thin. It wasnt supposed to be noticeable. If I had know it would be so bare and thin I would have just said keep it high and thicken it up. honestly feel like shaving the recipient area bare and just thinking about want to do long term. Im am so depressed right now this just isn't right.

[Dutch]

Honestly you need to relax- this is not good at all. Sounds like you're stressing out a lot. Trauma is not good at all, let it heal & grow in its own time. Don't panic! Who cares about people at work, you shouldn't do. I turned up with a scar & shock loss but people were amazed not mocking me. Even if they joked, just laugh it off.

 

Consider this if you want:

If you have gaps on the sides of the head, use nanogen pencil to cover it up. You can find that in the chemist.

On top, you can use nanogen powder & spray it with the spray they sell with it to hold the fibre in place or use hair spray. It's okay to use those after a couple of weeks post surgery I'm told. Just wash them out each night of course.

[keysersoze]

It is bad. Im trying but thinking about everything only making it worse. I appreciate your comment and assistance though thank you.

 

I'm going to try nanogen as suggested and hope to god it works ok on the hairline. But I care about work especially. The red I'll just lie about. This could ruin me.

 

Ive just thought about this for a very long time. Couldn't afford it and was just worried so left it. Then saw reviews and cost and thought yes finally I will be able to stop worrying...at least for a long time. But to spend everything I had and to see this is what I will look like in a year! That is if all the hairs grow and the shock loss comes back is too much.

[Dutch]

This is the ugly duckling phase- the hair should look good in a year. Yes you appear to have dense hair behind the hairline but doesn't mean the hairline will be all thin & weak. You're just going through shedding & shock loss & it looks worse before it looks good. Ride it out, we all have to.

 

You wanted 3k grafts put in the hairline? Surgeon told you no 1700 is enough? That shows he has morals & he's ethical as 3k in the hairline is pretty crazy in case you have a lot of hairloss further back in years to come. You have to have reserves.

Don't worry about work too much, I panicked after my first op but it wasn't bad. You'll think the whole planet is staring at you under a spot light but that's simply isn't true!

Edited May 10, 2014 by Dutch

[Aftermath]

Isn't a rough estimate for graft counts 2000 grafts to lower a hairline 1cm? How much was yours lowered? If it's 1cm or less you should be absolutely fine IMO

[hairshopeing]

Hi mate,

Chill out seriously, everybody I'm sure gets this anxiety, I know I did!!

Buyers remorse it's referred as!!

Because all your natural hair has grown of course the transplanted area is going to look a lot thinner, some of it will have shed, some grown, some not grown, your comparing apples with oranges!!

Because youv got such good original hair that's why youv now got this contrast most people are going into thinning or miniaturised areas so the contrast isn't that big post op!! Yours is different !!

Mine certainly looks much denser and fuller 12 months after than immediacy post op!!

As the hairs are matured thicker and grown in!!

If you have 120 cm( on top or donor?)

Then that's very thick hair, so 50 is less but grown out you won't be able to tell, if you require a top up in 12 months then that's not the end of the world but no one will no!!!

I shaved my whole head to a grade 1 for the first 6 months and made my excuse about the redness then hairloss!!

Blame dermatitis or a thyroid problem, seriously I stressed about people noticing, if course people noticed something wasn't normal but have your excuses ready and people will just accept it!!

I'm sure this will be fine but I do think shaving really short might help as it's so much harder to detect the difference when very short , and it's more manageable as it grows!!!

Every single person stresses out, and although you won't want to hear this, you probably will periodically for the next 12 months!!!!

You made a decision and chose a reputable dr, try and relax it will drive you mad, seriously, you know the drill, you researched!!

If you look at a lot of Lorenzo's patients with great looking density when they are shaved down again for crown work there hairline and tip doesn't look very dense shave so short, but amazing grown out!!

So please, step back, take a breath and try rationalise it in your head !!!

It's hard, but it gas to be done!!!!

Happy growing and I'm sure in 12 months you'll be smiling about how crazy we sometimes get!!!

Chin up mate!!!

[keysersoze]

Thanks Dutch. Im trying to calm down and I know you're trying to help. Its very much appreciated.

 

Yes he is and the experience was pleasant. I asked for max grafts for max density so go up to 3000 and place some behind the current hair line esp temples were it was looking a bit weaker but still thick. He saod no due to sbockloss and existing density was fine and only 1700 would be needed for it to look good and not be noticeable. So yes ethical. However I wasn't told it would always be noticeable when this short or how thin it was going to be so upset at that. I honestly would have asked for a much higher hairline if I knew or not gone through with it. That's the truth.

 

You're right about the ugly duckling phase mate! And the sbockloss, that's hard to see my native hair look so much thinner right now (thought I'd have at least a month before worrying) but I can deal with that because it will come back at least hopefully. The grafts though I don't think have had too much fall out wgich is whats killing me. Plus how horribly obvious it is when I'd asked serval times would it be noticeable when I return to work.

[keysersoze]

Then im in trouble aftermath because id guess it's 2 cm lower and more at the very temples. But why would my surgeon who is well regarded say no to 3000 and 1700 was enough?

 

Cheers hairshopping for the suggestion. Im wearing it real short but looks like im going to have to go to pretty much nothing just stubble to get it at least not so bad. Dermatitis is good I actually think I do have that anyway as areas outside the recipient area are red and blotchy. The hairline is just a sraight bar or red with very see through hair so that's gonna take some excuse. I'll try to think.

 

Question though, shouldn't the hairs already be mature if they haven't shed??

 

I do have pretty thick hair and even though I was receding and the temples were thinner i still got told by every hair dresser and the surgeon how thick it was and would probably never have to worry about it. Trouble is now ive buzzed it again 15 days after the op the native hair does look alot thinner which I recog ise as shockloss. Do you know if sbock loss can happen all over the scalp or away from the sites as well?

[Aftermath]

Then im in trouble aftermath because id guess it's 2 cm lower and more at the very temples. But why would my surgeon who is well regarded say no to 3000 and 1700 was enough?

 

Cheers hairshopping for the suggestion. Im wearing it real short but looks like im going to have to go to pretty much nothing just stubble to get it at least not so bad. Dermatitis is good I actually think I do have that anyway as areas outside the recipient area are red and blotchy. The hairline is just a sraight bar or red with very see through hair so that's gonna take some excuse. I'll try to think.

 

Question though, shouldn't the hairs already be mature if they haven't shed??

 

I do have pretty thick hair and even though I was receding and the temples were thinner i still got told by every hair dresser and the surgeon how thick it was and would probably never have to worry about it. Trouble is now ive buzzed it again 15 days after the op the native hair does look alot thinner which I recog ise as shockloss. Do you know if sbock loss can happen all over the scalp or away from the sites as well?

 

The 2000 for 1cm is very generalised mate, maybe u have very thick calibre hair and the right hair characteristics to pull off a lower number, I am surprised he lowered a hairline over 2cm with under 2000 grafts though, even if you don't get the desired outcome though mate it's very fixable, you have great hair and adding density in a year would be pretty straight forward if needed, and in the meantime combing your hair forward when it grows would hide the difference in density if there even is a difference in a year

[keysersoze]

Thanks I hope so. Yes I really think its far too low now for the density. Would have much preferred higher and more dense. Even my native hair looks really bad right now. But today is the day of truth. Wish I could get some sleep. Going to be hard to explain why my usually pretty thick hair I wear styled up is now like a 2 grade and looks like im really balding and have a faint peach fuzz looking ring of hair 2cm in front that's bright red. Pretty sure my gf will leave me as i havent told her. I'm going to throw up. I honestly wish I could go back and say hey just fill in the temples and just make the front thicker. Actually I'm just regretting this completely.

 

Also I accidentally unsurscribed to this thread how do I re subscribe to it?

[keysersoze]

And another surgery is out. I mean 1700 grafts for low hairline that looks this bad. Your right for 2cm and mine is more on the sides I'd need double that. And though my hair is thick im.still clearly receding. I think ideally if I did go again I'd like half the grafts removed and put higher in the temples for density and do it doesn't look ridiculous. In saying that even if it is possible surely a surgeon capable of that is going to cost and it's something I just can't afford.

[Aftermath]

And another surgery is out. I mean 1700 grafts for low hairline that looks this bad. Your right for 2cm and mine is more on the sides I'd need double that. And though my hair is thick im.still clearly receding. I think ideally if I did go again I'd like half the grafts removed and put higher in the temples for density and do it doesn't look ridiculous. In saying that even if it is possible surely a surgeon capable of that is going to cost and it's something I just can't afford.

 

I don't think it's going 2b anywhere near as bad as u imagine mate! Also remember with the amount of hair u have your in a better position than 99% of people on here! Wait for it to grow in before stressing so much, at 2weeks it's gonna look shitty, it does with everyone! Plus at 2 weeks I'd shed a lot! As far as hiding it, get topik like I said b4 (probably medium brown) and get the pump applicator, this makes it easier to apply more precisely, u can use this safely in the recipient area after 2 weeks as long as you wash it off at night, get next day delivery from amazon and call in a sick day in work tomorrow, then you can say the redness was a bad reaction from hair dye, then u can reduce the amount of topik u use per day and say some hair fell out from the dye... Fairly convincing excuse! Then if in a year density does turn out to be a problem a surgeon such as dr koray erdogan in Turkey can provide dense packing at 2€ a graft for FUE, even if u need another 1700 grafts it's only 3500 Australian dollars! Bottom line is that your not in a bad position, and every1 on this forum including myself have had to go back to work with a red scalp! My first HT wasn't great but after that I did see a really great surgeon who sorted me out with a nice result!

[keysersoze]

Thanks mate. Too be absolutely honest I'm in a very dark place right now and it's not good. At all. Cant sleep just keep looking at posts etc and im really struggling. This just wasn't what I expected. I keep looking at posts and seeing people around the 2 week mark and there recipient area is much thick than mine. Sure they lose it and it looks bad but that's the expected thing and it grows back. I just look at mine after the scabs come off and yeah I can't even think. I'm going to lose this and then get it back months from now?? Even the surgeon was like yeah thats pretty much what you can expect just probably a bit better. Walked out ok but jesus. I stressed i didn't want it to be noticeable and wanted it as dense as possible. Told it would be. Now told it will be noticeable and need to grow it. Its still going to look so see through. And a few guys here have said it wasn't even dense packed. I struggle to think why a well respected surgeon would find this ok I woukd need at least double this maybe more. And I love your idea about that doctor and thanks so much but if this shockloss doesn't all come back a hair line this low will look absolutely disgusting sooner or later. Do you know if that surgeon does fixes? God if I can even make it that far. know I got it done for a reason because I hated losing hair. And it was thick. Even said to a friend a few days ago im losing my hair and he was like hell no you have the thickest hair out of anyone I know your just going back a bit on the right side. And the surgeon said something similar. But looking at it now it looks horrible. Seriously im not over exaggerating, my crown and temples look massively thinner. And the crown wasn't touched. You can clearly see the bald pattern appearing.

[keysersoze]

I contacted the surgeon with my worries he just said it will look better later. I am seriously doubting now though.

[keysersoze]

Seriously look at this. ...how is this ever going to look normal let alone decent. Ive been real consious of my hairloss even though it waw just the hairline and even then not real noticeable just looked high and thin at the temples a little. I will attempt to find a decent pre op photo but none will be shaved. So now looking at this god. Not only is the transplant area just ridiculous but native hair all over seems so much thinner. I mentioned to my girlfriend a few days ago to be prepared when I get back as I shaved my head and im losing my hair amd she said don't be stupid there's no way you are its so thick. Now today I go back to her like this. I haven't slept ive just thrown up thinking about it I don't know if I even want to go on. Im so sorry saying this and I never thought id be that guy but its true. I feel my life is ruined. Gf and friends and work are all going to know and god my family. Best case I try to buzz it all right down to pretty much stubble/nothing ane wait a year then go to another surgeon who I can afford which is like not much and have this reversed and either the hair that doesn't return filled I or learn to look like this. I know some guys can look good but I look so ridiculous hence why I was worried. I looked ok before. My gf is stunning and my life was good. I can't see me making it through all this.

[hsrp10]

gotta find a way to regroup and stay positive! what's done has already been done.

 

stressing will only make you see things that aren't really there. hang in there

[Aftermath]

Seriously look at this. ...how is this ever going to look normal let alone decent. Ive been real consious of my hairloss even though it waw just the hairline and even then not real noticeable just looked high and thin at the temples a little. I will attempt to find a decent pre op photo but none will be shaved. So now looking at this god. Not only is the transplant area just ridiculous but native hair all over seems so much thinner. I mentioned to my girlfriend a few days ago to be prepared when I get back as I shaved my head and im losing my hair amd she said don't be stupid there's no way you are its so thick. Now today I go back to her like this. I haven't slept ive just thrown up thinking about it I don't know if I even want to go on. Im so sorry saying this and I never thought id be that guy but its true. I feel my life is ruined. Gf and friends and work are all going to know and god my family. Best case I try to buzz it all right down to pretty much stubble/nothing ane wait a year then go to another surgeon who I can afford which is like not much and have this reversed and either the hair that doesn't return filled I or learn to look like this. I know some guys can look good but I look so ridiculous hence why I was worried. I looked ok before. My gf is stunning and my life was good. I can't see me making it through all this.

 

I very much doubt u have shock loss in the crown mate, hair tends to always look thinner when buzzed, I do think with a low hairline that if your not on something like propecia then u need to get on it. As for the girlfriend I'd just tell her, it won't be as bad as u think! I hid my first op under a hat, I told her for the second and she didn't care! Had a new gf for the third op, told her and she was also fine about it. U see some on here that are NW 6-7 have had a strip done so they can't shave it down and have zero growth! Look how much better off ur than those! If it doesn't work out this time then 1 more straight forward op for 3500 dollars will give u a fantastic head of hair! That's worst case scenario!

[Aftermath]

That last pic doesn't even look bad mate looks relatively normal compared to some of the post op dive had in the past!

 

Check out the lack of density from my first op mate! Yours won't be anywhere near that bad, and I'm in good shape now, just takes time!

 

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/174502-my-hair-transplant-story-2000grafts-dr-farjo-6000-dr-hasson-4-years-post-op.html

[keysersoze]

Appreciate the help and the words i really do. I know it must be annoying just harping on constantly. It's just that after expecting a transformation I've gone the whole other way. And it would be ok but just looking at it it;s way to low. I wish more than anything I just said stay high and dense. Why I'm really upset and starting to get angry is that I asked for it to be lowered but said will it be noticeable. No way I was told. I was told that 45-55 would appear the same as the native hair so I'm like yeah lets go low. Now I know this isn't dense packed or as dense as it could have got I would have gone way higher and just mostly filled in the temples maybe gone less than 1cm lower. I was never told that you would defintely be able to see the difference after it's all done and recovered when short. Because now i cant damn well wear it short if i need to. Whats the point of fue then??? I wouldn't have allowed it to go that low. Furthermore I asked before and even after if it would be noticeable when I return home and was told no it was plently of time. I expected some redness all good but the bare little hairs??? This is compeltely obvious. Again i was mislead. I have seen great results from the doc and he is experienced and seemed to be very well regarded here hence why I trusted him to tell me hey no it's going to be really thin and don't go that low.........surely he wouldnt let me go through like this???

 

I guess I also upset as now that it's shaved I can tell the crown is thinning and it;s noticeable when short. I hadn't noticed it before and neither did the doc he just said you have no trouble you have really thick hair. The sides running of the temples seem very thin now too however that could be just shockloss. So point is, do it seems some docs look at you under a microscope or other tests to tell and if it looks like further loss is going to happen, esp at the crown I'm in real big trouble with this. Hence why I just keep thinking higher denser. Hell just more dense. You seriously can't even really see the hairs in the sun or bright light. When I asked the doc a week ago if it will look like this he said yeah, it will look a little better but yeah. WTF!

 

Again appreciate the help and I am listening. I ordered the toppik and nanogen too (just in case) with the spray). Have doubts it will work on the hairline with this fine spaced hair but will give anything a shot.

 

One last question. Is it possible to just buzz the receipent area bald like no guard at 3 weeks and possible use some kind of make to hide the redness. I feel with that gone I can just say yeah losts some hair on holidays to something...considering my head is actually red and blotchy all over (different to the transplant redness it actually looks like dermatitis and danduff bad) it's pretty much true. But with the redness and the pathetic hair well....I don't know if I can take going through it like that. Hence why I ask the doc several times. I feel mislead and just so disappointed. The worst I've ever felt in my life. I hope my gf understands but considering I lied to her and she didn't notice it before I doubt. I know it will affect work in the most horrible way I cant even tell you.

[Aftermath]

Make up in the recipient area is generally not recommended as it may affect the final outcome, topik is fine, but it all depends on what your doc advised I suppose, same with shaving recipient area, it's generally not recommended but ask your doc! If you aren't worried at this point about the final result and your main concern is about hiding what you've had done completely then I suppose a clean shave and make up is the only option! You've gotta weigh up though whether saving some potential embarrassment (I say potential because people probably won't notice or care) is worth risking potentially affecting the final result! As far as the crown goes... Medication such as propecia should stop that and maybe improve it, and if it's only noticeable when your head is shaved then there's really no problem if u don't intend to shave it in future! Get some perspective mate, your not dying! Your healthy, u just have some redness of the scalp which will pass with time! Like I said very worst case scenario in a year u have a small op to add density... And with a bit of luck u may not even need that!

[FUE2014]

Bloody hell from that picture you have posted you appear to be massively overreacting, it honestly doesn't look that bad

[keysersoze]

I've ordered the medium brown toppik as you suggested and will give that a go. Cheers. As much as I dont want to walk around like this I really dont want to make the result worse so will leave the other stuff out. The doc did say I could trim/buzz the hair but not shave it at and that was at the 14 day mark.

Well the inevitable is approaching me right now and will meet up with my girlfriend and see what she says to this. I havent told her, just that I had some kind of problem and shaved my head and that I'm seriously losing my hair. So I'll see what happens. This is the probably the thing I'm fearing the most along with work.

 

I'm also on dusteride and have been for like 2 years. The doc gave me a prescrition for that over here so covered. He also gave me the fin as well so have been taking that along with it not that it will make any difference with the dut. And he recommended 2% min for two weeks then switch back to the 5% foam. Again I'm not sure they really do anything for me but better safe then sorry so not going to stop.

 

Again can't thank you enough.

 

 

Really fue2014? I don't think so. I looked for decent comparative photos pre op but couldnt find them so I'll post one normal one that's recent so you get the idea when I'm home. Hard to look at them now as I'm just like I want to go back when before I was so excited. I think hrsp was so right, (His hair looks bloody amazing i might add) why go low and not dense pack. I blame myself but was so trusting the expert..I don't think he should never have let it go so low and as I said several times I want it as thick as possible so how do you tell me it wont be noticable at all then when I see this tell me oh it will be when short. The hair near my temples gives me distress and that still looks much thicker then what this is.

 

I am going to try to get through it and as suggested ergodan looks like I might be going there next year. Does he do extraction/repair as well do you know if needed to bring it up?

[Aftermath]

I've ordered the medium brown toppik as you suggested and will give that a go. Cheers. As much as I dont want to walk around like this I really dont want to make the result worse so will leave the other stuff out. The doc did say I could trim/buzz the hair but not shave it at and that was at the 14 day mark.

Well the inevitable is approaching me right now and will meet up with my girlfriend and see what she says to this. I havent told her, just that I had some kind of problem and shaved my head and that I'm seriously losing my hair. So I'll see what happens. This is the probably the thing I'm fearing the most along with work.

 

I'm also on dusteride and have been for like 2 years. The doc gave me a prescrition for that over here so covered. He also gave me the fin as well so have been taking that along with it not that it will make any difference with the dut. And he recommended 2% min for two weeks then switch back to the 5% foam. Again I'm not sure they really do anything for me but better safe then sorry so not going to stop.

 

Again can't thank you enough.

 

 

Really fue2014? I don't think so. I looked for decent comparative photos pre op but couldnt find them so I'll post one normal one that's recent so you get the idea when I'm home. Hard to look at them now as I'm just like I want to go back when before I was so excited. I think hrsp was so right, (His hair looks bloody amazing i might add) why go low and not dense pack. I blame myself but was so trusting the expert..I don't think he should never have let it go so low and as I said several times I want it as thick as possible so how do you tell me it wont be noticable at all then when I see this tell me oh it will be when short. The hair near my temples gives me distress and that still looks much thicker then what this is.

 

I am going to try to get through it and as suggested ergodan looks like I might be going there next year. Does he do extraction/repair as well do you know if needed to bring it up?

 

Not sure mate, don't see why not, but in all honesty I'd probably stick with the hairline and beef it out (if it's needed) ergodan is probably the cheapest (quality) FUE surgeon bisanga and Lorenzo are also very good but do charge much higher rates! Hopefully though mate when it grows in it'll look fine, only time will tell! If a second op is needed though the post op will be less noticeably different because you'll already have hair in the hairline before you start so it'll be much easier to camouflage! You obviously weren't happy before the op, u did this for a reason so even if a second pass is needed look at it this way... Your on a journey to the hair u want... You will get there, if not in one pass then without question after a second pass! You've not got horrible scars or not enough donor to cover your scalp, if desired density isn't achieved, it's very fixable! Probably 90% of this form would give their right arm to be in the position you're in with your hair!