Dr. Steven Gabel - My First HT - FUE 2102 graphs

[Willit]

So the journey continues, and with some new twist and turns.

 

So while back at work I pulled my back, and was ordered by the doctor to take a whole week off. Thought that would be great! I get another whole week off, but I had too much work to do, so I only took 3 days off. My boss has been great, and coworkers don't ask much anymore about my hat wearing, they just chime in when I switch hat styles...which is kinda fun. Anyways, I have to see a massage specialist and chiropractor for my back. I started getting worried because they would see my head and procedure...but I ended up using a handkerchief when I go in, and say it's to keep my head warm...works perfectly and actually does keep my head warm.

 

Then I had some friends from out of town that wanted to go to the beach every day, which I did with a hat, even in the water.

 

All little challenges, that need to be met with a positive attitude.

 

Next, I have a huge birthday party to go to, along with a night time event. Originally I was thinking wear a wig, and I tried that, but decided the handkerchief was a better idea! Brilliant.

 

The night event was a stylish hat, and I was all good.

 

I am getting bored of staying at home every night after work, but at 6 weeks and due to my injury I started to swim in the ocean. Contacting Doctor Gabel he says I should be good for everything by week 5, so had I not pulled my back I would have been in the gym again. But this past week, getting in the water to swim allowed me for some exercise, light but still something. I'm going to try and hit the gym this week, and get some blood flowing, it's been far too long.

 

I also decided to dye my hair with herbatint, which worked out fine, and now at least all my donor hair in the back is uniform color and meshes together nicely.

 

At week 5, I did a test with my parents, again being around them without a hat, the bad haircut is all they are expecting. I did catch my mother looking at my front hairline temple in the car once, and I quickly put my hat back on. But she didn't say a thing. Although I have been going on some dates, with a stylish hat, and I'm all good, and it brightens my spirits too.

 

Week 6, I have been swimming and putting aloe vera (from the plant, we have some here) on the recipient area. It seems to help the redness. Every now and then I get a pimple, but it goes away.

 

I am still shampoo and conditioner with Revivogen 1 x week per Doctor's orders.

I have to resume some group events soon, and in about 5 weeks I have a major event.

Those are my next challenges.

 

How long does this ugly duckling phase last?:confused:

 

Here are some pics at week 5 and week 6.

 

Thanks for the support guys, it really does help.

Willit

[CaptainO]

I just got home after my flight, and am sitting quietly, so thought I would post and update.

 

I got my hair counts:

 

1's - 498

2's - 1165

3's - 391

4's - 48

total 4193 hairs with 2102 graphs.

 

Day 0 evening I had a new gauze on as you can see in the pics, in the morning, I had quite a bit of blood on the pillow pad protector, and on the back of my head gauze. I went back to the doctors for wash and cut at about 11am.

 

I have to say on Day 1, after I went back and got my wash, I began agonizing over the haircut and the flight back, mostly afraid of the security checkpoint and bumping into someone while heading home. In the pics you can see the blue dye Dr. Gabel uses, some scabbing and redness.

 

The back is where you can see the spot that was bleeding the most, and then my crazy funny Jim Carrey (Dumb and Dumber) haircut. We were all laughing so much when they were trying to cut my hair, because they couldn't keep a straight face, and I figured I would trim better when I got home. Even that part was funny and brightened my day.

 

Luckily my hair in the front was long enough to be slightly covered, but the back, there was no way of hiding it because I would have a big gauze over the back for about 3-4 days.

 

So I thought why not cover it with some wig hair, or clip some hair to my back hair.. even thought of bobby pinning the fake hair into my hair. Or gluing it,...that's when I knew I had to go watch a comedy movie to get my mind off of it. That was a great idea.

 

Day 2: morning, you can see there is mostly pussing and no bleeding. So I woke up to get ready for my flight and you can see the swelling started in my forehead, at least it makes my wrinkles go away! But for the back gauze I said screw it....on the hair wig thing.

 

In the end, I decided to put clear packing tape on the whole side of the medical gauze and then took a black magic marker too it so at least it wouldn't stand out like a white one would. That actually eased my mind, to know that people far away really couldn't see it, only those within talking distance. Someone should make black or brown type gauze. I also decided to put Polysporin on the left side and Neosporin on the right side, to see which one would heal better and faster. I've had great luck with Neosporin before, so we'll see.

 

I decided to wear my hat and jacket also, which happened to have a hoodie on it, so I wore that whenever I was out in public. The hoodie laid on top of my existing longer hair, so the graphs were safe, no rubbing. Then when back in the car or house would take off the hoodie.

 

Going through the security check point at the airport, I had to just say screw it...so I wore my hoodie as long as I could til I had to go through. Then off it came, and I only saw one security person mention it to the other guy, but that was it. When my jacket came through I put it right back on, but had to stand and send my backpack through again. So I decided to ease my anxiety by joking and talking with the security guy, now that my hoodie was back on, it was all good, and it helped.

 

Next was the flight, and guess what, I knew the main flight attendant, YUP, just what I was fearing. But I kept my hat and hoodie on, said hi and went to sleep. Everytime I went to the bathroom, I would take off my hoodie and hat, and let my head breath. I used the bathroom a lot, but I did notice that the swelling had gotten bigger and moved down to my temples. So I had brought some travel ice packs, and used that to reduce the swelling. In the end, my flight attendant friend came and talked to me for a while, and didn't bat an eyelash or ask any unusual questions, and my hoodie jacket is bright red by the way.

 

We arrived home and I had already arranged a cab ride. Came home and quickly iced and washed the areas. I already notice the donor area healing really well.

 

End of Day 2.

 

You're flight reminded me of when I got my first and second HT's. I am an airline captain so you could imagine the thoughts I was having. For my first HT, I made the mistake of going back to work 4 days after my procedure. Luckily, I could wear my captain hat while walking thru the terminal. We aren't subject to security checks so I avoided that whole thing. Secondly, an hour before I was to leave my house for my trip, I accidently scratched my head, forgetting I had the procedure done. My head started bleeding uncontrollably. After stopping the bleeding I went off to work. Big mistake.

 

My second HT, I took 2 weeks off. Much much better. Unfortunately, I may have to go for a third HT. I've had about 3300 grafts thus far but still have thinning hair.

[Willit]

CaptainO,

 

Yes at the security counter was where I got the most looks, when I had to take my hat off. Hopefully you're taking finesteride or avodart to help stop the thinning. I really do think diet has a big part to play with it too...

 

Looking back, I think the procedure was easy, but the post-procedure of trying to cover up and wait with a weird haircut is the hardest.

[Willit]

I made it to 2 months post op!

 

Coworkers are used to the hats, and my native hair is getting longer by the day, but I still have some covering up to do before I look normal. My plan is 3 more weeks of no haircutting, then I'll have to bite the bullet and get a haircut. Right now the back is really good and I'm just hoping the front will look closer to normal by then.

 

I have to say, if I was to do this again, I would have tried to grow my hair out for about 2 months, get it really long on top and front, change the hairstyle to comb forward style, then do the procedure.

 

I have great hopes growth come a month or two from now...it really is the small milestones. Like this week, I finally went back to the gym, and boy am I feeling it in my muscles, but in a good way.

 

I can see why after a while people on here only post every month because there isn't really anything to show while you're waiting through the ugly duckling phase. So I might just post in a month or so.

 

Here are some pics, first set is at 7 weeks, and second set at 8 weeks

[Willit]

I uploaded pics of months 3, 4, 5, and 6 to my profile photo area.

 

Take a look at them here.

 

Hair Restoration Social Network - Hair Loss and Transplant Photos

 

At this point, I started seeing real growth as of 5 months out, and at 6 months I am really happy with the progress, FUE procedure was a success to me.

[bismarck]

Could you please post a before/after pic of your entire hairline with your eyebrows included so we can get a better idea of the overall improvement/lowering? And overall yield?

[Willit]

Here are a few pics of from Pre Operation, to about 6 months out when I had my first checkup with Dr. Gabel. This was an FUE procedure, the left side looks amazing to me, and the right side looks good, I have hair where i didn't have before, I am very happy with the results thusfar.

 

These are also in my profile pics.

[Squatch]

Looks really good.

[wazaam]

Any updates?

[Willit]

I know you guys have been asking for an update, and I just hit my 1 year mark, and am very happy with the results. Here are some pics of my hair pulled back and down. I tried to make it as close up as possible.

 

Sorry I don't know how these are turned upside down.

They are also posted in my photo area on my profile page.

[chrisdav]

Looking good Willit.

[BaldingBogger]

Congrats willit. Looking great.

 

I guess that makes it 201 successfull FUE results! :rolleyes:

Edited June 12, 2015 by BaldingBogger