No Growth 6 Months Post Op

[spartan13]

I'm disappointed to have to report that at six months I still haven't seen much growth. I'm generally where I was when I posted my 3 month pictures...ie, balder than I was before my January hair transplant. While I am certainly planning on giving this last HT a full year, I feel like I have to start thinking about what to do in the event the transplant is an abject failure.

 

I would honestly be fine with a normal thinning look, but here's my problem...because this last HT knocked out a bunch of existing hair, I now have visible pitting from a couple of old 90's HT's. Furthermore, the hair I have left in the frontal 1/3 are those old split, mini & micro-grafts, so it doesn't look natural without my previous native hairs to "soften" the look. Assuming the status quo by spring of next year, I was brainstorming some possible solutions.

 

1.) Some sort of laser scar treatment like Fraxel in my recipient area to try and remedy the pitting as much as is possible. Then laser out the bigger unnatural looking grafts and just accept balding.

 

2.) SMP in the recipient area to help hide the scarring while also providing some more illusion of fullness. I've been living with X-Fusion concealer the past three months, and it does help hide the scars...but I hate to think of using it very morning for the rest of my life.

 

3.) Consult with a good HT surgeon to see if this can be repaired. I should point out that I've had 4 HT's in total, so I'm not real eager for more surgery, and I'm not sure how much more I could realistically get anyway. Three HT's only came out of the back, while this last one took from the left temple through the back.

 

I managed to take a usable self pic tonight for comparison purposes. The one on the left is me 3.5 months post-op, and the one on the right is me no )six months post-op). While there is some improvement, I'm still at a net negative compared to where I started the year at.

 

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Edited June 24, 2014 by spartan13
New pic added

[hsrp10]

- who was your doctor and how many grafts did you have? fue or fut?

- are you on any meds, and is it a lack of growth or continued hair loss?

- any issues that may have affected the growth

- what does the clinic have to say btw?

 

unfortunately you will have to wait until at least the one-year mark to decide on the results and also your best plan of attack

hang in there man

[spartan13]

I had about 2200 grafts done by Robert Haber in a FUT session back on Jan 10 of this year. I take finasteride daily and have been for almost a year. Also do minoxidil. I used to do the liquid at bed time, but have been doing the foam twice daily for the past month or so.

 

I went to great lengths to follow the post-op instructions to a "t", and don't have any physiological issues I'm aware of that would impede growth. I saw the clinic at 3 months and they just said "shock loss". My six month follow-up is in July, so I'll have more info for you guys on that in about a month.

 

I definitely realize I need to wait another 6 months to make a fair and accurate determination. The intention of this post was mainly just to see what people think about the different "plan b's" should it come to that. And again, any "plan b" wouldn't likely be until a year from now...a full 18 months post-op.

[angelina22]

Oh that's really very bad. I think it is time to change your doctor.

[Cryingoutloud]

Oh that's really very bad. I think it is time to change your doctor.

 

Oh that's really helpful and sympathetic . . . NOT

 

OP, I feel for you but, as you've already accepted, you have to wait 12 months to make the final call on a success or a failure.

 

That 18 months thing, for most patients, is pure bullshit - if you've not had expected growth by 12 months then you ain't gonna get any more waiting another 6 so if you want to embark on a "plan B", schedule it for 12 months and save yourself a lot of heartache.

 

All the best, mate