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Is this shock loss? (concerned)


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  • Regular Member

Hello everyone,

 

I am nearing 4 months post op and have had a total of 2200 grafts removed from my donor. I am very concerned because certain areas of my donor appear to be half as dense as the rest of my hair. I am looking for your honest opinion. Is it possible that I am still experiencing shock loss nearly 4 months out or am I stuck with this density for good? It seems odd that my donor would look this exhausted with only 2200 grafts used.

IMG_0400.jpg.bddb0548356a5926496272935c88a543.jpg

IMG_0273.jpg.2798965e02b72988dec65f82d0c978ae.jpg

Edited by RyanVodka
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  • Senior Member

Ryan,

 

It could still be shock loss. Depending on when the shock loss occurred, it can last for 4-5 months (some experts say 6) after the procedure. 2,200 grafts should not have depleted your donor area. Permanent shock loss in the donor would not be common either. This likely could be temporary shock loss.

 

Hope this helps!

"Doc" Blake Bloxham - formerly "Future_HT_Doc"

 

Forum Co-Moderator and Editorial Assistant for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum

 

All opinions are my own and my advice does not constitute as medical advice. All medical questions and concerns should be addressed by a personal physician.

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  • Regular Member

thanks for the responses. I am honestly not sure when or if shock loss has occured. I didnt even notice the terrible lack in density until I cut my hair recently. I guess I am a bit shocked because this what my donor looked like prior to my recent 1000 fue procedure. It seems odd that i would lose so much density from only 1000 more grafts.

 

On the other hand it may just be because the graft removals were not spread out as well as they could have been, which is what i am worried about. Notice the sides and lower part of the donor area that were left untouched.

 

AB2000, I think it was pretty much assumed by my surgeon that I would have future procedures given my age (30).

 

The only thing that is really giving me hope that it is temporary shock loss is that fact that there are sections of the donor that are a dense as I would expect it to be after 2000 grafts, notice the area I circled in the final picture.

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5b32e3683cf2f_donoredit.jpg.c58b68c2361fd11b22821d829dc8703f.jpg

Edited by RyanVodka
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  • Senior Member

sometimes looking at all the parameters , I think FUE is just a waste of time and Money , Not saying of the shockloss here , But I have observed several results and almost every time FUT beats FUE in density , Look , Texture and Yields ..... No wonder it is still the Gold Standard of HT !

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  • Senior Member

Ryan,

 

Fullness when the hair is grown out and a thinner appearance when cropped closely could mean some over harvesting. However, it doesn't look like you were "over harvested" in the immediate post-operate images. Unfortunately, this may be a bit of a "wait and see" game. Not knowing when the loss initially occurred make the time line more difficult as well. Let me know if I can help.

"Doc" Blake Bloxham - formerly "Future_HT_Doc"

 

Forum Co-Moderator and Editorial Assistant for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum

 

All opinions are my own and my advice does not constitute as medical advice. All medical questions and concerns should be addressed by a personal physician.

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  • Regular Member

Thanks Blake,

 

I'll admit I am very concerned that this is here to stay, however I have begun applying minox on the donor area and plan to update in the next month or two. I still have faith that my surgeon knew exactly what he was doing and that I'll come out looking just fine.

 

The good news though is that today is exactly 4 months from the procedure and 6 months since I started propecia and I have to say the recipient looks incredible. Here is the difference 2200 grafts and 6 months of propecia has made.

5b32e376cf645_hairedit.jpg.255406813a3759deb3fbc2c1d9aca28a.jpg

5b32e376e98ec_preop.jpg.d723a9c345e1adfb4f91a8b0b61290db.jpg

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  • Senior Member

Your hair looks good and a little length in the back suits you too - just stop that razor madness!

 

I'm starting a movement ! Just Say NO to blades!!

I'm serious.  Just look at my face.

 

My Hair Regimen: Lather, Rinse, Repeat.

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  • Senior Member

That is shockloss. Keep an eye on it. In 10 months if you do a fade with a clip one or two and see a rectangular hue of where grafts were taken, then that could mean overharvesting in one area of scalp and extractions were not dispersed adequately. Hopefully it all grows back for you.

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  • Senior Member

Ryan,

 

It certainly appears to me from your photos that you did experience some shock loss in the donor and at this point in time, it makes more sense that it occurred.

 

I agree with Blake that it should thicken up after enough time has passed and the shocked hair grows back in.

Gillenator

Independent Patient Advocate

I am not a physician and not employed by any doctor/clinic. My opinions are not medical advice, but are my own views which you read at your own risk.

Supporting Physicians: Dr. Robert Dorin: The Hairloss Doctors in New York, NY

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • Regular Member

Well today is just one of those days, went outside and took a picture of my donor and it looks terrible to say the least. I am trying to stay optimistic but it is rather difficult. I am about 3 weeks away from the 5 month mark.

 

I never thought it could possibly be this noticeable with a 1/2 inch of growth and only 2200 grafts extracted. I also dont understand why the inch of donor space below where my grafts were taken wasnt used. What has me really down is the fact that Im starting to realize that on most of the donors of similar sized procedures the hairs were taken from a lot larger area than mine were. It has me really worried that this is in fact an over harvested area and not late shock loss.

5b32e3b3481b1_outsidedonor.jpg.94ffec09a91e7d22429f147fad8b2323.jpg

Edited by RyanVodka
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Hello Ryan.

Have you asked dr r his opinion on this situation?

I personally think it is shock and I hope I'm right for your sake.

Only time will tell so try and stay positive which I know must be hard.

If you have not asked your doc about this if I were you I would think of any relevant questions then speak with him and hopefully he can reasure you and eleviate your anxiety.

All the best and have a nice day

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  • Senior Member

Ryan,

 

It may be because there appears to be some retro-alopecia going on from the base of your neck going upward. So your surgeon may have decided to confine the extractions in the area where the hair was the strongest and the most DHT resistant in the occipital zone, meaning no signs of any miniaturization.

 

You definitely want to ask your surgeon about that and may be why the extractions were not spread out more.

Gillenator

Independent Patient Advocate

I am not a physician and not employed by any doctor/clinic. My opinions are not medical advice, but are my own views which you read at your own risk.

Supporting Physicians: Dr. Robert Dorin: The Hairloss Doctors in New York, NY

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  • Regular Member

Thanks for your response, I am going to update them in about 2 months to show them where I am at and see if there is any improvement.

 

It is really strange, I remember taking photos shortly after the procedure and not noticing anything out of the ordinary as far as donor depletion. Then after I got the haircut at like 4 months it seemed like it came out of nowhere. I wonder if its possible to slowly lose hair in the donor even months after the procedure. Can propecia cause you to shed in the donor area as well?

 

Gillenator, that is definitely a valid point. I think just overall I have noticed Dr. R is a lot more conservative where he takes donor hair from in his patients. Ive looked at many donor images from surgeon in europe and they seem to be a lot more comfortable taking hair from areas that have a high chance of thinning as the patient ages. I must say I do wish they had been spread out more but then again maybe that would come back to bite me if those hairs eventually thinned down the line.

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  • Senior Member

More time will definitely help to see how much of this is shock related.

 

One of the most challenging aspects of this is that we never know how things will develop over time as we get older.

 

One of the best gauges to determine the level of permanency of our donor zones is to take a look at the older men in our families who have MPB. Do their donor zones appear dense and strong? Any of them showing thinning of that area?

Gillenator

Independent Patient Advocate

I am not a physician and not employed by any doctor/clinic. My opinions are not medical advice, but are my own views which you read at your own risk.

Supporting Physicians: Dr. Robert Dorin: The Hairloss Doctors in New York, NY

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  • 1 month later...
  • Regular Member

Hey guys just thought Id update this thread. I am 2 weeks away from 7 months (just got a haircut) and I am pretty sure the donor has significantly improved recently. Its looking like it will end up being an acceptable density. I will update in 2 weeks with pictures.

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Thats good news Ryan really glad for you

I look forward to seeing the photos of the improvement.

Have a good weekend.

 

Hey guys just thought Id update this thread. I am 2 weeks away from 7 months (just got a haircut) and I am pretty sure the donor has significantly improved recently. Its looking like it will end up being an acceptable density. I will update in 2 weeks with pictures.
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Good to see this Ryan I'm really pleased for you and as many stated it would appear it was shock loss.

Your looking good now you must be so relieved.

Have a good day

 

donor update 10 days until 7 months. Length is 1/2 inch
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