Senior Member KO Posted February 23, 2015 Senior Member Share Posted February 23, 2015 Hey man, in your before pics, your donor looks like there may be some skin visible, did Dr comment on donor miniaturization? In addition, I'm curious, did Erdogan use gel to wet your hair in the before? Is the donor also wet or dry? 3382 FUE Lupanzula http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/185463-3382-grafts-lupanzula.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member BigP Posted February 24, 2015 Author Regular Member Share Posted February 24, 2015 Hey man, in your before pics, your donor looks like there may be some skin visible, did Dr comment on donor miniaturization? In addition, I'm curious, did Erdogan use gel to wet your hair in the before? Is the donor also wet or dry? Yes my donor area is also receding a bit and he mentioned that... He said he could get about 7000 good sized grafts, and decided that 5000 is the right amount to take now, and 2000 for the future. Doctor said he would target a narrow band in the centre of the donor area where it was the thickest. And yes the pics where the hair is slicked back is wet. If the hair is pushed forward then it was dry. When hair was wet, that also incudes donor area. Let me know if you have other questions On another note, It's been a month now since the transplant. Some of the hair has shed now so am in the ugly duckling phase i guess! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member KO Posted February 24, 2015 Senior Member Share Posted February 24, 2015 Doctor said he would target a narrow band in the centre of the donor area where it was the thickest. Really interesting approach, and I didn't know they could do that with FUE. Best of luck. 3382 FUE Lupanzula http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/185463-3382-grafts-lupanzula.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member NewLook2015 Posted February 25, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted February 25, 2015 Hope all is going well, BigP, I was just on another thread where pain post-FUE was discussed. Apparently there are cases where patients experience severe pain starting 5th day post-op and lasts about a week. Some say the pain is due to deep punch and/or wrong application of anesthetic which may have resulted to nerve damage. There are others who say that such pain is common and its due to the nerves healing. How was your experience? Pain post-op? If so, how intense? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member BigP Posted March 2, 2015 Author Regular Member Share Posted March 2, 2015 Hey, sorry about the late reply. Have been preparing for an exam. Yes I remember having pain for some time. I guess its normal after a 5000 graft procedure, and I had particular pain in the points where I had the anasthetic injections. You need to take some tabs to get rid of the pain and sleep is tough for the first couple of weeks. After that then it depends, but the scalp wiill be scratch and you will feel electric waves time to time. I guess thats a good thing as the nerves are healing.Like when you go from a hot restaurant to the cold night air, you can feel circulation rushing up! Also, in the mornign you feel like scratching a lot - that's why i liked staying near the clinic for the first ten days. I looked forward to going in first thing and having them gently wash the area - it was sooo relaxing and stopped me wanting to scratch it (until the night, anyway!). Only time it will hurt is if you accidently hit it. Like I was walking down the road, and the wind was about to blow my hat off, so I instinctively grabbed it but hit my scalp and that hurt like hell!!. I really was angry with myself, so you have to watch yoursefl for the first 2-3 weeks. It's been a month now and I have been using aloe vera gel and shampoo and conditioner and I have literally no pain now. Sometimes in the gym I can feel something but I would recommend aloe vera gel just to reduce the inflammation and cool the area. The numb sensation I had on my scalp is 50% gone. I still can't fully feel the touch when I touch the recipient area. Donor area, 75% is back. I can also sleep on the area after 2-3 weeks with no discomfort. I would say from my experience, the pain only should last for 2-3 weeks. Any more then you should check with your doctor. Are you having a procedure soon? I remember you were going to have one in March. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member NewLook2015 Posted March 4, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted March 4, 2015 Thanks, BigP - appreciate your feedback! So yea, I'll be there third week of March, 5000 grafts, similar to your case. I'm staying at the clinic during the surgery and thinking of moving to flora 3rd day. I'm flying back on the 5th day post-op and a long ~12 hour flight. Seems pain starts after anesthetic wears off so not sure if booking my flight 5th day after surgery was a good idea?! I didn't want to stay 10 days and also didn't want to fly the day after surgery. If you remember, was it during the first 5 days when you had anesthetic injections? Pain killer pills weren't effective that you went anesthetic route? If there was considerable pain, i might do the same just to minimize discomfort during the long flight. How did you manage to not scratch your head, particularly during sleep? Heard damaging grafts by scratching is common. Again, thanks for discussing such specific area of the journey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member BigP Posted March 5, 2015 Author Regular Member Share Posted March 5, 2015 Some people flew back the next day. I don't think pain is an issue when flying. It's more to do with if you want to have a bit of a holiday and be around yourself for a while (which is me) or if you want to go home and recover there. I preferred to stay there as I had been hiding away for so long with that damn hair powder, I didn't know how long it would take for me to psychologically get used to my new face - i didn't know how I would look and if there would be problems etc. So in my own paranoia, I stayed back. So don't worry about the pain, it's not tha bad at all. You will be too excited about your new hair to be that aware! In terms of scratching, yes that was a big problem for me. I started using the ice pack on the donor area after the 4th day to cool it down. I also applied moisturiser to the donor area. I never touched the recipient area no matter how bad it was. I guess you just have to distract yourself. However, I found that the cool Istanbul air (about 5-6 degrees C) made the area alright again. I think it really starts to scratch at night, as during the day it's fine. Just make sure you don't touch the donor area at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member BigP Posted March 5, 2015 Author Regular Member Share Posted March 5, 2015 Hi all, So it's been about 6 weeks since the operation (wow, it has really flown by). Just to update about where I am with the process. In the first 3-4 weeks I had literally no shock loss, or hair falling out. I thought I might be the one who bucks that trend! However, in the last couple of weeks, there has been a lot falling out. I would say over 50%. However, the hairline is holding up and it doesn't look too bad I guess. I am keeping it short (buzzing the donor area to grade 2, and asking barber to use scissors on recipient area - i have been adivsed not to buzz the recipient area for at least 3 months). It looks clean and I am not too bothered by it. The hair that has fallen out has this weird 90 degree angle at the root, suggesting that the old hair is being pushed out in the new root location - anyway I'm no doctor. Using the shampoo and conditioner and then the aloe vera gel at night, everytime I rub my head, I can see about 10-15 hairs on it - so a bit concerning, but having these forums enough, I guess it's part of the process... hoping for the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member NewLook2015 Posted May 14, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted May 14, 2015 Hey Big, still in the ugly duck phase or growth has began? About 7 weeks since my HT and almost all transplanted hair has fallen off. Many had, similar to yours, curved or 90 deg angle shape on one end while others straight on both ends. Not sure why the variation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Shera Posted May 19, 2015 Senior Member Share Posted May 19, 2015 Hi BigP, It's been a pleasure reading your writeup, I had my HT a few months before yours and I am approaching the 7 month phase. I actually told everyone I was having it done, was never a problem, I am now a walking ad! I have a similar background to yourself and have gone through the fibres phase too lol, also the electric waves description of the occasional pain post surgery is the perfect choice of words. Anyway, I look forward to seeing your updates, hopefully you will get an end result similar to mine. ___________________________________ Dr Bhatti 3305 FUE 20/10/2014 http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/178931-my-fue-dr-tejinder-bhatti-oct-2014-a.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member BigP Posted May 30, 2015 Author Regular Member Share Posted May 30, 2015 Hi to all those that have asked for an update. Sorry I have only got back to this. I will publish the latest pics by Tuesday. I have an important project deadline and I want to give a detailed update of the last four months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member KO Posted May 30, 2015 Senior Member Share Posted May 30, 2015 How were you able to get time off working in IB? 3382 FUE Lupanzula http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/185463-3382-grafts-lupanzula.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member BigP Posted May 30, 2015 Author Regular Member Share Posted May 30, 2015 How were you able to get time off working in IB? I work in the UK, we have 25 days holiday here. I booked 13 days and had two and half weeks off work. Wasn't hard at all with my work place. PLus i have a good relationship with my manager. Not sure about your location or manager, but if it's hard to get time I would suggest speaking to HR first about the issue, position it as a health issue (depression or confidence), and then use their advice to speak to management. Personally I had depression about this, and if my manager were to decline I would tell him the truth and keep it confidential. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member hairchallenged Posted June 27, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted June 27, 2015 Hi BigP any update on your latest pics? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member BigP Posted June 27, 2015 Author Regular Member Share Posted June 27, 2015 Hi all, Apologies for the delay. I can't beleive it's been 5 months since the operation. My life is so much better as I can walk around without being concerned about my hair anymore. I keep the hair buzzed down to grade 1-2, and the hairline is very sharp and tight and frames my face which is pretty much all I wanted. For the purposes of the picture, I grew my hair for 2 weeks so that you can see where I am with it grown out. I am waiting for the full 12 months before passing judgement, but I think it looks good at this stage. I hope there is more at the front in the next few months. When it's buzzed down to Grade 1 it looks a lot better as you can't see the patches as much. Perhaps by 9 months, it will be more full. Hoping for bettter results soon and will update all of you. If anyone knows if this is good or bad for a 5 month stage please let me know. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member NewLook2015 Posted June 29, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted June 29, 2015 Seems pics were taken under direct light but decent growth and coverage BigP! Still on fin? I know you are against toppik and hair fibers but seems you might get a fuller look with concealers, at least based on the online videos. I've ordered toppik and see if it helps till my year mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member BigP Posted June 29, 2015 Author Regular Member Share Posted June 29, 2015 Hey, yes this is in direct sunlight, and also after growing for 2 weeks. When I buzz it down, it looks pretty good. I am still on propecia, but I stopped using minoxidil. I also admit to having a bad lifestyle for the last few months - lots of drinking and smoking unfortunately. I am going to go on a health kick now, and look after myself! Hmm, yes I will admit that the idea of wearing toppik fills me with dread. I will never wear that again. To be honest, all my friends and family have now seen me with a shaved head, so I don't feel the need to hide it anymore. Any further growth is a bonus. I am considering doing a bht to my crown in a few months too. Probably another 1000-2000 (if I have it!) will make it look fuller. Thanks for the feedback... fingers crossed for more growth! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
man36 Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Wow, good result for only 5 month. How many days after transplant did you go to barber and cut your hair by scissors? Do you use TOPPIK? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member BigP Posted July 3, 2015 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 3, 2015 I went to the barber after 1 month, told him to be careful and use only scissors. I then started buzzing it after 3 months. I don't use toppik at all. Thanks for the feedback, not sure what a month result should look like but waiting for 1 year is probably the only time you can really judge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
man36 Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 Hi BigP, New photos? How is the growth? are you satisfied so far? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Mick50 Posted September 12, 2015 Senior Member Share Posted September 12, 2015 Yes it would be great to get an up-date on this, such a good detailed thread at the beginning but of course maybe he's just getting on with life and happy with his result Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member BigP Posted October 11, 2015 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 11, 2015 Hello all, guess who's back. After recieving some panicked messages asking for updates, I have come back on to post the pics as I felt bad. You can see I am in the library and felt bad for one particular user who thought I left because something drastic happened! I remember being so panicked in the days before my operation! The last couple of months I have left my job and am doing an MBA at University which has taken over my life. Also, the hair really isn't an issue anymore for me so I guess I have drifted away from a forum like this. This goes back to my point about how I felt this was more a psychological operation than a physical one. I have accepted what I look like and have moved on with my life. I am attaching some pics. I keep my hair buzzed at grade 1 as I just want a frame to my face rather than the strong dome. I think I have had some growth since the last pics, but perhaps doesn't look so grown as I buzz it every week. Youc an see that donor area has gone back to normal colour. Also, I think some of my natural hair has receded as I have stopped using minoxidil. However the transplanted hair is till growing as strongly. I may think about some extra coverage on the crown. However My confidence with women has grown. Also women seem to really like the feel of it buzzed, and some of my friends who are girls says it really brings out som of my other features such as my eyes. However, my mum is still a bit concerned that I look like a bollywood villian haha. So in all honesty I am happy with the operation as it has given me a good hairline that frames my face. However, the stopping of minoxidil may not be good advice for those who want more than that, such as long hair. I however, want to move on with m life with a grade 1 and may come back for a crown operation in a couple of years (1-1.5k hairs). As far as erdogan is concerned, the clinic asked me for some pics a couple fo weeks ago, after 9 months. I will send some back and get some advice. Let me know if you have any questions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member BigP Posted October 11, 2015 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 11, 2015 SOme emergency pics from the library! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member BigP Posted October 11, 2015 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 11, 2015 The library isn't the best place for pics and I just got a hair cut today. I'll grow the hair for a week and then post some more pics with higher resolution and lighting so you guys can see a better angle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member ersko72 Posted October 11, 2015 Senior Member Share Posted October 11, 2015 Lol, I sent that panicked message! Thanks for coming back to us all BigP, and I'm so very glad to hear you are travelling well at 8 months. Considering you're buzzed right down your hairline looks very defined, congrats! Of course if you get that chance to post in a few more days with some extra length in great lighting we'd be event more grateful. Ersko Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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