Scheduled with Dr. Konior--3,000 to 4,000 grafts.

[CaliHairGuy]

In your pre-pics....you could tell you were covering it up pretty bad...whereas now, it's your actual hairline.

 

A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do lol

[Tav1]

Screw the others that imply otherwise - seven months is the halfway point on average for "more mature" men" like ourselves. Although you're never going to get back to your 1990's hairline unless you endure more procedures, I'm positive you'll see a doubling of the improvement going forward out to 12-18 months. I'm a month ahead of you and (sorry Mod/Doc/Blake/Shill/whomever - as I had FUE) it only gets better the next month. And I'm fairly certain for you and hopefully for me, the months beyond.

[matt3480]

Haha, yes, I know! I wasn't criticizing. I am getting my second HT with Dr. K in T minus 10 hours actually:D

[CaliHairGuy]

Haha, yes, I know! I wasn't criticizing. I am getting my second HT with Dr. K in T minus 10 hours actually:D

 

lol. Lucky man. Again.

 

How many the first time and how many this time? Also, where?

 

I will probably get a second 2-3 years down the road. But like I said, if this is the only one then I would have no problems with that.

 

 

Screw the others that imply otherwise - seven months is the halfway point on average for "more mature" men" like ourselves. Although you're never going to get back to your 1990's hairline unless you endure more procedures, I'm positive you'll see a doubling of the improvement going forward out to 12-18 months. I'm a month ahead of you and (sorry Mod/Doc/Blake/Shill/whomever - as I had FUE) it only gets better the next month. And I'm fairly certain for you and hopefully for me, the months beyond.

 

I keep trying to convince myself I am young. The new hair is helping

 

Don't need my 1990 hairline. I am ok with the new one. For 7 months, I am pretty darn happy. Any other improvements at this point are a bonus.

 

Hell, I am planning a vacation that involves surfing. So, I must be feeling pretty good.

[matt3480]

I had about 2,700 the first time (althought 775 or so were for temple points and he brought my hair out a bit on the sides since it made the receding look worse with a "wider" forehead. So, I really only had 2,000 in the frontal third). My frontal forelock was pretty light (and obviously temples had no hair).....combined with fine hair....made it a necessity to have a second one to have good density. Like you said on your's....he did a good job with not a ton of grafts. I am going to have him just fill in between the existing transplanted hairs and make the hairline as dense as possible. I'll probably get anywhere from 1,000 minimum to 1,500/1,750...whatever he thinks I need. It's hair greed....plus I live 45 minutes away from the office...so why the heck not.

[CaliHairGuy]

Ok, I keep forgeting to post some updated pics. This was taken 5 minutes ago.

 

Things are looking pretty good. I'll take some better ones at home, but I at least wanted to get one up here that's current lol.

 

Today it is ~7 months and 1 week since my surgery at the end of April with Dr. Konior with 3800 grafts. 2700 in the frontal 3rd and 1100 on the crown.

[JON86]

Looks fantastic. Dr Konior is amazing.

[Tav1]

Looking good Cali - a couple of weeks behind me and the results are astounding. Feels good, eh? The more time goes on, the more I'm a believer that you just don't even attempt to judge the result until 10-12 months. I'm getting better by the week. Looks like you are as well.

[Pete-from-Farjo]

This is progressing really nicely. There appears to be significant growth since your September pics.

[Mp96]

Looks good for only seven months. Dr K is one helluva doctor!!

[CaliHairGuy]

Ok, here is essentially an 8 month update. Things are looking pretty good. Dr Konior kept my cowlick in in the back. If I had a second surgery, I might have him make this smaller, but it really doesn't bother me at all. And mind you, my crown looks pretty darn good considering there were only 1100 grafts put in there.

 

My family who haven't seen me since the surgery were pretty amazed (the few who knew anyways). They said it looks fantastic...that there is no evidence of surgery and that it looks 100% real...but then again, it's Dr. Konior. Amazing is his middle name

 

The only (slightly) weird thing is that some of the donor hair in the back gets a little wavy the longer it gets. Not sure if this is normal or not...don't really care...it's just an interesting development

[matt3480]

Looks great, SUCH a difference.

[CaliHairGuy]

THanks

Edited December 28, 2015 by CaliHairGuy

[thatoldchestnut]

Dr.K is quite simply one of (if not the) GOAT. He just doesn't miss!

 

Great result man, you're looking good!

[chrisdav]

Looking great Cali.

[thisguy1]

Looks great! Btw I can appreciate why you decided to caveat each statement to such a degree---the verbal onslaught always feel just a comment or two away

 

You're only halfway there and it looks fantastic. You might see even better results in the months leading up to the 12 month mark.

 

I hope your words resonate amongst the group here. You are very aware and cognizant of expectations even with early returns. You seem cautiousy optimistic w/o driving yourself too crazy either. Helps to have Konior in your corner too.

 

I want to second these thoughts CaliHairGuy. Often we only see the greatest of great results posted by doctors or people and I like your relative caution and not "MAN EVERYTHING IS AWESOME, IM SPROUTING A BUSH in MONTH 3!!" . I appreciate all the caveats and realistic comments on your journey - and your "hyper analysis" of every angle made me realize after reading your thread (and others) how little I looked in the mirror the past 7-8 years as I had just "conceded" to it all. I was just doing clipper size 1 on sides, and 3 on top - at home every 2 weeks, and aside from those buzz cuts didnt bother looking any more in depth in mirror than that because it was just getting worse yearly and not fun to watch. I am similar age to you but was 5Aish.

 

You, on the other hand, had more hair to work with it and were doing your "side to middle" engineering so you were a lot more in touch with your hair and from reading your posts you notice so much more about every graft / angle etc than I ever would on mine. So I am thinking maybe it will make next 6+ months easier for me as I won't notice all the small things you analyzed to pieces. (I say it respectfully)

 

At this point I am just like "wow an actual hairline" and that's the extent of my analysis haha.

 

Anyhow I just had my HT with Konior 2 weeks ago, almost exact same # of grafts but you had way more 3s than I did (mine were mostly 2s) - focused on front 2/3rds to build hairline and top scalp density, and realizing without another 2k hairs the crown was going to not get much attention. That's a realistic outcome to accept for my stage of loss. I actually messaged 1978matt back in 2013 to get some info and have been a long time lurker of the site so enjoy reading the stories. Just took a long time to save up money - he was the most expensive of the guys I was seriously considering but I figure if you are going to pay for Tom Brady at QB vs say Tony Romo you have to pay up. Guy has a 4-6 month wait list for a reason - I am sure there are plenty of quality people out there but there is a pretty consistent list of 6-7 guys who are named on this site as the elite and he is one.

 

1978matt's thread is pretty much the definitive one on Konior of the last few years and it sounds like most everything is similar from now to 2013 so I don't have much to add other than Tom mentioned to me the doctor will be taking most Mondays off this year so I assume his waitlist is only going to be longer.

 

You are looking great and while I won't have the same density as I had more area to cover I am looking forward to going back in time maybe 10-12 "hair" years once this all grows in. Was hoping to hit powerball so I could immediately go in for 2nd round of HT in 18 months but alas. Kind of funny how we are all on the same path just at different spots - I am in the about to take suture out stage, and knowing all this nice short hair is about to be gone for a few months stage. So looking forward to 4th of July and later this year to see how things turn out.

 

Thanks for the updates and keep in mind you are going to be your harshest critic - when you write things like "looks great from 1 foot away but man you can see some fault from 1 inch away" just remember 99.99% of people (except maybe one of those dates of yours) is not going to be an inch away staring. And even "she" won't notice the things you are staring at every day in the mirror.

[chris39]

Just read through the thread , and your results are looking excellent Cali .

 

I've recently had FUT with a similar graft count , so you thread provides a good point of reference for the stages of progress .

 

Still haven't shed all the grafts yet at 4 weeks post op , so think I'm kidding myself they wont shed . Reading your thread brings back the reality that they will shed in all likelihood .

 

Still have thoughts now and then that the H/T wont produce to my ( modest ) expectations , but I'm sure that's a thought many of us have peridically.

[CaliHairGuy]

I actually messaged 1978matt back in 2013 to get some info and have been a long time lurker of the site so enjoy reading the stories. Just took a long time to save up money - he was the most expensive of the guys I was seriously considering but I figure if you are going to pay for Tom Brady at QB vs say Tony Romo you have to pay up. Guy has a 4-6 month wait list for a reason - I am sure there are plenty of quality people out there but there is a pretty consistent list of 6-7 guys who are named on this site as the elite and he is one.

 

Yes, you don't want a doctor working on you who will throw a terrible 4th quarter interception. Consistently lol.

 

I chose to have Dr. Konior do some work on my crown, even if it was only going to be 10% coverage. Between his handiwork and the Propecia, I couldn't be happier with the crown. In a way, I am happier with the crown than the front just because it looks so great without a lot of grafts.

 

I wanted to give a realistic review here...I think there can be some rose colored glasses at work sometimes. And I also wanted to give my authentic opinions, one of them being when I am looking in the mirror up close, I can tell it's a transplant because of follicle spacing in the front. At the same time, no one except me and a HT doctor could tell or care. Everyone says it looks great (and it does). BUT, I would seriously consider another surgery with Dr. K in the future to add to my density on the top. At the same time, if this were my only HT and my density stayed like this, I would be completely ok as well. Hope that all makes sense. Glad you and others found value in my caveated approach

 

Glad you chose Dr. K. He's a perfectionist who takes his craft very seriously. Yes, he isn't the cheapest...but he also isn't the most expensive. Do it right or do it twice...and you don't want to be a forum horror story. I feel bad every time I read a thread where someone asks, "This clinic in the US can do it for $2 a graft. Should I do it?" No, you should not. You should save up money to do it right or not at all. That is my not-so-humble opinion.

 

Just read through the thread , and your results are looking excellent Cali .

 

I've recently had FUT with a similar graft count , so you thread provides a good point of reference for the stages of progress .

 

Still haven't shed all the grafts yet at 4 weeks post op , so think I'm kidding myself they wont shed . Reading your thread brings back the reality that they will shed in all likelihood .

 

Still have thoughts now and then that the H/T wont produce to my ( modest ) expectations , but I'm sure that's a thought many of us have peridically.

 

They may shed. Some of mine may have stayed in, but it was really hard to tell. The middle of month 3 was the hardest for me. Not once in month 2 did I worry about anything. I knew Dr. Konior was a great surgeon. But I had a smidge of panic surface when I thought the grafts weren't growing that great in month 3 when some others had posted what looked like "significant" growth. Then around month 4 things really started happening, and at 4.5 months I went out in public without a hat on (but with concealer) because I had a date lol. Around month 5.5 I stopped wearing concealer and it has been groovy every since.

 

Glad I did it. Glad I did it with Dr. K. And would do it again if given the chance

 

Oh, and like I mentioned previously. I did notice Propecia affected my libido, but not the horror stories some talk about. I have now cut back on the dosage. I cut back to twice a week, but felt that was too much (thought I may have seen hairs shedding again). So, I now take it Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday. I think that will suffice for now. I use Rogaine foam just like I have been. Once a day in the morning. But without the Propecia. I don't think the crown results would have been as spectacular as they are.

Edited January 18, 2016 by CaliHairGuy

[CaliHairGuy]

I think I forgot to post an updated pic for January, and missed February. I will have to take one soon. This is what happens when you get a hair transplant from a great doctor. You stop being obsessive about your thinning hair.

 

Just a few minor things for people to consider and remember:

 

1) A hair transplant will typically not give you the density of your non-thinning native hair. It's an illusion of sorts to make people think your hair is just as thick as it has always been. Just something to think about.

 

2) I can tell I no longer have a virgin scalp. Sometimes the back of my head gets itchy along the scarline...this could possibly be nerves still repairing/regenerating, but when I move my head in certain positions I can feel a little bit of tension. I only mention this so people realize surgery is surgery. At the same time, the things I just mentioned are the miniscule of miniscule.

 

3) At certain angles because of how my hair lays, I can see the scar on the left side of my head in the morning when my hair is wet. When my hair is dry, you can't. Other people certainly can't (this is a quirk of looking at yourself in the mirror). But just something to think about. This may not bother anyone else, but it's a reminder I've had the surgery

 

4) In order to truly get "native-like density" most people with a Norwood 5 or higher will require two surgeries. There is plenty of space for Dr. K to fill in between the already transplanted hairs if he ever has a second go-around on my scalp.

 

5) I am beyond happy I got the surgery. Confidence is up. The number of dates I have gone on has skyrocketed. And overall, I am not constantly obsessed with my thinning hair. Here's an added bonus of the HT...the way I used to comb my hair, I couldn't run without having the combover portion come flying up when air/wind got underneath it. Now, because I can wear my hair shorter, I can run without worry. Win

 

6) Everyone's hair after a transplant is different, but mine looks better shorter. When it gets longer, the hair tends to get bunched together and create areas where the hair won't lay over evenly (thick in one area, thin in others). Don't know why this is, but my hair lays much more evenly when it's shorter. Regardless, I like my hair shorter and a friend of mine who had a HT a few years ago is amazed that I can (essentially) wear my hair as short as I had it before the surgery (on the sides).

 

I think that's about it. Just wanted to update people. I'll try and take a pic tomorrow in my car. Keep forgeting because I am trying to get everything sorted before I go on vacation soon. Going surfing, so that should let you know the confidence I have with my hair

[matt3480]

If you were a NW5, there is no doubt you would need a second pass for density. That's a lot of loss....it's hard to go for the home run there because you have a finite amount of grafts and with the number you need.....you would be screwed if only 60% grew.

 

No doubt, hair characteristics is the single most important factor in looking like a 10. If you have course hair.....even if you are a little more advanced NW-wise, you can get back to normal density. If you have fine hair....even with a lower NW, you will still need a lot of grafts and definitely 2 passes. A NW3 with thick hair (let alone one with great donor density) is going to look better with less grafts than a NW3 or even NW2 with fine hair.

 

If you were a NW5, you would have to probably about max out your donor to get normal density all over.....and sometimes that isn't smart. Remember, on a scale of 1-10...it's not like thick hair is a 10, normal hair is a 9, and thin hair is a 8. It's more like thick hair is a 10, normal hair is like a 7 and thin hair is a like 3. Just even normal hair caliber is easily 2x as good as fine hair caliber in terms of results.

 

Hair style is big, too. I don't know how old you are.....but the faux hawk thing is out. Stop doing that once you get in your 30's. I could have no baldness at all....and the spiking the hair up think would still not work for me because of how fine my hair is. You'd have to have ridiculous density (AKA teenager like) to do that with fine hair. With normal or thick hair? You could still pull that off even with signs of balding.

 

My whole goal is to look good with hair at 1/2 inch or so....because even though I would never keep it that short...I know if I'm even density wise at 1/2 inch, I will only be better at 1-2 inches.

 

I know we all look at Matt1978 as the gold standard but Matt had some thicker hair....and especially when grown out, makes it look great. He was lucky with his characteristics.

[thisguy1]

 

4) In order to truly get "native-like density" most people with a Norwood 5 or higher will require two surgeries. There is plenty of space for Dr. K to fill in between the already transplanted hairs if he ever has a second go-around on my scalp.

 

 

 

As mentioned prior, thanks for "keeping it real". As to point #4 I saw a long time ago a comment that a good rule of thumb to achieve "illusion of density" (not your natural hair density which is not the point) is measure your Norwood x 1000-1500 grafts for ultimate goals. 1000 on the conservative side, 1500 on aggressive side.

 

So for a NW5 that means 5000 to 7500 grafts.

 

That's a wide range but I think generally fits for what people "think" a HT is going to do for them. Of course not everyone is going for such immense change and the first 3000-4000 is where the massive difference is really going to kick in.

 

But yeah I think if someone is not diffuse and just plain "recessed" and you are above a NW4, 2 passes is the realistic idea. A diffuse NW5 can get away with it - some of the diffuse guys when I see their photos from the front they don't even look like they are losing much in the hairline; only when you do an overhead shot do you see the losses so they can get away with something smaller - at least until (when and if) the diffuse natural hair falls out down the road.

 

Another way to think about it is measure the balding area - and go for an average of 40 grafts per cm2 (50ish in hairline, 35-40 elsewhere) and you can come up with a good guestimate. So 150cm2 x 40 = 6000.

 

Age is also a factor - guy in his 50s is going to generally be more content with 4K grafts as a NW5 then a guy who is 32.

[Melvin- Admin]

A lot of good points that are valid, I agree hair characteristics play a big role, also the difference between diffuse loss and total loss makes a big difference, head size is another factor, i will say that in general most Norwood 5+ will need more surgeries even with 4,000 grafts to improve density.

[CaliHairGuy]

Ok. We're almost at a year and I forgot to update for a few months because (honestly) that's what happens when you have a good HT. You stop obsessing like you used to. Anywho. Here is 11 months and almost 3 weeks. Pretty happy with the results. And that's kinda an understatement lol. I almost feel cocky with this hair, but am hoping I've learned some humility along the way in my 30's and 40's (especially after needing a HT). In short, I am very grateful to Dr. K and his team and their dedication to their craft. Dr. K's skill and care really improves the lives of men and their mental health.

[Spanker]

Man that is great. I remember you bumped your head. How sis that turn out. Is it noticeable at all? Can you find that spot?

 

What a Rollercoaster to be on! Congrats!

[CaliHairGuy]

Man that is great. I remember you bumped your head. How did that turn out. Is it noticeable at all? Can you find that spot?

 

What a Rollercoaster to be on! Congrats!

 

Minor at best. When my hair is wet I can maybe see where it was. But it's about 2 inches back from my front hairline, so it's barely noticeable. It's as if you had a scar that really faded and now you can barely tell it was there. That's how I'd describe it, if that makes sense (even though it's not a scar).

 

I'm still amazed at how good the back looks with only 10% coverage (Dr. K's words). It was so spares back there before, and he worked on quite a large area. Looks like this crown was such a black hole (knocks on wood).

Edited April 20, 2016 by CaliHairGuy