Voxman reports!

[voxman]

Voxman Reports!

As promised, here is a full report on my 2nd Hair transplant - this time with well-know L.A./Beverly Hills Hair Restoration Specialist Dr. Parsa Mohebi.

My wife and I drove into L.A. on Wednesday night and checked into the Marriot Courtyard in Sherman Oaks. I have stayed there for business before so I know the lay of the land well. There is a very old and very established restaurant across the street called The Valley Inn. I could well imagine Clark Gable or Frank Sinatra dining there after a grueling day at the Studios. Passing on anything alcoholic, I enjoyed an Arnold Palmer while the wife had a nice glass of Pinot Grigio. And that was about the best part of the dinner. Slow service, an undercooked Filet, and a fatty Prime Rib made us question the whole affair. Add to that I was actually feeling *bad* - as in *Crap, I'm getting sick* bad. Not a good time to start this nonsense. I blamed my lack of appetite on this rising distress.

 

Back at the hotel, I showered , knowing that the hot water running over my head would be the last for a week or so. Then off to bed. And...hours of sleeplessness. Truly a distressing situation, I wanted to be bright eyed and ready to tackle the day of my HT with vigor and enthusiasm. I think I got 2 hours of sleep. *YAWN* So Red eyed and dragging, no appetite, no coffee, we drove the clinic a mere 7 minutes up Ventura Blvd and checked in at 7:30 a.m.

 

The day brightened considerably as I was greeted by the receptionist warmly like a old friend and offered water, the wife coffee, and filled out the required paperwork and even got to order lunch. Then I was whisked to Dr. Mohebi's consultation Suite - a very impressive Black and White room with pics of patient and his many, many certificates on the walls.

Dr. Mohebi then entered the room at 8:00 a.m. and greeted me like a long lost cousin. Dr. Mohebi makes you feel as if you are the most important person in the world and in his capable hands, anything is possible. Indeed, we first reviewed my pictures and consultation report from last Jan 2015, and he immediately suggest we go more aggressive. (Yes, Spanker, more aggressive) He asked me about shaving (shudder) and I said I wasn't sure. We drew in a new hairline and discussed my styling and plan. One of my concerns was that for over 50 years I have parted my hair on the left side and no other and my part area remained sparse after #1 so I wanted that addressed. I expected a slightly lowered hairline but he went a little more that before and yet still remained faithful to my facial proportions and age and my expectations.

 

Then we were ready to go! Into the Surgical room - furnishing sincluded an operating chair for me and a counter with five (5) cutting stations for my grafts. Dr. Mohebi restricts his assistants to cutting no more than 500 grafts each. So throughout the day at any given time, the stations were manned and cutting commenced. I was given a pill to relax, had my blood pressure and pulse taken and monitored, and then the Dr gave me an injection to further relax me.

Then he injected my donor area - which I could not feel a thing! - just a tiny prick of no consequence, enough to know it was happening. After a bit , and still in the sitting position no less, he started the strip removal procedure. Note here that for my 1st procedure, I was lying prone face down, but this time I was sitting straight up. I will say that Dr. and I had a frank discussion about Bleeding - given the fact that I was only able to discontinue my Anti-Platelets 5 days prior. He warned me against an excessive bleeding situation so at this point I assumed sitting up was to my advantage. Much to my relief, Dr told me the bleeding throughout the entire day was quite normal and we were doing very well. Except I was COLD - that room was a meat locker (to me, anyway) . Once the strip was removed he stapled me up. Yes staples. Last one Sutures - this one Staples. Dr. feel the staples create less of a scar in the long run. Okay be me. We also worked around and excised the old scar replacing it with the new one. So still one scar on Voxman's head!

 

Oh, did I mention - once in the chair I GOT SHAVED!! Yes, I agreed given the fact that Dr wanted to do a dense pack job as much a possible and working around my longish hair presented a more difficult situation. So... big deal, I get a few months of G.I. Joe so that I can be John Lennon later! Nice trade off. I will never have to second guess the choice.

Okay , strip removed, breakfast served - Toasted Bagel, Cream Cheese, and Juice. Girls start to separate the grafts, time for Dr. to make some recipient sites. I believe he uses a solid core needle. His assistant has a counter and we punched about 2100 sites to begin with - new hairline, mid section adjustments, and a band for the crown. And then - let's do it. Two Techs start placing the grafts. And it's like 10:30 a.m. ! Last time, it was 'do the strip, have lunch and start the implants' at like 1:00 p.m.

 

So the planting starts and I am still COLD -I mean freezing - so I get two blanket to help stop he shivering. Yeah, I'm getting sick for sure - shit! I have waited a full year for this and my body picks now to abandon me. But I deal with it and move on. There is a nice TV screen, radio, and DVD player available to me but I pass on watching or listening to anything - I prefer to close my eyes and vegetate, center myself and enjoy the experience. Yes, enjoy.

 

Around 1 :00 pm lunch arrives and we all take a break - but I just pick at my food - wanting to just sleep more that eat. Dr. is checking in constantly , overseeing the work, suggesting adjustments, and overseeing the cutting. At about 2:30ish, (when Procedure #1 was winding down last time), Dr. comes in and announces it 'time to do the 2nd strip". Wait...Wha? Yes, Dr. does his FUT in two stages to eliminate the time that the grafts are out-of-body. Brilliant. So off we go , more injections, cut away , staples, harvest the grafts and more implants. An hour or so later he comes back in and decides he can make more sites with what he have. We add more to the crown and a few more single to the hairline. Sweet. By the way, the head Tech has been doing this over 23 years and is a pro all the way. Everyone working at this office is dedicated and professional completely beyond expectations.

 

By about 5:30 we are finishing up - Dr. enters and actually has the Tech reposition some 40 grafts - in the crown no less - for a better balance. And I am about spent, still feeling lousy but thankful knowing I have been in exceptional cares hands. As we are finishing up I start to really feel nauseous, I try to fight through it but finally I tell the ladies that I am going to throw up - two girls and Dr. are at my side immediately, I'm having dry heaves, and they are taking my BP, then laying me back, and Dr. gives me an anti-nausea pill. It subsides, I am able to regain my composure, and then I realized just how thorough and caring that entire staff is and has been all day.

My wife joins me then and we go into the consultation room for post op instructions and pictures. Dr. takes pics, talks about how I feel, how the nausea can be common following the procedure given that I was a bit rundown to begin with - but I am good for now - we set an appointment for the next day at 11:20 for my 1st washing and off we go to the hotel.

Once we get to the hotel, we order room service, just soup for me please - and I relax. I take a sleeping pill and pain meds as those staples can be uncomfortable. I eat, and then doze off to a pretty good sleep. I awake a few time not being able to find the perfect position but I know this night will probably be my worst so suck it up pal.

 

Next day, still no appetite, I pick at my $11.00 Waffle, we check out, and I arrive at the office, and receive materials (Shampoo, brushes) and get my 1st wash and their instructions for follow-up care. Dr. Mohebi again takes pics, give me final consultation and assessment, we were able to harvest 2430 grafts - no final count on 1,2, or 3's, yet, and away we go.

And then I drive home - yes, macho man has to drive. But 2/3 of the way I give up the wheel to the wife, because I'm feeling exhausted. I get home and immediately take a 4 hour nap - and miraculously wakeup refreshed, hungry, and like the old Voxman.!! Yea!

I got a good night's rest last night too and this a.m. I have a ton of coffee and Raisin Toast with Peanut Butter! Yum. I do my wash myself and it's a breeze. I do have swelling today and Dr. gave me Prednisone for that - but that's part of the game so I'm good.

In closing, I cannot stress how professional and world class the Dr. Mohebi experience is. He is down to earth, personable, caring, and very, very clear in his assessments and expectations from both sides. His Staff are madly in love with him and it shows in their work and ethic. His concern and care is evident in this year's Free HT Contest and his choice of Sanjar. I waited over a year since my Heart Attack and it was well worth it.

 

The Below pics are starter pics for you all and shows in order - Pre-1st Transplant Baldy Head and 1st TP results , 1st consultation hairline plan, Actual Hairline plan day of Procedure, Post procedure work.

 

More to follow and feel free to ask me anything you want, my brothers.

[ontop]

Rock on vox..

thank you for the updates happy growing pal.

[Spanker]

Congrats man. Can't wait to see it grown out.

[TakingThePlunge]

Congratulations! Really looking forward to your next transformation.

[Mickey85]

Congrats Voxman. Curious as to your reasons for under-going strip for you second procedure, were your FUE eligible grafts tapped out?

 

EDIT: I was under the assumption you had FUE for your first procedure, turns out that's not the case?

[JON86]

Nice write up on your procedure look forward to the results.

[Mick50]

.

I feel the new hair-line will make a big difference best of luck with the growing.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Mick50

[SADbutTRUE]

congrats on recent surgery,heal well and heres to great growth.who was your doc onyour 1st surgery? post op pics of grafts looks great.

[Wwiizzkkiidd24]

Yeah congrats vox. lool forward to your updates.

[voxman]

Thanks for all the nice comments everyone. Day 4 here and some slight itching present , naturally, and my staples are driving me crazy already, but as pkipling say, I am a savage so I'll handle it.

 

Mickey85, my 1st procedure was indeed FUT, and although I am a supporter of both methods and even new emerging technology, Dr. Mohebi and I both felt comfortable going the FUT route for this procedure as a scar with me is not a problem. Long Hair Forever!

 

SADbutTRUE, my 1st procedure was with Dr. Chao in Redondo Beach. Dr. Chao certainly did a professional procedure with good results considering my formerly bald pate, and the areas I had to cover, but with more research and information over the past two years, I gravitated towards a higher profile practitioner, Dr. Mohebi, as he is a supporter of this forum, the Industry, and an excellent Dr. with stellar credentials. Plus, he impressed me with his total patient care and aftercare practices.

 

Here is an interesting post-op photograph my wife took the morning after my surgery. It shows the packing that Dr. Mohebi's plan allowed - as all the visible hairs are totally TP hairs.

 

More pics to come as the next week unfolds and then the big question - "To Shed Or Not To Shed?" If you recall, I had no shedding for my 1st procedure so the jury's out!

[JON86]

That's some impressive dense packing. You should get a really nice result.

[Pete-from-Farjo]

Great write-up voxman. Sounds like all went to plan. Grow well!

[voxman]

Oh, and I joined the Fin club today...

 

For a few months anyway.

[pkipling]

Yep - A total savage.

 

Great write up, Voxman. Everything you stated describes my experience with him and his staff perfectly. I was actually in his office today meeting Sanjar in person, and between the two of them, they could bottle up their charm and charisma and make a fortune.

 

Very much looking forward to how this turns out for you. And congrats on that more aggressive hairline! :cool:

[Bill - Seemiller]

Voxman,

 

Thanks for providing the community with a detailed write up of your experience. I know shaving is since everybody's preferred thing to do, especially when the ultimate goal is to have a nice head of hair. But shaving usually helps the doctor provide the most amount of dense packing while minimizing risks during the procedure that might lead to poor growth.

 

I look forward to seeing what your hair looks like after the new transplant all grows in.

 

.Happy growing!

 

Bill

[voxman]

...shaving usually helps the doctor provide the most amount of dense packing while minimizing risks during the procedure that might lead to poor growth.

 

And that, succinctly put Bill, was the reason I bit the bullet. To give myself the best possible outcome and provide the Dr. with the means to pack them grafts best as possible.

 

The expected hairline is waaaay beyond what I imagined.

[voxman]

Yeah....yeah...it's only 1 week.

 

But considering Dr. Mohebi shaved me bald on top, here is what the density looks like now that the scabs are starting to fall and I'm showering regularly.

 

I look like I have a crew cut. It will probably all shed, but the native and 1st transplanted hair is already coming back.

[voxman]

Yesterday the Staples came out - aah! It's feels so nice again! I'd post a pic of the staples (there were a LOT!) but I don't want to scare anyone. :eek:

 

So instead - KUDOS TO DR. MOHEBI!

 

Here's me and he after our post consult yesterday.

[pkipling]

Yesterday the Staples came out - aah! It's feels so nice again! I'd post a pic of the staples (there were a LOT!) but I don't want to scare anyone. :eek:

 

So instead - KUDOS TO DR. MOHEBI!

 

Here's me and he after our post consult yesterday.

 

Nice hat selection. I wore a hat like to work after my procedure and was married to it for a good 3-4 weeks. Looking so flyyyyyy Voxman. :cool:

[voxman]

Hats only for outside now if needed. Can't wear one while I am working so I just suck it up and look goofy. I have shed almost all the transplanted hairs now so the ugly duckling phase hit me fast and hard. But it appears my native and 1st TP Hairs are thriving so I've got that going on. And I'm growing a beard during this phase so I can really shake things up. Big plus is that the Fin has my pubes going wild, too.

[pkipling]

Big plus is that the Fin has my pubes going wild, too.

 

O.M.G. :eek:

 

MVP of the forums, right here.