My results - need your help

[johnsmith20172017]

Hello everybody. I have been a long time lurker of these forums and have found them very helpful. I am looking for your advice.

 

I have undergone two hair transplants both in the front. Something does not look quite right and a lot of people are looking up at my hair. Originally it looked better when my original hair was in between the grafts but this has fallen out so I think the issue might be that it looks pluggy.

 

This is the reason I went for a second FUT – in order to fill in the hair that was lost due to the permanent shock loss of the first hair transplant. In retrospect I should of gone for FUE the second time to "cherry-pick" good single FU to be placed in the hairline but instead the second FUT has increased the overall thickness of my hair which quite honestly didn't need any more thickening up.

 

The second issue is the hairline looks very harsh. I have been plucking the very thick hairs from my hairline and since then a lot less people have been looking up at my hair. I have read that if you continue to pluck the hair will eventually grow back weaker and this might give me the appearance of a softer hairline I am hoping.

 

As you can see the sides of my head are quite thin as well and it makes my hair look unnatural due to the thick frontal tuff of dark hair.

 

The first HT was around 4500-5000 grafts and the second was 2800. Basically I am still only 6 months into the second hair transplant and the front is getting thicker and thicker with wire-like hair and it seems thicker than my donor area.

 

I am posting here because I want feedback from you experienced people on what I should do about this problem. I am consulting with surgeons in due course but I feel some of you are just as knowledgeable and your advice would be appreciated. I was thinking of FUE-ing out some of the grafts at the top and filling in my FUT scar so I could make the hair very short and disguise this thick front to a certain extent.

 

Also do you think the hairline needs soft hair placed in between it? I still feel that despite the front getting thicker and thicker there are still inadequate gaps in the hairline.

 

In the future I think my only option would be to redistribute the hair further back into the crown. At the moment I feel my hair at the front is too thick - I know a lot of you do not think someone saying this is a problem but it is when everywhere else on your head has thinner hair.

 

Most of the pictures were taken with a bright flash. My hair looks better in duller conditions but I want to show you honestly my situation.

 

Thank you.

 

Ps. I have at least 3000 grafts left for FUE and I imagine another FUT though I am done with FUT.

Edited October 10, 2016 by johnsmith20172017

[Spanker]

I think your hair looks really good. You have had over 7k grafts, you should expect your donor to be somewhat thinned. I would touch it. It looks great. Do you have any pre op pics? Are you on meds? I think it is way too early to even start thinking about moving hair. Enjoy what you got now.

[johnsmith20172017]

I think your hair looks really good. You have had over 7k grafts, you should expect your donor to be somewhat thinned. I would touch it. It looks great. Do you have any pre op pics? Are you on meds? I think it is way too early to even start thinking about moving hair. Enjoy what you got now.

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

I do not intend to redistribute hair anytime soon apart from maybe moving grafts into the FUT scar. basically I got too many grafts and these pictures are only 6 months in.

 

I sometimes use concealer on the sides which helps but I wanted the pictures to look as 'honest' as possible.

 

Both my previous ops were FUT so I do not know why my sides are thin and am concerned FUE into the FUT scar would shock the side hair and that will fall out. Do you think that is possible and do you think maybe 100 or so grafts would be good to refine the hairline?

 

Thanks a lot.

 

Ps. No meds and pre op pics - none to hand though I probably should of waited several more years before getting a HT. My original hair wasn't that bad, but when I got the first HT I suffered permanent shock loss and it all fell out the surrounding area hence my justification for the second. Obviously the process is non reversible so I am looking for advice to improve it and continue with my life.

[garethbale]

To be honest mate I think your hair looks really good. From a cosmetic perspective at the front it certainly isn't obvious you've undergone surgery and I don't see how your hairline would draw attention.

 

Are you sure you're not just being paranoid?

[johnsmith20172017]

To be honest mate I think your hair looks really good. From a cosmetic perspective at the front it certainly isn't obvious you've undergone surgery and I don't see how your hairline would draw attention.

 

Are you sure you're not just being paranoid?

 

I wouldn't say I am being paranoid but it certainly is reassuring for members here to say they think things look ok. Maybe more people were looking up before I starting plucking the hair at the front. Before the plucking there were some really thick hairs in the front and a couple of 2s as well.

 

the third picture I posted is the one out of over 30 pictures I think looks the worst hence why I posted it. I do not know something does not look quite right but I can't put my finger on it. I think maybe the gaps between the hairs are too wide?

 

Thanks for the feedback I appreciate it.

[aWidowsPeek]

I think you have hair paranoia man. It looks great! Nobody is starring at your hair in a bad way.

 

Who was your doctor? He did a great job.

[HT2016]

Your hair looks really good to me, why do you want to mess with it? Let your scalp heal and the new hair roots settle in.

[DavidAnderson]

This is not something we hear too often on this site that you feel your transplanted hair is too thick!

 

Having looked at thousands of photos over the years I think your hairline looks good and natural from the photos and I see no reason to feel that people are looking at your hairline for anything that stands out negatively. You have a good head of hair I would do nothing and see how things look in a few years.

 

Transplanted hairs settle down and become softer after the first year of surgery and have a less wiry appearance just give it time and I think it will look fine.

[johnsmith20172017]

Thank you for all your replies. It's encouraging to hear positive feedback and it's appreciated.

 

In terms of FUE into the FUT scar - one leading HT surgeon has told me I would not lose side hair if I got FUE into the FUT scar but what do you all think of this? The FUT scar at the side has got fairly thin hair around it. What are the chances this surrounding hair would be disrupted please?

 

Others have also agreed with the HT surgeon and I will ask more surgeons in the coming months. I have seen men with no hair loss that sometimes have thin sides so perhaps also some men have thin sides such as myself but the hair is there to stay? What are you guys thoughts on this?

 

Thanks again.

[johnsmith20172017]

I second aWidowsPeak. I have seen many transplants where the "wrong" type of hair caliber was placed into the hairline. This is really not a textbook example of that. It looks like fairly good placement to be honest. I, and many others, are of the mindset that if you have a good result, quit while you're ahead (with respect to hair and the related finances). You have a good result, and shock loss is far more common in the donor area with fue. My advice, do not do anything and know that if anyone's looking at your head, they're looking because you have a good head of hair now.

 

Thank you for your reply. Just to confirm I would not disrupt the donor by getting FUEs from the donor. I would get the FUEs from the frontal third of my head to put into the FUT scar.