My HT's with Dr. Umar - DermHair Clinic, L.A.

[AB2000]

As mentioned a bit up-thread I had the chance to experiment with left over Nanogen hair fibers that I used to apply to my hair loss back in 2010-2011. Though I didn't have the same proficient application technique I was able to do a decent enough job.

 

A few takeaways. When I was at an earlier hair loss stage I had to keep my hair buzzed to about a 3/8" length to make concealers work. I needed to use both Dermatch then the hair fibers. Each day it would take about half an hour to apply, and and the end of each day I'd need to take another shower to shampoo and remove it, and to put minoxidil on. If I were to use concealer now, after the HT's, I'd need just the hair fibers and it would take about five minutes to get on. Dermatch, while great, takes a long time to get all over the hair loss area.

 

Without having to use too much fiber, I was able to get a very good illusion of density. The coverage was there to allow this. Without this concealer, my hairline is more see-through. A little bit of hair fiber is good bang for the buck. The suggestion I got from my recent visit to the HT clinic was to cut my hair short on the sides and back, to create less contrast between the thinning top and the rest. If I were to just grow the hair on top and buzz the sides I don't think it would be to difficult to apply a bit of hair fiber each day. But for now I am growing it out to see how good or bad it looks.

 

My end goal of these transplants was to get good close cropped hair that appears full. I am more or less at that point. But if I can get away longer hairstyles I'll see what I can do.

 

10 Month Post Op 3rd HT **With Hair Fiber Concealer**:

[AB2000]

10 Month Post Op 3rd HT **With Hair Fiber Concealer**:

 

Further photos

[Steeeve]

Your hair fiber game is on point.

[AB2000]

Wanted to drop a quick update.  These are a few pictures I took at about the 12 and a half months post op.  Some hairs growing out that I can notice, as there's the occasional pimple/ingrown hair trying to get out in the transplanted areas.  In this photo I would have been growing my hair for about half a year since buzzing it down.

 

 

[AB2000]

These other ones are from a month later when I wanted to try Toppik on longer hair, just limiting myself to five minutes of application with their power spray applicator.  Not a bad result for the time it took.

 

 

[Gasthoerer]

Wow, amazing and risky path you have taken. But you came a long way.

Personally, I think you should keep the hair cleaner/shorter on the sides. But this is just me.

 

[jimbrann]

This is fascinating. The beard extraction looks painful! But I guess it wasn't?

For using beard as the donor, can't the surgeon extract literally every hair (leaving with you no beard after). If the patient wanted it, could it be done?

[mosd]

try dermamatch i like way more than fibers

[AB2000]

On 7/10/2018 at 10:30 AM, jimbrann said:

This is fascinating. The beard extraction looks painful! But I guess it wasn't?

For using beard as the donor, can't the surgeon extract literally every hair (leaving with you no beard after). If the patient wanted it, could it be done?

The most painful part of the hair transplants have been when I received injections in the face to numb the skin prior to harvesting grafts.  Having them removed from the back of the head or chest didn't hurt as much.

Other than Umar I don't know of other surgeons who will take a lot of donors from the beard, to the extent that most are removed.  Perhaps others know?  There are some Youtube videos of cases where the patient has a high number of overall grafts and the beard donor supply is used to a great extent:

 

https://youtu.be/T0jSVB1ihAo?t=3m27s

https://youtu.be/Ln50zoddl3U?t=25s

[Al - Moderator]

10 hours ago, AB2000 said:

The most painful part of the hair transplants have been when I received injections in the face to numb the skin prior to harvesting grafts.  Having them removed from the back of the head or chest didn't hurt as much.

The chest numbing is what hurt me the most. That is painful! My beard area wasn't as bad, but still hurts. The chin I think is the most painful part of the beard area for me. I agree that the head numbing is the easiest to handle.

 

I have some questions for you. I don't know if you answered these because there are a lot of posts on this thread. You still have some very thin hair throughout your entire head. Are you still able to get more grafts done? If so, do you plan on doing more? Are you happy with the results so far?

[Al - Moderator]

On 7/10/2018 at 10:30 AM, jimbrann said:

For using beard as the donor, can't the surgeon extract literally every hair (leaving with you no beard after). If the patient wanted it, could it be done?

It takes several sessions to get most of the hair because you have to space the extractions out, so they don't all overlap each other and create one huge scar. There needs to be some space between the punch holes for the skin to heal. On the second session you go in between where the first session was done and extract a some of the remaining grafts. It will take several sessions to get most of the grafts out.

[AB2000]

On 7/10/2018 at 2:59 PM, mosd said:

try dermamatch i like way more than fibers

Before undergoing any surgeries I used Dermatch and hair fibers together for about two years.  The bulk of the results was from the applicator, with the fiber as an added enhancement.

However, in my case at least, using Dermatch was extremely time consuming.  Since my hair was very short, I'd have to apply it all over.  I think if someone is thinning in just one area it's easier to use this product in a targeted way.  But for me, it was about 20 min, with the hair fibers and cleanup taking another 10.

If I was to keep my hair very short on the sides and back, and have moderate amount of hair length on top, it might work, but I think Toppik would work pretty close in that case, and take a lot less time.

[AB2000]

13 hours ago, BeHappy said:

I have some questions for you. I don't know if you answered these because there are a lot of posts on this thread. You still have some very thin hair throughout your entire head. Are you still able to get more grafts done? If so, do you plan on doing more? Are you happy with the results so far?

After the last HT I asked what sort of pool of grafts I had remaining.  The scalp hair is tapped out, and is about as thinned out as I want to go.  If I have a third of my remaining beard used for transplanting, that would get me about 3,000.  My chest could get up to 2,000 more.  I would imagine that would mostly go to filling in my crown to create more even coverage and to lessen the contrast between the more dense donor and the thinner crown.

The overall goal was to get achievable coverage while wearing short hair.  The fact that I am growing it out now to see what it looks like most likely doesn't reflect how I will style it long term.  I wanted to grow this out for a year and a half and do another consultation to find out if those 5,000 additional grafts would make a difference or not.  Even as it is right now, the results with Toppik are encouraging.  If I use that, and have SMP done down the line that would camouflage the lack of density throughout.  Buzzing it down right now or using a short guard will also give me a result that I'm happy with.

For me, much preferable to the alternative of being bald.

This is my current beard growth.  Unfortunately there are white hairs, more along the sideburn areas, so it looks a little less dense than it actually is:

 

Edited July 13, 2018 by AB2000

[Louisjams]

Amazing thread-I appreciate all the pics. You have been through it all! Bless you, brother!

[AB2000]

Update of my progress.

1 Year, 5 Month Post Op 3rd HT - Wet Hair:

 

[AB2000]

Update of my progress.

1 Year, 5 Month Post Op 3rd HT - Dry Hair:

 

[AB2000]

Below the Norwood line is looking sparse.

[Sean]

Ab, 

have you tried any other hairstyles or haircuts?  Example- fades and hair slicked up from front?

how do you feel about the result thus far overall?  What was the intended goal?

The hairline area/temporal area looks quite familiar. Were you asked to apply anything in the areas of lower density?  

Wishing you good growth.  

[AB2000]

On 10/14/2018 at 10:16 PM, Sean said:

Ab, 

have you tried any other hairstyles or haircuts?  Example- fades and hair slicked up from front?

how do you feel about the result thus far overall?  What was the intended goal?

The hairline area/temporal area looks quite familiar. Were you asked to apply anything in the areas of lower density?  

Wishing you good growth.  

Please refrain from posting in my topics. I do not wish to communicate with you, Sean.

[Legend007]

That’s kind of rude of u ab2000 .. Sean didn’t say much .. he’s a helpful respectful guy .. lookin out for ur best interest .. but hey do u what u may .. 

[LonelyGraft]

Thanks for updating us with your progress ab2000. Looks like you’ve come a long way.

[AB2000]

4nd HT:

 

Time for a couple of updates.  Just over two months ago I returned for another hair transplant, this time a small one.  Though I still hope to address density issues in the recipient areas up top, this one was a 500 graft procedure to move body hairs in my nape area.  Since I am a higher Norwood I have thinning and balding going on from the bottom up, as well.  The consequence is that even if I can get realistic coverage in the crown and frontal areas there is the oddness of the hairline on the back of my head not extending down.  I'd rather have it look like hair can grow out the the lower part of the back of my head.

Going into this surgery I had some sparse coverage between the neck and the hairline, but not a lot.  Also I couldn't afford to use scalp or beard donor for this lower priority area, so I thought I'd ask if the clinic would give this a shot.  If the yield of body hairs is not too great then I am not put out a lot with only 500 grafts from my arms.  And if it does work out good, then I can return to have more BHT done in this area down the line.  Also, I am not concerned with the appearance of the arm hairs in this area as I plan to keep this part trimmed low.  The purpose is to create the appearance of coverage.

Donor hair from my legs were not deemed adequate, but I had a strong supply on my arms.  about 1/3 of the grafts were taken from a lower arm,  rest from up top near the shoulders.

 

This is from the same day of the surgery.  The shape of the recipient area is somewhat rectangular:

 

Two weeks later, healing up:

 

Lastly, one month later:

[AB2000]

1Year, 9 Months Post Op 3rd HT:

 

At this point in my recovery from the last main HT, the results are complete.  I actually felt some hairs still coming out through pimples in my crown area two months ago in December; I am told by the clinic that grafts can take longer when placed there.  Going on one year and two months now, I have not cut my hair and have been growing it; I wanted to see how it would turn out.  All in all I'd say it has gone well, considering how far I've had to come along.

While I will not sport a head of dense hair, the FUE option, while thinning out the scalp and beard donor, allowed for coverage.  Between my beard (4,000) and chest (2,000) I would like to have another 6,000 grafts added to the crown and mid-scalp for more coverage and thickness, covering the obvious low density gaps.  You can also check my previous post on my 4th HT where I had arm hair put into my nape area for lower hairline coverage.

At this point, I could stop and just start adding Toppik or Dermatch to create the more full hair illusion.  I spent a couple of years in that trap, though, and would prefer not to return; completing this process with a last HT and doing away with concealers and Rogaine is my goal.  It might take me a couple of years to save up before I can do the next big surgery, so I might try using these concealer products once in awhile for fun, and sharing those results.  After my transplantations are done I would like to try temporary SMP to shade my scalp and add a further illusion of density.

The hair was mostly dry in these, but still a little damp:

 

Edited February 25, 2019 by AB2000

[LonelyGraft]

Looks like you’ve come a long way bro. What does umar charge for bht?

[LonelyGraft]

Double post 

Edited February 25, 2019 by jj51702