Regular Member GuyFromTheUK Posted May 16, 2017 Author Regular Member Share Posted May 16, 2017 A quick update as I've been away for over a month now. Today is my 8th week (2 month) mark. Not sure there is any improvement at all yet, but I know I have to be patient. One good thing so far is that I shaved my sides and back to a 2mm (less than a grade 1) and the scars from the FUE were hardly noticeable! I'll try it again and post pictures when I decide to do it again! I haven't shaved the top of my head yet (since the FUE) but shaved the sides and back so that they weren't too thick and didn't make my top look too thin (to even it out). Couple things I've noticed: 1. I took finasteride 0.5mg MWF for one month but stopped as I was getting less frequent erections and my sperm was watery. Besides that no other sides but don't wish to go back on it for the ED sides. A shame as I was hoping I was one of those who was unaffected by its sides. Side effect rates MUST be higher than the quoted 5% or whatever, typical big pharma. Things appear to be back to normal now (after 2 or so weeks after stopping it). 2. Check out the posterior photo of my scalp; not sure if it's shock loss I have at the back of my head or my head was like that initially (I know it is slightly thinner there anyways) or I am just thinning more rapidly now? 3. A couple hairs are still falling out here and there, I've been using aloe Vera gel nearly every day and have my head covered most of the time by a cap as I am currently in a very hot and sunny climate. 4. Still have some loss of sensation in frontal third; just minor, I don't actually mind this though. 5. My vertex is bad bad bad. That will be the next place I will have to hit with FUE if the frontal third goes well. Perhaps using body hair (facial) so I can preserve my donor supply. 6. Just to add I've been taking biotin 900mg, MSM 2g, fish oil and zinc almost everyday (and took finasteride (propecia) for 1 month but stopped after sides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member GuyFromTheUK Posted June 15, 2017 Author Regular Member Share Posted June 15, 2017 12 week update! Hair looks like it's gotten worse to be honest. I hope that's not the case I am using probably the harshest light possible to show everything. Not showing sides or back as they look great. More concerned about the front (especially the left side) Still pink, have contacted BHR and have started using some steroid shampoo to try and reduce the redness. I really hope it will start getting better soon! Can see some tiny little hairs coming through but not 3280. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member bennyt89 Posted June 17, 2017 Senior Member Share Posted June 17, 2017 Hang in there mate, they always say the first 3-5 months are the worst. I'm also seriously considering Dr Bisanga, so very interested in your journey. How did you find the redness post op, how long did it last? It seems to have gone down quite quickly! We both have similar skin tones so keen to get your thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdd45 Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 Hi mate, What the doctor said about the redness exactly? Is it itchy? Hang on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member mikeyhwk Posted June 18, 2017 Senior Member Share Posted June 18, 2017 Dr. B does all the punching & extractions & also makes all the slits. His technicians then insert the grafts into the slits. I still need to follow them up to see what their transection rate was. . unless something has changed in the 10 months since my procedure this isn't true. Dr B doesn't do all the extracting, he punches all the grafts and he starts extracting a few but then a tech takes over the rest of the extraction process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member mikeyhwk Posted June 18, 2017 Senior Member Share Posted June 18, 2017 12 week update! Hair looks like it's gotten worse to be honest. I hope that's not the case I am using probably the harshest light possible to show everything. Not showing sides or back as they look great. More concerned about the front (especially the left side) Still pink, have contacted BHR and have started using some steroid shampoo to try and reduce the redness. I really hope it will start getting better soon! Can see some tiny little hairs coming through but not 3280. that 8-12 week period was a bad one for me too, just got worse before it got better but it gets way better. Its just the process and you have no choice but to bear with it. The hairs will pop up regularly between months 3 and 6 and beyond and they're so tiny that you'd drive yourself crazy trying to count up how many are thru but theres lots and many you dont even notice yet or theyre on there way so patience. Have they recommended clobex? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member mikeyhwk Posted June 18, 2017 Senior Member Share Posted June 18, 2017 I don't know why Bisnaga's clinic regularly advocates super potent steroids. But do not uses class 1 super potent steroids on your transplanted hair. It can really put you through a nasty shed that takes months to recover from. I experienced this myself. Clobetasol based formulas should be used very sparingly in cases of extreme psoriasis. Redness of a transplant is the healing process. I appreciate your personal experience but sounds like you may be the outlier here and not the norm. Dr Bisanga recommended clobex for me and I used it with no issue and that was on his experience and that of Dr Meyer who he consulted with before issuing me a script for it, dr Meyer was a dermatologist before entering into hair transplants. I just had a 2nd procedure done with Dr Lorenzo and he also advised me to use clobex as a result of minoxidil irritation. He for the record hates minoxidil, told me to stop it but hes said hes recommended clobex for years to use as needed and its never had any adverse effects on transplanted hair growth. I think for the majority that it is safe to use. I don't think it's necessary in the case of redness as in this case, but in actual cases of dermatitis it can be beneficial without harming the end result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member mikeyhwk Posted June 18, 2017 Senior Member Share Posted June 18, 2017 Why does he hate minoxidil ? As for clobetasol, no im not an outlier. It's appropriate to use hydrocortisone and the like but definitely not clobetasol regularly. as Dr Feller likes to say, you're a layman to this argument, I'd probably defer to the doctors and their experience on this one. What is your medical background? And it's not regularly, Dr Lorenzo wants me on it once a week, I'd have to check my notes to see what my protocol was with Dr B I dont remember anymore but given the right conditions I don't think its nearly as harmful as youre making it out to be. I tend to agree that for redness it seems overkill but for dermatitis as I got from minox its applicable. as for why he hates minoxidil, skin irritation and reaction, lackuster results, he finds the negatives outweigh the benefits, and he's not the first doc to tell me that either, dr Hasson advised me to stop it as well. Dr Hasson told me it was horrible on the scalp and makes it tougher and worse to transplant into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member mikeyhwk Posted June 18, 2017 Senior Member Share Posted June 18, 2017 I'm not a layman when it comes to topical steroids. I've spent a great deal of time studying their relationship wth necrosis, skin thinning, inflation. The cons far outweigh the pros and they don't address systemic stimuli. I'm not an MD but I'd hate to break it to you, neither are many hair traspant doctors and dermatologists. Interesting about the minoxidil. Have you had better experiences post op/ faster growth without using it? What are Lorenzo's opinions on nizoral/ transplanted hair? I know many have experienced shedding from that. If you know more than the docs I'm happy to listen to ya and relay your points of view to the doc and see if he has anything to counter but my previous experience was positive and thats all I can offer and what Ive been told. Regarding many transplant docs and derms not being MDs, thats not true,MD is the basic only requirement to be a hair transplant doc, It is that easy, get your md degree and you're technically qualified... you're not allowed to do any cutting without a medical license which is why almost every doc will punch and score but farm out extracting and implanting if theyre able. Even in the wild west in turkey with all the hair mills they have an MD on top to give the appearance of legitimacy. Dermatology is 4 year residency after your md program so not sure where you're getting that. I did use minox post op my first procedure upon dr Bisangas advice and I hated it, dried out my hair and scalp but stuck to it, he did my hairline only and the minox wasn't applied there. Had a very good result and my hair grew in quick. Just had my 2nd procedure 3 days ago and have stopped minox and my crown was done so I will see if it has any noticeable effect on growth as that is where I was applying minox. Re: Nizoral. dr Lorenzo doesn't recommend it any time. Waste of time and largely ineffective unless you have an issue with a fungal infection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member mikeyhwk Posted June 18, 2017 Senior Member Share Posted June 18, 2017 Also, not trying to be combative. Just sharing my end and genuinely asking about your reaction to minoxdil (and nizoral as way to relieve the irritation) . Im not taking it as combative, nor am I trying to be combative in return. tone is hard to pick up online but doing my best just to answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member mikeyhwk Posted June 19, 2017 Senior Member Share Posted June 19, 2017 Yeah I'm 3.5 months most my repair surgery and too scared to touch Nizoral again. Thanks for the insight on the minox. Anything besides finasterdie you're doing or no? Dr Lorenzo believes very strongly in fin and says that is the only must but he encourages vitamin usage, the standards, biotin, vitamin b, e but no extra measures needed to help fight mpb or to accelerate growth so I'm just going along with his recommendations. As well the clobex once a week, starting in week 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member GuyFromTheUK Posted June 28, 2017 Author Regular Member Share Posted June 28, 2017 firstly Sorry for the poor punctuation, im using a broken keyboard! Hang in there mate, they always say the first 3-5 months are the worst. I'm also seriously considering Dr Bisanga, so very interested in your journey. How did you find the redness post op, how long did it last? It seems to have gone down quite quickly! We both have similar skin tones so keen to get your thoughts. Redness wasn{t actually too bad post op however it does seem to have lingered still until now (and I am now more than 3 months post op). As I have said so far I would still highly recommend Dr. Bisanga, hopefully Im saying the same in 12 months time! Very professional. So Id say go for it. My donor site looks fantastic, i have had it shaved down to a 1 and scars are hardly noticable. Hi mate, What the doctor said about the redness exactly? Is it itchy? Hang on! Not much actually. Just told me to take the clobex shampoo twice a week which is what I have been doing. Will take a break from it after a month. As for the redness itself, its a little itchy, but i am almost 100% sure i dont have scalp psoriasis so not entirely sure why im taking it, that 8-12 week period was a bad one for me too, just got worse before it got better but it gets way better. Its just the process and you have no choice but to bear with it. The hairs will pop up regularly between months 3 and 6 and beyond and they're so tiny that you'd drive yourself crazy trying to count up how many are thru but theres lots and many you dont even notice yet or theyre on there way so patience. Have they recommended clobex? yup so im on clobex now (for the past 2 and half weeks), im hoping youre right mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Tomislav Posted July 6, 2017 Regular Member Share Posted July 6, 2017 unless something has changed in the 10 months since my procedure this isn't true. Dr B doesn't do all the extracting, he punches all the grafts and he starts extracting a few but then a tech takes over the rest of the extraction process. I had my surgery with Dr Bisanga 5 months ago, and I can confirm this is exactly what I experienced. 2950 grafts FUE transplant with Dr Bisanga in Feb 2017: http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/186106-fue-dr-bisanga.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member GuyFromTheUK Posted July 12, 2017 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 12, 2017 4 month update Not a whole lot to report. Used clobex for one month, will now stay off it of a month and see how it goes. No itchiness in the area. Hair looks good in low light or when there isn't harsh bright light. Looks pretty bad in bright light as can be seen by pics. Donor site looks really good, had it shaved down to a grade one and I can't notice anything has been done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member mikeyhwk Posted July 12, 2017 Senior Member Share Posted July 12, 2017 4 month update Not a whole lot to report. Used clobex for one month, will now stay off it of a month and see how it goes. No itchiness in the area. Hair looks good in low light or when there isn't harsh bright light. Looks pretty bad in bright light as can be seen by pics. Donor site looks really good, had it shaved down to a grade one and I can't notice anything has been done. looks to be right on schedule. Month 4 is sort of nowheres land, you're past the worst of the ugly duckling but you're not really seeing the results of growth yet so you're sort of just left with awkward hair that looks better in certain lights than others but you're thru the worst of it and that's the good news...it only gets better from here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member GuyFromTheUK Posted August 11, 2017 Author Regular Member Share Posted August 11, 2017 5 months Just a quick update. Not much progress on last month or anything really to add. Now exactly at 5 months. So 50% growth?. My left side is still weak. The rest looks like it is prob good in the right direction. Light is less harsh then other photos. Using indirect sunlight this time. Obviously need to focus on my crown next. It's a pity I got sided with finasteride Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Slush Posted August 11, 2017 Senior Member Share Posted August 11, 2017 Growing nicely! As discussed earlier in this thread, my FUT was just before yours. Our progress is very similar in HT growth. I imagine I know how you feel - in the right light it looks quite nice, and in the wrong light it leaves a lot to be desired. I've found that shorter hair helps the look, which is a challenge right now while my scar lightens. Thanks for the update! My HT Journey The FUT surgery experience and results Disguising my FUT Scar Medications and Supplements Supplements: Biotin, MSM 5% Minoxidil Foam Regenepure Shampoo (re-starting 1mo after HT) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member mikeyhwk Posted August 13, 2017 Senior Member Share Posted August 13, 2017 5 monthsJust a quick update. Not much progress on last month or anything really to add. Now exactly at 5 months. So 50% growth?. My left side is still weak. The rest looks like it is prob good in the right direction. Light is less harsh then other photos. Using indirect sunlight this time. Obviously need to focus on my crown next. It's a pity I got sided with finasteride Not necessarily 50%, there is no one sched for everybody but at 5 months you're nowhere near done and it does look thicker than last month, especially in the over top angle so it's progressing. They are pretty whispy at this stage and don't look like a whole lot so don't be to put off yet. A good friend and member of this forum would message me to update me on his progress and he would like to say they're coming in here and there but they got no fk'n muscle to them, that's a good descriptor for it...they'll get stronger and thicker over the coming months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member GuyFromTheUK Posted September 6, 2017 Author Regular Member Share Posted September 6, 2017 6 month update; forgot to take the pics when it was bright outside but anyways. I still haven't cut my hair yet, but will do so in a couple days. Stil weak on my left side. Hope it all improves ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kd1987 Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 How did it turn out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member GuyFromTheUK Posted January 7, 2019 Author Regular Member Share Posted January 7, 2019 On 5/28/2018 at 8:17 PM, kd1987 said: How did it turn out? It went well. It really has made a massive difference compared to what I had. But I'm going for one second procedure now to sort out the crown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member delancey Posted January 7, 2019 Senior Member Share Posted January 7, 2019 Do you have any pics to share with the community? Thanks! I am not a medical professional and my words should not be taken as medical advice. All opinions and views shared are my own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member txtransplant Posted January 21, 2019 Regular Member Share Posted January 21, 2019 Would love to see a results pic if possible. We had the exact same balding pattern before and pretty close amount of grafts and new hairline. Plus my results looked similar to yours at the last pics. So really curious as I am in month 4 and would love to see how it turned out after a year or so. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member wheretogo Posted January 21, 2019 Senior Member Share Posted January 21, 2019 Would like to see too. good luck in your second HT mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raphael84 Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 I echo the same sentiments as the other guys. Would be great to see some photos of your improvement from 6 months onwards. Any particular reason why you didn't continue with your thread? Or simply wanted to get some headspace from the HT world and enjoy the real world with more hair. I get it. Are you going back to Dr Bisanga for round 2? Already have a date in mind? Patient Advisor for Dr. Bisanga - BHR Clinic ian@bhrclinic.com - BHR YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcH4PY1OxoYFwSDKzAkZRww I am not a medical professional and my words should not be taken as medical advice. All opinions and views shared are my own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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