2215 Grafts with Dr.Diep (23 years old turning 24)

[dan26]

Gonna pile on with what the rest are saying with respect to finasteride.

 

I can tell you with near certainty that you are going to end up taking it eventually anyways, so you may as well get it over with and start now.

 

Either you'll lose more and freak out in the coming years and hop on or Dr Diep will make you take it before you have second procedure.

 

Trust me man I've spoken to many doctors who've told me about stubborn patients who have refused to take it initially then came back years later and the second time around they've had to be way more firm with their patients in taking it.

 

I can't speak for Dieps ethics because I don't know him but think from Drs perspective, they understand how ppl can be with fear of fin but at the same time they want your business and know some other doc will eventually cave to the patient and tell them what they want to hear ie operate on them without being on fin anyways. I think Dr Diep is prob a good guy and just realised how stuck on it you were but will def end up making you get on it down the road.

[mikenguyen]

Thank you all for your responses! Regarding the donor area, I have to say that it is taking a little longer for me to heal but I am making progresses. I am optimistic because I have seen other Diep's patients who had patchy donor but improved as they progress in the recovery process. I think that it is shock loss since I just looked back at some of my photos around 2 weeks post op and the donor did not look as bad. I also took some photos last night (around 10 days after my last haircut) to show you the improvements in the donor. Of course the hair is longer and it covers up the scars more but I do see some improvements overall. I am stil optimistic about my recovery and I hope that by the 1 year mark everything will be good. Regarding finasteride, it is a difficult decision and I am still thinking very hard about it. I will make this decision over the next few months.

Here is a photo of my donor 9 days post op and the donor taken yesterday (10 days after last haircut)

photo hosting ebay

[TheRealDeal23]

I hope everything works out for you man. It does look better in those photos no one would really be able to notice a thing at that length. Hopefully the issue of the linear scar looking area is resolved. What did Dr. Diep say?

[BlessUp]

Is the last picture from months ago or right after hair cut 10 days earlier

[mikenguyen]

I hope everything works out for you man. It does look better in those photos no one would really be able to notice a thing at that length. Hopefully the issue of the linear scar looking area is resolved. What did Dr. Diep say?

 

Thank you for your kind words man! Yeah I took photos yesterday to show everyone that the scars are not visible at all 10 days after my hair cut. The scars are still there and I feel that it will take time to heal. However, I am making steady improvements. The last time that I talked to him was 2 months ago and he said that the hairs will grow back by 1 year mark. I hope that this is true!

[mikenguyen]

Is the last picture from months ago or right after hair cut 10 days earlier

 

The last photo was 9 days post op. All the other photos are 10 days after last haircut (taken 2 days ago)

[Spidey]

I typically don't respond or defend any doctors, but seeing as how this is your first post, typically first posts slandering a particular doctor are always fishy to me.

 

You guys are basing what Mikes hair looks like at a month as the final result, my hair looked exactly the same and it has improved, and now I can shave my head to a one guard with little to no detection. Even at a zero guard it is hard to detect the scars.

 

What has happened with mike is that the scars are still red and they're still healing, the surrounding follicles may have fallen due to trauma from the surgery, just like anything you have to allow your body to heal, once the new growth phase hairs begin the surrounding areas will improve, once the redness goes away you will no longer be able to see the scars as much, as with ANY SURGERY there WILL always be scars NO MATTER WHO DOES THE SURGERY.

 

Let us not forget this very important part, I have been messaged by somebody recently who under went a small FUE under the impression that he could shave his head without seeing any detection of surgery, this is a flat out lie, if you hope to shave your head and never see any sign of surgery DO NOT i repeat DO NOT have surgery.

 

Anyway here is why my head looked like 3 weeks after my first surgery with Dr. Diep, which was 2,120 grafts.

 

 

Now this is what it looked like 6 months after that surgery at a 1 guard

 

Now this is right after my second surgery with Dr. Diep

 

Here I am 5 months later

 

 

In Conclusion, the scalp will take longer to heal the larger the punch size, but it WILL heal, my first surgery I believe Dr. Diep used 1mm to get the thickest roots and I have pretty coarse hair, the second surgery he used .9mm and immediately post op I did not look any different then I did before surgery, regardless I have removed hair from my scalp permanently and placed it in another location, without a doubt I have changed the density of my donor area this is a fact, however this can be mitigated with having the perfect hair length and cut, I prefer guard .5 tapered up to a 3 guard at the very top.

 

Sorry for replying so late, but in all your pictures you posted from other threads, you can easily see the FUE scars. They may not look like obvious "dots" due to the number of grafts taken, but you can definitely see the scarring.

[Melvin- Admin]

Sorry for replying so late, but in all your pictures you posted from other threads, you can easily see the FUE scars. They may not look like obvious "dots" due to the number of grafts taken, but you can definitely see the scarring.

 

If you read the post that’s exactly what I said, no one should ever expect to get surgery and not have any scarring, if that’s the case DO NOT get surgery. The point of the post was to show the differences in the appearance of the donor over the course of the healing process, not to say I don’t have any scarring, it was actually quite the opposite if you read the post.

 

Mike wow your hair is looking good already man, I don’t sign on often anymore but everything is looking good, has the makings of a home run.

[Markee]

Pretty amazing

[mikenguyen]

If you read the post that’s exactly what I said, no one should ever expect to get surgery and not have any scarring, if that’s the case DO NOT get surgery. The point of the post was to show the differences in the appearance of the donor over the course of the healing process, not to say I don’t have any scarring, it was actually quite the opposite if you read the post.

 

Mike wow your hair is looking good already man, I don’t sign on often anymore but everything is looking good, has the makings of a home run.

 

Hi HTSoon,

Sorry man I was a litlte busy over the past month so I couldnt sign into the forum. Thank you so much for your kind words man! You are still an inspiration for many of us. I hope that my result will continue to improve!

[mikenguyen]

5.5 months update

Hi guys, I've been pretty busy the last month so I could not login to the forum. Here is my 5.5 months update. Overall, everything is going very well! Yesterday was an important milestone because it was the first time that I could get a proper haircut in like 3 years. Usually, I would have to cut it in a style that covers up the receeding areas. Hair in recipient area is getting thicker everyday. However, they are still quite curly. Donor area is making big improvements this month, redness is slowly fading and scars are not as noticable. I hope that this will keep on improving. Hair in my recipient area might appear thinner here in the photos compare to last month but its because the hair is long now. I've been dealing with some flaking over the last months but its gone now after I use Nizoral and a gentle scalp brush. Overall, I am happy with my progress at 5.5 months. I hope that the recipient area will continue to mature and thicken. These photos are taken after my haircut yesterday.

[thatoldchestnut]

Congratulations on your procedure and I am happy that things seem to be progressing smoothly thus far.

 

Taking Finasteride is not nearly the risk you seem to think it is.

 

If you are particularly afraid of permanent side effects, don't be. I wouldn't mind betting you're many, many factors more likely to get knocked down and killed crossing the street than you are likely to develop permanent side effects taking a low dose of fin.

 

If you're not concerned about permanent side effects then you are being wildly irrational. If you experience side effects and are unhappy to continue taking finasteride: desist; problem solved.

 

I realise you are a young man and that people are required to show an element of sensitivity in relation to your case but it beggars belief that someone of your age, with your degree of loss, should be encouraged to embark on this kind of procedure without medicinal support.

[buzzbee]

Looking good! Can't wait until I hit the point where you are at and beyond. I know you just got your first "proper" haircut, but is this the first time you cut the grafted hairs and if not, when did you? I'm 18 days post op and just wondering when I should be able to get a haircut.

[quidproquo82]

OMG Mike..... I remember us having a conversation about your decision, and I encouraged you to go for it. Now you already look amazing!! I was thinking about your case the other day and now look at you.

Edited December 18, 2017 by quidproquo82

[memzinla]

Your hair looks amazing!!

 

I'm having my surgery in two weeks with another doctor. I'm excited.

[Dolph1969]

Although this is a good result, i'm concerned at the visibility of the punch holes in the donor area, particularly at the sides. My surgery was performed with a .8mm punch and the scarring is nowhere near as obvious.

[Oliverqueen01]

Great review... I just had a skype consultation with Diep and am looking to book in sometime in 2018. (Only 1300 graphs to restore hairline). Your review along with others such as HTsoon has been great insight.

 

The results look amazing so far and your growth seems much faste tha most. Did you get A-Cell with your treatment?

[Jnilsen2]

TBH, you should give a minimal dose of finasteride a try, say like .25 or .5 mg. You know further loss is inevitable and this process isn't cheap.

 

I did have side effects at the full 1mg dose, thats why I think its best to start at a small dose. It wasn't ED but more of pain in the prostate area which subsided when I let it go away for a week then switched to .25 and eventually to .5. Now I take 1 mg and notice even more hair gains. If anything taking Xanax on and off has given me more ED problems than finasteride has. The donor extraction looks concerning but I do know asians have thicker hair and maybe he had to use a larger punch. Do you know what size he used?

[mikenguyen]

6 Months Update

It's been 6 months since my procedure with Dr.Diep and I can't believe how far I have come. While it has only been 6 months, I already feel the positive effects that this procedure has on my life. Over the past month, I have been able to have a proper haircut for the first time in years and I can now walk outside without a hat with total a lot of confidence. As for right now, the hairs in the recipient area are still quite curly and they are still getting thicker everyday. My recipient area has been looking much much better over the last month (especially at the back). The side is still a little pink and is still improving. The photos are taken under extreme bright lights for expose the area so it might look much worse that what it seems in real life. I have asked a few family members to look at the recipient area and they say that the scars are extrememly hard to detect. I am now enjoying my life with my new hair and this procedure has honestly changed my life. I will now post an update monthly. Thank you all for following me through this journey and for your kind words.

[Dolph1969]

Nice job. The size of the donor holes are still concerning though.

[Melvin- Admin]

Wow that’s a Home run result,congrats you’ve come very far.

[stephcurry30]

Nice job. The size of the donor holes are still concerning though.

 

I agree but it is something that can be easily fixed, just don't get a skin fade. Just get a number 2-3 on the sides.

[Legend007]

Hey mike what’s ur update ? How’s ur hair coming along ? Did u experience Anh shockloss ? N what is your hair caliber like, is it thin or coarse ? New n native hair .

I just had a consultation with him today , n he pretty much drew the same hairline as urs, which I like , he did it in 1 minute . I’m pretty sure imma book with him , so please update .. so I know what to expect.

[baldlivesmatter]

update?

[Kiwi Guy]

Hi Mike, first of all I bet this looks like a great result in the front by now, he really packed it in... to be honest he really did a terrible job with the punch sizes he used on your donor though. At the back of your head it looks like you have an FUT scar and on the side it also looks like a linear scar that was sutured at some point. I really hope this healed up for you over this last year...

Is there any correlation between Dr Dieps great hairline results and his butchering of the donor zones with these oversized punches or no? I'd like to know because I am really considering him but not if he does this to so many donor zones.