How many grafts do you think?

[MayiraP0chu]

Hilo!

 

Can the experts make a rough, educated estimation of how many grafts I have had transplanted? Attaching a picture below with the transplanted area highlighted in the red.

 

Also, one more thing. I am attaching two pictures of PostOp instructions given to me by the clinic. They are sort of contradicting. Not sure which one to follow.

 

Instruction 1:

 

Is pretty much what the world follows. Says, wash the hair twice a day with baby shampoo and start rubbing the hair and get the scabs off from the 7 th day.

 

Instruction 2:

 

Says, wash the hair twice a day with baby shampoo and remove scabs on the 15th day after leaving the hair soaked in Olive oil the previous night.

 

I will attach the pictures of both sets of instructions for your review.

 

Cheers!

Edited August 6, 2017 by MayiraP0chu

[Hairhope4ever]

Hi Mayira,

 

Unfortunately I can't comment on the post op protocol due to the fact that every doctor has a different methodology. However, i can answer your first question from past experience.

 

I had 4 failed/botched procedures with 2 other clinics before my procedure with Doctor Umar last January. The last 2 procedures prior to Dr. Umar were repairs to try and rectify the disfigurement and scarring I incurred from their work. Long story short, a year before my procedure with Dr. Umar, I had a private, in person consultation with him. He never rushed me, and took over an hour to analyze my head, beard, and body hair, in conjunction to my scalp state.

 

He derived a plan for 6500 FUE grafts (hybrid of little head hair due to depletion, and mostly beard and body hair) which I am ecstatic with today.

 

My message to you is simple: If a doctor just looks at you and tells you that you need a certain amount of grafts just for the sake of monetization and upselling, run for the door. You will have an intrinsic feeling of this when you are in a consultation. Conversely, if you are in a consultation with a surgeon who is well reviewed, and held in high esteem, that will translate to your interaction with him/her. They will answer your questions, and you will not feel rushed. That is at least what I felt with Dr. Umar.

 

Sorry i couldn't help more.

 

Good luck bud.

 

http://hairtransplanttestimonial.blogspot.com/

[Cuzinit]

3618 thats my count. LOL had to say it.

[MayiraP0chu]

Lol! Cuzinit!

 

I knew this was coming. I meant this only for the experts who have developed an eye over the years to catch the density of the packing and make a close approximation. It's just like asking how many grafts I would need before the surgery and how people in the community make an educated guess. In fact, it's like how all our doctors have made an estimation in our PreOp consultation.

 

Perhaps, I should have been a bit more open about my question. Does this look like 3400 grafts? I was estimated 2000-2500 on email and 2800-3200 in person on the day before surgery and ended up with 3442 as the final count after surgery. And hence my question.

 

I think the area to transplant was 55 sq cm in total. I might be totally wrong with this figure or the unit. I just vaguely remember the doctor saying this.

[MayiraP0chu]

Sorry about your botched up surgeries Hairhope. And, thanks for taking your time.

[MayiraP0chu]

Consider these two pictures. Both had same number of grafts. About 3400. Picture number 2 has a larger area to cover than picture 1. But, the packing and density looks similar on both. How? A case of small and big head, may be? Or, I am down right wrong in saying both pictures have the same density. Thus, doubting my untrained eyes, I put it out there for the experienced.

 

Unfortunately, don't have better resolution pictures to make it easier for the judges.

Edited August 7, 2017 by MayiraP0chu

[mattj]

I would defer to the clinic and trust them on the amount of grafts that they told you they used. I am guessing that the difference between the number of grafts you were told were needed on the day and the amount you received is due to you having an FUT (strip) procedure. Am I right? The number of actual follicles that are harvested during an FUT procedure can be higher than the number expected due to the variation in donor density that makes it difficult to predict the exact number.

 

There are lots of variables at play here. Your procedure looks to be of a higher density than the other example you posted a photo of. In that photo, the grafts have been planted to a lower density across the frontal half of his balding area. Yours are concentrated in a smaller area. It's very clear that the incisions are closer together in your case.

[MayiraP0chu]

Thanks MattJ!

 

If you see my transplant thread, you would understand the respect and trust I have for the doctor. I knew this question would give a mistrusting tone. But, no. Its a classic case of curiosity killing the cat. When I came across this other case's picture, to my eyes the density looked similar and thus raising the curiosity/question about it. Like I acknowledge in my earlier post, my eyes are untrained and from your reply, I am apparently wrong just as I thought I could be.

 

Anyways, thanks a ton for all your contributions across the forum and doing the occasional needful killing of the newbie cats like me.

 

PS: I understand the final graft count can't be exact as the consult and will be +/-, as it is harvested from a strip.