Repair Surgery Questions - Graft removal, scarring and skin treatments

[TjMiles270]

I had a bad FUT procedure done last year 1000 grafts into the front and temples of my hairline.   I also know that hair transplants are permanent, so I know there is no way to get these grafts off without some semblance of scarring.  The question is, how bad?  I had a consult with Dr. Cooley and another and both agreed that the grafts can be removed almost scarring would be minimal  But I have googled this subject pretty tiresomely and what I have found on the internet is not so optimistic.  There are not too many pictures that show successful FUE graft removal surgeries.  I see a lot of graft redistribution photos and went through a bunch performed by One doctor.  But with my specific issue there is little on the internet as far as photos that go with successful FUE graft removal that will allow me to realistic judge for myself how I think the scarring will look.  Even more troubling is the prominent hair transplant surgeons in the field that have openly spoke against removing plugs via FUE.  Doctors such as Feller, Dua, Pak and Rassman have all warned on forums not to have the procedure done.  With all of this information to consider I would love your thoughts on plug removal via FUE.  One way or another these grafts really need to come out and if my skin is in way too critical of a condition for electrolysis and I don’t want to deal with the fallout from getting a brow lift on my head.  I see no other option.  But with getting a 100 or so removed from the front portion of my hairline.  What am I realistically looking at scar wise? 

I am honestly more concerned with my skin underneath the transplants.  Dr. Cooley highly and I repeat highly recommended I get A cell done along with my repair.  I have some ridging and I am very worried about pinning.  Do you guys recommended anything for the skin I can do to help it look as natural as possible?  Is A cell my best shot?

 

Right now the plan is Graft Removal and redistribution further back on my hairline and with proper grafts, A cell and FUE scar repair - I have a nasty strip scar in the back to fill in.  

 

Thanks for the feedback and all the best always.

 

[Bill - Seemiller]

TJ miles,

 I don’t think anybody can tell you for sure how much scarring you will have as a lot of it will depend on your physiology and your tendency for scarring. That said, when you’ve got and scrapes and cuts or other marks, how has the scarring been? Is it typically  minimal or is scoring pretty obvious on you? This will give you at least some idea. Now, when follicular units are extracted via FUE, it will leave little whites scars but, since your complexion is also pretty white, it might be fairly noticeable. Dr. Cooley is right, ACell does help with  minimizing appearance of scoring so that may be the best route to go. 

 On the other hand, if you I have no need to redistribute the follicular units, you could go the laser hair removal or electrolysis route which should minimize scarring even more. I don’t know that anything is truly scarless but this is something to look into.

best wishes,

Bill 

[TjMiles270]

Thank you for the response Bill.

luck

You are right about my skin tone, that and the fact that scarring for me has never really been a major issue.  I have a tendency to heal well from scrapes and cuts.  I even had 5 stiches on my forehead as a young kid and the scarring is practically invisible.  

I am more worried about the condition of my skin underneath these grafts and what it is going to look like once they are removed.  ie.  pinning, cobble stoning ect.  After consulting with two top doctors in the field and coming back with the same objective conclusion - that electrolysis or lasing is not a viable option for me (unfortunately).  They it would not be recommended based on the condition that my skin is already in.  The two options presented were FUEing some off or cutting them completely out.  The former would be much less drastic than the later obviously - and I feel like I really need to do something.  Since a lot of my repair work requires a skilled FUE surgeon I was leaning on the aforementioned "doctor' whose name I am not allowed to post on this forum for reasons I am not sure...since he is known to be a wizard when it comes to FUE.  Although I have consulted with Cooley and I am looking into Dr. Bisanga from Topcat hair repair.  

 

I just want to put myself in the best possible position to get the best possible repair surgery that I can.  Which from the doctors I have consulted will be FUE graft removal of some of the bad plugs - possible plug re distribution, A cell therapy and filling in my FUT scar.  If you have any recommendations on other doctors or avenues I should look into,  I would be happy to hear it.   I am lucky to still have a lot of hair on my head, I would love to actually style it again or take advantage of it without all these awful coarse grafts covering it in the front.  I would love to put all of this behind me and appreciate what I have while I have it and if I lose hair in the future...so be it.  Ce la vie.  I wish I could go back in time and never get the horrible FUT procedure I that got...but I can't go back.  All I can do is try and move forward.  

 

All best.

[Spanker]

I see no reason to remove grafts based on the pics. 

[Triple7]

Based on your pictures I think you look good. If I was going to do anything, I would maybe add a little density or reshape the hairline if you wish to with FUE but I don’t see the need to remove a bunch of grafts from the hairline. Maybe I am missing something that I can’t see in the pics. 

[narayan21]

why u want to remove grafts, there is no need!

[TjMiles270]

The hairline done in the very front is a little too low and too straight and also the grafts are not very soft - they are pluggy and wiry as well as being very uncontrollable and unpleasant.  That being said, I do have a lot of hair on my head and it other than the very front portion of my hairline and right temple it looks pretty darn good.  But getting some of the really troubling ones removed would be very beneficial for me.  It would really help my hair look a lot more natural and it would also be much more manageable to maintain ie. style and cut shorter

 

I was actually through the moon happy where my hair was about 6 months post op from my procedure.   Hypothetically, if the grafts in the very front were never placed or lets say never grew in, I would be 1000 percent happy with everything.  So that being said, I do think getting some of these removed in the front would help a great deal.  I truly believe a little could go a long way.

[Curious]

It doesn't look pluggy to me, it looks fairly good.  You know best what you want, maybe start with a small session and see how you heal.  I have had some plugs removed from behind the hairline and the extraction sites healed and faded over time.

[TjMiles270]

13 hours ago, Curious said:

It doesn't look pluggy to me, it looks fairly good.  You know best what you want, maybe start with a small session and see how you heal.  I have had some plugs removed from behind the hairline and the extraction sites healed and faded over time.

as of right now that is the plan of attack!

[Curious]

Dr. Bernstein in NY does plug removal and sutures the holes closed.  I've seen some photos on here of work that Dr. Gabel did, where he removed plugs, and it looked good. 

[wylie]

It sounds to me as though you are one of those people who will never be happy with their hair. You had 1000 grafts into a very dense and thick head of hair, probably unnecessary to begin with, and now you are obsessing over your result. I think no matter what you do, you won't be happy and will continue to obsess over your hair.

Your hair looks fine. Go live your life. 

[TjMiles270]

I think you are right to a point, the obsessing about my hair led me down this path, also you don't know the full backstory.  When I was young and in my twenties I was semi bamboozled into a hair transplant at a clinic.  Now, obviously in the end I have to take the full blame, because nobody can force you into having elective surgery.  But I was young, naïve, very impulsive, and did not factor in what I going to be changing the course of my life.  I just wanted to correct a problem that did not need correcting.  No one should EVER EVER get a transplant in their early twenties.  But at the time, without the proper guidance and with the clinic working on my young naïve impulses by really selling me the surgery- I bought in.  

 

Now even though it was not a successful job, I was able to navigate the next ten years of my life, despite everything.  The problem was that when I did start having some issues 2 years ago in my mid thirties - I was left in a position where I could not cut my hair down shorter or buzz it off because of the nasty strip scar in the back.  This entire process led me to double down on another hair transplant with a doctor who I thought had my best interests at heart.  This last surgery a year and a half ago was also not a success (obviously).  I will say though my hair looks pretty darn good if you take away the front line of grafts that were placed too low and are a completely different texture and contrast from the rest of the hair on my head.  My hairline is also too straight unfortunately, and it looks a lot more unnatural than it could.  And I am still left with the same problems of not being able to cut my hair down shorter with my coarse hair that would be suitable for me.

So in the end, this whole experience has kind of forced me to look at myself and my own struggles with hairloss in an entirely different light.  I no longer seek perfection!  In fact, quite the opposite.  The plan of attack is just to feel normal again.  I am getting the nasty scar filled in and going to remove some of the really really bad offending grafts in the front of my hairline, possible re graft further back so it looks a bit more natural.  With the scar filled in, I can cut my hair shorter in the future and if I loss more hair going forward...well...Ce La Vi.  Going through this whole experience has made me very grateful for the hair I still have on my head and also I realized I would much rather be able to cut my hair shorter in the future if I do lose more hair rather than keep playing god on my hairline.  But it took a long time and a lot of pain and energy for me to get to this place.  

I just want to move forward

[Curious]

I would remove the pluggy grafts first and deal with the scar later. 

[LonelyGraft]

I’m wondering why the hairs in the front are of different texture. Is it because your donor area is just thicker? Has the hair behind the transplanted area thinned over time? Have u been evaluated in person and what did the doc say?

 

to me your hair looks fine but it’s hard to judge your complaints without seeing it in person

 

if the issue is not multi grafts in the front, could u not try to soften the hairline by introducing single hair grafts right in front of the thick hairs?

 

also, if u go with a good surgeon, chances are they can improve your previous scar if you decide to take more grafts from your donor

 

good luck

[Shagul]

On 11/14/2018 at 9:50 PM, TjMiles270 said:

I had a bad FUT procedure done last year 1000 grafts into the front and temples of my hairline.   I also know that hair transplants are permanent, so I know there is no way to get these grafts off without some semblance of scarring.  The question is, how bad?  I had a consult with Dr. Cooley and another and both agreed that the grafts can be removed almost scarring would be minimal  But I have googled this subject pretty tiresomely and what I have found on the internet is not so optimistic.  There are not too many pictures that show successful FUE graft removal surgeries.  I see a lot of graft redistribution photos and went through a bunch performed by One doctor.  But with my specific issue there is little on the internet as far as photos that go with successful FUE graft removal that will allow me to realistic judge for myself how I think the scarring will look.  Even more troubling is the prominent hair transplant surgeons in the field that have openly spoke against removing plugs via FUE.  Doctors such as Feller, Dua, Pak and Rassman have all warned on forums not to have the procedure done.  With all of this information to consider I would love your thoughts on plug removal via FUE.  One way or another these grafts really need to come out and if my skin is in way too critical of a condition for electrolysis and I don’t want to deal with the fallout from getting a brow lift on my head.  I see no other option.  But with getting a 100 or so removed from the front portion of my hairline.  What am I realistically looking at scar wise? 

I am honestly more concerned with my skin underneath the transplants.  Dr. Cooley highly and I repeat highly recommended I get A cell done along with my repair.  I have some ridging and I am very worried about pinning.  Do you guys recommended anything for the skin I can do to help it look as natural as possible?  Is A cell my best shot?

 

Right now the plan is Graft Removal and redistribution further back on my hairline and with proper grafts, A cell and FUE scar repair - I have a nasty strip scar in the back to fill in.  

 

Thanks for the feedback and all the best always.

 

Same problem 😔😔😔😔😔

[SimpleLife]

Where did you end up going?