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How to undo a hair transplant ASAP


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  • Senior Member
1 hour ago, txtransplant said:

Quite obsessing. That's what you are doing weather it seems rational or not to you. To us here who are not emotionally invested in it or looking at a strange look on our head this is what I see.  Your hairline, the transplanted area anyhow is about twice as deep as it should have been give your age, facial structure, feelings and Density. Had they make it half as deep and by default, twice as dense, you would have had a really nice transplant.  You are correct that the density is not natural and won't look good when fully grown in. If you want that hairline you will fully twice the density you have now. I will tell you something you may not want to hear. The implanted area on many many people doesn't heal as flawlessly as nothing even happened. Maybe you will get lucky and heel so flawlessly your forehead skin in the transplanted area looks virgin. But there is a very good chance it will be slightly different looking. Works fine even if there is think hair covering it. But it is surgery and not completely scarless often times. I don't see terrible work here from a functional point of view. You ultimately decided on your own hairline and that is more on you than the Dr. But he should have pushed you to go for a higher hairline. None of us were there so we will never know what actually transpired when that was decided. But what is done is done and you don't have a bad hairline now. You truly don't.  Just not an ideal one considering all the factors. Moving forward;

 

1) Let it grow for 7-8 months. You really have no option there for at least a few months as the skin heels. Maybe after a while you can shave it. But if you wear your hair pushed forward the surgery you got will look fine and even with thin density won't look like a comb over. If that's a look you can dig, you are all set and take a year to digest what to do next. 

2)Have hairline moved back. You would have to have a few .7mm punch tests done by a good doc to see if removing the hairs on your forehead is feasible. If after a few months there is ZERO scarring maybe you can have the first 1.5cm of hair removed and re-implanted farther back. I think this is unlikely. You would need perfect healing from this surgery to have a flawless forehead and then have no scaring with the graft removal.  Other options are just killing the follicles by laser, electric or plucking for ages.  

3)Have a 2nd transplant and fill in this new hairline to a respectable density. The most sure bet I think in having a good result. You don't need to fill right up to the front edge. With it low, a gentle transition from front edge to thicker would be appropriate and best. Maybe 1800 grafts would suffice. Then you would possibly still have enough in reserve to fill if you loose more hair. And that is the real risk here! Your new hairline is OK. Not unnatural, though you are not used to it yet. But it isn't unnatural. I just posted on someone here who had a HT with an already forward hairine and went way too low...looked awful and unnatural. You don't have that at all. You just need to get used to it and PRAY you don't loose a lot of hair over the next lifetime. 

 

At the end of the day what is is what is.. You decided on this hairline, you may very well have some minor scarring that might look odd if you try and remove all the new hair. You are not seeing your new hairline from a unemotional point of view. It really isn't bad, even if not 100% ideal.  Best bet is to leave it for a year. Then fill in starting back about 1cm  from the new hairline till it blends in with the old hairline on the top. Temple points look okay density wise. Yeah, it sucks....had the doc and you decided to do this less aggressive with that same number of grafts you would be in a great place as the workmanship is passable, but the artistry is not too good. 

 

As for the back. Yeah, he took too much from a small area with pretty specific boundaries. But again, wouldn't stress about it as I think when your hair get's to about 1/2 long back there it will be impossible to see. Overall it isn't anything to panic over. Some guys would love your hairline and be super excited..and looking forward to the 2nd fill in.  You know what you want. But as a outisider who has never see your face before. You are just a guy who got a little to aggressive hairline, but not awful. The more aggressive side of acceptable in fact. No human being would look at your hair and think the low hairline looked weird. But it will need more grafts to look natural. 

Thank you for your excellent analysis. So if I fill it in about 1cm back from the hairline, it can be a smooth transition. I just hope it doesn’t cost too many grafts. 1800 sounds expensive (in terms of grafts and donor supply) at this point, although it may leave me with like 700 FUE grafts, and the option of FUT down the road. So, I should wait 8 months and get an in person consultation to plan carefully. If my donor supply including FUE and FUT is too low, I will try FUEing some of the frontal grafts and placing them further back, just to see if there is 0 scarring. That way would be harder (and more expensive in terms of dollars), but wiser I guess.

Edited by Nebulosity
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1800 is my best guess looking at it. But you will know more around month 8 and after you talk to a good doctor.  Thinner temples and that natural transition in the front center will look fine and natural and I think something you will learn to like . You want to find the best plan that takes in all options. . HT is to restore some hair. Not to give you dreamy hair. But enough to make you not bald.   Yes, I am sure it will cost you a bit test punching a few grafts. But a few months from now.....maybe 8, you will know how your scalp/forehead healed if you shave a small spot and that will tell you pretty much what your choices are moving forward. In the meanwhile, get used to wearing your hair forward and it will look fine like that so not too worry. 

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I’m 21 days post transplant. I shaved a small section of my recipient area and it looks like I have a lot of pittiness along my hairline. I have taken some pics that make it look about as obvious as it does through a mirror to the naked eye.

Please let me know if this is normal. I mean, I have seen some pics around a few months after transplant from good docs with irregularity in skin texture. So I’m not jumping to conclusions. But some experience and insight could help me until the irregularity and redness subsides. Or, if it’s pitting or cobblestoning or whatever, please say so.

I also see lumpiness around my temple points. I saw that before and figured it could be inflammation of some sort. I don’t know how skin heals but I figure it will probably not turn into a horrible disfigurement, but honestly, I’m a bit worried.

7695EAF6-A5F1-44DB-8A6F-B7A16DEAC663.jpeg

D7FE0DB6-4B25-4C48-925C-FBBFE4C17654.jpeg

Edited by Nebulosity
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Hey man. You are loosing it..lol.   Obsessing while the woulds are still fresh and shaving and such isn't really normal. Catch yourself before you really loose it.  I am not kidding.   But PSA aside, looks to be healing really well.  I had that chicken skin look on my temples too for a while after surgery. Think maybe 3 months. On one side it is still slightly visible if I use a magnifying mirror. But it's fine.  At the end of the day I always wanted the option of shaving my head if hair loss got so bad HT couldn't fix it. I am not sure even with a well done FUE that will ever be an option now. Buzzed down to a few mm would probably work though. As you will see posted 1000000 times here. There i no such thing as scarless surgery. 

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On 1/23/2019 at 1:04 PM, Melvin-Moderator said:

Honestly,  I don’t see anything alarming

Amen to that Melvin.

With all due respect (because I actually like the guy), but I think it's quite possible that Nebulosity should have not gotten a hair transplant at this time.

Nebulosity seems really ill-equipped to handle the post-op journey and patient challenges that follow for months after almost all hair transplants. 

I am no doctor but Nebulosity may suffer from some form of body dysmorphia.

Obviously we all want to help Nebulosity thru his worries about his transplant, but I think it may be time for him to consider having a discussion with a mental help professional and discuss the possiblity that he has some form of body dysmorphic disorder. Look no shame in talking with a professional, I used to have panic attacks on airplanes, sought help, and have been basically cured of that worry and obsession.

 

dys.JPG

Edited by Shampoo

Dr. Dow Stough - 1000 Grafts - 1996

Dr. Jerry Wong - 4352 Grafts - August 2012

Dr. Jerry Wong - 2708 Grafts - May 2016

 

Remember a hair transplant turns back the clock,

but it doesn't stop the clock.

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14 minutes ago, txtransplant said:

Hey man. You are loosing it..lol.   Obsessing while the woulds are still fresh and shaving and such isn't really normal. Catch yourself before you really loose it.  I am not kidding.   But PSA aside, looks to be healing really well.  I had that chicken skin look on my temples too for a while after surgery. Think maybe 3 months. On one side it is still slightly visible if I use a magnifying mirror. But it's fine.  At the end of the day I always wanted the option of shaving my head if hair loss got so bad HT couldn't fix it. I am not sure even with a well done FUE that will ever be an option now. Buzzed down to a few mm would probably work though. As you will see posted 1000000 times here. There i no such thing as scarless surgery. 

You’re actually right. I am losing it. Are you saying you had minor pitting that looked similar to mine at an early stage?

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21 minutes ago, Shampoo said:

Amen to that Melvin.

With all due respect (because I actually like the guy), but I think it's quite possible that Nebulosity should have not gotten a hair transplant at this time.

Nebulosity seems really ill-equipped to handle the post-op journey and patient challenges that follow for months after almost all hair transplants. 

I am no doctor but Nebulosity may suffer from some form of body dysmorphia.

Obviously we all want to help Nebulosity thru his worries about his transplant, but I think it may be time for him to consider having a discussion with a mental help professional and discuss the possiblity that he has some form of body dysmorphic disorder. Look no shame in talking with a professional, I used to have panic attacks on airplanes, sought help, and have been basically cured of that worry and obsession.

 

dys.JPG

Well to be honest, you might be right. Body dysmorphic disorder, yep I have that basically, or actually. Maybe some, but not all, of my questions are overboard. I don’t trust the surgeon who did my transplant, so all my questions go here.

Edited by Nebulosity
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1 minute ago, Nebulosity said:

Well to be honest, you might be right. Maybe some, but not all, of my questions are overboard. I don’t trust the surgeon who did my transplant, so all my questions go here.

I understand Nebulosity. My only hope is you don't do anything. It appears to me you are a bit impulsive. I am actually really confident if you DO NOTHING...no shaving, no removal, no nothing.....and just leave your transplant alone and let it grow in you are going to be surprised how good it looks in 10 months. Give it ten months and maybe enjoy it for a lifetime. Will you maybe need some additional work later? Yeah probably...but almost all of us do. You must let go and trust that time will make it look much better.....dude you are going to look ok if you dont panic and do something stupid.

Dr. Dow Stough - 1000 Grafts - 1996

Dr. Jerry Wong - 4352 Grafts - August 2012

Dr. Jerry Wong - 2708 Grafts - May 2016

 

Remember a hair transplant turns back the clock,

but it doesn't stop the clock.

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9 hours ago, Nebulosity said:

You’re actually right. I am losing it. Are you saying you had minor pitting that looked similar to mine at an early stage?

You are only hearing what you want to hear man to feed your anxiety. Trust me, I have a touch of anxiety and can recognize it in how you are thinking on this...or overthinking.     It looks like it is healing great and I said that.  Of course you are going to have imperfect skin where it has just been cut a few days ago. Give your body time to heal.  So yes, everything looks good and professionally done implant wise. Looks like good work other than the not looking like doing enough grafts to fill the area. But the surgical work and healing looks better than average actually.  Honestly, I didn't shave my new hairline the first week...lol, so can't say if it looked like yours because at this stage me and everyone else has hairs sticking out of our pits. You have created a new way to view week old transplanted areas and sorry to say we just can't compare apples to peaches here. But yeah, looks good to me. 

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Thanks guys. Actually you’re right I’m probably feeding my anxiety. By the way it’s 21 days post transplant, not a week, and I can still feel the roughness of hairs at each transplanted follicle wound in the small area where I shaved it, so it should be ok as long as I don’t shave again for another month or so.

Basically I think my transplant will be “ok,” meaning it won’t cause me much harm, but I will say it is a great inconvenience and I regret not going to a better doc with more artistry and pride in doing a clean job. Now I’m mainly annoyed that I’ll need to wait another 18 months or so before the results of a second hair transplant start growing in, and spend probably an additional 15k usd for an excellent result where I could have just spent 15k one time and expected a good result in 6 months.

I’m not going to mention the surgeon’s name until I get everything fixed the way I want it by a better doc with good esthetic judgement. But as someone mentioned, the work is actually recognizable. I should have known better. But it’s more of an inconvenience and a let down than anything else.

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Just a quick update. The recipient area is shedding and looking more and more like it did pre transplant. The donor area is unfortunately NOT recovering and appears overharvested. After the transplant, the doctor said - bragged, even - that all of the hair was taken from the safe zone. Well, I might as well have gotten FUT, no? As far as I know, a top doctor would have extracted from a much larger area and spread out the extractions more. I think the entire point of FUE is to make it so that the hair can still be short in the back. Yet this doctor made it a point of pride that he extracted from *only* the safe zone. It makes no sense to me.

09C655E3-2DED-482F-A793-0F29E129F72F.jpeg

Edited by Nebulosity
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  • Moderators

Some guys heal very quickly in the donor area while others get some shock loss and take many months to fully recover. All you can do is wait a few months and see if and how much the donor area improves.

 

Al

Forum Moderator

(formerly BeHappy)

I am a forum moderator for hairrestorationnetwork.com. I am not a Dr. and I do not work for any particular Dr. My opinions are my own and may not reflect the opinions of other moderators or the owner of this site. I am also a hair transplant patient and repair patient. You can view some of my repair journey here.

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IDK. He for sure did harvest from the safe zone...so no worries there. I can't tell if he shaved the donor area a bit closer to the surrounding hair or not. My surgeon did mine by a mm or so. I didn't realize it for a few weeks. The I finally realized that that MM was happening.  It almost went away after I clipped it to the same length after a few weeks. But the are didn't get any shock loss and still seemed a little slower to really kick back into growing for a few weeks. I am not sure I would say overharvested. He took from a decent sized area...but maybe to me that size area should be able to do the number of grafts you got. I would agree that he should have been more artistic an tapered the density of the harvesting so there would not be such a marked line. Honestly, If you cover the top border with your finger I could barely notice. Bet in another week not at all noticeable. My guess is you have a bit of shock loss too. Again....breathe.   It will look better back there with a little time. That is 10000% a fact. If the hair get's a tad longer and evenly cut....fixed.  Even if nothing has shock lossed. If some have shock lossed....even better then.  And let's face it. We all kind of agree you will need a touch up either way. So then when the time comes for that....have them taper the harvest so there is not such a defined line. Your Dr was in the safe zone and there appears to be room to do a tapered harvest in back. So, don't stress about it. As another poster said. You are probably great at lots of things in life. Chiling out and kicking back with a beer laughing your way through the ugly duckling stage....not really your strong suit.  But the back is a legitimate concern and question. But it for sure will get better and would just get fixed anyway even worst case. But in the meanwhile. grow it about another cm and 1/2 in the back and don't worry about it for now. 

Edited by txtransplant
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Thanks for the reply. I trimmed it a week before I took that pic, but I didn’t want to ask my gf to do it for me so basically the length varies all over the place. If I cover the top of the middle of the donor area - the “holes” - it looks much better. It seems likely that there is some shock loss in that small area at the least, and as with your experience the growth of the entire donor area may lag the surrounding areas. So there is some hope, but the next transplant will still probably need to correct the lack of artistry. I plan to grow out my hair to get through the ugly duckling stage. My forelock is kind of a bush, so that should help a lot and also cover up a lot of the imperfections. You’re right kicking back with a beer is not my strong suit but it’s probably a good idea now when all I can really do is wait.

I’ve reached out to schedule in person consultations with Dr Cooley, Dr Wesley, and Dr Nadimi this August. I’m also considering Feriduni, but starting to lean towards getting the touch up / repair done in the US. I chose those three because I think they’d all be able to do clean extractions along the hairline in case that is necessary. Not much left for me to do now except wait, eat my Biotin, apply minoxidil, and take finasteride.

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yep...nothing here that can't be fixed fairly simply and will get better from here. That's the reality and that isn't so bad. And don't ask GF about hair too much. I guarantee she is tired of it..lol.  My ex wife and I are still close. She just rolls her eyes and is sick of me asking her opnions on it. 

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9 hours ago, Nebulosity said:

Just a quick update. The recipient area is shedding and looking more and more like it did pre transplant. The donor area is unfortunately NOT recovering and appears overharvested. After the transplant, the doctor said - bragged, even - that all of the hair was taken from the safe zone. Well, I might as well have gotten FUT, no? As far as I know, a top doctor would have extracted from a much larger area and spread out the extractions more. I think the entire point of FUE is to make it so that the hair can still be short in the back. Yet this doctor made it a point of pride that he extracted from *only* the safe zone. It makes no sense to me.

09C655E3-2DED-482F-A793-0F29E129F72F.jpeg

Just to share my donor area after getting FUE from the same doctor. Photo was taken right before my 2nd HT to improve the less than desirable density from my first HT We both know who he is.

20190121_020345255_iOS.jpg

Edited by bornwithhighforehead
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22 minutes ago, bornwithhighforehead said:

Just to share my donor area after getting FUE from the same doctor. Photo was taken right before my 2nd HT to improve the less than desirable density from my first HT We both know who he is.

20190121_020345255_iOS.jpg

I can see areas where the scars run together. He probably did the same to my donor area. If you really think about it, considering he has decades of experience, he probably just wants to get it over with and collect his fee, and so he doesn’t really pay attention. I mean, as a lay person, I would try to space out the grafts better than that. He just does it as fast as he can. What I remember is that the last area he extracted from, he did extremely fast, as if there was a time limit. And that is exactly where you can see the most see through effect. At that point, though, what can you do? You can’t exactly just stand up and walk out, because there are still follicles to implant. The extractions were practically finished, so I just let him do his thing.

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56 minutes ago, Nebulosity said:

I can see areas where the scars run together. He probably did the same to my donor area. If you really think about it, considering he has decades of experience, he probably just wants to get it over with and collect his fee, and so he doesn’t really pay attention. I mean, as a lay person, I would try to space out the grafts better than that. He just does it as fast as he can. What I remember is that the last area he extracted from, he did extremely fast, as if there was a time limit. And that is exactly where you can see the most see through effect. At that point, though, what can you do? You can’t exactly just stand up and walk out, because there are still follicles to implant. The extractions were practically finished, so I just let him do his thing.

I didn't know my scarring was so bad until I went for the 2nd HT. Kinda disappointing for a highly recommended doctor here. The density, the scarring simply makes it not worth it. I saw a few threads with the same plight as ours and all the doctor can offer is a complimentary session to "fix" the issue. I didn't take the offer since I wasn't really sure if it's worth travelling so far to get it fixed.

 

Edited by bornwithhighforehead
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6 minutes ago, bornwithhighforehead said:

I didn't know my scarring was so bad until I went for the 2nd HT. Kinda disappointing for a highly recommended doctor here. The density, the scarring simply makes it not worth it. I saw a few threads with the same plight as ours and all the doctor can offer is a complimentary session to "fix" the issue. I didn't take the offer since I wasn't really sure if it's worth travelling so far to get it fixed.

I doubt they’ll be offering me a free touch up, because the doctor has ghosted me, and his clinic has been sort of dismissive of my questions. Obviously I am a lay person, so I am waiting to see how the result turns out and the donor area heals. But the overall poor design and the lack of responsiveness from the doctor has definitely created some bad blood. Obviously I’ll do my due dilligence. But if it turns out to be as bad as I suspect (multiples in hairline, donor area depleted in narrow areas), I’ll take this up with the IAHRS, and post a very comprehensive report on my experience to forums and various social media networks. In say, 10 months, I’ll have a clearer picture. For those wondering who the doctor is, just view the threads started by someone else in this thread.

I received a total of three very brief replies from the doctor. I had around 7 or 8 clear questions, and he answered two or three. Then he stopped replying.

I asked his staff via WhatsApp about the donor area. Here is what they had to say:18C171C2-BBFE-480D-B84F-677A0F9F285B.jpeg.4ffcda0f1e534ba1e1e720a68d73458e.jpeg

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22 minutes ago, Nebulosity said:

I doubt they’ll be offering me a free touch up, because the doctor has ghosted me, and his clinic has been sort of dismissive of my questions. Obviously I am a lay person, so I am waiting to see how the result turns out and the donor area heals. But the overall poor design and the lack of responsiveness from the doctor has definitely created some bad blood. Obviously I’ll do my due dilligence. But if it turns out to be as bad as I suspect (multiples in hairline, donor area depleted in narrow areas), I’ll take this up with the IAHRS, and post a very comprehensive report on my experience to forums and various social media networks. In say, 10 months, I’ll have a clearer picture. For those wondering who the doctor is, just view the threads started by someone else in this thread.

I received a total of three very brief replies from the doctor. I had around 7 or 8 clear questions, and he answered two or three. Then he stopped replying.

I asked his staff via WhatsApp about the donor area. Here is what they had to say:

I think to be fair to the doctor, perhaps you should wait another few weeks for the donor? For my first FUE with him, donor looks fine after 3 weeks. Unfortunately, I can't keep short hair anymore because of the scars.

 

After one week.

1318755622_20150710_140421490_iOS(2).jpg.8a0157871a4a7043b693c65cb34c691c.jpg

 

25 days.

20150727_130035423_iOS.jpg.c00f4130914e0081be56d25eed1a7e05.jpg

Edited by bornwithhighforehead
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5 minutes ago, bornwithhighforehead said:

I think to be fair to the doctor, perhaps you should wait another few weeks for the donor? For my first FUE with him, donor looks fine after 3 weeks. Unfortunately, I can't keep short hair anymore because of the scars.

 

After one week.

1318755622_20150710_140421490_iOS(2).jpg.8a0157871a4a7043b693c65cb34c691c.jpg

 

25 days.

20150727_130035423_iOS.jpg.c00f4130914e0081be56d25eed1a7e05.jpg

I plan on getting SMP on my FUE scars after I finish fixing my hair. Also, I will consult a dermatologist about treating the scars to reduce their appearance.

You’re right about waiting. I’ll definitely just wait and do nothing for some months. But actually your second pic at 25 days just shows that the hair is longer. It looks good at that length, that much is true.

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Got a reply from H&W. They said I’d be a good candidate, and that they’d like me to send them new pics at 11 months post transplant. They read my objectives, and said that it could take several procedures to achieve them: Two removal+transplantation sessions, and possibly one more for refinement. There’s just no way that I’m going to put another few thousand holes in the back of my head to fill in more density into a youthful hairline, when I need to consider any future loss. Nope. I plan to have 1000+ of the grafts that were implanted removed and reimplanted into the temple areas and in a very narrow area around the front of the forelock. That way, the number of new extractions from the back will be minimized, and a high enough density will be achieved. I need to take this very seriously or I’m going to end up in a perpetual spiral.

If you’re reading this and wondering why I went with a low hairline, basically I didn’t do enough research. That, and the doctor encouraged me to get a low hairline, and implanted follicles at a density that amateurs on a forum can recognize as not being dense enough.

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Neb....I am happy to see you have chosen Hasson/Wong as your new doctors...and to wait 11 months. Wise decision. You'll worry thru all 11 months...lol....but you can do it! You will be impressed with the entire Hasson/Wong operation. Promise me...when you visit Hasson/Wong you will listen to their advice whatever that may be. Remember they have performed 1000's of hair transplants, and are respected worldwide...and you really have one experience. Whatever their advice...let go....trust them...and let them handle it. 

Dr. Dow Stough - 1000 Grafts - 1996

Dr. Jerry Wong - 4352 Grafts - August 2012

Dr. Jerry Wong - 2708 Grafts - May 2016

 

Remember a hair transplant turns back the clock,

but it doesn't stop the clock.

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5 hours ago, Shampoo said:

Neb....I am happy to see you have chosen Hasson/Wong as your new doctors...and to wait 11 months. Wise decision. You'll worry thru all 11 months...lol....but you can do it! You will be impressed with the entire Hasson/Wong operation. Promise me...when you visit Hasson/Wong you will listen to their advice whatever that may be. Remember they have performed 1000's of hair transplants, and are respected worldwide...and you really have one experience. Whatever their advice...let go....trust them...and let them handle it. 

Yes I will trust them, although I plan in person consultations with other doctors. I have to get this right. But just from my brief dealing with H&W, they seem to know what they’re doing. They’re the only ones who could explain what their general approach would be likely to be.

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