Caucasian Blonde 2500 Dr. Bhatti Darling Buds

[Lennney]

SKIP TO “*******************” FOR RESULTS

 

LONG BACKGROUND STORY WARNING

 

My journey began when I saw the reddit post: https://i.redd.it/0k9i3r8myk001.jpg . In the comments, I found the link to a poster (who I won’t link, but you could find it yourself) who mentioned that results like Elon had are not only possible, he had one. I went down the rabbit hole. I saw the results that are possible, and common.

Quick background: My hairline was receding since I first noticed it at ~15. It wasn’t bad, but I never felt comfortable with my hair short. I noticed acceleration into my early 20s, but I knew it was too early to do anything about it. All of the common advice was to let it develop, and worry about it then. I researched HT when I was 22/23, and google showed me horror stories of 19-year-olds mutilating their scalp with an aggressive hairline and constantly adding more after the fact. I resigned to waiting and seeing. After a few years, the recession stabilized when I was 25/26. I had not known about this site, and so I tried to use Nioxin and minoxidil from Costco, hoping to permanently slow and possibly reverse the hairloss. It didn’t do a great deal. Minoxidil did function like a hair product that kept a shape. I was content to brush my hair to the side, and as long as my SO said I looked fine, I didn’t think much of it.

I was never in denial about my hair loss, but like I said, it didn’t seem that bad. My view completely changed when I was at a tailor for a suit. Looking at an angle in that 3-pane mirror, I saw myself from the side. My hair looked like it was drawn on top of my head, rather than coming from my head. I felt vulnerable and embarrassed. I decided to seriously look into a HT.

After researching FUE vs FUT, I saw the clear benefits of FUE (very similar to LASIK vs PRK in my opinion) I researched the most recommended doctors, and contacted him. Long story short is: He wanted to do a mix of FUT & FUE. I told him I only wanted FUE. He insisted but conceded. He gave me the quote for 2500 grafts.

I view HT as a permanent body modification. Anyone that has ever gotten a tattoo knows that it isn’t the price you pay for a tattoo, it is the artist you get the tattoo from. No one brags about how much they spent, it’s about who the artist was. After brooding on the uneasy feeling of “convincing” an artist of my perspective HT to do an art piece he didn’t want to do, I researched more FUE-only doctors. This is the search that led me to Dr. Bhatti.

Long story short again: He told me I needed ~2500 grafts as well. I was contacting both doctors in May 2018. I know that great artists are in high demand, and before I asked if he was available (NOT how much it cost). I told my SO that I was willing to pay double (my local price) for an artist whose portfolio I could see, and whose name I could trust (thanks to this site) if he had availability in Dec/Jan 2019. I was planning on using this time away from college to take a “vacation” where I could get the surgery and recover. Dr. Bhatti said he was available during early Jan, and I immediately booked an appointment with a deposit. Dr. Bhatti’s quote was less than the first quote I received. This was a bonus, not the reason I went to Darling Buds. Obviously I chose to go abroad for the procedure due to costs. I don’t want to compile “unnecessary” costs. I want to be clear that it was a choice of artist.

I watched airline prices, and eventually booked my tickets. Booked Lax to Del in September for $456.31 and Del to IXC for $78.01, $534.32 USD round trip total. I am pretty good at finding deals, and am happy to write a post about it if enough ask, if it hasn’t been posted elsewhere.

I’ll skip the common details most posters make about travel etc.

When I arrived to Dr. Bhatti’s office, I felt that I was at a safe and clean environment. I thought it was all very professional and systematic in following the procedure of bloodwork, paperwork, etc. I really appreciated the one on one time with Dr. Bhatti in drawing my hairline and him giving me time to reflect (no pun intended) on the new hairline. I thought his hairline was ABSOLUTELY natural, and matched completely what I thought would restore my ~12 year old self’s hairline. I told Dr. Bhatti that I was considering lowering it further, (because why not?!). After years of hearing forehead and balding jokes, I think we all get a little defensive and never want to be in that same position, if we can avoid it. HT seems to be the best place to ensure it doesn’t happen again. So I told him what I though, and he said it may not look natural, but he would do it if I wanted it. He told me to consider it, and he would redraw the hairline the next day, the day of the procedure, and we would decide then. I showed my mom what I was considering and she said that I should go with the marker, Dr. Bhatti’s proposal. I arrived the next day and in full conviction, happily chose Dr. Bhatti’s recommendation.

**************************************

Single: 271

Double: 1268

Triple: 1013

Front transplanted: 2193

Left temple: 186

Right temple: 173

(I am happy to have it broken down to me in that manner. Temples exposed expedited my HT journey, so it is nice to see how many went to that mission.)

I always followed the post care instructions Dr. Bhatti’s office provides.

The procedure didn’t hurt. When I felt uncomfortable, I told Dr. Bhatti. He then gave me more local antiesthetic. Side note, I only took a few of the pain pills for post op. My scalp was numb, and I didn’t need it.

I had no issues in the 3 days post op.

I flew on the 4^th day. My face swelled during the air travel, not too horrifying, but pretty bad. I was worried about being questioned by US customs when I arrived in LAX. No problem. I was worried about a rental car I rented later in the day, again, no issues. I didn’t take photos. The swelling went away gradually, but was gone after 3 days, no problem (I expected this thanks to this site! I always checked on here to see if others had similar issues).

Picture curation is mostly chronological (I hope). Orange Line is "generally" what I was thinking. Just a rough idea of an "aggressive approach" I ultimately did not pursue. Last photo is 72 hours post. Didn't take a post donor pic due to not trying to make myself contort as well as not making my SO look at the carnage! 

[Lennney]

Two weeks post op. I was just finishing up a full scale molt on my head. I showed a few people, and it didn’t register with me at the time. One asked, “Yeah, I can see the HT, but what’s the white stuff on your head?” It was after I told him that I kept my hat on for shedding reasons. I realized after the fact he was referring to my scabs that float above my head HAHA!

Nothing crazy to report. Just that my head was red. I know that the redness stays for months, so it is what it is. I’ve already at that point resigned to the ugly duckling phase… Even before it begins. I had since started the Fin and minoxidil.

I also took photos 1 week out. 1 week post op first, then the two week ones.

[Lennney]

4 weeks/1month. I don’t know which format is better. Weeks are more accurate while months make me feel better.

My hair is getting a bit patchy on the temples and parts of my scalp. I know me sleeping on my sides doesn’t help keep the transplanted hair, but I know members advocate that after 10 days the HT is “locked in”. I’ve seen members loose most of their HT hair in the first 3 months, and I’ve already accepted this destiny. I keep my expectations low, but I do keep my spirits up – This is the best time in my personal and professional life to have this procedure done. This is what I want, from the artist I wanted. I am happier now than I was before.

 

Feel free to ask questions. I genuinely appreciate feedback. If there is something you recommend, or see something I can benefit from, please post it. I got 90% of my information from honest members like yourselves, including the unmentioned redditor. Someone like myself could read this and decide to start their HT journey. I want to make it easy for men to lose the stigma against cosmetic surgery by understanding what to look for in a doctor and what a GOOD or BAD procedure looks like.

Thank you for your contributions.

I hope the donor area is "discolored" due to the hair dye of the transplant. I will get a haircut in 2 weeks, before my next update. I will know for certain if it's my head, or if I've been thinning rapidly at the crown/top.

[Lennney]

I forgot to mention. HT was done 9 Jan 2019 at 8am Chandigarth time.

[Melvin- Admin]

Thanks for your detailed, experience everything looks clean and refined. Please keep us updated 🙂

[Obaid6727]

Waiting on your final result as I have been suggested about Dr Bhatti by someone, please keep us updated as you see progress. But a great hairline design i must say, good luck

[Jay Ell]

So happy I found this post! Actually scheduled to see Dr. Bhatti later this year! Did you travel there by yourself and would you reccomend having someone go with you? 

Also, it sounds like you stayed in Chandigarh a few days post-op before leaving. In your experience, do you think you could leave 1-2 days post op without any issue? 

[Lennney]

I initially hoped to travel to Chandigarth from Los Angeles on my own. I initially planned to only stay for the minimum 2 or 3 days post op. So about 7 days: 1.5 travel to, 2.0 travel back, 1st day consultation and the rest surgery and recovery. My SO demanded to go (worried about my health), so we went together. We ended up doing a layover tour in Beijing (Great Wall, Forbidden city, Tiananmen Square) and Taj Mahal Agra fort in India. It gave us a "reason/excuse" to tell people we didn't want to share HT with, and it was a great experience to see two world wonders.

That's back story, but to address your 1st question: No. As an English speaking male who has done traveling abroad before, India was not scary. ALSO in Chandigarth Dr. Bhatti has his own drivers! Not only is Chandigarth safer than Delhi, but you don't worry about logistics (after you book one of his recommended hotels) when you're there. If you ONLY go to India for procedure, I recommend going alone. I can answer specific questions too. But that's what you care about.

Relating to your second question: In my experience: 1-2 days post op is not ideal but I did it. Here is the timeline:

1. Day 1/Day of arrival to IXC: I arrived at Darling Buds at ~1:30PM (I arranged this time prior with Dr. Bhatti) to do the consultation.
2. Day 2: I arrive and start pre-op and operation. We finish ~6pm. 
3. Day 3/Post op day 1: Replace bandage dressing on donor hair after shower and clean transplanted hair.
4. Day 4/PO2: Same as above. I also left Chandigarth to Delhi at 12pm this day. I also flew out of Delhi 12 hours later at 3AM "Day 5". We got a hotel in aero city and slept for 8 hours before our 30hour trip began. I also washed my hair right before we left hotel, and followed post care instructions.
5. Day 5/PO3: 3 AM flight from Delhi. Show up early. We got stuck in security for 3 hours and nearly "missed" our flight. Your scalp will be dry from so much air travel, but Darling Buds team told me to just be mindful of applying saline spray every 2 hours.

Tip: If you bring another person, they can sit between you and the other passenger, so you don't have to get up/ spray them with your saline solution. If not, get aisle seating.

 

Happy to help and answer questions!

Edited February 28, 2019 by Lennney

[Jay Ell]

Thanks for the quick response! 

Funny, Your situation almost exactly mirrors mine in that my S.O. is also adamant about going (which I understand) haha. I am also leaving out of LAX and will have about 2 days post op before I have to fly out. Was considering extending my stay but just wanted to be home ASAP. Hopefully that isn’t too difficult. 

Any other travel or really any general tips you have would be greatly appreciated. 

Also, did you get much attention from other travelers when you were headed back home? I just imagine walking through the airport with bandages on my head and people acting like I have some kind of contagious skin disease or something lol. 

Really like the hairline design btw and look forward to following your healing process! 

[Lennney]

I did a lot of lurking myself before creating an account. I am very proficient in planning and getting tickets for airfare. If you haven't gotten tickets yet I can send you a private message on how to look for cheaper tickets. LAX to DEL is the ticket you want to buy. Then buy a separate ticket from DEL to IXC. It is substantially cheaper than LAX to IXC.  

I didn't get any attention. I wore the medical covering you get - think the ones doctors wear in surgery. I looked swollen getting into the USA, but they still let me get a rental car. I kept myself composed and acted like I normally do - so people think I'm just an ugly dude with a scalp condition. I had to remove my head covering in China. Dude looked at me real quick to see if I had anything dangerous that his wand couldn't read - and let me go. No issues. I was most worried about China honestly.

I kept my medical cover and used it for 2-3 weeks when I went out shopping or to a dental appointment. USA is pretty conservative when it comes to asking people about deformations/medical issues, so I wouldn't expect strangers to ask you without you referencing it. I've shown my head to people around my office, and to other friends. The don't connect my head to a HT. They don't mention anything about the color either. I think it has to do with being polite and trying to not offend me (when they think it may be a medical condition like dandruff or something). No one asked, but my prepared answer was: "I had a medical procedure done recently." You get paperwork from Darling Buds that states you had a medical procedure that alters your appearance and....

A prescription for Finasteride/ minoxidil. I stocked up on Fin since I heard it was pricey. I bought an additional 300 days worth - (60 5mg pills which I split into 1mg). Darling Buds mended my prescription to reflect the stocking up I did - and I appreciate it. I checked all of the meds and kept the docs on me. No issues with India, China or USA customs.

I usually travel light. But we checked a bag with the souvenirs and the meds. I mostly checked it due to the post-op-care-necessary saline 1liter bottles. If you can avoid it, just travel overseas without checking a bag if you can. Only concern is traveling with so much Fin... X-rays seeing that many pills may earn you a search/questions. 

I wear a hat everywhere. I'll probably suddenly stop in the coming weeks.

I recommend staying for at least 2 nights (to ensure there are no issues), but it's your business. Dr. Bhatti told me that if you remain in the Chandigarth area, he will provide transport to the clinic to do the maintenance. He told me there are those who do ~1week or more recovery and take advantage of this service. 

Basics for India: Bring toilet paper just in case. I brought 1 roll for every 2 days. I ended up using a roll between us every 3 days. Hotels have some TP, but it's not enough, and it's not very luxurious. Wear light boots that cover ankle. There may be mud or whatever, and a 20$ pair of boots was worth it. A couple cheap button-up dress shirts. A smog mask on Amazon will serve you well. I had a bad sore throat in Delhi after a day trip to Taj Mahal. I was too proud to wear the one my SO got... I regret that decision. Chandigarth has much cleaner air, and we were in nice hotel most of the day.

I too like the hairline. I like the temples filled in! I think it looks better with rather than without. Joel McHale doesn't have the temples done, so he tends to brush his hair forward to cover that area up. It's hard to find a picture of him from the side, perpendicular. It isn't flattering. I didn't mention anything about the temples, but Dr. Bhatti drew it in on his own. If he hadn't, I would have asked to do something about it. It does seem like that's his signature for a HT. I love the design, and I can't wait look forward to seeing the results.

[Jhonny]

Good on you lenney, it looks verypromising and I am very keen to follow your progress since bhatti is on my top list!

thanks for sharing your journey!

[Shera]

Hi Lennney,

Great write up, it sounds like you had a great experience.

It doesn't end there, feel free to contact myself or other members of the team anytime.

Jay Ell, Jhonny, if you guys have any queries, then again, just ask.

All the best to you Lennney, I'm looking forward to see how you progress.

Edited February 28, 2019 by Shera

[Lennney]

Hello!

I just posted updates on a new post in the "results" forum. I think it is a more appropriate place to post monthly updates. I will keep notifications on for both. I just feel that this is more for answering questions about my experiences. If you're interested in following my results, I just posted them!

[Lennney]

For the in-depth progress, please check the tracker thread. 

After 14 months, I feel confident to provide a review that is based on the results.

My opinion on the Doctor Selection process: I had a great experience with using Dr. Bhatti's website. It was easy to submit the photos and I got a response quickly. I felt a great ease when I was dealing with Darling Buds and Dr. Bhatti directly. I also felt relieved that my doc was a specialist. Dr. Bhatti only does FUE, and I knew I wanted FUE for personal reasons of avoiding scars and complications related to the scar. 

Opinion on the procedure: From arrival to Chandigarth airport to departure, I was in constant contact with Bhatti's clinic. Bhatti's personal taxi was waiting on us when we (SO and I) arrived. The same taxi took us to the airport for our departure. All I had to do was wake up and go outside. The entire process was super easy for me as a tourist. The consultation occurred on the day I arrived. I had waited for about an hour to see Dr. Bhatti. There were 2 people I saw in various stages of recovery. I only had one person come in to the waiting room while I was consulting, but there was no awkwardness I had heard about with other clinics that see many patients a day, where the work is all done unsupervised. I had the consultation where Bhatti asked what I wanted, he offered his interpretation, and we discussed. I thought I knew better, and asked for a lower hairline. He recommended against it, but said to sleep on the idea and return; he said he would still do it if I was determined (the next day), but he would have me sign an agreement saying he recommended against it. I realized that the hairline was fine and natural as Bhatti had originally designed it, and kept the recommendation. 

The procedure went smooth. Got a haircut, a wash, and went to the operating room. I had the injections done by Bhatti, and we started when everything was sufficiently numb. During the extractions that Bhatti had done, I had some isolated sections that did not have full numbness, and I felt a small pinching. Bhatti had no problem stopping the procedure to inject more anesthetic and wait for the numbing. After the extractions, I had Dr. Bhatti do the incisions. The placement of the grafts was done by the two techs. I didn't have much entertainment, I guess I could have set up my phone with a video below, but I just listened to the radio as well as conversed with Bhatti and the techs. The time flew by. 

I had a smooth experience. I didn't have to worry about anything, and I felt like I was in great hands.

As for the post-op: I had received contact information for the clinic which I used for a couple quick questions, but I did not personally feel like I needed, but it was nice to have. I thought my instructions and medicines were clear and easy to follow. 

 

Here is a monthly list of my updates:

1week

1month(Feb)

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug +2weeks

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec+3 weeks AKA Jan (Almost 1 year!)

Feb (dire need of Haircut)

Mar (14 months later) need another haircut

And what I looked like before

 

Hope this is useful! Best of luck on your own journey. The best advice I can give is: Do your research. Research until you feel ABSOLUTELY comfortable with your decision. You should look up good docs and see what you want. You should look up bad docs to see what to avoid. You should look up all costs involved, all financing options available to you. You should know what to expect, and all complications that could arise. This is a permanent decision that can change your life. The more research you do the more comfortable you will be with the result; as you will understand the capabilities and limitations of the HT. 

 

 

Edited March 7, 2020 by Lennney
Removed a pic