Recovery Post FUE - Advice Needed

[afrz]

Hi Guys, 

I have had an FUE procedure done 2 months ago, it may be too early to judge and say anything at the moment but I really wanted your advice on my status as it has completed changed the way I feel about myself, how I interact with people and even the socialising that I do. 

I started to notice my hair thinning at a very young age (20) it started at the crown area and was quickly progressing. after visiting a dermatologist I started using Niz and minoxidil for almost 3 years but I was still losing hair especially at the crown. at 24 I decided to get a transplant on the crown as it was getting bad even though I was still able to style my hair and hide it well. 

The doctor suggested that I only get the crown area transplanted as that was where most of the thinning was, also since I am young they did not want to to the front as more loss may occur in the future also to not exhaust the follicles. So we agreed on 2500 grafts for the crown area. 

After shaving my head it has become pretty evident that the thinning was starting in the frontal area too and I am worried that the hair that is shaved will not come back at the same density. People get really surprised when they see me now and they start giving me pity talk like I'm some kind of a patient. It looks really bad and I hope this gets better in the coming few months. 

I have stopped min 3 weeks before the procedure and have not continued it after as I have really oily skin and it was causing flaky dandruff which would only go away with daily use of Tgel and Niz which was not good for my hair. 

From the attached photos do you think I will be able to recover what I had? Any tips suggestions and comments to improve the post FUE process are most welcome.

Thanks in advance guys!

[CosmoKramer]

I would suggest ...follow my progress.

 

[afrz]

2 minutes ago, CosmoKramer said:

I would suggest ...follow my progress.

 

I forgot to add that, I have been derma rolling. A bit skeptical to start using minoxidil again, was going to wait for a few months to see the results before I jumped on to it. 

I have only been rolling on the non transplanted area.. Do you think it is safe to do it on the transplanted hair 2 months post op? There were a few people advising me not to as it could lead to infections. How has your experience been?

[CosmoKramer]

2 minutes ago, afrz said:

I forgot to add that, I have been derma rolling. A bit skeptical to start using minoxidil again, was going to wait for a few months to see the results before I jumped on to it. 

I have only been rolling on the non transplanted area.. Do you think it is safe to do it on the transplanted hair 2 months post op? There were a few people advising me not to as it could lead to infections. How has your experience been?

I was a bit skeptical myself but it’s definitely helping and I credit microneedling & Minoxidil foam, both of which did not do much for me when I used each alone in years past. If you can handle the foam I would say do so now, 12-24 hours after you’ve dermarollered.

As for dermarolling post your HT, I think it depends on what needle size dermaroller you are using. If you are using a roller with 0.25mm or 0.5mm roller and just gently rolling for a few minutes I think you should be fine, as the grafts are completely secure at 2 months, NOW, that said, I would press hard nor use a roller more than 0.5mm every other night or 3rd night.

Also, make sure you have a good quality roller, with titanium needles and be sure to soak it in rubbing alcohol for 30 minutes to an hour before and after each use, and use a new one after a few weeks.

Good Luck.

 

[afrz]

Hello guys, 

Just hit the 100 day mark. 

Saw a lot more shedding but there are tiny hairs that have started to appear now, Still not happy with the progress but the doctor claims everything is normal and it should get much better in the coming 2 months. 

What do you think?

 

[afrz]

Hi Guys, just hit 4 months. 

A lot more growth compared to the past few months and new hairs sprouting in the transplanted area. 

Looking forward to see how it progresses. Any feedback or thoughts? 

Do you think my hair can go back to how it was before the procedure?

[afrz]

5 months up, scattered growth slowly filling up sides and doner area are back to pre surgery. I had my shock loss after a month and half post the procedure so I believe I am a bit slow. Not sure how the results will end up. Any feedback is welcome 

[CosmoKramer]

Looks as if you’re a slow grower so you’ll need to definitely give it more time but it’s good that you’re seeing progress monthly. Since you say you’re not using Minoxidil anymore I would recommend using some peppermint oil in a carrier oil like coconut to give your scalp some better blood circulation to see if it helps regrow your native hair and speed up progress of transplanted hair.

[Guano]

At what age were you at in the first picture?

Seems like you lost quite a bit all over, looked much denser before.

Stick to your minox or fin and take in your vitamins. 

You'll have to wait till the 12th month mark to start making early conclusions 

[afrz]

On 11/24/2019 at 4:23 PM, Guano said:

At what age were you at in the first picture?

Seems like you lost quite a bit all over, looked much denser before.

Stick to your minox or fin and take in your vitamins. 

You'll have to wait till the 12th month mark to start making early conclusions 

That is the reason why I was so paranoid, the first picture is 1 month before my procedure. Yes I am trying to be more optimistic. 

[afrz]

On 11/24/2019 at 4:04 AM, CosmoKramer said:

Looks as if you’re a slow grower so you’ll need to definitely give it more time but it’s good that you’re seeing progress monthly. Since you say you’re not using Minoxidil anymore I would recommend using some peppermint oil in a carrier oil like coconut to give your scalp some better blood circulation to see if it helps regrow your native hair and speed up progress of transplanted hair.

Unfortunately my scalp does not handle oil well since it is naturally very oily, even with minoxidil I get these patches of yellow residue which makes my hair fall more so I am a bit skeptical to start using it

[afrz]

Approaching 6 months and I had my consultation. Dr says that it will improve in the coming months and says every case is different. Hopefully will improve. My sides are recovering rather well slowly going back to how it was before surgery hopefully my frontal area does too.

[Lennney]

You're making progress. As others have said, the crown is the most difficult area to get growth from HT, and also the most lengthy regrowth cycle. Best of luck!

Edit: Also, you had a relatively small number of transplants to the crown. I think you're still 6+ months away from real results. The crown area always looks more thin than it is due to the hair dispersion. I think in 12 months your hair will look significantly better. This process will just take a while, and will not be complete on it's own; you'll have to brush your hair to make the illusion complete.

Edited December 13, 2019 by Lennney
Addition

[afrz]

On 12/13/2019 at 11:45 AM, Lennney said:

You're making progress. As others have said, the crown is the most difficult area to get growth from HT, and also the most lengthy regrowth cycle. Best of luck!

Edit: Also, you had a relatively small number of transplants to the crown. I think you're still 6+ months away from real results. The crown area always looks more thin than it is due to the hair dispersion. I think in 12 months your hair will look significantly better. This process will just take a while, and will not be complete on it's own; you'll have to brush your hair to make the illusion complete.

Thank you Lenny, I guess that makes sense. I can definitely see improvement now hitting the 6.5 month mark. 

[afrz]

6.5 months up and the hair seems to be improving a lot. I can comb my hair now and the hairs are slowly thickening up. I hope it keeps getting better. 

[Lennney]

Glad to hear. Keep up the positivity!

[watterot]

Is it normally recommended to get such a large transplant for the crown at such an early age? 

I'm 32 and just had my first hair transplant. While the crown was bad the doctor played quite safe there (about 1000 grafts) while focusing mostly on the front. Hopefully with Minoxidil, microneedling and a spot of Nanogen I'll get by. 

Your preop pics looks quite good actually. I'd hold off any more HT for a few years. Stabilitize it with meds and evaluate when you're 30.

[afrz]

Hey guys 8.5 Months up and it seems to be filling up but very slow growth. Dr claims it will take 12-18 months to see full results and claims that I am a slow grower.. what do you guys think?

[Cardin1977]

I can definitely see an improvement. Shame a hair transplant takes so long to grow. I keep reading that it can take 12 - 15 months to grow fully. Why is this exactly?  I'm going to have FUE soon but am not the most patient of people 😂

[afrz]

39 minutes ago, Cardin1977 said:

I can definitely see an improvement. Shame a hair transplant takes so long to grow. I keep reading that it can take 12 - 15 months to grow fully. Why is this exactly?  I'm going to have FUE soon but am not the most patient of people 😂

Tell me about it, apparently every case of different, for me because I was on medication for 4 years before the transplant and I discontinued it the growth rate has changed and it is much slower. Some people see great results in 3 months some take a year or so 

[HairFunk]

11 hours ago, afrz said:

Tell me about it, apparently every case of different, for me because I was on medication for 4 years before the transplant and I discontinued it the growth rate has changed and it is much slower. Some people see great results in 3 months some take a year or so 

We see it all the time here. So many post concerned at 4-6 months wondering where the final result is! This is an interesting read: http://shapiromedical.com/procedure-page/the-patients-journey/what-to-expect-after-surgery/

[October]

update please? 

[afrz]

Hey guys, 11 months update. 
 

unfortunately at this point it’s safe to say it was not the best transplant and the results are sub par. 
 

I have consulted 2 of the recommended physicians here and both of them have said that the growth is not optimal. 
 

I have lost more hair than before the transplant as I used minoxidil for for 3 years before the transplant and stopped it after, alongside it I did not control my Hairloss before the transplant. All of this should have been checked by my surgeon but since it was in turkey they are commercial and would not go into so much detail. I have density in some areas but over all it is super patchy and is not soemthing that was worth waiting a year for and going through all the insecurity and anxiety. 
 

This will be my last update, as I plan on cutting my hair shorter and getting a few sessions of SMP to have a fuller appearance. I will try to maintain my hair for a year or two before I get another transplant for density. 

My surgeon claims I’m a slow grower and I will have to wait from 12-18 months but at this point I don’t see any drastic changes happening. The advice given seemed very generic. 

Thanks guys, I have learned my lesson the hard way. Only go with a reputed surgeon who has properly assessed your case and expect realistic results. 

[October]

I'm sorry to hear about your situation!  Why did you stop minoxidil?  Have you gotten back on it?  I wish you luck in whatever you choose to do in the future for your hair.

[afrz]

39 minutes ago, October said:

I'm sorry to hear about your situation!  Why did you stop minoxidil?  Have you gotten back on it?  I wish you luck in whatever you choose to do in the future for your hair.

I used to use the liquid version of it twice a day. As I have oily skin it caused to to be greasy after using it for 7-8 months and I started having heavy dandruff like flakes. So wanted to see if I would be okay with the results without it. 
 

Haven’t gotten back on it yet, but might try out the foam version and see if results improve. 
 

thanks for your wishes.