Was my HT Botched? Shock Loss or Something Else?

[DenverBuff1989]

Hi all, 

30/m, NW3. Had a FUE transplant of 1200 grafts on Dec 18, 2018. The transplant grafts started growing in nicely 3-4 months in. They are a bit curly, but not really concerned about that as I think it will straighten out. However, all around the recipient transplant areas, there is shock loss. This is most evident in the middle front part of the hairlines. At almost 8 months post-op, I am growing increasingly despondent that this shock loss hair will not regrow. 

I was looking at pictures I took the day after the HT, and it looks like the "shock loss" area never had hair there, that rather the Doc and techs transplanted an uneven ring of grafts in front of my native hair. You can see a line of bare skin between the grafts and my native hair. If this is indeed the case, there is no growth to be had in the "shock loss" area and instead the doc really f*cked up. 

So either:

1) this really is shock loss but for some reason at 8 months there is still no regrowth

or

2) this was really bad placement of the transplant grafts and they did not place the transplant grafts close enough to my native hair

Any thoughts, comments, avenues I should pursue? My doc says I need to wait 10-12 months post op to see final results. But I'm sick of waiting (especially if this not even shock loss!) and want to get to the bottom of this now so I can schedule a repair surgery asap, instead of wasting 4 more months waiting around. 

The surgery pics were taken 1 day after surgery, the selfie pics were taken today. 

 

 

 

[s14a]

2 - This is crazy, on the day when the surgery was complete did you not notice the gap?

Who was the doctor?

[DenverBuff1989]

I did but assumed everything had still gone according to plan. I assumed I had strong native hair in the gap area and it must have immediately fallen off after the surgery. 

The doc was Dr. Shelly Lovitt in Denver, Colorado. 

So do you think the doc definitely f*cked up? What should I do?

[s14a]

It's nothing that can't be fixed so don't worry.

You will need further surgery, I'm really surprised a doctor carried that out.

I would be looking some ownership from Dr Shelly Lovitt, that's not shock loss in my opinion.

[DenverBuff1989]

yea sucks. Pre HT I of course read about bad HT's and thought "this can't happen to me" but here I am. Dr Lovitt is not part of IAHRS, but she is an assistant in a clinic run by Dr James Harris, who is. So I thought I was in good hands with Dr. Lovitt. 

[LonelyGraft]

It’s hard to tell from the pic if there was additional loss or if there was indeed some shock loss. But my guess is the doctor didn’t blend the transplanted hair into the existing hairline. Once the strong donor grafts grew in front of your hairline, the gap became more evident. That’s just my opinion and I may be wrong.

 

dr Harris was the one that invented the Harris punch system for fue which was quite popular from my understanding. I hope he and your doc can come to a resolution for you. This can be fixed though so don’t lose hope. Just needs another relatively small procedure to blend things in.

[Melvin- Admin]

There seems to be a significant gap evident. It’s clear that the area that’s showing was not transplanted with hair. This is an easy fix with another procedure. 

I suggest consulting with on of our surgeons. Get familiar with our forum, we exist for a reason. 

https://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/Consult-a-Physician/hair-transplant-surgeons.asp

[Gasthoerer]

Honestly, I can be misleaded as the there are only a few pictures, but in my option: This is a full blown butch job from a to z.

• Poor hairline makro design
• Poor alignment to the existing hair
• Poor density

My recommendation, to NOT go there again for any treatment and if you want to talk to them, take a lawyer.

The good news: It was a small procedure and this should be easily fixable with ANOTHER clinic. Hopefully the angles are OK and the hairline is not too low. 

[Al - Moderator]

From what is shown, it looks like most of the grafts grew. That's the good news. It's obvious that they did not put any grafts in some areas that required it. Go somewhere else and get some grafts placed behind the new hairline to correct it. Don't go to the same place as they don't know what they are doing.

 

[DenverBuff1989]

@Gasthoerer what does poor Makro design mean? 

[DenverBuff1989]

UPDATE: i just talkd to the doc and she is going to fill in the density free of charge. Still massively blows i have had to deal with the stress, obsession, fear and uncertainty of this. Plus i just atarted a new job, having to tell my boss i need a few days off for a hair transplant :/. 

And yes it looks like i will be going back to this same doc. Yes this is a f*ked situation, but when it comes down to it it really is a mattet of not using enough grafts right? 

The transplant grafts thenselves did grow out well (some of the hairs are curly-but i hope they straighten out)

I do have mixed feelings seeing this doc again, but since she is well aware she f*ked up i feel she will really try t9 make things right this time. The doc is Shelley Lovitt, an assistant to James Harris in colorado. This clinic is perhaps the only place i would go to for a HT in colorado. Juat more convenient and familiar to get it done here, than flying out somewhere 

i know what you guys are thinking, "why the f*co go back to the same doc?!?"

but its just one of those things where maybe if you were in my shoes you would go back to the same doc too

Edited August 8, 2019 by DenverBuff1989

[Melvin- Admin]

3 minutes ago, DenverBuff1989 said:

@Gasthoerer what does poor Makro design mean? 

Macro and micro-irregularities are essential for a natural hairline. 

Read this article it’ll help you understand 

hair transplant hairline 101

[Gasthoerer]

9 minutes ago, DenverBuff1989 said:

@Gasthoerer what does poor Makro design mean? 

Macro design = design of the hairline in perspective to your facial features?

In opposite to micro design = irregularities and distribution of singles and multies

[DenverBuff1989]

@Gasthoerer ok got it. What specifically makes you think it has a poor macro design? I can bring this up with the doc as well. Tha is. 

Edited August 8, 2019 by DenverBuff1989

[Gasthoerer]

20 minutes ago, DenverBuff1989 said:

 just taled to the doc and she is going to fill in the density free of charge. 

...

I do have mixed feelings seeing this doc again, but since she is well aware she f*ked up i feel she will really try t9 make things right this time. The doc is shelley Lovett, an assistant to james harris in colorado. This clinic is perhaps the only place i would go to for a HT in colorado. Juat more convenient and familiar to get it done here, than flying out somewhere 

What? 

1. Convenient and familiar? You got a "convenient botch job" in my humble opinion. 

2. The only motivation is saving $$$ and the clinic being nearby. Both is not a good way to chose a clinic.

3. You made a poor choice by picking an unknown surgeon before... why do it again? Beeing an assistant to someone is a starting point but overall no measure! Did you see any great results of her posted by patients? 

4. Even Harris himself is almost never in one of the top lists of anyone if I am not misled (even though this lists are highly subjective). 

 

Edited August 8, 2019 by Gasthoerer

[Melvin- Admin]

It boiled down to trust. I think the surgeon should clearly explain what went wrong. Any layman can see that there is a clear and obvious gap that should have been transplanted. Furthermore, the grafts seems to be fuller on one side and decrease on the other side. 

I would ask why did this occur? It’s good that she’s standing by her work, but this oversight seems very obvious. Did you not ask the doctor why she was leaving a gap? 

[DenverBuff1989]

@Melvin-Moderator tbh her excuse was kind of bs. She said "oh we wanted to lower the hairline I thought". Well she should have known 1200 grafts would not be enough for that and say I need more grafts before surgery. I was essentially doomed for a 2nd hair transplant to repair this right from the start, with only 1200 grafts. Tbh i dont really care about her apologizing or owning up, just wanting her to fix this. And if i can get god knows how many free grafts from her repairing this, then I dont need her to admit guilt, just to make it right

I do trust she can make it right this 2nd time around

My hair is parted in the picture. So that might be why it appears uneven. Also some of the transplant grafts are pretty curly. I think that is unrelated to the huge gap f*kup, and i am hopging the grafts smooth out

Do you habe an opinion on unusual transplant graft curliness/kinkiness? From what ive read at 8 months there it is normal for grafts to be curly, and will straighten out with time

Edited August 8, 2019 by DenverBuff1989

[Melvin- Admin]

🤔 I mean it’s completely up to you. Me personally, I would need to have some clear answers on how it will be fixed before moving forward i.e how many grafts, what method etc. 

[MrZennie]

If I was in your shoes I would INSIST that her boss James Harris do the repair work.   

[DenverBuff1989]

@Melvin-Moderator yea im meeting with her sept 4th to go over all of the specifics. Im going to grill her hard. 

 

Would you be able to comment on my question about transplant graft curlyness? Noje of my hairnis naturally curly. But some of the grafts are weirdly curly. I am hoping this will smooth out. Or is there a possibility this was a f*ckup on the doc's end as well? 

 

[DenverBuff1989]

@MrZennie well the thing is, since im already going to be going under the knife again, i am considering getting work done on my crown, which has never been operated on before and is unrelated to this f*ckup. Dr harris is $2 more per graft than dr lovitt. Maybe i could get him to lower the rate. Idk 

Edited August 8, 2019 by DenverBuff1989

[Melvin- Admin]

3 minutes ago, DenverBuff1989 said:

@Melvin-Moderator yea im meeting with her sept 4th to go over all of the specifics. Im going to grill her hard. 

 

Would you be able to comment on my question about transplant graft curlyness? Noje of my hairnis naturally curly. But some of the grafts are weirdly curly. I am hoping this will smooth out. Or is there a possibility this was a f*ckup on the doc's end as well? 

 

That’s normal, some grafts have a wiry appearance for up to 18 months. It resolves on its own.

[MrZennie]

I would forget about the crown work for now and focus on getting the hairline fixed.  It looks like she ran out of graphs and just left it as is.  I would tell her you're not comfortable with her working on you again and that you want Dr. Harris to do the repair.  I'm guessing they will make it happen to avoid bad reviews online.  

[s14a]

Have a look at other successful hairline threads so youve an idea of what she should be/must do.

[s14a]

a quick google 'hairline transplant'