Who is truly happy with their transplant 5 years on? Who became disappointed shortly after?

[follically challenged]

I rarely see 5 year post-op result videos online.

Of course most people want to see what it looks like after the 12 month mark, i understand. But I would also like to know what kind of long term results look like. Sure, everybody's situation is different, but i was wondering who out there, if anyone is truly happy 5 years on? Who, on the other hand, became disappointed soon after the 12 month mark?

Pictures would be much appreciated. Thanks, guys

[ITA]

I can say that hair transplantation is not for life, I did a hair transplant in 2016, for the first two years the result was satisfactory, but after the second year I had a sudden thinning and I can say  that many have been transplanted to abandon me.  In my humble opinion I can also say that the hair transplanted with the Fut has more duration than those inputted with Fue, and in any case it changes from person to person, so much depends on our vascularization in the receiving area, but nobody gives him the due  importance ... and it is a genetic thing unfortunately ... we cannot know if where the hair is put back, below we have more or less blood disposed to nourish the new grafts.  Our predisposition is fundamental ... to try is already a demonstration of so much courage.

[LaserCap]

7 procedures, 20 years after.....Great.  

But this is a difficult question when you consider medical therapy which should be incorporated in the answer.

Regardless of how natural the results are, if you look worse now because you did nothing, (meds wise), it is unlikely you'll get a positive response. If worse, most feel the procedure didn't work or they lost the transplants all together.  

[LaserCap]

2 minutes ago, Giastro said:

I can say that hair transplantation is not for life, I did a hair transplant in 2016, for the first two years the result was satisfactory, but after the second year I had a sudden thinning and I can say  that many have been transplanted to abandon me.  In my humble opinion I can also say that the hair transplanted with the Fut has more duration than those inputted with Fue, and in any case it changes from person to person, so much depends on our vascularization in the receiving area, but nobody gives him the due  importance ... and it is a genetic thing unfortunately ... we cannot know if where the hair is put back, below we have more or less blood disposed to nourish the new grafts.  Our predisposition is fundamental ... to try is already a demonstration of so much courage.

Did you have any native hair when you started?

How long ago was this?

Is your donor intact or did you lose hair there as well?

[Melvin- Admin]

Had my procedure over 5 years ago and I’m still very happy 

[LaserCap]

4 hours ago, LaserCap said:

Did you have any native hair when you started?

How long ago was this?

Is your donor intact or did you lose hair there as well?

Yes, I had native hair, particularly in the forelock but had little to nothing on the rest of my head.  

Had my first procedure in 1999

Donor is great, I don't feel I lost any in that area.

 

[1978matt]

Very happy with it 6 years and counting.

I think for those who were more severely bald to start off with it is generally more satisfying, provided of course it looks natural and has a decent amount of density.

I think it is common to lose a bit of density a year or two down the line.  The reason being that initially you get 100% growth at the start but then hair goes off into random shedding cycles meaning that 15% is more or less dormant at any one time.

[Dazed]

My story is different than most.  Looking back at old pictures I was probably Norwood 5 or 6 when I had my first 2,000 transplants in 2011 at age 64.  At that time I knew I would need a 2nd transplant which I had in 2018 at age 71.  My hairloss appears to have stopped so I am not dealing with the everchanging hair.  I had 2300 transplants in 2018, and my hair has filled in nicely except I could use help in the crown area.  I probably will not do the crown because of my age - Law of Diminishing Returns - LOL.  I was happy with my first procedure for 7 years.  The key for me is that my hairloss stopped which is not something younger guys experience.  I used to have to clean the drain after ever shower.  My story is not as interesting as a 30-40 year old, but remember you will not always be young, but you will always want to look your best, and someday you will be 72 and wondering what the heck happened.  LOL

[follically challenged]

@DazedGreat to hear you are in a good place, now! And quite enlightening that we will always care about our appearance regardless of age

[HairGone29]

if you dont use finasteride you will lose most of your native hair and possibly some of the transplanted hair also. If the hairloss is stable on meds before surgery you should be fine for at least a decade 

[Melvin- Admin]

On 11/21/2019 at 6:13 AM, Dazed said:

My story is different than most.  Looking back at old pictures I was probably Norwood 5 or 6 when I had my first 2,000 transplants in 2011 at age 64.  At that time I knew I would need a 2nd transplant which I had in 2018 at age 71.  My hairloss appears to have stopped so I am not dealing with the everchanging hair.  I had 2300 transplants in 2018, and my hair has filled in nicely except I could use help in the crown area.  I probably will not do the crown because of my age - Law of Diminishing Returns - LOL.  I was happy with my first procedure for 7 years.  The key for me is that my hairloss stopped which is not something younger guys experience.  I used to have to clean the drain after ever shower.  My story is not as interesting as a 30-40 year old, but remember you will not always be young, but you will always want to look your best, and someday you will be 72 and wondering what the heck happened.  LOL

Truer words have never been spoken. That's why I tell guys this is a marathon, not a race. Unless, you expect to die young, which *knock on wood I hope doesn't happen.

[harry_potter1]

There are plenty of people showing it, but tbh I can understand why it is rare.

You have a procedure, you are nice/courage enough to share it to the world for 12 month, 24 month. But at some point you are happy and you move on.

For me, the lack of 5 years results is more of a positive sign, because I always assume if things go south patient will come back to ask about what happened or share their story again.

That is why you will find many of those who share about their old HT, is doing it while they are planning for a new one.

[Al - Moderator]

I have been unhappy with my hair transplant since the first procedure in 1989 when I complained about them not creating the hairline that was agreed to and I complained about the FUT scar which was not supposed to exist. For the hairline I was told they would work in both directions over the next few procedures putting grafts further forward until we get to the hairline and working backwards to fill in the crown. For the scar I was told the hair all grows back in over time and I just had to wait and if there was any scars left when the procedures were done that they would get rid of them, but I had to wait for that until everything was done. Over the years that I was going through the process with them they did lower the hairline slightly, although nowhere near to where they drew it on me, and they just kept creating more scars as in those days they made a new FUT scar for each procedure rather than using the same scar line. The entire time they kept telling me there would be no scars when they were done. Over 30 years later and 30 hair transplants with number 31 scheduled in less than two weeks I am still trying to get back to where I was when I first started, so I can then finally actually begin to get an improvement. It's been rough.

 

Edited November 30, 2019 by BeHappy

[Melvin- Admin]

22 hours ago, BeHappy said:

I have been unhappy with my hair transplant since the first procedure in 1989 when I complained about them not creating the hairline that was agreed to and I complained about the FUT scar which was not supposed to exist. For the hairline I was told they would work in both directions over the next few procedures putting grafts further forward until we get to the hairline and working backwards to fill in the crown. For the scar I was told the hair all grows back in over time and I just had to wait and if there was any scars left when the procedures were done that they would get rid of them, but I had to wait for that until everything was done. Over the years that I was going through the process with them they did lower the hairline slightly, although nowhere near to where they drew it on me, and they just kept creating more scars as in those days they made a new FUT scar for each procedure rather than using the same scar line. The entire time they kept telling me there would be no scars when they were done. Over 30 years later and 30 hair transplants with number 31 scheduled in less than two weeks I am still trying to get back to where I was when I first started, so I can then finally actually begin to get an improvement. It's been rough.

 

You have one of the most powerful stories, I don’t think a lot of guys realize the industry in those days. 

[vermaj]

I just shared my pics after 3 years.
I am satisfied with it , but now my mid section is thinning, so probably would have to go for it for the second HT. I think I would need multiple HT's down the line 

https://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/topic/55653-thinking-of-taking-the-second-plunge-for-my-mid-scalp-kindly-suggest/?tab=comments#comment-526195

 

[chris39]

My HT was just about 4 years ago , and I'm still happy with the result , so much so that I still haven't had the 2nd procedure that I'd intended to have done .Donor still looks great ( strip procedure ) and can still get away with a No.2 haircut at the sides and back..

Never used the meds due to medical reasons , but can't say it's had any impact on the ongoing result .

Now this may all change in the coming years , but for now it's all good .