Jump to content

How to handle people inquiring about your hair after HT?


Recommended Posts

  • Senior Member

Just to clarify, I am NOT talking about going back to work 3 days after HT surgery with all your scabs showing. No, I’m talking about people seeing you for the first time post-HT when it you’ve already grown a full set of hair.

A bit of context, I had my HT around a year ago. I was living abroad due to work, and only now I’ll be coming back home and hang again all my old friends. The thing is, the bulk of them haven’t seen me post HT and I’m a bit nervous on whether they’ll notice something or not and how to react. My case is a bit tricky because it’s not like before I was half bald, it was mostly thinning (hairline has stayed intact). Obviously, there’s a difference but it’s not super-evident at first sight. I don’t know if it’s best to be totally straight and talk about my HT or try to defuse the conversation and say that I started applying Rogaine snd it worked wonders on me or something.

Did any of you had a similar experience? How did you handled it? Any tips?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member

If the work is good...it is likely they'll say, "have you lost weight?"

If it's bad...they'll glance and say nothing.

For the keen observer, "wow, look at that hair!" you can reply, "Rogaine is amazing."

if the work is REALLY bad, then fess up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

Be honest. I have had a few people who I didn't see for a few years, be completely astonished when they saw me recently. Heck, I even got a guy at my work asking me about my surgeon, because he wants to get work done himself. There's no shame in having a hair transplant.


I’m a paid admin for Hair Transplant Network. I do not receive any compensation from any clinic. My comments are not medical advice.

Check out my final hair transplant and topical dutasteride journey

View my thread

Topical dutasteride journey 

Melvin- Managing Publisher and Forum Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q&A Blog.

Follow our Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and YouTube.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member

Honestly, for some folks like me,  Scalp looks so unnatural now that folks stare at my scalp and say hey are you wearing a wig or going bald or did you have a transplant?  Im asked that so many times and it really hurts.  Glad the docs that took part can eat meals and enjoy restaurants and go out and enjoy the lives while im just suffering.  Can continue to make money and have other folks go through this and not have any remorse or anything about it.  No one loses sleep except the sufferer who is on forums trying to figure out what is the best thing to get out of this god damn situation and how to get out of this damage appropriately so you can move on with life and Focus on family.  After so many years it keeps getting so toxic and starts building up.  I know there are probably some ethical docs out there, need to know if they will help assist and how would they proceed.  Graft counts and etc for a person that is trying to get repaired.  lots of folks Now are asking me to consider media reports and stories and it may be a good route to highlight how things are, who supports who, and what happens, with audio recordings and proof.  i have been very respectful based on what krap ive endured physically and emotionally, financially, and its hurt my family big time.  They all suffered due to damages done.  The costs of surgeries to everything is miniscule to the damages, harm, suffering, and pain etc inflicted against a patient.  i really am advocating for this industry to be regulated based on my cases like mine and in detail.  It may take time but luckily if you know people in right places and folks that sympathize and understand things can get moving.   
 

Many years of hell and counting— i am sure ill get some awkward stares to scalp and comments this week as well.  Thats what my normal routine is.  Its that normal now to be asked so honesty is like the best way to stop repetative questioning for me.  Now, i just show and tell and tell folks this is how it is if you get it done and the limitations .  I cant even hide my situation at all.  My Friends and family noticed it all negatively.  Coworkers same way and i even got ridiculed but more for the quality of work and how it looked.  Not for the reason that i got a transplant.  Some even want to get a hair transplant and it was a learning lesson of what to avoid for them.  
 

you were half bald and now have hair, Thats a Real good thing and exactly how it should be.  but obviously you may have folks that may sense a change in the new you as they havent seen you, if you dont have older pics online where they can compare, you should be good.  Try not to worry, as long as your hair looks good, thats what matters.  You will get no awkward stares but the comments that probably say you look good.  These days so many people get surgeries for various reasons. Best of luck with the meeting with fam and friends and enjoy.  If you get asked did you get something done, you might as well let them know.  Itll probably stop the gossip later

 

  • Sad 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member
8 hours ago, clerksband said:

Just to clarify, I am NOT talking about going back to work 3 days after HT surgery with all your scabs showing. No, I’m talking about people seeing you for the first time post-HT when it you’ve already grown a full set of hair.

A bit of context, I had my HT around a year ago. I was living abroad due to work, and only now I’ll be coming back home and hang again all my old friends. The thing is, the bulk of them haven’t seen me post HT and I’m a bit nervous on whether they’ll notice something or not and how to react. My case is a bit tricky because it’s not like before I was half bald, it was mostly thinning (hairline has stayed intact). Obviously, there’s a difference but it’s not super-evident at first sight. I don’t know if it’s best to be totally straight and talk about my HT or try to defuse the conversation and say that I started applying Rogaine snd it worked wonders on me or something.

Did any of you had a similar experience? How did you handled it? Any tips?

I wouldn't start conversation with this for sure, but if someone says something is different I would be straight forward "yeah I've done hair transplant, looks good isn't it?". Be proud of it. You had an issue and you dealt with it. That's what men do. Solving problems. 👍

Edited by Rolandas

1st FUE28/01/2020 - 3659 grafts - Dr. Bruno Ferreira
2nd FUE - 03/06/2021 - 2881 grafts - Dr. Bruno Ferreira

Follow me on YouTube

I'm not a medical professional, thus any information given by me is my own observation and should not be treated as professional advice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member

I appreciate all the answers so far. I want to clarify a bit more about my situation. My worry is not about being ashamed or trying to hide my HT, as I had absolutely no problem in explaining it during the weeks after the procedure when I had my scabs in display. The issue here is that I'm in some kind of grey area in where I have no idea on whether people will notice it or not. Could it be that friends see something "different" but can't point out if I got in shape, or is that I dress differently or what. Or it also could be that it's very evident that I got a lot more hair. So if someone says anything about my appearance just to make conversation and I immediately start rambling about my HT, it could be a case of "too much information". But on the opposite, I really don't want to lie or deny that I had anything done. 

It's a weird in-between.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member
20 minutes ago, clerksband said:

I appreciate all the answers so far. I want to clarify a bit more about my situation. My worry is not about being ashamed or trying to hide my HT, as I had absolutely no problem in explaining it during the weeks after the procedure when I had my scabs in display. The issue here is that I'm in some kind of grey area in where I have no idea on whether people will notice it or not. Could it be that friends see something "different" but can't point out if I got in shape, or is that I dress differently or what. Or it also could be that it's very evident that I got a lot more hair. So if someone says anything about my appearance just to make conversation and I immediately start rambling about my HT, it could be a case of "too much information". But on the opposite, I really don't want to lie or deny that I had anything done. 

It's a weird in-between.

Wasn't the purpose of HT in the first place to stop worrying and forget about your hairloss and what others think? Just move on with your day, be happy to see your friend and family and if someone says something that's when you can say "yeah I have this done".

1st FUE28/01/2020 - 3659 grafts - Dr. Bruno Ferreira
2nd FUE - 03/06/2021 - 2881 grafts - Dr. Bruno Ferreira

Follow me on YouTube

I'm not a medical professional, thus any information given by me is my own observation and should not be treated as professional advice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member

No one has commented or asked about mine, aside from one friend who said it looks really thick and who I then told about the procedure. I had another friend say I lost weight. 
 

You could always say it’s due to rogaine/propecia (as some celebs have done), but it’s nice to break the stigma if you’re brave enough. It’s very silly that hair transplants are seen as plugs by most people.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member
Quote

You could always say it’s due to rogaine/propecia (as some celebs have done), but it’s nice to break the stigma if you’re brave enough. It’s very silly that hair transplants are seen as plugs by most people.

I think this is what I'll do. If someone mentions my hair offhand, I'll just say that it's Rogaine. But if I see real curiosity due to the other person suffering from alopecia, then I'll be totally straight and explain the procedure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member
26 minutes ago, clerksband said:

I think this is what I'll do. If someone mentions my hair offhand, I'll just say that it's Rogaine. But if I see real curiosity due to the other person suffering from alopecia, then I'll be totally straight and explain the procedure.

Don't give false hopes for people! They will start rubbing rogaine with big hopes...

1st FUE28/01/2020 - 3659 grafts - Dr. Bruno Ferreira
2nd FUE - 03/06/2021 - 2881 grafts - Dr. Bruno Ferreira

Follow me on YouTube

I'm not a medical professional, thus any information given by me is my own observation and should not be treated as professional advice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member

Say you saw a youtube video where Matthew McConnaghey mentioned this 'Regenix' stuff...

  • Haha 1

4,312 FUT grafts (7,676 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - August 2013

1,145 FUE grafts (3,152 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - August 2018

763 FUE grafts (2,094 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - January 2020

Proscar 1.25mg every 3rd day

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member

Beware of women, they notice everything.  Men don't know if other guys are even breathing, unless you gain a lot of weight. Only one guy knows I had transplants, and that is only because I told him.  I passed the crucial test when a lady at work who notices everything didn't notice.  My transplants were 7 years apart so I had incremental progress.  I have much more hair than I had 10 years ago, but unless you are talking about a hot girl nobody remembers what you looked like 10 years ago.  Most people are just not that observant.  It is much more obvious to you than it is to others.  Like you - self conscious about the transplant - people are self involved in their own appearance.  Half of the population will notice nothing, and the women will only care about it if they are interested in you.

  • Like 1

"Imagination frames events unknown in wild fantastic shapes of hideous ruin, and what it fears, creates." Hannah More

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member
14 hours ago, Rolandas said:

Don't give false hopes for people! They will start rubbing rogaine with big hopes...

Like I've said, if I see that it's just a random comment from someone a-la "hey, looking good! like your new haircut, looks superfull", then I don't feel like getting into my medical history. But if I see genuine curiosity along the likes of "wow! your hair looks amazing since last time I saw you. Mine is starting to fall off, I wish it was like yours", of course then I'll explain the whole procedure and will guide him and answer all doubts. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...