3rd transplant and still not sure what I should do

[Steele114]

I started losing my hair at age 21 and had my first hair transplant at 24. I’ve always had thin fine hair but became more thin especially through the temples. For my first hair transplant that was done in 2012 I had 900 fue grafts in my temples and mid scalp. I progressively lost more hair a year or two after the surgery and wasn’t happy with the results.  I had a second hair transplant by the same clinic In 2016 which now implanted 1200 fue Grafts.  I feel that I had shock loss in the recipient area of the frontal temples that never grew back. This had me growing out my hair longer to cover the bald patches and I ended up using toppik to conceal this.  I also in the past year or so dived into using a dermapen and rogaine which actually had amazing results in the overall density of my hair, but it did not bring back the frontal hair line and temples that were effecting me the most. Also I began experiencing heart palpitations and erectile dysfunction (and not sexual desire) from the combination of dermarolling and rogaine. Even waiting a day to apply the rogaine but it still went systemic I’m thinking. So I quit that all together and went on Wellbutrin which completely thinned our my hair. So I got to the point where I shaved it and did smp and although I was initially happy with the smp work, Not having any hair kind of bothered me. So I got a third transplant 😏 this time 2000 fue grafts for the temples and crown which has thinned out completely. I went with Dr. Wise in New Jersey, I’m on the third month now of the recovery and the only option I have now really is to Keep my hair very very short less the 1” In length. And I’ve had shock loss in the donor area which I got camouflaged recently with smp. Anyways I’m just worried about the hair back of my head as I’m hoping the donor area wasn’t depleted. And I’m now stuck wearing my hair super short as the rest of my hair is lacking a lot of density. I’m not happy about the front hairline and feel that the hair looks course compared to my hair that’s fine. Not sure if this will improve in time. But my question is is there anything I can do in this situation that I’m in. Finasteride scares the shit out of me knowing the side effect that just rogaine caused me. Seems like anything that blocks dht really effects my libido and I’m not cool with that.  If I laser off the smp and hair on my head would I be left with scars? I’m not happy with how course they hair looks and kind of just want to be done with this completely. Would it be possible to be bald could a laser get rid of the fue scars and everything else.  Just trying to explore every option I just want to live a normal life again. This hair loss journey has prob been the single most stressful thing I’ve had to deal with and has left me to embarresed to take off my hat and be successful in my career. I have literally become suicidal over this which I wouldn’t have ever imagined happening to me as I’ve seemed to always keep my mental health in check. 

Edited April 24, 2021 by Steele114

[Melvin- Admin]

You’re three months post-op of your third hair transplant?

[FairHairCare]

At this point I think the best advice anyone could give you is to sit tight. You've done a lot over the past 9 years and you're still quite young, relatively speaking. Given how much work you've had done, I'm tempted to think you have very high standards. It's possible that your perceived problems are not quite as significant as you might imagine. 

I'm sure you have done your research and are well aware the three months post-op is not even close to enough time to evaluate. Some photos of your current and former states might help out anyone else commenting, but really, you should just forget about getting any other work done for at least another 9-12 months. 

With all that said, Fin and Min are two totally different medications and if you are that concerned about your hair, it is never too late (or early) to try Fin, even if you are nervous. 

[Steele114]

@Melvin-Moderatoryea this was my third transplant and 3rd month of recovery. I know it’s much too early to judge. Just trying to figure out my options for the future

[Tbcruz]

@Steele114

I was scheduled with Dr. Wise once and my father talked me out of it not because of the doctor but he didn’t want me to get anything done. Looking back at it now I’m glad I canceled the deposit and he gave my money back. Knowing what I know now... he wouldn’t be an option. The results he has posted online are okay nothing crazy but the problem is he doesn’t just do hair transplants. He added hair transplants to the many things he does because of most likely $$. I’m curious to see how the work looks.. can you post a picture? 

[Steele114]

Here are some pics of the front I know it’s only been 3 months.  At this point I’m a little over everything as I’ve been through 3 transplants. Almost just want to laser everything off and be bald as I was meant to be, since I’m not on finasteride of propecia I know I’m not going to be getting a full head of hair. 

 

Edited April 25, 2021 by Steele114

[Steele114]

[Gatsby]

8 hours ago, Steele114 said:

I started losing my hair at age 21 and had my first hair transplant at 24. I’ve always had thin fine hair but became more thin especially through the temples. For my first hair transplant that was done in 2012 I had 900 fue grafts in my temples and mid scalp. I progressively lost more hair a year or two after the surgery and wasn’t happy with the results.  I had a second hair transplant by the same clinic In 2016 which now implanted 1200 fue Grafts.  I feel that I had shock loss in the recipient area of the frontal temples that never grew back. This had me growing out my hair longer to cover the bald patches and I ended up using toppik to conceal this.  I also in the past year or so dived into using a dermapen and rogaine which actually had amazing results in the overall density of my hair, but it did not bring back the frontal hair line and temples that were effecting me the most. Also I began experiencing heart palpitations and erectile dysfunction (and not sexual desire) from the combination of dermarolling and rogaine. Even waiting a day to apply the rogaine but it still went systemic I’m thinking. So I quit that all together and went on Wellbutrin which completely thinned our my hair. So I got to the point where I shaved it and did smp and although I was initially happy with the smp work, Not having any hair kind of bothered me. So I got a third transplant 😏 this time 2000 fue grafts for the temples and crown which has thinned out completely. I went with Dr. Wise in New Jersey, I’m on the third month now of the recovery and the only option I have now really is to Keep my hair very very short less the 1” In length. And I’ve had shock loss in the donor area which I got camouflaged recently with smp. Anyways I’m just worried about the hair back of my head as I’m hoping the donor area wasn’t depleted. And I’m now stuck wearing my hair super short as the rest of my hair is lacking a lot of density. I’m not happy about the front hairline and feel that the hair looks course compared to my hair that’s fine. Not sure if this will improve in time. But my question is is there anything I can do in this situation that I’m in. Finasteride scares the shit out of me knowing the side effect that just rogaine caused me. Seems like anything that blocks dht really effects my libido and I’m not cool with that.  If I laser off the smp and hair on my head would I be left with scars? I’m not happy with how course they hair looks and kind of just want to be done with this completely. Would it be possible to be bald could a laser get rid of the fue scars and everything else.  Just trying to explore every option I just want to live a normal life again. This hair loss journey has prob been the single most stressful thing I’ve had to deal with and has left me to embarresed to take off my hat and be successful in my career. I have literally become suicidal over this which I wouldn’t have ever imagined happening to me as I’ve seemed to always keep my mental health in check. 

I can empathize with your situation 100% from personal experience and from witnessing the experience from others. You will get past this and back to who you were. The problem is that you cannot see this at the moment because you need the very thing that feels impossible at this point which is patience. As has been stated earlier you need to be patient for at least the next 9 months to not only let things grow, but to let things heal. Your donor needs time to heal and to correct itself from the trauma of surgery. I have had two bad hair transplants, over half a dozen operations on my scalp (both front and back) and SMP. What could have prevented all this would have been patience. Any SMP needs to be performed on scarring that is at least one year old for example. Do you have any pics that you feel comfortable in showing so we can get a better idea on where you currently are? You have come to the right place posting on this forum and my personal advice is that you need to take advantage of time for the present.

[Gatsby]

Do you have a pic of the donor area? Your results look good (especially being only three months post op)!

[Steele114]

1 hour ago, Gatsby said:

I can empathize with your situation 100% from personal experience and from witnessing the experience from others. You will get past this and back to who you were. The problem is that you cannot see this at the moment because you need the very thing that feels impossible at this point which is patience. As has been stated earlier you need to be patient for at least the next 9 months to not only let things grow, but to let things heal. Your donor needs time to heal and to correct itself from the trauma of surgery. I have had two bad hair transplants, over half a dozen operations on my scalp (both front and back) and SMP. What could have prevented all this would have been patience. Any SMP needs to be performed on scarring that is at least one year old for example. Do you have any pics that you feel comfortable in showing so we can get a better idea on where you currently are? You have come to the right place posting on this forum and my personal advice is that you need to take advantage of time for the present.

Really appreciate the response man! Yes that is one thing I’ve always lacked besides hair is patience.  You are right being that I’m in 3 months things arnt too bad.  I think what I’m worried about the most is that people will know that I’ve had work done and I’ve always tried to hide the fact I had transplants before. Even my closest friends don’t know about my previous two but know about this one as the recovery has been much longer. Prob because I got 2x the grafts and I got shock loss in the donor especially on the left side. The doctor treated this with a steroid injection which helps the redness but I’m still waiting on hair to grow in.  I guess more then anything I’ve just hated being completely anti social and avoiding social situations for the past few months.  As long as thing get better I’ll be happy, in most areas of my life I’m happy but this has put some crazy stress on me.  Even worried to date until I feel better and this was nothing I’d ever struggle with in the past I’ve kinda put everything on pause till I can get a handle on this and figure out my options. I know most people would recommend I get on finasteride or minoxidil but at this point I’m opposed to those as the side effect just arnt worth it to me. I’d rather be bald then not be able to get hard. But maybe that’s just me. I appreciate the advice I’m happy I’m not alone on this man and you’ve been through it first hand. You’ve given me some great advice 🤘

Edited April 25, 2021 by Steele114

[Steele114]

Looks like I’m prob just going to have to keep it real short to be even all the way around 

[Steele114]

Does anyone know if you could get laser if say I did want to remove the transplanted area and smp.  I’m just in such a terrible place all I do is worry about my hair all day and wear a hat it’s emotionally crippling at times.  I wish I just went the bald route early on but I freaked out and got a hair transplant followed by another hair transplant and a third along with smp. Now I’m at the end of my road trying to figure out long term options for myself. I could prob be a Norwood 7 if I didn’t get the transplants but I notice the back of my head thinning out more and more which will mean more smp treatments. I just want to be done with this terrible experience in my life and be done with it.  Would I just have to go over the scars in the donor with smp? Is there anyways to match the fue scars up with smp and blend with a completely bald head. I just don’t know what to do at this point but i am so done worrying about this. The smp doesn’t look terrible but in certain lighting I don’t like it and having a shiny inked up head just don’t look natural to me. I know I can be extremely hard on myself but I have never felt this bad in my life and if I can just find a final solution to this I would find peace again. 

[Tbcruz]

I feel your pain Steele, I’ve had 2 hair transplants and even tho I can style my hair  now and I have the Illusion of density I sometimes do think what if I would of just went the bald route and shaved. It was emotionally draining after my first procedure. Always wearing a hat and obsessing over my hair line and examining everything. I still kind of do it now tbh. If I would of just shaved I would never have to worry about this but I prob would always be thinking about getting a hair transplant if I hadn’t. I don’t think in anyway your in a bad situation I’ve seen some bad work with some crazy scars on here and your not in that category. The pictures you’ve uploaded don’t look bad. Give it the full 12 months and I’m sure the shiny look will be less. And by then you could get smp again to fill everything in.

goodluck.

[SD1984]

No offense but I don't really understand what the problem is. Your hairline looks pretty damn good there. If it's growing out thin just shoot some hair fibers into it and you'll be good to go. You will never achieve heavy density through a transplant.

[deeznuts]

I mean this in the nicest way possible man, but if you're gonna drop a wall of text on us, at least have some paragraphs and break up the key points into manageable blocks of text. I'll bet you half the people who looked at what you wrote just noped outta here or skimmed what you wrote at best.

 

Also not sure you can even get ED from dermarolling and minox. Rogaine doesn't touch the hormones at all and I believe it deals more with blood flow and getting the hair the nutrients to grow fast. If you're going through ED, I'm almost certain it's from some other factor whether it's mental or physical. A lot of people speculate PFS is just a psychological issue... Would this be PMS? Post minoxidil syndrome?

[Steele114]

On 5/5/2021 at 8:36 PM, Tbcruz said:

I feel your pain Steele, I’ve had 2 hair transplants and even tho I can style my hair  now and I have the Illusion of density I sometimes do think what if I would of just went the bald route and shaved. It was emotionally draining after my first procedure. Always wearing a hat and obsessing over my hair line and examining everything. I still kind of do it now tbh. If I would of just shaved I would never have to worry about this but I prob would always be thinking about getting a hair transplant if I hadn’t. I don’t think in anyway your in a bad situation I’ve seen some bad work with some crazy scars on here and your not in that category. The pictures you’ve uploaded don’t look bad. Give it the full 12 months and I’m sure the shiny look will be less. And by then you could get smp again to fill everything in.

goodluck.

Thanks for the response man I think I may just be obsessing a little too much. I just never want anybody to spot I’ve had work done or have an unnatural Looking result. As someone who’s wants to look my best it’s just a little hard to adjust too.  The left side of my donor area experienced a lot of shock loss which I hope will resolve with time

[Steele114]

On 5/5/2021 at 8:53 PM, SD1984 said:

No offense but I don't really understand what the problem is. Your hairline looks pretty damn good there. If it's growing out thin just shoot some hair fibers into it and you'll be good to go. You will never achieve heavy density through a transplant.

Really apprieciate that man idk I guess I just haven’t adjusted to this new look.  I feel like this is the only way I can really wear my hair now as the donor area looks patchy and I have smp in the thin areas on my skalp.  I guess I’ll just have to make peace with it 

[Steele114]

2 hours ago, deeznuts said:

I mean this in the nicest way possible man, but if you're gonna drop a wall of text on us, at least have some paragraphs and break up the key points into manageable blocks of text. I'll bet you half the people who looked at what you wrote just noped outta here or skimmed what you wrote at best.

 

Also not sure you can even get ED from dermarolling and minox. Rogaine doesn't touch the hormones at all and I believe it deals more with blood flow and getting the hair the nutrients to grow fast. If you're going through ED, I'm almost certain it's from some other factor whether it's mental or physical. A lot of people speculate PFS is just a psychological issue... Would this be PMS? Post minoxidil syndrome?

Yea I know it sounds a little absurd but rogaine works much like finasteride and is a Anti androgen and block dht. When people dermaroll it absorbs more into the block stream and is very much like finasteride when you dermaroll. I looked into it a lot minoxidil also raises prolactin level which can be determental to your sex drive.  I have never had a problem in that department only when I was derma rolling and using rogaine did I experience that. I returned back to normal after. If you go on askapatient.com and type in rogaine you’ll see many people experience this 

[hairthere]

The way you set that up I was expecting to see a complete disaster! My man you need to chill out. I’ve seen guys with horror shows between terrible scars from HTs and bad SMP work. You are nothing of the sort! In fact from what I see it looks pretty damn good. You’re a handsome guy, you look fit, have some cool tats and are keeping the beard well groomed. 

[deeznuts]

2 hours ago, Steele114 said:

Yea I know it sounds a little absurd but rogaine works much like finasteride and is a Anti androgen and block dht. When people dermaroll it absorbs more into the block stream and is very much like finasteride when you dermaroll. I looked into it a lot minoxidil also raises prolactin level which can be determental to your sex drive.  I have never had a problem in that department only when I was derma rolling and using rogaine did I experience that. I returned back to normal after. If you go on askapatient.com and type in rogaine you’ll see many people experience this 

Huh. I googled it and it seems really rare. That's really rough man. I can't believe Rogaine is giving you sides like that

[James5150]

     You look great with the buzz cut it suits you. If this last surgery grows in well then you can grow your hair out and feel confident. Worst case scenario it doesn’t grow well then you can keep rocking this look and forget about any more surgeries. The smp did a great job as I don’t see any scars and no way anyone in the real world would have any idea you had three surgeries done.

You were dealt a shitty hand with the male pattern baldness gene but you gotta count your blessings in that as a Caucasian you look good with a buzzed head and have a nice head shape to do it and you can also grow a nice beard. Me? I got the male pattern baldness with an ugly shaped head I can’t buzz down and I can’t grow a nice beard at all. You gotta try to look at the positives.🤷‍♂️

       

[SD1984]

On 5/8/2021 at 2:28 PM, Steele114 said:

Really apprieciate that man idk I guess I just haven’t adjusted to this new look.  I feel like this is the only way I can really wear my hair now as the donor area looks patchy and I have smp in the thin areas on my skalp.  I guess I’ll just have to make peace with it 

Well if you are saying it is indeed that bad when grown out and super patchy then I understand. Would you happen to have a pic of it grown out before and afer for perspective? 

[Steele114]

On 5/8/2021 at 2:45 PM, hairthere said:

The way you set that up I was expecting to see a complete disaster! My man you need to chill out. I’ve seen guys with horror shows between terrible scars from HTs and bad SMP work. You are nothing of the sort! In fact from what I see it looks pretty damn good. You’re a handsome guy, you look fit, have some cool tats and are keeping the beard well groomed. 

Much appreciated man!! I know I’m my mind it was much worse then it really is. I was wearing my hair a little longer which I realized doesn’t look great I need to keep it shaved to an open blade for everything to match up well with the smp.  I appreciate the positive feedback!  I’ll have to just learn how to rock it I mean it does look better then before I got everything done. Hair fibers and combovers wasn’t my style once so ever 

[Steele114]

23 hours ago, James5150 said:

     You look great with the buzz cut it suits you. If this last surgery grows in well then you can grow your hair out and feel confident. Worst case scenario it doesn’t grow well then you can keep rocking this look and forget about any more surgeries. The smp did a great job as I don’t see any scars and no way anyone in the real world would have any idea you had three surgeries done.

You were dealt a shitty hand with the male pattern baldness gene but you gotta count your blessings in that as a Caucasian you look good with a buzzed head and have a nice head shape to do it and you can also grow a nice beard. Me? I got the male pattern baldness with an ugly shaped head I can’t buzz down and I can’t grow a nice beard at all. You gotta try to look at the positives.🤷‍♂️

       

Much appreciated man!! You’re right I tend to look at things in a negative light sometimes well especially with losing my hair. And as you know it’s a fight nobody can really win and lifelong battle and I didn’t wanna do the meds so this is pretty much my best course of action.  I am happy that I do like the buzz cut look and Im to try to workout a little more and think that would help my confidence a bit.  And I’m sure you’re fine my man a lot of people’s insecurities nobody really sees the same way that we do.  If you consider rogaine and derma rolling I can def swear by its results and my hair was its thickest when I was doing it. Also used it on my beard for a short while and my beard really filled in but kinda went back to its old state when I stopped. Good thing about it is if you do it for about 4-6 months the beard hairs become permanent 

[JohnCasper]

I know it’s easy for me to say....but man....you’re way to hard on yourself.  That shock-loss will grow back and your transplant looks fine.  I had two transplants and the first time had hair growing in after 10 weeks or so.  After the 2nd transplant (2,000) grafts, the new hairs began growing in much, much later.  Again, its easy for all of us to say...but try to be patient and you will most likely be surprised and pleased in a couple months.  I was similarly bald (Norwood 7).  Hang in there.