Painful decade long journey. 34 yo | 3x HT

[Melvin- Admin]

The crown is growing well, of course tbe coarse grafts should flatten more as it matures. How’s the hairline looking? 

[track_rat]

2 hours ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

The crown is growing well, of course tbe coarse grafts should flatten more as it matures. How’s the hairline looking? 

Thanks, Melvin. I’ll get a photo of the hairline today and share it. 

[SLA]

coming along well!

[MazAB]

It coming along @track_rat! Definitely would love to see shots of the hairline. I know that was also a huge area of concern, so my guess is no news is good news, but post it up when you can. 

[track_rat]

Hi all, attaching 8 month photos. I’m open to any advice or suggestions please. 

Bathroom lighting.

Dimmer, favorable lighting. My peak is quite low. Wish this was discussed during consult, but I asked to reinforce my hairline, so the onus is on me. I believe it’s 5cm from glabella? This pic is a good representation of where implanted vs existing hair was. I’ve been playing with pushing down the peak to imagine what it would’ve looked like if we killed the weaker / baby hairs to solidify a mature straighter hairline, instead of implanting in front to attempt to strengthen them in a peak design. I think this actually looks quite good and strong? Unfortunately, almost a reversal of the hairline work I had done in August, and I have no idea what scarring would look like. Just a thought and I’m open to your responses.

 

My crown today. Unfortunately, I don’t leave my home without a hat anymore.

Crown before.

 

Interestingly, there was lower yield on the right side vs left. (Or there were just more scalp hairs mixed with beard on the right). The lower density of beard hairs on the right looks and feels ok. It sits better, and with some gel it isn’t terrible. The left side is very beard heavy and just does not blend at all. Below two photos demonstrate this. Additionally, the swirl/whorl doesn’t really form anymore. 

This may sound crazy, but I want to understand my options. Has anybody seen the removal of beard hair implanted in scalp? I had a lot of weak existing hair there before for camouflage and am wondering what is possible in terms of returning to my old look.

 

I’ve changed my tune over the months. I’m not looking for a forum to express my emotions and pain anymore. I just want to be objective, constructive, and work towards a solution. Please help me with that.  

I’m meeting with the Drs again this June when they are in the states. I’m looking forward to sitting down with them. Will let you know what they say. We’ve already discussed me visiting to have my beard reinforced along the mandible to blend the extraction line.

All the best guys.

[MazAB]

Hey @track_rat. As far as the lower hairline is concerned, it is a very subjective thing. Ultimately it is what you are willing to accept and live with. I believe that if you had great density and a higher yield at this point in the process, you may actually like where the hairline sits. My best suggestion to you would be to apply hair fibers on the hairline and see if you like it or not. If you do like it, then wait for full maturity and see how much more improvement you realize. If it is still weak, then have them add density without bringing the hairline down any more. If you don't like how the hairline looks with the fibers applied, then discuss options of bringing it up slightly. I do know that Eugenix has done many repair procedures bring up the hairline with virtually no scaring. As a matter of fact, I actually met one of those patients when I was at Eugenix. They had to bring up the hairline from 4cm to glabella, and even getting up super close I could not see scarring.

I would also advise not to extract the beard grafts on the crown. Over time those beard grafts will start to thin out and have more of the characteristics of your native hair. Once again, at full maturity, assess and decide if you want to add more grafts to the crown as density tends to hide most all imperfections. And again, add fibers to the crown so you can get the best representation of what higher density would look like in both the crown and hairline as well. 

As a matter of fact, consider applying fibers instead of wearing a baseball cap. It'll set you free my friend!😉

Which state are you meeting Eugenix at by the way?

Follow my Journey with Eugenix and Dr Arika Bansal!

Edited April 7, 2022 by MazAB

[Melvin- Admin]

I think the hairline looks quite good. Now, I do see the beard hair sticks out obviously, because you have fine straight hair, and probably curly coarse beard hair. 
 

For me, the best option is to straighten the beard hair on top with a flat iron or beard straightener. That’s a ton of thick hair, you will benefit immensely from keeping it. 

 

[track_rat]

31 minutes ago, MazAB said:

Hey @track_rat. As far as the lower hairline is concerned, it is a very subjective thing. Ultimately it is what you are willing to accept and live with. I believe that if you had great density and a higher yield at this point in the process, you may actually like where the hairline sits. My best suggestion to you would be to apply hair fibers on the hairline and see if you like it or not. If you do like it, then wait for full maturity and see how much more improvement you realize. If it is still weak, then have them add density without bringing the hairline down any more. If you don't like how the hairline looks with the fibers applied, then discuss options of bringing it up slightly. I do know that Eugenix has done many repair procedures bring up the hairline with virtually no scaring. As a matter of fact, I actually met one of those patients when I was at Eugenix. They had to bring up the hairline from 4cm to glabella, and even getting up super close I could not see scarring.

I would also advise not to extract the beard grafts on the crown. Over time those beard grafts will start to thin out and have more of the characteristics of your native hair. Once again, at full maturity, assess and decide if you want to add more grafts to the crown as density tends to hide most all imperfections. And again, add fibers to the crown so you can get the best representation of what higher density would look like in both the crown and hairline as well. 

As a matter of fact, consider applying fibers instead of wearing a baseball cap. It'll set you free my friend!😉

Which state are you meeting Eugenix at by the way?

Follow my Journey with Eugenix and Dr Arika Bansal!

Thank you! I think I will see them when they’re on the east coast. I’m not sure what state they will be in (my guess is NY). I’ll go wherever they are. Please let me know if you will be there and it will be nice to meet you.

 

Also appreciate your comments very much Maz.

[track_rat]

22 minutes ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

I think the hairline looks quite good. Now, I do see the beard hair sticks out obviously, because you have fine straight hair, and probably curly coarse beard hair. 
 

For me, the best option is to straighten the beard hair on top with a flat iron or beard straightener. That’s a ton of thick hair, you will benefit immensely from keeping it. 

 

Thanks Melvin. As soon as the straightener comes, I’m going to start experimenting. I’ll try anything (and have even tried a down perm serum, which works a little, but also comes back to normal after a wash).

[Melvin- Admin]

22 minutes ago, track_rat said:

Thanks Melvin. As soon as the straightener comes, I’m going to start experimenting. I’ll try anything (and have even tried a down perm serum, which works a little, but also comes back to normal after a wash).

I think the beard straightener will work best, once it’s straight it’s gonna provide great coverage. It will be something more to do to the routine but better than being bald. 

[Berba11]

I think your hairline looks pretty solid and natural as it is to be honest. If I met you in the street I’d not bat an eyelid. It’s imperfections & blemishes just make it look totally natural & uninteresting - which is exactly what we all want!

Your crown is more complicated. Looking at your pre op photos, you seem to have a very unusual crown pattern. It almost looks as though you have some kind of triple crown. Getting the directions and blend on the money via a transplant in your case was always going to be a challenge. I have a double crown and my hair 4 months post op is longer right now than it’s been in quite literally about 8 or 9 years. I’d forgotten how frustrating the funky sticky up bits at the back can be to tame due to the double crown. And that’s completely native scalp hair… So these hair challenges are things we all contend with - just gotta roll with it!
 

I certainly don’t think it looks any worse than before although I appreciate there is a contrast between the native straight hair and the transplanted kinky beard hair. Some of that will continue to nature and blend over time. But some of that blend you might have to manufacture. A key part of getting hair transplants to looks good is styling the hair. In some of those photos it actually looks pretty decent and without your direction and pointing it out I’d not have noticed anything about your crown other than it thinning. Friends, colleagues, and Joe Smith on the street would be completely oblivious. It blends better than your close up self-critical scrutiny is deceiving you into thinking!
 

The fibres route that @MazABsuggests is certainly worth a fair go, as is hair straightening. Another option might be the reverse… Can you style your hair in a bit more of a scrappy, slightly messy look? That might help with both the illusion of density as well as blending the native hair with the beard hair. At the very least you’ll have some fun playing around with it!

Lastly dude… please ditch the hats! You’ve honestly no need. From where you started with some poor prior HT’s to where you are now is two totally different looking people. You’re very much out of the woods. We’re now just down to the finer details from a very sticky starting point. 

Edited April 8, 2022 by Berba11

[MazAB]

4 hours ago, track_rat said:

Thank you! I think I will see them when they’re on the east coast. I’m not sure what state they will be in (my guess is NY). I’ll go wherever they are. Please let me know if you will be there and it will be nice to meet you.

 

Also appreciate your comments very much Maz.

It's in NYC, and I'll definitely be there. Look forward to meeting you!

[track_rat]

On 4/7/2022 at 6:34 PM, Berba11 said:

I think your hairline looks pretty solid and natural as it is to be honest. If I met you in the street I’d not bat an eyelid. It’s imperfections & blemishes just make it look totally natural & uninteresting - which is exactly what we all want!

Your crown is more complicated. Looking at your pre op photos, you seem to have a very unusual crown pattern. It almost looks as though you have some kind of triple crown. Getting the directions and blend on the money via a transplant in your case was always going to be a challenge. I have a double crown and my hair 4 months post op is longer right now than it’s been in quite literally about 8 or 9 years. I’d forgotten how frustrating the funky sticky up bits at the back can be to tame due to the double crown. And that’s completely native scalp hair… So these hair challenges are things we all contend with - just gotta roll with it!
 

I certainly don’t think it looks any worse than before although I appreciate there is a contrast between the native straight hair and the transplanted kinky beard hair. Some of that will continue to nature and blend over time. But some of that blend you might have to manufacture. A key part of getting hair transplants to looks good is styling the hair. In some of those photos it actually looks pretty decent and without your direction and pointing it out I’d not have noticed anything about your crown other than it thinning. Friends, colleagues, and Joe Smith on the street would be completely oblivious. It blends better than your close up self-critical scrutiny is deceiving you into thinking!
 

The fibres route that @MazABsuggests is certainly worth a fair go, as is hair straightening. Another option might be the reverse… Can you style your hair in a bit more of a scrappy, slightly messy look? That might help with both the illusion of density as well as blending the native hair with the beard hair. At the very least you’ll have some fun playing around with it!

Lastly dude… please ditch the hats! You’ve honestly no need. From where you started with some poor prior HT’s to where you are now is two totally different looking people. You’re very much out of the woods. We’re now just down to the finer details from a very sticky starting point. 

Thanks, Berba. Hope to figure something out soon. Have ordered a straightener and different trials of fibers. I just want to get back to living my life how I did prior to this surgery.

 

 

Edited April 10, 2022 by track_rat

[track_rat]

Thanks, Berba. Hope to figure something out soon. Have ordered a straightener and different trials of fibers. I just want to get back to living my life how I did prior to this surgery.

Edited April 10, 2022 by track_rat

[Gatsby]

Hey @track_rat! I've just looked at your first post photos of your scars and where you have come from to today. The transformation is incredible. As others have said I agree too that straitening your beard grafts is the way to go. You have a lot of hair that you can do a lot of things with. Add a few fibres and you're set. We are often our worst critics. All the best and thanks for sharing!

[track_rat]

39 minutes ago, Gatsby said:

Hey @track_rat! I've just looked at your first post photos of your scars and where you have come from to today. The transformation is incredible. As others have said I agree too that straitening your beard grafts is the way to go. You have a lot of hair that you can do a lot of things with. Add a few fibres and you're set. We are often our worst critics. All the best and thanks for sharing!

Thank you, Gatsby. Appreciate you commenting. I will give the straightening a shot and see how this looks.

I do want to clarify one thing though. My donor and scars were in excellent condition prior to this surgery when presented at a reasonably cut length. They were, however, definitely visible when cut too short or with an unskilled barber. Unfortunately, there were excessive extractions by Eugenix in an already sensitive area with this surgery that rendered my donor (specifically left side above my ear) in a circumstance that no longer allows that short cut length. I’d sent several what’sapp notes and photos of this area prior to the procedure cautioning extraction in this region. Dr. Bansal has said the clinic can fix this area on my return. The rest of my donor looks fine and without aggravation anywhere. It was just the one area on my left side, which I almost annoyingly called to attention to in what’s app messages as a preemptive measure.

There is also the dramatic extraction line at my beard that will need to be reinforced and looks very obvious unless my beard is worn long (which I’d never done). Hopefully it’s not too difficult to add grafts there to blend it a little so the extraction isn’t as obvious. 

I really appreciate the Eugenix camp on this forum and your enthusiasm and encouragement. But please also understand the issues that quite obviously need to be addressed when comparing to what I enjoyed in my preop state.

Before

after

Extraction done above my mandible in a very dramatic fashion, no blend. It’s a huge anxiety point for me. It really takes away from the strength of the jawline.

 

Another thing I’ve noticed nobody is talking about is the differing yield from left to right of crown that I brought to light.

Left yield is dramatically more than right, though ironically, I prefer the lower yielding right side as it’s more manageable and closer to my pre op state.

 

Apologies for the lengthy reply to what was a very positive note from you, Gatsby. I just needed to put out there that preop I was fine (I just wanted to be better). Unfortunately, things aren’t shaping up trust way.

The first step towards a solution is to see the Drs in person in New York. Can’t do much other than try to mask things until then. I believe I’m slated to return in August, which would be one year from original surgery. This is just based on convo with the coordinator, and obviously pending meeting the doctors in NY for their assessment.

Will update again after my meeting with them.

Cheers all

[Gatsby]

Remember the crown can take up to 18 months to fully grow out. Wishing you all the best.

[azza786]

I feel where you are coming from bro. Trust me, you are in a good position. You have options to try things out. You may not get everything you want style wise but you have something. Be grateful you are not in a situation where you never have and perhaps never will have styling options. I know that bitter feeling all too well having gone severely bald at 20 and having 4 hts that didn't work for me. So ye, I don't know what styling is. Bless up bro. 

[track_rat]

Approaching 9 months. Tried styling a little differently in an effort to go outside without a hat. Just looks like a birds nest. Only have myself to blame for letting this happen to me. My donor is looking great and I know there are options. It’s just about being strategic and very careful going forward. Will keep you updated on what I decide..but I can’t live like this. 

 

[SLA]

I honestly don't think it looks half bad. Looks like you got a little curl!

[MazAB]

One option would be to embrace the curl and use a leave in conditioner that enhances curl. The front would also curl up to blend in with the crown. You would get more coverage that way as well.

I have naturally wavy hair and have been using this to make it more curly from time to time. I don't do it everyday, but I can tell you when I do, I definitely get amazing coverage with the appearance of a lot more density. Should also help to even things out a bit from front to back. 

Below is the link to product I use that has been working very well.

It's at least worth a shot...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KXDC2TY?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_QPTKQ7AC0RMP979PB7XJ

Edited May 4, 2022 by MazAB

[Etownone]

So donor is great? 

How's the front looking these days? 

So the crown is the issue....  Why not keep the crown cut shorter?   Just a suggestion.   

 

[track_rat]

24 minutes ago, MazAB said:

One option would be to embrace the curl and use a leave in conditioner that enhances curl. The front would also curl up to blend in with the crown. You would get more coverage that way as well.

I have naturally wavy hair and have been using this to make it more curly from time to time. I don't do it everyday, but I can tell you when I do, I definitely get amazing coverage with the appearance of a lot more density. Should also help to even things out a bit from front to back. 

Below is the link to product I use that has been working very well.

It's at least worth a shot...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KXDC2TY?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_QPTKQ7AC0RMP979PB7XJ

Certainly worth a shot. I do have a natural wave, so maybe I’ll try this out. Thanks, Maz.

[MazAB]

2 minutes ago, track_rat said:

Certainly worth a shot. I do have a natural wave, so maybe I’ll try this out. Thanks, Maz.

It'll definitely help to conceal the sparse growth factor in the frontal hairline for sure. The longer you let it grow out, the better.

[track_rat]

24 minutes ago, Etownone said:

So donor is great? 

How's the front looking these days? 

So the crown is the issue....  Why not keep the crown cut shorter?   Just a suggestion.   

 

Yes donor does look pretty great (minus the small area above my left ear which has been detailed in other photos). Even when cut short, it doesn’t look like there’s been extraction and I can’t see the strip. My barber is at least thankful for that to make his blending job easy. 
 

Hairline looks pretty similar as last posted photo. Good idea on cutting crown short, let’s see how that does, and in addition to the leave in that Maz linked me to.