3,000 grafts with Eugenix

[3rd time lucky]

Hi all.

This is my first post.

Brief Background

I'm 44 years of age. I started experiencing hair fall since the age of 16. At about 22 I took creatine for muscle building, however, only at the age of 27 did I find out about hair loss being one of the side effects for some people. I was distraught. I definitely did not need to accelerate my hair loss, but the damage was done. I stopped creatine and started wearing a hair piece and forgot about my hair issues. Good thing is that my hair loss had slowed down but I had developed small bald patches where the hair piece clips were in contact with my scalp.

After 8 years of wearing the hair piece, in 2012 I decided to explore hair transplant options. Before that, I had started minoxidil and finasteride and my hair was already looking better.

HT history

I got my first HT done with Dr. Viral Desai in Mumbai in 2012. I went with the FUE procedure (I did not want a scar) of 2000 grafts in the hair line. The results were average at best and the few hairs in the temple area was poorly done. Simultaneously I also stopped minoxidil and finasteride, thinking that I do not need it anymore. As the months went by, I lost all the gains of the medicines and I think I lost more hair than prior to starting the medicines.

I started using Toppik to cover my scalp.

In 2013, I again started minoxidil and finasteride and the results were good, although I kept up with using Toppik. For more than a year things were fine, however, later I started to notice side effects like depression, weight gain, decreased ejaculate and ED. In 2015, I stopped minoxidil and finasteride and the side effects went away and I managed to lose all the excess weight.

In 2017, I got my second HT done from Dr. Suneet Soni in Jaipur, a strip procedure for 3,500 grafts. He fixed my hairline and he also told me that I will need another procedure in the future to improve density. As part of the post op, I was recommended finasteride.

I again got onto finasteride and minoxidil, hoping that I wouldn't experience the same side effects. After a year, I stopped the finasteride and got onto Dutasteride under advice of a dermatologist. Sadly, all the side effects were back. The sexual side effects was devastating and the weight gain was abnormal. My butt and thighs got big and my chest got droopy, my body became more womanly.  In Jan 2020, I started to taper off the medicines and since March 2020, I have completely stopped. Good news is that the side effects have tapered and I lost a decent amount of weight. My body has started to look more normal. However, the gains of minoxidil and finasteride have gone and I have lost more hair than before. In my experience, finasteride and minoxidil needs to be continued forever. Stopping it will lose all the gains and then some.

Third HT 

I got my third HT from Eugenix at Mumbai on 30th September 2021, for 3000 grafts. I'm located in Dubai and had a video call with Dr. Arika before the procedure. During the call, she told me that I probably do not require an HT and that finasteride and minoxidil will work wonders for me. I told her about my history with these medicines, due to which I need to go in for a third transplant. 

There have been lots of posts giving detailed experiences, so I will keep it short.

I'm very impressed with Eugenix. They have a wonderful and professional staff who are also very kind and caring. This has been my best HT experience.

The procedure was fairly smooth. Grafts were to be taken from my beard too, however, I was told my donor area was sufficient, hence we didn't need beard grafts. The anesthesia injections were a bit painful and frequent, but the staff handled it very well. For some reason I needed more of these injections. After the procedure I was told that I was a 'good patient' as I handled the injection discomfort well

The post care and follow up has been amazing. A whatsapp group was created with Eugenix personnel, doctor and myself. I went for the donor clean up for 4 days before I had to fly back to Dubai. The 7th day shampoo instructions were clear. There was regular follow up from Eugeix for a full month. Any questions or concerns I had were promptly responded to. 

My hair growth has been shaping up well so far. I don't think all my grafts have fallen off 

[3rd time lucky]

I'm having trouble posting more pics. Will figure out and post more

Thanks

 

[follically challenged]

1 hour ago, 3rd time lucky said:

I'm having trouble posting more pics. Will figure out and post more

Thanks

 

It's great to hear your story. Looking forward to seeing some pics

[Britanium]

Thanks for posting 🙏 look forward to seeing more pics 👍🏽

[MazAB]

Any additional pictures you can post?

[Melvin- Admin]

Look forward to seeing your updates and more pictures 

[SLA]

Awesome...keep us posted!

[Mggm]

Great story. Looking forward to seeing how this turns out with more pictures.

[Mggm]

@Hairtroubles this post might be helpful in answering your queries on the effects of Finasteride. Honestly, this has made me even more scared seeing that in this case it looks like the side effects came about after a year or 2 of use and not immediately like my case and yours. 

 

@3rd time lucky the droopy chest sounds like an issue of gyno. Did this go away on its own after stopping finasteride or was any intervention required?

[JDEE0]

6 minutes ago, Mggm said:

@Hairtroubles this post might be helpful in answering your queries on the effects of Finasteride. Honestly, this has made me even more scared seeing that in this case it looks like the side effects came about after a year or 2 of use and not immediately like my case and yours. 

 

@3rd time lucky the droopy chest sounds like an issue of gyno. Did this go away on its own after stopping finasteride or was any intervention required?

With all due respect to OP, it's also a post that can evidence the fact that things are often unfairly attributed to the use of finasteride when they certainly weren't the cause.

Much of the focus in this particular case is around weight gain; finasteride categorically won't cause you to gain weight. The only way to achieve this is by consistently consuming more calories than you are able to burn over a period of time, and there really is no way around this.

The decreased ejaculate and sexual dysfunction are of course potential side effects though, just making a point.

[3rd time lucky]

4 hours ago, JDEE0 said:

With all due respect to OP, it's also a post that can evidence the fact that things are often unfairly attributed to the use of finasteride when they certainly weren't the cause.

Much of the focus in this particular case is around weight gain; finasteride categorically won't cause you to gain weight. The only way to achieve this is by consistently consuming more calories than you are able to burn over a period of time, and there really is no way around this.

The decreased ejaculate and sexual dysfunction are of course potential side effects though, just making a point.

Hi,

I have been on Minoxidil and Finasteride 3 times in the last ten years and everytime I noticed the weight gain. I doubt it could be a coincidence. Moreover, a few months after discontinuing my weight has reduced each time. Maybe its just me, I don't know

[3rd time lucky]

5 hours ago, Mggm said:

@Hairtroubles this post might be helpful in answering your queries on the effects of Finasteride. Honestly, this has made me even more scared seeing that in this case it looks like the side effects came about after a year or 2 of use and not immediately like my case and yours. 

 

@3rd time lucky the droopy chest sounds like an issue of gyno. Did this go away on its own after stopping finasteride or was any intervention required?

I of course had to alter my diet to drop the excess weight, that wasn't gonna magically go away. However, the weight has stayed off and my shape has come back to normal. After reducing the excess weight my calorie consumption has been normal and the weight has stayed off.

[3rd time lucky]

Pre surgery pics

 

 

[3rd time lucky]

Transplant day pics

[3rd time lucky]

Day 8 pics

[3rd time lucky]

Day 10 pics. Most of the scabs were gone.

I was a little scared so I did not apply too much pressure while shampooing and took my time to take off the scabs over a couple of days rather than all at once.

[Hairtroubles]

6 hours ago, Mggm said:

@Hairtroubles this post might be helpful in answering your queries on the effects of Finasteride. Honestly, this has made me even more scared seeing that in this case it looks like the side effects came about after a year or 2 of use and not immediately like my case and yours. 

 

@3rd time lucky the droopy chest sounds like an issue of gyno. Did this go away on its own after stopping finasteride or was any intervention required?

Thanks for tagging me bro, yeah not taking any chance with this.

 

@3rd time lucky- how was the depression with Finasteride, and the ED? Is all back to normal, why would you even risk this again, sounds terrifying man.

[Hairtroubles]

@Mggm- Whats your thoughts on it, you going to take fin?

[FUT BlunderMistake]

What about FUT scar , are you satisfied with it ?

[Britanium]

Healing nicely 👌 thanks for the update 🙏

[Mggm]

10 hours ago, Hairtroubles said:

@Mggm- Whats your thoughts on it, you going to take fin?

Not right now for sure. Minoxidil looks to be working for my existing hair and I am going to ride this out. I will exhaust all other options like microneedling before I even look at Fin. Even then, I might consider it at extremely low doses and at once per week.

[nodono]

Congratulations on your HT, I will be following your journey 

[Hairtroubles]

16 hours ago, Mggm said:

Not right now for sure. Minoxidil looks to be working for my existing hair and I am going to ride this out. I will exhaust all other options like microneedling before I even look at Fin. Even then, I might consider it at extremely low doses and at once per week.

Bro I cant risk Fin, knowing me ill go mad.  How is minoxidil going for you, any advice on that?

Foam or liquid better?

[Mggm]

4 hours ago, Hairtroubles said:

Bro I cant risk Fin, knowing me ill go mad.  How is minoxidil going for you, any advice on that?

Foam or liquid better?

I got no side effects from Minoxidil, atleast none that I can see and it's nothing like Fin. 

Personally, I feel that liquid is better because I gently dab the scalp with the 1ml dropper and this ensures that the minoxidil reaches the scalp and doesn't get wasted in the hair. It might be difficult to style your hair though, so you might want foam for that.

If you feel you have side effects from Minoxidil, try the non-alcoholic version because the alcohol is just there for better scalp absorption.

[Gabreille Nelson Mukhia]

On 12/8/2021 at 11:32 PM, 3rd time lucky said:

Day 10 pics. Most of the scabs were gone.

I was a little scared so I did not apply too much pressure while shampooing and took my time to take off the scabs over a couple of days rather than all at once.

You did the correct thing by not applying too much pressure. I am sure the scabs must've come off by now. Your scalp looks great. However, please do be prepared for the shedding phase. For everything else, we are here for you.