Eugenix HT - 2000 grafts - March 24,2022 - Dr.Das

[Midwestkid0324]

15 hours ago, Gatsby said:

Sorry to hear about the long return journey home! I wore my blue surgical cap on the flight home and kept spraying my grafts every two hours like clock work. An attendant noticed what I was doing and I asked if I could be moved to a better seat as I had just had a hair transplant. It turned out that he was on dutasteride that was being prescribed by Dr Kong in Thailand! Anyway after 20 minutes of chatting about medication and transplants he upgraded me to business class!

Wow! That’s amazing to hear. I wish something like this happened to me because I flew on Qatar Airways and their business class seats are essentially spacious mini pods. I would have been flying in style 😂

[Midwestkid0324]

19 hours ago, Bandit90 said:

Sounds like a very tough journey back. However, take some solace in that you have done the hard part now. I personally decided to stay 7 days after the procedure so I could recover, as I didn't trust myself not to bang my head. However, appreciate not everyone has that luxury.

Time to kick back now are relax now and enjoy the growing. Looking very forward to following this journey. 

Thank you for the kind words! Yes ideally I would have loved to stay in india for a full 7 days after the procedure but no way I could miss that much work. Im def glad Ive made it through the rough part 

[Midwestkid0324]

15 hours ago, drawdownfx said:

Sorry to hear about your flight man I would have been so mad as well. Hope you get a compensation for that but the hard part is over now goodluck man! excited to see how you progress

Thank you! 

[Midwestkid0324]

It has been a few days without an update so just wanted to check in.

I’m a little over a week removed from my 2000 graft procedure done at Eugenix. Overall I feel that I’m healing nicely. My donor is still sensitive to touch in certain spots. Hopefully this is normal. My recipient area is still a little numb and pink. However, I’m not really experiencing any pain or itching. I completed my first hair wash this past Thursday 3/31. I wasn’t able to get all the scabs off during the first wash so I broke it up over the course of 2-3 days. I wanted to play it safe and not get too aggressive or force it. Attached are some pictures. Would love to hear what you all think. Also, does anyone know when I can resume using products such as Nizoral and Rogaine? I’m considering getting on topical Finasteride too. 
 

 

 

 

 

[MAIZE1694]

Looking good man, great coverage!

I bet you wish you could freeze the hairs in place and fast forward 10 months. 😄

[Midwestkid0324]

5 hours ago, MAIZE1694 said:

Looking good man, great coverage!

I bet you wish you could freeze the hairs in place and fast forward 10 months. 😄

I really do 😂😂

[NARMAK]

Your donor area is generally looking well healed post-op but it will take a little bit of time till it probably looks fully healed and well again. 

The frontal hairline designs looking solid, good shout on taking it easy and slow with the first shampoo and not being aggressive. 

Hopefully you will find a way to get through that "Ugly Duckling" phase and figure out how to potentially grow the hair out enough for cover or using hats. 

You're close to that 2 week mark soon where the grafts should be fully anchored in and you can feel safe sleeping more normally again if you aren't already able to still sleep well. 

[Ryan Daniel]

You are healing incredibly well and it's nice to see that you donor area doesn't look like its been over harvested or harvested in a patchy well

Regarding shampoo and what to put on the scalp I'd ask the doctor. the grafts are 100% secure after 14 days, but the scalp may or may not be sensitive to stuff which will make the redness even more noticeable, you never know 

[Midwestkid0324]

13 hours ago, NARMAK said:

Your donor area is generally looking well healed post-op but it will take a little bit of time till it probably looks fully healed and well again. 

The frontal hairline designs looking solid, good shout on taking it easy and slow with the first shampoo and not being aggressive. 

Hopefully you will find a way to get through that "Ugly Duckling" phase and figure out how to potentially grow the hair out enough for cover or using hats. 

You're close to that 2 week mark soon where the grafts should be fully anchored in and you can feel safe sleeping more normally again if you aren't already able to still sleep well. 

Thanks for the insight. Eugenix actually mentioned that I can sleep normally starting on day 7 after doing the first head wash. I’m assuming that means the grafts are pretty much secure at this point 

[Midwestkid0324]

12 hours ago, Ryan Daniel said:

You are healing incredibly well and it's nice to see that you donor area doesn't look like its been over harvested or harvested in a patchy well

Regarding shampoo and what to put on the scalp I'd ask the doctor. the grafts are 100% secure after 14 days, but the scalp may or may not be sensitive to stuff which will make the redness even more noticeable, you never know 

Yea I’m going to reach out to them and see what they say regarding hair products! 

[Ryan Daniel]

Just now, Midwestkid0324 said:

Yea I’m going to reach out to them and see what they say regarding hair products! 

You're not meant to do nothing before 14 days.  This allows the hair grafts to biologically seal in and then they are 100% safe.  And then the only thing that's left is the redness on the scalp, which can take 2 months to completely disappear. From my experience from a previous procedure, I avoided everything because i didnt want a reaction to my sensitive scalp. I think I waited over 1 month for my first haircut actually 

[Midwestkid0324]

11 minutes ago, Ryan Daniel said:

You're not meant to do nothing before 14 days.  This allows the hair grafts to biologically seal in and then they are 100% safe.  And then the only thing that's left is the redness on the scalp, which can take 2 months to completely disappear. From my experience from a previous procedure, I avoided everything because i didnt want a reaction to my sensitive scalp. I think I waited over 1 month for my first haircut actually 

Yeah so far I’ve been playing it safe and only following the directions eugenix provided with how to do a head wash to get rid of the scabs. However I’m seeing a lot of conflicting info online about when grafts become fully secure following a HT. Eugenix mentioned that after 7 days I can do certain things like wear hats and sleep in a normal position. Saw one reputable doctor mention online that the first 48 hours are most critical and that doing things like taking a normal shower or exercise can be done after a week 

[Ryan Daniel]

3 minutes ago, Midwestkid0324 said:

Yeah so far I’ve been playing it safe and only following the directions eugenix provided with how to do a head wash to get rid of the scabs. However I’m seeing a lot of conflicting info online about when grafts become fully secure following a HT. Eugenix mentioned that after 7 days I can do certain things like wear hats and sleep in a normal position. Saw one reputable doctor mention online that the first 48 hours are most critical and that doing things like taking a normal shower or exercise can be done after a week 

You can definitely wear a loose '' summer '' hat after 7 days but I wouldn't wear those tight baseball caps for sure.

Better to play it safe haha

[Bandit90]

I got told by Eugenix too that after 7 days the grafts are secure and you are a free person. 

Edited April 3, 2022 by Bandit90

[MazAB]

@Midwestkid0324 it is filling in nicely! I would not rest on taking Finasteride in some form or another. I know you mentioned that you were apprehensive about taking it and potentially altering your hormones, and if so, at least take it topically. I've been on Finasteride for over 25 years and no side effects, and it also kept my hair intact with little to no change. Results are different with every individual, but don't get spooked by all the negative reviews online. The drug works, and if you do experience a side effect, microdosing orally, or applying topically 99 times out of 100 gets rid of those sides. With all the pain, expense and emotion you sink into this, your best insurance policy, for now anyway, is Finasteride.

[Midwestkid0324]

8 hours ago, MazAB said:

@Midwestkid0324 it is filling in nicely! I would not rest on taking Finasteride in some form or another. I know you mentioned that you were apprehensive about taking it and potentially altering your hormones, and if so, at least take it topically. I've been on Finasteride for over 25 years and no side effects, and it also kept my hair intact with little to no change. Results are different with every individual, but don't get spooked by all the negative reviews online. The drug works, and if you do experience a side effect, microdosing orally, or applying topically 99 times out of 100 gets rid of those sides. With all the pain, expense and emotion you sink into this, your best insurance policy, for now anyway, is Finasteride.

Thanks @MazAB! I’m def more open to Finasteride now than I have ever been in the past, albeit the topical kind. I know for optimal results I’ll need to get on some type of Finasteride or DHT blocker to preserve the native hair and prevent further thinning 

[mrmane85]

2 hours ago, Midwestkid0324 said:

Thanks @MazAB! I’m def more open to Finasteride now than I have ever been in the past, albeit the topical kind. I know for optimal results I’ll need to get on some type of Finasteride or DHT blocker to preserve the native hair and prevent further thinning 

You can even start slow with the fin.

0.5mg M W F for 3-4 weeks and then bump up one day to 1 mg then 2 weeks later bump up another day to 1 mg and then the 3rd day 2 weeks later.

I think @Gatsbydid something similar to this introduction protocol.

[Gatsby]

13 minutes ago, mrmane85 said:

You can even start slow with the fin.

0.5mg M W F for 3-4 weeks and then bump up one day to 1 mg then 2 weeks later bump up another day to 1 mg and then the 3rd day 2 weeks later.

I think @Gatsbydid something similar to this introduction protocol.

Yes. I increased each dose very slowly over a longer time frame. 👍

[Midwestkid0324]

3 week update:

I’m now exactly 3 weeks removed from my procedure at Eugenix. Attached are some photos of my progress. I haven’t noticed a ton of shedding yet and hairline is largely intact. But I know that’ll most likely change over the coming days and weeks. I’m definitely seeing a lot of shock loss too. 
 

Donor area is almost 100% and I no longer feel any tenderness or sensitivity to touch. Recipient area is still a little numb and pink. 
 

I have noticed a lot more dandruff than usual over the last few days. Not sure if this is normal or not after a hair transplant. I’m not someone who generally gets dandruff. I currently use Nizoral 2-3 times a week. 
 

Circling back to the convo around Finasteride. My wife and I are planning to get pregnant (hopefully) this fall for baby #2. Should I hold off on Finasteride until after we get pregnant? 
 

 

 

[Eugenix Hair Sciences]

6 hours ago, Midwestkid0324 said:

3 week update:

I’m now exactly 3 weeks removed from my procedure at Eugenix. Attached are some photos of my progress. I haven’t noticed a ton of shedding yet and hairline is largely intact. But I know that’ll most likely change over the coming days and weeks. I’m definitely seeing a lot of shock loss too. 
 

Donor area is almost 100% and I no longer feel any tenderness or sensitivity to touch. Recipient area is still a little numb and pink. 
 

I have noticed a lot more dandruff than usual over the last few days. Not sure if this is normal or not after a hair transplant. I’m not someone who generally gets dandruff. I currently use Nizoral 2-3 times a week. 
 

Circling back to the convo around Finasteride. My wife and I are planning to get pregnant (hopefully) this fall for baby #2. Should I hold off on Finasteride until after we get pregnant? 
 

 

Thank you for your update.

Please stop Finasteride if you are trying to conceive a baby. You can stop finasteride for 2 months prior to conceiving the child.

[MazAB]

Topical Finasteride should not go systemic in the body and reduce sperm count, but every body type is different and probably not worth that risk during that period. I'd wait until 5 weeks and get on topical Minoxidil at least, and apply twice daily. Once you conceive, get back on Finasteride. 

Edited April 15, 2022 by MazAB

[NARMAK]

On 4/15/2022 at 6:07 AM, Midwestkid0324 said:

3 week update:

I’m now exactly 3 weeks removed from my procedure at Eugenix. Attached are some photos of my progress. I haven’t noticed a ton of shedding yet and hairline is largely intact. But I know that’ll most likely change over the coming days and weeks. I’m definitely seeing a lot of shock loss too. 
 

Donor area is almost 100% and I no longer feel any tenderness or sensitivity to touch. Recipient area is still a little numb and pink. 
 

I have noticed a lot more dandruff than usual over the last few days. Not sure if this is normal or not after a hair transplant. I’m not someone who generally gets dandruff. I currently use Nizoral 2-3 times a week. 
 

Circling back to the convo around Finasteride. My wife and I are planning to get pregnant (hopefully) this fall for baby #2. Should I hold off on Finasteride until after we get pregnant? 
 

 

 

Since you said you are plabbing to conceive in the fall, as above, stopping a few months prior should let it leave your system fully. 

Whilst some people have conceived on the medication, there's also a recommendation to stop it for a few months prior and then resume. 

I would say the lighting is very harsh but your mid scalp is looking very vulnerable. You might actually want to start using Minoxidil and Microneedling and you don't as far as i'm aware need to worry about stopping that when trying to conceive. 

[Midwestkid0324]

Hey everyone just wanted to post an update since it has been a while. It has now been 5 weeks since my HT at Eugenix and I’m officially in the ugly duckling phase 😫 I was wondering when it would hit because after about 4 weeks my hairline was still pretty much intact and I noticed very little shedding. Then this past week it hit me like a ton of bricks. The transplanted area is starting to shed and is now looking patchy. I know this is normal but man is it hard looking in the mirror everyday and seeing it. I’m used to having a lot of hair on my head so the ugly duckling phase is really hurting my confidence and self esteem. I’ve been working remotely since the start of the pandemic and have resorted to wearing lots of hats during zoom meetings. I’m nervous about an on-site engagement for work that is mandatory in about 2 weeks. My company culture is pretty laid back and they don’t mind people wearing hats to the office. But it’s still awkward for me all of a sudden turning into the guy who never takes his hat off after being someone who never really wore hats before in front of co workers. Does anyone have any suggestions on the type of haircut I can get here in the next few weeks as my hair grows back? Pre HT I would always get a mid skin fade and kept it longer on top. Obviously that isn’t an option anymore 😂

As far as my current regiment to help with growth I take multi vitamins, biotin, MSM, MAP, Nizoral about 2x a week, derma roll 1x a week (not on transplanted area) and minoxidil. Note, most of these are things I’ve been doing even prior to having a HT. I also workout regularly and eat a clean diet. I’ve been on minoxidil since 2015 and it has done wonders to help me sustain as much of my crown as possible. With a shaved head I currently have though the thinning in the crown is extremely noticeable and hard to conceal. Being off minoxidil for a month due to surgery has probably led to some new shedding there. I would have liked to implant some hairs in that area of my scalp as well but Dr Arika advised against it and said I wasn’t a suitable candidate at the moment since the thinning wasn’t that bad in her estimation. However, I’ve always had longer hair and so it was easier to cover that area up. Now I don’t have that luxury with a shaved head. One of my only fears with getting a HT was the possibility that some of my native hair that gets shaved off from the non transplanted area never grows back to baseline. Is this possible? Is it true that you can get shock loss on your scalp after a HT even in areas that weren’t operated on? My procedure was limited to my hairline and frontal area. 
I was told I’m a Norwood 2 and the chances of it progressing to 6/7 is low. 

I know lots of people have advised me to get on Finasteride. Each time that I say “yeah I’m going to give it a shot” I end up backing out and can’t pull the trigger. Same goes with the topical version as well. Some of the recommended mixtures and dosages that are recommended from various companies are really high even for a topical version and still run the risk of going systemic. Im just not a big fan of having to go the pharmacological route and being dependent on that for the next 15-20 years to maintain my hair. I don’t knock anyone who does though. This is just where I stand on it. With that being said I’m also realistic with my hair loss and my future goals. I think that’s the important thing for everyone to take into consideration when battling hair loss. You have to be practical and realistic with what the vision for yourself is. I wasn’t getting a HT with the expectation that I was magically going to solve my hair loss forever and grow a whole new head of hair. My vision was to stabilize and fix my hair line so that as my thinning of native hairs continues in the future I can go with a buzz cut or shorter hair style and make it work. I’m 34 now and if I can get like another 6-8 years of decent hair on my head I’m ok with making the investment I did with eugenix. In my 40s I probably won’t care as much as I do today since I’m still very much in my prime working/active years. 
 

If I had to pick the lesser of two evils I’d rather have thinning in my crown because these days it’s easier to conceal or treat that area with things like fibers or high skin fades with a buzz on top. If the native hair on my crown doesn’t go grow back to baseline over the next few months I’ll be comfortable rocking the look I had when I got my HT with the buzz all over. I think it actually suited me and didn’t look so bad! 

Anyways id love to hear what you all think! I know the next few months are about to be a bumpy ride. Attached are pics from today and a reference photo of what my hair looked like pre HT. It was taken the night before my procedure. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Zoobz]

On 4/15/2022 at 3:55 PM, MazAB said:

Topical Finasteride should not go systemic in the body and reduce sperm count, but every body type is different and probably not worth that risk during that period. I'd wait until 5 weeks and get on topical Minoxidil at least, and apply twice daily. Once you conceive, get back on Finasteride. 

It definitely does go systemic. At least it did for me albeit took longer for side effects to show than oral, I think the studies done have also indicated it goes systemic.

[MazAB]

25 minutes ago, Zoobz said:

It definitely does go systemic. At least it did for me albeit took longer for side effects to show than oral, I think the studies done have also indicated it goes systemic.

Good to know