My strategy after a failed HT (repair & 0mm shave)

[SimpleLife]

Supp friends, I'm writing this post to get some hope & criticism/feedback on my plan after a failed HT 1.5 years ago. In my opinion, having a botched job is 1000x worse than being bald. Made a big mistake, so I like to make the right decision this time and I need your help for that

 

To keep it short, I've given up on having a full head of hair, because:

- I'm 24yr with a lot of hairloss & thinning

- Dandruff for years

- Just tired of constantly worrying about my hair

 

So the goal is to rock a shaved head (0-1mm) and move on with my life. Right now when I do that it looks very off tho, because of the FUE scars and triple/double grafts on my hairline. From what I've read razor shaving after a HT is actually not possible, but I guess that is because generally hair transplants are done with the idea to keep the hairs long. My hope is that a HT done specifically for a shaved head is possible (unfortunately there arent any cases that I could find)

 

After reading the post of @mustang and doing some research my plan is to:

- Fill in my FUE scars with body hair (beard & chest) 

- Extract all the triple and double grafts on my hairline & replace them with singles (also lowering the hairline a bit)

- Crown area can remain bald, its not a big problem for me

 

My worries:

- White dots on donor area standing out with a tan (even with hairs implanted), because scar tissue doesn't tan. I will probably have the same problem on my chest & beard after extraction. I'm pale white, so I prefer a tan, but it will look weird having white spots on my neck and chest

- ''Cactus'' type hairs like I have now even with the right surgeon & single graft placement

- Hairloss of the implanted body hair. I did 1 bodylaser session so 40% of it is gone. I still have enough, but maybe the hairs got weakened(?)

 

Doctors on my list:

- Dr Bisinga

- Dr Mwamba. Consultation planned (they indicated that I need +2000 grafts to cover the fue scars)

- Dr Sethi/Bansal. Indication was 2000 to 3000 grafts for the fue scars and 200-500 graft hairline extraction of triples, dissecting them and implantation as singles 

 

Considered SMP as well, but I think a repair HT is better in my case:

- Fresh results on fue scars are decent, but idk how it will look 5-10 years from now

- SMP yields better results on a virgin scalp. Scar tissue does not absorb ink the same way that normal tissue does

- Can't get in the sun without sunscreen (used spf on my acne scars for years and hated it). This might be the case for a fue shaven head as well, I'm not sure..

- With some people the ink fades too fast because of their immune system and with fue scars this is a problem

- Touchups every 2 years

- Even if I decide to do SMP, I believe having a good foundation is necessary

 

It is a tough spot to be in, so I would highly appreciate every input

Edited May 22, 2022 by SimpleLife

[RTC]

I'm in a very similar situation to you, although your donor scar may be a tiny bit worse.

I think your plan to get a repair is the best thing.

I am going to Dr Mwamba next month to camouflage the pluggy hairline with singles ( I have many doubles and triples), fill in the patchy frontal area, and then use 300-400 BHT from beard to donor area. 

I too share many of your worries. I also had SMP for a while but I hate shaving everyday and having to worry about things like SPF. You should seek detailed consultations with all three clinics you have listed.

Edited May 16, 2022 by Aslitarcan sucks

[SimpleLife]

3 minutes ago, Aslitarcan sucks said:

I'm in a very similar situation to you, although your donor scar may be a tiny bit worse.

I think your plan to get a repair is the best thing.

I am going to Dr Mwamba next month to camouflage the hairline with singles (many doubles and triples), fill in the patchy frontal area, and then receiving 300-400 BHT from beard to donor area. 

I too share many of your worries. I also had SMP for a while but I hate shaving everyday and having to worry about things like SPF. You should seek detailed consultations with all three clinics you have listed.

Goodluck man, I genuinely hope it works out for you. 

Dr Mwamba seems solid, only negative with him would be his long waiting time (probably the case for all reputable doctors). First available date for a consultation was 2 months away. Assuming that I need ~3/4 operations its probably going to take a couple years to get it all fixed.

Yeh with SMP I'm pretty sure I would get paranoid every time my hair grows out a bit. Also, don't want to wake up everyday with the question whether it faded, potentially exposing the fue dots. On a virgin scalp it looks very good tho ngl.

[RTC]

50 minutes ago, SimpleLife said:

Goodluck man, I genuinely hope it works out for you. 

Dr Mwamba seems solid, only negative with him would be his long waiting time (probably the case for all reputable doctors). First available date for a consultation was 2 months away. Assuming that I need ~3/4 operations its probably going to take a couple years to get it all fixed.

Yeh with SMP I'm pretty sure I would get paranoid every time my hair grows out a bit. Also, don't want to wake up everyday with the question whether it faded, potentially exposing the fue dots. On a virgin scalp it looks very good tho ngl.

Yep but then again all three of those clinics will probably have a similar wait time. It's frustrating but part of the game, but worse for you as you may need multiple ops.

Agreed re: SMP - after one day of growth it looked off. Had to shave every day.

[BaldReaper]

2 hours ago, Aslitarcan sucks said:

I'm in a very similar situation to you, although your donor scar may be a tiny bit worse.

I think your plan to get a repair is the best thing.

I am going to Dr Mwamba next month to camouflage the pluggy hairline with singles ( I have many doubles and triples), fill in the patchy frontal area, and then use 300-400 BHT from beard to donor area. 

I too share many of your worries. I also had SMP for a while but I hate shaving everyday and having to worry about things like SPF. You should seek detailed consultations with all three clinics you have listed.

send me a mesage please

[BaldReaper]

2 hours ago, SimpleLife said:

Supp friends, I'm writing this post to get some hope & criticism/feedback on my plan after a failed HT 1.5 years ago. In my opinion, having a botched job is 1000x worse than being bald. Made a big mistake, so I like to make the right decision this time and I need your help for that

 

To keep it short, I've given up on having a full head of hair, because:

- I'm 24yr with a lot of hairloss & thinning

- Dandruff for years

- Just tired of constantly worrying about my hair

 

So the goal is to rock a shaved head (0-1mm) and move on with my life. Right now when I do that it looks very off tho, because of the FUE scars and triple/double grafts on my hairline. From what I've read razor shaving after a HT is actually not possible, but I guess that is because generally hair transplants are done with the idea to keep the hairs long. My hope is that a HT done specifically for a shaved head is possible (unfortunately there arent any cases that I could find)

 

After reading the post of @mustang and doing some research my plan is to:

- Fill in my FUE scars with body hair (beard & chest) 

- Extract all the triple and double grafts on my hairline & replace them with singles (also lowering the hairline a bit)

- Crown area can remain bald, its not a big problem for me

 

My worries:

- White dots on donor area standing out with a tan (even with hairs implanted), because scar tissue doesn't tan. I will probably have the same problem on my chest & beard after extraction. I'm pale white, so I prefer a tan, but it will look weird having white spots on my neck and chest

- ''Cactus'' type hairs like I have now even with the right surgeon & single graft placement

- Hairloss of the implanted body hair. I did 1 bodylaser session so 40% of it is gone. I still have enough, but maybe the hairs got weakened(?)

 

Doctors on my list:

- Dr Bisinga

- Dr Mwamba. Consultation planned (they indicated that I need +2000 grafts to cover the fue scars)

- Dr Sethi/Bansal. Indication was 2000 to 3000 grafts for the fue scars and 200-500 graft hairline extraction of triples, dissecting them and implantation as singles 

 

Considered SMP as well, but I think a repair HT is better in my case:

- Fresh results on fue scars are decent, but idk how it will look 5-10 years from now

- SMP yields better results on a virgin scalp. Scar tissue does not absorb ink the same way that normal tissue does

- Can't get in the sun without sunscreen (used spf on my acne scars for years and hated it). This might be the case for a fue shaven head as well, I'm not sure..

- With some people the ink fades too fast because of their immune system and with fue scars this is a problem

- Touchups every 2 years

- Even if I decide to do SMP, I believe having a good foundation is necessary

 

It is a tough spot to be in, so I would highly appreciate every input

Donor area is bad but its on your back so you never see it and most people will think its a scar or somethings as most of them dont even know about ht. SMP is also a possibility of you reall care about it that much.

Dont you consider doing electrolysis or punching out the hairline grafts and throw them away going the bald way?

Edited May 16, 2022 by JimKan1

[SimpleLife]

11 minutes ago, JimKan1 said:

Donor area is bad but its on your back so you never see it and most people will think its a scar or somethings as most of them dont even know about ht. SMP is also a possibility of you reall care about it that much.

Dont you consider doing electrolysis or punching out the hairline grafts and throw them away going the bald way?

I'm all for positive thinking, but its not possible to live a normal life with a donor like this. Need to grow out the sides at least 14mm to somewhat cover it..

 

Would rather take the grafts from my hairline and put them back in the donor than throwing them away (if thats even possible)

[SimpleLife]

Btw does anyone know if a BHT works on the nape area? Looks like thats such a difficult thing to do, because the hairs there are very soft..

[RTC]

25 minutes ago, JimKan1 said:

send me a mesage please

You send me one lol

[RTC]

1 minute ago, SimpleLife said:

Btw does anyone know if a BHT works on the nape area? Looks like thats such a difficult thing to do, because the hairs there are very soft..

Generally I would think no but many surgeons are innovating all the time.. Bisanga and Mwamba are your go to. Try and see them in person for a consult

Edited May 16, 2022 by Aslitarcan sucks

[BaldReaper]

3 minutes ago, Aslitarcan sucks said:

You send me one lol

I am out of messages for today that why I asked you haha

[BaldReaper]

2 minutes ago, Aslitarcan sucks said:

Generally I would think no but many surgeons are innovating all the time.. Bisanga and Mwamba are your go to. Try and see them in person for a consult

Definitely 2 of the best, also try Feriduni

[SimpleLife]

40 minutes ago, JimKan1 said:

Definitely 2 of the best, also try Feriduni

Appreciate the recommendation. Just filled in the online consult:)

[BaldReaper]

Let us know about their replies and assesment

[mustang]

I would definitely do a BHT test patch of 200 grafts to check growth and pigmentation ideally from your beard or chest.

Once positive outcome proceed with a 1000 BHT grafts to spread all over the area to diminish the white skin appearance plus break the pattern.

Then SMP 6 months later

[SimpleLife]

50 minutes ago, mustang said:

I would definitely do a BHT test patch of 200 grafts to check growth and pigmentation ideally from your beard or chest.

Once positive outcome proceed with a 1000 BHT grafts to spread all over the area to diminish the white skin appearance plus break the pattern.

Then SMP 6 months later

Yes dr Mwamba's clinic recommended the 200graft test as well, will definitely do that first

I dont think 1k grafts is enough tho, will probably take up to 3k. Might consider smp to complement it after that 

Btw do you think my goal to shave it down to 0-1mm is realistic? Assuming that my donor is filled and triple grafts on my hairline are replaced with singles, will it look somewhat natural?

[mustang]

I would not know man but it will certainly look much better than now

[mmokin]

i think the best thing you could do is smp the donor, and are you sure you cant shave the transplant hairline down or maybe do hair removal etc .

joe rogan had multiple hair transplants and seems to have gotten away with it after he went bald

[HappyMan2021]

Have you considered a hair system? Your options thus far seem to be 5-6 years of surgery or just learning to "accept" all the flaws of your HT. 

Accepting a botched, unnatural look - and truly not caring about this for the rest of your life, may be easier said than done. 

 

[Mountinvan]

First of all, we are so pleased that you trust our Community enough to share your experience. Thank you. You provide a tangible example of how important it is to research and plan carefully before a HT. I have used the recommended doctors here----and thank my lucky stars that I did. They are vetted. There are no guarantees in HTs that really mean anything so why not stack the cards in your favor. Go with the recommended docs.

Edited May 16, 2022 by Mountinvan

[SimpleLife]

7 hours ago, HappyMan2021 said:

Have you considered a hair system? Your options thus far seem to be 5-6 years of surgery or just learning to "accept" all the flaws of your HT. 

Accepting a botched, unnatural look - and truly not caring about this for the rest of your life, may be easier said than done. 

 

If there was no solution I would have to accept it, but if one of these doctors can fix it than why not. 4 operations with 6 months intervals should hopefully not take more than 3 years. I can live with that..

 

My goal is to ultimately not think about my hair when I wake up everyday and from what Ive read a hair system has a lot of maintenance. 

[mafpe]

yeah hair system require constant maintenance, you can say it's about as bothersome as the constant need of applying topical minox + finas. problem is for people who love to shower and wash their hair multiple times a day, this is quite damaging to the hair system, meanwhile not washing them frequently means oil and dirt buildup and the icky feel would tick off people who likes it cleaned often.

0-1mm shave though....

i don't think it would be good? the general consensus is that you need minimum guard 1 to cover up the FUE scar to be "unnoticeable", and that is 3mm already.

a skin fade would show, for 2 reason :
1. the scar is white, now this is not a problem for a few days if you're very fair skinned.
2. but scar tissue doesn't tan. if you're fair skinned, when you tan, your head will look tanned, with white polka dots of scars.

you can't really rock a skin fade flawlessly on the donor, but if you plan to keep em shaved clean... i'd say go for SMP

[SimpleLife]

1 hour ago, mafpe said:

yeah hair system require constant maintenance, you can say it's about as bothersome as the constant need of applying topical minox + finas. problem is for people who love to shower and wash their hair multiple times a day, this is quite damaging to the hair system, meanwhile not washing them frequently means oil and dirt buildup and the icky feel would tick off people who likes it cleaned often.

0-1mm shave though....

i don't think it would be good? the general consensus is that you need minimum guard 1 to cover up the FUE scar to be "unnoticeable", and that is 3mm already.

a skin fade would show, for 2 reason :
1. the scar is white, now this is not a problem for a few days if you're very fair skinned.
2. but scar tissue doesn't tan. if you're fair skinned, when you tan, your head will look tanned, with white polka dots of scars.

you can't really rock a skin fade flawlessly on the donor, but if you plan to keep em shaved clean... i'd say go for SMP

Yes looks like youre right

Even with 10.000 grafts implanted, the white dots will still appear, cuz natural hair has a grey tint.

Will probably do the repair transplant and SMP afterwards, so even if it blurs/fades and doesnt look like a hair follicle, it will atleast cover the white tint

Or I can grow it out to 3mm without the SMP. Do you think the white dots will be a problem in this case?

[RTC]

9 hours ago, HappyMan2021 said:

Have you considered a hair system? Your options thus far seem to be 5-6 years of surgery or just learning to "accept" all the flaws of your HT. 

Accepting a botched, unnatural look - and truly not caring about this for the rest of your life, may be easier said than done. 

 

Hair systems are not a realistic way to live for young men. It's time consuming, causes unnecessary stress, and many times looks fake. I think it's probably the worst 'solution' for a guy in 20s, 30s, 40s, even 50s. Imagine the ridicule if you ever got found out.

Edited May 17, 2022 by Aslitarcan sucks

[mafpe]

1 hour ago, SimpleLife said:

Yes looks like youre right

Even with 10.000 grafts implanted, the white dots will still appear, cuz natural hair has a grey tint.

Will probably do the repair transplant and SMP afterwards, so even if it blurs/fades and doesnt look like a hair follicle, it will atleast cover the white tint

Or I can grow it out to 3mm without the SMP. Do you think the white dots will be a problem in this case?

it's.... hard to say, so if we want to think abt it more, there are more points to it.

for example, the grey tint is somewhat caused by the hair, because near the surface, skin is a little see through, that's why it's like there's a very small slight tint near your hair-scalp. and there's the dot of black/grey, that's your hair, because even if you shave to skin, the hair is still there.

and yeah SMP helps because it basically blurs the color by "painting" the skin all greyish/black, although i suppose there's still a slight difference on your scarred and normal scalp, but it shouldn't be noticeable anyway.

3mm hair, will depend on your donor condition, if you're severely overharvested, it will still show. and not to mention since you have a bit of hair even if it's only 3mm, your frontal will still be inconsistent IF you continue to lose hair (baldness continues). i think repair work would be good for you, you're overharvested, it seems be workable with a good repair job? not sure since i'm not an expert and only base things on possible logical train of thought.

1 hour ago, Aslitarcan sucks said:

Hair systems are not a realistic way to live for young men. It's time consuming, causes unnecessary stress, and many times looks fake. I think it's probably the worst 'solution' for a guy in 20s, 30s, 40s, even 50s. Imagine the ridicule if you ever got found out.

like the dude said, hair system is a commitment, unless you only plan to use them on special occasions maybe, but people would notice if you go out often without it.

problem with hair system is sometime, the fear that people will find out it's fake, and or that it would fly away in harsh wind *donald trump lol

i mean, minoxidil takes time and dedication but... i have a feeling that it's less emotionally draining compared to the fear, and the fact you keep seeing your hair system while cleaning it, then looking at it, lamenting your baldness and the fact you have to put fake hair on top and be careful with it constantly.

i don't mean to demean those who use hair system, but looking at this forum with people's experience, and that i think many of us had gone about bouts of depressions perhaps due to our hair loss... i think i have enough of that...
for short term, i can imagine myself using it, but for long term? i think it would damage my mental state

 

i do hope that you manage to find success in dealing with your HT problem, that's what this forum is here for, help each other with our hair problem.