3,100 grafts FUT Dr Bloxham June '22

[John1991]

Looks about normal to me just comparing it to where I was at 8 weeks.  Given how red/bloody the front was post-op, no surprise there's still redness.  Around 10-12 weeks from now it should be noticeably less.  

[gxm100]

22 minutes ago, Vann said:

I think you may have some hairs popping through. The shockloss makes it harder to tell whether you may have some native hairs returning or some actual transplanted hairs growing in.

 

But overall I think you were where you should be at 8 weeks.

 

edit: I’m 6 weeks in and I think you should view it close up under natural light instead of harsh lighting it helps to see through the redness and without a filtered glare.

That’s a fair point about native hair returning. However, if you look at my pre op pics on the left hand side of the photo, I was completely bald there and now there’s all these hairs. So either they are transplants or meds suddenly started working a lot better 😂

[JustShaveItBro69]

On 6/14/2022 at 10:14 PM, gxm100 said:

Hi All! Thank you for your support in my procedure. Below I will post my review of the day, details of the procedure, and some post op photos (as well as donor area photos which I did not previously include)

Dr Bloxham Review

Obvioisly the ultimate result, to be determined many months from now, will dictate my ultimate satisfaction with Bloxham. But for now I will say that I was very impressed with him and his staff. He made me feel comfortable, answered and discussed all of my questions and ideas as if we were peers, was very clear on his thoughts about my case, and had an excellent bedside manner. We had casual conversation all throughout the procedure and I was happy with how frequently he checked in and had a close look at the job being done during graft placement. The same would be said for the 4 or 5 techs working on me. Each of them were very knowledgeable, had many years of experience, and made the day very enjoyable by having conversation and joking around with me. For the techs particularly, they were exceptionally observant of what they were doing and how I was feeling.

Procedure Details

Everything began around 7:45 am. Doc checked to see if there had been any major changes to my situation since our consult last year - which there was nothing significant. After that we did the hairline design, talked about taking a relatively conservative approach (which as I mentioned above was what I wanted. I DO NOT want a dead straight hairline.) Once that was settled, he took some pre-op photos and we did the trim up. 
 

Next up was the strip extraction which is what I was most nervous for. I’d prefer to not start any debate in my thread about FUE vs FUT, I will only say that I could not believe how painless the strip extraction was. I didn’t even know they were doing it! And I am a major softy about knives and sharp objects. As has been mentioned many other times in many threads, the numbing injections didn’t feel great, but I mean, it was like a firm punch at worst - it was no bee sting.  This process took maybe 20-30 mins total. The staple closure was simple, except at one point during that I, for whatever reason, got light headed so we took like a 5 min break and then everything was good.

 

Right after that, the techs began cutting up the strip while Dr Bloxham created the incisions. Again, he was extremely friendly and comforting during this process. At this point I actually fell asleep for a while so I don’t know exactly how long it took overall. Dr Bloxham seemed very happy with the incisions and said I have “a great skin type” which is more “hard” and “with a great blood supply”. These were things I’ve not heard before on these forums but he seemed stoked about it haha.

From there I ate some lunch and then placement began by a series of 5 techs (some placing and some cleaning). Again they were great to speak with. Toward the beginning I did have a little popping which I was happy to hear the techs bring up immediately and to go get the Dr. They gave me another Valium to try to lower my blood pressure and apparently it worked because from that point the placement went hyper speed. One thing I was excited about was that two separate techs said they hadn’t seen that densely packed of a hairline in a long time. I liked to hear that especially because of my fine blondish hair type.

In my above post, I mentioned that because of my dense donor - they were able to extract more (like 2500 as opposed to 2300) but then as it turned out they actually got 3,000! So doctor Bloxham came back in made more cuts and reinforced certain areas that he thought best. I was pumped about that. Even more pumped because he only charged me for the 2300 we initially agreed on. Good man in my opinion. I forgot to get the graft break up but have emailed Bloxham so I’m hoping he will share tomorrow. Please see post op photos below, posted in exact same lighting as pre-op pics from my initial post.

 

That was basically it, so now we wait! Please let me know how you think it looks!!

 

PHOTOS:

 

 

What do you mean by "popping?

[gxm100]

1 minute ago, JustShaveItBro69 said:

What do you mean by "popping?

Haha sorry @JustShaveItBro69 probably a sensitive word to use on this forum. I just meant starting to grow in through the skin like normal hair

[hairfloss]

I’ve found that some of the smaller hairs are definitely popping follicles but some are just transplanted hairs that never did shed.
 

So when your new growth starts with those follicles, don’t be surprised if you shed some of the small hairs you’re seeing as the new growth pushes the old hair out.

 

 

[gxm100]

Exactly 2 months today. Feel good about it so far I think. Just hoping lots of new growth starts in the next month!

 

[HappyMan2021]

2 hours ago, gxm100 said:

Just hoping lots of new growth starts in the next month!

don't expect anything until Month 4. If you notice growth before then consider it a pleasant surprise. 

[gxm100]

Here’s my 12 week update (2 days beyond to be 100% accurate). I go back and forth day to day about if I think it looks good for 3 months, but generally I do think the growing is beginning! Clearly more hair there than my original post! I’m excited for the next two months for sure!

let me know your thoughts

 

 

[Steeeve]

I thinks it’s a little hard to judge from the pic shared but there’s definitely progress from your before here:to where you’re at now:

Thats progress for sure. It’s slight but it’s there. I think you may see some nice early growth in the next couple of months, also, but you’ll never know until you wake up and it’s there…

Happy growing!

[gxm100]

@Steeeve

thanks for putting them side by side. Here’s another one which is in the same bathroom / lighting as the original picture. Obviously lighting is a bit more harsh in this room but still feel I notice a good difference

 

[Al - Moderator]

Looks fine for 3 months.

 

[John1991]

It looks fine for 3 months, like the above poster said.  Barring infections or horrible folliculitis, it's hard to really make a judgement at 3 months in.  Growth is starting, so you can't ask for anything else.

[Gatsby]

@gxm100 for only three months your hair is looking great! 👌

[HairEnthusiast101]

On 6/14/2022 at 9:25 PM, John1991 said:

It looks good.  I got 400+ more grafts than expected with Bloxham.  The shaving they do in the front makes the lowering (and the loss) appear far more drastic than it is.    I'm just over 11 weeks out now and redness is improving.  Just give it time.  The donor will be numb for a good while.  Get ready to wear a hat for a while!

John’s result was incredibly natural and already fairly dense early on. I am certain you will have a great result OP!

[Vann]

For 3 months it’s starting to take shape quite nicely. There seems to be some redness but I’m sure that’ll fade away in time. 
 

how do those hairs feel? Are they softening up over time?

[gxm100]

10 hours ago, Vann said:

For 3 months it’s starting to take shape quite nicely. There seems to be some redness but I’m sure that’ll fade away in time. 
 

how do those hairs feel? Are they softening up over time?

hey @Vann - the relatively few hairs that have come in to a decent length do still feel more coarse than the native hair. that said, I've always imagined that texture improvement is what really takes the longest to happen! we will see what happens over the next two months - that's the window in which im expecting some changes!

[Vann]

2 hours ago, gxm100 said:

hey @Vann - the relatively few hairs that have come in to a decent length do still feel more coarse than the native hair. that said, I've always imagined that texture improvement is what really takes the longest to happen! we will see what happens over the next two months - that's the window in which im expecting some changes!

Yea that's very interesting. I would say our hairloss has a similar type of pattern, so I am very interested in your case haha. But I like that you went with FUT first, it was a very good play, just has longer healing period, but it doesn't matter, because everything will come together in time.

[gxm100]

3 months and 1 week:

 

I know it’s very early, but honestly im feeling kind of nervous about my results. I know patience is key - I just don’t see much in the way of new hairs poking through. Here is a pic of today put up next to a pic of me about 6 months prior to the procedure. 

 

 

[gxm100]

Here’s another one in much friendlier lighting - outside on a rainy day - right after a haircut I just got.

 

 

[Vann]

Your frontal forelock looks like it got hit by some shock loss. The surronding hair looks like its starting to pop out. I think your hair is literally just starting to grow out. The nerves are definitely real because its a slow process. However, I think youre in a good position given your hair contrast and whispy new hairs.

 

Do you rock the hairstyle in public like that or do you wear a hat?

[gxm100]

@Vann - thanks for the encouragement haha! No I usually wear a hat, or when I go into my office I use a little bit of toppik. I’m hoping to see a lot of thickening over the next month (I know full well that really the next 3 months should be when a lot of growth happens). The waiting gets tough!

[Mike1J]

Hey bro

Did my first FUE done almost 5 years ago, and I consider it a failure as I was convinced that my case was a total loss up until month 7-8

Month 6 looked like the recipient area was looking like I had a few hairs planted in around my bald spots on the frontal area and that this is it.

I remember how I freaked out and emailed my clinic asking for help.

Only past month 8 the density started showing, and only after around month 18 (yes 1.5 year!) it all really took shape and my hair looked full again.

So honestly take it easy, don't pick, don't panic, don't be bothered by it just keep it safe and clean and watch it all come into form. Remember that the effect really comes in when your double, triple, quads etc are long enough to really add in density.
With that said, your photos look great and it seems to me like this will be a success and in 1 year you will look back at these posts and have a luagh.

Good luck man

[Vann]

24 minutes ago, Mike1J said:

Hey bro

Did my first FUE done almost 5 years ago, and I consider it a failure as I was convinced that my case was a total loss up until month 7-8

Month 6 looked like the recipient area was looking like I had a few hairs planted in around my bald spots on the frontal area and that this is it.

I remember how I freaked out and emailed my clinic asking for help.

Only past month 8 the density started showing, and only after around month 18 (yes 1.5 year!) it all really took shape and my hair looked full again.

So honestly take it easy, don't pick, don't panic, don't be bothered by it just keep it safe and clean and watch it all come into form. Remember that the effect really comes in when your double, triple, quads etc are long enough to really add in density.
With that said, your photos look great and it seems to me like this will be a success and in 1 year you will look back at these posts and have a luagh.

Good luck man

I think I remember a video where Blake & bloxham takes about a patient who didn’t get results until month 16. Perhaps that video was about you. 

[Mike1J]

10 hours ago, Vann said:

I think I remember a video where Blake & bloxham takes about a patient who didn’t get results until month 16. Perhaps that video was about you. 

Hi man, 
Well no that wasn't me honestly I never had a video follow up but I can honestly say that I was so surprised that the results started really showing past 1 year.
I remember I used to Whatsapp the clinic during months 4, 6, 8 - results are poor.

If you're interested in seeing photos I'll upload some to show what I mean

[John1991]

It looks to me like hairs are sprouting in the recipient area.  At just past three months that's all that can be expected.  The truth Is you're going to look pretty off until at least the 5 month mark or so.  And even at 6 months the length isn't going to be up to par if you want to rock medium length/Captain America style hair.  And the thickness and texture will probably be lacking until February/March timeframe for you.  Give it until around New Year's day and you'll have a better sense of where this is headed.