Dr. Cooley 2500 Grafts FUT: July 25 2022

[Jim478]

Background:  I have always had a large forehead since I was a child.   I considered a transplant when I was young around 20-25,  but read that it was not recommended. I am now 40 years old,  so the timing is more appropriate.   
 

In the summer of 2021,  I started seriously considering a transplant and started looking at local doctors from radio advertisements.   Most were touting Artas, or things of that nature. 
 

In my research,  I found this site.   It has been very informative.   I really was focused on getting a high quality hairline.  I also wanted to stay in the US,  and would be willing to pay extra for it.  I narrowed my choices down to Konior and Cooley.   I contacted both and sent my pictures.  Konior responded within 24 hours with his assessment and cost.   It was definitely higher than I expected.   The wait time was also going to be longer than I liked.  
 

Lollie from Copley’s office contacted me and said we could set up a phone consultation a few months away.(November 2021).

The consultation went great,  and we she suggested 2000 or 2500 grafts(more density).  She also recommended FUT which had benefits including the ability for more procedures in the future without depleting my donor area.  I agreed,  and I was also a big fan of Dr. Cooley’s thin strip scars.   I also planned to go medication free,  but I did agree to start fin 1mg 3x per week. 
 

I booked the surgery for July 2022, and here I am.  
 

Everything went as expected from earlier forum posts,  stay at the hotel,  shuttle to the clinic,  meeting with Dr. Cooley and deciding on a final hairline,  and surgery.   Everything went great,  and I will include post surgery pics in the next post on this thread.  
 

I included a pic of me in 2014/2021 to compare recession.  Also some before pics. 

Edited July 25, 2022 by Jim478

[Jim478]

July 26, 2022:  Day 1.

I am relaxing in the hotel,  spraying the grafts with ATP spray every hour.  
 

I included a photo from directly after the surgery and photos from today.  (1 day after surgery.  There is a little shine from the spray.    The donor area is a bit tender,  but not really painful.   I have only taken ibuprofen since surgery.  
 

Photo after surgery. 

 

The next day,  not quite 24 hours. 

Everything has been great so far,  and I am very appreciative of this site for helping to make a great choice on a doctor. 
 

 

[Hair Triggered]

Great write up. Dr. Cooley is great. I’ll be having my second surgery on the crown in approximately a month. I’m looking forward to your progress. Keep those pictures coming.

[Fue3361]

I similarly to you wanted to lower my big forehead.  Almost at 11 months now, best decision I ever made.

[Jim478]

Fue,  

I have spent many nights reading this forum.  I have read your story,  and it definitely struck a chord.   Glad to hear that you are very happy with your decision.  I hope to be in the same mindset by next summer(hopefully sooner).

[Jim478]

I got my complimentary wash in the morning after the surgery.   Felt great. 
 

Day 2 after surgery.

Long drive home and took my first shower. I think I was being too gentle with both the grafts and the donor scar.   I didn’t rinse all the shampoo from the grafts as I was avoiding direct streams of water on the grafts.   I had to rinse a couple more times to get the shampoo out.

 

I think I need to be more aggressive on washing the scar as well.   I didn’t get all of the ointment out of my hair around the scar.  
 

[Gatsby]

You dodged a bullet by merely having surgery 15 years ago, let alone with an artas robot, by doing your due diligence. With Dr Cooley you have chosen one of the greats and I hope you continue to share your results. 👌

[Jim478]

Gatsby,  

Thanks to these forums and people like you.  I was a long time reader,  and decided to go with one of the best.  
 

I hadn’t viewed a very recent Cooley journey,  so I decided to post mine.  
 

I forgot to mention that I am also drinking the hair shakes that Dr. Cooley recommends,  and I also had the Regenera injections at the end of the transplant.  I figured that if helps with healing and growth,  I might as well do it.  

[Jim478]

1 month update.

 

Everything has gone pretty much textbook.  This is the transplanted hair that seemed to be growing at about 2-3 weeks.  

But I also was getting quite a bit of shedding of native hair from about 1-3 weeks.   I had a shock loss spot that appeared on the side of my hair by the recipient area.   You can see the large patch of missing hair. 
 

Now a month out,  I got my first hair cut,  and I am styling it to cover up the forehead.  Most of the transplanted hair has shed,  and now I start the waiting game.  Here is a picture of the red area that has shed.   The lighting is actually kind.   The red area is a little worse than the picture shows.  Most of the transplanted hair has shed. 
 

Here is picture of how I style it to conceal.   I am so happy with the thought that I won’t have to do this for much longer.   You can see how I am covering the shock loss bald spot.   This is the day after my first hair cut. 
 

[John1991]

I think this looks very good.  

[Jim478]

3 month update. 
 

Just starting to grow some hair.   A few hairs are starting to pop up.  
 

The bald spot on the side from shock loss is starting to grow hair too.  The hair looks like it is coming in gray,  but maybe that’s just because it’s coming from the shock loss bald spot.  
 

 

So I am 3 months out from surgery,  and on my 6th month of fin.  Just lifted weights for the first time.  The scar seems to be healing well,  but is definitely still red.  I am still keeping the back a little longer than I used to.  I am hoping to be able to cut it down to a 3 again,  but not yet.   I am pretty happy,  and looking forward to the next few months.  

[Jim478]

4 month update:

There has been some steady growth in the past month.   Some of the transplanted hairs are 1-2 cm.   They are very fine,  but covering the previously bald corners.   The temple point hair has grown in and is hard to even distinguish.  The FUT scar is still a little pink,  but the hair has grown over.   I plan to get it cut with a number 3 on the back this week. And the bald spot on the side from shock loss has grown back in.  I am pretty happy and this is just the beginning.  

[johndang]

On 12/3/2022 at 6:12 PM, Jim478 said:

4 month update:

There has been some steady growth in the past month.   Some of the transplanted hairs are 1-2 cm.   They are very fine,  but covering the previously bald corners.   The temple point hair has grown in and is hard to even distinguish.  The FUT scar is still a little pink,  but the hair has grown over.   I plan to get it cut with a number 3 on the back this week. And the bald spot on the side from shock loss has grown back in.  I am pretty happy and this is just the beginning.  

i am at a similar spot to you right now, Just hit my 4 months. I didnt see much growth until month 3 and I noticed shock loss at my temples. i think its improving (maybe).

It should be a good next few months for both of us I hope. I didnt go to cooley but had a similar transplant pattern to what you had done.

 

[Jim478]

5 month update.  
 

Hair is growing steadily in both the hairline and the temples.   
 

Here is a before picture: 

 

Here are the current photos:

[Jayson1361]

8 hours ago, Jim478 said:

5 month update.  
 

Hair is growing steadily in both the hairline and the temples.   
 

Here is a before picture: 

 

Here are the current photos:

Seems like you’re moving right along. I’ve been following your story given your hair color and goals. You’ve got 7 plus months left to see the fruits of your efforts. I’m looking forward to seeing your results! Been following you since July. 

[nl502c]

Looking good for 5 months. 

[Jim478]

6.5 months.  
 

Hair is filling in.   I am able to wear my hair off the forehead for the first time ever.  Scar is undetectable at a 4 guard haircut.  The new hair is blending in well.    Not perfect yet,  but I am enjoying this period.  

[Gatsby]

Wow this is looking brilliant! And you still have more growth ahead of you to come! Thanks for sharing @Jim478. 👌

[A_4_Archan]

Yeh looking right on track mate...so u started geting growth around 5 months and thr is huge difference between 5month and 6.5 month update ..now u will see lot of growth till 18 months..r u on medication ?

[Jim478]

I am taking fin 3x per week.   M-W-F.

Have not experienced any sides. 

[A_4_Archan]

Thts nice...and no minox?

[HairEnthusiast101]

Is scar detectable at 2-3 guard?

[Jim478]

Doctor recommended oral minox,  but I did not do that.   I told him I would stick with the fin only.   He said that is fine.  But also said that I could go on the oral minox at anytime.  
 

To me,  the scar looks really good.   I have a hard time finding it.   I have not cut it that short yet.   I used to get a 3 guard,  but have not cut it that short yet.   I will probably wait until summer to go that short again.   I think it would probably be undetectable at a 3.  

[A_4_Archan]

24 minutes ago, Jim478 said:

Doctor recommended oral minox,  but I did not do that.   I told him I would stick with the fin only.   He said that is fine.  But also said that I could go on the oral minox at anytime.  
 

To me,  the scar looks really good.   I have a hard time finding it.   I have not cut it that short yet.   I used to get a 3 guard,  but have not cut it that short yet.   I will probably wait until summer to go that short again.   I think it would probably be undetectable at a 3.  

Good tht the scar is undetectable ....oral minox wud help immensely ..bt still if u feel like staying away frm meds thn its fine to move on without it...

[HHH]

Can you zoom out a tiny bit and show the temples fully? They're looking good, really makes a difference to facial aesthetics