Dr Bisanga - NW3 - 2410 Grafts

[andrewfaliro]

Hello everyone!

I have been a lurking on this forum for the last 1.5 years and I finally made the plunge last week with Dr. Bisanga in Brussels. Time to pay it forward!

I am 38 years old and from Greece. I have been slowly receding for the last 10 years but my hair characteristics (voluminous) hid some of the recession until the last two years where the recession in the temples was getting more noticeable and I started toying with the idea of a hair transplant. My father had old school plugs in the 90's and my older brother has had two procedures, so it wasn't a completely foreign idea to me. Luckily, I have more of my mother's genes and not nearly as bad as my brother and father.

Started taking finasteride 1.5 years ago and have been on oral minoxidil for 8 months with stabilization, some regrowth, but more importantly improvement in hair quality (probably from the minoxidil). No sides.

I did online consultations with McGrath, Feriduni, Bicer, Maras, Freitas, HLC and Pekiner before committing to Bisanga. I narrowed it down between Freitas and Bisanga but ultimately went with Bisanga for his reputation, cases similar to mine with stellar results, and the fact that I was able to get an in person consultation with him in Athens a little over a year ago.

Here are the stats from the original consult:

Hair colour - Brown

Hair Character - Straight

Thickness -  Medium Fine

Donor Density  - 75/75/80 Average: 77 

Dermoscopy - Normal

Miniaturisation - N/A

Hair Groupings - Favourable Hair Groupings

Consultation Summary

Dr Bisanga has determined the following from your consultation -

• A good candidate for surgery
• Above average density of 77 follicles per cm2 (patient average is 70)
• Good hair groupings
• A rectangular face shape that requires a broader hairline design

Last week I flew to Belgium and had another consultation with him the day before surgery. He said he thinks that I had some regrowth which I was happy to hear. He did his measurements, drew exactly what I wanted on the first pass. Ok, maybe slightly lower on the hairline that I was thinking but it looked good so I trusted him with it since it was conservative at 7cm above the glabella, which is what I wanted.

The plan was 2400 dense pack (not sure what cm2) to lower the hairline, fill in the temples, and strengthen the forelock.

Surgery was from 7:30 AM - 5 PM and it went by pretty smoothly. 

Here is the surgery report:

1s: 415

2s: 945

3s: 752

4s: 298

Total: 2410

Hairs: 5753

Average: 2.38

 

I will post clinic photos once they are sent over to get a better idea of things. In the meantime, see below for assortment photos to get an idea of where I started.

Looking forward to sharing my (hopefully successul) journey and looking forward to any questions/comments.

 

Hairline about a year ago

 

Wet hair after a run 1.5 years ago

Hairline drawing at clinic before day before surgery

Hairline drawing at clinic before day before surgery

 

Hairline drawing at clinic before day before surgery

 

A few hours after surgery at my Airbnb

 

Edited October 6, 2022 by andrewfaliro
clarity, adding more photos

[Ryan Daniel]

2410 grafts in such a small area, wow. This is basically replicating natural density at this point

Wish you a great result 

[Curious25]

This will be a great result. 
 

Your hair quality certainly has improved comparing your pictures from a year and a half ago to the day before surgery. 
 

Good Work! 
 

 

Edited October 6, 2022 by Curious25

[Marlo]

Looks like you had significant rehrowth in your temples in your 1.5 halfs years on treatment 👌 Wouldn't describe you as an NW3 at the time of surgery. 

[Mike10]

on the regrowth, it si impossible to say. you can't compare wet with dry hair pics

[Hairy Henderson]

6 hours ago, andrewfaliro said:

Hello everyone!

I have been a lurking on this forum for the last 1.5 years and I finally made the plunge last week with Dr. Bisanga in Brussels. Time to pay it forward!

I am 38 years old and from Greece. I have been slowly receding for the last 10 years but my hair characteristics (voluminous) hid some of the recession until the last two years where the recession in the temples was getting more noticeable and I started toying with the idea of a hair transplant. My father had old school plugs in the 90's and my older brother has had two procedures, so it wasn't a completely foreign idea to me. Luckily, I have more of my mother's genes and not nearly as bad as my brother and father.

Started taking finasteride 1.5 years ago and have been on oral minoxidil for 8 months with stabilization, some regrowth, but more importantly improvement in hair quality (probably from the minoxidil). No sides.

I did online consultations with McGrath, Feriduni, Bicer, Maras, Freitas, HLC and Pekiner before committing to Bisanga. I narrowed it down between Freitas and Bisanga but ultimately went with Bisanga for his reputation, cases similar to mine with stellar results, and the fact that I was able to get an in person consultation with him in Athens a little over a year ago.

Here are the stats from the original consult:

Hair colour - Brown

Hair Character - Straight

Thickness -  Medium Fine

Donor Density  - 75/75/80 Average: 77 

Dermoscopy - Normal

Miniaturisation - N/A

Hair Groupings - Favourable Hair Groupings

Consultation Summary

Dr Bisanga has determined the following from your consultation -

• A good candidate for surgery
• Above average density of 77 follicles per cm2 (patient average is 70)
• Good hair groupings
• A rectangular face shape that requires a broader hairline design

Last week I flew to Belgium and had another consultation with him the day before surgery. He said he thinks that I had some regrowth which I was happy to hear. He did his measurements, drew exactly what I wanted on the first pass. Ok, maybe slightly lower on the hairline that I was thinking but it looked good so I trusted him with it since it was conservative at 7cm above the glabella, which is what I wanted.

The plan was 2400 dense pack (not sure what cm2) to lower the hairline, fill in the temples, and strengthen the forelock.

Surgery was from 7:30 AM - 5 PM and it went by pretty smoothly. 

Here is the surgery report:

1s: 415

2s: 945

3s: 752

4s: 298

Total: 2410

Hairs: 5753

Average: 2.38

 

I will post clinic photos once they are sent over to get a better idea of things. In the meantime, see below for assortment photos to get an idea of where I started.

Looking forward to sharing my (hopefully successul) journey and looking forward to any questions/comments.

 

Hairline about a year ago

 

Wet hair after a run 1.5 years ago

Hairline drawing at clinic before day before surgery

Hairline drawing at clinic before day before surgery

 

Hairline drawing at clinic before day before surgery

 

A few hours after surgery at my Airbnb

 

Did you shed at all when you went on oral minox?

[andrewfaliro]

4 minutes ago, Calihome1 said:

Did you shed at all when you went on oral minox?

Yes, I had a shed that lasted 3 weeks or so, I can't remember exactly how long. Could have also been seasonal but I feel like it was heavier than usual.

[andrewfaliro]

16 minutes ago, Mike10 said:

on the regrowth, it si impossible to say. you can't compare wet with dry hair pics

 

I agree with you, they aren't the best comparison photos but that's all I have to share. 

[Hairy Henderson]

This looks like it will be a great result

[Raphael84]

@andrewfaliro

Congratulations on completing your recent surgery. I am excited for the next 12 months ahead. Much to look forward to.

I would agree with some of the other comments regarding improvement achieved through treatment of oral minoxidil and this is a great example of the importance and impact of medication. In general, your hair quality is good and you had retained a good amount of hair at your age and so many may have preferred not to consider meds because they may deem it unnecessary, but this shows the impact that it can have and shows how medication and surgery can supplement one another.

Design looks great. The surface area of restoration is more than meets the eye. If you look at the depth of the restoration in the laterals to reinforce thinning in and behind the temple, this transitions back behind the temple point and inline with the front of the ear which is into the mid scalp and so graft count based on surface area is not actually particularly high and based on the quality of native hair behind, any lesser density in the hairline would have presented a weaker density than native hair behind.

As you know these initial months can feel as though they may pass slowly as you are awaiting growth to occur and so patience is key, but come next summer you will be feeling quite differently about your hair.

Heal well.

[andrewfaliro]

1 hour ago, Raphael84 said:

@andrewfaliro

Congratulations on completing your recent surgery. I am excited for the next 12 months ahead. Much to look forward to.

I would agree with some of the other comments regarding improvement achieved through treatment of oral minoxidil and this is a great example of the importance and impact of medication. In general, your hair quality is good and you had retained a good amount of hair at your age and so many may have preferred not to consider meds because they may deem it unnecessary, but this shows the impact that it can have and shows how medication and surgery can supplement one another.

Design looks great. The surface area of restoration is more than meets the eye. If you look at the depth of the restoration in the laterals to reinforce thinning in and behind the temple, this transitions back behind the temple point and inline with the front of the ear which is into the mid scalp and so graft count based on surface area is not actually particularly high and based on the quality of native hair behind, any lesser density in the hairline would have presented a weaker density than native hair behind.

As you know these initial months can feel as though they may pass slowly as you are awaiting growth to occur and so patience is key, but come next summer you will be feeling quite differently about your hair.

Heal well.

 

Thank you Ian for all of your help and the thorough explanation.

[sl]

Thank you so much for posting your case Andrewfaliro and wishing you all the best for the healing and then into the growth phase. Ian is super good so will be with you through all stages.

 

[andrewfaliro]

 

Some photos from the clinic

 

[Hairy Henderson]

On 10/6/2022 at 10:15 AM, andrewfaliro said:

Yes, I had a shed that lasted 3 weeks or so, I can't remember exactly how long. Could have also been seasonal but I feel like it was heavier than usual.

But it came roaring back afterwards, right?

[Hairy Henderson]

How many CM's was the hairline lowered?

[andrewfaliro]

8 minutes ago, Calihome1 said:

But it came roaring back afterwards, right?

Pretty much, yeah!

Not sure how many CM..my guess is 1 

 

[Hairy Henderson]

Cool, thx for the info.  I am strongly considering Bisanga.

 

Edit: Forgot to ask, did Bisanga do the extractions or was that in combination with Koctis?

Edited October 7, 2022 by Calihome1

[andrewfaliro]

3 minutes ago, Calihome1 said:

Cool, thx for the info.  I am strongly considering Bisanga.

 

Edit: Forgot to ask, did Bisanga do the extractions or was that in combination with Koctis?

Bisanga did the extractions and incisions. I'm really glad I booked the surgery over a year ago because the new pricing would have not been feasible for me.

 

[dolev1591]

On 10/7/2022 at 9:05 PM, andrewfaliro said:

Bisanga did the extractions and incisions. I'm really glad I booked the surgery over a year ago because the new pricing would have not been feasible for me.

 

how much is it now? and how much did you pay if i may ask?

btw, looks great!

[andrewfaliro]

1 minute ago, dolev1591 said:

how much is it now? and how much did you pay if i may ask?

btw, looks great!

 

I believe the pricing for Dr B only is €5 or €6 but don't quote me on that. Shared surgery is lower. Again, not sure of pricing. 

I think it also depends if it's repair or not, how complicated, etc. I would their rep, Ian who is fantastic. 

I paid €4 

[Gasper20]

that hair regrowth from the meds only was insane

[andrewfaliro]

6 weeks post op

I didn't shed all of the transplanted hairs (which seemed promising) but according to my patient advisor it doesn't really mean anything.

 

[Hairy Henderson]

How come other results don't show the grafts being white colored like these?

[SecondHT]

On 10/7/2022 at 9:05 PM, andrewfaliro said:

Bisanga did the extractions and incisions. I'm really glad I booked the surgery over a year ago because the new pricing would have not been feasible for me.

So you had the option to choose to be done only by Dr. Bisanga? I'm asking because I'm considering too Bisanga but the coordinator told me that this is not possible. Only shared between Bisanga and Kostis.

[andrewfaliro]

5 hours ago, Calihome1 said:

How come other results don't show the grafts being white colored like these?

 

I don't understand your question.