Just how screwed am I?

[Oxiborick]

Another question about my failed transplant from a few weeks ago. You can read about that saga here: https://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/topic/66383-say-it-aint-so/

Now, assuming that the 1500~2000 grafts I actually did get do in fact yield, about how many would it take to complete coverage, ballpark? You can see my before and after photos at the above link to estimate. And if they don't yield, about how many would it take based on my before photos, do you think?

As you can see from my donor pictures at said link, they didn't totally obliterate it. I've heard that a donor can give up to 8000 grafts; they've already burned through 3800, so as long as I don't need more than 4000 or so, I should still be good for complete coverage. Right? Wouldn't a donor with 8000 grafts taken out look weird?

My god this sucks.

 

 

[StillAlive]

Your only option for a successful repair and respectable result now, is Eugenix in India. They specialize in treating NW6/7 cases like yours and use beard and body hair to great effect. Keep in mind, as a NW7, you will not achieve 'full coverage' but a very respectable head of hair indeed. 

[Oxiborick]

14 minutes ago, StillAlive said:

Your only option for a successful repair and respectable result now, is Eugenix in India. They specialize in treating NW6/7 cases like yours and use beard and body hair to great effect. Keep in mind, as a NW7, you will not achieve 'full coverage' but a very respectable head of hair indeed. 

I'm Norwood 7? Doctors (not the clinic) all said I was Norwood 5. See attached pic.

[StillAlive]

I'm not a doctor, but I'd class you as NW6 with a possible progression to 7. The wispy combed over hair up top does not provide much coverage value. 

[Xanadu]

6, going on 7.

[Berba11]

Do you have a decent, full-ish beard? With potentially a couple thousand grafts down the drain, your scalp donor will be limited and you'll need to utilise additional donor resources I'd imagine.

[Z--]

Norwood 6 - need to see donor and lateral humps to see if you are going on 7. Ignore the person who said Eugenix is the "only option for a successful repair" lmao. Sethi is great, but there are many great repair options out there.

Look into Bisanga, Zarev, Konior, Mwamba, Eugenix (Dr. Sethi only - don't do a lesser package), Hattengen, Hasson & Wong. It's more important that you find a doctor who specializes with doing more with less given that you had some grafts wasted and/or a repair specialist.

Edited November 1, 2022 by Z--

[Rahal Hair Transplant]

@Oxiborick,

I’m sorry to hear about your situation. To answer your most recent question, there are approximately 100,000 hairs on the human head before any hair loss. Approximately 50,000 of those hairs make up the Norwood 5A area.  Since there are approximately 2.2 hairs that make up a follicular unit on average, you would need approximately 22,000 folliculat units to re-create true density to the top of a completely bald Norwood 5A scalp.

However, that’s not where it ends. Since true density is essentially impossible to re-create for most people, a hair transplant surgeon simply re-creates what’s referred to as an illusion of density by re-creating approximately 50% of one’s true density. This is also approximately how much hair loss one has to experience to begin seeing visual signs of thinning.  So in this case, to re-create an illusion of density on a full Norwood 5A, One would need approximately 11,000 grafts.

So mathematically, that’s essentially how it works out for someone with that much hair loss. When you consider strategic placement of the grafts, adding density to some areas while reducing density in other areas in order to maximize fullness to the critical areas,   the fact that patients usually have some natural hair on top of their head that will assist with density and fullness, etc., surgeons can typically get away with transplanting less.

Now in your case, do you have a significant amount of hair loss and you just underwent surgery.  The best thing you can do at this point is to wait it out and see how the grafts that were transplanted grow.  At that point, you can then decide what to do next.

Best wishes,

Rahal Hair Transplant

[Oxiborick]

51 minutes ago, Z-- said:

Norwood 6 - need to see donor and lateral humps to see if you are going on 7.

Doctors all said I was a 5 progressing to 6, but they could be wrong. 

 

29 minutes ago, Rahal Hair Transplant said:

The best thing you can do at this point is to wait it out

Yeah I think I'm just going to go with the Rogaine and Propecia for a long time, and get the finishing job done in January 2024.

Dr. Nader, who from what I understand is a good guy, says that this can definitely be repaired, so that's reassuring.

Edited November 1, 2022 by Oxiborick

[asterix0]

27 minutes ago, Oxiborick said:

Doctors all said I was a 5 progressing to 6, but they could be wrong. 

 

Yeah I think I'm just going to go with the Rogaine and Propecia for a long time, and get the finishing job done in January 2024.

Dr. Nader, who from what I understand is a good guy, says that this can definitely be repaired, so that's reassuring.

So, I haven't done comprehensive research on Dr. Nader but I don't believe he is the guy who can fix your situation.

You have fine hair and already a compromised donor from your first procedure. There are a select few clinics who can rectify your situation in the world, but do not use the criteria if they seem like a "good" or "nice" guy as a basis for your decision.

Now, you dont want your surgeon kicking puppies and pushing old ladies as they walk down the street obviously, but focus only on the results. Look for cases most similar to yours and see if the outcome was to your liking, as a best case scenario.

[NARMAK]

OP, take it one step at a time. Right now we don't know exactly how many hair will yield of the look visually for your situation and tbh, you may need to wait till about Month 10 or so before another clinic will be willing to take you on and even then it will require proper planning. I would say when you get to 6+ months, start reaching out to people about repairs from those reviewed and respected for their repair work you can get to. 

You need to just be patient and recover for now. 

[New_Barnet_Please]

Damn there’s some good advice on this thread to the OP and on others I’ve read recently - great community on the forum recently! 💯