7,5 Months after hair transplant, very poor regrowth. How may chances to see a real improvement after the 8th month?

[Argenta3]

Hi,

I had a hair transpant in a highly reputed european clinic 7,5 months ago.

My starting point is "I was bald" (like NW VI). 

The clinic proposed to take a 1st procedure (around 4050 graft) for the frontal part to begin and then evaluate a second transplant for the crown in the future.

They told me that the surgery went as expected, the head after scabs fell (around 11 days after the surgery) looked very good.

After that, things went on normally until the 2nd month and a week when I had a bad folliculitis that lasted 6-7 weeks (where I have been instructed to use an antibiotic cream morning and evening).

Folliculitis resolved around 3,5 months from surgery. they told me to start using minoxidil.

Around the 4th month some regrowth started but very slow.

At the 6th month the situation was better but the regrowth was still really poor in density compared to right after surgery when scabs fell (in most of the recipient area it looks like if less of 20% of grafts have survived).

It was the 1st check point that was discussed with the clinic to evaluate the transplant and compared to other transplants and to what people say about timeline, my transplant seemed a very bad failure (even if I were a slow grower).

At the clinic they told me to wait to evaluate the result at least till 1 year, that my folliculitis might have slowed the regrowth, that new hair can come out till 1 year, and after that it could take more time to see the hair thickening.

1 month and a half later I don't really see any improvement compared to 6th month (taking hi-res pics of zones in detail and comparing hairs one to one, they are the same, it doesn't look like new hairs are spurring out at all).

Can I really expect a real improvement still (something that could take me close to the "11 days post surgery" result) or should i start bracing for a bad failure?

 

 

[Big Rome]

1 hour ago, Argenta3 said:

Hi,

I had a hair transpant in a highly reputed european clinic 7,5 months ago.

My starting point is "I was bald" (like NW VI). 

The clinic proposed to take a 1st procedure (around 4050 graft) for the frontal part to begin and then evaluate a second transplant for the crown in the future.

They told me that the surgery went as expected, the head after scabs fell (around 11 days after the surgery) looked very good.

After that, things went on normally until the 2nd month and a week when I had a bad folliculitis that lasted 6-7 weeks (where I have been instructed to use an antibiotic cream morning and evening).

Folliculitis resolved around 3,5 months from surgery. they told me to start using minoxidil.

Around the 4th month some regrowth started but very slow.

At the 6th month the situation was better but the regrowth was still really poor in density compared to right after surgery when scabs fell (in most of the recipient area it looks like if less of 20% of grafts have survived).

It was the 1st check point that was discussed with the clinic to evaluate the transplant and compared to other transplants and to what people say about timeline, my transplant seemed a very bad failure (even if I were a slow grower).

At the clinic they told me to wait to evaluate the result at least till 1 year, that my folliculitis might have slowed the regrowth, that new hair can come out till 1 year, and after that it could take more time to see the hair thickening.

1 month and a half later I don't really see any improvement compared to 6th month (taking hi-res pics of zones in detail and comparing hairs one to one, they are the same, it doesn't look like new hairs are spurring out at all).

Can I really expect a real improvement still (something that could take me close to the "11 days post surgery" result) or should i start bracing for a bad failure?

 

 

do you have any images to upload? the more experienced guys on here will be able to assist you better with images 

[Gramatik]

2 hours ago, Argenta3 said:

Hi,

I had a hair transpant in a highly reputed european clinic 7,5 months ago.

My starting point is "I was bald" (like NW VI). 

The clinic proposed to take a 1st procedure (around 4050 graft) for the frontal part to begin and then evaluate a second transplant for the crown in the future.

They told me that the surgery went as expected, the head after scabs fell (around 11 days after the surgery) looked very good.

After that, things went on normally until the 2nd month and a week when I had a bad folliculitis that lasted 6-7 weeks (where I have been instructed to use an antibiotic cream morning and evening).

Folliculitis resolved around 3,5 months from surgery. they told me to start using minoxidil.

Around the 4th month some regrowth started but very slow.

At the 6th month the situation was better but the regrowth was still really poor in density compared to right after surgery when scabs fell (in most of the recipient area it looks like if less of 20% of grafts have survived).

It was the 1st check point that was discussed with the clinic to evaluate the transplant and compared to other transplants and to what people say about timeline, my transplant seemed a very bad failure (even if I were a slow grower).

At the clinic they told me to wait to evaluate the result at least till 1 year, that my folliculitis might have slowed the regrowth, that new hair can come out till 1 year, and after that it could take more time to see the hair thickening.

1 month and a half later I don't really see any improvement compared to 6th month (taking hi-res pics of zones in detail and comparing hairs one to one, they are the same, it doesn't look like new hairs are spurring out at all).

Can I really expect a real improvement still (something that could take me close to the "11 days post surgery" result) or should i start bracing for a bad failure?

 

 

Please upload pictures and say the name of the clinic, otherwise this thread is not useful...

[HappyMan2021]

2 hours ago, Gramatik said:

Please upload pictures and say the name of the clinic, otherwise this thread is not useful...

please say the name of the clinic

At 7.5 months, you may still see thickening and maturing of the grafts that have already grown. But it is unlikely you will see a bunch of new grafts sprouting, nor should you expect any significant, revolutionary change from the current state. 

[Argenta3]

1,2 and 3 are pics from pre-surgery

4 and 5 are between 2 and 3 weeks after the surgery, all scabs gone (and with them 10-15% of hairs fell but it was expected)

6,7,8 are 7 months and a half after transplant

[Argenta3]

1 hour ago, HappyMan2021 said:

please say the name of the clinic

At 7.5 months, you may still see thickening and maturing of the grafts that have already grown. But it is unlikely you will see a bunch of new grafts sprouting, nor should you expect any significant, revolutionary change from the current state. 

Asmed

[Melvin- Admin]

It’s still early, I would give it a few more months. Also, try and grow it out, this will help the “illusion of density.”

[ray35]

I'm thinking as I zoom in you got a lot there yet to really present themselves visually ... sure you have those longer ones but quite a few stubs not really as apparent... I suspect you'll be ok and pretty pleased over the next couple months 

[Marko7t4]

As Melvin said, grow your hair out a bit and you will notice an improvement straight away. 

[botchedguy95]

Hate to be negative mate because you are already probably worried and it is true what others said about maybe waiting a few months and also growing your hair out but..

I believe you can see this is an extremely sub par result already, zooming in on your head I don't see more than 5-10grafts per cm/sq.. and I am not surprised this is from ASMED..

In the end, do not let this clinic blame you, and do not believe them when they say wait 18 months, this is just them hoping you will grow tired and walk away..

Whatever you do, do NOT go back for a repair, they might offer this for free because it is cheaper than a refund, don't go back..

Start making plans already to go to an ethical clinic that is not a hair mill, select one in Europe, I recommend bruno pinto, bruno ferreira, bisanga, couto, fereiduni, 

If they took 4000 grafts, maybe you are lucky and have 3000-4000 left + beard grafts and you can still achieve a pretty good result in my opinion

Edited December 15, 2022 by botchedguy95

[asterix0]

On 12/12/2022 at 4:06 PM, Argenta3 said:

Asmed

Why did you go to ASMED? Were you aware of the recent bad results that have been posted here from their patients?

Edited December 15, 2022 by asterix0

[Argenta3]

 Hi,

thank you all for the answers.

And of course I'll give it more time, also cause at the moment there is not much else I can do. I will try to let it grow even if i don't really like the effect.

About zooming and seeing a lot yet to really present visually ....partially true, yes, and in HI RES pics there is even more BUT it is the around the same that was there 1 month ago and I think in some area it might also be due to the effect of minoxidil on my original scalp (closing to the 4th month of usage, there could be a lot of vellus that will remain vellus where i wasn't totally bald, correct me if I'm wrong). 

I will wait the 18th month anyway. And I'm not even thinking about the second transplant at the moment (they told me i didn't reach 6k in total. so i have something more than 1500 but less than 2k left + beard).

In the forum I used to check Asmed was still considered pretty much a good place and I started talking with them and planning the surgery at the end of 2020. 

If you think it might be interesting, I'll keep posting pictures every 3 months till the 18th.

 

 

 

 

[BaldingEagle1]

Not like you have a choice, but id wait. 10 month mark should be enough.

[Argenta3]

On 12/13/2022 at 1:19 AM, ray35 said:

I'm thinking as I zoom in you got a lot there yet to really present themselves visually ... sure you have those longer ones but quite a few stubs not really as apparent... I suspect you'll be ok and pretty pleased over the next couple months 

and if in the end you're right...I promise I'm not going to complain at all😆

[botchedguy95]

On 12/15/2022 at 5:05 PM, asterix0 said:

Why did you go to ASMED? Were you aware of the recent bad results that have been posted here from their patients?

Don't blame him mate, ASMEDs social media team roam the internet to supress negative sentinemt towards the clinic, the clinic also pays the moderators on the Italian and Turkish forums to remove negative results, this is why threads disappear. 

ASMEDs being held in high regard was never sustainable in the long run, eventually the awful results pile up so high that they need to use shady tactics to get customers. Even on the french and swedish forums the reputation of ASMED and Koray has hit rock bottom. Now their hunting grounds is the Turkish, Italian forums and facebook.

[HappyMan2021]

Does ASMED at least chauffeur you to and from the airport?

Do they take cool before and after photos I can put on Instagram and all my dating apps?

Asking the real questions lol. 

[asterix0]

27 minutes ago, botchedguy95 said:

Don't blame him mate, ASMEDs social media team roam the internet to supress negative sentinemt towards the clinic, the clinic also pays the moderators on the Italian and Turkish forums to remove negative results, this is why threads disappear. 

ASMEDs being held in high regard was never sustainable in the long run, eventually the awful results pile up so high that they need to use shady tactics to get customers. Even on the french and swedish forums the reputation of ASMED and Koray has hit rock bottom. Now their hunting grounds is the Turkish, Italian forums and facebook.

Damn absolutely shameless on their end.

[SeanT1]

I don't know if I'm missing something, but it seems like the majority of your grafts survived?
Hair transplants aren't really meant to be shaven so short.
 

[Dillpickle123]

I wonder what went wrong day 11 shows a potentially great result! Looks dense and would’ve been great I see rn a lot of vellus hairs in your picture 

[Al - Moderator]

If I'm reading right you say you are at 7.5 months and started minoxidil at about 3.5 months (4 months ago). If this is true there could be one possibility that is slowing down your growth. I imagine you could have had a shed of the grafts that had just started growing after you started minoxidil and perhaps you didn't even notice as new grafts were growing in at the same time some were shedding. If that happened then you could still get some growth from those early ones that shed from starting the minoxidil. I'm not saying that's the case, but I'm thinking there is that possibility.

 

[Argenta3]

Thank you for the comments and for sharing your thoughts.

I just cut them short with small scissors at 6th month and then again at 7,5 cause the  overall effect made me feel less gloomy (and i was used to keep them short/shaved in the previous 10 years).

Actually at 7,5 they probably looked  even less than they looked at the 6th month (and after a week it doesn't look like it changed much now). I'm letting them grow on their own again.

It always seems like there are a lot of vellus or "slightly more than vellus" hair when you zoom enough but they didn't seem to improve much compared to the previous month.

Here there is a very zoomed detail of the zone that looks worst on the head.

I'll post something again at the 9th month.

[Al - Moderator]

They are either miniaturized hairs that you had before the transplant or they could be new hairs just coming in. Take another picture in a month to check.