Anxiety Pre Surgery

[TheGreatPretender]

Hi guys I know this has probably been asked beforehand and would just like some advise on how to deal with. 

As it stands I have been on 1 MG of Finasteride for 3 years and 5% of regaine for 2 so I felt that last year was the right time to look for transplants.

Having done my reesearch through some time I have booked a surgery with De Freitas for the following month, as the date approaches I can't help but to feel unease since it's my very first time going through it. 

I am a diffuse thinner in a NW V pattern so I may need a second intervention down the road and am well aware of it. 

I understand that expectations need to be lowered to avoid disappointment and that sometimes things just don't go as planned. 

I guess it's just the fear of the unknown is always a factor especially going the first time. I would like the advise from anyone who had similar feelings before going through the surgery. 

I have staid in touch with the clinic anyway and the communication has been positive so I have been sure to communicate my goals and concerns with then while trying to do as much mental prep for the moment knowing I will never be 100% ready for such a change. 

[ITA]

You have chosen one of the best surgeons around, so you can rest assured, good luck.

[TheGreatPretender]

3 minutes ago, ITA said:

You have chosen one of the best surgeons around, so you can rest assured, good luck.

I did my best to mitigate any potencial risks even if that ment spending a bit more in the end. His hairlines and results were really good so in the end I had to make the choice. 

Of course sometimes that ain't enough, sometimes the survival may not be as expected or sometimes mistakes happen even with the best. But at the end of the day I did what I could in my power to get the best possible surgeon for my budget time. 

Appreciate the comment anyway. 

[mister_25]

I don’t think anyone can be 100% mentally prepared for their first surgery. I spent around 15 months of researching before the day finally came and even then when it came down to it I wasn’t fully ready and prepared. And truth be told we all wish that hair transplants were 100% guaranteed successful when you eliminate all the risks by doing the ideal path of a ethical selected surgeon with proper medication use but even then it’s not guaranteed, it’s a hard reality that everyone should be aware off regardless if they can accept it or not.

Hair Transplants are a leap of faith, and I guess the only solace you can find is that from what you’ve said is that you’ve eliminated the obstacles that are in your direct control such as surgeon selection, medication usage and long term planning. You’ve maximised the odds into your favour which is the most anyone can do.

[TheGreatPretender]

10 minutes ago, mister_25 said:

I don’t think anyone can be 100% mentally prepared for their first surgery. I spent around 15 months of researching before the day finally came and even then when it came down to it I wasn’t fully ready and prepared. And truth be told we all wish that hair transplants were 100% guaranteed successful when you eliminate all the risks by doing the ideal path of a ethical selected surgeon with proper medication use but even then it’s not guaranteed, it’s a hard reality that everyone should be aware off regardless if they can accept it or not.

Hair Transplants are a leap of faith, and I guess the only solace you can find is that from what you’ve said is that you’ve eliminated the obstacles that are in your direct control such as surgeon selection, medication usage and long term planning. You’ve maximised the odds into your favour which is the most anyone can do.

You raise an interesting point and you are 100% correct.

It reminds me of that Inception exchange between Saito and Cobb. 

Cobb: If I were to do this, if I even could do it, I'd need a guarantee. How do I know you can deliver?

Saito: You don't... But I can. So, do you want to take a leap of faith? Or become an old man, filled with regret, waiting to die alone? 

As a hair loss sufferer this is the harshest and hardest of realities that one has to face especially on the circumstances of surgery. 

I guess all I can do at this point is tell myself I did what I had in my power to get this right and when the time comes take care of the grafts as best as I can before I see the end results. 

Of course it's still not enough to put me at ease but... It's as much assurance I can get from myself. 

Edited May 15, 2023 by TheGreatPretender

[A_4_Archan]

@TheGreatPretender Actually i went through the same...but you have selected one of the best surgeon....you have kept your expectations in check....you took your time to understand evrythn abt HT....you done your part well..now be confident ....i know its easier said than done...but you should feel the excitement rather thn being nervous ..you are soon going to get what you were willing and wishing since so long...

You won't believe but i went to thailand for my HT and i went there 2 days prior to my surgery and had so much fun..went foe sky diving and scuba diving and evrythng ....feel the excitement of the challenges and be positive ...i wish you all the best and i can bet you will be very happy with the outcome....

Edited May 15, 2023 by A_4_Archan

[TheGreatPretender]

Just now, A_4_Archan said:

@TheGreatPretender Actually i have went through the same...but your have selected one of the best surgeon....you have kept your expectations in check....you took your time to understand evrythn abt HT....you done your part well..now be confident ....i know its easier said than done...but you should feel the excitement rather thn being nervous ..you are soon going to get what you were willing and wishing since so long...

You won't believe but i went to thailand for my HT and i went there 2 days prior to my surgery and had so much fun..went foe sky diving and scuba diving and evrythng ....feel the excitement of the challenges and be positive ...i wish you all the best and i can bet you will be very happy with the outcome....

I know man. It's been a long time and honestly I am getting more and more flooded with doubts and fears since the day is so close. It is a massive mental hurdle and I just want to get this over with in a way...

[A_4_Archan]

1 minute ago, TheGreatPretender said:

I know man. It's been a long time and honestly I am getting more and more flooded with doubts and fears since the day is so close. It is a massive mental hurdle and I just want to get this over with in a way...

Don't think so much about it...just forget it and do things which you like to do....see you just have to do one thing ...just go there with a proper planning rather than being nervous ...just see how low you want your hairline ....you want to focus on density all over scalp or just want to focus on hairline upto mid scalp and want to address crown in 2nd session ....get sure about it...when you go there explain your doctor about that...and see he has to offer and than take your decision ...planning stage is most crucial ...so never rush out in that .

[TheGreatPretender]

1 minute ago, A_4_Archan said:

Don't think so much about it...just forget it and do things which you like to do....see you just have to do one thing ...just go there with a proper planning rather than being nervous ...just see how low you want your hairline ....you want to focus on density all over scalp or just want to focus on hairline upto mid scalp and want to address crown in 2nd session ....get sure about it...when you go there explain your doctor about that...and see he has to offer and than take your decision ...planning stage is most crucial ...so never rush out in that .

Yeah been thinking about it lately. I was more thinking on loading the frontal scalp with as much as I can and some grafts on the crown  as well since I have some thinning. Also considering adding oral Minoxidil to complement the transplant and maybe dut as I am thinking about going on full force medication wise. 

Tell you what. If you're curious I can send you some pics so you can see it for yourself. 

[Melvin- Admin]

Watch this

 

[TheGreatPretender]

7 minutes ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

Watch this

 

Thanks, watched this a couple of times already but still, going in for the first time and not having physically undergone the surgery is a massive mental battle. I have been prepping myself on this for more then a year but to be honest I still feel the same fear. 

I guess I will have to go through it and push it as much as I can hoping to have made the right choice not knowing it for at least a year. 

[Melvin- Admin]

Just now, TheGreatPretender said:

Thanks, watched this a couple of times already but still, going in for the first time and not having physically undergone the surgery is a massive mental battle. I have been prepping myself on this for more then a year but to be honest I still feel the same fear. 

I guess I will have to go through it and push it as much as I can hoping to have made the right choice not knowing it for at least a year. 

Just know that its worse before its better. Keep your expectations in check, and remember trust the process. You’ve researched for a long time. You’re not going in blindly.

[A_4_Archan]

7 hours ago, TheGreatPretender said:

Yeah been thinking about it lately. I was more thinking on loading the frontal scalp with as much as I can and some grafts on the crown  as well since I have some thinning. Also considering adding oral Minoxidil to complement the transplant and maybe dut as I am thinking about going on full force medication wise. 

Tell you what. If you're curious I can send you some pics so you can see it for yourself. 

Yeh you may send me the pics...

Good that you are willing to take oral minoxidil ...that will help you alot...

[TheGreatPretender]

11 minutes ago, A_4_Archan said:

Yeh you may send me the pics...

Good that you are willing to take oral minoxidil ...that will help you alot...

Check the inbox, PM sent.😁

[SuperC]

I'm going through the same thing and my transplant is still a couple months away.

My plan is to focus on trusting my past self. They did a bunch of research and made the best decision they could. Future me will be nervous, but that's okay. It just means you're doing something big for yourself, and that would be a little scary for anyone.

Looking forward to see how it turns out and what your experience is like (if you choose to share it here).

[TheGreatPretender]

7 minutes ago, gaz9318054 said:

I'm going through the same thing and my transplant is still a couple months away.

My plan is to focus on trusting my past self. They did a bunch of research and made the best decision they could. Future me will be nervous, but that's okay. It just means you're doing something big for yourself, and that would be a little scary for anyone.

Looking forward to see how it turns out and what your experience is like (if you choose to share it here).

Always happy to share in private. Just knock me up for a PM.

[AlexMeister21]

I would be excited if I had Freitas for my first procedure. Good on you for doing your research and choosing a good doctor. For me, I was a bit nervous before my first procedure but I was ready to get it over with because I had been dealing with combovers and hair loss for more than a decade at that point. Choosing Freitas, you're in good hands and you'll likely find that the surgery isn't as bad as you are probably expecting.

[TheGreatPretender]

5 minutes ago, AlexMeister21 said:

I would be excited if I had Freitas for my first procedure. Good on you for doing your research and choosing a good doctor. For me, I was a bit nervous before my first procedure but I was ready to get it over with because I had been dealing with combovers and hair loss for more than a decade at that point. Choosing Freitas, you're in good hands and you'll likely find that the surgery isn't as bad as you are probably expecting.

I am usually a carefull especially in matters that comes to my hair so I wouldnt be able to sleep if I had chosen to go to a standard Turkish hairmill instead or even if I chose some unknown local surgeon. It has been 8 years of suffering from this and I honestly want to get it over as much as you probably did but I had to wait for my time to come. 

Just hope De Freitas is able to get me into a good spot for a first pass at least and if necessary I can top it up in the future, hopefully I can slide the second with the help of some oral Min or worst case scenario reduce the number of grafts required.

[AlexMeister21]

4 minutes ago, TheGreatPretender said:

I am usually a carefull especially in matters that comes to my hair so I wouldnt be able to sleep if I had chosen to go to a standard Turkish hairmill instead or even if I chose some unknown local surgeon. It has been 8 years of suffering from this and I honestly want to get it over as much as you probably did but I had to wait for my time to come. 

Just hope De Freitas is able to get me into a good spot for a first pass at least and if necessary I can top it up in the future, hopefully I can slide the second with the help of some oral Min or worst case scenario reduce the number of grafts required.

8 years is a long time. The pain of hair loss definitely outweighed the fear of getting surgery for me, though I wish I was as diligent in research as you were. Freitas seems like he stands by his work, so I don't think you have much to worry about.

[TheGreatPretender]

Just now, AlexMeister21 said:

8 years is a long time. The pain of hair loss definitely outweighed the fear of getting surgery for me, though I wish I was as diligent in research as you were. Freitas seems like he stands by his work, so I don't think you have much to worry about.

It was much the oposite in my case, I just started meds a bit late but made sure to use the surgery always as a last resort. 

I was honestly fortunate that I consulted with an ethical local surgeon that pointed me towards the right direction instead of getting the money out of my pocket when I wasnt in meds. 

[Bucky O Hair]

I am also a NW5 and am exactly 4 weeks postop from my first ever hair transplant (I did it with Dr. Rahal).

I did enough research, and even held back from getting a hair transplant for many years.  So, when I booked this I knew I wanted to do this.  I am also a guy who doesn't suffer from any sort of anxiety ever, and am pretty laid back (even in the most stressful situations).

But even I found that in the couple of weeks leading up to my HT appointment, I woke up a couple hours earlier than I usually do and couldn't go back to sleep (similar to that mental alarm clock people have when they have something important in the morning to wake up for, like having to go to the airport in the morning).  I knew this was because of my HT appointment coming up, and even though I didn't feel nervousness or anxiety about it...It was obviously still on my mind if it was waking me up earlier than I normally wake up and had trouble getting back to sleep.

In the end, I felt a lot of relief after I finished my HT and had no more issues going back to sleep after that (despite having to sleep on a stupid incline with a travel pillow).  It will feel great when you're sitting there with your scabbed up head admiring your new hairline.  To be honest, all I was doing in the first two weeks was admiring my new hairline.  It's probably a good thing that it shed and I am in this ugly duckling phase.

Finally having completed your HT is a big task, so it's a good thing to get off your plate FINALLY.  Even though I have started the ugly duckling phase, I don't even care.  I didn't bother shaving my head yet, and I look pretty stupid now (with hair on the sides, and thinning hairs on the top again)...but I'm wearing some nice hats wherever I got and I could care less.  Couple more months, and I'll probably be able to cover up the bald spots with my native hairs, and the new hairs will begin sprouting.  

First month didn't feel long at all, and it's summer time, so wearing hats in casual summertime settings is totally ordinary.  I've already visited tons of people, went for dinners, barbecues, etc...and I've told NOBODY, hahaha.  I ain't telling anyone jack $hiiiit.   

But IMO so far, the preparation and lead up to the hair transplant was worse than the HT itself and the one-month postop period so far.

I think having a HT in the summer turned out to be a good thing after all.  I initially wanted to do it in the winter, but with events in the winter being indoors and people generally doing nothing in the winter time, I feel like being able to do all these outdoor things (with a hat on of course) really does make the time pass by.  

 

 

[TheGreatPretender]

1 minute ago, Bucky O Hair said:

I am also a NW5 and am exactly 4 weeks postop from my first ever hair transplant (I did it with Dr. Rahal).

I did enough research, and even held back from getting a hair transplant for many years.  So, when I booked this I knew I wanted to do this.  I am also a guy who doesn't suffer from any sort of anxiety ever, and am pretty laid back (even in the most stressful situations).

But even I found that in the couple of weeks leading up to my HT appointment, I woke up a couple hours earlier than I usually do and couldn't go back to sleep (similar to that mental alarm clock people have when they have something important in the morning to wake up for, like having to go to the airport in the morning).  I knew this was because of my HT appointment coming up, and even though I didn't feel nervousness or anxiety about it...It was obviously still on my mind if it was waking me up earlier than I normally wake up and had trouble getting back to sleep.

In the end, I felt a lot of relief after I finished my HT and had no more issues going back to sleep after that (despite having to sleep on a stupid incline with a travel pillow).  It will feel great when you're sitting there with your scabbed up head admiring your new hairline.  To be honest, all I was doing in the first two weeks was admiring my new hairline.  It's probably a good thing that it shed and I am in this ugly duckling phase.

Finally having completed your HT is a big task, so it's a good thing to get off your plate FINALLY.  Even though I have started the ugly duckling phase, I don't even care.  I didn't bother shaving my head yet, and I look pretty stupid now (with hair on the sides, and thinning hairs on the top again)...but I'm wearing some nice hats wherever I got and I could care less.  Couple more months, and I'll probably be able to cover up the bald spots with my native hairs, and the new hairs will begin sprouting.  

First month didn't feel long at all, and it's summer time, so wearing hats in casual summertime settings is totally ordinary.  I've already visited tons of people, went for dinners, barbecues, etc...and I've told NOBODY, hahaha.  I ain't telling anyone jack $hiiiit.   

But IMO so far, the preparation and lead up to the hair transplant was worse than the HT itself and the one-month postop period so far.

I think having a HT in the summer turned out to be a good thing after all.  I initially wanted to do it in the winter, but with events in the winter being indoors and people generally doing nothing in the winter time, I feel like being able to do all these outdoor things (with a hat on of course) really does make the time pass by.  

 

 

Good to know you are taking care of yourself. 

Question, you a diffuse thinner aswell? If so just curious if you got those hairs around the transplanted area still lying around. 

One of my actual concerns is really protecting the native hairs and avoiding transections since that is a risk in my case.

[Bucky O Hair]

1 minute ago, TheGreatPretender said:

Good to know you are taking care of yourself. 

Question, you a diffuse thinner aswell? If so just curious if you got those hairs around the transplanted area still lying around. 

One of my actual concerns is really protecting the native hairs and avoiding transections since that is a risk in my case.

Yea, my forelock had a decent amount of hair left (probably about 25-30 FU/cm2)...but they're all mostly miniaturized.

Dr. Rahal added hairs between them to replenish the area, increase the density, and obviously for it to match the fullly balded areas (like my temples and very thinning vertex, which will largely be comprised of transplanted hairs).

After one month, I can tell the difference between my transplanted hairs vs my native hairs.  My native hairs are growing at a normal rate (about 0.5 inch lengh per month) and my transplanted ones are growing a lot slower (probably because they are about to fall out and shed with the previous ones).

You're going to a big-name HT doctor, so transecting native hairs won't be a thing. That's usually a result of going to a no-name doc who doesn't know what they're doing.

 I thought that my miniaturized hairs would maybe fall out from the trauma of a hair transplant, but it looks like they're all there intact and growing just fine.  It's really just the newly transplanted hairs that aren't growing quickly, and all just shedding out (which is expected).

 

 

 

 

[TheGreatPretender]

2 minutes ago, Bucky O Hair said:

Yea, my forelock had a decent amount of hair left (probably about 25-30 FU/cm2)...but they're all mostly miniaturized.

Dr. Rahal added hairs between them to replenish the area, increase the density, and obviously for it to match the fullly balded areas (like my temples and very thinning vertex, which will largely be comprised of transplanted hairs).

After one month, I can tell the difference between my transplanted hairs vs my native hairs.  My native hairs are growing at a normal rate (about 0.5 inch lengh per month) and my transplanted ones are growing a lot slower (probably because they are about to fall out and shed with the previous ones).

You're going to a big-name HT doctor, so transecting native hairs won't be a thing. That's usually a result of going to a no-name doc who doesn't know what they're doing.

 I thought that my miniaturized hairs would maybe fall out from the trauma of a hair transplant, but it looks like they're all there intact and growing just fine.  It's really just the newly transplanted hairs that aren't growing quickly, and all just shedding out (which is expected).

 

 

 

 

If post surgery I am somewhere within the baseline on my frontal scalp I will actually be happy enough lol. 

I will mostly play with caliber and try to grow hair to shoulder lenght and try to make frontal bangs. I am at a point in which I am even considering extensions past certain lenght. 

Anyway, I hope you get the results you want at the end of this massive hurdle.

[Bucky O Hair]

1 minute ago, TheGreatPretender said:

If post surgery I am somewhere within the baseline on my frontal scalp I will actually be happy enough lol. 

I will mostly play with caliber and try to grow hair to shoulder lenght and try to make frontal bangs. I am at a point in which I am even considering extensions past certain lenght. 

Anyway, I hope you get the results you want at the end of this massive hurdle.

In my opinion, it's simple mathematics.

I paid for 3200 grafts across an 80 cm area, so I expect about 40 FU/cm2 average (with my front being 50 FU/cm2 and my vertex being closer to mid 30s).

I know what 50 FU/cm2 looks like, so that's what I expect to get across my hairline.   The yield that these preferred doctors is always pretty high, so I don't expect any negative results.  

I've been liking the results I see from people on here for the past while, and I think we've gotten to the point where bad results with top docs are generally not the same thing as what 'bad results' really were in the past (where people looked terrible).

Also, I am VERY satisfied with FUE donor area healing.

I can't see a single FUE scar at all.  I've been flashing all kinds of different lights up close and I can't see a single mark.  I've seen the same thing this with a couple of colleagues of mine who had received HTs themselves earlier in the year and wear their hair extremely short in their donor area.  I think FUE extraction over the years has improved in the HT industry so much that it's been a complete game changer.