Optimizing FUE Results

[AB.91]

Greetings,

I am booked for a FUE hair transplant with Dr. Yaman on 21st of June, a week from now.

He is going to transplants 5300 grafts from my head donor area to create a lower hairline, fill the crown and in between.

I will follow Dr. Yaman’s instructions but I would also would appreciate your input regarding how can I optimize my results and healing of donor site. 
 

I am not on any medications or supplements. 
 

Thanks.

[RTC]

I have started intermittent fasting, and IF is known to improve autophagy. I wonder if this could be a benefit when recovering from a surgery and speeding up/optimising growth

[Gatsby]

The best way to optimize your results would be to be on finasteride (I'm not a doctor). This is something your doctor and actually your surgeon should be discussing with you. Minoxidil can also be of benefit (in the oral version more so). Wishing you all the best!

[Rahal Hair Transplant]

@AB.91,

While it would help if you post photos, I can (generally speaking) tell you how to optimize your results. Firstly, just know that while surgical hair restoration is great at restoring hair to thinning and completely bald areas, it does nothing to stop the progression of male pattern baldness.   Thus, if you are still losing hair, I suggest speaking to a doctor about potentially using finasteride and possibly minoxidil.

Together, in particular, they do pretty well at slowing down, stopping, or even reversing the effects of androgenetic alopecia. Other than that, simply follow your doctors postoperative instructions and as long as you selected a qualified surgeon, your results should grow in in about 12 to 18 months.

I hope this helps.

Rahal Hair Transplant

Edited June 13, 2023 by Rahal Hair Transplant

[gillenator]

If it were me, I would do that in 2 separate procedures to help maximize the overall yield.

[AB.91]

Thanks for your replies everyone.

How soon after the transplant should I start the meds if I will?

Any other treatments or supplements topical or oral you suggest?

I might start taking some hair supplements like Solgar or Nature’s Bounty, anything specific do you recommend?

I am also thinking of doing multiple PRP treatments for both donor and recipient areas, first session at time of procedure and then 21 days, 45 days, 90 days and 180 days, 270 days and 360 days post-op. I believe it would help both the recipient area grow better and the donor area heal with minimal scarring. What do you think?

I have attached my photos for reference.

[AB.91]

10 hours ago, RTC said:

I have started intermittent fasting, and IF is known to improve autophagy. I wonder if this could be a benefit when recovering from a surgery and speeding up/optimising growth

I need to do that for my weight as well.

I always did it but stopped a few months back.

10 hours ago, Gatsby said:

The best way to optimize your results would be to be on finasteride (I'm not a doctor). This is something your doctor and actually your surgeon should be discussing with you. Minoxidil can also be of benefit (in the oral version more so). Wishing you all the best!

Will consider it. Thanks.

3 hours ago, Rahal Hair Transplant said:

@AB.91,

While it would help if you post photos, I can (generally speaking) tell you how to optimize your results. Firstly, just know that while surgical hair restoration is great at restoring hair to thinning and completely bald areas, it does nothing to stop the progression of male pattern baldness.   Thus, if you are still losing hair, I suggest speaking to a doctor about potentially using finasteride and possibly minoxidil.

Together, in particular, they do pretty well at slowing down, stopping, or even reversing the effects of androgenetic alopecia. Other than that, simply follow your doctors postoperative instructions and as long as you selected a qualified surgeon, your results should grow in in about 12 to 18 months.

I hope this helps.

Rahal Hair Transplant

Will consider it. Thanks.

2 hours ago, gillenator said:

If it were me, I would do that in 2 separate procedures to help maximize the overall yield.

How would separating the procedure affect the yield? Curious.

To be honest, I have been delaying this decision for more than 7 years. I’m really anxious about it and I don’t want to go through the experience again.

I did not request anything from the doctor, it was his opinion to do it at once, and I can’t say I don’t like that.

Of course I am afraid of overharvesting or scarring the donor, but after seeing many results of Dr. Yaman here I believe I am in safe hands.

[gillenator]

Let’s think about this…2 separate procedures would equate to 2,650 grafts per session (slightly under 3,000 apiece)….the level of trauma would be cut in half and the scalp overall would be in much better condition regarding swelling, bleeding, pain, etc, etc.

Approximately 15 years ago when custom sized blades became the favored instrument for creating recipient sites, many of the top surgeons began using them because custom blades were less invasive and the saggital sites could be made much smaller thereby paving the way for dense packing…this caught on like wild fire and soon the BUZZ in the online hairloss forums was guys wanting to get the highest packed numbers possible…but was that the best approach?…not necessarily.

More does not always equate to better results and I am referring more to overall yield…basically, the more incisions that are made into a defined surface area, the more or higher related level of trauma is induced…and when you raise the corresponding level of trauma, the yield can certainly decrease…the blood supply can also be compromised when too much dense packing is done.

Now having said all of this, I have no idea the specifics of your case and so all I am saying is that for me, I would limit how dense the grafting would be per procedure to maximize blood flow, minimize trauma, minimize scarring, things like that to improve or optimize the overall end result of each procedure.

Obviously everyone responds differently to trauma and this is my favored approach to be maybe more conservative…either way, I wish you the best results possible!

[Turkhair]

17 hours ago, RTC said:

I have started intermittent fasting, and IF is known to improve autophagy. I wonder if this could be a benefit when recovering from a surgery and speeding up/optimising growth

Fasting has many health benefits but many are also exaggerated. Starving yourself of essential and non-essential nutrients is not the way to heal from a surgery. If fasting was so great, African population wouldn’t be so diseased and suffering and there’s very little difference between the fasting done for non-religious reasons and unintentional fasting by Africans. 

Hair grows great with finasteride, minoxidil and proper nutrients and vitamins. Wounds also heal great. 

[RTC]

1 hour ago, Turkhair said:

Fasting has many health benefits but many are also exaggerated. Starving yourself of essential and non-essential nutrients is not the way to heal from a surgery. If fasting was so great, African population wouldn’t be so diseased and suffering and there’s very little difference between the fasting done for non-religious reasons and unintentional fasting by Africans. 

Hair grows great with finasteride, minoxidil and proper nutrients and vitamins. Wounds also heal great. 

Very strange comparison bro. The 'fasting' you speak of in some Sub-Saharan African populations is literally starvation with low nutrient and poor food intake. It's not the same as eating for 8 hours and fasting for 16.

[Turkhair]

12 minutes ago, RTC said:

Very strange comparison bro. The 'fasting' you speak of in some Sub-Saharan African populations is literally starvation with low nutrient and poor food intake. It's not the same as eating for 8 hours and fasting for 16.

I don’t know what type of diet plan and fasting you’re practicing, some types restrict the food and involve fasting for days on end which is no different to my example equating starvation. When I google intermittent fasting, it comes up with these extreme diet plans and fasting hours. I only know and do religious fasting and it’s less extreme. 

If you’re not restricting your diet and only not eating for a few hours then ignore what I said. It shouldn’t affect things too much. 
 

By the way fasting must not be good because you can get hair loss from weight loss and restricted diet

https://www.lindora.com/faq/what-causes-hair-loss-during-dieting/

Edited June 14, 2023 by Turkhair

[RTC]

7 minutes ago, Turkhair said:

I don’t know what type of diet plan and fasting you’re practicing, some types restrict the food and involve fasting for days on end which is no different to my example equating starvation. When I google intermittent fasting, it comes up with these extreme diet plans and fasting hours. I only know and do religious fasting and it’s less extreme. 

If you’re not restricting your diet and only not eating for a few hours then ignore what I said. It shouldn’t affect things too much. 
 

By the way fasting must not be good because you can get hair loss from weight loss and restricted diet

https://www.lindora.com/faq/what-causes-hair-loss-during-dieting/

Yes I'm referring to 16/8 fasting (and religious fasting also during Ramadan, but I wouldn't schedule a HT during/around Ramadan).

Any hormonal change in your body can cause transient weight loss so I wouldn't worry about that. It'll come back.