1000 grafts FUE Dr. Cooley

[Logan_P]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share my experiences as I'm sure there are many out there reading these reviews considering moving forward with a procedure.  Knowing how much these helped me I wanted to share my experiences in hopes that it help some of you make the decision that is right for you.

After many years of contemplation I finally decided to do something to address the weakening of my hairline.  It's something I've been aware of and watching since I was around 19 years old.  The helpless feeling of watching the slow deterioration was always in the back of my mind - I'm sure many of you can relate.  I finally decided to do something about it.

I'm local to Dr. Cooley and have met with him a couple of times over the past 10 years before finally scheduling my surgery.  I did lots of research on this site prior to my first appointment and felt extremely lucky to have such a highly respected surgeon in driving distance.  I never really considered any other surgeons although I know there are many which also achieve amazing results.

My goal was a subtle result as I'm 50 years old and wanted it to be age appropriate - just better.  I wanted a more defined hairline and any lowering would be a bonus.  What I told him was "I'm not unhappy with my current hairline, I just want it more defined and stronger".  The first 3 pics are from the last consult where I booked my surgery.  The lines drawn showed what Dr. Cooley recommended for my desired result, and he recommended 800-1000 grafts.  I chose 1,000 when he said that my donor area could easily support that number, and I booked the surgery.  I remember looking at these pics many times as I waited for my surgery date imagining the result, cautiously optimistic.

While waiting for the surgery I received Dr. Cooley's ECV treatment to improve the existing hair that I had.  As you can see in the first pics, it was very thin and transparent along the hairline.  Compare that to the later pics and you can see a definite improvement in thickness.

The next few images are the day of surgery (6/7).  You can see the marks he used prior to any grafts being implanted.  These were taken after all of the donors had been harvested, I somewhat remember taking these pictures right before I ate lunch.  

The next mages are in the hotel room after the surgery was completed.  I was absolutely in shock (in a great way) when I had a chance to see the result.  Fast forward almost 3 weeks and you will see the picture comparing my hairline from 2018 to today.  Keep in mind I would have been thrilled to get back to the 2018 photo, but clearly the 2023 hairline is even better.  I know that these grafts will likely go away for a few months which I am not looking forward to - but hopefully they will all return quickly.

Dr. Cooley and his team have been fantastic and I honestly couldn't be happier with my result - albeit only about 3 weeks out.  They answered all of my questions (I had quite a few) and always made me feel important and never a bother.  The day of surgery was anxious for me, until I met with Dr. Cooley.  We talked about my expectations and he set my mind at ease again.  Surgery was honestly the easiest part as you're not really aware of what is happening.  The procedure starts, then you wake up for lunch, then the next part of the procedure begins and you wake up in time to catch your ride back to the hotel.  Honestly, it was just that simple.

If you are considering Dr. Cooley, take this as the most positive recommendation I can provide.  His passion about his craft is obvious, and his reputation is well deserved.

I will keep everyone updated as this journey continues.

I also wanted to thank this site and all the members and doctors who contribute to it.  You cannot fathom how much help your contributions are to all of us who were considering this procedure.  I know that my hair concerns have impacted me for longer than I care to remember and taken far too much joy from my life.  Having a resource like this site is beyond helpful.

I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

[Melvin- Admin]

Awesome write-up, Dr. Cooley is one of the best. The extractions look clean. I’ll be following closely.

[Logan_P]

Small update at about the one month mark.  I'm def noticing that the transplanted area is thinning.  

I knew this would happen but it still doesn't make it any more fun!!  On the bright side it is nice to know that these guys should be back in a few months.

The donor area feels almost back to normal.  Since the surgery I had some tenderness in a few areas, mostly those closer to the sides of my head and higher up.  Now it's almost completely gone, but I still get a few strange sensations which I assume is all of the nerve endings healing?

If anyone has questions feel free to ask them here or send me a private message.

[Chrisno]

Just nerve endings, it's normal. I'm 9 days post op, and still a bit itchy, tender and a little sore a few places. Nothing to worry about!

[Logan_P]

1 minute ago, Chrisno said:

Just nerve endings, it's normal. I'm 9 days post op, and still a bit itchy, tender and a little sore a few places. Nothing to worry about!

I was expecting it to be more painful directly after the surgery.  I ended up not taking any of the pain meds that I was prescribed.  I remember a slight headache the first day or two but nothing major.

Congrats on the surgery and happy healing!!

[Hair Triggered]

Congrats. It’s looking good. Had my surgery with Dr. Cooley. I had a great result with being NW6. Can you show pictures of your current donor? 

[Spring15]

Looking forward to seeing how it turns out

[Davies]

Keep us all informed with how you progress. This looks like great work by Dr Cooley 👏

[Logan_P]

Here are a few quick photos.  The unevenness is due to me trimming my own hair with clippers, not anything Dr. Cooley did.  I am planning a real haircut this week so I'll have better pics then.  My wife says she can't tell anything was done.  She said that after she saw the pics of all the holes poked in my head she was worried she would be able to, but she can't.  The panoramic pic was my wife's brainchild and I think it's hilarious!  lol  Very pleased so far with the healing!

 

[Hair Triggered]

Donor looks good 

[Logan_P]

11 hours ago, Hair Triggered said:

Donor looks good 

Thanks, I think so too.

[Logan_P]

Here is a comparison showing how the transplanted hairs have shed.  Int the first pic, please ignore the scabs which were coming off and wet after a shower.  I know it's really gross to look at but this was very early after the surgery and I was not about to scrub on the grafts.  The other pic is from this morning where nearly all of the grafts have shed.  This really shows all the areas that Dr. Cooley worked on beyond just moving the hairline down - there was quite a bit done to strengthen and fill in my current hairline.

Again, I would have been happy with just the strengthening of my current hairline but I was literally shocked when I looked at myself in the mirror directly after the surgery!  It was like going back in time.

I can't tell you what an emotional roller coaster it is to see yourself transformed after the surgery, only to watch yourself age 20 years in a week or two!

Hope this is helpful to any of you who haven't been through this yet, and again thank you to Dr. Cooley and his staff for taking such good care of me.  

Now if those hairs would just hurry up and start growing again!!  

 

 

[BaldReaper]

was your donor checked for DUPA?

[Logan_P]

16 hours ago, BaldV said:

was your donor checked for DUPA?

Yes I was, and I do not have DUPA.  I just inherited very fine hair unfortunately!

[Logan_P]

Another update after my first real haircut since the surgery, skin fade on the sides and back.  Really really pleased with how it looks already!

My wife said that unless you know what you're looking for you'd never notice, which I agree with.

The patch near my crown without hair is a scar from when I had to have a basal cell removal a few years back.

[Logan_P]

Not much new to report as I'm 8 weeks out from my surgery, impatiently waiting for some new friends to re-appear!    All of my donors have fully healed which is great, and everything looks really good, even with a super short haircut.

 

[lunchables]

Looking good! How long was the waitlist for a consult and the actual procedure?

[Logan_P]

On 8/4/2023 at 6:01 PM, lunchables said:

Looking good! How long was the waitlist for a consult and the actual procedure?

Thanks!  I called in early May 2022 to schedule a consult which took place in mid August, so about 2.5 months.  After my consult the next available surgery date was June 7 2023 or about 10 months.  Don't let the long times discourage you, it's worth the wait in my opinion to see one of the best.  Feel free to private message me with more questions!

Edited August 7, 2023 by Logan_P

[hairman804]

Looks fantastic!

[Logan_P]

10 hours ago, hairman804 said:

Looks fantastic!

Thanks.  It's a strange feeling to look back at some of these pictures and wonder where the hell did they all go?!    There are a few which decided to stick around and those are all growing very quickly (my hair has always grown fast), it's a nice reminder of what is hopefully to come.

[harryforreal]

Looks good so far.  When I think Dr. Cooley, I think nice hairlines, but a preference for FUT.  Did Dr. Cooley discuss FUT vs. FUE with you, and if so what did he say?

[Logan_P]

42 minutes ago, harryforreal said:

Looks good so far.  When I think Dr. Cooley, I think nice hairlines, but a preference for FUT.  Did Dr. Cooley discuss FUT vs. FUE with you, and if so what did he say?

Thanks!  Yes, Dr. Cooley and I discussed FUT vs FUE.  He said I was an ideal candidate for FUE due to several factors such as my active lifestyle, my short haircut and the fact that by my age the donor area is well established and he felt very little risk of being at risk for future loss.

Edited August 8, 2023 by Logan_P

[harryforreal]

2 hours ago, Logan_P said:

Thanks!  Yes, Dr. Cooley and I discussed FUT vs FUE.  He said I was an ideal candidate for FUE due to several factors such as my active lifestyle, my short haircut and the fact that by my age the donor area is well established and he felt very little risk of being at risk for future loss.

Interesting. I had the impression that he favored FUT because he felt FUT offered better opportunity for selecting fine hairs to create a soft hairline.  Did he mention this as an advantage of FUT, or did he feel there was there no advantage in one or the other with regards to this?

[Logan_P]

18 hours ago, harryforreal said:

Interesting. I had the impression that he favored FUT because he felt FUT offered better opportunity for selecting fine hairs to create a soft hairline.  Did he mention this as an advantage of FUT, or did he feel there was there no advantage in one or the other with regards to this?

He said that since I have fine hair, finding good donors for my hairline was not a problem.  For coarser hair, FUT does allow better ability to get the finer hairs.  I guess my fine hair curse is a benefit in this instance.  

[harryforreal]

Ok, thanks for the feedback! I look forward to seeing the final result in some months!