FUT with Dr. Blake Bloxham | 2,537 Grafts | July 2023

[cloudyhaze]

Background
I'm an 36 YO asian male who always had thick hair and noticed thinning in the crown and the sides of my hairline back in 2011. I was on/off finasteride and minoxidl but never really stayed consistent. I discovered this website and posted here with pics of my hair over the years back in December 2020 as I was considering booking with Dr. Bloxham at the time, which you can see below. I was hesitant for 2 years as I was worried that I would need 2 procedures, meaning I couldnt grow out my hair nicely after the first one with a big thinning crown. And if I wanted to have a buzzcut like I have already been doing, it would expose the FUT scar.

I decided to just go through with it as the hairline was really important for me and that I can SMP the scar when it comes down to it. I could decide a year later how I feel as I would be in a better position hair wise than I am now. I booked my appointment in January of this year and had my surgery last week on July 12th with Dr. Bloxham.
 

Surgery Day / Pre Op
I came in to the office and met with Dr. Bloxham so that he can examine my scalp and agree on game plan. As with most patients, the plan was to densely pack the frontal third and work our way back, with the acknowledgment that a second procedure would be needed for the crown anyway. He said that the middle part of my frontal third was on it's way out so that he would implant grafts there as well.

Surgery Day / During Operation
Dr. Bloxham made me feel very at ease, explaining exactly how I would feel before feeling it. He mentioned the needles injecting with the numbing fluids would feel like it hurts the most, which was true. I didn't feel much when they took out the strip or the actual incisions being made nor did I even see any blood unless I asked them to take a picture for me. It was funny sitting in that chair and hearing random songs from the 80s and 90s as that's what I recall hearing in past Youtube videos on Bloxham's channel. Some classics that I heard during my operation were Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart", Mariah Carey's "One Sweet Day", Wham's "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go".

I was given water, gatorade, gummy bears, and option to order a meal and beverage from a take out menu, which was nice as I was expecting to just eat some protein bars I brought.

I was chatting up the technicians and at a certain point one technician said every graft she implanted, 3-4 popped out. I asked if that was happening before I started chatting them, and she said it wasn't so I stopped for a bit, as maybe my blood pressure was being raised. They also mentioned that my scalp was really hard and it was more of a challenge inserting the grafts. I wonder if that results in low blood flow which also contributed to my balding? 

Looking at the implants placed towards the back, I am curious what the community here thinks, if that rounded arch in the middle will look wierd when grown out?




Surgery Day / Post Op
Dr. Bloxham quoted me at 3,000 grafts pre op, but we only ended up with 2,573. He said he could have gotten another 500 possibly but the scar would go even higher up on both ends, which wouldn't look good, which I agreed. He gave me a hat to wear for the first three days which helped protect the grafts from touching anything and sunlight.

Recovering at home the past week
Sleeping with a travel pillow and at a 45 degree angle was not as bad as I thought although I did wake up twice each night for the first 5 nights. I tried sleeping on my actual head the 5th night but feeling the staples was bothering me so I plan on stick with the same sleeping position until after I get my staples removed.

I didn't wash my hair until the 3rd day after surgery in which I followed the office's directions and poured water over my head mixed with soap. I would see long hairs in the shower drain which appears to be my native hair on the sides of my head. Some were bunched up together so I assume they were near the staples and fell out due to the tension. There's alot of opinions on how many days it take for grafts to lock in, but I'm still worried so I have yet to actually touch the grafts. I think part of it is due to what happened in the office last week where my grafts were popping out. I have yet to see any blood from any implanted grafts, so I assume I'm safe.

Edited July 19, 2023 by cloudyhaze

[Matt434]

Looking forward to seeing an update!

[Melvin- Admin]

Did he inject the strip incision with Verteporfin?

[cloudyhaze]

2 hours ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

Did he inject the strip incision with Verteporfin?

Nope, the patients he did that one were from the day before..although I wish there was extra left for me haha.

[M32111]

Awesome, so far so good!

 

Can I ask how much this cost? And are staples needed for all FUTs with Bloxham? Or just for this number of grafts?

Thanks!

[cloudyhaze]

1 minute ago, M32111 said:

Awesome, so far so good!

 

Can I ask how much this cost? And are staples needed for all FUTs with Bloxham? Or just for this number of grafts?

Thanks!

Mine was $14k flat. Staples are needed for all FUT procedures as it helps the donor area enough in the initial 10-14 days to prevent it from stretching. I just got my staple removal out yesterday. Feel free to ask any more questions you may have.

Edited July 26, 2023 by cloudyhaze

[M32111]

42 minutes ago, cloudyhaze said:

Mine was $14k flat. Staples are needed for all FUT procedures as it helps the donor area enough in the initial 10-14 days to prevent it from stretching. I just got my staple removal out yesterday. Feel free to ask any more questions you may have.

Thanks so much. I'm in NYC and I think Bloxham is the way I'm going to go, just need to make sure I have the funds. The staples kind of scare me a bit to be honest.

They shaved just the area they were adding to? And the gameplan is to wear a hat for the next few months? 

[cloudyhaze]

5 minutes ago, M32111 said:

Thanks so much. I'm in NYC and I think Bloxham is the way I'm going to go, just need to make sure I have the funds. The staples kind of scare me a bit to be honest.

They shaved just the area they were adding to? And the gameplan is to wear a hat for the next few months? 

Yea they shaved off just the area they were working off of. My plan right now is just to go the buzzcut route even if scar is showing, as that is better than covering up the sides but the top being uneven or shedding, which looks worse in my opinion. I was pretty much already wearing a hat for the past few years for most events as I was already working with a really low buzzcut.

If you go through with it, you just have to pay a $2.5k deposit, and the rest of the payment is due on day of surgery. So I paid 2.5k in january, and paid in full 2 weeks ago.
 

Edited July 26, 2023 by cloudyhaze

[cloudyhaze]

2 days ago I got my staples removed (13 days with staples). I had 2 questions if anyone can help me answer.

1. Areas below and above my scar still feel sensitive. I see other people scars around 10 days after seem to be flat and just the skin. Does it look like mine is just dried blood that hasn't fallen off yet? Should I be more aggressive in washing it during the shower? I've been pretty gentle just rubbing suds on the scar.

2. I understand hair falls off with scabs, but I noticed some areas that were all transplants where it just looks completely slick bald now. I assumed I would still see a black dot in those areas, meaning hair will grow from those areas. What would be the reason it looks slick bald?

[JoeD]

13 hours ago, cloudyhaze said:

2 days ago I got my staples removed (13 days with staples). I had 2 questions if anyone can help me answer.

1. Areas below and above my scar still feel sensitive. I see other people scars around 10 days after seem to be flat and just the skin. Does it look like mine is just dried blood that hasn't fallen off yet? Should I be more aggressive in washing it during the shower? I've been pretty gentle just rubbing suds on the scar.

2. I understand hair falls off with scabs, but I noticed some areas that were all transplants where it just looks completely slick bald now. I assumed I would still see a black dot in those areas, meaning hair will grow from those areas. What would be the reason it looks slick bald?

I would confirm with your doc, but I’m pretty sure you can really more aggressively scrub the scabbing and dried blood off the scar. I also think the sensitivity is still completely normal. I had the exact same thing for several weeks. A few areas of it were sensitive for a couple months.
 

regarding the bald areas, I had the exact same concerns  a couple weeks after mine… Was totally fine. The superficial parts of the grafts truly shed, some faster than others.  I shed almost everything within a few weeks. Look through lots of other peoples progress posts, look at their scalp once the hairs shed…. Bald and red. 

Again, I would highly encourage you to contact Dr. Bloxham. He has always been very responsive to my questions and concerns.

[CaliforniaLiving]

He was great when I had a consult with him two summers ago. My hair hasn't regressed enough to pull the trigger yet, but he's still in my top 5 choices.

Can't wait to see your results OP!

[Imez99]

Hey I just got a hair transplant with Dr. Bloxham roughly a month ago. Mine was over 3,000 grafts covering roughly the same area as yours. During surgery, the techs remarked that I was also popping grafts even when I was asleep. No idea why.  My scar was sensitive as well but I also have really sensitive skin and there was also dried blood after the stitches were removed. Eventually that came out with regular washing of the area. As for the bald spots you mentioned, I believe that is normal as well as people report shedding even at that time. For me, I didn't start shedding until over a month in. Now, I have probably shedded 30% of the hairs that were transplanted and have several spots that appear to have no hair. So now I am at this awkward stage where some of the hairs are growing long while others are short. I also have dandruff that I am working to keep under control. Will be following your progress.

[cloudyhaze]

On 7/30/2023 at 8:55 AM, Imez99 said:

Hey I just got a hair transplant with Dr. Bloxham roughly a month ago. Mine was over 3,000 grafts covering roughly the same area as yours. During surgery, the techs remarked that I was also popping grafts even when I was asleep. No idea why.  My scar was sensitive as well but I also have really sensitive skin and there was also dried blood after the stitches were removed. Eventually that came out with regular washing of the area. As for the bald spots you mentioned, I believe that is normal as well as people report shedding even at that time. For me, I didn't start shedding until over a month in. Now, I have probably shedded 30% of the hairs that were transplanted and have several spots that appear to have no hair. So now I am at this awkward stage where some of the hairs are growing long while others are short. I also have dandruff that I am working to keep under control. Will be following your progress.

good luck! hope to see your progress too if you decide to document it in this forum

[cloudyhaze]

Today is day 19 and I just came out the shower to see some blood on top of my head. I read everywhere that grafts lock in by 5-7 days, and that blood is usually a sign of a lost graft. Is that the only scenario?

 

I didn't bump into anything before I got into the shower so wondering why there's blood. I'm being cautious and just letting it dry out on it's own. Any advice would be appreciated!

Edited August 1, 2023 by cloudyhaze

[bigtyivier2k2]

On 7/26/2023 at 5:25 PM, M32111 said:

Thanks so much. I'm in NYC and I think Bloxham is the way I'm going to go, just need to make sure I have the funds. The staples kind of scare me a bit to be honest.

They shaved just the area they were adding to? And the gameplan is to wear a hat for the next few months? 

Im in NYC and had 2 fut’s with him for a total of 3,900 grafts. If I could do it all over again I woulda waited and gone to someone for fue. Now I have the scar (covered by hair) while also looking like not much was transplanted

[JoeD]

29 minutes ago, bigtyivier2k2 said:

Im in NYC and had 2 fut’s with him for a total of 3,900 grafts. If I could do it all over again I woulda waited and gone to someone for fue. Now I have the scar (covered by hair) while also looking like not much was transplanted

That’s disappointing to hear. Do you think it’s moreso grafts didnt grow where placed, lost surrounding native hair or combo thereof? Looking back over years of reviews, I have seen almost all stellar results, just a few scattered misses. Did you ever reach out to him to discuss?

Edited August 1, 2023 by JoeD

[M32111]

13 hours ago, bigtyivier2k2 said:

Im in NYC and had 2 fut’s with him for a total of 3,900 grafts. If I could do it all over again I woulda waited and gone to someone for fue. Now I have the scar (covered by hair) while also looking like not much was transplanted

Thanks for sharing. And you’re convinced that FUE would have had more success? Because I thought that was the whole thing: FUE has smaller scar, but less sucessful grafts — FUT has a large scar, but more sucessful grafts. This is a case by case basis and not a universal rule — but that’s what I thought I was seeing.

Additionally, price is a factor for me personally. I got quoted 2000-2100 grafts FUE in Manhattan for $20K…which seems much more all in all then Bloxham’s pricing.

[bigtyivier2k2]

1 hour ago, M32111 said:

Thanks for sharing. And you’re convinced that FUE would have had more success? Because I thought that was the whole thing: FUE has smaller scar, but less sucessful grafts — FUT has a large scar, but more sucessful grafts. This is a case by case basis and not a universal rule — but that’s what I thought I was seeing.

Additionally, price is a factor for me personally. I got quoted 2000-2100 grafts FUE in Manhattan for $20K…which seems much more all in all then Bloxham’s pricing.

The FUE in Manhattan quote was from Carlos Wesley?

My first 3k graft surgery with Bloxham was during the pandemic and I was afraid to go to Turkey for unknown fear or getting stuck or if something went wrong that I would be thousands of miles away from home. In the last 2 years Ive seen 2 friends get 3-4k fue grafts in Turkey with good results (obviously need a 2nd surgery for more coverage) while paying a 3rd of what I paid at Bloxhams and without the FUT scar.
 

However maybe I had unrealistic hopes? Right now I look like a diffuse thinner. Maybe if I never got the 2 FUT’s with him then I wouldve been a completely bald norwood 6/7 by now, who knows. Just feels like I look the same now as before the 2 FUT’s but maybe I wouldve lost all those diffuse thinned hairs completely by now so I dont know. I just feel I could have saved $24k (14k and 10k) and did better research and waited a little

[cloudyhaze]

2 hours ago, bigtyivier2k2 said:

The FUE in Manhattan quote was from Carlos Wesley?

My first 3k graft surgery with Bloxham was during the pandemic and I was afraid to go to Turkey for unknown fear or getting stuck or if something went wrong that I would be thousands of miles away from home. In the last 2 years Ive seen 2 friends get 3-4k fue grafts in Turkey with good results (obviously need a 2nd surgery for more coverage) while paying a 3rd of what I paid at Bloxhams and without the FUT scar.
 

However maybe I had unrealistic hopes? Right now I look like a diffuse thinner. Maybe if I never got the 2 FUT’s with him then I wouldve been a completely bald norwood 6/7 by now, who knows. Just feels like I look the same now as before the 2 FUT’s but maybe I wouldve lost all those diffuse thinned hairs completely by now so I dont know. I just feel I could have saved $24k (14k and 10k) and did better research and waited a little

Hmm I know what you mean after I started seeing more results from other members here and seeing the recovery process wasn't as bad as I thought where I need to be home. 

But I think of it this way - I am paying for convenience and I trust the doctor's methodology. Although I would hate to have a scar, I trust his method in preserving the greatest amount of grafts. As long as it turns out the way that's expected when I talked to him, I wont have any regrets over the cost or method. Although I do plan on doing more research around cost, location, and method for my 2nd procedure next year.

Have you considered sharing your journey on here? I think your opinions are valid and members would benefit from seeing your experience as well.

Edited August 2, 2023 by cloudyhaze

[M32111]

8 minutes ago, cloudyhaze said:

Hmm I know what you mean after I started seeing more results from other members here and seeing the recovery process wasn't as bad as I thought where I need to be home. 

But I think of it this way - I am paying for convenience and I trust the doctor's methodology. Although I would hate to have a scar, I trust his method in preserving the greatest amount of grafts. As long as it turns out the way that's expected when I talked to him, I wont have any regrets over the cost or method. Although I do plan on doing more research around cost, location, and method for my 2nd procedure next year.

Have you considered sharing your journey on here? I think your opinions are valid and members would benefit from seeing your experience as well.

You're planning on a second procedure? May I ask why?

[M32111]

2 hours ago, bigtyivier2k2 said:

The FUE in Manhattan quote was from Carlos Wesley?

My first 3k graft surgery with Bloxham was during the pandemic and I was afraid to go to Turkey for unknown fear or getting stuck or if something went wrong that I would be thousands of miles away from home. In the last 2 years Ive seen 2 friends get 3-4k fue grafts in Turkey with good results (obviously need a 2nd surgery for more coverage) while paying a 3rd of what I paid at Bloxhams and without the FUT scar.
 

However maybe I had unrealistic hopes? Right now I look like a diffuse thinner. Maybe if I never got the 2 FUT’s with him then I wouldve been a completely bald norwood 6/7 by now, who knows. Just feels like I look the same now as before the 2 FUT’s but maybe I wouldve lost all those diffuse thinned hairs completely by now so I dont know. I just feel I could have saved $24k (14k and 10k) and did better research and waited a little

Ah gotcha. No it wasn't Wesley --- Dr. Albert (found on RealSelf).

Who was the doctor in Turkey?

[cloudyhaze]

3 minutes ago, M32111 said:

You're planning on a second procedure? May I ask why?

I will need a second one regardless to address my crown. I wouldn't have got enough grafts from 1 FUT strip to address the amount of hair loss I had. 

[bigtyivier2k2]

On 8/2/2023 at 7:38 AM, M32111 said:

Thanks for sharing. And you’re convinced that FUE would have had more success? Because I thought that was the whole thing: FUE has smaller scar, but less sucessful grafts — FUT has a large scar, but more sucessful grafts. This is a case by case basis and not a universal rule — but that’s what I thought I was seeing.

Additionally, price is a factor for me personally. I got quoted 2000-2100 grafts FUE in Manhattan for $20K…which seems much more all in all then Bloxham’s pricing.

Here’s a photo after the first surgery. And a second photo from yesterday. Makes me wonder what was put into the crown lol

 

 

 

Edited August 3, 2023 by bigtyivier2k2

[cloudyhaze]

2 hours ago, bigtyivier2k2 said:

Here’s a photo after the first surgery. And a second photo from yesterday. Makes me wonder what was put into the crown lol

 

 

 

Thanks for sharing. What part of the scalp was the second surgery for? And are you on Finasteride? And was it his suggestion to go for the crown? Seems opposite of his usual strategy of fixing the frontal third first on his patients.

Edited August 4, 2023 by cloudyhaze

[JoeD]

3 hours ago, bigtyivier2k2 said:

Here’s a photo after the first surgery. And a second photo from yesterday. Makes me wonder what was put into the crown lol

 

 

 

Sorry that’s how it turned out.  I dont think anyone would be happy with that.  Seems odd though, the docs not a hack… did you ever ask him about it?