9400 grafts with Dr. Christina at HDC

[Major]

Just had my second HT with Dr.Christina, and while recovering in the HDC provided accommodation I figured I would start a thread to share the progress to kill some time, as I originally found HDC through this forum.

I am a norwood 5-6 and had my first HT with Dr. Christina in december 2022.
The first HT was for 5300 grafts, spread over three days to cover the front to mid scalp.
Will upload some photos but I am super happy with the results of the first HT and I really wanted to do my next session as soon as possible to cover the crown as well. After my first HT the clinic told me that my donor was still good and that approx 3500-4000 more grafts could be available for the next one.
So when the summer ended, I reached out to the clinic coordinator George again to schedule my next session for beginning of December.
We scheduled the surgery for two days, with one extra day if BHT would also be needed.
I opted for BHT as even though 5300 grafts was extracted from the first HT, my donor looked really well and I could still wear close to a skin fade without it being noticable, hence I did want to have the option of continuing doing so.

After arrival for my second HT it all felt very familiar. HDC staff picks you up from the airport and drives you to your free accommodation that is just across from the clinic. Got checked in to the same room as last year and killed some time wandering around in the old town, grabbed a coffee and just sat out in the sun while I still could.

On the morning of the first session you fill in some forms, get your blood checked etc, and then it is of to shave.
Dr.Christina said that the donor looked very good and that there would not be any need for BHT and that we would aim for around 4000 grafts from the scalp

The two days went by super fast. The total amount of grafts they manage to extract came to 4,100.
Staff as friendly as last time and now it is just a waiting game again. 
Will try and update this with the progress and also share some pics from the first HT. 
Mostly anxious about how the donor will look, and if someone has had a similar amount could you please share your results?




 

[Melvin- Admin]

Dr. Christina is excellent, can you share some pictures?

[Reina]

9400 grafts is a huge amount of grafts. But can’t make any comment without photos…

Edited December 13, 2023 by Reina

[Major]

Don’t have a lot of pictures unfortunately, but will ask the clinic to send me some  

But here are just a few from my phone: 

-Before first HT

-After first haircut

-In the elevator before second HT

-Directly after the final session for the crown

 

Will update with better ones 

[Reina]

The result of your first procedure looks good but 5300 grafts for frontal third and half of midscalp looks too much to be honest. I think you could have the same result with much less grafts in other clinics.

Anyway I wish you good luck for the second procedure 🙏

Edited December 14, 2023 by Reina

[Major]

8 minutes ago, Reina said:

The result of your first procedure looks good but 5300 grafts for frontal third and half of midscalp looks too much to be honest. I think you could have the same result with much less grafts in other clinics.

Anyway I wish you good luck for the second procedure 🙏

Maybe not showing in the pictures is that I have a massive head.

I know a lot of people are able to cover a large part of the head with 5300 grafts but unfortunately in my case that was not possible. We also took into account that the very little existing hair will fall off, so there where not grafts placed around it, but instead went with same density all across

A positive with a large head though is that the donor area is also extremely big

Here is a pic after straight after the first HT:

Edited December 14, 2023 by Major

[donpizmeov]

Best of luck Major. I can see a great improvement after the first, it looks great and even more so when 2nd HT starts filling in at the back! 

[Reina]

1 hour ago, Major said:

Maybe not showing in the pictures is that I have a massive head.

I know a lot of people are able to cover a large part of the head with 5300 grafts but unfortunately in my case that was not possible. We also took into account that the very little existing hair will fall off, so there where not grafts placed around it, but instead went with same density all across

A positive with a large head though is that the donor area is also extremely big

Here is a pic after straight after the first HT:

You did have a significant amount of native hairs in your scalp, which were in a good condition and with a hair loss therapy they would stay there for a long time I think..

I have seen other surgeons to say that they always protect native hairs of their patients and implant between them without shock loss, so they could use much less grafts to give same coverage. Anyway that’s not matters now. Best of luck 🤞 

Edited December 14, 2023 by Reina

[jjalay]

9400 grafts wow, in such cases i believe its better to go with a strip.

[Berba11]

On 12/14/2023 at 7:11 PM, jjalay said:

9400 grafts wow, in such cases i believe its better to go with a strip.

Pittella, Eugenix & Zarev are maybe the most well known high NW clinics in the world and none of them do strip.

[jjalay]

2 minutes ago, Berba11 said:

Pittella, Eugenix & Zarev are maybe the most well known high NW clinics in the world and none of them do strip.

If you want to run a low fade for the rest of your life or you dont care how your donor area is looking then yeah go with 12000 grafts fue. If you care about the aesthetics of the donor area then go with fut.

[Berba11]

1 minute ago, jjalay said:

If you want to run a low fade for the rest of your life or you dont care how your donor area is looking then yeah go with 12000 grafts fue. If you care about the aesthetics of the donor area then go with fut.

Why are you speaking so forthrightly and matter of factly? Each patient is different, their goals are different and their donor usage & supply is different. The OP hasn't had 12,000 scalp grafts and you've seen no pictures of his donor area.

 

[jjalay]

8 minutes ago, Berba11 said:

Why are you speaking so forthrightly and matter of factly? Each patient is different, their goals are different and their donor usage & supply is different. The OP hasn't had 12,000 scalp grafts and you've seen no pictures of his donor area.

 

I am not talking about this case particularly but in general if you need that big amount of grafts its better to start with an fut. This will preserve your donor area and the looks of it much better. Unfortunately the majority of people dont have 9-12000 grafts available with fue. In many cases that i have seen after so many grafts via fue the donor area is really thinned without, in such cases you cant let your hair grow on the bach you have to run a low fade to hide this thinning.

[A_4_Archan]

@Major

Your initial procedure had a fantastic result, showing that you might need more grafts due to your larger head size. Dr. Christina is doing commendable work, and I believe your second surgery will yield similarly excellent results. I'll be closely following your progress—wishing you a successful and fulfilling journey ahead. Happy growing and keep updating brother.

[Berba11]

2 minutes ago, jjalay said:

I am not talking about this case particularly

Then what value does your comment add to the OP? It's his thread about his journey. He hasn't had a strip surgery, so it's irrelevant anyway, and you haven't seen his donor area yet. At best your comment could be seen to add unneccessary concern to the OP during a vulnerable post-op period.

3 minutes ago, jjalay said:

Unfortunately the majority of people dont have 9-12000 grafts available with fue

But the OP seemingly does according to HDC, and if the results of his 2nd sitting match the 1st, it's going to be one hell of a result for him.

6 minutes ago, jjalay said:

in such cases you cant let your hair grow on the bach you have to run a low fade to hide this thinning.

Sure, but low fades are popular, look good, and as long as a patient understands this in advance then what's the problem?

[jjalay]

13 minutes ago, Berba11 said:

Then what value does your comment add to the OP? It's his thread about his journey. He hasn't had a strip surgery, so it's irrelevant anyway, and you haven't seen his donor area yet. At best your comment could be seen to add unneccessary concern to the OP during a vulnerable post-op period.

But the OP seemingly does according to HDC, and if the results of his 2nd sitting match the 1st, it's going to be one hell of a result for him.

Sure, but low fades are popular, look good, and as long as a patient understands this in advance then what's the problem?

This is an open thread and i am allowed to write my opinion, OP may have the donor area to do this but the vast majority of people dont and anyone who read this should be informed that there are other possibilities too.What is your problem with that? OP wasnt bothered from my comment either.

Low fades may be popular in the age of 30 or 40 but as you grow older you might change your mind about this.

 

[Steeeve]

I hope that you post all the way to 12 months. I would love to see this end result.

How did your donor look after the last procedure?

[Major]

On 12/22/2023 at 11:47 PM, Steeeve said:

I hope that you post all the way to 12 months. I would love to see this end result.

How did your donor look after the last procedure?

Sorry, completely forgot I started this thread. 
 

Here is a pic 5 months after the first procedure in daylight: 

 

And here is a picture taken 1,5 months after the second procedure with bathroom lightning which does not really give a fair comparison but to be honest the difference is not really that big. I thought it would look way thinner:

 

 

Will check in in a few more months with some progress. Only few thin hairs sprouting as of right now so not much to report there. 

Edited February 27 by Major

[Gatsby]

Your donor looks excellent @Major after two procedures of 9,400 grafts! 👌