2000 Grafts (FUE) - Dr Josephitis (Shapiro Medical Group)

[gs1207]

Hi all - just two days ago on April 8th I decided to undergo my first hair transplantation procedure. It was something I’ve been looking into for a while and I want to post my recovery here as this forum is something that has been invaluable in doing my research, finding the right clinic, and ultimately making the decision to move forward. I hope I can pay back even a fraction of the help I received from you all. 

 

Background:

• 28 year old male
• Started researching doctors back in 2021 after multiple meetings and reviews I decided to choose Shapiro Medical where I was paired with Dr Josephitis
• A big point for me was the priority they put on being conservative and building a hairline that will age well as I’m still on the younger side, so it’s likely at some point I’ll need a second go around… if only to fortify anything that I may continue to lose. The results I saw from SMG and working with Matt Zupan was all the validation I needed to feel confident in my decision. 
• In order to slow further hair loss I’ve been on Finasteride 1mg for the past 3 years and have seen good results with no noticeable side effects at this point. I’ve also been using oral minoxidil 2.5mg for the past 5 months. When first starting I measured my blood pressure pretty frequently with no noticeable changes, however I did seem to experience slightly more growth in body hair elsewhere as the oral tablet does not focus on the scalp like it does topically. I was on and off with topical min prior to this, but I found it difficult to be consistent. I also take a daily multivitamin and use DHT blocking conditioner and shampoo.

 

The Procedure

• I arrived at Shapiro Medical at 7am Monday 4/8/2024 and first met with Dr Josephitis to discuss the hairline we would agree on. I was pleasantly surprised to find his version was very close to my expectation going in, so it didn’t take long for us to find something we were both comfortable with. In my pre-op pictures you will see a poorly drawn white line that depicted roughly what I was aiming for. 
• After this I was brought into another room where the back of my head was shaved. I decided to keep some native hair on top to cover the recipient area after it heals. Still not sure if I’ll keep it or buzz it off I’ll have to wait until around 2 weeks and see how it looks.
• I was then given Valium and brought into the operating room. The technicians were all very kind and did everything they could to make me feel comfortable which I really appreciated. 
• My head was then numbed and Dr Josephitis began with the incisions to my recipient area. 
• I took a quick bathroom break and we then went straight into the extractions on the back of my head followed by a couple more bathroom breaks, and then the extractions on both sides of my head. Throughout the whole process the techs were really so great, consistently making sure I was pain free and comfortable.
• Once the extractions were all complete I had my lunch break that was ordered for me in the morning and then we went right back to work. A group of technicians began implanting the grafts into my recipient area. 
• Around 4pm the whole procedure was finished. Dr Josephitis showed me the work and made sure I was happy with the result. The rest of team helped prepare me for post op care, scheduled a wash the following morning, and just like that I was off. 

 

Pre-Op Photos:

Post-Op Photos:

Conclusion:

Overall I was very pleased with the entire process. From working with Matt Zupan who was always available to help, to working with Dr Josephitis, and all the technicians to even the front desk, everyone was extremely kind and helpful. 

I am pleased with how the hairline came out. Dr Josephitis and I agreed to address the sides as well as the frontal hairline to help frame my face a bit more and I think it was a good decision. It’s difficult to tell right now how exactly it will turn out, but I’m curious to hear all of your honest thoughts positive and/or negative. I will do my best to post updates soon around the 2 week mark and the subsequent months to follow!

 

Edited April 10 by gs1207

[Melvin- Admin]

Thanks for sharing. Dr. Josephitis has been doing great work. Happy to follow your journey happy growing 🙏

[parsia]

Thank you for your detailed post. I really like the hairline design , Its looks very nice on you.

Hairline came down easily 2cm on the corner and 1cm in middle , If not more. 

Can't wait to see final result. 

 

[andy_+_+]

I love the approach here. Some elite doctors would have used 3000 grafts. I always love to see clinics that do more with less and are patient advocates for future loss.

[HHH]

I love the hairline design, is both conservative and youthful looking at the same time which is rare.

 

All the best mate

[gs1207]

Today marks 2 weeks since my procedure, so I wanted to post an update on how things are coming along. 

A few things I’ve noticed:

• Most redness has subsided other than the side area’s above my ear.
• Pretty much all of the scabbing is gone. However, the recipient area is still a bit dry and flaky. I’m unsure how to safely deal with this, so I’ve been trying to use natural products. Mainly coconut oil for the dryness which does seem to help a little.
• Haven’t appeared to lose many of the grafted hairs just yet, but they do seem to be firmly in place.
• I have noticed an increase in shedding outside of the recipient area. Could be due to the procedure, or the fact I’ve stopped oral minoxidil for the last couple weeks during recovery.
• The donor area is doing well and the scarring isn’t visible with my hair grown back to a 2 guard length roughly.

Curious to hear any of your thoughts if you got some. Should be a pretty slow few weeks to come, but I’ll post an update in 1-2 months when the recipient area has shed.

Edited April 23 by gs1207

[Melvin- Admin]

2 hours ago, gs1207 said:

Today marks 2 weeks since my procedure, so I wanted to post an update on how things are coming along. 

A few things I’ve noticed:

• Most redness has subsided other than the side area’s above my ear.
• Pretty much all of the scabbing is gone. However, the recipient area is still a bit dry and flaky. I’m unsure how to safely deal with this, so I’ve been trying to use natural products. Mainly coconut oil for the dryness which does seem to help a little.
• Haven’t appeared to lose many of the grafted hairs just yet, but they do seem to be firmly in place.
• I have noticed an increase in shedding outside of the recipient area. Could be due to the procedure, or the fact I’ve stopped oral minoxidil for the last couple weeks during recovery.
• The donor area is doing well and the scarring isn’t visible with my hair grown back to a 2 guard length roughly.

Curious to hear any of your thoughts if you got some. Should be a pretty slow few weeks to come, but I’ll post an update in 1-2 months when the recipient area has shed.

Healing really well, donor looks immaculate 🙌