Worries?

[Spursman]

Hi All

 

i have been thinking of getting my first HT done in the next few months but i am still not sure.

 

The thing that worries me is when the surgeon shaves the frontal area. i am gonna look really odd. i can probably take maximum 4 to 5 weeks off work to recover, will this be enough time for my old hair to grow back a bit? Will my old hair actually grow back again as its very weak?

 

i am in sales i see customers face to face every day so my appearance very important, especially when trying to gain more customers.

 

What i also worry about is the scar. i only feel comfortable keeping my hair very short on the sides and back. im talking buzzing it as low at a 0 to about a 1 or 2.

 

i have looked at photos of scars that have had the Tricho closure and they look fine. i dont really mind having a scar at the back on my head. But some people say different.

[Spursman]

Hi All

 

i have been thinking of getting my first HT done in the next few months but i am still not sure.

 

The thing that worries me is when the surgeon shaves the frontal area. i am gonna look really odd. i can probably take maximum 4 to 5 weeks off work to recover, will this be enough time for my old hair to grow back a bit? Will my old hair actually grow back again as its very weak?

 

i am in sales i see customers face to face every day so my appearance very important, especially when trying to gain more customers.

 

What i also worry about is the scar. i only feel comfortable keeping my hair very short on the sides and back. im talking buzzing it as low at a 0 to about a 1 or 2.

 

i have looked at photos of scars that have had the Tricho closure and they look fine. i dont really mind having a scar at the back on my head. But some people say different.

[troy]

I think if you goto my web blog and look at my pics all of these question will be answered for you. I recently shaved down to a number 3 and will try number 2 at 6 months post op, I think it will be undectable, I dont know about a number 1. good luck

[Spursman]

Originally posted by troy:

I think if you goto my web blog and look at my pics all of these question will be answered for you. I recently shaved down to a number 3 and will try number 2 at 6 months post op, I think it will be undectable, I dont know about a number 1. good luck

 

Where is your web blog?

[Gorpy]

All of the blogs are here.

[domie]

hey spurs,

 

4-5 weeks to recover, you lucky dog! let me know if there are any positions available there!

 

i just went through the process and felt the same apprehension you are feeling. im 10 days post-op now and i only had 2 days off of work (4 total with a weekend). i just posted my 10 day pics sportin' a new buzz cut to even things out... this may be helpful for you.

[troy]

domie, where did you post your pics?

[Spursman]

well i can take 3 weeks off, but ill have to take the other week or 2 as a sick leave.

 

I have to look normal before i go back to work as i am in face to face meetings all day long.

 

Can anyone point me in the right direction so i can see HT with people with high hairlines?

[Gorpy]

Spurs, some docs don't shave the recipient area. Mine didn't. So the only thing you have to worry about is redness. Take a look at my 11 day post op pics here , you'll see a bit of lingering redness. I consider myself to have very sensitive skin. After a couple of weeks the grafts are safe and you can use a little makeup to cover the redness. It works great and actually mixes in with existing hair better than I thought it would.

[Spursman]

Hi All

 

Can anyone show me any pics of people with short hair all over. like a grade 2. i am looking for a picture taken atleast a year after an HT.

 

Thanks

[hairbank]

Spur,

 

I may have referenced this before so if it's a repeat I apologize, but, take a look at my Hair Loss Weblog linked to my post. I had the top shaved for the 2nd HT then clipped the sides and back to match after the 7-10 day mark before the grafts fell out. I used a #1 guard but strategically went around the donor area. The pics you see are with the staples still in and they're still not bad. The set of pics I have pre-2nd HT are are with the hair clipped with #4 guard (1/2") the night before. I also have a frontal pic from my first HT showing my hairline. While it's a little high I have decent density and I think it is appropriate.

 

If you're taking off 3 weeks after the HT, you shouldn't have an issue with scar coverage with existing hair and there should be no visible evidence of the HT. I returned to work (I'm a banker) at the 12 day mark with a real short haircut and that was it. I, too, meet with people all the time........attend corporate meetings, etc. with people viewing from the front and behind and do not believe anyone has a clue about my HT.

 

Growth after HT is slow and you may, and likely will, have some shock loss if you are transplanting in and around native hair. I'm just a couple of days from the 2 month mark after my 2nd HT. The shocked hair is starting to come back a little but growth on top is slow. I'm planning to post pics over the weekend.

 

Hope this helps.

[Spursman]

oh yeh i have seen your pics before. You look great by the way.

 

i will also have my hair like yours if i was to get a HT. i would leave it like that for 6 months then maybe think of growing it a bit longer.

 

Another question for you. When i get HT the surgeon will probably shave the area where the grafts will go. I will have a stub look for a bit but how long? When do the grafts fall out? im hoping it takes a while so that my original hair grows in a bit. Will my original hair actually grow back as its very weak?

 

Thanks again you have been a great help to me and many other people.

[hairbank]

The grafts will likely fall out around the 2 week - 1 month mark. By that time period, it'll just look like you had nothing done because scarring will be gone. Some people have a slight pinkish tint to the skin for a little while but it goes away. You may be lucky enough to keep the grafts for awhile allowing time for your other hair to grow out but the odds are against you.

 

If your filling in around native hair there's a chance it can be shocked out permanently. It may or may not come back. If it's in the final stage of MPB before going away completely, it probably won't come back. Starting propecia, and maybe minox, pre-HT, could help improve what you have and may help you avoid some shock loss.

 

Overall, growth of native hair in the transplanted area after HT comes slow. For the first month or so, I have to be honest.......it sucked and seemed to take forever. Now, approaching the end of 2 months, it's looking much better, fuller, and growing quicker. I've been taking MSM since the HT and I do believe it kicked in around the 1 month mark.......it helps the hair grow faster.

 

I initially planned to keep clipping to 1/2" or shorter until month 6 when everything was growing good, but, I stopped clipping it short about 2 weeks ago and am letting it grow. Shocked hair and HT hair have started growing and I'm anticipating noticable results after month 3....we'll see.

[Spursman]

I have been on propecia for 6 months now and i think its working.

 

The thing that is stopping me from being 100% sure of getting HT is if the original hair doenst grow back and im left with less hair! also the fact that i will have no hair at the front for atleast 3 months.

 

If the surgeon has to shave the area. (which i think he does) can i tell him not to? would it be such and issue with him? i have read the benifits of getting the area shaved.

 

i am not sure if i should go through with it or not. maybe i should wait untill i am 100% sure.

[hairbank]

If the Propecia seems to be working you could always give it a little more time and see if you experience more regrowth. If it is working, and your MPB hair is slowly strengthening, if you do have a HT later it may help you avoid some permanent shock loss. Maybe you'll respond good enough to avoid a HT altogether.........which would be great.

 

Permanent shock loss is always a concern for anyone. There's no guarantee. As for shaving the head..........personal choice but for me I went with it because of the benefits it provides in the long haul.

 

You just have to weigh things out then make the best decision for you...............no matter how much research we do, there's always some variables.

 

Good luck.