Going for my 2nd HT ...question on shockloss of existing TP hairs

[Orion]

Hello All...this is my first post on this site although I've been reading for quite some time now. I recently scheduled an appointment with Dr. Feller for around 2500 grafts. I had a procedure done around 6years ago with Dr. Victor Loria. I got 1500 from him in the front and top of my head. Didnt provide much coverage but at least I have some hair on top of my head. My question I have is would the transplanted hairs I received in the past be sensitive to shockloss to the same degree as any natural hairs would be? I just dont want to get a procedure done and lose the hairs that I paid for in the past. I'm thinking no but would like to hear other opinions.

[Gorpy]

The previously transplanted hairs are subject to shock loss, however it would only be temporary. Dr. Feller is a top quality doctor and would not transect your existing hair. Shock loss can occur due to general trauma to the area.

[Bushy]

I agree with Gorpy. You may very well experience shock loss, but it will only be temporary. Look at my blog: In month two my 4k grafts from Dr. Hasson's HT #1 were demolished. In month 3 they started coming back and now I am at around 85% recovery.

[Orion]

Guys thanks so much for the reassurance. Guess thats what I was looking for. I just always read about shock loss concerning natural hair but never really hear about past TP hair..I guess I know why now. For some reason I'm super nervous about going again but I'm trying to fight the cold feet feelings..lol..I'm going to take off around two weeks from work..I'm hoping by then I can use cosmetic concealers to hide the work somehow because I cant wear at hat at work. Wish Dr. Feller wouldn't shave the recipitent area but that seems to be the way he does things. Wish me luck I'm getting the procedure done in the 2nd week of October. Ok I'll stop rambling...

[Orion]

BTW here is two shots of my hair (or lack of for that matter)...Dr. Feller wants to do a dense pack on the front 1/3 of my head. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 2500. He says that should give me decent frontal density. He says my kind of hair will provide more coverage than normal considering I have thick, black curly in the back. I'm thinking I might need more but from what I remember him saying he's not sure if he wanted to do more than that in one sitting.

[Orion]

Top View

[Mark H]

Hey Orion, your baldness level is similar to mine, although your pattern is slightly more even than mine.

 

I'm going in, in 2 weeks for 4000 with Dr. Cooley in NC. In my case he'll actually be restoring hairline where almost none exists now, and it should have some fullness back to where the forelock had separated from the rest.

 

However, it will take me a second HT to fill in back to the crown, and probably a third if I want decent crown coverage.

 

The crown coverage I don't care too much about. I'm 52, and I can deal with thinness there. The new hairline may actually take me back to where I was at 40, which was quite good. I had a naturally high hairline, so when this is restored it should seem at a very natural place for me.

 

FYI, Bushy your blog is very thorough and helpful.

 

Attached is a picture of where Dr. Cooley drew the line. I have a blog also.

 

cheers,

mark h

[Orion]

Yeah same here. I'm more concerned with the front. I have thinning in the crown as well but I really dont mind using cosmetic coverup in that area. Its the front that bothers me. I'm hoping to get some decent density with 2500 in my front hailine but after reading some posts here I think I'm going to need like 4000 to be where I want to be. Not sure why Dr. Feller told me he wasn't sure if he could get even 3000 when I had only one transplant of 1500 in the past. I have average donor density.

[FacelessMan]

Orion,

 

I second Gorpy's emotion...with donor area or transplanted hair, shockloss is a temporary scenario.

 

I had 4200 grafts done, and if you look at the photos on my blog you can see, comparing my after-procedure photos and my 2-month photos, how Dr. Feller packed the hell out of my grafts among my existing hair, in his words -- "as if it weren't there." This of course was to anticipate my losing the original hair I have up there, assuming that happens.

 

So far, I can see no shockloss...it's a little hard to judge, given that my hair on top has never been this short, but based on what's growing now, everything looks just as it was pre-HT...which is to say, not all that abundant!

 

Benjamin

[Orion]

I already read ur Blog Benjamin it was pretty informative..thanks for your response as well!

 

The most anxiety I have about this procedure is having my recip. area shaved. I can only take two weeks off from work and I'm really hung up on how I'm going to try and hide it. I'm HOPING I might be able to use Dermatch to hide the scar area thinning and maybe topik for the top. Before I go back to work I'm planning on cutting my hair really short to blend with the top a bit. I'm going to try and see if feller can use like a #2 instead of a zero which I dont think he will but who knows. I can't wear a hat to work I'm in a very strict corporate environment so this is going to be interesting to see how I'm going to get by this. At the same time I want to do this now b/c I'm tired of waiting. I need to pull the trigger on this its been six years since my last HT.