HairQuestions Posted June 12, 2006 Share Posted June 12, 2006 I'm potentially going to be doing a 1200-1400 FU transplant, and I'm curious to know how long it'll take approx. to remove the strip and sew my head back together? This is the part that I'm dreading the most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HairQuestions Posted June 12, 2006 Author Share Posted June 12, 2006 I'm potentially going to be doing a 1200-1400 FU transplant, and I'm curious to know how long it'll take approx. to remove the strip and sew my head back together? This is the part that I'm dreading the most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Alexander Posted June 12, 2006 Regular Member Share Posted June 12, 2006 IMO, If you're going to cut a strip of skin out of the back of your head, you should get as many grafts as you can safely, in terms of laxity and chances for a small scar. 1200-1400 seems like a very small number for strip. How old are you? How long have you been balding? What's your NW level? What doc recommended this to you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HairQuestions Posted June 12, 2006 Author Share Posted June 12, 2006 I'm 29 years old and have noticed the hair loss since about my mid/late teens. By looking at the pictures, I'd say I'm about a Norwood 4. I have a lot of recession at the temples and some minor loss at the top and crown of my head. The 1200-1400 FU's were recommended to me during the consulation at Dr. Tessler's office for the hairline area. I was told that this would be enough for the area that I was focused on. Another question... When they take the strip, do they do the large ear to ear strip, regarless of whether or not all the hair is going to be used? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member zerro Posted June 12, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted June 12, 2006 hair... to answer your question about ear to ear strip ie. smaller sessions require less donor removal, hence, smaller strip. For that many FU's you will have approx. a 11"-15" incision, depending on donor density, which in no way would be over the ear. However, and this is big, you make certain that they transplant each and every hair they take out of your head! Also, you need to know what your potential hair loss will be. 1200-1400 fu's is not much coverage. Are you planning on more than one HT? Most everyone here recommends huge sessions and their points and results are legit and they make very valid arguments. Ultimately, however, it comes down to what works for you. It sounds like you haven't really done much research. Spend some time here, ask for advice like you are now and then proceed with a HT. If woman don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy -Steve Smith 'The Red Green Show' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member zerro Posted June 12, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted June 12, 2006 oh yeah... in the hands of a great surgeon, the donar strip doesn't take that long to remove. I never really timed it so I'm unsure exactly, I'm sure some here knows. It is a little intimidating, and by far is the most invasive part of the surgery, but it is much easier and less invasive than getting a wisdom tooth removed. It's really not that bad with the newest proceedures. If woman don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy -Steve Smith 'The Red Green Show' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member hairbank Posted June 12, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted June 12, 2006 HairQuestions, I had 3886 grafts about 4 months ago from Dr. Wong. If memory serves....I believe it took somewhere between 30 & 45 minutes to remove the strip and close. Take a look at my Hair Loss Web Blog attached to my signature. I've had a total of around 5000 grafts in the past couple of years and I was a NW4 + going in. When my 2nd HT is done growing out, through I'll still have a slightly receding hairline, I'll no longer be bald and should have achieved density of around 45 grafts per sq cm all over. If you're truly a NW4, 1200-1400 will not provide you with dense coverage all over.........you'll have to pick and choose for placement then return for another session at least a couple more times. If you'll look at the results from my HT #1, that's around 1200 grafts but they were put where I had diffused thinning so the overall effect is thicker than if it would have been a transplant on bare scalp. Some surgeons simply go with 1000-1500 grafts because they have not geared themselves to be able to provide the true "mega" sessions which I would consider anything above 3000. This was the case with my Doc for HT #1. You may want to consult with a few other Doc's and compare the advice given. As Dr. Tessler is a member of the Coalition, I'm sure his quality is top notch. However, in viewing the pics posted, his session sizes appear smaller. Find out if there's a reason for him not having you go with more grafts the first time. There could be some issue with donor hair, scalp laxity, suspicion of shock loss.............something we can see without pics or hearing from the surgeon first-hand. You may want to consider a consult with Hasson and Wong. They've consistenly produced excellent results on those having mega sessions to the point where it is getting to be a common occurance for them. Hairbank 1st HT 1-18-05 - 1200 FUT's 2nd HT 2-15-06 - 3886 FUT's Dr. Wong 3rd HT 4-24-08 - 2415 FUT's Dr. Wong GRAND TOTAL: 7501 GRAFTS current regimen: 1.25mg finasteride every other day My Hair Loss Weblog Disclaimer: I'm not a Doctor (and have never played one on TV ) and have no medical training. Any information I share here is in an effort to help those who don't like hair loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HairQuestions Posted June 12, 2006 Author Share Posted June 12, 2006 Thanks so much for all the input guys. Regarding the lower amount of FUs, the reason given to me had to do with not wanting to crowd the plugs, so as to ensure a good blood supply. I really didn't understand the reasoning behind that though (but maybe there is some logial reason behind it), because later in the session he had mentioned something about doing another HT if I wanted to thicken it up later. I don't understand what the difference is between doing it all at once or 2 HT sessions? Also, I have some hair left in the front and he said that he didn't want to damage that. Out of curiosity, what is the Coalition? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member zerro Posted June 13, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted June 13, 2006 hair... crowd what plugs? You've had an Ht previously? Otherwise plugs are no longer the thing and it should never be called that! The coalition are the doctors that have proven themselves to be the best over time, set by the highest scrutiny by members and the founder of this forum. Anything less is unthinkable. If teh doc didn't come forward with his logic than it is time to talk to someone else. If woman don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy -Steve Smith 'The Red Green Show' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Prospicience Posted June 13, 2006 Regular Member Share Posted June 13, 2006 Hair, I felt no pain while it was being removed and I had a 3,200 strip removed. It actually felt a little weird - like Velcro being pulled apart. For me, nothing to dread at all; my photo album has a shot of it - be prepared, it's quite graphic. Regards, Mike 3,200 on 1/4/06 Dr. Cooley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member hairbank Posted June 13, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted June 13, 2006 HairQuestions, You can read about the Coalition Members here. As for "crowding the plugs", that just doesn't make any sense to me. H&W has raised the bar when it comes to dense packing and I've heard nothing negative at all when it comes to graft survival percentages or increased shock loss. Maybe Dr. Tessler wouldn't mind providing some insight regarding this and share with the forum? I'd be interested to hear his thoughts. Hairbank 1st HT 1-18-05 - 1200 FUT's 2nd HT 2-15-06 - 3886 FUT's Dr. Wong 3rd HT 4-24-08 - 2415 FUT's Dr. Wong GRAND TOTAL: 7501 GRAFTS current regimen: 1.25mg finasteride every other day My Hair Loss Weblog Disclaimer: I'm not a Doctor (and have never played one on TV ) and have no medical training. Any information I share here is in an effort to help those who don't like hair loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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