11 months update - finally some improvement

[techprof]

http://www.hairlosshelp.com/websites/techprof/
Click this link for pictures.
I took these pictures 11 months after the hair transplant (05/22/07). All the pictures were taken outside in natural light. I took some pictures with flash on. I believe that I am finally seeing the benefit of hair transplant. I am reasonably happy and if I see significant changes,I will update with pictures. When I take pictures after I shower and comb my hair with american crew thickening serum, my hair looks good. My scalp is still see through when wet or when I use a cortizone like cream. I guess 4200 grafts can only do so much on a Norwood 5/6.

 

[LookingGood!]

are you still seeing asny growth at all?

 

[techprof]

looking good,
do you mean to say I have no regrowth at all. I believe I had satisfactory results.
Did you see all my pictures.
I still have some sprouts coming through.

 

[fnlostish]

my Doctor told me it takes 12-18 months to get the full effect of a hair transplant

 

[Guest]

tech you had a big improvement obviously. you are right when you say that 4200 grafts or however many around there does not go all the way on an NW5/6. I believe that if you had 2500-3000 more that were placed well that you would be a reasonably thick NW2 and the crown would be covered a lot better in most lighting, as well as the first couple inches of your front.

What do you think? Can your donor area support 2500-3000 more grafts?

 

[techprof]

Jayman,
I have 2500-3000 donor hairs left. I am tired of surgery. So I may not do it again
Hairs in the hairline are xandrox 15 grown hairs.
Would you still call me NW4 or NW5 or perhaps 3+?

 

[Guest]

Jayman,
I have 2500-3000 donor hairs left. I am tired of surgery. So I may not do it again
Hairs in the hairline are xandrox 15 grown hairs.
Would you still call me NW4 or NW5 or perhaps 3+?

Tech,

the hairline placement is not bad. The hair immediately behind the hairline is very thin though as you can see in the flash pictures. It contrasts teh density between the mid scalp and frontal regions. mid scalp is much thicker.

I'd say your hairline placement is about NW2.5, and because that's what people go by, your Norwood would be NW2.5v(because the v as you know is what marks crown thinning. But your density is considerably lower than the average NW2.5v's, because your bald spot is larger than the average 2.5's. The average NW2.5v's bald spot is maybe the size of a half dollar, while yours covers a large percentage of your crown.

I'd say that you are almost NW2.5v, if I had to estimate I'd say like Norwood 2.25, but showing thinning in an NW4 area. The density is markedly improved from pre-surgery, especially in the crown and midscalp. If you have 2500-3000 left, I know you don't want to have another surgery, and that's your prerogative. I do think that using the remaining 3000 grafts would get you back to a THICK NW2. They could put 1000-1200 more grafts behind the hairline and put the remaining 1800-2000 in your crown. That would give you a solid NW2 that you could expect to maintain for the rest of your life.

 

[techprof]

Jayman,
thanks. the hairline was not touched during the surgery (my decision). Grafts were placed only in the midscalp, vertex and crown.
The hairs in the hairline (and just behind the hairline) are all xandrox 15 grown hairs.

 

[Guest]

tech,

I think you have a big improvement considering your most recent pics with your before pics. To me, it looks like the clock of time was backed up on you. Obviously you were also very aware of your donor limitations and your own hair characteristics with a finer caliber. Recogninzing those issues, your goals were likewise on the conservative side.

The very first pic is without flash viewing you from the front and I think you look fine. If it were me, I would add some density in the front forelock area with even distribution per cm2. Not lowering or defining the hairline too much, just some added density coverage in the frontal zone.

I do remember you did strip and although you estimate your reserve grafts at 2500, you're basing that on strip or FUE?

 

[techprof]

Gillenator,
thanks for your comments and suggestions. I am happy with my results so far. I am afraid of shocking the xandrox 15 grown hairs in the hairline. I will see how far I can hold them. It is very unlikely that I will have another hair transplant in the next 5 years.

 

[Guest]

tech,

Out of curiosity, have you had some compliments since your hair transplant?

 

[techprof]

Gillenator,
yes. my parents visited me after 8 months. They were amazed. Friends and cousins who see after a long time are curious too.

At the same time, I am realistic and I still know that I have a see through hair when wet or when in worst light conditions.

I have come a long way from where I started. I still have a long way to go before becoming perfect. Most of the posters here are probably still better than me even after my hair transplant.

I wish that I had started finasteride or dutasteride when I started balding.

 

[Optimist]

Gillenator,
yes. my parents visited me after 8 months. They were amazed. Friends and cousins who see after a long time are curious too.

At the same time, I am realistic and I still know that I have a see through hair when wet or when in worst light conditions.

I have come a long way from where I started. I still have a long way to go before becoming perfect. Most of the posters here are probably still better than me even after my hair transplant.

I wish that I had started finasteride or dutasteride when I started balding.

I am sure it is a big improvement from before. I would suggest more grafts in the front though. I think having a solid front makes the biggest improvement in a hair transplant even if there a great deal of baldness behind it.

 

[Guest]

tech,

I know what you mean. I wish we had the effective meds back when I first started losing hair too. :hairy:

 

[techprof]

Gillenator,
yes. my parents visited me after 8 months. They were amazed. Friends and cousins who see after a long time are curious too.

At the same time, I am realistic and I still know that I have a see through hair when wet or when in worst light conditions.

I have come a long way from where I started. I still have a long way to go before becoming perfect. Most of the posters here are probably still better than me even after my hair transplant.

I wish that I had started finasteride or dutasteride when I started balding.

I am sure it is a big improvement from before. I would suggest more grafts in the front though. I think having a solid front makes the biggest improvement in a hair transplant even if there a great deal of baldness behind it.

optimist, I agree with you to some extent. If the back and crown are slightly thinning or sparse, greater hairline is the way to go.

When you are slick bald like I used to be, it will ridiculous to have a thick hairline and a NW6 crown.

just my cents.

 

[Guest]

tech, i really feel like from looking at your pictures that you should be able to get to at least a decent thick NW2 if you use your remaining 3000 grafts. if you put half in front behind the hairline to reinforce it, and spread the rest on midscalp and in the crown, you should get there. you can always sprinkle some toppik on your crown if it's a little thin still afterward.

 

[Optimist]

tech, i really feel like from looking at your pictures that you should be able to get to at least a decent thick NW2 if you use your remaining 3000 grafts. if you put half in front behind the hairline to reinforce it, and spread the rest on midscalp and in the crown, you should get there. you can always sprinkle some toppik on your crown if it's a little thin still afterward.

He may need those grafts to check further hairloss elsewhere though.

 

[Optimist]

Gillenator,
yes. my parents visited me after 8 months. They were amazed. Friends and cousins who see after a long time are curious too.

At the same time, I am realistic and I still know that I have a see through hair when wet or when in worst light conditions.

I have come a long way from where I started. I still have a long way to go before becoming perfect. Most of the posters here are probably still better than me even after my hair transplant.

I wish that I had started finasteride or dutasteride when I started balding.

I am sure it is a big improvement from before. I would suggest more grafts in the front though. I think having a solid front makes the biggest improvement in a hair transplant even if there a great deal of baldness behind it.

optimist, I agree with you to some extent. If the back and crown are slightly thinning or sparse, greater hairline is the way to go.

When you are slick bald like I used to be, it will ridiculous to have a thick hairline and a NW6 crown.

just my cents.

Who did you transplant? Are you sure you don't have more than 3000 grafts if you do FUE?

 

[Guest]

tech, i really feel like from looking at your pictures that you should be able to get to at least a decent thick NW2 if you use your remaining 3000 grafts. if you put half in front behind the hairline to reinforce it, and spread the rest on midscalp and in the crown, you should get there. you can always sprinkle some toppik on your crown if it's a little thin still afterward.

He may need those grafts to check further hairloss elsewhere though.

further hair loss elsewhere? where else is there to worry about? he was basically NW6 before he said and filled in most of the bald areas with at least some coverage so i don't see your concern.

 

[Guest]

Maybe Optimist is referring to the potential of further recession in the lateral hump areas, which if occured over time, puts him into the class seven category. There would be a visible "stripe" or what appears to be a ring between the previously transplanted hair and the point of recession on the rim. It's when the recipient area begins to start looking like an island because the rim continues to drop lower. And with tech's dark hair, it could be more noticable.

That being said, if tech does not have family history of class 7's, then Jayman makes a good point. And I think he is saying, why not enjoy the coverage now when you can, IF you feel strongly about not progressing to class 7. It's not a perfect science of prediction. but what in life is?