Nothing after 7 months

[baldsucks]

My first procedure was 1200 fu in Jan 2004. It looked terrible. i would say that less than 50% grew in. So, I had another procedure. It was 3200 grafts and was done in Nov 2004. These surgeries cost me a total of $20,000.

Since then, I have experienced a major shed and have thinned out from a class 5 to closer to a 7 now. There hasn't been any sprouts since my surgery. the clinic which is supposed to be one of the "best of the best in the world" is telling me that i'm having "delayed growth". I don't believe them. I think I have suffered an extreme amount of shock fallout and the new follicles just didn't grow at all.

They are saying that scarring is causing delayed growth. I think they are full of crap. I had to stop minoxidil 2 months prior to 2nd surgery due to surgeon's advice. I have been off of it ever since. I will research starting it again.

I am seriously depressed now from this. I have awful feelings of anger, sadness, frustration, and hopelessness (especially when I look into the mirror). I cry every day and I am very sad all day long. I don't know how much longer I can take the emotional pain I suffer. It's unbearable.

I have done everything I was supposed to do except for the minoxidil. I followed all of the instructions and I have been extremely careful with my head. I have been using the usual regimen of saw palmetto, vitamins, proscar, head and shoulders, nizoral, ... etc. I have gotten horrible results and have talked to my surgeon and other surgeons. They all say the same thing "delayed results". I wish somebody could help me. :cry:

 

[fnlostish]

I had my procedure done on 2nd Week of Feb this year.

Definitely experienced the SHOCK fallout .... arghhhhhhhh

but coming in now.... sprouts appearing everywhere .....

Been just a little over 4 months .....

had been using and still using toppik to get a better look ...

definitely frustrating at times waiting for something to happen.

hang in !! don't give up hope yet

 

[baldsucks]

Thanks for encouragement

Thank you for encouragement. I've been waiting for my hair to look better for a year and a half since my first surgery and it hasn't. I'll keep thinking positive about it though - maybe it'll get better.
Been having a bad year. Had to declare bankruptcy and lost my girl to another dude (who has all his hair). On top of it all, I lost my house and truck got repossessed.
Unemployed, now I have to move in with relatives and I probably won't post on this site for a long time. My relatives don't know I have had a surgery - because nothing really looks like it has been done. If they knew they might not help me out. They could find out if I used their internet connection at their house and logged on to this site. I'm moving out of my house as i'm writing this.
Goodluck ! - bs :blush:

 

[Guest]

Bladsucks i wish i could help you but my hairs from my 1st procedure came through on about the 4 month onwards.I would be worried like you said about yours.Look im sure the surgeons know what there talking about but as you said its still a concern.Hope things work out keep me informed.

Rgds
Damo
http://www.inperth.com.au/users/damo/

 

[kris50]

Baldsucks, who was your surgeon?

Were you on Propecia or Proscar a year before your surgery?

Had you had any previous transplants before this one?

 

[badasshair]

get a good lawyer and get your money back...it's the american way.

 

[Guest]

Bladsucks what has your surgeon said about this when you confronted them?

Damo

 

[baldsucks]

Re : No results

The first surgeon was Panagotacos in San Francisco. I believe that the first surgeon is what has caused me to have little or no growth. His procedures are out-dated and inferior and he hacked me up. After my first procedure, I had problems after problems afterward.

At about 6 months it looked ok & then it just majorly thinned out. I went from having some hair to practically no hair at 9 months.

I was on propecia and minoxidil until 2 months before my second surgery. My second surgeon was Dr Wong who is awesome and I highly recommend him. It was perhaps the scarring from the first procedure with Panagotacos and the problems with his surgery which has compromised the results of my 2nd surgery with Dr Wong.

Dr Wong has told me that scarring is the reason for my lack of growth and is causing me to have delayed growth

 

[Guest]

Baldsucks,

I just read your comments about all of the misfortunes you have experienced recently. Did Dr. Wong or any doctor for that matter mention that there is such a thing as "stress-alopecia"?

About 4 years ago I worked with a patient who had very poor growth and like you he was going through some very traumatic experiences at the same time. He also had to go on meds for the depression which can have a side-effect of hairloss.

Monumentous stress can potentially cause momentary hairloss known as stress-alopecia. Possibly that is in part contributing to the lack of re-growth in addition to the comments you received from your surgeon regarding the scarring. Have you discussed the potential of experiencing stress-alopecia wioth your doctor? I wish you the best in dealing with it and hopefully you will be able to get it under control with time.

 

[Mahair]

It would have been nice if the first doctor mentioned realistic expectations with him.Hopefully Wongs work will kick in and make for a decent result.Gil makes a good point about the stress alopecia but after speaking to you on the phone I think you had shock and are having delayed growth with your second related to the first.I have a feeling it will turn out O.K..Hang tough.Gillenator do you think minoxidil will help at this point to get the new grafts going?

 

[Guest]

Mahair it is recommended that you take minoxidil after you procedure for a couple of month to feed the new follicles.It simply will stimulate blood cells which the follicles will feed off.It is highly advised.I just came back fro mmy 2nd procedure 1 month ago now and are goin to take minoxidil for about 2 months like i did lasttime.

Damo

http://www.inperth.com.au/users/damo/

 

[Guest]

As with any medication the results as well as side effects can vary patient-to-patient. Potentially minoxidil applications may very well help the re-growth and wonder if Dr. Wong recommended the same to him.

 

[baldsucks]

minoxidil makes me peel now - for some reason ?

I used minoxidil for 6 years before my first surgery - not one problem. After my first surgery, I went on minoxidil and had to stop at two months after. The reason : my scalp started peeling. I went off for a couple of months and treated peeling with different medicines. Then, I would try to use minoxidil again - same results : after 2 weeks my scalp would start peeling. Then, by advice from my derm - stop using minoxidil.

I havn't used minoxidil for 9 1/2 months. Had my second surgery in the mean time. Two weeks ago I tried minoxidil it again. Same thing : peeling. Have to stop using now because my scalp is peeling as if I have a sunburn- but I don't have one.

 

[Guest]

Baldsucks thats no good mate! im glad i havent had any effects from it! It does dry my skin out though!


Damo

 

[baldsucks]

Last post

Thank you damien and mahair and all you guys that have gave me some support. I am unemployed and I have to move in with relatives. I will not be able to post for a long time. (6 months maybe).

My relatives don't know I had a hair transplant. They wouldn't help me and give me a place to stay if they knew. They would say that I caused myself financial hardship by spending money on something (hair transplant) that isn't necessary. I have no place to go - so I have to live with them.

The only computer I will have access to for a while (besides public ones) will be theirs at their house. Therefore, with my mom being a computer analyst , she will see my posting on this website and read my previous posts and figure it out that I had a hair transplant.

This computer will be disassembled today as I have till July 15th to get my stuff out of my house and put into storage. I can possibly keep in touch from time to time (possibly as a different user from a different email address) so she won't be able to link to my previous posts. I will play it by ear though.

I wish you all the best of luck with your results and future hair transplant's. Sorry, I got long winded from time to time on this site and sorry for sounding negative and blurting out my emotions. This is (was) my only outlet to share my bad hair transplant results - and to vent.

Good Luck!
- baldsucks

 

[Guest]

Baldsucks,

Whenever you get a chance to read this just know we appreciate your sharing and wish you the best in the future. BTW, the flaking of the scalp may very well be the result of the high concentrate of alchohol in the minoxidil solution. When you can, let us know how you are doing. Take care.

 

[michael barry]

Baldsucks,
MINOXODIL DEPENDENT HAIR is a phenomenon that some doctors are aware of. It works like this, you take minoxodil for years and it regrows some hair and helps you keep the hair you have also. It upregulates Vascular Endotholial Growth Factor, opens potassium channels that are in capillary cell walls, fights collagen formation so it helps fight collagen forming and then hardening (fibrosis, which you stated you had) which is really scalp skin turning into forehead skin.
Many docs believe that your hair gets dependent on minoxodil and if you stop you will have a tremendous shed, not only losing the hair you grew with minoxidil, but some hair your had that has become "dependent" on its effects over time to grow.

I dont take the stuff (minoxidil also) but Ive heard good things about topical fluridil. Not the injested kind (*you dont want those side effects). Its and androgen receptor blocker. Another weaker growth stimulant plus fluridil or propecia might help you hold the line.

Gotta be honest with you though man. If you were N5, I just dont think transplantation is the way to go. If you are N5 and younger than 45, you were gonna N6 at least and proboably 7. There are skilled surgeons who do great work, but I feverently believe if your final state of baldness is above N4, its best to buzz it, try prevention, save money and wait for gene therapy or cloning or better drugs. Hope this all works out for you man. I know about frustration concerning hair, believe me.

 

[Guest]

Some very insightful comments from Michael and definitely some things to consider as ultimately our donor supplies are limited yet male pattern baldness is a progressive, life-long disease. Possibly I can offer some of my own experience as a patient.

Rogaine (minoxidil) did not do much for me back in my twenties and it was really expensive back then as well. I started taking finasteride several years before Propecia was approved by the FDA and was and continues to be the most efficient med in hanging on to the natural hair I have left, mainly through my vertex and crown.

At 40 years old I was between Norwood 4 - 5, and potentially up to class 6 which is in my family history. Only my maternal uncle who is now 75 years old had male pattern baldness that I am aware of for men. He is still a class 6. Hopefully finasteride will continue to prevent me from getting to class 6 but am not betting the farm on it.

Had three hair transplants for a total of roughly 4400 grafts and am enjoying a very restored look from the front up to the crown which has a somewhat thinning look which I don't care as much about, so am saving the donor I do have left for the future. The other things helping me are good hair caliper with a slight wave "however" if it was more fine and straight in characteristics, I no doubt would have needed more grafts to acheive the same illusion of coverage. My goals are somewhat conservative for someone my age so am not going for a low hairline nor mamouth density levels, just a nice restored look.

 

[Guest]

Gillenator i have had 2 procedures now.Send me some pics to my email addy of your hair today please.

damo666@westnet.com.au

Thanks
Damo