This is common when the surgeon leaves the graft sticking out of the beard after placement. This often occurs when using a Choi-type implanter and the way it is used. Most doctors who understand this, use this instrument to place the grafts flush with the surrounding beard after implantation, thus avoiding this complication. Repair is a problem because any treatment, such as dermabrasion, or CO2 Laser, may cure the cobblestoning but change the color of the skin.
This was taken over the phone so the sound quality was not great. Show patience, as there are many good insights in this podcast that will give you a better understanding into (1) the hair transplant field, and (2) the changes that occurred over the past 34 years, including the development of FUE and (3) what is coming in the future regarding drugs and breakthrough instrumentation. Here is the podcast: https://youtu.be/3qiXzTDBUGs
I’m 5 days post hair transplant(5800 grafts). Just wondering if anyone has a remedy to make the heavy head, sore neck, lingering numb feeling from the extractions feel better?
Five thousand five hundred grafts will cause a lot of healing and fluid movement into the recipient area, making your head feel heavier. In addition, numbness is not uncommon as small nerves are routinely cut during the surgery, and the tingling you feel reflects the healing of these nerve endings.
This is a 3-inch high donor area. This is the proper height of the donor area.
Comments by a Great Doctor from Belgium: I am devastated. Three days ago one of my patients, who had been badly operated on in Turkey, committed suicide. I had seen him in the emergency room following his bad operation and had proceeded to remove part of the grafts. I saw him again via skype a few days ago and he exclaimed “my saviour” …. There was still work to be done and I was enthusiastic about the idea of completing the correction work….
This isn’t the first time I’ve heard about suicide from patients who’ve been badly operated on, especially when it comes to beards. It’s a terrible ordeal for them to have this bad work on their face. I have a terrible grudge against all those who work badly and who shamelessly and remorselessly ruin the future of young men….
I had a long talk with his parents this morning. They explained to me that their son was consumed with remorse at having been taken in by dishonest people. The sad thing is that correction was possible. He was very concerned about the depletion of his donor area. And he asked me to bring as many grafts as possible to the scalp donor area. The first part of his correction went smoothly, with very good healing of the face, but the feeling that he had mortgaged his future was stronger. He left a long, beautiful, and dignified letter which comforted his parents. I think it would indeed be good for the ISHRS and for “fight the fight” campaign to post a memoriam to give an example of the psychological risk a patient can take by putting himself in non-expert hands.
Dr. Rassman’s comments: In the early to mid-90s, I had three patients who were suicidal as a result of the big plugs that they received for a hair transplant, a common hair transplant surgery prior to 1992. In those days it wasn’t Illegal Clinics in Turkey that deformed men, it was American and European doctors who did the deforming surgeries because large hair transplant plugs were the standard of care at that time. One young man who committed suicide, impacted me greatly. I Remember talking to his parents before the suicide trying to work with them and get him the help that he needed. I offered my services free of charge to fix it. But he couldn’t deal with the stress and prior to the scheduled surgery with me in California, when he was about to fly out to see me from Ohio, he committed suicide. The family called me to thank me for my efforts. It didn’t make me feel better. The other two got help that I arranged for them. None of these three patients were local to me in California where I practiced. A 4th patient developed Alopecia Areata within a week after his Hair transplant. Dr. Ron Shapiro and I worked with a psychiatrist and prevented the suicide arranging 24/7 care for him after he was properly medicated. He did fine. Alopecia Areate can be brought on by the stress of a hair transplant. Poor outcomes from surgery is not confined to the Turkey Black Market Clinics, it happens in our own backyard with poorly trained surgeons offering hair transplants without understanding the fundamentals as they victimize vulnerable boys and men.
How much density is needed for fine hair to look thick & dense (not transparent) at the hairline? Have you ever seen cases with super fine hair, that achieved good density?
Normal density in a fine-haired individual (like what you had at 15 years of age) was never an Elvis hairline, and you know it. It is impossible to put enough very fine hair to get an Elvis hairline, but you can get the look of what you had when you were 15.
It has been 5-6 weeks now since my hair transplant, no shedding so far. Also started taking fin 1 week after the HT. I can not stop touching my scalp and the new hair. I hope it does not ruin the transplant in some way but I am just super happy. Also since the HT I have a lot dandruff is this normal?
What you are calling dandruff, could be scales from the hair transplant. Touching or scratching your recipient site grafts increases the risk of folliculitis. If you feel you must touch it, wash your hands and touch it with the palm of your hand.
I have walked outside very briefly to do things like get groceries. I’ve also driven places with the sun coming through the car windows and sat in the car with the sun blockers down. Is this enough to have ruined my hair transplant? I’ve noticed one side seems thicker than the other and I’m about 19 days after surgery. I didn’t know the sun exposure issue was something that you’re supposed to avoid so hardcore or for so long (‘m reading anywhere from 3-6 months).
The hair transplant has skin at the top of the graft. This skin, which comes from the back of the head, has been protected by the hair for your entire life. They will get sunburned quickly when they are in the recipient area because they never saw the sun. Protecting these grafts is important. I have seen some men with multiple red dots on the transplanted grafts, reflecting a sunburn to the tops of these grafts. It takes months for these grafts to be able to tolerate the sun. In addition, the UV Light may not be great for healing.
Plan on getting a HT I have an autoimmune disorder called LPP & the top of my head started thinning really bad about a year ago hair falling out in clumps flaky I’ve tried meds and everything there’s not much they can really do . It’s killed my confidence but I’m looking at getting a hair transplant to correct my hairline how many grafts would I need? Its just the top of my head thats needs to be filled in I have a really good donor area and I’ve been thinking about a HT for awhile now if anyone could give advice thanks
Having LLP (Lichen planopilaris) is generally a contraindication for a hair transplant, as the odds are that the disease will kill the grafts.
I start to get bald from top of my head. The other areas are staying strong so far. Although the front headline go up a bir, it is not at a level it concerns me much. On the other hand, I have a very thick beard. It is actually more than I like at this point. I want to use this beard to close the balding spot. I don’t really care if the beard will be a bit curly since I don’t plan to have a very long hair. Do you think this would work? What is your experience after a year or more if you had a similar operation? I would like to know what are the results of people who have similar experiences with me.
Scalp hair is the ideal hair for a hair transplant. Beard hair is only used if you run out of scalp hair from overharvesting. Overharvesting reflects poor planning on your doctor’s part. Beard hair, when used, is never used in the leading edge of the hairline because it looks like beard kinky hair.
i had a HT on my crown area. Last night i rolled much in my sleep and i saw i lost a lot of hair in my crown because of the rubbing against the pillow. Can you still damage the grafts at day 20th?
Use an airline pillow and put a pillow on both sides of you so you sleep on your back. Take a good dose of medication to put yourself to sleep. Keep this up for a week. If this happened at day 20, then there is nothing to worry about as the grafts are fully secure by this time.
I am unsure if you have a Class 6 or 7 pattern balding pattern from the photo you supplied to me. Still, in any event, to set realistic expectations, you need to know the following: (1) donor density, (2) donor hair mass, (3) the capabilities of your surgical team, (4) what your Master Plan is for going forward after the hair transplant (may be more than a single hair transplant). There are many limitations for men with fine hair and low donor densities. YOU need to understand these elements, or you might be disappointed with the results.
A known side effect of minoxidil is new hair growing in places that it normally didn’t grow before, as shown in this facial photo. If you don’t like it, or if you are a women, then stop the drug and the new hair will go away.
