my loss pattern is somewhat unique, complicated by the old plugs in the crown. had another procedure in 97 that doc said would cover, and of couse dodn't. Anyone start their work in the back and work forward? My immediate concern is the look of my crown. Conventional wisdom addresses the hairline and the forelock first, and then if anything leftover touches up the crown. My recent thinking has the 20-30 plugs excised and redistributed. Am getting married in next 20 months, don't want to look like a freak, and budget is tight, and want to cover up, cut out, nuke the back of my head so its not noticeable. Anyone similar and work from back to front?

i am sick of intentionally trying to sit against a wall, avoiding people looking directly over me, etc. Still have bit up front, thank god i never touched the hairline. My last procedure by a recommended doc on this site said that his micro's and minis working around them would hide the old work, but didn't. This particular doc's work was good and really pretty undetectable, but the old plugs are still quite noticeable and doll like. Thinking of just punching them out and have them redistributed, there is a small amount of pitting. Every doc has differing opinions on hiding old work. Spoke to dr feller and he said to leave them and work around, just want to be done w/ it, not let it consume my thoughts and my seating arrangements

It seems to me that if the big grafts are really noticeable, you have to get rid of the plugginess with coring or FUE.

As you said, different docs have different approaches. Find one who you seem to jibe with.

thanks arfy, you have been the single most helpful person i have encountered here and elsewhere

Arfy, how many old "plugs" do you have? How many procedures did it take to get this amount? Just curious, thanks.

noreaster,
Did you send photos to several different doctors? I think getting several opinions is a good start. Dermatch might be able you help conceal it in social situations. It basically "colors" your scalp and hair so there's no contrast between the two. I use it all the time.

rvd
I have 300 plugs, which were done in 3 sessions. Back when I had them done, you used to go in for a procedure every couple of months. Unlike today, you didn't have to wait for a donor scar to heal or laxity to return. Just like the new FUE procedures, you could do multiple grafting sessions in a very short period of time...a period of a few months only.

By the time you realized you were screwed, it was too late. It can take a year for transplanted grafts to mature. By that time, your entire transplant was supposedly "finished" and you were stuck.

Whenever you would complain that it looked bad, they'd say you had to give it more time, and you needed more grafts for it to look good.

It was a complete scam.

I'm relatively new to all this HT stuff and this site, but I have a strong feeling that FUE is about to burgeon and that it would be a bit unwise to go for FU right now or ever. As mentioned by others, there are several docs out there now doing FUE, so why not just wait a little while longer. What are your thoughts on this? Are you going to wait. I'm asking you because I have also come to respect and anticipate your comments

If I was doing this again for the first time, I would probably not get a hair transplant. I think they can create as many insecurities as they solve. That's probably not what you are asking though.

Yes, I would wait for the FUE field to develop, that seems like the way to go. I agree with you.