Please provide feedback. This is nine months old and I don't think it looks thick enough.

This discussion can be continued here:

http://hair-restoration-info.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/7466060861/m/8901092373

Nine_Month_Results_April_08.bmp (228 Kb, 200 downloads)

you will need to post some pre-op pics. there's no way we can judge what type of growth you've had without them...

TTDS
I don't care if you were smooth bald. This is not cosmetically acceptable. Period.

You either A.) We not given enough grafts or B.) Had an unsuccessful procedure.

Who's fault is that?

Bottomline: You paid a lot of money. You altered your entire lifestyle. And this is what you get?

The goalposts need to stop being moved. Nine months is ample time to judge.

Keep us informed on your battle.
-KK

TTDS,

It might be easier if you keep this topic in one thread.

Your other thread with more responses is here: http://hair-restoration-info.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/7466060861/m/8901092373

Falc

I don't have any pre op pics. I wear a hair piece and the only photos I have of myself are with the hairpiece. The only photos of me before the surgery are ones my doctor took. To give you a reference I was slick bald in the front third of my head with a band of my own hair across the top of my head and then a bald crown. So to judge what kind of growth I've had simply picture the front of my head bald and then look at the photo I took today after nine months of growth and there you have it. To me it seems like the scalp shouldn't be clearly seen at this point and it shouldn't be a sparse and wispy as it is. Were others out there at about the same density at nine months? I understand that 12 months is the maturity date for a HT. I sure hope there is MAJOR growth in the next three months.

Have you tried the foam to possibly jumpstart the grafts
Post op pic would help but I cant believe Epstein would plant that low a number over such a large area.
Did you have the front half worked or the entire top. The reason I ask is because if its the front half then thats not good growth .
If its the entire top then that amount of grafts wouldnt make much of a difference with excellent growth
I have read a few posts about guys getting big spurts at month 9-10.
I would try the foam .It cant hurt

I agree with everything you said. I've sent the same photos to the doctor and I'll wait to see what he says. I'm really discouraged. I posted several times in the past and I was told to just wait that results would be coming. However, I beleive at this point I should have seen a lot more than I have.

I just read on another thread that you have only the front half done .
Dont drive yourself crazy quite yet ,theres still time .
Im sure Dr Epstein will stand behind you if at month 12 things have changed

I followed Dr. Epstein's orders exactly. I did use Rogaine for about three months and then I was told to discontinue it. All 2520 grafts you see were placed just in the front third of my scalp. I had my own hair across the top and the crown wasn't touched.

Hopefully your just a super slow grower. Do you see stumble or any new growth just starting

Hold up

9 months is too early to draw a conclusion. We also need before pics.. I was a N5 and needed 5000 for a complete restoration. If you think 2500 grafts are going to do it for you, you are mistaken. It certainly is a good foundation but it is going to take more.. Maybe 2500 is all your donor situation allowed..

Not enough time and details to pass judgement..

I argee we need pre-op pics to be able to determine. Im sure if you only got 2500 grafts Dr. E had a good reason. Have you called the doc? From what i hear he try's to make himself accessible to his patients for questions. You should give him a call

Dr. Epstein is very well respected so I know I was in good hands. I'm sure he will do whatever needs to be done. I don't know if this has anything to do with the rate of graft growth but my hair grows very fast. The guy who cuts my hair says I have the thickest fastest growing hair of any of his clients. He also has clients who have had hair transplants and his opinion is I should have a lot more hair by this point.

Interesting opinion. When I came on the forum after the fourth month asking when I might start seeing hair come through (the post op paperwork I have said I would see something in the third month) I was told by posters that I'd see something in month five or six. When month six came and I still didn't see anything much I was told wait until month seven and eight, your going to see an explosion of growth. Now at month nine with very little results I'm being told to wait even longer. Most everyone on this forum agrees that what you've got by month 12 is what you are going to have. That means this has A LOT of growing to do in three months. I'm not saying it is impossible but it would be more growth than I have had so far to be cosmetically acceptable.

When I went for the procedure after emailing, calling and sending photos and the doctor was able to see me in person he said we were going to concentrate only on the front of my head. That was a surprise to me because I thought I was going to have my entire head done but he was the expert and I knew he knew what he was doing. I had 2520 grafts or 5000+ hairs grafted into just the front third of my head. The doctor knew I was extremely concerned about density which is why I believe he used all of the grafts in just the front. He told me I would be very happy with the results and we would address the crown on the next visit. I have a band of native hair across the top of my head so that area won't have to be addressed except to maybe thicken it a little.

I know everyone is different but I have seen photos of guys who had the same amount of grafts as I did with the same level of baldness and have beautiful cosmetically acceptable results. Supposedly a couple of things I have working in my favor are my hair texture and color. My hair is very coarse so each strand is thick which gives a much better appearance of coverage. Also I'm told the lighter color gives a better density appearance against the skin than darker hair would. I have never been under the impression that 2520 grafts will cover all of my bald areas (front and crown) but I did think 2520 would do an adequate job of covering the front and then another 2500 on the crown. With the progress I see now if I have the same results with the next procedure then I don't think another 2500 grafts will be enough even in the same spot. I was told I have an ample donor area and could go back for a third procedure if I wanted to and have good laxity.

As I mentioned in a previous post I don't have before photos only the doctor has those. However, I believe an opinion can be formed without a before photo. All one has to do is picture the front third of my scalp bald and that is what it looked like. The outline of my original hair is clearly visible.

How many threads do you have going with the same topic??

I completely understand you concern, not sure how anyone 9 months along with those results would not be in disarray.

I do believe that the only thing you will get out of these boards is what has already been mentioned a handful of times. Contact you doctor and demand an explanation. There are not too many promising words that I can think of otherwise. With the high regard Dr. Epstein is given within this forum he mush have some educated response.

I hope you explore your other options as well, as far as Doctors go. A second, third opinion can never hurt.

Once again, good luck.

i had considerable changes from month 8-12 in the density of the transplanted hair. why is anyone suggessting we should change the growth timeline for what is acceptable with hts? there is no way to predict how each person is going to grow and at what rate. sorry kevkristy, but you're wrong. 3 months is a lot of time for the hair to mature. if your results look like they do now in 3 months then i would agree your ht is not a cosmetic success. but you must reserve judgment until then.

As Falc pointed out in a previous post there are two threads. The first post was moved to another category so I created another post under Q&A since some people will go there but not the other category.

I'm frustrated with the results so far but I know Dr. Epstein has a good reputation which is why I went with him. He wouldn't have gotten as far as he has with poor results or not making good on grafts that weren't successful. I've contacted him so I'll wait to hear what he has to say.

I'll beg to differ with hairthere.

I think it is others who are changing the goalposts here.

Check this thread out.
http://hair-restoration-info.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/746...871061461#7871061461

Falc states that the average at 9 months 90% growth. There's also a nice timeline from Robert_. He pretty much echoes these sentiments. Post 9 months is mostly maturation, hair shaft thickening.

So I don't think it is unreasonable to take an inventory at 9 months. At all!

Dear forum members,

As an effort to take this discussion and focus it in one place, I have locked this thread.

Please resume all discussion at the following thread:

http://hair-restoration-info.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/7466060861/m/8901092373

I expect Dr. Epstein will also share his professional input when he receives my email.

Best wishes,

Falc