Hi,
I've had 2 transplants. My my first was in May 2004 (2700 grafts), my second in May 2005 (1800 grafts). Thus far, I'm very disappointed with the results.

While I experienced very little "shock loss," beginning about five months after my first procedure and continuing since then, I've been shedding hair like crazy. Every morning there are hairs on my pillow; they come out in the shower and rain down on my desk throughout the day.

I have been taking Propecia and Minoxidil (5%) for more than 5 years. I'm 41 and thought that my hair loss was stabilized.

Right now, I have less hair than I did before my first transplant--though admittedly what I do have is better distributed. My hair is very patchy and the shedding shows no sign of letting up.

My hair surgeon says my balding has accelerated, but prior to the ops it was very stable. I visited another trichologist and was told the shedding was a reaction to the anaesthetic and the trauma and that the shed hair would grow back. This, of course, was what I wanted to hear, but even in the most flattering of mirrors I see no evidence of this happening.

I'm grateful for any suggestions or comments.

Thanks.

quote:

Location: London

Was this another UK botch job ?

PB

No, it was done in Canada.

i am about to have a ht in canada too.
Can you tell me your doctor's name please??

iguana, chin up for another month or so. Shock loss can happen for a while. It should stop soon and within a couple of months or so, you should start looking and feeling better. I've noticed a pattern about this. For most people, their 1st procedure does not cause shock loss. But subsequent procedures do seem to cause it. Maybe an expert can shed some light on why this happens?

For me personally (and I've had a lot of procedures), I always get shock loss. A couple of months after a procedure I feel like crap. My hair looks terrible and I lose confidence, etc. About 6 months afterwards, things start to improve. The transplanted hairs are kicking in as well as the ones who jumped ship.

You should start getting a fuller look soon. Hang in there.

I don't see how it can be shockloss if the shedding only started after 5months post ht!
Did you ever notice any shedding whatsoever on pillows pre-ht??
Is the hairloss exactly where the recipient area is or is it in other regions as well?
Do you have any pics?

Prior to the surgery I didn't notice any shedding. I've been on Propecia and Minoxidil for 4 years (I'm 41 now). My hair loss was very gradual and, I thought, under control.

My actual "shock loss" was minimal.

The shedding is in the transplanted area, but not exclusively. I'm also noticing a lot of hair is being shed from the back of my head, including below the "safety line," and especially just behind my ears.

My surgeon denies there is any link between this shedding (in excess of 100 hairs per day) and the trauma from the surgery and/or anaesthetic. He says only that one's hair can accelerate at any time--despite the fact that there are several horror stories on the net about people who shed so much of their native hair they end up with a net loss of hair on the top of their heads.

Iguana, I would like to see some before and after pics if you have them. Also, I think most of us would like to know which doc you went to, along with seeing the pics. I hope that you will regain your lost hair soon, and this post finds you well.