As a newbie just starting to read up on HT I am very thankful I found this community.
I would really appreciate it if somebody could answer my questions below.

1) Why is density in terms of FUs/cm2? Is the hairs/FU averaged to some value when we talk about density? If not, it seems that the only logical metric for density should be hairs/cm2.
Am I missing something?

2) Can products such as toppik or prothik be safely used post surgery. I am concerned that such products could possibly harm newly planted grafts? Has any of you found it safe?

3) I have heard that some surgeons shave the recipient area (for better judgement of hair angle, to avoid transection etc), while some other work around existing native hairs without shaving them. My question is, if my clinic chose to shave my recipient area, how long should I expect to be under a hat (I can't sport a shaved head. If only I had a Michael Jordan-like head, I wouldn't even contemplate HT
I heard 8 months? It shouldn't take that long for my existing native hair to grow back, right?

4) Is it considered bad form to try to negotiate the pricing schedule with clinics? For "megasessions" especially, any little discount per graft would count.

Thank you all in advance.

Furless...

Great questions. I'll try to help.

1. You bring up a GREAT point. Follicular Units/cm2 can be very deceiving since 50 FU grafts/cm2 using 2 hair grafts will appear twice as dense as the same measurement using single hairs. You are not missing something - I would prefer a measurment of hairs/cm2.

2. Yes, concealors can be used post op. Typically it is recommended to wait at least a week, maybe two - each clinic has their own guidelines so be sure to check with them.

3. I recommend reading this thread: When will I look normal after a hair transplant?

4. IMO, I don't think there is harm to try to negotiate a price however, I don't know how much success you will have. But it never hurts to try.

Cheers,

Falc

One issue for me is that I COULD NOT have my head shaved. I speak in public, and I can't go around with my head shaved and a huge frankenstein scar across the back of my head--nor can I wear a cap when speaking.

How long you will need to "wear a hat" after surgery is a question that I always asked. But after surgery I realized that the only truly correct answer is... It depends on you:

1. It depends on how long YOUR individual scar takes to fade and this varies widely from individual to individual.

2. It depends on your individual degree of shock loss. Some people have a lot, some people have none. There is no way to predict this. In fact, some people have shock loss on one surgery and not on the next, so even prior history of shock loss is not helpful.

3. It depends on whether you choose to have your head shaved (or whether you choose a doctor that requires it) and then how long it takes for your hair to grow back to something that you are comfortable with.

4. It depends on your personal interpretation of "bad hair". Some people may happily go around without a hat relatively quickly, while others would be uncomfortable with the same appearance and would choose to wear a hat.

Tom

Falc gave you the top answers Your situation was like mine, specifically

- Could Not shave my head
- Needed to get back to work inconspicuously.
- Hide scar and grafts

I did it without a BIG problem. Of course first, you need a doc who doesn't require shaving your recepiant area ( The are many) Second,I used Dermatch post op and let the hair grow a little longer to cover everything. Give yourself 10 day max to heal enough and loose the scabs & excesssive pinkness.

Now, this is assuming your have some native hair. I was an N5 so I was ok , but it was challenging at times cosmetically.

Guys, Thanks for educating me.

The graft density numbers I have heard seem misleading to me.
Like Falc said, 50 FUs/cm2 can translate to a bunch of different numbers. Not sure how to read it.
What is the hairs/cm2 number required to give the "illusion" of density?
Will 80-100 hairs/cm2 do the trick?

When people talk about dense-packing over 70 grafts/cm2, it makes me wonder if it isn't always going to be single hair grafts.
It would be nice to know the approximate size of 1/2/3/4 hair grafts so I can grasp how challenging it really is to fit 70+ FUs in one square cm.