I have seen numerous before/after pics.
On Hasson and Wong (at which I am debating whether to proceed next week) I see all the personal websites with the time between post-op and a full head of hair.
My dilemma is that I expected the transplanted hairs would be fine and grow slowly and unobtrusively but instead ALL of them look like they've had transplants!
I always keep my hair short (1cm-4/10ths in) but after the transplant I know I'll need to wear a cap for 9 months because without a cap it will be so obvious to everyone that I have had a transplant.
Then one day - book - I have hair and that will look MORE silly to everyone I know and unexplainable. Then if I keep it short it looks like a transplant. If long it looks like I just had surgery.

Any ideas? 9 months with a cap then shazam (hair) seems unimaginable and I'm kind of at the point maybe I should just stay bald..!!???

Feedback and feelings appreciated.

Note: I understand those that HAVE had a fairly good transplant have to tout their work because otherwise they'd have to admit it looks startlingly obvious to anyone. I saw one today in my consultation that looked obvious as did the conculatants hair. Obvious transplant but he then told me he was shocked and amazed because I'm the only one to ever say that!!!
Do you HAVE to have it long always? to hide the scar.. etc.. how do short haired guys survive with a transplant?

What I really like about this site are posts like this, which let me know that I am not alone. I have the same questions and concerns as you. I have seen the posts by those who have had HT's who say you just have to deal with the short term looking bad, with scabs and redness and dots and shaved heads and shockloss, but then say that in the long run its worth it. My question is this: clearly, this whole thing is about vanity. For all of us, including me. So, if I am looking to spend a lot of money for surgery in order to not be bald, because looking bald bothers me that much, why would I want to look worse even for a short period of time?

Well, I think the premise that you are going to look bad for 9 months is not quite accurate. After about a couple of months you generally look like you did before a transplant. Maybe you have some shock loss, but that looks like natural balding to others. At 3.5 months I looked better than pre-translant. So yes, you have to suffer for a short while, but that's just a price you have to pay. Whether is it worth it or not is up to you.

well if you dont like being bald, balding and you dont like your choices, I guess you have to pick what you dont like less. I think my ht is totally undectable to the very close eye. I think maybe you should wait and see if something comes available that does suit you. not everyone is suffering for that long, I was laying low for 8 days, and people who see me on a regular basis still dont know ive had this done and wearing a hat in my profession is not a option. Also I think your puting to much emphasis on what other people will think, this is something you do for yourself, not them.

I'm not sure what you mean that it is real obvious. I had very little hair and returned to work at 11 days after getting repairs and about 2,500 grafts. I was nervous the first day back because everytime I looked in the mirror all I could see was the transpalnts---but no one noticed. And you know what they say-no balls-no blue chips. The two people that did mention something said something about a short haircut or a sunburn on my head. At about 3 months and one week I am getting over the pimple phase and the hair is starting to grow very nicely. It was really a small inconveinece to deal with to gain hair and get rid of the bad looking transplants I had from years ago. My only regret is that I will prbably have to do it over again-and not because of pain etc. but my heads feels so good and there is no scar and just the thought of having to ruin my non-scar just sort of bums me out since I am back to kick-ass weightlifting. Hasson and Wong may have done 5000 or 6000 and I would not have that concern but I don't think I have the scalp flexibility for that. The payoff is getting up in the morning when you forgot the transplants were done and your first look in the mirror is like-- hot damn my hair is growing.

quote:

Originally posted by wesley949:
The payoff is getting up in the morning when you forgot the transplants were done and your first look in the mirror is like-- hot damn my hair is growing.

Interesting that you mention that! After a while it seems like an HT never took place. I guess you get used to seeing the "new you" in the mirror and forgot about the way it used to be! Cool observation, wesley949!

I guess why the curiosity continues is if like I keep reading, once the HT is complete and the results are great why keep posting on HT forums?

Before a HT there is anxiety, fear (of a bothced job and scarring), heaps of indecision etc... And frankly you never want to discuss the fact you're bald/balding if though it's blatantly obvious. Now that's it's done why would that suddenly want to become apparent, openly talking about a HT to others and reading all their posts?
I would expect that you would quietyly go off into the sunset enjoying your new self esteem and only arriving at a HT office or forum on request of others?

After my HT (assuming it was a hit), I would never want to revisit the awful memories that male patterned baldness has created in my life.

quote:

I would expect that you would quietyly go off into the sunset enjoying your new self esteem and only arriving at a HT office or forum on request of others?

And that's what the vast majority of patients do. There's only a handful of people on these boards. There are doctors who have performed over 5000 procedures and we only have at best, 50 patiets willing to post photos - and most of those have stayed 2 years during the growing phase and helped other people, and then moved on.

Baldguy,

To get a realistic idea of what to expect post op from the day of surgery to nine months later visit, click here.

This patient of Dr. Bernstein really shows how the ultra refined and less invasive incisions heal faster.

Hi

I've had 2 procedures and both times they have been undectectable. I think much of this depends on what norwood u are. If someone is totally bald and get a HT I don't think it matters how good the surgeon is. its is going to look a little odd growing in somtimes. Some hairs are a little coarse growing it but it changes over time..Sometimes one needs to go through a period of oddness but the alternative is no hair

your choice I guess

This photo shows a patient 14 days after getting over 2,000 grafts in the frontal area. Personally I see no reason why he would need to wear a hat.



14_days_post_op.jpg (97 Kb, 822 downloads) 14 Days post op

quote:

Originally posted by baldguy44:
I guess why the curiosity continues is if like I keep reading, once the HT is complete and the results are great why keep posting on HT forums?

Before a HT there is anxiety, fear (of a bothced job and scarring), heaps of indecision etc... And frankly you never want to discuss the fact you're bald/balding if though it's blatantly obvious. Now that's it's done why would that suddenly want to become apparent, openly talking about a HT to others and reading all their posts?
I would expect that you would quietyly go off into the sunset enjoying your new self esteem and only arriving at a HT office or forum on request of others?

After my HT (assuming it was a hit), I would never want to revisit the awful memories that male patterned baldness has created in my life.

In some respects, this may be true, but you don't see the full benefit until a year later, so I would want to document my results to ensure (a) everything was as it should be and (b) to help educate others as a way to return the favour in much the same manner that I have learned from others sharing their stories on this site. If I am thrilled with the results, which I would expect to be, then I have no issue sharing this with others.

I am the guy with the bad hair transplant that met baldguy44.

Baldguy44, being a norwood 6 or 7 and having a big head maybe your expectations are too high. There are other options Like Hair Club for men.

Currently I am 4.5 months into my second surgery and I am very happy!

I forgot why Baldguy44 said I had a bad hair transplant. Could the baldguy44 please explain.

Maybe baldguy could post some photos of his situation and the forum could help him out.

I posted the link to my picture gallery.

Thanks

http://hair-restoration-info.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f...6060861/m/3001031881

I'd also like to know what gives baldguy44 the opinion that Jupiter's HT looks unnatural??

It looks quite natural and very dense to me..

I would also say that Jupiter23's hair looks very natural - I don't see how anyone could think that is was a bad or obvious HT unless he meant at the time Jupiter23 was leaving the clinic immediately after the second HT with a bandage on his head

I could only hope to get the good results that I see from Jupiter23's pics. Looks amazing to me.

It takes 9 months for a woman to give birth to a baby. What if she does not like to carry a big stomach for 9 months. No one exists on the planet.

and yes. Jupiter23's hair is excellent. baldguy44 should have eye transplantation before hair transplantation.

Maybe Jupiter23 takes a great picture but if he looks anything like his picture that is as good as God gets it.

baldguy44,

From my prospective......

MOST of the HT work and pics I've seen posted by various patients coming from different docs look good and undetectable. I'd say at least 90% +.............in fact I can't really recall any in particular where I thought "wow, he's had a HT". We all have our opinion and I respect yours..........I just have a different point of view.

Regarding post-op appearance...........depending of a few factors, you can look like you've not had a HT after about a week or two. If you have your hair clipped down for the HT it may take a couple of months to get some length back but that's about it. The recipient area should look fine after 2 weeks (Pat's post is proof of this). Depending on your type of hair, you should be able to clip to 1/2" (maybe 1/4" if you have "clingy" type hair that stays close to your head) or maybe less with no trouble shortly after your HT.

The only people who notice much difference will be those you don't see every month or so. Depending on your loss, I doubt many will notice. The process is very, very gradual. The hairs that start growing post-HT are very fine and eventually thicken so it is a slow, slow change. No night and day different like going from bald to wearing a toupee. Very natural. We're our worst critics and much more interested in ourselves than anyone else is.

Why do I "hang around" the HTN after having had a HT?? The ONLY reason for me is to help others. I get satisfaction out of assisting others who don't like the fact that they're bald (or on their way). I wish this site would have been around when I started losing my hair about 18 years ago. I don't care whether or not a person chooses to have a HT. As a matter of fact, I would advise the HT as a last resort and hope that others would have success with preventatives such as Propecia, Avodart, Rogaine...etc. That would have been my first choice if I could have recovered a reasonable amount of hair that way but it was not to be.

IMO I'd take Jupiter's hair any day of the week. There's no way I could tell he had a HT. Looks totally natural.

Good luck with your research and decision