A-Folicular-Challenge

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

4 Months Improvement I'm techncially about 4.25 months in now.  When I look in the mirror, I still feel like I haven't had much growth, but the pictures don't lie - there has definitely been some improvement in the last month or so.  It's true that it's slow going, and hard to notice unless you have documentation.  I really hope this is just the beginning, but even with the progress, I'm somewhat pesimistic that my results will be what I was hoping for...   Time will definitely tell.  ;-) Recipient Area:  Dandruff is still under control.  Can't say that I'm really pink anymore, but my hair is longer so it might be covering it up a bit (either way, it's not noticable).  Hairloss has definitely stabelized from my pre transplant (and pre-finasteride) days. Donor Area:  Pretty much healed at this point.  No tightness, not really noticable.  That said, I have started getting pimples around the sutcher line (i'm hoping this is 'shocked' hair coming back to life). Here are some pictures to show the progress.

A-Folicular-Challenge

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

2 1 2 Months Day 71 These pictures were taken at the 70 day mark, so I'm technically about 2.5 months into my journey.  I haven't seen any growth yet, but I think the shedding is slowing down.  I'm still worse off than when I started, but as the time goes by I've started looking in the mirror less and less.  That said, I do use my finger tips to feel for the tell tale pricks of hair growth on my head at night.  Sometimes I think I feel something, but I know its my imagination.  ;-)   Recipient Area:  My dandruff has subsided and the pinkness, while still there, is less noticable than it was even a few weeks ago.  No growth to speak of, but no shedding either.  I seem to have stabilized a bit.  I'm still paranoid as hell that my hair isn't going to grow back (just like everyone that's ever had a procedure done).  I'm hoping at 3 months I being to feel  Donor Area:  Honestly, if I didn't know that I had a procedure, I wouldn't know (if that makes sense).  As with the recepient area, I think any shedding / shock loss that was happening has stopped.  I'm still a bit paranoid when I buzz my head to a #5 (5/8 inch) as I did have a moderate amount of generalized shock loss.  That said, it feels great, and I know when it grows out it will be completely undetectable.  For now though, I keep it short to match the fact that I don't really have any hair on top. Here are some pictures to show the progress.

A-Folicular-Challenge

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

1 Month Day 41 Paranoia I've crossed the 40 day mark yesterday (1/20/11) and I've clearly lost most of the transplanted hair, as well as a lot of my native hair.  I'm hoping it all comes back with a vengeance, but I'm constantly fighting my brain's unrelenting desire to convince me that the hair transplant didn't work. Recipient Area:  Still pinker than I think it should be.  It's a bit sensitive at the end of the day until I take a shower (probably because I use a bit of toppik during the day at work).  My dandruff is picking up again (no matter what type of washing strategy i use).  If I gently rub/scratch my head during the day, I lose some dry skin and (of course) hair.  It's been coming out pretty consistently over the past two weeks.  It's making me paranoid. Donor Area:  It actually feels pretty good.  It isn't tight at all.  Almost feels normal unless I'm tilting my neck in a way that pulls on it for more than a few seconds.  Within the past week or so, I almost can't feel it at night when I lay down.  It also looks to be healing pretty well.  It's still a bit pink, but my hair has grown a bit and covers the scar pretty well.  I could go out in public without any concealer and probably not be spotted as a HT patient - except by those on the lookout for such things.  Here are some pictures to show the progress.  

A-Folicular-Challenge

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

1 Month Day 31 Doldrums Begin I'm officially past the 31 day (one month) mark and am officially entering what everyone in this blogosphere refers to as the doldrums.  Let me just tell you (in case you were wondering), It stinks! Recipient site (Skin):  My recipient site is still pretty pink.  People at work have commented on it, but I just tell them that I was at the beach over the holiday.  I'm pretty fair skinned, so it's not a shocker to anyone that I would be red if I was in the sun (especially with a newly shaved head).  My scalp is also very dry and pimples are beginning to pop up frequently. I've always had a relatively sensitive scalp and have battled scalp psoriasis and acne for years, so it's not a surprise... Recipient site (Hair):  I'm probably worse off now than before I had my transplant.  Its hard to tell exactly how many of the transplanted hairs I've lost, but I'd guess somewhere around 50 - 75%, and more and more are falling out each day...  That's the worst part.  Even when I gently stroke / roll my hands over my hair, sometimes hairs will fall out.  I know I'm not touching them hard enough to pull them out, so it must be the hair's destiny.  It doesn't keep me from yelling at the hair though, "You've been around for a month, and NOW you decide to fall out!  JERK!"  ;-) At the 31 day mark, I started using some toppik on the top.  Less is definitely more with toppik.  I sprinkle just enough to give it a bit of a shadow.  I'm guessing this is probably contributing to my pimples, but it works wonders and will be with me for the next two months while I'm waiting this doldrum phase out.  Uhg. Donor Site:  Other than some mild shock loss and some continued redness, I'm definitely healing well.  My hair is starting to grow back from the #2 clipper cut I gave it 2 weeks ago and honestly, if I didn't know it was there, I'd have a hard time finding it - especially on the sides of my head.  The back you can see if I tilt my head forward.  When I go to work, I just put a little toppik on my fingertips and pat it over my hair and it vanishes completely.  My guess is that when all is said and done, I'll be able to use a #4 clipper no problem, and potentially a #3 if I'm lucky.

A-Folicular-Challenge

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

Day 16 Staples out, Buzzed Cut It's Christmas Eve and all I want for Christmas is my hair to grow back!  On day 14, my wife took out my staples.  On day 15, I buzzed my hair to a #3, and then thought, "Hey, I could probably get to a #2". Whooops!  Big mistake.  My scar and shock loss are now readily apparrent.  I go back to work in two weeks, but I know I'm going to need some concealer to get away with looking even remotely normal.  Also, my scar does seem to be getting more and more red as time goes by (especially since taking out the staples).  Not sure what's going on - Has anyone experienced this? I'm also still losing scabs (and, of course, hair) in the recipient site.  Everytime I'm on the verge of letting my mind wander into a depressive state, I keep looking at pictures from this blogsite... 

A-Folicular-Challenge

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

Day 5 Day two went by relatively quickly.  I didn't have much pain thanks to the constant dose of meds, and everything seemed to be going smoothly.  Then, I woke up on Day 3 looking like I'd been in a bar brawl the night before.  I took some pictures on my phone, but dropped my phone in the pool that my son was swimming in.  My phone went kablewi and I now have no pictures from the early days where I looked like the elephant man. Below is a top shot from Day 5.  I have plenty of scabs at this point, but they seem like they're locked on to my skin like glue (guess that's what's supposed to happen).  I have to say that it's amazing to feel so much stubble up there!   

A-Folicular-Challenge

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

Day 8 Not a lot of change since day 6, though I'm definitely starting to lose some scabs and hairs in the shower.  I haven't used the shower head yet (still just dumping water on my head), but when I start to gently massage the crusts with my fingertips they are definitely coming lose (especially if I stay in the shower a while).  Sometimes they come out almost too easy. No matter how much I tell myself this is supposed to start happening at this stage in the process, I can't help but think:  Isn't it too early?  Am I using too much pressure with my hands when I wash?  Too little?  Ugh.  I think this is the beginning of the freak out stage.

A-Folicular-Challenge

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

Day 10 Scabs Coming Off The past two days I've started applying more pressure when I wash my hair (per doctors orders).  It's really freaked me out to see half the scabs that come off my head containing little pieces of hair.  Each one gives me a bit of heartache.  I bet I had at least 20-40 tiny scabs come off this morning after taking a 15 minute shower.  I know, I know... its day 10 and its okay, but good lord, it's scary.  The scar seems to be healing nicely.  I have some shock loss, but I can already see little pieces of hair growing through scar, so I'm optimistic about that at least.  ;-)

A-Folicular-Challenge

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

Pre Op These are some pictures Dr. Wong took just before my operation.  The pictures pack a punch in my mind...  Not sure about all you guys out there, but I'm in a bit of denial with respect to the amount of hairloss I have.  I generally don't look at my crown (in the mirror or pictures) unless I've put on some concealer (my brand of choice is Toppik).  Frankly, I had no idea i was THIS bald.   I think I'm still 25 in my mind's eye.  LOL!  Speaking of Toppik - I've used the stuff religously for almost 10 years.  Even with the extent of hair loss that I have it works surprisingly well.  That said, I hope in 9-12 months time I'm done with it.  My crown area is extemely sensitive and I've dealt with years (literally) of a chronically dry and flaky scalp that is definitely exacerbated by Toppik.  I'm often times fighting off pimples, much like the ones you see in these pictures.  It's a love / hate relationship, I suppose.  With Toppik, not pimples.  I have a hate / hate relationship with them. :-)

A-Folicular-Challenge

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

Surgury Day Here are a couple of shots Dr. Wong took immediately after the surgury (about 3500 grafts).  (Note to Dr. Wong:  You should invest in is a high resolution DSLR - it would make what you do even that much more impressive). The surgery day was an absolute breeze.  I was in at 9am and out by 7pm.  Dr. Wong and his staff deserve a huge shout out!  They are some of the most thoughtful, caring, kind, and professional people I've ever met.  He's one of only a few people I've met in my life that comes across both a true expert and someone you could have a beer with on the weekend.  He talks to you at your level, with a sense of humor, but you really know he knows what he's talking about.  And his staff...  well, they make you feel at ease from the moment you get in the building to the moment you leave.  I'm not sure how anyone could convince me there's a better HT establishment out there! I had complete confidence in everything that was happening - from the first prick of the numbing solution to the last inserted graft.