B
bignut
member
Over the last year or so, I undertook research into hair restoration methods and surgeons.
I decided I wanted FUE and following a consultation with David and Dr Edward Ball I decided the Maitland clinic was my first choice.
This site provided me with a wealth of information and the contributions from regulars assisted my well-informed decision making and confidence to have a procedure.
On the 13[sup]th[/sup] of July 2017 I went to Portsmouth to have the recommended 2000 grafts. This would hopefully address my chronically receding hairline and my decreasing sense of self-esteem.
For those of you that have followed the blogs of some of the guys on this site who underwent poor outcome procedures in the 90s that also resulted in excessive scarring, you will understand my admiration for Bullitnut, David Anderson and others for the support they have offered on sites such as this. It was great to meet David and hear first hand his opinions. Dr Ball has also had hair restoration surgery and although this doesn t automatically make for a better surgeon, it does allow him great insight into the psyche of those experiencing hair loss.
Anyway, getting to the point. The entire team were fantastic and took every opportunity to reassure and relax me.
I ve worked in healthcare for around 30 years so have good insight clinical practices and can quickly assess the competence of those I come into contact with. The team at the Maitland were all exceptional, all experienced and confident in their roles. Dr Ball is clearly a perfectionist and has a great eye for detail.
The day started with Dr Ball drawing my new hairline and shaving my head. I had planned for three to fours weeks off from work to let it grow a little and minimise the drastic new look.
The local anaesthetic was administered with the aid of a vibrating distraction machine. This results in the injections only causing minimal discomfort. Don t let the thought of injections put you off!
I was offered drinks and food throughout the day. I think keeping yourself hydrated and adhering to the preoperative advice is essential to minimising any risks and aiding recovery.
The final grafts were placed at around 18.00 and I returned home with an accessory pack provided by the clinic. This included an extremely comfortable neck pillow, which I used to protect my new hairline from accidental removal over the next week. I used the spray meticulously and after 10 days was scab free. I must say the work was so clean that scabbing etc was never a problem. My face became a little puffy at around day two and three but soon went. I gently massaged the area encouraging the fluid to drain away and applied an ice pack at regular intervals. After care was good, with regular contact and support if needed.
After around two weeks I quite liked my new look and loved the new hairline. Unlike many of the other reviewers I didn t notice shedding hairs until around week four when suddenly my lovely new look disappeared, and I looked pretty terrible (welcome to the ugly duckling stage!) }:BY:>?.
Now if you remember, during the first phase my hair although very short, looked great; I was now returning to work looking well, pretty awful. On reflection I would take a week off following the procedure, by which time the redness had gone (although you will only know this with hindsight) and then work until week 4 when I would take a good couple of weeks off.
I noticed a real difference at around week 12 and new hairs and my hair appearance keeps changing. I m approaching five months post op now and can clearly see a new hairline, although most of the new hair is fine. I m looking forward to getting to six months to see if the improvement continues. For anyone interested in the varying stages of regrowth, I highly recommend Sig G s YouTube blog. His transformation via a procedure with Dr Ball earlier this year is truly amazing.
If I can provide any information that will assist others, I will be more than glad to help. You have to be realistic with what you can achieve but the skill set of the Maitland team is incredible. Total admiration to you all!
I decided I wanted FUE and following a consultation with David and Dr Edward Ball I decided the Maitland clinic was my first choice.
This site provided me with a wealth of information and the contributions from regulars assisted my well-informed decision making and confidence to have a procedure.
On the 13[sup]th[/sup] of July 2017 I went to Portsmouth to have the recommended 2000 grafts. This would hopefully address my chronically receding hairline and my decreasing sense of self-esteem.
For those of you that have followed the blogs of some of the guys on this site who underwent poor outcome procedures in the 90s that also resulted in excessive scarring, you will understand my admiration for Bullitnut, David Anderson and others for the support they have offered on sites such as this. It was great to meet David and hear first hand his opinions. Dr Ball has also had hair restoration surgery and although this doesn t automatically make for a better surgeon, it does allow him great insight into the psyche of those experiencing hair loss.
Anyway, getting to the point. The entire team were fantastic and took every opportunity to reassure and relax me.
I ve worked in healthcare for around 30 years so have good insight clinical practices and can quickly assess the competence of those I come into contact with. The team at the Maitland were all exceptional, all experienced and confident in their roles. Dr Ball is clearly a perfectionist and has a great eye for detail.
The day started with Dr Ball drawing my new hairline and shaving my head. I had planned for three to fours weeks off from work to let it grow a little and minimise the drastic new look.
The local anaesthetic was administered with the aid of a vibrating distraction machine. This results in the injections only causing minimal discomfort. Don t let the thought of injections put you off!
I was offered drinks and food throughout the day. I think keeping yourself hydrated and adhering to the preoperative advice is essential to minimising any risks and aiding recovery.
The final grafts were placed at around 18.00 and I returned home with an accessory pack provided by the clinic. This included an extremely comfortable neck pillow, which I used to protect my new hairline from accidental removal over the next week. I used the spray meticulously and after 10 days was scab free. I must say the work was so clean that scabbing etc was never a problem. My face became a little puffy at around day two and three but soon went. I gently massaged the area encouraging the fluid to drain away and applied an ice pack at regular intervals. After care was good, with regular contact and support if needed.
After around two weeks I quite liked my new look and loved the new hairline. Unlike many of the other reviewers I didn t notice shedding hairs until around week four when suddenly my lovely new look disappeared, and I looked pretty terrible (welcome to the ugly duckling stage!) }:BY:>?.
Now if you remember, during the first phase my hair although very short, looked great; I was now returning to work looking well, pretty awful. On reflection I would take a week off following the procedure, by which time the redness had gone (although you will only know this with hindsight) and then work until week 4 when I would take a good couple of weeks off.
I noticed a real difference at around week 12 and new hairs and my hair appearance keeps changing. I m approaching five months post op now and can clearly see a new hairline, although most of the new hair is fine. I m looking forward to getting to six months to see if the improvement continues. For anyone interested in the varying stages of regrowth, I highly recommend Sig G s YouTube blog. His transformation via a procedure with Dr Ball earlier this year is truly amazing.
If I can provide any information that will assist others, I will be more than glad to help. You have to be realistic with what you can achieve but the skill set of the Maitland team is incredible. Total admiration to you all!