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6 months post transplant-no evidence of growth/hair looks worse?

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benjno

Valued member
Hello. I am hoping the community can ease my concerns. 4.5 months ago, I had an fue procedure. Approximately 2500 grafts in the midscalp area. Procedure was performed by a reputable physician on the west coast. At present, I still cannot see a single transplanted hair coming through and the midscalp is much thinner than before the procedure. I have seen far too many posts of results showing after 3-4 months and getting nervous. I contacted the physician who told me it is too early, disregard the medical miracles who show growth at 3-4 months and do not expect anything until 6 months out. Also, the overall thinning is temporary and will improve. Really looking for some support and to ease my worries that I may just be a slower grower. Please help

 
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benjno

Valued member
Any thoughts?

6 months pictures are added on the second page of this thread, dated Wed Jan 18th, 2017


Thanks.
 
janna

janna

Valuable Member
Hi Benjno!

I understand why you'd be concerned and I've dealt with patients with similar worries in the past. At this point, there's nothing you or your clinic can do but wait for growth to start.
While there are fast growers, there certainly are patients who experience slow growth too.
The growth is generally very subtle at the beginning stages because the new hairs are fine. You can usually feel the growth with your finger tips than actually see the new hairs.

It would be helpful if you are able to post good pictures of before your FUE procedure and pics as you are now then add pics each month so that we can give you support as we follow your progress.
Best of luck in achieving the result you and your clinic expect.
Janna
 
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benjno

Valued member
Janna, thank you for your reply. Replies like yours give me some confidence and comfort that the 3-4 month miracles you see posted are not the norm. My only other concern is that my front has developed noticeable thinning even though that area was not the subject of the HT (the midscalp was the area transplanted). Can temporary shock loss migrate below or around areas actually transplanted?
 
Bigmac

Bigmac

Administrator
Staff member
Hi Benjno, I`ve seen lots of results where the patient are worried because they see no growth up to month 6. In most case`s they get the desired growth by 12 months. Would you be able to post some pre/post op pictures and a picture of what your hair looks like now.
This thread may help you.
http://www.hairlossexperiences.com/view_topic.php?id=1781
All the best.
Bm.
 
janna

janna

Valuable Member
Shock loss isn't typical so difficult to say if you're seeing natural hair loss or if it's truly due to shock loss. If it's due to shock loss, the hairs grow back within 3 months (on average).
j
 
I think 4-5 month period is very minimum period in the format of hair growth cycle, basically post hair transplant shock fall will be there between this 3-5 month and post shock fall you will see new hair ...so think you should wait for more day, definitely you will receive natural hair very soon.

 
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benjno

Valued member
But is it concerning not to see a single hair popping through? I actually had a significant other use a magnifying glass to confirm it was not my imagination and it was confirmed that nothing has popped through yet.
 
Bigmac

Bigmac

Administrator
Staff member
I'd say you should have seen some new hairs by now. Is there any chance you could post some pictures showing before your surgery, immediate post op and present day? I know you don't want to name the clinic which I respect and think is the right approach at this stage, however pictures would really help.
If you have pictures that would identify the doctor because of background colours etc, you could email them to me and I'll change it up so no one would know.
The doctor will advise you to wait, not much else they can say right now. If traveling to the clinic isn't a problem, maybe you could arrange a post op follow up so the doctor can examine your scalp.
Here's hoping you start to see growth soon.
 
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benjno

Valued member
Can someone advise as to how to upload pictures? Thanks.
 
Bigmac

Bigmac

Administrator
Staff member
Hi Benjo. I sent you a pm. The gallery feature is found under your username.
 
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Bastion

Member
Possibly shock loss occurring months after your transplant. Many patients report their hair looking worse before it gets better. You can only wait till the growth returns. I checked your gallery, there`s no pictures to view.
 
Nervousnelly

Nervousnelly

The Coolest Member
I'm sure that you are just a slow grower and likely some shockloss elsewhere. Need photos to really give the best opinion.
 
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benjno

Valued member
I am just at 5 months. Not a single hair has popped through. No reason to post a picture as there is nothing to see? Starting to get really worried.
 
JoeTillman

JoeTillman

Valued member
From what I understand you have/had diffuse loss and you weren't actually bald, just thinning. Is this correct?

Seeing new growth in and around existing hairs is difficult and in many cases the improvements are only realized after a cumulative improvement. Finding one or two hairs popping through is like trying to find the proverbial needle in a haystack. However, at five months you should be seeing something, anything, that should be an improvement but without photos it's impossible to give you anything but general comments.

Did your doctor shave your recipient zone? Have they demonstrated a track record of consistency with FUE?
 
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benjno

Valued member
Thanks for your reply Joe. The doctor did not shave the recipient zone but is widely regarded as an fue west coast specialist on the page. I have a 7 month appointment soon to address my concerns. Yes, I am diffuse and there was no indication of anything out of the ordinary during or after the procedure. The hairs were transplanted around existing ones. I agree with you that, at this point, there should be something. I have gone so far as asking my barber to use a magnifying glass to see a single hair, but nothing. I have not seen anything like this online at five months. Slow growth maybe but not a single hair failing to pop through at this point!
 
JoeTillman

JoeTillman

Valued member
The doctor did not shave the recipient zone but is widely regarded as an fue west coast specialist on the page.

What page?

At this point it's just a waiting game. Document your progress, or lack thereof, with photos and keep a journal of your experience including your interactions with the clinic.


 
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benjno

Valued member
I meant this site and others. Thanks again. I understand that, at this point, all I can do is wait and that there's nothing that can be done to rectify a procedure that may not turn out as it should have. As soon as I see any development, I will post a picture on the page for comments. Thanks again.
 
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benjno

Valued member
Well. I am now approaching 6 months and the situation is even grimmer. Monitoring weekly, not a single hair has yet to come through. And despite 10 years of proscar and minoxidil, my barber says that my crown and temples are thinner than before the procedure. Having reviewed hundreds of posts over the years, I have never seen anyone who did not evidence any hair coming through after six months. I have an appointment with the surgeon in February. In the few instances reported by slow growers, I understand that surgeons tend to blow them off, tell them it is still early and that they should wait. However, I have never seen a situation reported online where someone showed no growth at six months and ultimately had an acceptable procedure. Having seen an extremely well regarded surgeon, living an incredibly healthy lifestyle, no evidence of problems either during the procedure or thereafter, I am at a loss as to how I can be in the situation. Thoughts?
 
K

KO

Valued member
Can you please post photos? Before, postop, and for the months after?
 
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