H
Hoping_for_hair
member
Hi Guys
It's still sinking in that I have finally actually done it but has my HT yesterday. I thought I would share the journey with you all as the forum was a big factor in helping me with my decision.
I went to the Hair Dr in Leeds, was feeling nervous driving over in the morning but as soon as I arrived the team gave me such a warm welcome it helped put my mind at ease.
I was originally booked for 2.5k grafts after video consultantstion but after a closer look and discussion with Dr Arshad he felt that I would benefit from an extra 500 to help with the crown. There was no pressure to do so but I was happy to increase - while I am committing to the procedure I wanted to give myself the best shot of coverage.
The extraction session in the morning wasn't as bad as I feared. I'm not a fan of needles or blood so being face down helped not being able to see what was going on but the Dr's and Technicians were good at explaining what they were doing and answering my questions as we went. After the initial jabs to numb the area (Shap scratchy feeling) which are over quite quickly the extraction was painless.
What is a little awkward is being face down for a while. It's just unnatural and wasn't painful - but the team kept checking i was comfortable and were able to have break half way. Once it's numb I didn't feel anything but you can hear the grafts being punched.
My donor region had a good density apparently, and the follicles were quite "long" which made it easier to asses and handle them. I also had a lot of multiple grafts and was shown one with 5 hairs (one of the technicians later said she implanted a 6!). Overall I had quite a lot of 3+ (I will ask for the count sheet to confirm for you all) which, fingers crossed, will help with the crown density illusion.
Then it was lunch, I was asked what I would like in the morning and there a big selection of fruit and sweet treats to pick from as well. The guys kept checking on me and popping in for a friendly chat and offering me drinks.
Then it was on to making the incisions. You are sat up at this stage so more comfortable and after a couple of sharp scratchy jabs to numb the area (less than the morning) and fluid to help the grafts, you don't feel any other pain - they described the feeling like wearing a helmet which was very accurate!
It was a bit weird hearing your skin be cut but as you don't feel it, it was totally fine. Again, able to chat with the Dr and team who were happy to answer questions and kept me informed of every stage.
You then stay sat up for the implant section, this was the longest part for me.
The technicians were great doing this, again I didnt feel any pain. They were all really friendly and happy to answer questions or just have a bit of a chat to pass the time, which helped me relax. You could watch TV if you wanted to or have your mobile.
We were able to take breaks when needed and again, was really looked after, kept being offered drinks and snacks. It took a good few hours so it's nice to be able stretch once in a while!
The Drs kept coming in to check on progress and how I was feeling, which was reassuring.
Once all the grafts are inserted there were final checks, then i got my goody bag full of meds along with a video to remind me what to do and a guide as to what to take when. I then had a debrief, given a contact number if I had any questions and took some pics of the grafts then was on my way (with a top tip from one of the technicians that I could remove the car head rest to minimise any risk of bumping my crown!).
I had an hour drive back home. While a bit tired from a long day I felt absolutely fine to drive - the extra snacks I was given helped perk me up (although if I was a long trip I would be tempted to stay locally overnight or get a lift).
Overall I couldn't be happier with how the day went and with everyone at the clinic - they were all the the perfect blend of professional but very friendly and really felt looked after and reassured at all times.
Now on to stage two and trying to protect the grafts while they heal. I found last night a bit awkward and ended up sleeping on the sofa to keep me more upright as I try and avoid accidentally knocking the grafts. I still managed to get some sleep.
I can't wait to see what result I will get but just need to give it time! I'll post some updates too as I go.
Attached some before shots from my earlier post and then some after the procedure. I'll send some more in a few days when I can remove the bandage.
It's still sinking in that I have finally actually done it but has my HT yesterday. I thought I would share the journey with you all as the forum was a big factor in helping me with my decision.
I went to the Hair Dr in Leeds, was feeling nervous driving over in the morning but as soon as I arrived the team gave me such a warm welcome it helped put my mind at ease.
I was originally booked for 2.5k grafts after video consultantstion but after a closer look and discussion with Dr Arshad he felt that I would benefit from an extra 500 to help with the crown. There was no pressure to do so but I was happy to increase - while I am committing to the procedure I wanted to give myself the best shot of coverage.
The extraction session in the morning wasn't as bad as I feared. I'm not a fan of needles or blood so being face down helped not being able to see what was going on but the Dr's and Technicians were good at explaining what they were doing and answering my questions as we went. After the initial jabs to numb the area (Shap scratchy feeling) which are over quite quickly the extraction was painless.
What is a little awkward is being face down for a while. It's just unnatural and wasn't painful - but the team kept checking i was comfortable and were able to have break half way. Once it's numb I didn't feel anything but you can hear the grafts being punched.
My donor region had a good density apparently, and the follicles were quite "long" which made it easier to asses and handle them. I also had a lot of multiple grafts and was shown one with 5 hairs (one of the technicians later said she implanted a 6!). Overall I had quite a lot of 3+ (I will ask for the count sheet to confirm for you all) which, fingers crossed, will help with the crown density illusion.
Then it was lunch, I was asked what I would like in the morning and there a big selection of fruit and sweet treats to pick from as well. The guys kept checking on me and popping in for a friendly chat and offering me drinks.
Then it was on to making the incisions. You are sat up at this stage so more comfortable and after a couple of sharp scratchy jabs to numb the area (less than the morning) and fluid to help the grafts, you don't feel any other pain - they described the feeling like wearing a helmet which was very accurate!
It was a bit weird hearing your skin be cut but as you don't feel it, it was totally fine. Again, able to chat with the Dr and team who were happy to answer questions and kept me informed of every stage.
You then stay sat up for the implant section, this was the longest part for me.
The technicians were great doing this, again I didnt feel any pain. They were all really friendly and happy to answer questions or just have a bit of a chat to pass the time, which helped me relax. You could watch TV if you wanted to or have your mobile.
We were able to take breaks when needed and again, was really looked after, kept being offered drinks and snacks. It took a good few hours so it's nice to be able stretch once in a while!
The Drs kept coming in to check on progress and how I was feeling, which was reassuring.
Once all the grafts are inserted there were final checks, then i got my goody bag full of meds along with a video to remind me what to do and a guide as to what to take when. I then had a debrief, given a contact number if I had any questions and took some pics of the grafts then was on my way (with a top tip from one of the technicians that I could remove the car head rest to minimise any risk of bumping my crown!).
I had an hour drive back home. While a bit tired from a long day I felt absolutely fine to drive - the extra snacks I was given helped perk me up (although if I was a long trip I would be tempted to stay locally overnight or get a lift).
Overall I couldn't be happier with how the day went and with everyone at the clinic - they were all the the perfect blend of professional but very friendly and really felt looked after and reassured at all times.
Now on to stage two and trying to protect the grafts while they heal. I found last night a bit awkward and ended up sleeping on the sofa to keep me more upright as I try and avoid accidentally knocking the grafts. I still managed to get some sleep.
I can't wait to see what result I will get but just need to give it time! I'll post some updates too as I go.
Attached some before shots from my earlier post and then some after the procedure. I'll send some more in a few days when I can remove the bandage.