Follow My Major Repair

[topccat29]

Hey Martin sorry I missed your post. At moment I €™m good with the hair progress and not sure what I €™m going to do and even if any additional improvement can be made. I have kind of put myself into a box where posting and informing others has become more important and as time has gone by I have become even more outspoken. I would like to inform on a larger scale sometime soon.



I can €™t be the patient that just worries about myself as if only I matter €¦ €¦ €¦ €¦ €¦..I just can €™t do it sometimes I wish I could and that mentality has been with me my whole life. I become even more driven which has served me well in many areas in the past but has also held me back in many ways.


I would actually like to update my weight loss soon which is a direct result of having started this repair and has also set me on a new path. Not that I was really overweight but just carrying more weight then I needed which was job related constantly having to deal with large aggressive people. Just waiting until I hit the 50lb mark €¦ €¦ €¦.it €™s all been a great motivator for me.



Thank you for asking.

 

[topccat29]

Martin here is something that might not seem relevant to my repair but I can tell you it is very relevant. I worked in the night club industry for over 25 years and I can tell you without doubt 99% of those who work in that industry for that length of time succumb to either the booze, drugs or both. I was one of the very few who did not fall victim to that particular industry and one has to understand that the pressure to conform is substantial. People tend to feel uncomfortable around those that are not following along with what they are doing but none the less I just stood my ground just part of my personality of sometimes doing exactly the opposite of what others are doing. Sometimes I just do not care to follow along and would rather just lead.

One can see the same in the ht industry somewhat if they look closely. It becomes very easy to do what others are doing especially when the money is so easy. This applies not only to the clinics but those on the periphery like the forums and promoters. It takes a very unique individual to not fall prey to that easy money and in the ht industry just like the night club industry very few can withstand the pressure. To do the right thing and not stray from that path when the money is so easy and many are desperate to give you as much as you want or need.


There are very few clinics, reps and doctors that can work in this system and keep on the straight and narrow. I highly respect those that can as I see it as something I would do. Those clinics, doctors and reps need to be pointed out and more need to come back and spread that word and over time one can easily see those that are doing the opposite and working towards their own interests. Although it's not always apparent time does tend to reveal these truths.

 

[topccat29]

I learned something very valuable over the last few days and I try to learn from both my negative and positive experiences. My recent lesson is that I have become too angry at what I often see still happening within the ht industry and my anger often comes through in my postings perhaps even giving me the appearance and image of a monster. For that I apologize to the forum as I am only human. I am letting those that have harmed me in the past win and I just wasn €™t seeing it €¦ €¦ €¦ €¦..thank you Jotronic for making me see it better as I actually seem to prefer a scolding as I often do to others. I find it wakes people up and you have done that for me. Maybe just a relic from my past conditioning.

I decided to send a letter of inquiry to BHR to see if additional improvement can be made. At this point I am very happy with what was achieved as my life is so much easier and that was the goal. But instead of concentrating on the negative I should concentrate on the positive as I honestly believe with all my heart that Dr. Bisanga is a very positive force in this industry. Maybe his force it just too silent for me and I want to scream it from the roof tops. If there is any donor left I will seriously consider going back to Brussels maybe late in 2015 or 2016. Better to show what can be accomplished and that is positive than to focus on the negative. It does take some work on my part especially now as I do have a lot going on in my own life and to be honest it €™s very simple not to go as the improvement for me has been that good. But my drive to effect change in this industry in a positive way is very strong so I will do my part if it is possible.

I would like to also update my thread in the coming months with my weight loss which is directly related to my repair journey. It €™s like it was all meant to happen and I am just following the road. I am a true believer in nutrition through food and its benefits in both mental and physical health so yes my opinion might come over too strongly and I will tone it down.

Thank you for taking the time to read my posting.

 

[sl]

Thanks Topcat and from the photo you sent me looks very nice and hope we can do more.

I agree on the past, don't live on past hurts that can cloud judgement with strong emotions. Things change and in any industry there is good and bad as it is human not industry related as such and glad we could make a positive change for you.

You have been through a lot and good if you can use it for the benefit of others and I know that is your motive.

I have met some very nice doctors, reps and people in this industry in my time so it is not all doom and gloom and a lot of doctors are seeking to sincerely help people. keep positive and look forwards to your update and keep in touch.

 

[topccat29]

SL thank you and the clinic for taking the time to look at my pictures and thank you for understanding my behavior. Something that is just too often driven by emotion and mastering that control is something that needs considerable work on my part. Much of it may be natural and much of it most definitely shaped by my experiences. When I see what happens to some of these young guys still today like decimated donor areas and work that just does not look natural it is like a trigger for me. I am absolutely aware of it and I must make an effort to control it. My anger helps no one. It is simply energy that is wasted and I must learn to master it and not have it master me.


Thank you again and I promise everyone here that I will try my absolute best moving forward.

 

[topccat29]

I heard back from BHR and the donor availability at present looks questionable at best but I am welcome to set up an appointment. Maybe a little beard and a little chest hair. I didn €™t really have any plans to go back but I also would like to continue to contribute something positive back. I am going to seriously consider seeing what more can be accomplished maybe in late 2015 or late 2016.

In the mean time I am going to try Minoxidil once again just out of curiosity to see if it can help strengthen everything up while also updating my thread every 3 months or so and contributing in other ways. The last time I used Minoxidil was about 6 years ago and I have a bad reaction to the foam. Upon further thought I also remember I was swimming in salt water at the time which is very unusual for me. Could there have been some type of conflict €¦ €¦ €¦ €¦anything is possible as previously I used Minoxidil for a very long time.

I actually have to thank Joe Tillman for pushing me into the right direction. Being told to sit down and shut up works well with me hence my comment relic from my past conditioning. I can only wish I would have had someone to tell me the same with hair transplantation 30 years ago.

I also learned something in the couple of threads where we were going back and forth. Nothing Joe did personally but how the industry often operates.

I am not one for being very image conscience and just speak my mind which can often paint me in a bad light so I really do need to be moving in a more positive direction. The anger and bitterness I often feel from what I see and not necessarily from my own past experiences is an energy drain for me and I €™m sure readers tire of it.

Joe has an interesting blog article up on his site and I would encourage others to read it because it is something I feel strongly about myself. Dr. Wong by all appearances is a quiet humble man and it is inconceivable to me that he would harm anyone and history has proven this to be true. Those personality traits are exactly what one needs to look for and less at the marketing of ht. Would Dr. Wong associate himself with someone that would be dishonest or cause harm to another? The answer would simply be no and in my opinion Dr. Bisanga is cut from the same cloth. They surround themselves with those that are similar and this is in fact what makes a great team. One needs to look at the top as that flows downward.

I am all for honesty and of course doing it in a positive way is the ideal goal.

 

[sl]

Nice update TC and takes a man to be humble and say if he made an error and that is to be applauded.

If we can be of help then for sure will be. Take care pal.

 

[Bigmac]

Good to hear you're looking forward in a positive manner, I hope Bhr can extract more grafts also to help you out.

 

[Dazzster26]

Hi TC

Let is know when you plan to be over in Europe wishing you all the best as always mate


Take care I care


Dazz

 

[topccat29]

Thanks Dazz €¦ €¦ €¦ €¦.not sure that I am even going to go back but it €™s nice to know that I can if I choose. That is what is important to me that I can go back as I consider myself a person of principle. That having an independent honest opinion is not held against me. It was more important for me to know that and not so much in actually going back.

Every patient I have spoken to has been appreciative for the information I have been able to pass along so that they can understand the industry better and in turn make a better decision for themselves regardless of the clinic they choose and this is what is important. It €™s not the type of information one might read on a forum but important none the less. I understand many that work the industry might not appreciate it and it €™s not meant to hurt them but simply to help others that might be unaware.

I had a small blurb posted to that blog that was recently pointed out to me that I had for the most part completely forgotten about. That blurb was from a personal profile I started on a ht forum back in early 2000 which is 15 years ago. Long before many that you see today became active in the industry. It applies today just as much as it did back then and the point is I knew somewhat of what was going on so I just waited and watched and that worked to my benefit and I learned more as time passed. I suggest others just wait and watch it €™s the safe road. Even today I keep learning simply through daily interaction and observation.

Some of the best information I got was actually from a receptionist at a clinic. So maybe others should do something similar. Regardless it takes a long time.

Dazz thank you for your support.

Here is that blurb I wrote 15 years ago, I €™m the same person. It's easy to paint me as a bad person but what I have learned to do in life through my own personal experience is to not back down to the real bullies of the world. Regardless of if that requires just having more information or in some situations being physically ready for anything. There are bad people in the world and to simply ignore this would be foolish.


I would like to get repaired and increase the quality of my life. It is very hard to believe anything you read or hear about this business. With paid posters, doctored pictures and deleted threads, one must proceed very cautiously.

 

[diamond8]

I would like to get repaired and increase the quality of my life. It is very hard to believe anything you read or hear about this business. With paid posters, doctored pictures and deleted threads, one must proceed very cautiously.

Very, Very True. Glad all is going well. Same here.

 

[topccat29]

An update on my minoxidil experiment. Everything is going well with no adverse reactions after one month and I will stick with taking pictures at the 3 month mark.

I recently had an issue with the Prothik I use as a concealer. The sprayer tip has changed again and it does not come out of the can in a way that I find suitable. I contacted the owner and we spoke on the phone and he explained to me some of the hurdles he recently had to overcome with the product. He will be sending me a variety of tips to evaluate in hopes of making the product better.

He also inquired on my hair loss and how I exactly used the product. I sent him some pictures and he was absolutely stunned and asked if he could use them. So if you happen to see anything used in the area of promotion I can assure you I am not being compensated. Just thought if it could help others it €™s not a big deal for me.

I also have spoke about some of my personal goals that started with my repair process. One of them was to lose the bodyfat as I no longer needed the extra bodyweight due to the changes in my life that were a direct result of starting the process. I still have a way to go to meet my target but this picture was taken a few weeks ago at a lifting meet. I should be where I need to be by mid summer as it is a very slow process. Everything that I have learned that was of value in the area of nutrition has been from books €¦ €¦ €¦..hundreds and hundreds of books. I have found books more often than not provide real information as opposed to marketing information which is much different and that is a valuable thought for many to ponder when considering a hair transplant procedure.

I do not use hair loss pills and never even considered it over the years. My personal opinion is that you give up some male traits that are important such as lower bodyfat levels and a hardness you cannot achieve and who knows what else while on medications that alter the endocrine system which is a finely tuned system. I also believe that these guys that end up on testosterone therapy while they are still young maybe due to hair loss medication are playing with a cancer time bomb and not worth having more hair. Just my personal opinion though. My preference if starting from scratch would be to have fue with whatever is available €¦ €¦ €¦..maybe 4000 grafts or so and arrange it in a way that can be enjoyed long term and also in a way that if some of it should be lost to dht I would still look normal. That is a logical and safe long term plan in my book but others I €™m sure might not agree. Maybe add in a little beard and body but that's it............just stay safe.


Health of course is important to me but we all have different priorities and life and to each their own €¦ €¦ €¦..no disrespect to those that choose something different. Same goes for those that choose to inject pigment into their scalp €¦ €¦ €¦it €™s your choice and long term I don €™t wish anyone bad.

 

[Bigmac]

Good to hear you're not having any reactions to the minoxidil you're using, also good that you're achieving your body fat goals.
If this guy does use your pictures would you be able to post a link so we can view them.
Cheers Bm.

 

[bullitnut]

Glad the Minox is going well dude, didn't you have an issue with the rogaine changing/ageing the look of your face (could be wrong and it might have been someone else) if it was you have you had any similar issues with Minox?

 

[topccat29]

I was a user of Minoxidil before it was approved back in the early 80's. I was a long time user of Xandrox which is 12.5% minoxidil. Being very observant of my body and it's reaction to anything as a hobby the connection to adverse effects and specifically Rogaine Foam was very simple to make.

Yes the adverse reaction of Rogaine foam was real for whatever reason. I am not using the foam and so I didn't really expect a problem.

 

[topccat29]

Just wanted to give a quick update on my Minoxidil experiment. After 6 weeks which was about a week ago I have decided to no longer continue.

This simply adds another step that is not worth it to me. I would rather just shampoo, spray a little concealer and then I am on with my day.
The main issues were:


It made my scalp way too shiny which is not a good look in my opinion and since I don €™t like to use too much concealer it becomes very noticeable.

I had the taste of Propylene Glycol in my mouth quite a few times which I found disturbing.

It actually made me anxious about my hair which is something I have not felt in a very, very long time. Not sure if it was the actual product or simply some of these other issues €¦ €¦ €¦ €¦..no thank you and that was the biggest negative for me. In my opinion going back from memory I would say that it was the chemical itself that made me feel anxious because when I used it long ago I had that same feeling. Since I do not use medicines at all and I €™m fairly consistent in what I consume it was very noticeable for me. This point might be useful to others.

It did cause me to shed quite a few hairs which is something I have not seen in a long time so it was doing something ;ss;

This is just my own honest experience and others should not assume it will be their experience. I have seen some great turnarounds with the product most recently Peabody €™s thread so don €™t dismiss it on my account.

I am also trying to be more positive in my postings as I really do want to help other guys. It €™s important for me to do as much as possible in every way I can otherwise my experience as both a patient and an observer of the industry will have been a complete waste. Sometimes being positive is hard for me in this particular area but I am trying, please be patient.

 

[Crudance2006]

Hey Topccat. Shame you experienced those symptoms using Minoxidil. At least you gave it a chance and as you say it may not be for everyone due to sides but others may have a more positive response.
Regards Crudance.

 

[topccat29]

Someone e-mailed me the other day asking my thoughts on fue scarring, beard hair versus scalp hair. My opinion is although many have thought there is less chance of scarring with the beard area due to some inherent trait with the skin I tend to not believe that otherwise how would none explain acne scarring. Yes we don €™t get all scarred up every time we nick ourselves shaving but then again those are very small wounds.

My feeling is that the size the procedure and the size of the punch matter. I have had about 1000 beard hair grafts extracted over 4 procedures and I don €™t have any visible scarring in my opinion. That number is extremely high if one were to consider it was taken from a very small area around the chin only. If I had a full beard I €™m sure that number could easily go up 4-5 fold. I also blade shaved the sides of my head and I did not see visible scarring granted very small procedure and small punches.

I took these pictures this morning and even though I don €™t say it enough I have very grateful to Dr. Bisanga. The hair pictures are with only a spritz of concealer well behind the hairline about 3 cm or so. I am 52 and I do spend quite a deal of time in the sun so my skin will show some signs of aging but overall I think it €™s in pretty good condition and I attribute that to dietary lifestyle. It's easy to forget how difficult it was to style my hair before I started my repair.

I am happy with my repair.
I am happy I waited so long and just observed.
I am happy there are good people in the world

Hopefully this will be of help to someone.

 

[SADbutTRUE]

your hair is looking good, happy for ya.

 

[sl]

Thanks for updating TC. Very happy for you and glad the beard hair came in well.

Take care.