Going for repair at Shapiro Medical Group.

[StaggerLee]

thincity wrote:

Hi StaggerLee, Thanks, I'm very pleased with the healing. I just remember the "minigraft" work and how long it took both the donor and crown to heal. I'd like to think the Acell and of course surgeons skill added in this quick healing. I never looked at Acell to grow new hair, only as a healing aid. It appears most if not all native hair has returned and growing.

Yes I was commenting to Janna on another forum that SMG's immediate post-op pictures always appear to be so clean whereas pictures from other clinics often have the patient looking like an accident victim oozing blood. My mini-grafs took a long time to heal up as well. Too bad we both didn't know about the Shapiros a long time ago. So glad things are on track.

Happy St. Patricks's Day!!Z:B

 

[thincity]

StaggerLee, cracking up at accident victim! Wife and daughter were expecting just that when I returned home! I still cannot believe home fast the punchouts healed. I couldn't agree more about Shapiro. I bet they could have done wonders for both of us, had we been "virgin" scalps. I used to get upset and bitter about my previous "work", but it's just not healthy for you. As repair patients, you can get repaired, if you have enough donor/or body hair, or get a reversal, if the damage isn't to great or wear a hair system. There are many posters that try and warn newbies to be cautious, and they are correct. Topcat is one that tries, but I wonder how many young/desperate guys (I was just that) disregard the advice and go to shady clinics. I only decided to post, and let my pics be posted in the honest hope to help someone who may be searching like I was. I'm not sure if your issue is just your scars or the top, but either way I hope you get sorted out!

 

[thincity]

Hi All, Added some pics to the gallery. These were taken on March 12th (one month post-op). Tomorrow is six weeks post-op, not really much change from these pics. Everything seems to be on track. There is some growth in the left side scar picture. The hairs are white and very tiny. I'm not sure if this was/is shockloss.

 

[Dazzster26]

Hi thincity just want to wish you all the very best and hope your result is going to be outstanding, I will be watching your progress for sure

Daz

 

[StaggerLee]

Hey mr. thincity looks like things are coming along as to be expected. You are in the ugly duckling phase right now that will test your patience but you know all about it.

How are you feeling about the whole thing at this point? Do you feel you are on track etc...? Happy you went to SMG?

I bet if you buzz down your sides a bit and leave your hair about 2" in the back to help cover the scar(s?)you could pull it off. Did you go to that wedding you talked about?

You are on your way bud, hang in your hair will start to grow about the same time as my hydrangaes in my front yard start to bloom!!!

P.S. You will have to start thinking about changing you handle soon as I think in about 5-6 months "thincity" will just not be decriptive anymore.

 

[thincity]

Hi Dazzster, thanks for the well wishes, and I hope the best for your results. I have a friend who is the Captain of a freighter who runs through the Great Lakes. StaggerLee, yes I am in the ugly duckling stage right now, and it's new to me as my previous work never effected my hair in the front. I feel good about the final outcome, but it sucks right now! I'm very happy I went to SMG, Janna has been great in follow up info/care. The wedding is this coming weekend, and the sample concealers Janna sent me will help. I had a short haircut on Monday, and truthfully it looks very good. The scar on the left is slowly growing in, my hair lady left it slightly longer here to cover it, but the hair is very short on the sides and back and looks good. The top will take time as not all the native hair has returned yet, and of course way to early for any new growth! I picked my handle as a play on words from the then popular sitcom "Spincity". I enjoyed this show with Michael J Fox and then Charle Sheen later.

 

[thincity]

An early three month update. Monday May 7th I will be three months post-op, however I will be in an area without internet service. Native hair has mostly returned, comparing pre-op pics, I'd say I'm at 75-80%. Plug punchouts have made a big improvement, however even if I get good growth around them, I will need another round. Some of the plugs remaining were placed (By Chambers) so that they grow straight up, and they contain multible hairs. As the area was thinned out, even gel won't hold them back/down! Post-op redness/pinkness is almost totally gone, and little if any numbness remains anywhere. Hair in the right scar is growing (very slowly), it is white and just beyond stubble at this time. I hope once it has reached a good length, it will cover the area. I see no evidence of new growth, however it is very early. I am scheduled for a haircut later next week, and after the cut, I'll see if I can have my wife take some pics.

 

[Bigmac]

Thanks for updating on your progress, at three months you may start to see some growth but as you know this is still very early.

All the best.

Bm.

 

[Dazzster26]

Hi Buddy

thanks for the update am at the 3 month mark myself and just trying to keep positive , am betting now your going to have a awesome result , SMG another Class stay cool

D

 

[thincity]

Hello everyone. Monday June 4th was my four month mark. I am getting a haircut this Friday and promise to post some pictures. There appears to be some growth starting, and I believe some of what I thought were native hairs, are actually the transplanted hairs. The area on the right side (donor) still shows some slow growth, the hairs are more visible (they are white) by using a white LED light instead of standard light. When I have the pictures taken, I will attempt to use this lighting. I feel I'm pretty much on track where I should be for this time frame. I will try and get the pics taken and posted before the end of the weekend.

 

[janna]

It'll be interesting to see your progress at 4 months with the white LED light. Thanks in advance for posting an update.

 

[thincity]

Hi Janna, I found this by accident. I could feel stubble growing in the right side donor area (shown in gallery pic), however under normal lighting nothing was visible. The LED light gives off a somewhat blue tinted light and colors the white hairs so that they are visible. I hope it will be evident when try to photograph it. I won't need to use the LED light for the reciepient area. I'm really excited to see the next few months progress! I remember Bart from another hair restoration clinic stating how hard it is to extract white hairs via FUE.

 

[topccat29]

Thincity good to hear that you are making quick progress. Speaking as a repair patient it must be quite a relief. Missed your earlier post, all one can do is try to help others but with youth comes recklessness so many will just have to learn the hard way. Wish we would have had the information that is now available as I would like to think we would have been wiser in our decisions.

Mentioning Chambers, makes me laugh. They were offering the dovetail closure €¦.lol €¦..what idiocy. It €™s hard enough to close a straight line in the donor area why in the world would anyone think that a wavy line would be a better idea. I guess they thought they were building furniture €¦..lol €¦.. They didn €™t get me but some of the others did, not bitter about it though all you can really do is laugh, learn and tell some stories.

Looking forward to seeing your picture update.

 

[thincity]

Hi Topccat. I'm very happy with my current progress. You should be commended for trying to educate the newbies, and if you save even one from ending up in the repair section, it's worth it. I'd like to think having the information availible now, and access to ethical clincs, I'd have been more cautious. However you are correct, youth and recklessness go hand in hand. Ah yes..the dovetail closure, was always featured in the ads in the Detroit Newspaper. I actually took some of your advice to another poster regarding "pink scalp". I switched to an SLS free shampoo (Aveeno) and other than my first and only bout of foliculitis (while using drugstore shampoo) have not had a single problem. I had never heard of SLS, but my wife had.

 

[Bigmac]

Good to hear you are seeing some early growth,will look forward to seeing your pictures.

 

[thincity]

I tried to upload three pictures, however I can't get them to go through. I'll keep trying, if I have no luck, I'll email them to Big Mac. My wife was vey patient and we tried many pics of the right scar under various lighting. The LED light washed out the area in the pics, so no go with that. I have two pics of top view down in differant lighting and one of the right scar.

 

[janna]

What is the file size of each picture? The file size is probably too big. Feel free to send photos to me and I can resize and post. Bless you for trying.

 

[janna]

here are thincity's pics at 4 months post op -

 

[janna]

donor scar at 4 mos-

 

[janna]

another 4 mos