Help!! Results not looking good, need advice.

[41M]

Hi All.

I had surgery 12 months ago and results are posted below. There were 3250 grafts used. All the grafts were placed in the frontal third. Nothing in the crown. It was done at a popular expensive UK clinic. Post 1 month all the meds including oral minoxidil has been used regularly to help recovery and new grafts.

I'm not sure if I am a slow grower or a failed transplant. Many of my surgeons patients have posted failures here.

I wanted advice from the forum on what my next options are. Hopefully someone has a positive story from a similar position as me.

 

[41M]

Before pictures attached here

 

[Bigmac]

Sorry to see that your grafts have not taken.
Your hair loss looks as though it is still progressing even with the meds. The hair looks less dense in your after picture.
Possibly you have an underlying condition that has caused the poor yield. The clinic will hopefully work with you to shave your scalp examined, usually with a biopsy to check for these conditions that have an impact on growth.
I`d not proceed with another surgery until the above has been checked. If all clear and you wanted another surgery, I would do a small test procedure to see what growth you get.
Keep in contact with the clinic. Have they seen you for your final follow up?

 

[41M]

Thanks Big Mac. I have seen them at 6 and 9 months. I have a 12 months follow up in a fortnight.

Only thing to clarify in terms of progressing hairloss is that I suffered from extreme shock loss in donor and transplant areas from 1-5 months. I'm not sure it makes a difference but the majority of grafts were also placed amongst the existing follicles in the front centre hairline.

I'm unsure if the above is a cause of the extra hairloss since surgery. If maybe the shock didn't recover or the placement of new grafts killed existing hair that may have been weak.

Is a biopsy a major process or fairly simple? They have not mentioned this yet. They did offer a topup of 800 in the temples to fill in the gaps but I turned this down as I thought 12 months a little soon for a second procedure and I want to be very very careful with any remaining donor.

 

[Bigmac]

It is possible that native hair suffered permanent shock loss. If you lost all of the native hair, the yield still looks low for the number of grafts you had. A picture showing the placement would help. Then we can see how your hairline should look.
A biopsy involves a sample of tissue being extracted from your scalp, similar in ways to a graft extraction with an FUE punch.
Hopefully, the clinic can advise you accordingly at the 12 month appointment.

 

[41M]

Post op

 

[Bigmac]

It doesn’t look as though much grew in the temple corners. From the placement you should have a full hairline. Another request. Have a picture top down showing how far the placement went?

 

[41M]

I have requested these pictures from the doc but they said their policy is not to share until 12 month checkup. Not sure if these help.

A question. If the scalp had an issue would a few sparse hairs in several areas still grow in isolation? I've not ordered a biopsy. I will ask the doctor if they have this service. It has been difficult to fit my timings with the doctors for checkup (during lunch breaks with transplants being performed but 70 miles away for me).

 

[Bigmac]

Yes, they will do. There has been an issue with growth. The clinic should check your scalp and advise if they think a biopsy is needed.

Once you have your pictures you can compare to see more accurately where hair was placed. It looks more like frontal half was transplanted in the 2nd picture.

 

[Kelvino1987]

Hi mate. Really sorry to hear you’ve had a poor result. It’s difficult to see any change from your pre op pictures.

I’m just curious about the 12 month policy and not sending you pictures they’ve taken? It doesn’t sound right at all. I’d be challenging the clinic on this. Makes me suspicious why they wouldn’t send you your own pre and post op pictures they’ve taken. What were their reasons for this policy? Have you seen this policy in writing?

What clinic/surgeon is it you’ve had your procedure with?

Hope you get the answers you need mate.

 

[41M]

Hi Kelvino

I won't post the clinic name until I have had my 12 month. Last time I posted some concern about them on this forum they contacted me to state the unfairness of my post due to not giving them time to consult and not seeing through the full 12 months or 18 months if they deem me to be a slow grower. In clinic at 9 months I was told I won't be happy with the result and offered a top up this month. I asked for this in writing to be told I am slow grower and the 12 month checkup would show more. When I asked for the pics the doc took as well as past ones (I wanted to see how he had brushed the hair forward to create some form of 'progress' at the front and how this measured against 'tied back to middle' before pics)

I chose this clinic based on good reviews on this forum. Unfortunately every review since has not been so positive and it is a decision that is now a life regret for me. Bereavement and social issues aside, losing so many valuable grafts and so much money is up there as a regret I'll carry lifelong.
A biopsy hasn't been offered yet despite my concerns being raised at month 6. I was told no growth is expected until after month 6 and the clinic has very few if any unsuccessful ops. This made me feel like misnomer.

I am sincerely hoping for a positive way out and hence posting this as a possible route into something positive that may still come from my hope in HT? I sincerely pray I can still have some hair even if not perfect as opposed to being totally bald and having to shave it.

 

[Kelvino1987]

That’s fair enough mate.

Did they say why at 9 months that you won’t be happy with the result and offered a top up, given they’ve said you’re a slow grower? Just seems a little contradicting? If they believe you’re a slow grower, I’d assume they would prefer to give adequate time to allow your “slow growth” to come between the 12-18 month period, and not rush a top up at 12 months?

It’s probably a good idea to get a 2nd opinion from a reputable surgeon, maybe a couple of opinions to help you make the best decision for yourself. If you did have a couple of opinions from highly respected surgeons and those opinions are consistent with each other, it would likely be opinions you could trust.

Hopefully it is just purely slow growth and you’ll have more to come, although I understand this being difficult to believe or be optimistic about.

 

[MaxMidlander]

Ah damn, this is very unfortunate with such a large amount of grafts . Did you ever try Finasteride to help hair loss ?

 

[41M]

Ah damn, this is very unfortunate with such a large amount of grafts . Did you ever try Finasteride to help hair loss ?

I'm on every medication. Oral minoxidil, topical fin/min, derma rolling, nizoral weekly.

 

[MaxMidlander]

I had to google derma rollin . Would that effect the healing tho ?

 

[Philw]

I would leave scalp alone for now
Keep on meds though
U might make things worse using roller etc
Wait for 12 months know its hard
Sorry 2 hear u are going through this after paying alot of money
Try hold on bit longer

 

[amaritbennett]

thanks guys!!

 

[Enzo445]

Hi mate, can you disclose which clinic you went to?

 

[mojones]

Hi All.

I had surgery 12 months ago and results are posted below. There were 3250 grafts used. All the grafts were placed in the frontal third. Nothing in the crown. It was done at a popular expensive UK clinic. Post 1 month all the meds including oral minoxidil has been used regularly to help recovery and new grafts.

I'm not sure if I am a slow grower or a failed transplant. Many of my surgeons patients have posted failures here.

I wanted advice from the forum on what my next options are. Hopefully someone has a positive story from a similar position as me.

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Hi did this get better?

 

[41M]

Hi did this get better?

Hi. Unfortunately it didn't as it didn't for any other hairdr patients. I have now had a second surgery elsewhere hoping it repairs this work.