My hair transplant journey. Surgery performed at the Hair Dr Leeds UK, July 2020.

[Hoping_for_hair]

Fingers crossed you see some more improvement over the next few months and it's good that you were able to have a follow up and honest chat.
While it must be tough having to keep waiting it sounds like you are taking a good approach and wish you all the best

 

[Kelvino1987]

That’s great to know there were honest and supportive. This is what makes a clinic a good clinic in my opinion, it’s not just the result but the after care. Did they say what might have gone wrong for the result to not be up to standard?

Sorry for the late reply B-man!

I oddly do feel more at ease as I know we’ve got a plan. I think as well with Dr Arshad agreeing about the lack of progress helps, as I know it’s not just in my own head if that makes sense?

They didn’t mention any specific to be honest. They checked the scalp to see if it could be anything medical but they said it looks fine.

Im using regain now too. There’s been some shedding from using it but hopefully it will help with some growth. Ill hopefully post a positive update soon!

 

[Kelvino1987]

Fingers crossed you see some more improvement over the next few months and it's good that you were able to have a follow up and honest chat.
While it must be tough having to keep waiting it sounds like you are taking a good approach and wish you all the best

Cheers Man, I appreciate it.

 

[Kingthin]

Hi @Kelvino1987 hope you are well, how are things going?

There seems to be a big spate of slow growers coming out of the Hair Dr that have been posted on this forum and others that have had FUE there within the last year. Hope that they all come good.

 

[Kelvino1987]

Hi @Kelvino1987 hope you are well, how are things going?

There seems to be a big spate of slow growers coming out of the Hair Dr that have been posted on this forum and others that have had FUE there within the last year. Hope that they all come good.

Hi mate, I’ve attached an 11 month update!

The pictures are comparisons to when I added regain and saw palmetto into my daily regimen about 4 months ago. There’s definitely been some improvement but it’s still not where I’d expect. I’m still having to style my hair a certain way to cover the receding/thinning areas on my temples. My donor area appears quite patchy which I’m not satisfied with. I have sometimes trimmed my hair myself but even when doing so before my HT, it never looked so patchy.

I didn’t realise there’a been a trend of patients from the clinic on this forum that are experiencing similar slow growth as I’ve only seen more so positive results. I don’t suppose you have links to their posts so I can link in with them? I actually put a request out a while back to liaise with other slow growers but didn’t hear anything. Would be great to speak with others who are experiencing the same.

Are you considering the hair dr/other clinics for a HT at the moment mate?

 

[Baldingman23]

I think you hair has improved @Kelvino1987 and you still have time for it to thicken up/mature. What number cut is the back? I go as short as a number 3

 

[Kelvino1987]

I think you hair has improved @Kelvino1987 and you still have time for it to thicken up/mature. What number cut is the back? I go as short as a number 3

Definitely has improved. I think the regain and saw palmetto and biotin helped.

I have a number 2 now, I was having a 1-1.5 sometimes. I wouldn’t want to grow it any longer than a 2 on the back and sides (ideally), but will consider this.

it’s difficult to see on the picture but there’s areas/gaps on the temples where there no hair or growth. I’m just hoping it happens. It’s really stubborn!

 

[Kingthin]

Hi mate, I’ve attached an 11 month update!

The pictures are comparisons to when I added regain and saw palmetto into my daily regimen about 4 months ago. There’s definitely been some improvement but it’s still not where I’d expect. I’m still having to style my hair a certain way to cover the receding/thinning areas on my temples. My donor area appears quite patchy which I’m not satisfied with. I have sometimes trimmed my hair myself but even when doing so before my HT, it never looked so patchy.

I didn’t realise there’a been a trend of patients from the clinic on this forum that are experiencing similar slow growth as I’ve only seen more so positive results. I don’t suppose you have links to their posts so I can link in with them? I actually put a request out a while back to liaise with other slow growers but didn’t hear anything. Would be great to speak with others who are experiencing the same.

Are you considering the hair dr/other clinics for a HT at the moment mate?

It’s looking better @Kelvino1987 but can see your concerns.

In the Hair Transplant patients section of this forum theres quite a few that are currently waiting satisfactory growth. Hopefully come month 12 it’s all worked out. There’s a couple of other Ashad threads on another forum but don’t think I’m allowed to post links.

I’m 6.5 months in, I’ve had growth but hoping it will be much better come month 12.

 

[Kevboy]

Your hairline looks better but the top looks slightly worse before you had anything done which might be styling and camera settings. Do you think you’re existing hair is still falling out? My hair goes through shedding stages where it looks better one month and thinner next month.

 

[Kelvino1987]

Your hairline looks better but the top looks slightly worse before you had anything done which might be styling and camera settings. Do you think you’re existing hair is still falling out? My hair goes through shedding stages where it looks better one month and thinner next month.

Hi Kev

I can see what you mean with pre-op pictures and I was concerned with that at first as my hair loss wasn’t necessarily that bad, but though, it does seem there is more coverage/thickness when I touch the top than before - I could be wrong though. I’m at the clinic next week so I can have further pictures done in the same light and camera as the pre op photos they use to see and assess the difference.

I don’t think I’ve lost anymore to be fair. I’ve been using finasteride for coming up to 4 years now and started regain daily along with saw palmetto and biotin. I did notice some shedding after using regain for the first month, which why the above comparison pictures may appear it was thinner than before my op possibly?

I do feel overall there has been progress (not my donor), but I don’t feel it’s been an enjoyable 11 months. They have offered a top up given optimal results are not achieved, and also PRP which is good and did give me some assurance as I know we have a solution in place. I think the only thing I’d be worried about now is if we don’t achieve the results we want again, and the donor area being more depleted.

Ill probably also speak with other clinics to get some unbiased assessments. 4 weeks left of the 12 months so hopefully we see some more growth! I’ll certainly update either way.

Cheers

 

[Baldingman23]

Hi Kev

I can see what you mean with pre-op pictures and I was concerned with that at first as my hair loss wasn’t necessarily that bad, but though, it does seem there is more coverage/thickness when I touch the top than before - I could be wrong though. I’m at the clinic next week so I can have further pictures done in the same light and camera as the pre op photos they use to see and assess the difference.

I don’t think I’ve lost anymore to be fair. I’ve been using finasteride for coming up to 4 years now and started regain daily along with saw palmetto and biotin. I did notice some shedding after using regain for the first month, which why the above comparison pictures may appear it was thinner than before my op possibly?

I do feel overall there has been progress (not my donor), but I don’t feel it’s been an enjoyable 11 months. They have offered a top up given optimal results are not achieved, and also PRP which is good and did give me some assurance as I know we have a solution in place. I think the only thing I’d be worried about now is if we don’t achieve the results we want again, and the donor area being more depleted.

Ill probably also speak with other clinics to get some unbiased assessments. 4 weeks left of the 12 months so hopefully we see some more growth! I’ll certainly update either way.

Cheers

It’s definitely good to know that the clinic is standing by its patient and willing to offer a top up. Keep us all updated Kev

 

[My2021story]

Hi Kev

I can see what you mean with pre-op pictures and I was concerned with that at first as my hair loss wasn’t necessarily that bad, but though, it does seem there is more coverage/thickness when I touch the top than before - I could be wrong though. I’m at the clinic next week so I can have further pictures done in the same light and camera as the pre op photos they use to see and assess the difference.

I don’t think I’ve lost anymore to be fair. I’ve been using finasteride for coming up to 4 years now and started regain daily along with saw palmetto and biotin. I did notice some shedding after using regain for the first month, which why the above comparison pictures may appear it was thinner than before my op possibly?

I do feel overall there has been progress (not my donor), but I don’t feel it’s been an enjoyable 11 months. They have offered a top up given optimal results are not achieved, and also PRP which is good and did give me some assurance as I know we have a solution in place. I think the only thing I’d be worried about now is if we don’t achieve the results we want again, and the donor area being more depleted.

Ill probably also speak with other clinics to get some unbiased assessments. 4 weeks left of the 12 months so hopefully we see some more growth! I’ll certainly update either way.

Cheers

Hi mate

I’m currently 7 months in and possibly experiencing slow growth

 

[Kelvino1987]

I’m sorry to hear that mate. How you feeling about it? I checked your update earlier and I do think you’ll be on track to get decent results. Hopefully you’ll see more growth in the coming months.

 

[Kelvino1987]

Just adding further pictures of my 11 month update. As you can see with the hair line, it just doesn’t seem to be happening, so I’m still having to style it to cover the thin/receded areas as I’d done prior to having the HT. It’s a bit frustrating as one of the reasons of getting the procedure done was being able to avoid the worry of styling balder parts.

Has anybody on here had a similar issue with a HT and had it corrected from the same clinic? or gone somewhere else?

 

[My2021story]

I’m sorry to hear that mate. How you feeling about it? I checked your update earlier and I do think you’ll be on track to get decent results. Hopefully you’ll see more growth in the coming months.

I’m hoping there is significant growth in the next few months.
There are a few of us waiting for late growth from Dr A so hoping we all get there!!

have they said anything in relation to your growth?

 

[Baldingman23]

I found a photo on my phone today of my donor zone in October last year 3 months after my HT and it was shaved at a number 3. I think you just need to give your donor zone time to recover from both the surgery as well as any shock loss that you might encounter.

 

[Kevboy]

Hi Kev

I can see what you mean with pre-op pictures and I was concerned with that at first as my hair loss wasn’t necessarily that bad, but though, it does seem there is more coverage/thickness when I touch the top than before - I could be wrong though. I’m at the clinic next week so I can have further pictures done in the same light and camera as the pre op photos they use to see and assess the difference.

I don’t think I’ve lost anymore to be fair. I’ve been using finasteride for coming up to 4 years now and started regain daily along with saw palmetto and biotin. I did notice some shedding after using regain for the first month, which why the above comparison pictures may appear it was thinner than before my op possibly?

I do feel overall there has been progress (not my donor), but I don’t feel it’s been an enjoyable 11 months. They have offered a top up given optimal results are not achieved, and also PRP which is good and did give me some assurance as I know we have a solution in place. I think the only thing I’d be worried about now is if we don’t achieve the results we want again, and the donor area being more depleted.

Ill probably also speak with other clinics to get some unbiased assessments. 4 weeks left of the 12 months so hopefully we see some more growth! I’ll certainly update either way.

Cheers

Getting other assessments is probably a good idea.
The meds can play havoc with shedding but you been on them a long time which shouldn’t be a problem now because your body has adjusted to it.

 

[Kelvino1987]

I found a photo on my phone today of my donor zone in October last year 3 months after my HT and it was shaved at a number 3. I think you just need to give your donor zone time to recover from both the surgery as well as any shock loss that you might encounter.

View attachment 24367

Getting other assessments is probably a good idea.
The meds can play havoc with shedding but you been on them a long time which shouldn’t be a problem now because your body has adjusted to it.

The current length on the back and sides is a number 3 (checked with my guard this morning), but it looks really patchy. Looking back at a photo after my op, I can see some of the grafts harvested were quite close together (I’ve highlighted some) and think this may be a the reason why it looks depleted? The 3rd photo is my donor before my procedure. Anyone’s opinion on this would be really helpful. Cheers.

 

[Kelvino1987]

I’m hoping there is significant growth in the next few months.
There are a few of us waiting for late growth from Dr A so hoping we all get there!!

have they said anything in relation to your growth?

I think you will mate, it looks good and can see your progress.

When I saw them a few months ago, they just it’s something that can happen with some patients (slow growers), and that most will be not see thickening/density until month 10.

 

[Hoping_for_hair]

I noticed on some of the other pictures you have a few grey hairs on the side, could it be those getting picked up by the camera making it appear a bit patchy? Are you just going off the pictures as might be worth asking someone to look at it in real life, as they will be able to tell better than the pics I find.

As it sounds you are really concerned about it, you could always go back to the clinic for an updated view and even get a second opinion from another clinic as well?

I appreciate it's tough but I've seen a few examples of slow growers having results develop on until 18 months people do all react differently.