The first ever documented before and after hair transplant video from 1996!!

[garageland]

Those who are familiar with my case will know that I had 3 surgeries for mini and micro grafts in the UK in 1996,97 and 1998 for around 450-500 grafts each time. I have been able to document what I looked like through photos after these 3 sessions via my pics at Hasson & Wong immediately before surgery to repair the mess. But here is something new.....

I have had several 8mm camcorder tapes that I have been meaning to look at from a camcorder that was chewing everything and these tapes have not been reviewed for probably 17 years as I wasn't able to play them. Well last week I got these tapes back converted into digital format as well as being able to reminisce over my youth and watch my hair disappearing from the years of 1993 (age 20) to 1997 at the end of one of the tapes was some filmed close up footage of me inspected my first hair transplant in 1996. The first segment of the video is 10 days post op after 450 mini and micro grafts. It is incredible to see how sparse these grafts were placed and how unnatural they look with the hairs packed tight into the incisions which resulted in them growing in all different directions.

At the time the grafts were placed above my native hairline and were hidden once grown out to a large degree it was only once my native hair receded and thinned further that it all came into full view.

The second part of the video is probably several months later as the hairs have grown I can't be sure of the timeline here. The final part of the video is at a new property that I was at so I can place that in 1997 and the grafts have grown and I would say it is the one year result we are looking at.

I have removed the sound as I am generally mumbling nonsense which is barely audible I remember watching live what I was filming on a tv and being shocked and horrified and in one of the videos you can see that I am sweating on my forehead with the worry of what I am seeing with my own eyes.

I think I am correct in saying that this is the oldest before and after video documentation that is available online.

Apologies for the poor camera work but this was a due to me filming it myself and the quality of my Sanyo Camcorder at the time.




[flash=425,344]http://www.youtube.com/v/aEks-41_ACc&feature=player_detailpage&hl=en&fs=1[/flash]

 

[bullitnut]

Thats an awesome video Garageland......just wish the forums where around in the nineties and more people had documented their journeys, then people would have had the opportunity to witness just how shocking these results actually were before subjecting themselves to the life changing horrific transplants you, myself and many endured back then.
Thanks for posting this it reminded me so much of my old HT dude

 

[Bigmac]

Great video Garageland, thanks for sharing.

 

[sl]

You've been through a lot and good to see how you are now.

 

[topccat29]

My same message on another forum bears repeating here.

All I can say is wow..............and that video is almost like finding a lost treasure. That look on your face says it all and simply cannot be faked. It's something that a small group of men share and it was all so unnecessary and still going on unfortunately.

I know I can be pretty harsh sometimes in my postings but that look you have on your face and what you are feeling at that moment I know very well and this is where it all emanates for me. Many simply do not understand it..............no agenda..........nothing to gain..............just trying to make things right for others.

I know many might not agree with I have to say and I can respect that. You are a good guy from everything I have seen and heard and you deserve to be told that because the industry needs more like you.

 

[garageland]

Thanks very much to all of you I know Bullit and topcat went through similar experiences to me. I remember being full of hope immediately after the first transplant being so naive and trusting that these 450 pathetic grafts would get me to where I wanted to be I just had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Bullit- Yes I wish forums were around back then, young guys going through this can at least arm themselves with information back then I had nothing but my hope and trust which both went after being stung 3 times.

Topcat- thanks again for your comment it is really appreciated. I can see the panic and remember feeling it watching those back the reality of what was happening that it was going to look terrible and would never be anywhere near enough to deal with what it needed to and that I would need to go through it again and again.

I enjoy reading your posts and understand where you are coming from in trying to educate patients you have learned the hard way and are passing on your knowledge and I totally get that. I know you have a low opinion of the industry in general and the majority of the people involved but I do believe that there are good people who do have the best interests in their patients. There of course is a number of people that are purely money and fame driven.

My experiences at a young age were horrific and I could never of imagined working in a industry that ruined my twenties. I used to dream of being able to shave my head bald with no plugs and scars and although I hold the clinics responsible I took the majority of the blame on myself became introverted, unsociable and angry at what I had done to myself.
I used to hide away and became self conscious of the way I looked which lead to my marriage breakdown and me leaving a paid job to sell on eBay so I didn't have to meet anyone. I only told my immediate family that I had work done in the 90's as I was deeply ashamed. The vast majority of people had no concept of what a transplant was back then. By doing the job I do it has enabled me to come out about my past and talk about what I went through and how I felt which has helped my enormously. I have only recently told some family members and friends what I went through and what I do. Reactions have been mixed from genuine not a clue about my hair to yes I realised what you must of done because you have so much more hair.

I meet with guys in London for free consultations every few weeks on many occasions I am the first person that they have met who has had a hair transplant and sometimes the only person they have spoken to about it face to face. Many are at a very early stage of their research and just want to have a chat and see what a transplant looks like in the flesh. The old me wouldn't of been able to cope with this but finally after all these years I am happy in my skin.

 

[topccat29]

I got lucky, I worked in an industry where I had to constantly meet new people, converse and keep them entertained making sure they were having a good time and experience but it could have easily gone the other way like so many others I have spoken to over the years.

I too was never angry and always blamed myself €¦ €¦ €¦ €¦ €¦it was always something I did €¦ €¦ €¦ €¦..that I had just screwed up real bad. It €™s only in hindsight that I can see that someone used their position and power to take advantage of my situation. It €™s almost like watching a bully so when I see it happening to others it does tend to make me crazy and I €™m just not the type of person to sit back and not get into someone €™s face if necessary. Don €™t care too much about the consequences, even if my life is in danger it €™s not something I pay attention to I €™m more concerned about stopping the wrong doer.

What you wrote about the marriage and job is the saddest part and what most should pay attention to when reading about your experience. It €™s nice to have hair and if you can get it done right that can be a good thing but when things go wrong it can completely destroy one €™s life and that is not something to take lightly.


All the best to you Garageland.

 

[garageland]

I am glad to hear that you were able to carry on with your life I was also in a industry meeting new people all the time and had to carry on but looking bad I just wanted to hide away and it all came to a head when I was determined to leave the job because I just didn't want to meet people anymore. The marriage break up can't be blamed totally on the hair but it was a big factor I was miserable in the way I looked and ate to make myself happy which we all know makes you even more miserable.

It was a downward spiral for a while but not many people noticed as I always tried to keep a positive and happy persona around people except the ones very close. I believe that things happen for a reason and whilst I can never say I am glad I went through the experience I am where I am today and I am happy and getting married again this year to someone who is far better suited to me and is fully supportive. I had to take out a loan to pay for my repair in 2006 and my ex was not behind this and would rather I stayed the way I was and saved the money.

I have met with many guys who have had bad work over the years since working for the clinic and all would have been affected by what happened to them in the past but for some their lives have been ruined, confidence shattered, too scared to go out without a hat or have a relationship because of how they look and feel about themselves. The other aspect is that some got into severe debt doing what they have done and have no social life because of this.

I really do not feel that you can understand what it is like unless you have been through it yourself.

 

[topccat29]

I try and tell anyone I speak to in a similar situation to get busy with something and do not let it consume your life otherwise it will totally destroy you. Somehow I knew that after my bad work and I was very careful €¦ €¦ €¦ €¦much of it I would have to attribute it to reading. I mean on average I read about 1 book a week and most of my past reading has included plenty of self help/motivational type of material €¦ €¦ €¦ €¦I believe in all honesty that is what made the difference for me.

Life is strange sometimes.............. my reading habit was actually started from all the trouble I was getting into at the age of 12. I would have to go straight to where my mom worked after school and sit there. Her boss was not only an author but all the books were on the subject of motivation. The first book I read there was €œThink and Grow Rich €. Anyway I try to tell others to do the same but most simply can €™t or will not even try. I occupied my time with always staying busy. Competing in Taw Kwon Do, Powerlifting, Boxing, Improv, Public Speaking, etc €¦ €¦ €¦ €¦ €¦ €¦..you have to stay busy. I use to have to where a bandana under my headgear €¦ €¦ €¦ €¦but hey whatever it took.


I remember during my first Improv class at Second City. Our group had to arrange ourselves by height. But wait..................we had to do it in complete darkness with the lights off and our eyes blindfolded and just by using the sense of touch................lol..............talk about sweating bullets...............lol.........


I respect you Garageland you are a real repair patient and that is the difference €¦ €¦ €¦ €¦ €¦ €¦ €¦ €¦.you know.

 

[topccat29]

Garageland the last couple of books I have read were interesting. €œThe Book of Tells € kind of relates to your facial expression in that video, it €™s very hard to fake but more important people can pick up on other people over time. What they say what they do and I think many in the hair transplant industry do not seem to understand that concept.

This other book €œThe Charisma Myth € had a quote in it that so applies to ht repair patients that I had to share it and it seems very appropriate here.

€œYou see, shame is the real killer. Of all the emotions that human beings can feel, it is one of the most toxic to health and happiness. Shame researcher Brene Brown defines it as €œthe fear of being unloveable: Shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging. €

Shame hits us so powerfully because it conveys a message about our fundamental acceptability as human beings. And in basic survival terms, if the tribe rejects you, you die. It is a life-and-death situation. The brain equates social needs with survival: being hungry and being ostracized activate similar neural responses. Somewhere in the back of our minds is the fear of being so dispproved-of that we €™d be excluded by those who matter to our survival.

Whenever I speak to someone who is distraught over a bad hair transplant this is exactly what they are feeling and when they express it I can feel it, it €™s a very uncomfortable feeling. As a repair patient I €™m sure you have tried to help others get past those feeling but for some it becomes very hard to do.

It is also why anyone with a conscience would not knowingly cause another person to feel these feelings and you seem to follow that thinking.

 

[Modenese]

Hi Garageland

Boy that was difficult to watch. You look alarmed and unhappy.

I'm really glad you are in a better plan.

Modenese

 

[garageland]

Topcat, Sorry for the late response I will check out the books you mentioned and what you say about shame is very true and I think why some repair patients find it so hard to go through the process again. I know how ashamed I felt because of what I had willingly (and paid) done to myself. People express this in many different ways and I blamed myself as much as the surgeons.

I was too eager, too naive and lacked any grasp of what I was going to look like my expectations were too high. Despite all the information out there today I see this many times myself today guys wanting an instant fix not realising the limitations in some cases of surgery and having way too high expectations. I consider my job to lower expectations of patients in some cases and get them informed. For some young guys that can go against me as I can come across as negative to their way of thinking.

I enjoy your intelligent posts topcat I don't agree 100% with everything you say but when can you say that about someone? Life would be a pretty uninteresting place if that were the case.

Thanks Modenese, Yes it is tough and I can remember the cold sweat that washed across me whilst watching it on my tv while filming it. Its a great find I shall try to put come photos up of around that era when I have a moment.

 

[kamalmalik]

awesome video! thanks for sharing.