Hair Transplant - How do i go to work without being noticed!

[whathappensnext]

Guys, i've been lurking around the forum long enough and have decided to make my first post today.

I have been a victim of hair loss for the past 5 years and it is getting more and more obvious. in fact, people around me are already joking about me balding. The initial 2 years, i've been working on alot of Vits and diets, started off well, but not that well eventually. Hence, i've decided to take propecia and minoxidil, and guess what, the side effect hit me hard.

Everything just kind of got "routined" and "normal" after all the jokes and stuff, that i got numbed to them eventually. However, the past couple of months, i noticed that no matter how much i tried to style my hair, i just cant get it the way it was anymore.

2 days ago, i made a firm and tough decision to go ahead with the HT that i have been comtemplating for the longest time. what i did was a hairline restoration, to fill the receding temples as well. my procedure was the FUE method that the Dr. Donald Ng (Alaxis, Singapore) had recommended me for. Today, the wounds had dried up and i started washing my hair.

What worries me now is with all the marks and scars, how am i even gonna go to work like that without even being noticed?!?! my hair at my hairline isnt long enough to cover the scrups entirely (else why would i need a HT :P). Is there anything that i can do now? Or if i would have taken another 3 days off from work, do you think it should make a difference? I'm not even unto the stage where i worry if my hair will start growing!

Help!

[limit]

I have no experience of this so I can't offer too much wisdom.

first of all, the fact that your friends/colleagues make fun of your hair loss sucks. To try and stop it you have one of two options imho:

you could go for broke will an emotional plea "guys this is something i'm quite insecure about, and i'd appreciate if the jokes stopped - even if you don't mean it as an insult" . I personally wouldn't use this as I think it would alter how my friends etc see me e.g. can i have a laugh with this guy anymore if he's getting all sensitive about something thats not a big deal etc

What I would do is playfully respond, as if you've taken the joke in your stride, with an attack on one of their insecurities. The insult should sting them as much as theirs stung you. eg. while laughing "Now now John, you shouldn't make fun of me going bald, I don't make fun of you being [divorced/ fat/ college drop out/ other insecurity] ". It's important to sell this in a playful way, otherwise it looks like he hit a nerve and you're lashing out.
If you continued with a subject change casually eg "so what did you think of the game last night" it would hopefully not give them time to retaliate, stopping any escalation, yet the sting should sit in their memories for a bit.

This may lead to reduced jokes about your hair - they may think you had a valid point. Or no change/more jokes about your hair - which means that it is intended as a joke and they think retaliation is a fair response in the same way. If they choose the 2nd option then it could be a good thing, increased exposure to that kind of banter could make you more comfortable with your insecurities (you could try making fun of your hair loss yourself also - pretending that your comfortable with it) ie you'd start to take balding jibes in your stride. I never did this for going bald, but i did make fun of a different insecurity i had and over time most jokes about it stopped.

Regarding not having a HT noticed - I doubt its possible. Just go in and be confident. Its only cosmetic surgery so compare it to breast enhancement surgery etc that you weren't 100% happy with your appearance - Say it was something you wanted to take action about so you did. I'm sure they will respect you for your bravery on the matter - Everyone has insecurities, so when you compare your HT to other cosmetic surgerys people will relate to it; I'm sure some obese people sometimes wish they were brave enough to get liposuction, or women would like to improve their physical appearance some way (nose job, boob job etc.). Women are especially insecure, so make sure that some are present when you first have to explain your HT. You could finish you story with a question targeted at a woman

eg. "so Linda, I know I look a bit like Frankenstien now lol (make a joke at your own appearance before some1 else does, that way it'll seem like your comfortable with it), but in a few months I'll have a fuller head of hair - do you think it'll make me look more or less attractive than before?"

That question should really only yield 2 answers:
she'll say "Yay, I think so, good for you for taking action"
or
"Well I didn't think you needed surgery, you had your attractive qualities even without hair, but if it makes you happy its good"

Either answer will make her say something positive about you, and will set the tone about what the rest of the group thinks of it.

[adam2525]

Can you take a couple of weeks off work?

[VictimOfDHT]

But didn't you think about this before you went for the surgery ? There's really no way you can hide marks in the recipient area, unless maybe if you wear a hat. But if you can't wear a hat then I don't know what to tell you.

[whathappensnext]

a couple of weeks is out of the question. sad to say, HT is more like something i wanted to do for so long, and suddenly you just got the courage to go ahead, and boom... there its done... and i realised i didnt really think of the aftermath.

i did a couple of read ups and also a number of before and after photos... most people look fine a week after their surgery... and i was pretty much hoping mine would as well... tomorrow (Sunday) its the day 3 post op... at most i can do is get another 2 3 days off work... which makes it more or less to about a week off. planning to shave the donar area tomorrow. just more worried about the recipient area because my hair aint long enough to cover them up.

i m just pinning hopes that the blood stains (those crust of blood on the scalp) will just come off before i got back to work. i'm so screwed right now. and on top of that, i really hope my HT works.

[mattj]

The scabs should be gone after a couple of weeks. Whatever you do be careful with the recipient site for the first ten days. Don't allow your frustration over how the healing skin looks cause you to start picking at the scabs, because you could end up losing transplanted grafts.

[whathappensnext]

thanks matt,

i know i shouldnt peal anything off the scalp right now. i really wish my HT will work. i had like 1000graft planted on the hairline, including the temple area. i've also been bathing twice a day like what i have read online. i did not scrub the recipient area and only tap some shampoo on them and rinse it off with water not directly from the showerhead.

doing everything i can at the moment, but is there any any way that i can not get noticed? like toppik? will that help? it would mean that i have to use them on my grafted hair area... will it hurt the newly transplanted graft?

[mattj]

It's probably a bit early to use toppik, and I'm not sure what good it would do if there are no hairs (other than newly grafted follicles which will soon shed) in the area.

[mbd]

Why not wear a hat?

I'm having my hairt transplant surgery this Friday. I plan on returning to work during four or five days later. Before I scheduled it, I spoke to my supervisor at work to discuss the situation. I scheduled the hair transplant during an expected slow period, my supervisor agreed to give me a light workload for a week, and he agreed to let me wear a baseball cap in the office until I am comfortable sans-cap.

[whathappensnext]

the thing is that i am not comfortable to talk to anyone of them in my office. in my profession, i'm not able to put on a cap at work as we have to look "professional" in banking, gotta meet clients from time to time.

i have requested for a week of medical leave and my boss had verbally endorsed that it is ok. somehow, this is really taking me to a whole new level of depression. i'm totally asking myself what have i done, and how did i get myself into this mess. poor genes, and unable to accept the fact that i'm balding i guess.

i'm keeping my fingers crossed, and hope that everything turns out ok when i'm back at work next week. hopefully noone will notice and i wun lose my job for this.

[Smokemeakipper]

Just found this post doing my research re time required off work. How did you eventually get on . How much time would you advise to take off?

[gillenator]

Just found this post doing my research re time required off work. How did you eventually get on . How much time would you advise to take off?

You will need at least two weeks post-op for the scabbing and visual effects from the procedure to be gone.

Although it is an exception, some patients experience some lingering redness in the recipient area post-op, however there are topical steroids to help with that. Your doctor can elaborate on that subject.

[Smokemeakipper]

Hi thanks for the reply. I've left a longer reply in a similar thread you've responded to me in.

[whathappensnext]

never knew this thread would come alive again... until I got an email on it.

I was really glad I went for the HT. though I m still actively balding (bad genes), at least my hairline was restored. and if not for the HT, i'll probably have skinned my own head already.

my take is, if you really want to be safe, go for a month. take a break from work. remember before you go for the procedure, leave slightly longer hair, especially the donor area at the back of your head. so that its long enough to cover your scars for the time being.

[swingline747]

never knew this thread would come alive again... until I got an email on it.

I was really glad I went for the HT. though I m still actively balding (bad genes), at least my hairline was restored. and if not for the HT, i'll probably have skinned my own head already.

my take is, if you really want to be safe, go for a month. take a break from work. remember before you go for the procedure, leave slightly longer hair, especially the donor area at the back of your head. so that its long enough to cover your scars for the time being.

Im looking into doing this now. Im 33 and really want my hair line back and head filled in.
I see you mention "actively balding". Is it really noticable after the HT when more hair falls out. I have a massive fear that as my hair continues to shed the transplanted hair will look worse and worse. I know I will need more done but I see my idiot pops and knew my g pa's hair line and really fear I will just never have enough donor hair.