Scar Grafting with Dr Cole

[northeastguy]

Hi Southeast guy. Sorry for the delay and hope you're doing well. Also sorry to hear about your unfortunate experience with Dr. Feller. In regards to your question, you named two outstanding physicians. I honestly think you would be safe with both. ironically, I will be at Dr. Schapiro's clinic at the end of next week. We will be doing temporary SMP or Trico pigmentation. We will post some before and after photos. Yes, I do feel SMP has a big impact on Scar repair and camouflage. Nothing is going to replace FUE into the scar and should be the primary task. The SMP or Trico essentially ties it all together. Be patient as you will likely need a few passes of FUE over a course of about two years. I am sort of coming to the end of my journey with this. I will likely just do Traco going forward. Doing more FUE has not been beneficial. I seem to be very safe now at a 1.5 (with Trico) or two guard length. Be careful with permanent SMP. It did not match my skin tone at all and I needed to have it removed. That set me back almost 9 months. I had some shock loss from the laser. Lately I've noticed things are improving substantially. Reach out if you have any questions be happy to help.

https://youtu.be/LRAWRKafXZE

[southeastguy]

Northeastguy...do you recommend FUE with Cole or Shapiro? I am beginning the journey you just finished and need a place to start. I have a 25cm strip scar that is .5cm wide that I got from a 2007 surgery with Dr Feller. I got only 1,600 grafts and I was 20 years old. Really dumb surgery and I was completely mislead by Doctor Feller. I have not had any surgeries since then and am really unhappy with the front work and even more unhappy with the scar.

Also, do you recommend to try temporary SMP or FUE into scar first? I wanted to try SMP to see how it looked before I jump into the more invasive FUE.

[Therealdeal23]

I have been following this thread very closely for a long time. I too, have a similar strip scar and this thread has been very helpful. Northeast guy, with enough scar grafting (multiple sessions) and the combo of SMP into the scar, does the scar look good at different hair lengths? I understand smp looks best at a 0 guard because it most closely mimics the stubble and when the hair grows out, the 2d smp and 3D hair don't blend well. However, in your experience, with the FUE into the scar, there is also hair growing out of the scar to give it the 3D look. Therefore, can you wear your hair at a 1, 2, and 3? This is the only thing stopping me from going this same route. I want to be able to cut my head to a 0 but also won't be maintaining it every week so want to know if the hair still looks good grown out to other lengths.

[northeastguy]

OK.... so I guess its time for an update. I need to be a lot better with this thread going forward. In a way I've been trying not to focus so much on the repair process and live my life but lately there has been to much action regarding my repair so its time to update. during the SMP sessions with Nicole I have developed a very good relationship with Dr Ron Shapiro. We ended up putting a different plan together that involved combining additional FUE to the scar and incorporating the semi permanent SMP. My scar edge is very dense so it made sense to remove the FU's from that area to assist in evening out the density. I did one small FUE session Back in September followed by SMP into the scar this past January. This Thursday and Friday I will do another SMP throughout the scalp to blend followed by another FUE session the next day. I will be sporting a .5 guard cut for this one. Next month we are going to add the 12,000 FU we cloned..... Just kidding. But seriously people, what the hell is taking so long!

I have been beyond lucky to have been helped out by both Dr Cole and Dr Shapiro. I could not have been in better hands each time.

As for SMP, here is my opinion.... Trico or Temporary SMP is great. I loved it. It addend just enough density and helped blend the scar. Problem for me is it didn't last nearly as long as I was hoping. about 6 months. Personally I think its a great way for someone to introduce themselves into the idea. It gives them a chance to evaluate how they like it without the commitment. I liked it enough to move into the more semi permanent process.... should last up to 3-4 years. Again, allows me to change my mind as I get older. My opinion is the permanent is a horrible idea. We just don't know enough about it long term and God forbid something goes wrong. With the newer Semi-permanent it doesn't make sense. My idea of the perfect Hair replacement plan involves SMP at some level. Especially in scar repair.

I'm a bit more nervous about this go around. not sure why. I think I'm putting a lot of hope the removal of the FU along the hair line will make a big difference. Time will tell..... about 8 months worth. I promise to get more photos as the healing progresses.

So Thursday it's SMP with Nicole and Friday its FUE with Dr Ron.....

[robodoc]

SMG was half of Cole fee and maybe just as good. Been to both.

[pusheject]

You look great NEguy.......what a great thread. Thanks for sharing.

[pusheject]

Hi Jetfan, came across this post as I too might be visiting Dr Cole for beard and scalp into scar. Did you ever go through with it ? How are you doing ?

Best,

Push.

[jekas]

You can get a Hair Tattoo from ********* in Toronto to put an end to your baldness

[northeastguy]

Had a haircut today so wanted to post an update. This is a 1 guard cut. taken with flash. I'll try getting an outside photo with natural light over the next day or so. next to it is the 2 guard cut I did before Dr Coles first session. Without the combination of both treatments, I would not be able to cut this short. Absolutely no way. Even the laser helped and to be honest, every little bit was needed. I still have a ways to go but for now I will let everything grow and use SMP to blend. Thanks for the posting Nicole.... and all your help. aim4hair those lenghs range from .5 to 1.5 guard. .5 will be my goal and hope to make another pass maybe late fall with SMP at a .5 guard and see what we end up with. that would also be almost 20 months post beard grafting and more time for the scars to heal up.

[aim4hair]

Northeastguy,
U've came along way. The result is amazing and now your donor looks clean.
How short you keep your hair now in the recepient area? And are you planning to do anything on recepient area to fix the angles lf transplanted hair and make them not stick up?

[chicago99]

Great results, especially after 3rd session. Nicole, what number guard is his hair cut at in those pictures? Thanks

[Nicole007]

Hey northeast, here are all your photo's from SMG! Better late than never! You were amazing to work with. We appreciated your patience and understanding in that tricopigmentation is indeed a process. Working with scar tissue is as Dr. Cole stated - unpredictable. It's better to work slow and stay ahead of any anticipated problems than try to work backwards and try to correct! "Do no harm" always our motto.

[Aztec]

Dear Northeastguy, thank you for all of your help, guidance, and knowledge. You are one of the few who always took the time to respond and offer genuine feedback that was extremely helpful. Your transformation is simply inspiring and you look awesome. In my honest opinion, you defeated all odds and conquered the nightmare. Thanks again for everything pal and I will spread the love. Peace and all the best to you. Gillenator, Topcat, StevieR, I am forever greatful to all of you as well!

[sweetpotato]

Northeastguy. I cut my hair down to a 4 guard in the scar areas and saw what you were talking about in some of your previous posts. It looks OK but if I look real hard in strong light I notice thinned areas. Guys like us that have had numerous strip procedures have a lot of stretched scalp on the back of our heads. In certain spots around the scars it seems like the hair is noticeably thinner due to the stretched skin/increased amount of spacing between the hairs (I don't have the dove tail thing that you talked about). Only SMP can help with some of those issues.

It's been quite a journey for you and what you have learned and shared with others is a big, big help to all. I am sure you are ready to get on with your life and enjoy not having to think about scar coverage all the time. Oh, and forget the request for a video. I again read you "final" post (even your photos are titled "final"). I am sure your are wanting to move on. THANKS AGAIN!

[sweetpotato]

Looks amazing! Judging from the photo no one would ever know. I would really like to see an updated video. I say this because photos do not always show what the eye can see in real life - nor does a video (unless HD) but it comes closer. You must be so relieved now that this is behind you. On another note, have you lost weight? Your head/neck looks as though you have. But maybe its just camera behavior.

Congrats!!! And thanks again for sharing!!!