Why are we so adverse to FUE?

[fred970]

Right, thats why i said strip over FUE!

PiloFocus would just be icing on the cake, because I would have an exit strategy from the scenario entirely (I.e. shave my head w/ no scar).

Pay attention. There's already no visible scar with FUE. Here's another picture with the side of my head that's been heavily harvested (2000 grafts):

http://www.fredk.be/fue/6-months-donor-side.jpg

The other side can still be used for another 2000 grafts.

[tedwuji]

Pay attention. There's already no visible scar with FUE. Here's another picture with the side of my head that's been heavily harvested (2000 grafts):

http://www.fredk.be/fue/6-months-donor-side.jpg

The other side can still be used for another 2000 grafts.

Bro what if you shave down to a 0 guard, which is what id do if i went past a Norwood 3.

[tedwuji]

Pay attention. There's already no visible scar with FUE. Here's another picture with the side of my head that's been heavily harvested (2000 grafts):

http://www.fredk.be/fue/6-months-donor-side.jpg

The other side can still be used for another 2000 grafts.

How many grafts total have u had? 2000??

[fred970]

How many grafts total have u had? 2000??

Why would you shave it with no guard? You don't do this, is it because you've actually bought into the "just shave it all off bro!"

It's a bad idea, especially if you're a white guy. And thin. Be prepared for the cancer comments. It's always much better to leave a faint horseshoe.

You think that now, but trust me, you won't do it once you go over NW3. Or just once, and you'll stop after all the chemo comments.

By the way, I shave my donor down to 0.5 mm every week. You don't see anything. I had 2000 grafts yes.

[tedwuji]

Why would you shave it with no guard? You don't do this, is it because you've actually bought into the "just shave it all off bro!"

It's a bad idea, especially if you're a white guy. And thin. Be prepared for the cancer comments. It's always much better to leave a faint horseshoe.

You think that now, but trust me, you won't do it once you go over NW3. Or just once, and you'll stop after all the chemo comments.

By the way, I shave my donor down to 0.5 mm guard every week. You don't see anything. I had 2000 grafts yes.

I didnt mean manual bic razor shaved to the skin.

I meant 0 guard on motorized electrical hair clippers. Big difference, especially for my dark hair on white skin.

Also, im not thin. Im an amateur bodybuilder with a money jawline. Everyone says so.

[tedwuji]

Why would you shave it with no guard? You don't do this, is it because you've actually bought into the "just shave it all off bro!"

It's a bad idea, especially if you're a white guy. And thin. Be prepared for the cancer comments. It's always much better to leave a faint horseshoe.

You think that now, but trust me, you won't do it once you go over NW3. Or just once, and you'll stop after all the chemo comments.

By the way, I shave my donor down to 0.5 mm every week. You don't see anything. I had 2000 grafts yes.

I've also said a few times now that I think the fue dots would be more of a dilemma after 5k grafts.

[tedwuji]

Speaking to anyone on this in regards to why we are so adverse to FUE and I know it's been discussed before, but:

How many total grafts do you think a guy could get who was destined to be a Norwood 5A under the assumption he had average donor density for a white guy and was willing to first max out strip ear-to-ear with top strip docs like Hasson&Wong, then after that he also maxed out FUE with the state of the art methods lets say Artas or whatever u think is best and with this said FUE procedure he strayed from traditional "safe zone" because he knew for a fact hed never go past Norwood 5a on back and sides.. like pretend hes 40 with 0 minaturization in those areas and 0 family history of beyond a Norwood 4 or 5A hybrid balding pattern.

Under these conditions with minimal transection and optimal growth and scalp laxity... how many grand total grafts you think said guy could get in this hypothetical and admittedly unlikely scenario?

Maybe this can be used to compare to FUE alone to determine why we are so adverse to it.

[fred970]

Consensus is around 7000 grafts. And no, the "white dots" still wouldn't be visible, unless you use a magnifying glass.

You talk to people from a social distance, right? Also, you're not talking to the back of their heads, I presume?

This scar/white dots thing is a non-issue. I don't know how so many people are worried about it and use this non-existent issue to justify why FUE is a bad idea.

[tedwuji]

Consensus is around 7000 grafts. And no, the "white dots" still wouldn't be visible, unless you use a magnifying glass.

You talk to people from a social distance, right? Also, you're not talking to the back of their heads, I presume?

This scar/white dots thing is a non-issue. I don't know how so many people are worried about it and use this non-existent issue to justify why FUE is a bad idea.

Yeah, ive heard as high as 10 thousand from other sources. 7or8 would be reasonable.

For me unless i am going to have literally 0 scar like as suggested with PiloFocus (may never come) then i just wouldnt shave my head so a strip scar wouldnt matter, much less arbitrary fue dots. But if that is the road i take: "no shave, and max out grafts as best i can" then in that case i want all that sweet spot hair and minimize risk of transection via fatty strip grafts. Then cleanup with FUE after the smoke clears.

I am not saying strip is better.
I am not saying FUE is better.

I am however of the opinion a hybrid technique is needed to get max grafts lifetime. And that being said i think it would be inarguably better to go with strip before fue, rather than visa-versa.

I think on a norwood 5a guy who is fully stable and wanted the best shot at getting a "full head" look would be something like this using ~7k grafts.

1) Strip surgery: 3,500 grafts
2) Strip surgery: 2,500 grafts
3) FUE surgery: 1 to 2,000 grafts

-each surgery spaced 10-12 months and in that above order.

This would be his best option assuming the goal was this: never shave head at all and maximize grafts while minimizing risk of transection AKA having the most hair on the TOP of his head end-game.

[tedwuji]

Consensus is around 7000 grafts. And no, the "white dots" still wouldn't be visible, unless you use a magnifying glass.

You talk to people from a social distance, right? Also, you're not talking to the back of their heads, I presume?

This scar/white dots thing is a non-issue. I don't know how so many people are worried about it and use this non-existent issue to justify why FUE is a bad idea.

On a side note i do think your 2k FUE grafts are virtually a ZERO issue. However after 6k grafts it may be more apparent, which is exactly what ive said since the beginning of our discussion. You are in a good position.

[tedwuji]

Pay attention. There's already no visible scar with FUE. Here's another picture with the side of my head that's been heavily harvested (2000 grafts):

http://www.fredk.be/fue/6-months-donor-side.jpg

The other side can still be used for another 2000 grafts.

Who did your FUE?

[Ted]

Consensus is around 7000 grafts. And no, the "white dots" still wouldn't be visible, unless you use a magnifying glass.

You talk to people from a social distance, right? Also, you're not talking to the back of their heads, I presume?

This scar/white dots thing is a non-issue. I don't know how so many people are worried about it and use this non-existent issue to justify why FUE is a bad idea.

fred, do you think that this case is also a non-issue.

http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/sacekimi/media/p72MilanMilacovic/b5.jpg_zps5yolktee.png.html

Or is it just a bad surgeon or a to dark skin color? There are plenty more cases like this one on the forums.

Yes you mostly talk to people from a distance, but do you really not care if the person lying behind you in bed or standing behind you in the line sees your scars?
I think your pictures are to blurry to justify a real life experience.

[tedwuji]

fred, do you think that this case is also a non-issue.

http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/sacekimi/media/p72MilanMilacovic/b5.jpg_zps5yolktee.png.html

Or is it just a bad surgeon or a to dark skin color? There are plenty more cases like this one on the forums.

Yes you mostly talk to people from a distance, but do you really not care if the person lying behind you in bed or standing behind you in the line sees your scars?
I think your pictures are to blurry to justify a real life experience.

Right, i didnt wanna go into all this. i was getting a headache. there is no way you are getting 6k grafts and walking away unscathed. doesnt seem realistic to me. ill still stick with what i said in that his head doesnt look bad from the pics he posted. after a mere 2k grafts.

[tipsfedora]

fred, do you think that this case is also a non-issue.

http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/sacekimi/media/p72MilanMilacovic/b5.jpg_zps5yolktee.png.html

Or is it just a bad surgeon or a to dark skin color? There are plenty more cases like this one on the forums.

Yes you mostly talk to people from a distance, but do you really not care if the person lying behind you in bed or standing behind you in the line sees your scars?
I think your pictures are to blurry to justify a real life experience.

Those are not scars, if you look closely theres wide spacing at extraction points. And that's why it looks as a scar. But it's actually because of hair contrast.

[fred970]

Right, i didnt wanna go into all this. i was getting a headache. there is no way you are getting 6k grafts and walking away unscathed. doesnt seem realistic to me. ill still stick with what i said in that his head doesnt look bad from the pics he posted. after a mere 2k grafts.

No one would ever notice it. No one, I guarantee it. You're looking too far for excuses not to take the plunge.

But even then, as you're NW2.5, you don't need a surgery, yet. My surgeon was Rudi De Reys.