transplant nightmare

[Jack21]

Jack, can I ask where you had your hair transplant done? Even if the doctor takes a big strip the scar still can be very thin.

I do not want to name the surgeon for the following reasons:

He did virtually everything he could to talk me out of the procedure. Only after he was positive that I understood what to reasonably expect did he perform it. He made me wait months, discussed alternatives such as my just cropping all my hair short, and essentially tried to make me go away. I convinced him that I fully understood that the procedure would not provide me with a full head of hair and that I understood that my own naturally growing hair would continue to thin. Finally about 6 months after I first saw him did he perform the procedure. He could have done nothing more other than refusing to perform the procedure. This is called an "elective procedure" for a reason, however. I elected to have it done and I had covinced the doctor that my expectations were realistic. The fault is mine. I was young, desperate, and although I convinced both the doctor and myself that my expectations for the procedure were realistic, they were not.

[folliclist1964]

Jack,
Sorry to hear your story. l am in the same situation if not worst of, take heart. A uniform man, when you visit an Army hospital you will thank God it's only your hair that's get you down.
In my case, the Doctor should have known from assessment that l may loose all my hair, but he went ahead. Now l have diffuse hair all over including the donor area he told me the hair there were genetically program not to recede. l have had several transplant, what grew out, is less than 10% and l have a huge scar from one end of the ear to another. l wear a hat every day. l tried a hair piece and l look like a "joke" with it on and my colleagues immediately pick it out, even at the grocery story, it's noticeable it's a piece. It's all horror story to no end. My regret, l wish l have shaved my head then, instead of the surgery, l would be a lot happier now.

[Jack21]

I am really sorry to hear your story. Its a miserable situation to be in. I shaved my head a few days ago and I'm trying to weather the storm again. Its not fun. Weekends are fine b/c I can just throw on my hat but then I remember that I have to go back to work tomorrow and deal with the sh@t there. I would leave this job in a second for a blue collar type job, but with this economy I have to endure being the butt of everyone's jokes and stares.

Jack,
Sorry to hear your story. l am in the same situation if not worst of, take heart. A uniform man, when you visit an Army hospital you will thank God it's only your hair that's get you down. My advice is watch these Doctor's and their rep. here on this forum, all they care about is to get you surgeries and get paid.
In my case, the Doctor should have known from assessment that l may loose all my hair, but he went ahead. Now l have diffuse hair all over including the donor area he told me the hair there were genetically program not to recede. l have had several transplant, what grew out, is less than 10% and l have a huge scar from one end of the ear to another. l wear a hat every day. l tried a hair piece and l look like a "joke" with it on and my colleagues immediately pick it out, even at the grocery story, it's noticeable it's a piece. It's all horror story to no end. My regret, l wish l have shaved my head then, instead of the surgery, l would be a lot happier now.

[Toffeeman147]

Hiya Jack

Sorry to hear about your story,its horrible I know cause Ive had 3 procedures and I wish I would have just shaved my head in the beginning...hindsight is a wonderful thing huh......have you not thought of scar revison,maybe FUE into the scar I dont know if thats a possiblity or even maybe tattooing the around to look lime skin...not sure I know what Im talking about im just thinking out loud..maybe others could advise

[Jack21]

Thanks Toffeeman. I have looked into FUE into the scar but I am never going to a plastic surgeon again as long as I live. I have looked into non-permanent scalp tattooing as well as permanent tattooing to help minimize the appearance of the scar. For now I am one ugly son of a gun and the world is just going to have to get used to it. I don't look good shaved. I know that. I also don't think that I look like the monster that I'm being treated as.

Hiya Jack

Sorry to hear about your story,its horrible I know cause Ive had 3 procedures and I wish I would have just shaved my head in the beginning...hindsight is a wonderful thing huh......have you not thought of scar revison,maybe FUE into the scar I dont know if thats a possiblity or even maybe tattooing the around to look lime skin...not sure I know what Im talking about im just thinking out loud..maybe others could advise

[grent]

Just finished reading through your story Jack - it's a tough transition getting older and having your body change. Especially your hairline. I started thinning out around 18 and now at 36 I finally just said the hell with it. My hairline is WAYYYY worse than yours... trust me. I heard the jokes and comments and yes they hurt (inside as I didn't show it). I just have come to terms with it and now buzz my head all the time as it's my best option now. I tend to bring it up now more than my buddies and in one sense laugh about it.... lifes to short.

I've since bought the harley that I wanted all these years and told my wife if I had to shave my head I needed a bike again

Cheer up man and live..... not sure what the case is with your fellow employees but people dont "stop and stare" nearly as much as you may think. My guess with your work situation is they can see your confidence isn't there and it makes you an easier target.

[Don'tDoIt]

I hope that those of you who are considering hair transplantation take note. From what I have read, TheEmperor, Folliclist1964, Jack21 and I are all regretting that we had hair transplants.

The strip scar in back is a bad problem. I wish to God that I had not done this to myself. Strip surgery? Don't Do It.

I haven't had any FUE, so I cannot claim to know much about FUE's white dot scarring. But FUE seems preferable to strip.

[mattj]

Jack, I hesitated to say this because you may think that as a doctor's rep I'm going to be very pro-transplant, or worse you might think I'm trying to drum up business for my employer. But that's not how I do things.

You're understandably angry with the whole concept of cosmetic surgery, but you're also clearly unhappy with your appearance. The thing is, your best shot at improving your appearance is by going under the knife again. Your scar could probably be improved. Not to the point where it's invisible when you shave your head (even the most competently executed strip scars on virgin scalps are visible under those conditions), but improved nonetheless. And at the time when your scar is being tidied up, you could undergo another transplant to add density to your hair so that it looks good enough to grow out, which would hide the scar completely.

I know I've described this before but I'm just trying to show you that by doing this you would be improving the problem area, gaining the ability to hide the problem area, and also gaining hair on the top which is the reason you walked into a surgeon's office to begin with. Speaking just as a guy sympathetic to your problems, this sounds like the way to go.

[Mr. 4000]

I do not want to name the surgeon for the following reasons:

He did virtually everything he could to talk me out of the procedure. Only after he was positive that I understood what to reasonably expect did he perform it. He made me wait months, discussed alternatives such as my just cropping all my hair short, and essentially tried to make me go away. I convinced him that I fully understood that the procedure would not provide me with a full head of hair and that I understood that my own naturally growing hair would continue to thin. Finally about 6 months after I first saw him did he perform the procedure. He could have done nothing more other than refusing to perform the procedure. This is called an "elective procedure" for a reason, however. I elected to have it done and I had covinced the doctor that my expectations were realistic. The fault is mine. I was young, desperate, and although I convinced both the doctor and myself that my expectations for the procedure were realistic, they were not.

Jack I feel your pain my friend

My doctor didn't educate me at all on other possibilities. He didn't suggest anything but wanted the cash IMO. He did a poor job across the board with my hairline setting high than my existing hairline, weak density, and screwed up something in my neck that caused a muscle to atrophy. The depression is 5-6 inches and runs into my trap muscle.

He showed up late, and I had to wait for him to get there. I was told never to have anything done on a Monday, and now I know why.

Never get a procedure done on a Monday, these docs are drunk all weekend, traveling, trying to get their chit together and come in to work not ready and focused. Weekend rust, don't do it. Let someone else book those days.

I wish I knew better

My hair is thinner over all, the angle of the graft are unmanageable. He stretched my scalp so much I feel tightness everyday, and only called me recently because I I created a blog which he read and doesn't want to lose business.

Jack fix the scar and cut it short and move on with life, and have fun. Don't spend the rest of your life worrying about hair, you will only stress and kill yourself. Most people are average looking so who cares!

For me, I will probably try one more time to get a better result, but it will be hard to go back, I have the same fear after what my doctor did. I can't believe how bad many things went wrong. This is a doctor that most vets know too. I totally gun shy at this point.

[Jack21]

You all do realize that we are all pathologically obsessed, dont you? We did not become obsessed in a vacuum. We are products of a society that has elected one bald president since the advent of the newsreal 100 years ago. That president had disproven the myth of the weak or feeble bald man as he was General Dwight David Eisenhower. It would appear that one has to win a World War to prove that he is a man if he has lost his hair. The very existence of this web site, of this forum, of the very procedure of hair transplantation is testament to the youth obsessed, self hating society we live in. I fought for this country. I certainly did not expect to be welcomed back by jeers and stares of horror. I am talking about something fundamentally wrong with us. I should be happy to be home safe and sound with all my fingers and toes. Instead I am made to feel like sh#t everyday by the very people I gave so many of my years of my life to protect. Our obsession with appearances has become not just sick but dangerous.

Jack I feel your pain my friend

My doctor didn't educate me at all on other possibilities. He didn't suggest anything but wanted the cash IMO. He did a poor job across the board with my hairline setting high than my existing hairline, weak density, and screwed up something in my neck that caused a muscle to atrophy. The depression is 5-6 inches and runs into my trap muscle.

He showed up late, and I had to wait for him to get there. I was told never to have anything done on a Monday, and now I know why.

Never get a procedure done on a Monday, these docs are drunk all weekend, traveling, trying to get their chit together and come in to work not ready and focused. Weekend rust, don't do it. Let someone else book those days.

I wish I knew better

My hair is thinner over all, the angle of the graft are unmanageable. He stretched my scalp so much I feel tightness everyday, and only called me recently because I I created a blog which he read and doesn't want to lose business.

Jack fix the scar and cut it short and move on with life, and have fun. Don't spend the rest of your life worrying about hair, you will only stress and kill yourself. Most people are average looking so who cares!

For me, I will probably try one more time to get a better result, but it will be hard to go back, I have the same fear after what my doctor did. I can't believe how bad many things went wrong. This is a doctor that most vets know too. I totally gun shy at this point.