26 and couldn't take it anymore

[Traveller]

Hello everybody, I joined up to share my experience with people, gain some knowledge and try to make everybody's hair woes a bit easier, including my own.

I'm a 26 year old North American student living on university exchange in Istanbul, Turkey. I started losing my hair around 22, and yes, it really hurt me mentally. By 24, I had no choice but to shave my head completely using a straight razor; anything less would show off what I didn't have. To say I felt old was an understatement. You could call my pattern a Norwood V, which, by no surprise is similar to what my father has. Genetics were definitely at work here.





Shaving completely was cool for awhile, don't get me wrong. I started to have muscle aches in my neck that I attributed to chills from a lack of insulation. It's annoying, but I also realized I couldn't shave my head for the rest of my life. There's also the obvious image-related issues, I found people just didn't trust me with my hair cut the way it was. Compounded to this was the fact that I think I look decent with a beard (no-shave November discovery!), and the two don't go together very well. Last but not least, I think I broke my mother's heart when she saw my shaved head for the first time, the damage is still there. Above all, I miss having the choice of what hair style to choose from – not being confined to the few choices that hide my hair.

Treatments other than surgery were pretty much off the table for me, seeing as how the hair was so far gone. Between study periods I would passively look for a doctor to perform the surgery – anything back home cost an arm an a leg, plus I was turned down by two of the bigger names here in Turkey for lack of donor hair and too much ground to cover. I did however receive a next-day invitation for a consultation at Istanbul Hair Clinic (Dr. Emine Saykı). I showed up to the consultation, ready to play ball, where the estimate was between 3500-4000 grafts and a very reasonable price was given. I'm still a student, on exchange, so money is tight..I had a number in mind and their price was pretty much dead-on. I agreed to go ahead with it, to which they asked if I wanted to start immediately. This was a Saturday with no classes for the next week, so I gambled, pulled the trigger and got started less than 24 hours after sending the email – the timing couldn't have been better.

All in all, the operation took approximately 10 hours and covered 5780 grafts (a bit up from the estimate!). The team there was very professional – I couldn't count the number of staff that were on hand performing tasks related to my surgery. I do believe that they truly care about their patients.

Pictures around 72 hours after the surgery:






As I'm writing this, it's been just over 3 days since the operation, and things seem to be going smoothly. Sleeping is still an issue (I can't sleep on my back), and the neck pillow isn't my best friend, but I wasn't expecting this to be easy. So far nobody knows that I had this done, I'm hoping I'll be able to hide the damage completely from my friends at school (I have 9 days total to heal up enough to wear a hoodie/hat), and I can't wait to surprise my mom back home in January. There are still so many variables at play, I'm just hoping nothing goes wrong. My forehead is still swelling, particularly between the eyes, my dome still itching, I still have lots of the antibiotic cream on the donor area that is too difficult/painful to remove and I'm definitely not liking all the redness (I'm sure all of this is normal, but I worry). I've wanted this issue fixed for a long time, it's just not fair for all the men who lose their hair at such a young age, I can attest to the psychological issues that flare up because of it. I don't ever want to go back to baldness, and I'd prefer to not have another surgery done.

I'll post updates as I go, any questions I'd be happy to answer. Stay strong, friends!

[DLB550]

Hi Traveller,

Hello and welcome, there are more knowledgeable people on here than me. Looks like an impressive FUE and I look forward to seeing your results.

I'm sure you'll be looking a lot less red in the next 7-10 days. Good luck!

Thanks,

DLB550

[gillenator]

Traveller,

Welcome to this community and thanks for sharing your story and pics with us.

A couple of things. I agree with you that the hair loss meds are of little to no benefit for you in that you have already lost in the areas of scalp that these meds have efficiency.

Your donor zone appears strong even though you are in a Norwood class 7 pattern and destiny.

Impressed with the post-op photos detailing the recipient areas and the graft placements. Note how your surgeon transitioned the spacing of the grafts as they transcend towards the mid-scalp and crown. Your new hairline and frontal zone has tighter spacing which will have a corresponding higher level of visual density. In addition, it appears that the whirl method was implemented in the crown with acute angulations there and elsewhere.

Look forward to your update pics and only time will tell how satisfied you will be in 12 months or so. Hopefully the transection rate will be low and you will enjoy an optimal yield and regrowth.

But considering where you started and reading how you have lived with the level of hair loss, 5780 grafts is going to make quite a transition for you.

Is your hair more on the coarse side or is the caliber more towards the thin side as it is hard to tell from the photos.

Now you can rest and grow and best wishes to you on the final result...

[nonickname]

Hello Traveller...any updates?Hope everything is OK.

[Traveller]

Thanks, Gillenator. My hair has always been coarse and heavy, though in my later stages it was hard to tell because I buzzed my hair pretty short. I liked the shorter style more, to be honest.

Ok, days 5-12 were pretty much hell. I had to go get extra pain meds because the donor area stung like crazy and sleeping was near-impossible. Since I'm so bad with needles and have an extremely sensitive nervous system, the anesthetic application areas were hit hardest, it was literally like knives being jammed into my head 24 hours a day. The rate of occurrence for nervous system damage is extremely low, but I can't say I'm surprised I'm one of the few who got it.

On day 5, the anesthetic started to move down my head. At first my forehead was very puffy, it looked awkward to say the least. On day 6, it was on the bridge of my nose between my eyebrows, and I looked like a cartoon. On day 7 it moved further down the bridge and nearly closed my left eye from swelling. Both eyes went black until about day 14; on day 10 when I finally saw someone I knew, I just said "I got in a fight, I don't want to talk about it". It seemed to work.

I guess today is day 20 and the pain is gone under normal circumstances. Over the weekend I was at a Turkish celebration party, but I left in massive pain at the end of the night. I had my hat on for about 6-7 hours that night, I had a few to drink (it was free, unlimited alcohol...c'mon) and I reluctantly danced along with the group when dragged along (I've been adamant that dancing was considered exercise and a no-no, slight mistake on my part). My pain killer was taken 12 hours before and I didn't want to mix alcohol and pain killers afterwards, so I had no help on that front. I just rode out the storm, as bad as it was.

I've been shedding like crazy and I'm starting to zit up a bit, nothing major. The redness is still around, but that's supposed to disappear around the 2-month mark, if I recall. I might buzz down the non-recipient area to even it out, but so far, so good. According to other people's progress pictures, my transplant is going to turn out very nice, and I'm quite pleased to say the least.

Picchers:

[gillenator]

Looking forward to your progress pics...

[baldymcgee]

Indeed, thanks so much for sharing your experience and your progress photos! It is *hugely* appreciated.

[mebalding]

Great step, looking very good so far.
The grafts are placed very nicely.

All the best, happy growing as they say

[fred970]

Now that's people like you I admire. People who really need a hair transplant and have it done. Not those 40 years old NW3 being applauded because they're on Propecia and having 4000 grafts to fill their temples and vanity.

I believe you made a good decision. Looking forward to see your results too.

[Traveller]

Not much to update. It's been 42 days since my surgery and I look like my before photos.

However, I am starting to get worried. I do rub my head a bunch unconsciously, and I've noticed a few hairs falling out that have me concerned.

Here's an example of the first - the tissue isn't dry and crusty, but instead it feels soft and can be changed shape. There's always a small hair (sometimes two) sticking out of it. I've seen at least 10 of these fall out.



Second, I had this one fall out today. It looks a lot like a whole graft. I'm getting pretty nervous and scared that my head is rejecting the transplants. Help?