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  1. #1
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Posts
    6

    Default I had a transplant with Rahal 2 years ago and it's AWESOME

    Hey guys

    I haven't posted on here since before my transplant over two years ago. When I was on this forum, I remember someone saying that people tend to disappear after they've had their procedures, and it seems that hair isn't an issue anymore and they just move on with their lives. I remember thinking how amazing that would be but not allowing myself to dream...

    Well, now I can tell you - that definitely happened to me. I completely forgot about hair as an issue and just...moved on. Lol.

    My username was keeponplucking (in case you want to see my previous posts), but after 2 years I can't figure out how to login, so just created this account.

    In summary my experience was this:

    - I stayed at Dr Rahal's accommodation for 2 weeks in December 2016, when I was 33y/o. I wanted to rest and avoid any risk during that early period after the transplant. The place was quite nice but I remember the service wasn't that great. I think scheduled food and cleaning kept being missed and things like that. Some of the other people staying there were nice, and some were weird! Most stayed like 2-3 nights so I saw a lot of turnover.

    - Some of the staff are very friendly but some are not friendly, and Dr Rahal himself is super cold. Not unfriendly but not exactly friendly either.

    - The place is a bit like a conveyor belt - you're shoved through the process with little fanfare. That concerned me a bit when I was there but based on the result of my transplant, I know they operate a super modern and professional outfit, so don't care if they're friendly or brusque!

    - I was somewhere between a Norwood IV and V. I had a strip procedure and implanted at the frontal area, not the mid-area or the crown. I'm white and my skin type is very fair, with blond/ginger hair colour.

    - I looked like a monster for the first FIVE MONTHS after the procedure. Red, raw, spotty, bald...I couldn't be seen without a cap. This was a major issue as I am a lawyer and can't wear a hat to work. Instead I just pretended I had a health issue and worked from home, but you can imagine this was a real problem, missing client meetings, presentations, marketing, training etc. etc.

    - I think the time for your skin to recover depends on the skin type though. There was an Indian guy who had a transplant same time as me, and you'd hardly notice even the next day. And there was a white guy did it same time as me, he looked pretty awful for about a month and then his skin recovered month 2 and hair grew in (well, out) from month 3. So I think it just depends on your skin type. If you can't walk around with a cap for 6 months, I'd recommend checking your skin type in advance (not sure how...ask a dermatologist??)

    - At month 6, practically from one moment to the next, I had hair. That feeling of going to a bar and being able to chat up girls again...AMAZING.

    - For those with Norwood 4+, don't be fooled though. This isn't going to put you back to the level you were at when you were a kid. The best description I saw, I think on this forum, was - it gives THE ILLUSION OF HAVING HAIR. Basically you can style it and to most people it will just look normal, but knowing yourself you'll probably see it isn't as dense as it was naturally.

    - My hairline then thickened and improved in months 6-12. I think it plateaued, and I have the feeling that in months 12-24 it has started thinning. My gf says it has too. However, the illusion of hair is absolutely still in effect. It is impossible to see that I had a transplant (unless you're me or maybe a surgeon!). Even hairdressers can't tell, and I still get comments like, "you're lucky you haven't lost any hair" ... lol

    - I have noticed my mid-and crown sections thinning and so will probably need another procedure soon. That's worth bearing in mind for anyone with Norwood 4+... It is never just one procedure! Plan for 2, more like 3 or 4, over the next 10 years.

    - The back of my head stayed slightly numb for a long time, like over 18 months. It isn't numb anymore but it still feels a little strange to touch the area. Rahal did the incision and stitching up personally. My sister, who's a doctor, says she has never seen such a small scar, showing how good his work is. It's like a pencil line, and in time almost impossible to see. It was invisible through the hair by around month 3 I think.

    Any more questions, feel free to ask. Good luck with your journeys...

    Edit: I had 2634 grafts and 5284 total hair. 1 unit grafts: 497, 2 unit: 1629, 3 unit: 503, 4 unit: 5. I remember being disappointed but apparently I have quite thick hair and like I say, it turned out great.

  2. #2
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Posts
    46

    Default

    I’m sure you posted before when you were on but would you mind posting some before and after pics?

  3. #3
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Posts
    6

    Default

    I'm quite private and don't like posting pics on the internet, even if anonymised. In fact Rahal clinic kept asking for update pics but I didn't even send them any...

  4. #4
    Inactive
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Southern California
    Posts
    590

    Default

    Thanks for taking the time to come back and give a full report - along with some valuable tips. I can't believe the ugly duckling phase lasted as long as it did. That's really not typical for anyone new to HTs who stumbles across this post - nor is the numbness in the donor area.

    Even with those things aside, I'm very happy to hear you're satisfied with your results and that this was all worth it.

    I am a patient advocate for Dr. Parsa Mohebi in Los Angeles, CA. My opinions/comments are my own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Dr. Mohebi and his staff.

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