Question about stretching donor site

[peterm]

I'd like to thank everyone for their feedback.

Jack, I'm sorry your transplant didn't work out, but you say the surgeon did attempt to talk you out of it. Hindsight IS 20-20, and there are many things I would have done differently, but that's not reality.

My hair is pretty thick around the donor area. It is thinning (ok, balding) on the top of my head. type 5, I think. I've looked at some of the successful transplants and I feel I will do very well. If my hair were really thin and sparse to begin with and in the advanced stages as some I've seen, I'd just get a crew cut & bag the whole idea.

I do hear what your saying. thnx! I understand.

Heck, I'm more worried about the tiny scabs not going away before I have to return to work.

[DAVE52]

It is thinning (ok, balding) on the top of my head. type 5, I think. I've looked at some of the successful transplants and I feel I will do very well. If my hair were really thin and sparse to begin with and in the advanced stages as some I've seen, I'd just get a crew cut & bag the whole idea. I do hear what your saying. thnx! I understand..

You might want to think about getting the crew cut first , see how uou look with it and how comfortbale you are with it

Then if you're OK with it forget about the HT

[peterm]

I wish I did! I'd take that money & buy some silver bullion. I think I look horrible, I have it kinda short now. It's about as short as it can be cut with just siscors.

That's why I'm going for the procedure.

[Gregory Pistone, MD]

Incorrect Science

Listen to me PLEASE! I am begging you. Do not do this to yourself. I was 27 when I had the procedure done with excellent scalp elasticity. It doesn't matter how healthy a man you are. You are 60 years old. Your body ceased replacing collagen 25 years ago. You will have a long, very unsightly scar forever. And, a scar on the head is not like a scar elsewhere. I have had numerous operations on my shoulder, neck, and chest for injuries from the army. I have bad scars on my shoulder and chest, but they are not on my head. For whatever reason people see scars on the body and think or say "What a bad ass!". When they see a giant scar on the head they think or say "Damn! That is repulsive!" I am not trying to denigrate the physicians who perform these procedures. The doctor who performed mine did virtually everything he could to talk me out of it explaining to me that I would never get full coverage from an HT. If nothing else listen to what he told me "YOU WILL NEVER GET FULL COVERAGE FROM AN HT" BUT you will get a huge scar.

Jack21, I've read some of your quotes and many of the responses and I certainly "get it." You don't want anyone to have a bad experience like you did. I agree that any potential patients should certainly be informed about this procedure and make their own decisions whether or not to have it done, especially based on photos and direct observations of many of the particular surgeon's patients, not just 4 or 5.

As far as the collagen comment, your body does NOT cease replacing collagen at 60 or at any other age. Health is important and should be considered, at any age. A large number of my patients are in their 60s, some are in their 70s and I had a few in their 80s, all of whom healed quite nicely because they were properly evaluated prior to the procedure.

I'm sorry you are so bitter but I have seen some monstrous scars over the years and they mostly reflect the skill of the surgeon.

Take care,
greg pistone, md

[Winston]

Winston, what you don't realize is that Jack is the tip of the iceberg. There are countless men out here who are unhappy with their hair transplants, even transplants done with so-called modern techniques. Guys are still getting wide strip scars. Guys are still getting unnatural hairlines and poor yield.

Jack is giving a voice to all these men. As you state, there are plenty of people on these forums who are happy with their transplants. It is good to have Jack here to give some balance. And I suppose I am in that category too, since I am not happy with my strip scar.

I realize that there are people who are unhappy with their hair transplants, I think that this what this forum is for, to educate people on how to make a good decision. I also agree that both sides of the story need to be heard, But the way you guys try to pursued everyone to believe that your experience is the norm is a bit over the top if you ask me. I think it’s good to want to help others, but your advice might not be helping those who would live a better life with more hair on their heads.

[Jack21]

Sorry if my knowledge of physiology is shaky. I was quite sure that the human body ceased to produce significant amounts of collagen by mid 30's. As for being bitter - I'm not. I've said over and over that I am the idiot who made the decision to go ahead with the procedure despite being told that my expectations of complete coverage on top were not realistic. I am angry at myself but not at the doctor.

I do have a problem in general with ellective cosmetic surgery. It is all predicated on our insecurities and feelings of inadequacy. If all bald/ing men felt that there was nothing "wrong" with their appearance more talented surgeons would be spending their lives in orthopedics or ERs.

Jack21, I've read some of your quotes and many of the responses and I certainly "get it." You don't want anyone to have a bad experience like you did. I agree that any potential patients should certainly be informed about this procedure and make their own decisions whether or not to have it done, especially based on photos and direct observations of many of the particular surgeon's patients, not just 4 or 5.

As far as the collagen comment, your body does NOT cease replacing collagen at 60 or at any other age. Health is important and should be considered, at any age. A large number of my patients are in their 60s, some are in their 70s and I had a few in their 80s, all of whom healed quite nicely because they were properly evaluated prior to the procedure.

I'm sorry you are so bitter but I have seen some monstrous scars over the years and they mostly reflect the skill of the surgeon.

Take care,
greg pistone, md