Artas

[Denverguy]

I hear You. It is true. I mean it is once in a lifetime procedure and if I ever save up to do it, I want the best surgeon in the world.. one has to be careful when making a choice. Also, thats interesting idea about breaking up the cost in time, although I'm not sure if small amount of grafts is worth it.. I guess it takes many grafts for change to be visible.

One question please, You said You've done all three methods - FUT too ? If I ever do it, I'd never accept FUT, as I am very prone to scarring ! How did You cope and do You feel FUE and ARTAS FUE are much better and advanced ? I feel that FUT doesn't belong in the 21st century - most surgeons do it - but I believe not because its better, but because fewer surgeons have the skill for FUE. FUE is much more complicated, and for results to be right - surgeon has to be an artist ?

Hey Stressed, so I have had FUE both manual as well as ARTAS and I have also had the strip method have not had FUT. I do not have any scarring from the FUE that was manual or from ARTAS. The strip method obviously leaves a scar on the back of the head but it is not even visible even when my hair is trimmed off really short. Again, the level of the surgeon has everything to do with the amount of scarring. Dr Harris is amazing and even with the 2 strip methods I have had the scarring is not even viable unless you look really close. The guy that cuts my hair always comments on how amazed he is by my results and the fact that the scarring is so unnoticeable that he cannot even tell I have had anything done unless he is looking for it. The methods Dr Harris has performed on me I stand by 100%-there is no visible scarring.

[StressedToTheBald]

Well that strip method is actually FUT.. cutting on the back of the head.
I'm very prone to scarring and would never do that method.
Tell me - how would You compare FUE and ARTAS FUE ? You said FUE was manual, how does ARTAS work - I thought only scanning or something is backed by tech, the rest of process, implementation of hair is done by hand ?

[Denverguy]

Well that strip method is actually FUT.. cutting on the back of the head.
I'm very prone to scarring and would never do that method.
Tell me - how would You compare FUE and ARTAS FUE ? You said FUE was manual, how does ARTAS work - I thought only scanning or something is backed by tech, the rest of process, implementation of hair is done by hand ?

Hey there, yea I apologize, I have had the Strip FUT, but the scarring is not noticeable. By Manual FUE I meant Dr Harris has a hand tool which he invented that I have had used on me. ARTAS uses the same type of tool but it is laser guided and attached to the machine by a robotic arm and the ARTAS system selects the grafts that are the best for transplant by zeroing in on them in high resolution, selecting them and then harvesting them. The grafts are collected in some sort of reservoir in the system and then technicians take the grafts and manually insert them. Dr Harris selects where he wants them to go and he inserts a small incision in the spots he wants them planted. Then the techs take them and put them in. The ARTAS is was faster than the manual FUE tool. Dr Harris also watches closely and plays a role in where the ARTAS takes the hair (the donor region is selected, shaved down and the ARTAS stays in that area). So the entire process is supported by tech in the harvesting and selection of the grafts, then the grafts are manually inserted by technicians. Make sense?

[StressedToTheBald]

Hey there, yea I apologize, I have had the Strip FUT, but the scarring is not noticeable. By Manual FUE I meant Dr Harris has a hand tool which he invented that I have had used on me. ARTAS uses the same type of tool but it is laser guided and attached to the machine by a robotic arm and the ARTAS system selects the grafts that are the best for transplant by zeroing in on them in high resolution, selecting them and then harvesting them. The grafts are collected in some sort of reservoir in the system and then technicians take the grafts and manually insert them. Dr Harris selects where he wants them to go and he inserts a small incision in the spots he wants them planted. Then the techs take them and put them in. The ARTAS is was faster than the manual FUE tool. Dr Harris also watches closely and plays a role in where the ARTAS takes the hair (the donor region is selected, shaved down and the ARTAS stays in that area). So the entire process is supported by tech in the harvesting and selection of the grafts, then the grafts are manually inserted by technicians. Make sense?

Hey, many thanks for explanation, it means a lot to hear it first hand.
Sounds very cool, robotic arm selecting the donor hairs, yeah that must be more precise and perfect as the machine has the power to scan what should be the best match.

One more thing, both ARTAS and regular FUE - its the technicians who put the hairs in ? Would there be a difference if doctor himself was doing that ? Or its simply a process that doesn't not require surgeon's skill ? I think its the practise worldwide that technicians put in the hairs, not the surgeons, although I don't understand why - I'd feel safer knowing that surgeon does everything, having more skill than technician and so on. Otherwise it would feel like surgeon only supervises the process. I'd appreciate Your thoughts regarding this issue.

[Denverguy]

Hey, many thanks for explanation, it means a lot to hear it first hand.
Sounds very cool, robotic arm selecting the donor hairs, yeah that must be more precise and perfect as the machine has the power to scan what should be the best match.

One more thing, both ARTAS and regular FUE - its the technicians who put the hairs in ? Would there be a difference if doctor himself was doing that ? Or its simply a process that doesn't not require surgeon's skill ? I think its the practise worldwide that technicians put in the hairs, not the surgeons, although I don't understand why - I'd feel safer knowing that surgeon does everything, having more skill than technician and so on. Otherwise it would feel like surgeon only supervises the process. I'd appreciate Your thoughts regarding this issue.

Hey there, I'm glad I can help answer your questions man. It's common practice for the surgeon to put the incisions in for the donor grafts and then the techs place them. Usually 2 techs placing the grafts in while the surgeon supervises. Dr Harris has placed on me but it is not common practice i don't think-he does double check everything when the techs are done however to make sure they all look good. I have never lost a graft, they have all stayed in and healthy, had a few ingrown hairs but that is totally normal.

[StressedToTheBald]

Appreciate Your answers and experience very much.
All right then, yeah I guess thats the procedure.. surgeon makes small cuts and technicians put in the grafts. These incisions - they are all made by the surgeon ? I asume it doesn't hurt at all, local anesthetics must kick in before he starts..

[Denverguy]

Appreciate Your answers and experience very much.
All right then, yeah I guess thats the procedure.. surgeon makes small cuts and technicians put in the grafts. These incisions - they are all made by the surgeon ? I asume it doesn't hurt at all, local anesthetics must kick in before he starts..

Hey man, all the incisions are made by the surgeon, he makes them all before the techs start putting the grafts in. Pain, there is no pain at all, you cannot feel anything from the time you sit down until way after the procedure is completely finished and by that time you would have taken pain meds prescribed by the Dr so when the local wears off they are already kicked in. The incisions that the surgeon makes are so small, it is sort of a crescent shaped blade that is less than a 1/32th of an inch from what I could see, they are tiny and you don't feel anything. I was a little sore after I had the FUT/Strip done twice but that is because I had stitches in the back of my head, but it was not painful, i just could tell something had been done back there. Recovery time from ARTAS or Manual FUE is was faster than the strip method because there are no incisions just little tiny holes that close up and heal really fast. Like i said, I prefer ARTAS over all other methods now that I have had all 3. But none of the methods are painful or scary-you have to trust your Dr and I trust Dr Harris at HSC 100%, he and his staff will keep you so comfortable and relaxed Mild IV sedation is what i prefer, you stay awake if you want to but you are relaxed and chill through the entire procedure. I also wanted to elaborate a little about what I mentioned earlier about doing the surgeries in multiple parts or sessions. I am sure everyone would love to be able to drop 20K on this procedure in one whack and get 3000 grafts done at once. Truth of the matter is that you don't have to do it all at once. I have had several procedures done over the past 3 years and I think that it is a good way to spread out the cost over time. The only downside to it is that once you have a procedure it takes between 8-12 months for the hair to start waking up and growing in full force so you don't really see the full results for almost a year. What I did is i had some done in the front, then the crown, then the front again, etc... Now I only have a tiny bit of thinning left on my crown and I think that one more procedure will take care of that. My last procedure was in August of 2010 and my new hair from my last one are starting to come in and it looks great. I am so thankful that these types of options are out there and if you are considering doing it I would fly from wherever you are at and go to Dr Harris-what's an extra couple hundred bucks for a flight to have this done by the best guy in the world man. Anyhow, I hope that you are able to do this for yourself-having a full head of awesome hair is amazing and it makes me feel so good when i look in the mirror. I would like other guys to be able to feel the benefits as well. So don;t be afraid to look into multiple surgeries if you cannot budget the entire thing at once and do not be afraid of pain because Dr Harris has never hurt me (I can only attest to him because he is the only one I would ever let work on me). Have you read his book, if not I would look into it, it is full of a lot of really good info. I think you can get it from their website http://www.hsccolorado.com/default.aspx

[StressedToTheBald]

That sounds good, if I ever find the money I'd choose FUE or ARTAS, never FUT. I wouldn't do FUT even it was free, I am very prone to scarring and with FUT there has to be a scar even if it is less noticable. For now though FUE and ARTAS, they're both still all very expensive for me, even in devided sessions. I unfortunately have the bad luck of living in one of the poorest countries in the world, so my budget fades completely in comparison to what people in the West can afford. Fingers crossed, maybe at some point in the future.

Tell me, as You have done multiple sessions - what is the least number of grafts You went for and seen visible results after ? I know people go with 1k, 2k or 4k grafts and that pretty much restores full density... but would there be a visible difference in the receding hairlines or balding crown - if covered with under 1000 grafts - lets say 500 or 800 ?

At this point I am trying to somewhat increase my density of hair by using natural alternatives to propecia - it will probably take many months to see if there is improvement - but if there is and if I decide to have transplant at some point in the future - it would be cheaper if I needed less number of grafts to begin with.

Full hair density is the only and final goal. When I see people with full and straight front hairline and no balding in the back.. now thats how hair should look like. I'm barely in my 30s now, and I'm already Norwood 4 or even 5 which makes me feel like 80 years old man..

[Denverguy]

Tell me, as You have done multiple sessions - what is the least number of grafts You went for and seen visible results after ? I know people go with 1k, 2k or 4k grafts and that pretty much restores full density... but would there be a visible difference in the receding hairlines or balding crown - if covered with under 1000 grafts - lets say 500 or 800 ?

.

for density 500-800 would be a visual difference depending on the amont of loss in the area-you should probably ask your surgeon though, I am not a Dr, just a patient, I have had a procedure for density only that was between 800-1000, you can absolutely see a difference. I now have a full head of hair that is thick and to my original hairline, all I need now is a little more density on my crown in a very small area and that will be it for me. Good luck to you and I hope that you reach your goal!

[StressedToTheBald]

for density 500-800 would be a visual difference depending on the amont of loss in the area-you should probably ask your surgeon though, I am not a Dr, just a patient, I have had a procedure for density only that was between 800-1000, you can absolutely see a difference. I now have a full head of hair that is thick and to my original hairline, all I need now is a little more density on my crown in a very small area and that will be it for me. Good luck to you and I hope that you reach your goal!

Many thanks, best of luck to You as well. I believe then it must take 1k grafts for significant difference in the front or in the back .. to give at least somewhat decent covering to bald spots.

What stage on Norwood were You before all procedures btw ? Also do You take any drugs to maintain Your DHT non-resistant hairs ? I hope those haven't started to fall out in time.