Patient Baldframe's hair transplant review

About

I probably thought I was going bald at 21 but I was delusional and had thick hair, just a high hairline. My hair thinning really started bothering me around 29. Writing this before surgery, I would kill for the hair I had even then. I think my hair reached what I would consider "every day bad" when I was 32. Every day bad is when every time you look in the mirror you hate your hair loss. Some guys can pull off the bald look and if I was one of them, I would happily accept going bald.
It has been mainly my front hairline thinning out. For years I have wore a Caesar cut because that was about my only styling option. I look like I could kill someone with my head shaved, so that's not the best look, especially because I am in sales where you don't want to look like a killer ;-)

I have a small balding spot on my crown but honestly it never bothered me because out of sight is out of mind. * I started using Rogaine 4 weeks after my transplant with Dr. Path.

I never took Propecia regularly until 32 due to financial reasons. If I could go back, I'd definitely take Propecia and Rogaine to keep my hair and find the cash!

I never dreamed I'd get a hair transplant. I always imagine "plugs" or just bad hair transplants that are 100% obvious. I think that's because that's all people see. They don't know when they see a good or normal transplant because they can look so natural now - for the right candidate. I decided to do this because, I think I'm a good candidate. I am not bald, just balding. It I was much balder, I might not have done this. I think 3,500 grafts will make a dramatic difference if it all goes right. If I could have my hairline from 5-6 years ago, I'd be happy. * After having had the surgery, if my results are good but in the future I need another surgery to shore everything up, I would do so based on my experience so far - THE DOCTOR YOU CHOOSE IS KEY! (yes I was shouting).

Balding has definitely affected my life. I use to be much more confident. There's nothing like looking in the mirror and being reminded every single day. At least women with small breasts can wear a padded / water bra - NO WAY am I ever going to wear a wig or "hair system" = way more obvious.

After a lot of research I found Dr. Damkerng Pathomvanich in Bangkok. Since it's in Bangkok it cost at least 1/3rd less or perhaps even cheaper minimum and the accommodations were definitely cheaper than if I did it at home in the US or here in Oz where I live. I didn't chose Dr. Path for cost though...I could have afforded a more expensive Doctor. I chose him based on feedback and I figured now was also a good time because a) I have enough hair to cover most of the surgery area ) b) I work from home 3-4 days a week and can avoid some major face to face contact for a few weeks. It seemed in all the photos and journals the first 3 weeks is the worst in terms of the post surgery look.

It'll take 7-9 months to see the change and a 12-14 months for the total result but now I have something to look forward to.... that and losing some weight!

UPDATE: I am past the 10 month mark and 100% happy. Do I have a super thick head of hair? No. Does my hair look much, much better. Yes. I don't think anyone would look at me and think, "he's going bald." Now I just have a mature receding hairline appropriate for a man my age. Dr. Path was EXCELLENT with his scar work. Try and find the scar in my 10 month pictures where I have it cut short.

My Surgical Treatments to Date

1 Surgery May 4th, 2010 with Dr. Pathomvanich

Total number of grafts:1 Hair Grafts = 462

2 Hair Grafts = 2,395

3 Hair Grafts = 687

Total Hairs 7,313

My Non Surgical Treatments

Propecia for 5 yearsThe Dr. also told me after the surgery to start on Minoxidil to for the crown and back 3/rd of the top of my head....

Update I have been applying Rogaine since day 20 of surgery. Its really oily. I don't know how people used Rogaine for years with the greasy look. I ordered the Rogaine foam which isn't supposed to be as oily. I think I'll use the foam in the day at work, if it indeed is not oily, and I'll use the normal Rogaine liquid at night - should save me some cash on buying nothing but the foam...which costs a bit more.

Update: I have been using Rogaine Foam not the liquid and its good. 100 times better than using the nasty oil. It's like hair product almost.

Bald Class

Norwood class 4

Characterized by further frontal hair loss and enlargement of vertex, but there is still a solid band of hair across the top (mid-scalp) separating front and vertex.

See my front page entry.

Propecia helped slow or halt the loss. Hopefully the transplant will add back a decent amount of hair since I am balding but not bald.

So far I am happy....its just the long wait! It'll be probably 7-8 months to see decent change then 12 months for the total change.

Propecia to stop loss or help with it. Hair Surgery if you are a good candidate and find a good Dr.

It hasn't yet but it has given me hope. I am only in the first week.

If you use a Dr. in Bangkok, and you are from another country, tell your local Dr. what you are doing and ask for stronger pain killers to take with you to Bangkok for post surgery. Make sure this is legal first! If you have a low pain tolerance. They only prescribe Tylenol with codeine after the surgery but its the weak pills like over the counter in Australia - I know a lot of American's are like what? Yes they have Tylenol with Codeine over the counter in Oz but its weak compared to US prescription codeine which is 2 x's to 4 x's stronger in dose.

My pain was pretty bad the first night when the shots wore off. The Dr. said they don't have Vicodin etc in Bangkok so he sent me to the hospital to get some morphine pills. It sounded scary but helped a lot and after 3 days the pain is minimal. Some people won't be bothered by the pain as much.

If you use Dr. Path stay at the Abloom Serviced Apartments. They are maybe a half mile from his clinic.

If you do the surgery at Dr. Path's clinic vs the Hospital, you save 15%. Its worth it and the clinic is suitable.

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My Latest journal entries

Baldframe

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

6 Months the good and the bad It's 6 months and so I am half way there.As mentioned in previous entries, I do not wear my hair the way it is in these pictures, I normally wear my hair combed forward, Caesar style, but I am brushing it so that it stands up in the pictures so you can see the hairline. The Good:* The front 1/3rd of my scalp above the hairline is way, way less see through than before the surgery. * Although it's not a ton, I still see small hairs sprouting on the hairline, so I have hope my hairline will even out a bit more. * Since I am at the 6 months point, I am fairly sure the thickness will improve. The transplant hairs are in their early stages and are more whispy hairs, if that is such a word. If the final result is the hairs will look more like donor area hair, that will be a nice improvement. * I no longer think about how bad my hair looks because its improving weekly. The bad: * My hairline is uneven in places. Its has a small bald patch on the front middle part of the hairline. This would bother me more if I wore my hair up like in these pictures. * I think the surgery will give me pretty good final results for how I wear my hair normally. Still, unless it changes quite a bit in the next 6 months, I will eventually need another surgery for density and to even out the hairline. I think that would make a huge difference from where I started.

Baldframe

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

6 Month Comparison 6 Month Comparison - I'd day the 4 month pictures are more 3 months and 10 days. I mislabeled them initially.

Baldframe

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

5 Months and 3 Weeks 9 days until I am at 6 months. I am definitely seeing good change. Now instead of thinking of my transplant, I focus on improvement. I can no longer tell I had a transplant because my front hairs are growing in at an even length. There is still a bit of sprouting going on. I am pretty happy with results so far for not even 6 months. My bangs are still thin but my hair is way, way less "see through" when you go above my hairline. I am hoping the next 6 months show decent progress and those bangs thicken a bit. If it improves much more, I'll be pretty happy overall. I will say that the density is not..... well, very dense but it does the job and looks much, much better than it did before the surgery. I think another surgery would thicken it up quite a bit but if my improvement is good over the next 6 months, I'll save my recipient follicles for later. I am glad I wear my hair forward because my hairline in the front is coming in a little thin in places. Hairs are still sprouting but if I wore my hairline up, I'd need to do a 2nd surgery vs. putting it off because with my hairstyle, its not as big of a deal the way I wear my hair pushed forward. I am still using Rogaine foam and Proscar religiously.

Baldframe

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

5 Months and 3 Weeks Comparison 5 Months and 3 weeks compared to 3.5 Months

Baldframe

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

1 week shy of 5 months Here are some updates. I am just 1 week shy of 5 months. I have a few areas in the front that are inconsistent, that I hope fill in. I don't wear my hair like this, but you can see the growth better with it standing up. The back part of my hair is damp. Can't wait until the quality of the hair thickens. I also must add that I still see tiny hairs sprouting. ,

Baldframe

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

4 months and 7 days The growth is really starting to kick in. I think right now I am getting weekly improvement, so its actually something to look forward to!

Baldframe

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

5 weeks compared to 4 months 5 weeks compared to 4 months

Baldframe

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

More Before photos from surgery day More "Before" photos from surgery day

Baldframe

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

3.5 Months As the side and back shots will indicate, the scar is not an issue at all for me. I am glad I can trim it as short as it is on the sides...not sure of what the guard setting was for the hair cut. Now it's just wait and hope the front fills in. 8.5 months until I hit the one year mark so that's a lot of time for progress to be made. I can see several small hairs emerging in my front hair line so I am optimistic.

Baldframe

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

Crown comparison on surgery day vs 3.5 months Crown comparison on surgery day vs 3.5 months One difference is in the back I am using Rogaine for the first time. Dr. Path advised that I also take Rogaine along with Propecia which I was already taking. I started using the Rogaine foam 4 weeks after my Surgery. I'd say that the hair's are coming in on my crown are very short and emerging now, so its a combination of just having a little more hair emerging, Rogaine + the lighting but I expect in 8.5 months, this will be pretty much covered. I have never been bothered much by my crown. My front hairline has bothered me the most. 500 of my 3500+ follicles went to the small crown spot I had. BTW how did guys wear Rogaine before it was available in foam? Non foam Rogaine makes your hair look oily and nasty. I can see wearing it at night, but I have no clue how you would wear oily Rogaine in your hair during the day at work unless grease was your look.

Baldframe

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

Week 5 Post Surgery Folliculitis So the shedding really kicked in around the 30 day mark but I think I have kept some follicles. Its actually hard to remember exactly what was there before except for the obvious longer hair that was not shaved.I am in the awkward stage, I believe that I have Folliculitis which is the inflammation of one or more hair follicles and from what I have read is very common after hair transplants. I have read it does not alter the success of how many hairs will grow back after shedding so its basically not a big deal. My scalp in the donor area is extra sensitive but not unless I touch it directly. It doesn't hurt while I am just sitting around for example. It looks like what appears to be a large whitehead (acne) sores that eventually bursts but I burst it like a zit just to get it over with faster (sorry to gross you out but I give the facts here!) and it bleeds a little, like a big zit. I read when it becomes an issue is if the sore does not heal. My sores seem to heal fast after I pop them - gross I know but this is common so I should share my experience. Its not as awkward as it would be if I didn't have hair to comb over Ceasar style and cover the folliculitis. Although the zit like sore may be a little noticeable through my hair. I just hope I don't get a lot more and that it only lasts for a few weeks! Below are some pics where you can see the folliculitis and the shedding.

Baldframe

Bald class: 4

Procedure 1

Day 20 & 30 Post Surgery Didn't have much shedding until the last few days. I was starting to hope I'd be one of the lucky few who keeps some follicles before shedding and regrowth but I think I have shed around 25-30% now. I don't notice any numbness. My scar is much healed although still red. Now that the dissoluble stitches have come out, it doesn't feel that large; the stitches made it feel massive. Haven't noticed any major shock loss. Only minor loss around parts of the scar. Now its a waiting game. I will post an update monthly.