My Surgical Treatments to Date

I've had one hair tranpslant in July 2012 from Dr. Konior in the Chicago area.  The goal was 3000 grafts and I ended up with in the ballpark of 3950.  I traveled across the country to recieve one from Dr. Konior and only him because I was so impressed with the subtlty and soft hairline results on his site, as well as reviews.  My thinning is on the front and the crown but I like him, I really wanted to focus on the front.  He recommends that to everyone and his main method is FUT strip method.  Beforehand we discussed the FUE method but he doesn't specialize in it, and it would cost significantly more, and his claim is that it still leaves a scar, just tiny random scarring. Also, other results I've seen of FUE didn't have me convinced to go that route but that's just me.  

Dr. Konior is NOT a discount doctor and his reviews on this site truly made me a believer.  I'd rather shave my head than get a second-rate transplant. When I'd speak with him on the phone over the last two years (while saving), he was thorough and personable.  Nothing like an ER doctor or nurse--he cares.  In my mind, I'd assume he'd get bored with the same standard questions but he really just loves hair and hairline design so he never seemed annoyed or bothered by my concerns.  I would compare this to nature of an artist or creative professional; they have a passion for something so they can discuss it about it endlessly.  

Day-before

During the prep the day before the surgery, I had an extensive meeting since i traveled for the procedure.  He worked on designing the hairline with a pen, after shaving the front recipient area.  He was obsessive about getting it just right, and took probably 50-60 photos to get it right.  He didn't want it straight across, but with a slight curve like a natural hairline.  He also didn't want it to be extremely low and would have discouraged me for that since this is hair that won't go anywhere and when i'm 50 I don't want a 14-year old hairline.  

6:15 am

The procedure went smoothly, and I was quite nervous and anxious/excited.  My wife traveled with me to help support and take care of me for two days afterwards at my hotel.  When I was there the valium they provided made me pretty sleepy so I went into the room very calm.  I slept through about 75 percent of the procedure.  The only pain i felt was the local anesthesia which he uses in the back donor area and the front.  It felt like tiny little pricks with a needle, but nothing else.  

Halfway through the day I was given a break for lunch, and the hairline already looked great.  It was EXTREMELY clean considering the kind of puncturing that is happening to the scalp.  His team of nurses were like a well-oiled and focused machine. They were very caring and attending too throughout the time. I felt I was in good hands and I even took a business call in between since I'm self-employed.  Dr. Konior was adamant about getting the maximum amount of time with the donor hair he got out of my scalp.  He told me at noon I already would have a great head of hair but he wanted to put a total of 11 hours into the surgery.  I was incredibly impressed and felt at ease.  

I don't want to write a novel so I'm going to boil it down to a few points:

-I had my recipient area shaved because the results are so much better, also I got a lot more grafts in that way. He said for his success, without shaving his success would be about 2000 grafts but because I shaved the front and top, he got double that.  I can tell now that the front hairline is packed the most and he goes back from there.  He went from the front hairline all the way to the point before my crown.  

-Investigate Konior, I can't find a bad review for him but I can't imagine a better experience.  DO NOT GO CHEAP.  You can finance it if you have to.

-2-weeks in, we'll see what happens.  Excited but remaining patient.  

My Non Surgical Treatments

Finasteride, Minoxidil