Tao

Raymond Konior, MD.

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Hair transplant patient

Tao

Tao

About

Through my 20s I had a full thick head of hair.  I used to go to the barber and always ask that he just thin it out because it was so thick.  In my early thirties, much to my amazement (and horror)it started thinning out on top and I eventually began using Rogaine.  I didn't think Rogaine was doing anything but it clearly was buying me time as my hair did a massive shed once I went cold turkey off it (foolishly thinking maybe my hair loss was stabilized).  I began to grow comfortable with having a mature receding hairline but in my late 30s, by the time I realized that I was rapidly moving toward a Norwood 6, it was almost too late to do anything outside of shave it down or start looking into hair transplants. 

As it is with many, money was a huge limiting factor.  When I first began looking into hair transplants, I thought I could get by with about 800-1000 grafts an keep the cost to around $5k-6k, which was still a huge burden.  When I went for my first consult, reality hit as I was told I needed at least 3200 grafts (turns out I needed even more - don't underestimate the number of grafts you need!).  I started saving and by the time I was in my early 40s, I was in better shape financially and a HT became a real possibility.  I still had to overcome huge doubts about whether quality HTs were myth or reality.  I now know they are reality. 


My Surgical Treatments to Date

I had my first HT in April 2009 with Dr. Konior in the Chicago area - almost 2800 grafts to the hairline and frontal third.

I had my second HT in June 2010 with Dr. Konior - 2400 grafts mostly to the crown with some used to shore up a few spots along the part and hairline.

My Non Surgical Treatments

I tried Rogaine for awhile but have never used Propecia.  I was dead set against taking medication and figured HTs would prevent me from having to use either Propecia or Rogaine.  I haven't been using either as my hairloss now does seem to have stabilized (couldn't get much worse). 

Bald Class

Bald class 5A

Norwood stage 5A

In stage 5A, the hairline continues to progress toward the back of the head.

When I really began losing all my hair from my hairline all the way back to the crown, it greatly affected my self confidence.  I'm in great shape otherwise and very youthful looking.  I just felt pretty ugly as I wasn't one of those who could pull off the shaved down look.  My head is too big and lumpy!

Hair Transplants!

I am incredibly happy with my HT experiences.  My first HT made a dramatic improvement.  I'm fortunate to have pretty coarse hair so my grafts go far in making a cosmetic difference.  Having my hairline back to frame my face was extremely gratifying.  I still spend way too much time gawking in the mirror, grateful for what my disbelieving eyes see these days.  When you get something taken away that you had taken for granted and then you get it back again, you find yourself really appreciating that thing! 

Currently (as of January 2011) I'm 7 months post-op from my second HT.  That one concetrated on my crown and shored up my part and hairline.  It's growing in a bit slower than the first, but so far, I'm quite thrilled.  It won't completely cover up the fact that I'm thin up there, but pretty soon, about 95% of the people won't be able to tell I have any hairloss problems about 95% of the time.  Good enough for me considering where I started.

Listen to the elder spokesman on this site.  Post photos and ask for advice and recommendations.  The people here are extremely helpful, honest, and informed.  They'll recommend Rogaine and Propecia and maybe Nizoral shampoo.  Give those a try for at least a year and you may save yourself tons of money avoiding or delaying a HT.  Then do your research, read hundreds of posts, search this site for topics of interest and educate yourself on HTs before you go that route.  And if you do go the HT route, do not make the mistake of trying to go on the cheap as you will be so sorry you did.  Go with a surgeon recommended on this site after consulting with several.

I look and feel younger every time I look in the mirror and that has greatly increased my self confidence and that has made me happier, no doubt about it.  People react differently to me now too.  Women are much more attentive (although I'm not impressed by those who are, to be honest) and I no longer get the wandering eyes up to the top of my head.  I hate that we're such an image conscious society and I greatly respect those that accept themselves as is.  With my HT, I feel like I took the easy way out, but in all honesty, I don't regret it.

See above!

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My Latest journal entries

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Tao
Bald class: 5A
Procedure 1

HT2 Crown Work 7 months This is a long time coming and the photos are not great quality as I don't have a great camera, but the following are photos taken 7 months post-op from the second HT with Dr. Konior.  He placed 2400 grafts mostly in my crown, with a few going to shore up my hairline up front.  My experience and observations: 1) The grow time in the crown is turning out to be longer than that of my frontal third.  2) I feel like I'm going to want more density in that crown, however, I can totally live with it the way it is now as it's a 1000 times better than where I started.  Having the large glaring patch of bald head covered in some hair is very gratifying.3) Either because of the way he made the swirl and put in the grafts or because of different growth times in different areas, I still have a small patch without much hair to the right of my swirl.  It's not noticeable to 99% of people 90% of the time, and given where I started from, I can totally live with it if continued growth doesn't cover it. 4) I think that with 5 more months of growth to come, I'll be very very very happy.  Right now I'm only very very happy.5) Unless I get a financial windfall, I'm done (if I come into some $$$, I can see going back and adding some more grafts in the small sparsely covered area to the right of the swirl).  And though it cost quite a bit, I count my HTs among the best decisions I've made so far.  My life, my outlook, and my confidence, are all much improved.  Vain?  Yes, I'm reluctant and ashamed to say.  But it is what it is.  I had a chance to do something positive to change my life and I did it.  No regrets.  

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Tao
Bald class: 5A
Procedure 1

HT2 Crown Work 7 months, part 2 More 7 month pics. An added note.  I do not use Rogaine and have never taken Propecia.  I don't seem to be losing any more hair and haven't for quite awhile.  I think my hair loss is stable and I lost what I was going lose (we'll see, eh?).  I viewed HTs as a way to fix my hair with no further fuss (daily medications and foams, etc.).  I understand that for many, especially younger guys, this approach is not feasible or advised.  If I were younger and still had good existing hair, I would definitely use both.  As it is, I may be one of the few who can get away with using neither. 

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Tao
Bald class: 5A
Procedure 1

HT photos one year, 2 mos later These photos were taken in June 2010, as I was getting prepped for my second HT to address my crown area.  I was very pleased with the first HT, which added about 2800 grafts to my frontal third.  Framed my face and made a dramatic improvement.  I'm lucky in that I have fairly coarse hair, which provides good coverage. I would have liked to have a little more hair in my part area and on the front right side under where combed my front hair rests as it was a little sparse when the wind blew.  Dr. Konior got about 2400 grafts on my second go and added some of those to those two areas and put the rest in my crown.  I understand that the crown is the black hole of grafts but I'll be really happy if I could get at least some cover over my dome.  So far, my HT journey has far exceeded my expectations (and far exceeded how much money I ever thought I'd put out to do something like this).  However, I look at as I could have bought a new car or I could live the rest of my life feeling confident and looking good.  I don't need no stinkin' new car! At the moment, I'm two months out from the second HT.  I look essentially the same, although with even a little more thickness up front.  I hear the crown grafts take longer to come in so we'll see.  I'll just be patient.  I'll take some of my own pics soon and post them.  My scar is really good and unnoticeable under pretty short hair in the back.