55 Year Old Man, Replacing Thinning Front Hairline

I never thought I would reach this point in my life, since I have always had very thick (almost unmanageable amounts ) of hair. But over the years my front recession has gone further and I have lost density and thickness. I am going for hair transplant surgery on Monday. Will journal the experience here. This first photo was taken during my consultation and shows the area to be filled.

Spoke to doc regarding my concerns of ending up with "doll" hair. Lots of assurances that I will not. Was told to shampoo hair tonight, have a huge breakfast (guess they won't be catering a lunch in) and be at the office at 7:30 am. He only does one client per day.

Got there at 7:30am, given valuim and vicadent. After taking more pics and marking me up i was put on a massage like table with face down. I don't know if it was the volume or being exhausted but I don't remember anything about this. Didn't feel a thing. Technicians sorted out grafts, Doc made the areas to be implanted. Then started the longest process with 3 technicians. They were great. I left with a very heavily bandaged ace (think mummy ) to help with the sutures (i guess). I was given lots of pain ills, nausea pills and even anti swelling pills. Back tomorrow to have my hair shampooed . I think the hardest part is going to be sleeping w my chin in the area to help avoid swelling. More tomorrow after my 9am appointment.

So, before too much time goes by, I wanted to report on day #2. Took the Vicadin last night along withe anti swelling meds and took a full ambient. It took me a while to get into a position where my head was cocked back, chin to the ceiling to sleep. But once I found that spot, and the ambient kicked in I passed out. Very little pain at site of incision in the back because I stayed ahead of the pain with the vicadin.

This morning I went back and my hair was shampooed and the donor site scrubbed. I think the hardest part of all of this is going to be the constant icing. I have been told that for the next several days I am to ice forehead/eye area for 10 minutes on 20 off. this is to prevent swelling which maxes out at day 3/4. I have also been told to take epsom salt bathes 2 x a day and using the opportunity to scrub the donor site. The reason for this is to prevent any accumulation of scabs which won’t help with the scarring and so which sutures come off it is less painful. No scrubing of donor site but water carefully poured over the area. Also given a spray to put on donor hair and aquafor. This is for healing and to encourage the graft blood supply.

I asked again today about using a hairmax and was once again told it wouldn’t grow hair, but could help with the thickness of existing hair and for the new hair. We’ll see. I feel like this has been very $$$, so not sure I want to plunk down another $500. anyone have any experience with this??

In the meantime, my challenge is to keep icing. I am shooting for returning to work friday, so I want to keep up with the after care with to a T. My next followup is thursday.

I went in today for an optional followup. Doc was super impressed at my lack of swelling. I attribute that to literally icing every half hour for 10 minutes for the last 2 days (with a few breaks here and there) and sleeping on my back. Scar on back of head is healing well. (My regular hair covers the ear to ear scar). I have started shampooing over the grafts very gently. I plan on returning to work tomorrow, somehow covering the grafts with my own hair. (Creative hair placement.)

Recovery has been pretty swift. I was great about the icing every 1/2 hour for a few days and just for an occasional short period, didn't really swell (when I did I had bumps of swelling). Soaking 2 times a day was sir to bothersome. Sleeping on my back has been hard. Donor area is uncomfortable, but totally bare able and I have slept. Wore cap when I went back to work 4 days after surgery to hide little scabs. When I wear my hair down you can't really see anything, unless you look closely. I have rated NOTSURE, because I want to wait for hair to grow in, but so far, I am thrilled with everything.

Well, yesterday was 2 weeks since my surgery, and all has gone pretty well. I have for the most part simply covered the grafted area with my own hair. I have gotten strange looks, since that is a style I have never worn, and I sort of look like I am sporting some sort of throw back 60's Beatles hair. The redness at the scalp is fading a bit every day. I figure in less than a week I will probably be back to normal. Everywhere I have had the grafts there are little stubble of hair, which is the hair that was transplanted. I was told that I would start to shed these little hairs and not to be alarmed. It does not mean the grafts haven't taken. New hair will start to grow about the 3-4 month mark. Glad I took pics, as I can see how easy it is to forget what you looked like.

As you can see, I still have residual brown pigmentation around the hairline. For the most part undetectable. I think this may have something to do with my olive complexion but not sure if this happens to everyone. I have lost about 1/2 of the hairs inside the implanted grafts (not the grafts). Now its just all about waiting. P.S. impossible to take a pic, but honestly my scar is absolutely undetectable.

This is my 1 year update. Doctor said on follow up that hair may still grow in more and that with a little time some of the wire texture of some of the hair will smooth out. But I am pretty happy with outcome.

This is exactly one year. Doctor said i may still see more growth.