thanatopsis_awry

To beat a not-dead horse (), trust your eyes. Look at the results from the docs you're considering, and examine them. Judge them by the clarity of presentation, the angles, the style, etc. If you find a doctor who you trust can deliver you and your situation an equally good result as another (e.g. Epstein, Limmer, McGrath Vs. Rahal), and by using a markedly lower # of grafts, then by all means go to them. ~1500 grafts and 2500-3k is a world of difference to a relatively small, hairline-focused case. Just know that the basic issue here is *not* safety or the yield -- it's whether or not you will be satisfied with the hairline and the density from the procedure. EDIT -- I'd def consult w/ SMG, H+W, and Feller if you have the time and any inclination!

Densepacking by way of megasession doesn't even just have a high success rate and proven safety (in fact, those that densepack and do the biggest sessions are among the *most* consistent); this two-pronged attack, above all else, offers a *vast* number of patients the absolute best chance at achieving their goals for the absolte best price at their absolute best convenience. As a personal reference, I was quoted session sizes ranges from 1300 to 2500 from several clinics. I would *not* be nearly as satisfied if I went this "conservative" route, and quite possibly would have been livid and extremely *dis*satisfied, and had to reconcile planning an immediate, subsequent surgery in an even more mentally exhausted state. Unfortunately, this type of hypoethetical situation happpens all too often to people; thankfully, it didn't happen to me, and I can thank megasession densepacking and the doctors I found from Coalition. Every patient is different, and at the same time every option should be available to the patient to best fulfilll his express benefit -- this includes the ability and skill to perform various degrees of megasession work and densepack work, which for many is optimal.

Dude, I'm not asking you to trust me, I'm asking you to trust your own eyes. The efficacy of megasessions and densepacking is about as definitively proven as 2+2='ing 4. In fact, don't trust me; just keep up researching and don't settle for less (literally and figuratively) until you've done your due diligence. If you want the "the details" it's out there -- go consult w/ some of the elites who pump out superlative results by way of megasession like clockwork: Rahal, Hasson&Wong, Feller, SMG/Shapiro, Cooley, et. al. Thx re: hair. I'm not sure if I was a 3a or 4a pre-op; different people would say different things. Prolly a very diffuse 3-4. The NW scale is really narrow and a bit arbitrary, though, especially for people who don't clearly fall within its very define lines. I also had very favorable hair charachteristics, which is important. edit -- btw, only since you mentioned Limmer...but I'm almost positive he does "megasessions" in the ~3k range. The issue of densepacking to a fault is a seperate matter from megasession success. It's equally proven, however, and it's mainly an issue of appropriateness to the patient. It can often just be inappropriately unnecessary for the patient, especially a younger one, in achieving the goal. Take into account hair charachteristcs, native hair, and the density /cm being implanted and you can get a great idea as to what kind of result you can be looking at.

Speegs, if you have any doubts about how amazing "megasesions" are -- and 2500 is *not* even a megasession -- just look at the 2500+ graft cases that get rolled out daily with the highest degrees of transparency and excellence by multiple clinics (H+W, Feller, SMG, et. al.). Same thing for megasessions that involve "densepacking" -- Rahal, e.g. -- densepacks to awesome degrees and the density and result achieved is consistently magnificent. The proof is in the pudding, the pudding takes skill, and not everyone can make it.

Unless I'm badly mistaken, his own patients -- not just prospective patients, either -- aren't desired to even *look* at his instrumentation, let alone be given a candid dialogue on his methadology. I'm not sure what he has or hasn't presented to some doctors; but if I had to guess, it had little to do with what matters most, at least to me -- that is, his actual tecnique and skillset. If it did have to do w/ that, I'd be truly shocked that such an overture of vital transparency wouldn't be shared to prospective patients, in addition to these doctors. Maybe he presented the docs with some of the amazing, transparent results that I alluded to wanting to see -- if he did, it would benefit him to post them to the patient-public. I'd be one of the first to sign off on them. I respect Pat, but regardless of what he had to say, re: his visit (and I don't know what the specifics are, so I'm neither agreeing or disagreeing w/ whatever he said), it wouldn't alter my opinion insofar as my concerns and demands as a patient would still remain....concerns over FUE, BHT, secrecy...and ensuing demands for transparency regarding what kind of power-tool is dicing up my head, and how this tool is being used. EDIT -- I spend, and have spent, a lot of time on a lot of forums...if really basic, really important stuff like this isn't in the slightest bit known to me it doesn't bode well...and I'm not alone in the dark, either...

He shrouds his FUE w/ secrecy in general; I wouldn't hold my breathe expecting the BHT subset of this to be much different. Puts an even greater onus on consistently showing mind-blowing, transparent results before I'd even consider him.

Keep researching for a ~month and I can almost guarantee it won't be too difficult to discern. The proof is in the pudding, and thankfully for us the better tasting pudding is better for us, too.

+1 to what Bspot said. I'd wager celibacy for the next decade that every doctor mentioned -- Arocha aside -- is a hack and that their skills and graft-quote would leave you sorely dissatisfied. MPB sucks, and HTs are very imperfect; you really can't afford to go to anyone aside from a truly elite doc/clinic, and give yourself the best shot of at the very least meeting your expectations.

Hmmmm. I'd have expected better density, but the pics aren't the best for comparison's sake. I'd try to get H+W's pre-ops and immediate post-ops if they have them....did they put a bulk of grafts into your crown, or mainly hairline and top? Are you pretty satisfied, though, all in all?

Welcome back! You seem to have really immersed yourself in FUE and SMG's recent involvement in it -- look forward to seeing what comes!

"blanky"?

Nanogen > Toppik. For scars...I think combining Couvre as a base w/ Nano on top is best -- when using both you go very light w/ them, but I think it ends up producing the most natural *and* potent result.

Long ways to go....that said, I'm enough of a hair-hungry fiend to be one of the first guinea pigs for y'all.

Minox is the primary -- actually, kinda the only -- ingredient that will be actually helping you...you're basically dealing w/ %s and mechanisms for releasing it....5% is the tried n' true...some use exponentially higher dosages, though I'm not sold on this actually helping. Rogaine's "foam" mechanism for distributing the minox gets some of the best feedback, FWIW.

I wish you and your family the absolute best. I can only imagine how devastating this must be -- you're a strong, good man, though, and I'm sure you and your family will remain strong and battle through whatever comes.

I don't see why the potential of having an incomplete restoration -- which is really what we are talking about -- decades down the road is somehow more shameful or "ridiculous" than a virtual teenager allowing baldness to suffocate him. There needs to be a commitment on the part of the patient regarding finances and a realistic, self-evaluation of how much better off he will truly be, but it's *hardly* some absurd notion that should be so casually dismissed. To the OP....I agree w/ what LMS and LatinL, etc. hve said....that you should get a hobby, ideally a physical one, and after a couple weeks buzz your head...just one time...give it a go...while you do this, I'd also look into concealers (I recco Nanogen) and do some consults w/ really elite clinics to get their feedback, which will only be helpful. Be realistic, but pro-active. No matter what, you're going to be dealing with this -- force yourself to improve your life wherever you can....it's often intuitive yet counter-emotional to better yourself when God decides to shit on you...but it's the absolute best thing you can do, and doing so will set a great precedent for future problems you invariably will deal with!

"Green light!" -- he's shown off a nice array of impressive work.

Thx for the comments, gents! Space, 100% no concealer....with the exception of the one set of "concealer pics" I took (which were pretty mindblowing) back when I was just post-op I've *never* used concealer in *any* pics on here....I'm not even sure I've concealer since then, period.

bahahahah.....

50/cm2 seems awfully low to me..I wonder what age bracket she's referencing. About 50% more than that would seem about right to me. Anyways, OP should definitely be optimistic...5 months out...it's great that he even has appreciable growth! At this type of juncture the #1 defining trait of the hair is exactly what the gripe is, and a change in hair texture/caliber is quite possibly the #1 defining thing that will change over the next 6months.

LMS, thanks for the hair-forum history lesson....the "good" ol' days.... Anyways, an important distinction that needs to be made regarding "disappearances", specific to this case, but generally speaking, as well, is this: "good" results often lead to posters disappearing, but this is after their result has come in and the said "goodness" has actually been shown in some way, to some degree. Even if it's simply lip service. It's extremely dubious when an eager, pro-active patient is diligently documenting their journey and then pull a Houdini. It is even more dubious when the cases themselves are rather dubious, as well. And, the two go hand in hand in my experience, and I'm sure many others. It's a shame, as we are left to conjecture on already infirm ground, but such things really only heighten a healthy skepticism and caution. Having more questions than answers is never a good thing, and, unfortunately, as patients we are often left in this position. *not a knock on the poster, or any other such poster, as much as it is the docs themselves who carry the burden but then hurl it onto patients' backs

lol, I agree -- it's momentous news, potentially. When I visit Dr. Feller next I will definitely inquire, and likely try to get a treatment in myself. The ultimate question is *how* good this can be for some of us, and how aggressive we can then be w/ HTs, or, more importantly, the lack of future HT(s). Either way, I'd like to know something about the following: -- $ it will be costing per treatment, and how many treatments are optimal per year -- effects on maintenance as opposed to actual regrowth, and how potent it can be for either -- efficacy in line w/ fin, or can it work well on the "hairline", too -- is there any reason to think a mechanism like this can't maintain efficacy indefinitely

Worth staying up for lol? Watching Hatton-Pacman ppv during 9 o clock slot, but could stay up for like 2am re-run...!

I still need to cook up that Master Gallery of Progression to really give my HT justice, but I've just been super-busy.....anyways, I did take some impromptu shots of my hair soaking wet and thought I'd post them. I felt like a cross between a clown and a ninja quickly snapping these @ my office gym bathroom undetected.... These were all immediately following a shower; for the pic with the hair not laying totally flat I just propped up the hairline lightly with my fingers. Other pics are just random dry shots of me right before I got a haircut. I'd love to get someone to take pics of me styled w/ my new cut in the bright sun...I think between getting that done and the rest of the pics floating around here and the thread Dr. Feller created I could make a sweet gallery. Also, as i've bitched about a decent amount of late, you can see where I've continued to thin; not a huge deal, and I'm grateful that my HT still holds up so well and holds the fort down.

Rahal to hairlines is basically what Armani only fantasizes he could be. Incredible. Your hair gives me googly-eyes...