thanatopsis_awry

Man, just gotta say again what an amazing all-around HT this is.....having hair that will hold up when wet w/ a virtually invisible scar is mint -- especially if yer an active guy. Can't wait to see future pics of this badboy once you grow it out some and tame it!

You're either a shill, or a very lucky man. Lawrence S. is a bonefied butcher and used-car salesman who unfortunately is able to wield a scalpel on the general public w/ little repercussion.

Do you feel that even within the confines of using this tool, there is room for improvement? i.e., can your mastery of the tool and FUE increase and further maximize what the instrument can offer?

You're best bet is to talk directly w/ SMG, and go see them like you intend to -- they have 2nd to none patient care and will work with you on whatever the details are of your particular case. Not knowing where you're traveling *from*, I'd still heartily recco staying the night of your surgery -- it's a long...long day....a good one, but very long....and if you can swing it I think spending the night vs. even a couple hour drive is def optimal.

Dr. Feller can answer definitively, of course; but I'm pretty sure that somewhere in this thread he said he has used the instrument (successfully) for a good while now. I know there is one *really* amazing looking case in the top of the result section on this forum that he said had been done using this methodology. I'm also curious, though, if *all* "recent" FUE cases have been used w/ this tool.

Elite result! Congrats -- you've come a *long* way....wonderful use of grafts!

Congrats!!! Crown cases like these are real inspiration and comfort -- you've come a *long* way with but a nominal # of grafts....your wavy hair def doesn't hurt the cause. Tremendous result, either way!

Wantego, your growth has been phenominal and you left the balded kingdom long ago! I see what you mean about the weak spot, and how it gets exposed when short; but, it really doesn't have any appreciable difference on how you look or how you can style your hair for most intents and purposes, IMHO. I wish you more growth there, of course, but even if nothing dramatic changes aside from hair quality in the coming months, you're mint! Btw, re: hair products...many of the newer ones are actually designed to be pro-scalp....generally they are of the more expensive variety, but nonetheless, something to consider.

You're looking real sharp, dude! Still very early, but your growth at this pt. is solid and bodes real nicely for yer future! I fully expect your result to be toptop. And congrats on the weight loss, above all else -- no easy or small feat, but you've obv taken the bull by the horns!

Perfectly on track, man; lots of positives already, and you're entering the stretch where the gravy starts flowin'! You deserved a primo HT and yer getting one!

Looks awesome! Your scar, or lackthereof, is truly amazing...do you chalk a lot of that up to a super successful tricho where a lot of hair has ended up sprouting from it? Top 5 scar I've ever seen -- easily one of the best.

Probably an excellent chance you shouldn't be getting the op if H+W shot you down....they are very ethical and very aggressive. That said, if you still want to venture forth....Rahal and Feller you should consult w/....SMG, too, but they tend to be more "conservative", IMO. Rahal is probably your best bet if you wanna get it done -- he's wicked aggressive re: boldness/age+loss. Fin is far and away your best bet....dut you shouldn't even consider at this pt. unless you get horrid sides from fin and/or the fin doesn *absolutely* nada for you. If you really want to pull out all the stops use rogain foam 5% -- but it can be a bitch and is a "lifetime" commitment.

Seeing how low Umar went /w the nape gnaws at me for recently lasering out pretty much that entire region lol.....I'm not too familiar w/ Umar's work; so def look forward to seeing your progress and documentation! Also, fwiw, I assume an electric tool was used as recently as a month or so ago a patient confirmed this. Jordan can confirm to date.

People will be extraordinarily blunt, if not outright cruel in judgments when it's convenient; particularly, the media towards the celebs whose theatrics (and often sorrow) line their pockets. Ultimately, the author is looking not just for flaws, but above all else personal failure. Nic Cage's HT can be seen as such, and it's easy target practice. If Cage had Bill's transformation for instance I think the author's trap would be shut much tighter, and if it did open it'd be much less brazen.

I think you're right on, PGP; thinking about that more, I think you're spot on. Something was clearly not adding up w/ the time frame, deposit, excuse for canceling, etc.....dollars to donuts that that is it!

Uh-huh....(many) things aren't adding up...mpkoons' 7 posts almost strike me as some shill trying to subtly drum up some legitimacy and a quick-strike of recognition for MHR lol....not that I'd bet on that, but it almost seems that way....amazing.... Either way, I hope you do get that procedure done by MHR mpkoons, and good luck b/c you'll absolutely need it -- appreciative, prospective patients can always use *another* guinea pig to take a hit and drive the obvious home even further for everyone else out there ....

100% to all the above. And the scenario PGP put out there is frighteningly true.....just do yourself the justice of taking enough time to research HTs enough to where you won't have such major, controversial doubts.

Just posting to *confirm* what LMS said re: my HT. And to further clarify, and perhaps give some additional perspective to the OP (and any1 else): Meds -- I've had zero qualms, I responded well, and my further areas of loss were -- and are -- most protected by them Styling -- I can't be "reckless" like I could when I had true density; that said, my hair is best when I style it how I'd prefer anyways, and it looks good most of the time with little effort. And, with a bit of effort it can look great; and, with a bit of "bad luck" it can look not so great... Mooooore HTs -- 100%...I am financially stable to afford them and execute them when optimal and desired; I have very good donor to overcome most if not all of what future loss will likely be. All that aside, it's still a bitch! To be blunt, I'm not sure how I'd even go about *another* round(s) of HTs w/ regard to making sure friends/acquaintances don't find out...and I say this *still* in a rare, positive position where I shouldn't have to sweat the $, and I have lots of job flexibility. Continuing Woes -- To a degree and extent, and for the foreseeable future. In all honesty, the area between the end of my recipient and where my vertex begins has continued to thin. This has resulted in more difficulty in achieving looks of "perfect" density, and, most troubling, it has hampered the perceived-density in my hairline itself. I'm basically relegated to twiddle my thumbs and eventually break out the nanogen while the area thins bad enough to where I could go in for another session of ~2500g, possibly to even bolster density in the hairline further. But ya, it was a 100% right decision for me, but that doesn't mean it's a perfect one, and it doesn't mean that the magnitude and "righteousness" of the decision is even fully yet determined! **I do often think about "if I had just shaved my head"...right after I did post-HT, despite being out of shape, pale, etc. I didn't even hate how I looked....and if put the work/time/$ into "shaving" and like building my own grappling/gymnastics gym in my garage; go on a few vacations; etc. I'm still glad I took the route I did, but it's just something to think about.

It's a question of whether you want to have a more robust, bold hairline; or not, and "save"/"use" those grafts down the road, if you need them, to address areas behind and create density there. And this isn't to say you can't end up doing both. You are getting a HT. The path has been set. You are doing battle w/ MPB. You will be using *all* of your grafts possible -- allocate them wisely to get the desired result you truly want and that is worth the risk. Little sense in hoarding them once you set foot on this course, IMO. It's a judgment call, at the end of the day, that you have to make with your elite doctor of choice, and that you should make once you're aware of the +'s and -'s between various courses.

A few things....you are still pretty early, so minimal actual growth can be normal; especially at this stage we are often our harshest critics. I'd take some good shots of your current mop and post them w/ your pre-ops. Or, don't even post them and just use them for a legit, visual comparison for yourself to observe.

I think Spex is right, ultimately. But, I think there is another "answer", which is just an issue of perspective. There is the #grafts/cm, which is generally what gets most of our focus and attention. But hair characteristics -- hair caliber, specifically -- can't be understated. Essentially, it is like augmenting the #grafts/cm when positive. The cases of "early growth" that spring to mind almost always lead to "spectacular result". Non-early growth also can, but "early growth" seems to achieve the ultimate in end-results. These cases almost always have one if not both of the following, however: excellent hair caliber, a very high baseline level of grafts/cm implanting. It becomes something of an issue of perspective, or another branch extending from the Illusion of Density Tree.

"You're still early". "Give it time". Really, you're about to begin entering the phase where things will either begin changing, or they won't change and you can obsess on w/e and nobody will be able to give you shit for it and say to just chill! Def agree w/ Abedogg, tho -- get some REALLY good pre-op pics to use for comparison down the road...to often, especially w/ guys with relatively minor loss pre-op, the before-after comparison is really lacking, which is all the more vital in such cases!

I agree w/ a lot of what has already been said. In many ways, IMO, you are a prototypical case of a "young guy" who *could* get a HT. Whether you *should* is the other, more important question. It's not a simple decision, and exploratory caution is your best friend at this point. Ultimately, I would do a couple things: do some consults (live or online) with some clinics. IMO -- Shapiro, Feller, H&W would be an excellent combo to get feedback from. You won't be pressured, you will get legitimate information and feedback that is useful and, perhaps, above all else, comforting to have. Knowledge is power. I would also buzz your head. If you have already have and hate it I would say be in "good" physical shape while also having your head buzzed -- the two go hand in hand for these intents and purposes. I hate to say I am "optimistic" about you getting a HT because in all honesty bro, as bad as things are now, if you can battle through things without getting the HT you'll be all the more powerful. That said, I don't think pursuing the option of a HT is out of the question, or as 100% ill-fated for you as some others. There is a lot of information that needs to be weighted, and a lot of that information stems from your own very self -- emotions, intellect, whatever...by listening to the words of what others have said (LMS lays it out quite well), and taking some of the progressive steps I mentioned, you will arm yourself with invaluable knowledge and perspective. The waters are murky because the desperation and pain that you readily admit to has to be compartmentalized to the extent that it doesn't dominate your decision making. Everything you're saying and feeling is legitimate and you seem to be keeping your wits to you in spite of the shitstorm of MPB. It can -- and will -- get better (even if your "hair" gets worse). If you ever want to talk about w/e PM me -- I'm always looking for ways to procrastinate @ work!

Proper angling through incisions of the hairs is part of a doctor/clinic's skill-set, so it is definitely an issue, though anyone half-way competent doesn't seem to botch that up often, if ever. You're still way too early to really make any definitive judgments on whether this facet of Armani's work is bogus, though. HT hairs go through phases of "maturity", and you need to see all of them grown and how they work with one another.