Senior Member mrmane85 Posted April 9 Senior Member Share Posted April 9 Looks really good, especially for 5.5 months 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Melvin- Admin Posted April 9 Administrators Share Posted April 9 14 hours ago, Steeeve said: 5 months! Last Monday, the 1st of April was 22 weeks and 5 months post-op. A little late but the pics were from the beginning of the month. Everything is still shaping up but, of course, not quite where I want it to be. It's still too early. The pics of my crown show progress but they're very close up and when I see my crown in a mirror my scalp is still very visible. I'm confident all of this will resolve. Just gotta trust the process. One thing that made me extremely happy was that my scar has closed significantly. It makes sense. I hadn't really considered that I was dealing with shockloss around it because last time the right side of my scar remained so wide from the very beginning. I don’t know how well it will be picked up by the camera especially considering everytime I try to post scar pictures the website flips the images. I don't have any pictures of my scar yet but I will get some and post later. Here are some pictures in regular bathroom lighting. I went to another bathroom to get some pics in slightly harsher lighting. The difference is really only in the hairline and if I'm being honest I don't think its the correct representation of how my hairline comes across to others looking at me straight on. Here is my crown. My crown offers enough coverage so that when my hair is back you cannot see through the scalp. I can go without tying my hair back but if the wind blows the jig is up. If it blows one way it looks fine but if it blows in the opposite direction my crown is exposed. Crown is covered👆🏻 Almost totally exposed👆🏻 👆🏻I walked in from doing yard work and wanted to know what I was working with and honestly…it doesn't seem so bad… I’ll do my best to get some pictures of the scar but that’s all for now. Looks fantastic, you have a lot of thickening and growth left too, solid base @Steeeve 🙏 1 I’m a paid admin for Hair Transplant Network. I do not receive any compensation from any clinic. My comments are not medical advice. Check out my final hair transplant and topical dutasteride journey: View my thread Topical dutasteride journey Melvin- Managing Publisher and Forum Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q&A Blog. Follow our Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and YouTube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Steeeve Posted April 10 Author Valued Contributor Share Posted April 10 On 4/8/2024 at 11:06 PM, mrmane85 said: Looks really good, especially for 5.5 months Thank you! 🙏🏻 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Steeeve Posted April 10 Author Valued Contributor Share Posted April 10 On 4/9/2024 at 9:38 AM, Melvin- Admin said: Looks fantastic, you have a lot of thickening and growth left too, solid base @Steeeve 🙏 Thank you! I’m looking forward to some more thickening in my crown. I’d like to cut my hair shorter instead of just hiding my crown with the long hair. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Steeeve Posted May 2 Author Valued Contributor Share Posted May 2 I’m going to put together a bigger update but I’m really happy with how my hair looks right now. Today was 6 months. I’ll be back with a regular update but…I’m so happy. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Gatsby Posted May 2 Valued Contributor Share Posted May 2 Looking awesome @Steeeve! 💯👊🏻 1 GATSBY 'UNPLUGGED!' 15,671 (3 surgeries) Grafts FUE+BHT Dr. Sethi Eugenix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Steeeve Posted May 2 Author Valued Contributor Share Posted May 2 8 hours ago, Gatsby said: Looking awesome @Steeeve! 💯👊🏻 Thanks Gatsby 🙏🏻😁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Ads Posted May 2 Regular Member Share Posted May 2 16 hours ago, Steeeve said: I’m going to put together a bigger update but I’m really happy with how my hair looks right now. Today was 6 months. I’ll be back with a regular update but…I’m so happy. Wow, what a big difference now, looking great. I’m not surprised you’re so happy. 🥳 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Steeeve Posted May 3 Author Valued Contributor Share Posted May 3 Thanks @Ads! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Al - Moderator Posted May 3 Moderators Share Posted May 3 Looks like it really thickened up. It looks great. 1 Al Forum Moderator (formerly BeHappy) I am a paid forum moderator for hairrestorationnetwork.com. I am not a Dr. and I do not work for any particular Dr. My opinions are my own and may not reflect the opinions of other moderators or the owner of this site. I am also a hair transplant patient and repair patient. You can view some of my repair journey here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Melvin- Admin Posted May 3 Administrators Share Posted May 3 On 5/1/2024 at 9:58 PM, Steeeve said: I’m going to put together a bigger update but I’m really happy with how my hair looks right now. Today was 6 months. I’ll be back with a regular update but…I’m so happy. Your hair looks amazing Steve, that little curl on the side chefs kiss 🤌 1 1 I’m a paid admin for Hair Transplant Network. I do not receive any compensation from any clinic. My comments are not medical advice. Check out my final hair transplant and topical dutasteride journey: View my thread Topical dutasteride journey Melvin- Managing Publisher and Forum Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q&A Blog. Follow our Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and YouTube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Steeeve Posted May 3 Author Valued Contributor Share Posted May 3 @Al - Moderator thank you! I really appreciate it. @Melvin- Admin Thank you! I love the curls! I can blow dry to keep my hair wavy and less curly but, honestly, they just add to the overall look so I’m learning to work with them. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Steeeve Posted May 8 Author Valued Contributor Share Posted May 8 (edited) 6 month update here. These photos were taken on the 1st of May which was 6 months or 26 weeks post-op. I would also like to point out that on April 16th I crossed over the 5 year mark since my first hair transplant with Dr. Arocha. I cut my hair about 3 weeks ago because it was very weighted down by all the length. I tried to leave it long enough to cover the crown which is still in the growing phase, however, it’s somewhat exposed so my solution is to put a little dermmatch in there to help disguise what’s going on. It helps enough because no one that I work with seems to have an idea. In fact, I was talking to a a couple of coworkers about George Clooney and how he often shaves his hairline for a role to give the look of a man with a receding hairline. At the end I tried to crack a joke about how it’s insulting to those of us who do actually suffer from male pattern baldness. My joke was met with silence. One of the guys in the group squinted their eyes at me and asked, in all seriousness, “do you suffer from male pattern baldness?” To which I replied, “bro, 70 to 80 percent of all men deal with MPB at some point in their lives. I am a 44 year old man who indeed does suffer with it”. His reply to that was completely indignant and it made me feel so good about my decision to move forward with hair transplants. He said, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I guess. Your hair is perfect.” The irony of what he said and how he said it made me so happy. They have no idea. Per usual, I tried to get photos in various lighting to showcase exactly what is going on with my hair. Unless I indicate there is no product or concealer in my hair. The first images are by a window where I work. The next set of photos are in one of my bathrooms with harsher light. The body of my hair really seems to hold up under it. The next set are in my bathroom where the lighting is friendlier. I would also like to point out that I have a window shade open and when it’s closed there is a big difference in the appearance of my hairline. I don’t have all the usual angles because I was taking some photos to share with a friend but I thought I would share here. These next are in the same bathroom but with the shade closed. I was playing with styling and I wanted to share. When the shade is closed the light is much harsher which exposes some gaps but I don’t think it looks unnatural at all. Take notice of the part. To me, it’s quite diffuse BUT…I can part it. That’s not really something I’ve been able to do before. Really, all I’ve been able to do is just brush/pull it back with the previous transplant which has, mostly, always been my style unless I was letting it grow out. And, if I’m being honest, me being critical of my part is really my being overly critical because it is not that bad. Like, at all. Next up is my crown. The first couple are at work next to the big window. I do have dermmatch in my crown in these pics. The next pics are in my bathroom without any concealer. Finally, I’ve got some pictures of my scar. These are from last month. I meant to post them then. Honestly, I haven’t paid much attention to my scar but this is what it looked like at 5 months. As usual they are upside down. Lol Thats about it for now. I’ve been pretty absent from the forum since about mid-February. I had gotten a promotion at work and I’ve been working to acclimate myself to the extra duties. Hopefully I can get on more often moving forward. If there any questions or comments I will be around. ✌🏻 Edited May 9 by Steeeve 🤷🏼♂️ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Melvin- Admin Posted May 8 Administrators Share Posted May 8 From thin and wispy, to hairline crispy 1 I’m a paid admin for Hair Transplant Network. I do not receive any compensation from any clinic. My comments are not medical advice. Check out my final hair transplant and topical dutasteride journey: View my thread Topical dutasteride journey Melvin- Managing Publisher and Forum Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q&A Blog. Follow our Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and YouTube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Steeeve Posted May 9 Author Valued Contributor Share Posted May 9 1 hour ago, Melvin- Admin said: From thin and wispy, to hairline crispy 🤣I love it! Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Ads Posted May 9 Regular Member Share Posted May 9 @Steeeve, having followed your threads over the years I know that you have really put yourself through it with the surgeries, but wow, what a huge difference now and as your colleague indicated, you really wouldn’t know you’ve had anything done. Thanks for sharing your journey, it’s a great help to see your progress and what can be achieved with the right approach and a quality clinic/surgeon. 🙏 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Steeeve Posted May 15 Author Valued Contributor Share Posted May 15 On 5/9/2024 at 3:23 AM, Ads said: @Steeeve, having followed your threads over the years I know that you have really put yourself through it with the surgeries, but wow, what a huge difference now and as your colleague indicated, you really wouldn’t know you’ve had anything done. Thanks for sharing your journey, it’s a great help to see your progress and what can be achieved with the right approach and a quality clinic/surgeon. 🙏 Thank you @Ads. I really appreciate the compliments. I agree, too. Choice of clinic/doctor is key to success and your best shot at not having to go back for a repair. I’ll definitely have to go back for further work down the line but it will be because of continued loss and not a botched job-which seems to be more and more common on most forums these days. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Hairboy67 Posted June 10 Regular Member Share Posted June 10 Really nice improvement Steeve. Did Arocha say how long until your crown completely matures? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Steeeve Posted June 13 Author Valued Contributor Share Posted June 13 Thanks @Hairboy67. Thanks for the support. Im extremely happy. I’m going to wait until 18 months to make a final judgement. I pretty much told Dr. Arocha that going in. He felt that was also the best approach for me. Blood supply is just so different in the crown than it is in the frontal scalp. The front is amazing and I’ve still got so much time for those hairs to lengthen and mature. The crown is lagging behind, though. There’s definitely some longer hair there, however, there are still areas of the crown where I feel stubble which makes those areas look thinner. All I can really do is wait. I’ll do an update in the next day or so. I’m really very happy overall and I’ve got more to say. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Steeeve Posted June 13 Author Valued Contributor Share Posted June 13 7 months have passed-technically I’m at almost 7 and a half months-and overall I’m very happy. I’ve made really excellent progress, however, there’s still a long ways to go. I’m going to focus on everything here but in reality I’m really only focused on the crown as my hairline, while it still has some ways to go, is essentially what it’s going to look like. The hairs in the front really just need to lengthen, mature, and thicken up but this is essentially what my hairline is going to get out of this procedure.This is pretty much what my hair is doing naturally and I love it. The curls and waves are a hit. That being said if I run a straightener through my hair it’s still very full bodied.Lots of volume. I’ve got this picture of my hairline which shows more of what is going on a little more exactly if you zoom in. It’s darker toward the top of the pic but I’m trying to expose the hairline here👇🏻There are still a ton of transplanted hairs (I don’t feel like they’re very visible in the picture) that need to gain length and thicken up and maybe my scalp will be less visible in the front, however, it’s only when I go out of my way to expose it that it’s really visible. So, yeah, no big deal, I guess. The grafts that were placed in my crown seem to be gaining more ground in the middle and working their way outward. This photo and the next few are from 6 months. As you can see those grafts are doing their thing but at the bottom where the whorl is still has a lot of stubble as does the left side of the crown.Those are all from 6 months. ☝🏻 These next were taken at 7 months.👇🏻Again, the whorl and the left side of the crown are still lagging even a month later while the middle has clearly gained some ground. I took these next few just before I started this update and you can see that things have progressed even further in just a few days but, still, things have quite a ways to go.The whorl seems to have picked up a little steam but that left side is still thinner looking. It’s not where I want it to be but how could it really be? There have been a number of guys posting really incredible crown restorations with really solid results at 6-8 months but in all the time I’ve been on here what I’ve learned is that comparison is the killer of dreams. Sometimes you have to wait the full 12 to 18 months to make that final judgement. Here are some pics I took of my hair wet last week. Compare this next photo👇🏻 to my 1 year post-op my first procedure. 👇🏻 And there’s still so much time left for more maturation. Same with dry. Post-op my first procedure I had to blow my hair dry for it to cover my crown. If I let it air dry it was so curly that there was no way it could cover the crown. See below. Compare that to last months 6 month top down👇🏻 Finally, I’ve got some pictures of my hair blown dry. I took these just this morning. And that’s pretty much it. As you can see things are looking great and I have ways to hide what’s going on in my crown but I’m still looking forward to cutting it all down to the same length. I will be around and I’ll update again at 8 months. ✌🏻 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Melvin- Admin Posted June 20 Administrators Share Posted June 20 On 6/13/2024 at 4:52 PM, Steeeve said: 7 months have passed-technically I’m at almost 7 and a half months-and overall I’m very happy. I’ve made really excellent progress, however, there’s still a long ways to go. I’m going to focus on everything here but in reality I’m really only focused on the crown as my hairline, while it still has some ways to go, is essentially what it’s going to look like. The hairs in the front really just need to lengthen, mature, and thicken up but this is essentially what my hairline is going to get out of this procedure.This is pretty much what my hair is doing naturally and I love it. The curls and waves are a hit. That being said if I run a straightener through my hair it’s still very full bodied.Lots of volume. I’ve got this picture of my hairline which shows more of what is going on a little more exactly if you zoom in. It’s darker toward the top of the pic but I’m trying to expose the hairline here👇🏻There are still a ton of transplanted hairs (I don’t feel like they’re very visible in the picture) that need to gain length and thicken up and maybe my scalp will be less visible in the front, however, it’s only when I go out of my way to expose it that it’s really visible. So, yeah, no big deal, I guess. The grafts that were placed in my crown seem to be gaining more ground in the middle and working their way outward. This photo and the next few are from 6 months. As you can see those grafts are doing their thing but at the bottom where the whorl is still has a lot of stubble as does the left side of the crown.Those are all from 6 months. ☝🏻 These next were taken at 7 months.👇🏻Again, the whorl and the left side of the crown are still lagging even a month later while the middle has clearly gained some ground. I took these next few just before I started this update and you can see that things have progressed even further in just a few days but, still, things have quite a ways to go.The whorl seems to have picked up a little steam but that left side is still thinner looking. It’s not where I want it to be but how could it really be? There have been a number of guys posting really incredible crown restorations with really solid results at 6-8 months but in all the time I’ve been on here what I’ve learned is that comparison is the killer of dreams. Sometimes you have to wait the full 12 to 18 months to make that final judgement. Here are some pics I took of my hair wet last week. Compare this next photo👇🏻 to my 1 year post-op my first procedure. 👇🏻 And there’s still so much time left for more maturation. Same with dry. Post-op my first procedure I had to blow my hair dry for it to cover my crown. If I let it air dry it was so curly that there was no way it could cover the crown. See below. Compare that to last months 6 month top down👇🏻 Finally, I’ve got some pictures of my hair blown dry. I took these just this morning. And that’s pretty much it. As you can see things are looking great and I have ways to hide what’s going on in my crown but I’m still looking forward to cutting it all down to the same length. I will be around and I’ll update again at 8 months. ✌🏻 That’s a huge difference your hair looks amazing bro. A reminder of where you started. 1 I’m a paid admin for Hair Transplant Network. I do not receive any compensation from any clinic. My comments are not medical advice. Check out my final hair transplant and topical dutasteride journey: View my thread Topical dutasteride journey Melvin- Managing Publisher and Forum Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q&A Blog. Follow our Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and YouTube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Steeeve Posted June 21 Author Valued Contributor Share Posted June 21 @Melvin- Admin thanks man! It’s honestly really hard to critique because I’m very happy overall. It’s crazy how far I’ve come. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Steeeve Posted July 3 Author Valued Contributor Share Posted July 3 Monday, the 1st, was 8 months post-op. The hairs in the front have mostly sprouted and are currently growing out/still going through the maturation phase. At this point they are maybe an inch to an inch and a half long but while they are still very thin and wispy they add quite a bit of coverage along with everything else. As before, if I get out of the shower and brush my hair back, let it air dry, then the hair is quite curly. If I blow it dry then the hair is straighter. I think overall the state of my hair is very good. It looks and feels very soft. It also looks very lush. People I meet face to face have no idea that I have had anything done. People who I’ve worked with for over a decade have no idea anything has been done but that is a testament to Dr. Arocha’s work. It makes that whole process of not having to shave your head very appreciated. My crown has also made excellent improvement. When combed back there is almost no visible evidence that I’m a bald guy back there. When I expose it for the camera you can see that there is still some room for improvement. Compare that☝🏻to pre-op👇🏻 Lighting is different but I think that it’s fair to say that there is significant improvement. I think that room for improvement should be expected at this point, though. I’ve still got months and months to go but I may be at the midpoint of this particular journey. I still feel a ton of stubble all throughout my scalp. In my crown, midscalp, even some in my hairline. So my assumption is that I still have quite awhile left to see even further improvement all throughout. Overall I’m still very happy with how everything is going. I’m going to talk to Dr. Arocha next week for my 8 month follow up. If there’s anything significant to address afterward I’ll hop back into this thread to update. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Al - Moderator Posted July 6 Moderators Share Posted July 6 Looks great. 1 Al Forum Moderator (formerly BeHappy) I am a paid forum moderator for hairrestorationnetwork.com. I am not a Dr. and I do not work for any particular Dr. My opinions are my own and may not reflect the opinions of other moderators or the owner of this site. I am also a hair transplant patient and repair patient. You can view some of my repair journey here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Steeeve Posted July 8 Author Valued Contributor Share Posted July 8 On 7/6/2024 at 4:45 AM, Al - Moderator said: Looks great. 😊 Thanks Al! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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