Dr Turan 4.4k grafts 7 months update and opinions?

[MaximumMM]

Hi there. A bit of an update here and request for opinions.

I had the procedure with Dr Turan in March (4.4k grafts more or less) and am now at about 6.5 months. The procedure was fine, with quite bad shock loss that seems to have recovered.

I am keeping it shaved down as I don't plan to grow it out until after my second transplant to fill the crown, due in April. As I don't want to have partial coverage with a mostly empty crown, and am used to wearing it shaved that's by far the most comfortable option for me.

I am letting it grow for a week or a bit more occasionally to keep track on growth, which is what these pictures are. I realised that makes it a little harder to evaluate!

I've also included a picture of how I usually wear it with it cut right down. If the transplant doesn't grow out well I guess I'll just keep it like that, which I definitely don't mind. It would still be worth it for me to have actual hair rather than just SMP (you can see how it used to look at the start of this thread). But obviously I very much hope it's a success and I can grow it out to something like a fullish head of hair. I have realistic expectations though given that I gave a large area to cover.

I am also noticing for the first time a bit of residual patchiness at the bottom of my hair on the above and alongside my ear on the left hand side, which isn't there on the other side.

How do you think it's looking in general? I know it will look better grown out, but hard to tell exactly how it will look. 

And do you think that area of patchiness is cause for concern? I'm not sure if it's residual shock loss, overharvesting (seems unlikely based on the clinic's reputation), shedding from finasteride which I've recently started, retrograde alopecia (no sign of this when I saw a specialist earlier this year before the procedure), or nothing in particular. Maybe it will look fine once it's grown out.

Thanks very much for any opinions.

Edited November 12, 2023 by MaximumMM

[Belve]

Even with very short hair, The growth in the frontal part looks good. If u do the crown part then it will look perfect. Do u have pre op pics with the grafts implantation ?

[HHH]

One of the best I've seen rocking a buzz cut tbh

[RobsHair16]

Looks real good for a 6.5 month mark especially buzz cut 👍

[Cooper48]

Yeah, the buzz cut looks good! No one would know you had something done. 

[Ajamilo]

Daaamn that is a nicee buzz cut. Usually is a density problem that low but this look normal. 

[Mothas]

On 11/12/2023 at 8:34 AM, MaximumMM said:

Hi there. A bit of an update here and request for opinions.

I had the procedure with Dr Turan in March (4.4k grafts more or less) and am now at about 6.5 months. The procedure was fine, with quite bad shock loss that seems to have recovered.

I am keeping it shaved down as I don't plan to grow it out until after my second transplant to fill the crown, due in April. As I don't want to have partial coverage with a mostly empty crown, and am used to wearing it shaved that's by far the most comfortable option for me.

I am letting it grow for a week or a bit more occasionally to keep track on growth, which is what these pictures are. I realised that makes it a little harder to evaluate!

I've also included a picture of how I usually wear it with it cut right down. If the transplant doesn't grow out well I guess I'll just keep it like that, which I definitely don't mind. It would still be worth it for me to have actual hair rather than just SMP (you can see how it used to look at the start of this thread). But obviously I very much hope it's a success and I can grow it out to something like a fullish head of hair. I have realistic expectations though given that I gave a large area to cover.

I am also noticing for the first time a bit of residual patchiness at the bottom of my hair on the above and alongside my ear on the left hand side, which isn't there on the other side.

How do you think it's looking in general? I know it will look better grown out, but hard to tell exactly how it will look. 

And do you think that area of patchiness is cause for concern? I'm not sure if it's residual shock loss, overharvesting (seems unlikely based on the clinic's reputation), shedding from finasteride which I've recently started, retrograde alopecia (no sign of this when I saw a specialist earlier this year before the procedure), or nothing in particular. Maybe it will look fine once it's grown out.

Thanks very much for any opinions.

Looks great when was it safe to first shave your head after the procedure. I see lots of conflicting advice - everything from 1 month to a year.

[mxnprettynice]

How did your growth phase go @MaximumMM? Did all the grafts sprout simultaneously, or did they continue to appear and add to density gradually? In which month did this growth phase occur?

[MaximumMM]

It started growing properly at about 4 months, and has been gradual improvement since then.

Edited November 19, 2023 by MaximumMM

[Recedingnomore]

Looks great. That patch on the side looks like shock loss and can take some time to recover. Most people usually recover before their sixth month (in my case it was month three) but some can take longer. Either way, Turan is great and I’d expect that hair to grow back. 

Edited November 20, 2023 by Recedingnomore

[MaximumMM]

Thanks. I'm not sure it's shock loss. I had proper shock loss on that side which was much much worse, and recovered after about four months. It wasn't in that spot though. It seems unlikely to me that the rest of it would recover but one spot would remain, but I suppose it's possible. 

[FUEnator]

Lol. Looks like you have extra 5k grafts on your torso, just in case 😁

[MaximumMM]

Hi all, 

A bit of an update here.

I'm now nearly 5 months out from my second procedure with Dr Turan.

I'm pretty happy with how the first transplant has grown in, and the second one seems to be coming along. It's hard to tell, as it was mostly in the mid scalp and the crown. 

I had 4.4k grafts first time around, and 3.5k this time, including 500 beard as I've mostly exhausted my donor and am coming from a Norwood 6.

The one major caveat is that I have kept my hair very short throughout both procedures. The plan has always been to grow it out after the second procedure has grown in, as per my previous update on this thread. I just prefer it that way. So that does make it a bit harder to judge!

It's still a bit sparse on top, but I hope there should be more to come. 

My main annoyance is the patch at the back which didn't get any grafts. I checked a few times before and during whether I would have enough grafts to get full coverage, and was told definitely yes. I also emphasised that I was willing to sacrifice some density in the front and mid in order not to leave any glaring bald patches. So I was surprised to see that patch completely untouched. I was also surprised that such a large proportion of my grafts (over half) were placed in the mid-scalp. The pre-op plan and graphic agreed stated that all grafts would be going to the crown. So again, I was surprised. I felt my pre-op coverage in the mid-scalp was ok and I could have used more grafts in the crown. Maybe I'm wrong though.

I queried both things, but it was very difficult to get a straight answer afterwards via the clinic. They eventually said that the bald patch was part of the 'donor' area, and that restricted blood flow means the lower crown (the part not touched on me) is 'very rarely' implanted. That's not something I've ever heard before, and it doesn't make immediate sense to me, so I was skeptical. I'm aware that blood flow in the crown is restricted generally, but is it really so much worse in the lower crown that surgeons don't touch it? I'm skeptical, but I'd love to know if anyone else can shed any light on this? 

I do appreciate the Dr has a balance to strike in prioritising the preference of the patient and using their own professional experience and judgement in placing grafts. But like I say, this was all very poorly communicated before and after, so I was disappointed, not to mention I was hoping to walk out with all areas covered to a greater or lesser degree. 

Anyway, I'm hoping that once it grows out I can cover that area. As I say I'm quite positive overall. I'm also weighing up whether to use my remaining 500-750 grafts on that patch, as it bugs me.

Any thoughts on any of it gratefully received! 

I've included pictures of my hair pre second op, post first op (so you can see where the grafts were), post second op, and now.

 

 

Edited September 10 by MaximumMM

[MaximumMM]

N/a - deleting an image

Edited September 10 by MaximumMM