Senior Member Approach Posted July 7 Senior Member Share Posted July 7 I understand your frustration, but in my opinion, at this point you look better than many guys who had a successful HT from the start! Super happy for you. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member baddecisions Posted July 7 Regular Member Share Posted July 7 50 minutes ago, Approach said: I understand your frustration, but in my opinion, at this point you look better than many guys who had a successful HT from the start! Super happy for you. Couldn't agree more. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is naturalness. We want to see ourselves with more hair, yes, but with a natural result. Sometimes, it's best to know when to stop, rather than clinging to wanting to have (some/a lot of) hair under any circumstances. Paul's case is the perfect example of that and I honesty think many people can learn a lot from his story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Berba11 Posted July 7 Valued Contributor Share Posted July 7 @Paul_, I wondered if you took any photos during the recovery phase after each punch out session. Would be interesting to see (or to simply know if no photos are available), how long after each session it took for the redness to go away and things to look pretty normal again. I think one of the difficult things are potential repair patients is having a recovery road map they can make reference to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Paul_ Posted July 7 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 7 (edited) 5 hours ago, Approach said: I understand your frustration, but in my opinion, at this point you look better than many guys who had a successful HT from the start! Super happy for you. 4 hours ago, baddecisions said: Couldn't agree more. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is naturalness. We want to see ourselves with more hair, yes, but with a natural result. Sometimes, it's best to know when to stop, rather than clinging to wanting to have (some/a lot of) hair under any circumstances. Paul's case is the perfect example of that and I honesty think many people can learn a lot from his story. Thank you gents. Couldn't have said it better myself, there is a price to pay for HTs, and in my case after my first botched one it was too high to keep going. At least recounting my mistakes here can help other people. Also, in the grand scheme of things this was a relatively mild midlife crisis, I didn't buy a stupidly expensive convertible or cheat on my wife, just moved my hair forth and back :-)) Edited July 7 by Paul_ Two successful repairs (pluggy hairline removal + donor restoration) with Dr Ball - The Maitland Clinic https://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/topic/72766-pluggy-hairline-removal-donor-restocking-2-repairs-with-dr-ball-maitland-clinic/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Paul_ Posted July 7 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 7 2 hours ago, Berba11 said: @Paul_, I wondered if you took any photos during the recovery phase after each punch out session. Would be interesting to see (or to simply know if no photos are available), how long after each session it took for the redness to go away and things to look pretty normal again. I think one of the difficult things are potential repair patients is having a recovery road map they can make reference to. Hey @Berba11, you ask for it, you got it 🙃 Snaps of my bloody forehead on a timeline below, following my 2nd extraction Important: this "healing roadmap" may differ for other people: I'm your typical Caucasian in terms of skin and scarring, so I attribute the results to the extraction technique of Dr Ball and the aftercare (silicone gel etc) The skin looks oily because for the first week i used vaseline in abundance, and afterward silicone gel 2x day I talked to a few other folks who took 3-4 months to recover to a stage that took me a lot less time. Don't freak out, skin takes 6-12months to normalize +1 day (vaseline mayhem) +1 week (silicone gel) + 2 weeks +3 weeks +4 weeks +6 weeks 2 1 Two successful repairs (pluggy hairline removal + donor restoration) with Dr Ball - The Maitland Clinic https://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/topic/72766-pluggy-hairline-removal-donor-restocking-2-repairs-with-dr-ball-maitland-clinic/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Berba11 Posted July 7 Valued Contributor Share Posted July 7 1 hour ago, Paul_ said: Hey @Berba11, you ask for it, you got it 🙃 Snaps of my bloody forehead on a timeline below, following my 2nd extraction Important: this "healing roadmap" may differ for other people: I'm your typical Caucasian in terms of skin and scarring, so I attribute the results to the extraction technique of Dr Ball and the aftercare (silicone gel etc) The skin looks oily because for the first week i used vaseline in abundance, and afterward silicone gel 2x day I talked to a few other folks who took 3-4 months to recover to a stage that took me a lot less time. Don't freak out, skin takes 6-12months to normalize +1 day (vaseline mayhem) +1 week (silicone gel) + 2 weeks +3 weeks +4 weeks +6 weeks Wow! By two weeks you look totally out of the woods. As you say, that won’t be the same for everyone, but just goes to show what can be possible when the repair work is meticulously executed. Fantastic post - very helpful! Thanks 🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Tommy1991 Posted July 9 Regular Member Share Posted July 9 Totally missed this as I haven’t been on so much recently. beautiful repair. Dr Ball is another doctor who is top of the hair transplant triangle. I am sure he would do a real top notch job on the hairline should you ever change your decision also. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Paul_ Posted July 9 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 9 (edited) 5 hours ago, Tommy1991 said: Totally missed this as I haven’t been on so much recently. beautiful repair. Dr Ball is another doctor who is top of the hair transplant triangle. He certainly is, I lucked out with him 5 hours ago, Tommy1991 said: I am sure he would do a real top notch job on the hairline should you ever change your decision also. I had this nagging at me I admit, @Al - Moderator mentioned it as well. Now that I found an amazing surgeon, it's tough to completely let go of the desire to improve it subtly I don't mind the recession in the temples mind you, just that deep frontal gap is annoying me. Thinking if there isn't something that can be done with fine hairs in the blue area which was never touched, as a minor touch up with big aesthetic impact - ironically enough, out of my first botched HT that's what I asked them to fill, and instead they just did the outer 1cm thick awful hairline I didn't want, and left that bald gap Anyone here have experience with fine nape hair? I have plenty of those, and how very useful they are.. Edited July 9 by Paul_ 1 Two successful repairs (pluggy hairline removal + donor restoration) with Dr Ball - The Maitland Clinic https://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/topic/72766-pluggy-hairline-removal-donor-restocking-2-repairs-with-dr-ball-maitland-clinic/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member hb111 Posted July 14 Regular Member Share Posted July 14 This thread is honestly inspiring. Did you discuss the possibility of accidentally punching out native hair at the front, or is it totally clear under magnification which hairs are transplanted and which are not? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Paul_ Posted July 14 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 14 (edited) 17 minutes ago, hb111 said: This thread is honestly inspiring. Did you discuss the possibility of accidentally punching out native hair at the front, or is it totally clear under magnification which hairs are transplanted and which are not? Heya, not explicitly, but with a top surgeon experienced with such repairs, that wasn't a concern What are you considering doing? Edited July 14 by Paul_ Two successful repairs (pluggy hairline removal + donor restoration) with Dr Ball - The Maitland Clinic https://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/topic/72766-pluggy-hairline-removal-donor-restocking-2-repairs-with-dr-ball-maitland-clinic/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member hb111 Posted July 14 Regular Member Share Posted July 14 Just now, Paul_ said: Heya, not explicitly, but with a top surgeon chevroned in such repairs, that wasn't a concern What are you considering doing? Thinking about doing what you did. Deciding between Ball and Feriduni Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Paul_ Posted July 14 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 14 Both excellent, you can't really go wrong in my view. My suggestion, consult with both then decide Two successful repairs (pluggy hairline removal + donor restoration) with Dr Ball - The Maitland Clinic https://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/topic/72766-pluggy-hairline-removal-donor-restocking-2-repairs-with-dr-ball-maitland-clinic/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member hb111 Posted July 14 Regular Member Share Posted July 14 Is there much noticable textural difference in the skin where the grafts were removed? Don't get me wrong the pics look perfect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Paul_ Posted July 14 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 14 Not really, I honestly didn't expect it to turn out so well. Skin feels perfectly smooth. Pics were not selected for best lighting or anything, here's a quick snap with 2x zoom and flash, tanned forehead for comparison (I use sun block on the hairline carefully though) Two successful repairs (pluggy hairline removal + donor restoration) with Dr Ball - The Maitland Clinic https://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/topic/72766-pluggy-hairline-removal-donor-restocking-2-repairs-with-dr-ball-maitland-clinic/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member hb111 Posted July 14 Regular Member Share Posted July 14 Wow, truly untouched looking, thank you for sharing. Did you happen to ask Dr Ball if he had done this kind of work before (full reversal, not partial reversal and reconstruction)? Also, did he think there was any risk of starting the procedure too early at 9 months, given the possibility of dormant grafts growing in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Gatsby Posted July 15 Valued Contributor Share Posted July 15 @Paul_ Uber natural results! 👌 GATSBY 'UNPLUGGED!' 15,671 (3 surgeries) Grafts FUE+BHT Dr. Sethi Eugenix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member hb111 Posted July 15 Regular Member Share Posted July 15 6 hours ago, Paul_ said: Not really, I honestly didn't expect it to turn out so well. Skin feels perfectly smooth. Pics were not selected for best lighting or anything, here's a quick snap with 2x zoom and flash, tanned forehead for comparison (I use sun block on the hairline carefully though) And I assume the healing is similar on the temples? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Bellingham Posted July 15 Regular Member Share Posted July 15 8 hours ago, hb111 said: Thinking about doing what you did. Deciding between Ball and Feriduni Me too! I have a video call with The Maitland Clinic next month to discuss my repair. I’m also in contact with Feriduni clinic for a in person consultation next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Paul_ Posted July 15 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 15 8 hours ago, hb111 said: Wow, truly untouched looking, thank you for sharing. Did you happen to ask Dr Ball if he had done this kind of work before (full reversal, not partial reversal and reconstruction)? Also, did he think there was any risk of starting the procedure too early at 9 months, given the possibility of dormant grafts growing in? Yes he had such patients, at least 2 he and David recalled right away. Not many people choose this route, and it should be done upon careful evaluation, if feasible in each case and after doing an extraction test - I don't want to push anyone into possibly a worse situation than they were in before My suggestion, throw up your own thread with your current situation, so folks with more experience than me can help you as well. I might be biased to recommend the route I've taken otherwise 1 Two successful repairs (pluggy hairline removal + donor restoration) with Dr Ball - The Maitland Clinic https://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/topic/72766-pluggy-hairline-removal-donor-restocking-2-repairs-with-dr-ball-maitland-clinic/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Paul_ Posted July 15 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 15 3 hours ago, Bellingham said: Me too! I have a video call with The Maitland Clinic next month to discuss my repair. I’m also in contact with Feriduni clinic for a in person consultation next year. good luck man. great surgeons, see both and decide what's best for you Two successful repairs (pluggy hairline removal + donor restoration) with Dr Ball - The Maitland Clinic https://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/topic/72766-pluggy-hairline-removal-donor-restocking-2-repairs-with-dr-ball-maitland-clinic/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Paul_ Posted July 15 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 15 (edited) 4 hours ago, hb111 said: And I assume the healing is similar on the temples? This was the worse side with pitting which the extractions fixed as well, I'm very happy with how it healed Edited July 15 by Paul_ 1 Two successful repairs (pluggy hairline removal + donor restoration) with Dr Ball - The Maitland Clinic https://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/topic/72766-pluggy-hairline-removal-donor-restocking-2-repairs-with-dr-ball-maitland-clinic/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Al - Moderator Posted July 17 Moderators Share Posted July 17 On 7/9/2024 at 6:04 PM, Paul_ said: I had this nagging at me I admit, @Al - Moderator mentioned it as well. Now that I found an amazing surgeon, it's tough to completely let go of the desire to improve it subtly I don't mind the recession in the temples mind you, just that deep frontal gap is annoying me. Thinking if there isn't something that can be done with fine hairs in the blue area which was never touched, as a minor touch up with big aesthetic impact - ironically enough, out of my first botched HT that's what I asked them to fill, and instead they just did the outer 1cm thick awful hairline I didn't want, and left that bald gap Anyone here have experience with fine nape hair? I have plenty of those, and how very useful they are. Nape hair can be used, but that hair is much more likely to fall out over the years. I think you can get a nice improvement by transplanting just behind the current hairline. I don't think nape hairs would be needed because you'd be leaving the hair in front that you have now. You don't really need too many grafts because you're not trying to lower the hairline. You just want to thicken up the area in the green below. However you may be able to use nape hairs if you definitely wanted to, depending on how good that hair is on you. 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...
Moderators Al - Moderator Posted July 17 Moderators Share Posted July 17 Throwing another picture here which may give a better idea of what I'm thinking about for you. 2 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 Gatsby Posted July 17 Valued Contributor Share Posted July 17 46 minutes ago, Al - Moderator said: Throwing another picture here which may give a better idea of what I'm thinking about for you. This ^ GATSBY 'UNPLUGGED!' 15,671 (3 surgeries) Grafts FUE+BHT Dr. Sethi Eugenix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member bigmistake Posted July 17 Regular Member Share Posted July 17 (edited) How is the scarring in the hairline. It looks like Dr Ball punched too many grafts right next to each other which may cause a linear scar. I hope I am wrong and you don't get much scarring. Also thanks for sharing high resolution photos. Most people share photos that get blurry when zoomed. Edited July 17 by bigmistake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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