Surgery with Dr. Pittella (29yo)- 13,022 grafts

[Hair4Days]

Is there a way to confirm the recipient size? Curious how much surface he covered with the 13k grafts. Also how many beard did you use?

[Rose17]

3 hours ago, Hair4Days said:

Is there a way to confirm the recipient size? Curious how much surface he covered with the 13k grafts. Also how many beard did you use?

He covered about 260 CM^2.

 

he took about ~4k from beard and mustache.

beard was exhausted fully, mustache was not 

[RisinStar]

Most top doctors here charge 4 euro to 5 euro per graft, may we ask which price/graft we are at with Pittella? Is it the same range? The result looks very promising

[Rose17]

23 minutes ago, RisinStar said:

Most top doctors here charge 4 euro to 5 euro per graft, may we ask which price/graft we are at with Pittella? Is it the same range? The result looks very promising

at the time I booked, over 8 months ago, it was $4 or $5 VIP package. I paid $5 per graft. Zarev quoted me 9€ with 1-3 year wait list for comparison.

[baddecisions]

really tiny punches in the donor, not the horrible holes we see from other doctors in this forum, this is a great job in the donor.

[Rose17]

17 hours ago, baddecisions said:

really tiny punches in the donor, not the horrible holes we see from other doctors in this forum, this is a great job in the donor.

Yes, healing has been great so far. I’ll upload pics when I get back to USA tomorrow. 

[Rose17]

Just landed back home. Pittella just uploaded the “Texas Cowboy Video” that’s me. My donor is healing quickly, I’ll show you guys later this week. This surgery looks better by the day.

[Approach]

On 9/22/2024 at 9:33 AM, Rose17 said:

Not sure. I think I was over 260 sq cm, he sent me the full video but I can’t upload here it’s too large.

 

actually my true zone size on the scalp app is closer to 9.15 so it’s higher than 235 sq cm. He raised the hairline a tad so he could lower the graft count to 12,000 instead of 13,700. But he actually finished at 13,022. So I may end up going back once my donor heals to finish up the hairline and maybe touch the temples in a small procedure. He said I have mustache grafts left and he didn’t use any body hair this time either. How my donor heals is also important.

>>>>He raised the hairline a tad so he could lower the graft count to 12,000 instead of 13,700.

May ask why you didn't do 13,700?  Was it budget related?  If so, I understand.  I'm asking b/c I'm not clear why one wouldn't take all the grafts the surgeon recommends. Ty

[Approach]

On 9/22/2024 at 1:53 PM, Rose17 said:

He covered about 260 CM^2.

 

he took about ~4k from beard and mustache.

beard was exhausted fully, mustache was not 

>>>>beard was exhausted fully

This is dumb question but:  how is it possible to (exhaust) use up every single beard hair?  Or, do you mean:   Beard was exhausted to a point that - now you can still grow a beard-  but much less dense?

[Rose17]

26 minutes ago, Approach said:

>>>>He raised the hairline a tad so he could lower the graft count to 12,000 instead of 13,700.

May ask why you didn't do 13,700?  Was it budget related?  If so, I understand.  I'm asking b/c I'm not clear why one wouldn't take all the grafts the surgeon recommends. Ty

Not budget related.

doctor was allowed to take as many grafts as he wanted. But 13K grafts in 2 days is already an insane amount without using any body hair. This is not an easy procedure. Doctor is limited to 2 days of surgery, there is finite amount of time and resources I imagine. But I also indicated I could come back for a 2nd procedure next year, and maybe do 2-4K grafts, so that’s probably why he didn’t exhaust all the grafts as well. He wanted to see how the first huge surgery would heal and donor would heal etc.

there are few doctors in the world, maybe Zarev or Sethi, who can do these type of 13K grafts in 2 day session surgeries.

 

but no, there was never any budget or grafts constraints. He was given free rein, and he actually did lower the hairline a tad bit after he saw the resources were better than he anticipated the night before the surgery in person. It’s complicated to explain but it’s a very thorough process. 

[Rose17]

23 minutes ago, Approach said:

>>>>beard was exhausted fully

This is dumb question but:  how is it possible to (exhaust) use up every single beard hair?  Or, do you mean:   Beard was exhausted to a point that - now you can still grow a beard-  but much less dense?

To my understanding,

 

I can no longer grow a beard (which is fine to me, I shave anyway). Mustache is NOT fully depleted, I can still grow a deleted mustache (it looks fine already).

 

there are still grafts left in my mustache, that would be used before any body hair, for a future surgery as well. Like if I wanted to lower the hairline, or do temples or add density next year etc. whatever Dr Pittella sees fit. 

[Approach]

46 minutes ago, Rose17 said:

Not budget related.

doctor was allowed to take as many grafts as he wanted. But 13K grafts in 2 days is already an insane amount without using any body hair. This is not an easy procedure. Doctor is limited to 2 days of surgery, there is finite amount of time and resources I imagine. But I also indicated I could come back for a 2nd procedure next year, and maybe do 2-4K grafts, so that’s probably why he didn’t exhaust all the grafts as well. He wanted to see how the first huge surgery would heal and donor would heal etc.

there are few doctors in the world, maybe Zarev or Sethi, who can do these type of 13K grafts in 2 day session surgeries.

 

but no, there was never any budget or grafts constraints. He was given free rein, and he actually did lower the hairline a tad bit after he saw the resources were better than he anticipated the night before the surgery in person. It’s complicated to explain but it’s a very thorough process. 

Hey- thanks.  Makes total sense esp about--  seeing how things turn out next year.  Thus, you can use grafts to refine / add a year from now.  I also see your point about-  It's complicated to explain.  I can only imagine how many variables doctor and you work through before and during surgery.  I'm excited for you!

[jetski]

What’s the typical waiting period from consultation to surgery?

[Rose17]

5 hours ago, jetski said:

What’s the typical waiting period from consultation to surgery?

I believe he said 1-2 years currently. I got in about 9-10 months due to early cancellation. I was originally gonna be March 2025.

 

if you are flexible, you can get in earlier pretty fast.

[Approach]

17 hours ago, Rose17 said:

To my understanding,

 

I can no longer grow a beard (which is fine to me, I shave anyway). Mustache is NOT fully depleted, I can still grow a deleted mustache (it looks fine already).

 

there are still grafts left in my mustache, that would be used before any body hair, for a future surgery as well. Like if I wanted to lower the hairline, or do temples or add density next year etc. whatever Dr Pittella sees fit. 

You mentioned doctor may touch up your temple points should you go for another procedure.  Just curious-  do you sense he could have implanted more hair into your temple points on your first procedure recently?  I know Dr. P feels temple points are important-  since they frame face.  This is something he mentions a lot. Ty

[Rose17]

My temples wouldn’t be big, he did discuss it. The angle of my face doesn’t require huge temples, but yes we both agreed leave temples for future.

 

crown/total coverage and density on the top was a lot more important for both of us. I hear you on the face framing, but a slightly lower hairline is already framing my face very differently. Temples don’t require too many grafts btw. I think it’s maybe 500-1000 per side?

I will likely go back next summer

[Approach]

6 minutes ago, Rose17 said:

My temples wouldn’t be big, he did discuss it. The angle of my face doesn’t require huge temples, but yes we both agreed leave temples for future.

 

crown/total coverage and density on the top was a lot more important for both of us. I hear you on the face framing, but a slightly lower hairline is already framing my face very differently. Temples don’t require too many grafts btw. I think it’s maybe 500-1000 per side?

I will likely go back next summer

The thing that stands out to me the most is:  You and Doctor sure thought through things and planned!  Your case is interesting to follow.

[Rose17]

Here is my donor and recipient area about 7/8 days after surgery.

 

the scabs on my donor area fell off very easily yesterday. I have not touched the scabs on top, letting those fall as I was my hair with baby.

facial hair skin is healing great. Almost back to normal. Mustache has grown a little as well. Very little pain at all this week, just a little itchy on the top sometimes but saline spray helps.