HAIR TRANSPLANT FORUM

swaynetrain · by **swaynetrain** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 1:16 pm

Dr. Cole...its the Baltimore shuffle here. I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for their assistance during my procedure (12/19 and 12/20) and I wanted to say that I am thrilled to have met everyone. My donor area is looking really nice on Day 1 Post Op and I am confident that it will be cleared up before I return to work. I used the hydrocortisone cream already (if you can believe that). I was very generous with it. Actually, I put some on the donor area as soon as I reached the airport, then again before I went to bed. This morning I cleaned everything up, took photos, put the remaining cream back on, and I'm going back to sleep shortly. I have more hydrocortisone cream here (not the same strength as yours) but I will use it. The recipient sites look good as well (still very red though). I've been using the Cycle spray religiously. The donor area looks so good that I may be able to use a baseball cap with limited detection by tomorrow. I can't wait to safely shave the recipient site (along with the rest of my head) with a razor. That will be something else (I must say). Should be interesting. I'm already thinking of my next feature...The Baltimore Shuffle: Part 2.

eurostar · by **eurostar** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:05 pm

swaynetrain, congrats man...that sounds like amazing experience and great healing.
Can you tell us more about your surgery? what norwood were you? how many grafts dod you get?
forhair or fitLock, can we get to see some photos of swaynetrain's surgery if he permits?

swaynetrain · by **swaynetrain** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 1:55 pm

I am a Norwood 5 and I received 1050 grafts. I've been shaving my head for 7-8 years now. Before I started shaving it, I had a strip of hair down the center with deep recession on both sides. The hair in the center has thinned significantly since I started shaving it. Trust me when I say that I reviewed all of my options and did all the research before selecting Dr. Cole. My plan is/was to have the procedure completed before returning to work for the holidays. The goal was to restore the strip that I had before I started shaving it AND shave it w/ a razor before returning to work...with no visible scars. I also sport an extremely short buzz at times as well so it will be nice to have a little more hair up there. But people at work know that I can grow some hair up top...they just don't realize how much. As a result, I should be able to do this very slowly without anyone noticing. That's why Dr. Cole called it the Baltimore Shuffle. I believe that Dr. Cole was my only option to achieve my goals (no detection at all). Also, my hair color is dirty blonde (Dr. Cole's staff had to dye it temporarily) in order for him to see it under microscope. My skin tone and hair color are a pretty close match so this should assist in making the new hair more undetectable as well. I have photos for Day 1 and Day 2. I will attach them. It looks like I have a case of the chicken pocks...tiny little red dots.

eurostar · by **eurostar** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 2:15 pm

looks good! the donor area is very clean and healed nicely for only 2 days post-op. keep posting more updates...
do you have a photo that shows your scalp prior to the procedure?

swaynetrain · by **swaynetrain** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 3:48 pm

Attached are photos of my scalp with (and without) the sketch that I provided during the consultation. The area inside the sketch (for the most part) has hair but it is either falling out or it is miniaturized (or both). Since my hair is blonde (and thinning) it is difficult to even see hair in certain areas because the camera light passes right thru it. But my initial consultation revealed that I probably have insufficient body hair to completely restore my hair (the crown in particular). Realizing this set-back, I re-evaluated my goals and figured I'd shoot for something that I thought Dr. Cole could do. Also, I thought that an in person review of my case would reveal what my real possibilities are. That's when I decided to shoot for a hair line that is consistent with how everyone remembers me before I picked up the razor. However, I don't really intend to let the hair grow (combing length) again until I am confident that I can achieve an attractive look with hair. Not sure when that will be but I'm OK with my bald self (for now). I'll just take it slow and accomplish my goals little by little. Baby steps as they say...

swaynetrain · by **swaynetrain** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 12:32 pm

The donor region is healing really wellâ€¦this morning I shaved the back of my head (only) because my hair was hiding the marks. In the photos, youâ€™ll see whyâ€¦its just a little pink. Before I go back to work, I have to see that the marks are gone before shaving it again. Shaving it didnâ€™t bother my head one bit on Day 3. By the time I go back to work it will be a light buzz and Iâ€™ll decide if it can be shaved again. My only concern (at this point) is how red the recipient site is. Iâ€™ve seen photos of others who had less redness at this stage in the recipient site. Iâ€™m supposed to return to work on the 28th but Iâ€™m starting to doubt the success that â€œplanâ€. I might call out sick on Thursday (28th ) and Friday (29th ) since nothing will be going on at that time anyway. But that would give me 5 additional recovery days for clearing up the remaining scabs and then I could give my whole head a good clean shave. Whew! Its going to be tight. Should be interesting to see how this situation unfolds. Thereâ€™s nothing like a little HT drama. If the scabs and redness cleared up in time, everything would work out exactly the way I wanted. We put a little more hair in places where I already had it growing, restored my hairline to the way it was before I shaved it, then I shave it all off and no one is the wiser (except us of course). Incidentally, I have told no one about this (not even my family). One comment on pain after the FIT procedureâ€¦there was very little. There was just a little discomfort in the donor region when I applied the HairCycle post surgery gel. Iâ€™m hanging on to the pain pills for when the recipient sites start to itch to knock the edge off. Also, Hydrocodone makes me drowsy so that will help me go to sleep. I have started to shampoo the recipient site a little more aggressively (but not too much). There is still blood clots and crusts there. Iâ€™m going Christmas shopping todayâ€¦I have one of those sports skull caps which will cover everything (including the pink marks in the donor region). Photos are belowâ€¦

swaynetrain · by **swaynetrain** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 10:49 am

As I was Christmas shopping last night, my head started itching. Reminded me of when you get too much sun and your skin itches before it peels. I scratched it lightly and lost a graft that was attached to a blood clot that was coming loose. I understand this is common but it didnâ€™t make me happy. I felt sorry for the little guy. Iâ€™ll put him in jar as a momento for the HT experience. The donor area gel is nearly gone so I picked up some Neosporin. Also, I have Hydrocortisone cream which I will alternate. I washed my hair last night, sprayed the HairCycle biotin spray, took some drugs and went to sleep. Woke this morning, washed it again, took photos, then applied the remaining donor gel and sprayed the grafts again. Anyway, the donor area is improving remarkably well. Hard to believe this sort of recovery is possible. A few scabs have fallen off (but not many) so the recipient site (pretty much) looks the same but I do see a difference in the coloring. Its getting a brownish tint. Can't wait to safely shave the whole works. Anyway, its Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas (or Happy Holidays) whichever you prefer. More photos (below).

swaynetrain · by **swaynetrain** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 9:55 am

I carefully washed my hair yesterday (several times actually) and the scabs are coming off now but the skin surface is a bumpy, crusty mess. Since I frequently have a cleanly shaven head, it was freaking me out last night. Also, my head was itching like crazy. I had to take one of those sleeping pills. From what I have read, this is all normal. The grafted skin isnâ€™t as red...the skin is starting to clear up a bit. Dr. Cole said no shaving the recipient site until around Day 8 (or so). Patience is really essential here. I cannot ruin my smooth head. At this point, it looks like Iâ€™ll need those extra days off of work. The donor region improves day-by-day. I carefully shaved the donor region again last night. Looks like I will need a two day stubble in the donor area to cover the tiny indentations when I go back to work. I finished Christmas shopping yesterday and used a baseball cap and a jacket w/ a collar. Iâ€™ll do the same when I visit with my family. Todayâ€™s pictures are below:

FITLocks · by **FITLocks** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 11:28 am

Awesome photos bro. Donor is looking nice.

We appreciate your participation on this board. Your experience is a great help and learning tool for other patients!

HAIR TRANSPLANT FORUM

Donor area is looking good on Day 1 Post Op

Donor area is looking good on Day 1 Post Op

Follow-up

Consultation Photos and Sketch of Hairline

Day 3 Photos: Shaven Donor area

Day 4 Photos: Itching Started

Day 5: Merry Christmas to my hair

Great FIT Donor Healing!

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