Hello Dr. Rassman and staff.
1st – Thank you for this Q/A blog. I am sure it benefits many people and speaks well of you and your organization to take the time to help people with their situations.
I will not bore you with a long story of my situation and contempt for the HT doctors out there (not so much the procedures, rather the blatant lies as to the outcome to expect), I am sure you have heard them all. I will try to keep it short and to the questions. I did search most if not all previous posts, but none seemed to directly hit the mark on my questions. If you can, please forward your thoughts:
Desired goal:
Shaved head with as little evidence of past misguided decisions. No desire what so ever for further surgery, even if given an iron clad guarantee that it would give full coverage and a great result.
Current Situation:
- 42 y/o male
- 3 “procedures” in 1991 in 3 consecutive months
- Mini and micro graphs – approx. 240-300 graphs total
- 3 scars in donor – approx 1-1/2 to 2″ in length
- these scars feel slightly raised, particularly on ends
- Can not tell the width of the scars, but appear to be fairly narrow (Not pencil thin as promised)
- Continued loss after HT, probably a NW 5/6
Recipient area:
- Darker coarser hair in “V” shape, all alone in front of bald head
- Some dimples, approx 5 to 10
- No raised graphs
- slightly pink color at many of the graph sites
- Wear a hat all time, so no tan skin in this area, very white and greater contrast for the pink and the coarser hairs present.
- When I shaved a test area in the recipient area, the skin surface seems to show little dark marks with the pink still present
Questions:
- Can the raised scars in donor area be cut out and reclosed using a more aesthetic plastic surgery type closure that would truly leave a pencil thin and flat scar. Other scars on my body heal very well, thin and flat. These other scars even take on some what of a tan.
- I assume that the majority of the dark marks in the recipient area is the thicker, darker hair below the skin surface showing through. I believe laser removal of this misplaced hair would remove the majority of these marks – with the hairs gone, would that eliminate the majority of the pinkness also? If not, what can be done to address the pinkness?
- What affect do you feel the laser hair removal, a tan and microdermabrasion, if needed, would have on these marks and the over all skin appearance.
- If microdermabrasion is recommended, what negative effects can this or even laser hair removal have on the recipient area? Could I end up more scarred? Could the recipient area end up not taking a tan like the rest of the head?
I realize a lot of answers are dependent on ones own body and its ability to heal. I am looking for general outcomes as I find I usually fall with in “normal” ranges of just about everything. If these are questions you can and will address, but would like to see some photos, please let me know and I will obtain some pics of the recipient area in varying lights.
Again, thanks to you and your organization. I suspect that your group is genuine and in the field of HT, that is truly rare.
I would have to see you, or at the very least, I’d need to see some good photos as a starting point. Of course, I will keep your photos absolutely confidential (as a doctor this is not only a moral obligation, but a legal requirement under California law). If sending, please reference this post. Then we can talk over the telephone and discuss the matter. Face-to-face meeting is much more preferred though for your situation.
What you are looking for may not be possible. What you want is not standard and I would not want to represent anything that is not reasonable. The use of hair removal lasers can cause loss of pigmentation and microdermabrasion produces permanent changes on the skin quality. In other words, I don’t want to be adding to your suffering. Just from your questions, the caution I must give you is “buyer beware” and to suggest that you do your research before you start any process. There is no price for honesty and integrity and had you known what you were getting into 16 years ago, you would be in a better place. Normal balding is not freaky, as it is the norm for half of the male population to some degree.
My heart goes out for you, but it sounds like you need a personal consultation and even pictures won’t be the same as a one-on-one meeting between us. I look forward to hearing more from you and offering my assistance.
With known miniaturization of your hair, taking the correct 1mg daily dose of Propecia is recommended. Taking less is less effective. If you are a Norwood Class 3 (see diagram at right) and wish to reverse it, then a hair transplant may be indicated. Many Norwood Class 2 pattern patients may not require a transplant. If it bothers you, you can do it. If you like and trust your doctor, get his/her opinion.
Usually, most people can go back to work almost immediately, but that might depend upon where the transplants were done and if they are noticeable.
