In my mid-20s I underwent a hair transplant to fill in the temple angles of my receding hair line.  There were a total of 2,500 grafts (follicular unit transplant) that were harvested using follicular unit extraction (FUE).

Before:

As you can see, my hair is pretty thick, but my temples go far back for someone in their 20s.  My hair loss is most noticeable from the front.  I tried every hairstyle to hide it (Caesar cuts work best!), but if the wind blew, or if my hair wasn’t the perfect length, it was obvious I was trying to cover something up.

Pre-surgery:

These are the pictures taken during my doctor consultation.  He proposed the hairline on the second picture, and it is what we used for the procedure.  I had asked for something much more aggressive (I wanted to fill in more of the temples), but I’m glad I went with his suggestion.

Day 1 Post Operation:

The shine is from vitamin E liquid that is dripped onto the grafts daily to keep them moist.

1 Week Post Operation:

The worst is over and I am on my way to recovery.  My face is still a little swollen, but the donor area is almost undetectable from the back.

1 Month Post Operation:

The scabs are off, and sadly most of the new hair has been shed.  My scalp is unusually red for 1-month post op, so I’m given a prescription to help reduce it.  The redness ultimately fades about 3 weeks later.

2 Months Post Operation:

The excitement begins!  There is amazing growth on the left side, and good growth on the front and right sides.  I am told this is a good sign; growth normally does not begin until 3 months.

3 Months Post Operation:

My most noticeable change occurred during the 3rd month. Generally you only expect to see 10% growth around this stage, but I am well ahead of that.

4 Months Post Operation:

The growth slowed down this month, but things began to look much more natural.  For the first time I can remember, I no longer feel bald.

6 Months Post Operation:

All of my expectations are met.  For the first time in 15 years I walked confidently in to get my hair cut, and came out with the style I’ve always wanted.

9 Months Post Operation:

The hair continued to thicken.  My confidence levels have improved, and it is showing in my personal (dating, looking people in the eye) and professional life.  I take my new-found confidence to the gym, and start working out regularly (which is turning out to be a big transformation itself!).

1 Year:

After 1 year I am more than pleased with the final result.  I now talk about my transplant freely with friends and family (and now bloggers!), and everyone is amazed and in disbelief that I have had anything done.

Final thoughts:

Great experience!  The only real disruption to my life was during the first two weeks after surgery — I did not leave my apartment.  If I had to do it again, I would start wearing my hair shorter before the procedure; the length (and in my case redness) is what tips people off.

If you are losing your hair, you will limit your treatment options the longer you wait — start a hair loss treatment program today.