Hi, hoping for a bit of advice. I have a consultation with Dr ******** next month, as I want to repair my hairline which receded to a Norwood 2 when I was 20 but stayed there, now I'm 33. I will be going with a FUT because it's more affordable and easier for me to conceal. Only thing that worries me about FUT is the scar, so I'm hoping someone can give me some advice on this: Could I get a FUT, and then a FUE to repair the scar? And how many FUE grafts on average does it take to repair a FUT scar? Ant advice is much appreciated, cheers.
Fut With Fue Repair - Advice Needed
- Thread starter Ron1
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If I were in your shoes I would wait until I had the money for FUE and then I would take the necessary time off work so that concealing it would not be a problem. I would do this by progressively cutting the sides and back shorter and shorter and keeping that look with more hair up on top. Then when it came time for the procedure and it was shaved down I would more than likely be completely back to normal within 2-4 weeks.
FUT scars come with too many issues at least from my experience. You could have an indentation at the back of the head like you were wearing a hat all day due to the change of hair direction where the top and bottom meet. The hair could separate at the point of the scar should you lay you head down on a pillow. You really don't know until you check it in the mirror using a wall mirror and a hand mirror and how many times a day might you be needing to do that? Maybe you won't have access to a mirror so then you have to be careful and maybe lay your head in such a way that it's on the side so you don't disturb the back. There's more but this is a good start. Not trying to scare you but this can be the reality. With FUE there is much more freedom in my opinion. So maybe biting the bullet and going for FUE might be the better option. I still had redness in the scar area over 20 years later. Not a problem if you can cover it up I guess and I also had numbness for about 20+ years. It finally feels normal 30 years later. Glad I don't have the shooting pains that only lasted for about a year which is bearable. Maybe give it some thought. I also don't like the idea of using the thickest caliber and darkest hairs from the occipital zone in the hairline even if they are singles. Sometimes it works and sometimes I think it looks a little off and a little off can be very perceptible to someone when you are having a face to face conversation with so many do a slight comb forward like Jeremy Piven for example at least that is my opinion. I know because I use to do it.
FUT scars come with too many issues at least from my experience. You could have an indentation at the back of the head like you were wearing a hat all day due to the change of hair direction where the top and bottom meet. The hair could separate at the point of the scar should you lay you head down on a pillow. You really don't know until you check it in the mirror using a wall mirror and a hand mirror and how many times a day might you be needing to do that? Maybe you won't have access to a mirror so then you have to be careful and maybe lay your head in such a way that it's on the side so you don't disturb the back. There's more but this is a good start. Not trying to scare you but this can be the reality. With FUE there is much more freedom in my opinion. So maybe biting the bullet and going for FUE might be the better option. I still had redness in the scar area over 20 years later. Not a problem if you can cover it up I guess and I also had numbness for about 20+ years. It finally feels normal 30 years later. Glad I don't have the shooting pains that only lasted for about a year which is bearable. Maybe give it some thought. I also don't like the idea of using the thickest caliber and darkest hairs from the occipital zone in the hairline even if they are singles. Sometimes it works and sometimes I think it looks a little off and a little off can be very perceptible to someone when you are having a face to face conversation with so many do a slight comb forward like Jeremy Piven for example at least that is my opinion. I know because I use to do it.
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Really good, measured advice. Thanks. My biggest concern with FUE after months of research is how long it takes the aftermath/regrowth to clear up. My job involves lots of meetings and being in rooms with lots of people, so even after 4 weeks I think it's going to be obvious when my hair, which is quite long, has been buzzed and my hairline is exposed, along with the redness/scabs. Max time I could take off is 2-3 weeks. With FUT, I dont have to get my hair buzzed and theoretically nobody will know I was ever receding or had a transplant.
Sure I understand exactly how you feel because I have been exactly where you are and felt exactly what you are feeling. I would say from my own experience FUE heals very quickly but of course it depends on your physiology, the size of the procedure and I also believe diet plays a critical role. I consume a great deal of cholesterol for example which helps but in order to understand it would require extensive reading.
Just giving my opinion here. So let’s say that I wanted to do exactly what you plan on doing I would ask the doctor to shave a small area lower down in the donor zone near the neck that I could easily conceal with my hair or maybe even slightly above the ear area and extract via fue. I would then ask for those thinner and lighter caliber hairs to be used in the hairline and the hair extracted via strip from the occipital zone to be used behind it. I’m not sure if it’s possible but I would ask and maybe it’s something you might want to consider. Doesn’t mean you have to do this but just something to think about. Maybe you are one of those unique individuals where the hairs from the occipital zone don't look odd in the hairline........ask the doctor.
Here are some of my pictures but keep in mind my procedures were very, very small. My donor area is decimated so I had to fly half way around the world and when you add the cost of the procedure to the flight and hotel, I always stayed a week it’s starts to really add up. But I couldn’t afford to take any risk. I can work harder and make more money I can’t make more hair and it worked well for me. Styled my hair shorter and was back to work in front of hundreds of people 2 weeks later. This is just my experience not trying to sway you either way. It helps to have information.
Good luck to you.
48 hours later
10 days later
Just giving my opinion here. So let’s say that I wanted to do exactly what you plan on doing I would ask the doctor to shave a small area lower down in the donor zone near the neck that I could easily conceal with my hair or maybe even slightly above the ear area and extract via fue. I would then ask for those thinner and lighter caliber hairs to be used in the hairline and the hair extracted via strip from the occipital zone to be used behind it. I’m not sure if it’s possible but I would ask and maybe it’s something you might want to consider. Doesn’t mean you have to do this but just something to think about. Maybe you are one of those unique individuals where the hairs from the occipital zone don't look odd in the hairline........ask the doctor.
Here are some of my pictures but keep in mind my procedures were very, very small. My donor area is decimated so I had to fly half way around the world and when you add the cost of the procedure to the flight and hotel, I always stayed a week it’s starts to really add up. But I couldn’t afford to take any risk. I can work harder and make more money I can’t make more hair and it worked well for me. Styled my hair shorter and was back to work in front of hundreds of people 2 weeks later. This is just my experience not trying to sway you either way. It helps to have information.
Good luck to you.
48 hours later
10 days later
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Wow 48 hours, you must have been over the moon with that, looks great. My hair being quite long was always to conceal, so I wouldn't want it like this forever I guess. Dr ******** uses the Tricophytic closure method to ensure the scar is even less visible, but haven't heard this mentioned/demonstrated on these forums.
follicle2001
Established Member
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IMHO, most fears about FUT scars are WAY overblown. If FUT is a better choice for you (cost, yield, etc) go ahead and do it. They can always FUE it later if you are unhappy, but in my experience most FUT scars are very hard to detect and need no work.
What many that believe long hair is the solution fail to take into account which is understandalbe is that as you age your hair will thin all over your head. As it thins the hair style needs to become shorter otherwise it becomes fly away hair. If you observe many of the fut scar repairs it's older guys that now need to cut their hair short and although sometimes it is successful at other times not so much. Make observations of older people in general both male and female and you will generally notice that most of the hair styles are shorter. Now assess the density of the hair itself.
Just something to consider as you want as much information as possible when making a decision.
Best wishes on your procedure.
Just something to consider as you want as much information as possible when making a decision.
Best wishes on your procedure.
Thanks, I think I need to research FUT scars even more than I have, which I will. I have been quoted 2500 grafts so hopefully the graft area won't be so bad. My dream scenario was FUT that I can hide, and then fill in the scar area with FUE, but then I may still have the baseball cap indentation which isn't desirable or repairable. Things to also raise at my consultation I guess.
Just an FYI, I just had FUT 3 weeks ago. The scar is much less than I thought it would be. I can't even feel it and my wife who is a nurse and has seen many a wound said it will be hard to detect. I was told by my Doctor that the only worry with FUT scar would be if you were going to buzz your hair. Also, be aware that you really need to take a few days off after FUT to let the grafts heal up and for the scabs to go away.
Hello.
Just a feedback. I got a FUT 4 years ago on the crown. Today I have a receding hairline and I do not know what to do anymore. Why? Because I feel trapped: since I got a FUT in the first place I sadly cannot now shave (I wish I could given the how damaged the hairline is, plus I still lost ground over the crown) due to the scar.
So my advice for you: really think about what you will do if you start losing hair on another area. Will you get another FUT?
In my humble opinion people do not talk enough about the long term involvement of getting a first hair transplant.
Just a feedback. I got a FUT 4 years ago on the crown. Today I have a receding hairline and I do not know what to do anymore. Why? Because I feel trapped: since I got a FUT in the first place I sadly cannot now shave (I wish I could given the how damaged the hairline is, plus I still lost ground over the crown) due to the scar.
So my advice for you: really think about what you will do if you start losing hair on another area. Will you get another FUT?
In my humble opinion people do not talk enough about the long term involvement of getting a first hair transplant.