Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Community Conversation => Transsexual talk => Male to female transsexual talk (MTF) => Topic started by: Harley Quinn on November 09, 2016, 11:36:49 AM

Title: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: Harley Quinn on November 09, 2016, 11:36:49 AM
I got my hair restoration and feminine hairline done yesterday. I am the surgeons new poster child of wow! He was so impressed with how much hair I had to work with and how dense it was. Then the grafts, all 3200 just slid right in... we were 4 hours ahead of schedule a I didn't move or squirm at all... "You can come back anytime! This had never been this smooth!" Probably the best reassurance you can get.  :D

Doctor Gabel and his staff were amazing! I can't wait for the next followup!
Title: Re: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: Debra on November 09, 2016, 12:16:44 PM
Yay! Isn't Dr Gabel awesome?!?! I had my hairline done by him a couple years ago. Love it
Title: Re: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: archlord on November 09, 2016, 12:17:09 PM
Congratz,  Are you going to show us a before/after ? :)
Title: Re: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: Steph7 on November 10, 2016, 04:14:47 PM
I second the request - before and after pretty please
Title: Re: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: Harley Quinn on November 11, 2016, 06:09:29 AM
Woof... that's a tough one. I mean what girl carries pictures of their "bad hair days"? OK here's one of the befores;

(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi651.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fuu232%2FRubyRocket%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2F20160712_140406_zpsz32r8lfe.jpg&hash=5edeba4b26cea91fb7aed9c89bfa1765683b49d3) (http://s651.photobucket.com/user/RubyRocket/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20160712_140406_zpsz32r8lfe.jpg.html)
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi651.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fuu232%2FRubyRocket%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2F20160712_140352_zpswmdxyle8.jpg&hash=d73d05bc102077d561aca1fdfd7611cf7f5a0a3d) (http://s651.photobucket.com/user/RubyRocket/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20160712_140352_zpswmdxyle8.jpg.html)
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi651.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fuu232%2FRubyRocket%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2F20160712_140400_zpsobaknsbq.jpg&hash=06e19790ef035667e3dfda7a9e6004c7400e42e6) (http://s651.photobucket.com/user/RubyRocket/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20160712_140400_zpsobaknsbq.jpg.html)

Immediately after...
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi651.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fuu232%2FRubyRocket%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2Freceived_333520103691583_zpsv1eiwcck.jpeg&hash=979f8a8bbe0c37d3016223cc67ad46ba690b19c2) (http://s651.photobucket.com/user/RubyRocket/media/Mobile%20Uploads/received_333520103691583_zpsv1eiwcck.jpeg.html)
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi651.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fuu232%2FRubyRocket%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2Freceived_333520140358246_zpsahad8gls.jpeg&hash=24351101851c4ecc7e469598a96142ddcf692c1f) (http://s651.photobucket.com/user/RubyRocket/media/Mobile%20Uploads/received_333520140358246_zpsahad8gls.jpeg.html)

With that being said. I let him know that he can use any and all of my photos so he'll definitely have better photos than you'll get from my reflection captured by a cell phone. I will offer up the links to my professional pictures from the surgery when I hear they are posted. May take a little bit.

And YES Debra!! He is so great!!! He's simply amazing! I love him and his staff! I felt zero pain, they bought me an awesome lunch, I got all the juice I could ever want, the music and conversation made the hours FLY! I can't say enough about all of them. He'd even offered to fly out to remove my stitches so I didn't have to make another drive down. I mean... what doctor offers to go out of his way to help you!?!? Oh my God I thought I was going to cry, he was so great!! And a perfectionist! He redrew my hairline at least 30 times until it was right. I'll have to sit down and collect my thoughts to really do Dr Gabel justice.
Title: Re: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: Debra on November 11, 2016, 10:25:35 AM
Awww yay! So excitd for you!!! God he and his staff are so good!

Now the waiting begins haha. I hated waiting for it all to grow back in haha
Title: Re: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: Harley Quinn on November 11, 2016, 11:29:23 AM
Quote from: Debra on November 11, 2016, 10:25:35 AM
Awww yay! So excitd for you!!! God he and his staff are so good!

Now the waiting begins haha. I hated waiting for it all to grow back in haha
Oh, yeah... I am a face or side sleeper. This no hat in the day and on your back to sleep is killing me. But they did give me a giant scrubs hat to help cover it while I'm out and about.
Title: Re: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: Steph7 on November 12, 2016, 08:30:19 AM
Wow.

Pardon my ignorance but what are the stitches from?

Take care
Steph
Title: Re: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: Debra on November 12, 2016, 10:46:38 AM
Quote from: dazedAndConfused01 on November 12, 2016, 08:30:19 AM
Wow.

Pardon my ignorance but what are the stitches from?

Take care
Steph

The stitches are most likely where the donor hair came from. They take hair (usually from the back?) in a strip (at least with the FUT method) and then sew up that strip in the back. Then they separate out all the hair they took out from that strip and re-implant them in the new site(s).
Title: Re: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: Harley Quinn on November 12, 2016, 01:20:20 PM
Quote from: Debra on November 12, 2016, 10:46:38 AM
The stitches are most likely where the donor hair came from. They take hair (usually from the back?) in a strip (at least with the FUT method) and then sew up that strip in the back. Then they separate out all the hair they took out from that strip and re-implant them in the new site(s).
Exactly what was done. FUT was the recommended approach for me from Dr. Gabel. Gives a denser appearance. You have to look hard to find the incision line... he's the master. It's nearly non existent and it's only been 3 days... I am positive that it'll be nothing but a memory in a couple weeks. I have trouble finding it myself to keep it clean...

(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi651.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fuu232%2FRubyRocket%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2F20161111_202033_zpsf06mtica.jpg&hash=54ad70b7658bff02cad53000c02f2be5fbf32309) (http://s651.photobucket.com/user/RubyRocket/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20161111_202033_zpsf06mtica.jpg.html)

Yes I know I have curly hair lol... it gets to be too much for my flat iron sometimes. Want to make 10 months of hair growth look like 10 weeks of hair growth... just add water!

I warned the whole staff that getting my hair wet before they took the donor hair was a bad plan... and OH GOD MY HAIR TOOK IN 3 GALLONS OF WATER AND CURLED. It was so bad that they lost their marks 3 times. I warned them... and you can't even comb it when it's like that. It's like spring steel.
Title: Re: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: LizK on November 12, 2016, 03:08:40 PM
Hi Harley Quinn

I had mine done here in Australia with the donor site and individual follicle implants method...very happy. I did not lose one graft last time and don't appear to have lost any this time either.

Wow 3200 in one go...How is the swelling?

I had mine in two rounds, the second being just 4 days ago for a total(both rounds) around 2500 implants. You sound like you had a really great experience and I can see just from the early photo's you should get great coverage. You may get some additional growth on HRT...I know my Dr was astounded as to how much new growth I had along with the implants. He had declared my scalp barren prior to the first set of implants and beginning HRT.

I am a back sleeper so the donor site is quite uncomfortable for me... but that won't matter in a few more days and it is a small price to pay not to have to wear a wig.

I hope your swelling is at a minimum and you pain is minor(mine is). Look forward to seeing the results in another 12 weeks.

Hugs
Liz
Title: Re: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: Harley Quinn on November 12, 2016, 05:35:51 PM
Quote from: ElizabethK on November 12, 2016, 03:08:40 PM
Hi Harley Quinn

I had mine done here in Australia with the donor site and individual follicle implants method...very happy. I did not lose one graft last time and don't appear to have lost any this time either.

Wow 3200 in one go...How is the swelling?

I had mine in two rounds, the second being just 4 days ago for a total(both rounds) around 2500 implants. You sound like you had a really great experience and I can see just from the early photo's you should get great coverage. You may get some additional growth on HRT...I know my Dr was astounded as to how much new growth I had along with the implants. He had declared my scalp barren prior to the first set of implants and beginning HRT.

I am a back sleeper so the donor site is quite uncomfortable for me... but that won't matter in a few more days and it is a small price to pay not to have to wear a wig.

I hope your swelling is at a minimum and you pain is minor(mine is). Look forward to seeing the results in another 12 weeks.

Hugs
Liz
Almost no swelling and pain is very minor when I lay down on the stitches... minor swelling around the transplant sites, that's it. It went quick, all in all about 8 hours.  :)  I was impressed that it was all done by hand with just local anesthetic. I had a hard time not crying when I saw it. :)
Title: Re: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: LizK on November 13, 2016, 05:05:40 PM
My first round of implants I had no swelling for the first 24 -36 hrs and then around the 40hr mark I blew up like a balloon...took nearly 8 days for it to subside as it slowly made its way down my face. Because I had no initial swelling I thought I had escaped the worst of it so did not use any ice packs at all...stupid of me.

This time I began icing my forehead as soon as I got the bandages off the following morning. I ice packed almost continuously for the next 2 days and today I am almost totally free of any swelling. Again the pain has been from the donor site and nothing from the implants (my head is just too numb). I know the sensation will start to come back over the next few months as it was almost back to normal when I had this second round of implants done. I will have the progress pics on Wednesday when I get my sutures out so will post them then.

Liz 
Title: Re: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: Sarah leah on November 14, 2016, 08:17:07 AM
Sorry to be rude but I can not see the photos are they broken links?

Quote from: ElizabethK on November 12, 2016, 03:08:40 PM
Hi Harley Quinn

I had mine done here in Australia with the donor site and individual follicle implants method...very happy. Liz

Again sorry to pry but I am looking at implants for my temples. What sort of cost was 2000ish when you got it done as I too live in Australia and the amount from my research is insane in some places and others refuse to quote unless you go to them, which is an issue when you like in the "bush". I am looking at a hair advance next year once I get onto higher dose of hrt (low dose right now as I just start a few weeks ago).

I am kind of not sure on how to go about it as I can get an advance next year then save for a small amount of implants or start now and get my temples sorted?
Title: Re: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: Debra on November 14, 2016, 11:57:02 AM
Quote from: Sarah leah on November 14, 2016, 08:17:07 AM
Sorry to be rude but I can not see the photos are they broken links?

Again sorry to pry but I am looking at implants for my temples. What sort of cost was 2000ish when you got it done as I too live in Australia and the amount from my research is insane in some places and others refuse to quote unless you go to them, which is an issue when you like in the "bush". I am looking at a hair advance next year once I get onto higher dose of hrt (low dose right now as I just start a few weeks ago).

I am kind of not sure on how to go about it as I can get an advance next year then save for a small amount of implants or start now and get my temples sorted?

Slightly less amounts of grafts and area but these are my 6 months results posted by the same doctor: https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,206068.0.html . (that was mid-2014)
Title: Re: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: Harley Quinn on November 15, 2016, 10:18:17 AM
OMG! Looks amazing! I'm not going to lie, I think that those pictures were what made me decide to go with Dr. Gabel.
Title: Re: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: Debra on November 15, 2016, 03:26:52 PM
Quote from: Harley Quinn on November 15, 2016, 10:18:17 AM
OMG! Looks amazing! I'm not going to lie, I think that those pictures were what made me decide to go with Dr. Gabel.

Yep he's amazing. I'd definitely go to him again ..... but here's hoping I don't have to ;)
Title: Re: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: Harley Quinn on November 15, 2016, 03:37:23 PM
I'm a fan. I think everyone should know how great he is... a little more expensive than some other places I checked. However, not a place where you want to go cheap! I can't wait to see my luscious locks... I think even my hairdresser is going to fall over!
Title: Re: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: LizK on November 15, 2016, 03:58:56 PM
Quote from: Sarah leah on November 14, 2016, 08:17:07 AM
Sorry to be rude but I can not see the photos are they broken links?

Again sorry to pry but I am looking at implants for my temples. What sort of cost was 2000ish when you got it done as I too live in Australia and the amount from my research is insane in some places and others refuse to quote unless you go to them, which is an issue when you like in the "bush". I am looking at a hair advance next year once I get onto higher dose of hrt (low dose right now as I just start a few weeks ago).

I am kind of not sure on how to go about it as I can get an advance next year then save for a small amount of implants or start now and get my temples sorted?

I was told by my Guy that my head was barren of any hair follicles and then when I saw him last week he just about died with his leg in the air with the amount of regrowth. Even I have had some help from HRT so if you are a bit younger than me the chances are good that you will get some too. To do about 2500 officially will be about 10k AUS with Dr Kerry. He actually put more than that in my head but that is a whole other story..

Seeing him today and will get the photo's I want and make an update on my post showing them.

Liz
Title: Re: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: Harley Quinn on November 15, 2016, 07:56:51 PM
Quote from: Sarah leah on November 14, 2016, 08:17:07 AM
Sorry to be rude but I can not see the photos are they broken links?

Again sorry to pry but I am looking at implants for my temples. What sort of cost was 2000ish when you got it done as I too live in Australia and the amount from my research is insane in some places and others refuse to quote unless you go to them, which is an issue when you like in the "bush". I am looking at a hair advance next year once I get onto higher dose of hrt (low dose right now as I just start a few weeks ago).

I am kind of not sure on how to go about it as I can get an advance next year then save for a small amount of implants or start now and get my temples sorted?

Sorry...  I have a habit of taking them down every so often.  I'll add them back for you.  I spent about $13,000.  I had 3200 put in.  They used FUT, as they could get it denser.  The rate was $4 /hair.  I live in the states.  So I'm not sure what it runs in Australia.
Title: Re: Well on my way... hair restoration surgery went amazing!
Post by: Harley Quinn on November 15, 2016, 08:30:27 PM
Day 1
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi651.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fuu232%2FRubyRocket%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2Freceived_333882046988722_zpsr0kysl6z.jpeg&hash=1432f4b551c41de2f4e9ad124cd05731bd066c98) (http://s651.photobucket.com/user/RubyRocket/media/Mobile%20Uploads/received_333882046988722_zpsr0kysl6z.jpeg.html)
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi651.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fuu232%2FRubyRocket%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2Freceived_333882060322054_zpsccua0j73.jpeg&hash=7ffa5bb5f60751bc10818e35e7ec0994b246b997) (http://s651.photobucket.com/user/RubyRocket/media/Mobile%20Uploads/received_333882060322054_zpsccua0j73.jpeg.html)

Day 7
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi651.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fuu232%2FRubyRocket%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2Freceived_337143673329226_zps47e3qzn3.jpeg&hash=0928a2081c9f760ebcf6dd666bff660c19fc4af5) (http://s651.photobucket.com/user/RubyRocket/media/Mobile%20Uploads/received_337143673329226_zps47e3qzn3.jpeg.html)
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi651.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fuu232%2FRubyRocket%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2Freceived_337143659995894_zpsa9mqfsco.jpeg&hash=5ce912e9676a9cdfc7e969ff662a34b6c7c1616a) (http://s651.photobucket.com/user/RubyRocket/media/Mobile%20Uploads/received_337143659995894_zpsa9mqfsco.jpeg.html)
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi651.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fuu232%2FRubyRocket%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2Freceived_337143646662562_zpszqazqzot.jpeg&hash=89fbcedcd58fdc86a775ca11a7fdc8bbc475a57d) (http://s651.photobucket.com/user/RubyRocket/media/Mobile%20Uploads/received_337143646662562_zpszqazqzot.jpeg.html)
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi651.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fuu232%2FRubyRocket%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2Freceived_337143643329229_zpsqqq5bqxx.jpeg&hash=fafd3cd4783dc832bf2dc48c2173501117238ff7) (http://s651.photobucket.com/user/RubyRocket/media/Mobile%20Uploads/received_337143643329229_zpsqqq5bqxx.jpeg.html)