After they cut out the strip and stitch your scalp back together, does your head feel tighter?
If I’m misunderstanding this part of the procedure, please explain 
Yes, quite a bit tighter, and for a few weeks. This diminishes over time.
The worst part is actually that you can’t talk about Hair Club For Men.
I know, right? It’s their first rule. 
Upon review, jackdavinci, I believe I misunderstood and, therefore, provided an incorrect answer to your question.
As far as the implantation sites are concerned, my answer was correct. There is initial scarring as the healing process begins but, over a surprisingly short period of time, they heal and disappear.
It occurs to me that your question may have been regarding the extraction (or donor) site which, if so, is important for me to address for those seriously considering hair restoration surgery.
After the procedure, there will be a scar traversing the back of the head at the suture site in the shape of a wide smile. This scar is PERMANENT. After the initial inflammation dissipates and the stitches are removed approximately 2 weeks after surgery, depending on the skill of the technician, and other factors, the scar can become barely noticeable, but it will remain for life.
This is important to note because cutting one’s hair too closely will expose the scar. I know. I’ve done it, and have received questions about it from work colleagues who, until that point, had no idea I’d undergone the procedure.
No, I meant the site where the hair was taken from. Are those sites patchy from the amount of hair taken, or is everything filled in?
Yeah, I meant the extraction site. Thanks for the correction, and also for starting this informative thread.
Is taking one large swathe of tissue the standard procedure? I had gotten the idea somehow that some restoration techniques take random small samples from all over.
To be clear, it is not simply the hair or follicles that are removed from the donor site, but a section of the scalp itself. The gap is then closed by pulling and suturing together the upper and lower edges of the scalp. So no, there is no, nor can there be, patchiness in hair growth at the back of the head.
You’re very welcome.
I think so, but my research has been somewhat limited. It stands to reason as far as I see it as, according to Bosley, there is an area of the head, because of its propensity for continued hair growth in men well into advanced age, that is optimal as a donor site.
I guess it’s possible, but I still think it would have to be in a relatively concise area of the head located in the region where hair growth is likely to be permanent. Those I have researched remove it in one large swathe.
Thanks. This is what I thought might be the case, especially since he’s only 29 at the moment. He’s happy with the result, so I certainly won’t mention the probable need to part with another $18,000+
Based on my latest research, the cost for the procedure is coming down globally, as well as becoming more efficient and more effective, so it is very possible that your friend’s son, if he does need another procedure in the future, will pay much less than before.
Recovery
After the procedure, there is a period of recovery during which the following will occur.
Days 1 and 2 (after surgery)
- Sporadic bleeding from implantation sites, especially on day 1
- Very light bleeding from donor site, on day 1 only
- Doctor advisory - No washing of the hair
- Pain at suture site and implantation sites are worst during this period.
- Medicated pads are placed on implantation sites, twice a day. Very soothing and cool.
Day 3
- Doctor advisory - hair washing allowed, but no scrubbing (medicated washing solution provided)
- Scabbing begins at implantation sites
- Entire implantation site is numb
Day 4
- Entire top of head is scabbed over at this point, and remains tender
- Redness and swelling at donor site and implantation sites noticeably diminished
- Pain medication runs out
Days 5 and 6
- Numbness at implantation sites begins to dissipate
- Scabs begin to fall off during washing
- Top of head begins to feel less crusty
- Medicated pads run out
**
Days 7 through 9** - Hair attached to transplanted follicles falls out
- Normal hair washing can resume
Day 14 (approx.)
- Surgical center appointment to have stitches removed from suture site
Sometime in the fourth or fifth month, a number of welt-like growths will begin to present at some of the implantation sites. They will be tender. The doctor will advise placing a hot, wet cloth on each to promote bursting. This will be your first indication that your new hair is starting to grow. You won’t actually see any hair growth at this point. This part of the process lasts a few weeks and is somewhat bloody, and quite disgusting if you ask me.
Was the money a financial burden for you?
How did your friends, family, coworkers react?
No, the cost was no burden for me. It probably should have been because it would have spurred me to do better research.
Most of my coworkers still don’t know, or if they know, they haven’t said anything. A few know, and two have asked me about it. One of my clients, who sees me twice a year, noticed and asked me about it. To her it was like I suddenly had hair, so I can understand how odd that must be.
My mom squealed when she initially saw it over Skype, which was just two weeks ago by the way.
Thanks for the informative thread. The procedure you describe sounds more like a skin graft, in many ways, than hair plugs or something.
Pretty brave of you to start this thread - good for you. It’s a bit unfair that men are often teased for fighting against balding; yes, it’s fine for some people to just shave and go with it, but I can certainly understand why some men would do it. Hell, if I were male and balding I’d definitely consider it.
Who have you told about this in real life? You mentioned your Mom and wife - how did they react when you told them you were thinking about it?
One kind of side-question: did you go through a phase of beard-growing when you were balding? I’ve noticed this among my male friends who are balding - they are much, much more likely to grow beards than my male friends with a full head of hair.
I’ve even started to kinda peek at the top of a man’s head (I’m shorter than nearly all men, so don’t notice them casually) if he suddenly starts growing a beard. I have always seen significant thinning which is followed a few months later by them shaving their whole head and perhap muttering about hair loss - it’s a clear pattern amongst my acquaintances - but it may just be confirmation bias.
I expected some derision here on the Dope, but everyone’s actually been pretty cool about it.
I haven’t told too many people about it. If someone asks me, however, I do tell them anything they want to know.
When I told my wife I was thinking about it, she was totally against it and said and did everything she could to disuade me. I eventually wore her down. 
My mom didn’t understand what the heck I was talking about as she’d never heard of hair restoration surgery.
Hahahahaaa!!! Yes, yes I did. 
I rotated between a Van Dyke, a goatee, and a full beard and moustache. How typical is that? I’m back to clean shaven again, for the first time in years.
Rest assured, it is not confirmation bias. I know.
A good squeal or a bad squeal ?
A good, but annoying squeal.
I hadn’t seen my mom since before my procedure in November. She was very worried that I’d end up as disappointed as I was after my 2004 procedure, so when I rang her up a couple weeks ago on Skype, she was surprised and more than a little relieved.
Normally I’d offer some, but as someone with lifelong thin, fine hair that’s taking on the texture of cobwebs, who’s at times noticed a disturbing and undeniable “morning sunlight through a dead winter forest” effect across his own scalp (which he’d prefer never to see at all), I probably shouldn’t throw stones.
I hear ya. It isn’t easy to conjure up sympathy for someone who undergoes an absolutely unnecessary, cosmetic surgical procedure, although I’ve been "poor bloke"d more times than I can count over the years as I embarrassingly attempted all manner of subterfuge to mask my wispy nest’s loss of its twigs.