Dr. Jones' Hair Transplant Center Blog

Tuesday, April 04, 2006
James, Day 1

Had my transplant today. It started at 7:30 AM and was finished at 5:45 PM. I had 2600 follicles transplanted from a strip at the back of my head that was approximately 16mm wide by 260mm long. I live out of town so I stayed at a hotel in Oakville the night before near the Dr. Jones' clinic, got a good sleep and was not rushed the day of the surgery. I wore jeans, deck shoes and a short sleeve golf pullover shirt. I suggest wearing a button up shirt as the fresh transplants are delicate and definitely should not be disturbed. Luckily staff helped me put my shirt on at the clinic and I had help later at home.

What was it like?

It was a long procedure started at 7:30 AM with a greeting from Dr. Jones and the signing of a disclaimer followed by payment of the balance owing, ordering and paying for pain killers, antibiotics and a post surgery hair growth stimulant. Next I took off my shirt, put on what I call a hospital gown and took a pill that fights swelling. You get four days worth of the set to be taken three times a day. Following this I laid down on what I describe as a massage table, got injected by needle with a local aesthetic in the area of the donor hair and then Dr. Jones went to work with his scalpel. I had images of the old cowboy movies where Indians would raise there hand in the air with part of the scalp of some unfortunate enemy. Upon its removal which was a relatively quick and painless procedure Dr. Jones past my scalp over to three ready technicians in the same room who proceeded with quiet focus to separate my scalp into its finer "follicle" parts. The technician in the middle cut the donor strip into pieces 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch long. These were passed to the adjacent techs who with the use of a microscope further broke down the scalp into separate follicles with some of these follicles separated into single hairs for placement at the front of my head to give it a more natural look. While this is going on Dr. Jones sutured my scalp together, that is pulled the 16mm gap together. Nice tight feeling in the head. Once this was done Dr. Jones assistant numbed the recipient area with a local, needle administrated, aesthetic following which Dr. Jones made tiny incisions in the front and middle portions of my bald(ing) area and in doing so made provision for 1800 individual follicles. With Dr. Jones' work complete I was turned over to the lead technician who I believe was an RN who, once sufficient follicles were available started the hair placement procedure. Part of the preparation for the insertion of the follicle grafts is the application of some sort of liquid that I understand puffs up my skin such that the cuts in my head are open to better receive the follicle and at the same causes pressure against the vascular system under my scalp thus reducing potential bleeding.

With eight to ten follicles on the index finger of his latex gloved left-hand (his right hand was gloved as well) the RN using jeweller’s tweezers placed one follicle at a time into the pre-cut sites. This procedure continued throughout the day with an additional tech joining the middle and back sections to speed things up. We broke for lunch in the room. I had bagel and cream cheese, chicken noodle soup and a juice. We also stopped with the procedure any time I wanted to get up to stretch or go to the washroom. The staff were very attentive and wanted me to be comfortable and pain free and as such would provide additional aesthetic whenever I asked for it. They knew when I needed it before I did because as the aesthetic was wearing off I would start to bleed more at the recipient sites because, I hope I get this right, my body, becoming more sensitive to the trauma would increase my heart rate and blood pressure. Keeping this under control was important to maintaining a good work site for my grafters. Dr. Jones would pop in periodically to check on how things were progressing and gave me a final look over, an affirmative nod and hand shake saying it went well and that it looked good. I looked at myself in the mirror and said to myself I hope he's right. With hand shakes and goodbyes all round, two granola bars, one apple juice, my meds and post op advise/instructions in hand from my RN I left the building got in my car and drove home hoping I wouldn't see anyone I knew. Needless to say while on the 407 I got a call from home that my dog had introduced himself to a skunk and that as I had the only car would I pleeeeease pick up some hydrogen peroxide and backing soda. Well my debut was quicker than I thought. Once back in my town I stopped at the local IGA, walked in like nothing is different about me. I got smiles from the people in the store and the check out clerk but no stares or looks that say wow what happened to you. Well I'm out of the closet and nobody cares. So I went home mixed the skunk concoction and de-smelled the dog.

Next issue.

Got to sleep at a 45 degree angle tonight. I'm afraid of rolling over and destroying all that good work and wasting all that money.

I'll let you know.