Day 200

It's been 6.6 months and this is the progress. Really, really, really get your expectations in check when getting this done. Who would have thunk that thousands of dollars and six months later I'd still be dealing with this?

Day 172

Very slow progress... but there is progress and growth. Looks like it did before I had the transplant.

Day 124

90 DAYS!!!!!!! - No Celebration

There IS hair, but not what I had envisioned in my prayers. Slow boat to China....

Day 84 - March Madness

I guess my 90 day celebration is cancelled. There is no way I will have anything resembling a full hairline by the 3 month marker. Wow were my expectations off. I am still wearing scarves everyday for the most part and sick of it. I wish I knew when I could expect to have the "results".

Day 78 - March Madness

Who would have thunk after SEVENTY-EIGHT days, I would still be looking for any signs of growth? Oh my gosh! This is taking so long. I really thought I would have a teeny weeny afro along my hairlines by now. I waffle between fear and frustration that I have made a horrible and costly mistake. You would think for all the $$$$ spent that you'd at least have dense hair in 60 days.

At least my head/scalp is fully back to life. No more mummy.

Day 62 - Countdown to Growth

I am still dealing with shocking shedding in one transplanted area. I've been researching why it happens. This site gave a good explanation http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/hair-transplant/shedding.php

I'm staying optimistic that my progress is normal!

Day 55 - Countdown to Growth

Day 52 - Countdown to Growth

Day 42 - Countdown to Growth

Day 30 - 1 Month Afterwards

Still have the same mummy spots. I'm starting to wonder if they will be with me for while. See the video for the "shocked" areas. Praise the Lord for scarves, if I haven't done so in my previous blogs.

Day 28 - INAUGURATION of my new hair

Nothing new. Still dealing with hair shock. And who wants to talk about my hair today, anyway.

The whole world is standing still and watching Barack H. Obama become the 44th President of the United States of America. Wow and hallelujah! Being alive to experience this landmark in history is just ----- enough to make your hair grow! :-)

Day 27 - First Attempt at Styling

Same mummy spots. Same sensitivity on my hairline. I shampooed and double-strand twisted my hair. Then I rodded the twists and went to sleep. I noticed that I seem to have some hair "shock" and fallout on the right side. YIKESSSSSSSSSS!!!! The doctor said it could happen before it started growing in. I'm not nervous, but it sure sucks. See the videos for more....

Ready to go.

Day 25 - Countdown to Growth

Not much change. Check out my video.

Day 21 - Countdown to Growth

No real pain anymore, just a little discomfort. In the transplanted area it is a little sensitive and "tender". The donor area shedded a few scabs. It still feels weird when I lay on my pillow to get to sleep. My left side scalp is a lot less comfortable than my right side.

I've been massaging my scalp and playing the piano. Still have the mummy spots that I suspect will be around for a while. Anyhoo, I noticed some prickly areas that felt akin to razor stubble in the transplant area. It seems awful quick to be growing so I thought maybe it was a tiny re-scab. If it were visible I would film it so no video today!

I am anxious to wear my hair again since I am getting sick of scarves. LOL. Not sick enough to go to the salon since anything other than extreme TLC would send me running to pain killers. :-)

Day 16 - Countdown to Growth

My scalp is still tender. This morning I had to put some shea butter on my hairlines and temples. It felt sort of raw - hard to explain. But, it needed something soothing on it. I had another swell of itching this evening when I got home and took off my scarf, but a little warm water and shea butter calmed it down. My left ear is much more tender than my right.

Mummy spots are still there. Nothing much new, just healing more and more day by day.

Day 13 - Countdown to Growth

Well, my hair is fully twisted and now the waiting and praying begins. I expect and envision a full healthy hairline in a few months.

Early this morning around - 3:44 am - severe itching woke me up. In the donor area the itching was so intense it woke me up and lead me to the bathroom where I proceeded to coat the area with shea butter. Ironically, even though it itch like crazy it was too tender to really scratch. Then my husband suggested I take a benadryl to calm it down. So I took 2. I am an overachiever. That gave me some relief after about 20 minutes or so and I fell to sleep again.

Day 12 - First Shampoo

Today I worked out for the first time in weeks! Honestly, I have really been slacking on the gym and the transplant gave me a renewed license to stay away. Anyhoo, I had a good workout. I took it easy since I knew my scalp would probably be sensitive to sweat and it was. It didn't help that I had coated my hair with herbal oils in anticipation of my shampoo afterwards. It stung but not so much that it was unbearable.

When I got home I grabbed my Biostrand products. They are very mild and natural. Check them out for yourself. http://www.biostrand.com/ I was with the owner/creator when he was in the infantile stages of the products. I was a guinea pig of sorts and he made some good stuff that strengthened my damaged and broken hair from too much "creamy crack". Thats what us natural girls call chemical relaxers. LOL.

The shampoo went well. Boy did the warm water and shower pressure feel good to my head. I used Biostrand's conditioner, too. None of their stuff irritated or burned my scalp. Bravo Biostrand! I still have some mummy spots (see the video) and tender areas. All in all, my shampoo and removal of scabs was pretty successful.

I still look a hot mess so no change there! :-)

Day 11 - Stitches Removed

I got my stitches out today at 1:15pm. In anticipation of what might be painful, I took a vicodin about an hour before.

Praise the Lord, I didn't need to take the pill...... NO PAIN. NO DISCOMFORT!!! I could feel the stitches being removed but not painful at all. I had a tender spot in the back of my head, too. Even when they got to that area, still nothing. And no bleeding either. oooooooh, the relief. It felt really good to have the stitches out. The pressure and tightness were gone almost immediately. I look forward to resting my hair on my pillow tonight in complete comfort.

Dr. Lam and the assistants commented that I was healing beautifully and I was released until a 4 month checkup. Did I mention I REALLY LOVE them. Everyone from the front desk to the doctor are consistently pleasant, patient and knowledgeable.

I was told to get a fine-toothed comb and comb my hairline so the scabs could come out. Can't wait to get home and comb through it! See the video and pics below. When I was removing the scabs, it was still a little tender

I get to wash and condition my hair, too!

Day 10 - Post Transplant

I didn't do much today. Stayed in my pajamas until about 2pm! Now thats a holiday. I had no major discomfort or problems today. I didn't need to take any meds. I am a little nervous anticipating the stitch removal tomorrow. I threw on a scarf and went to a couple of stores to return stuff, etc. Thank God for scarfs! :-)

I still have "mummy head" in the same areas. It is lessening. I guess it will a while before all my scalp nerves are back to normal. My scalp is itching like crazy!