Close up post-transplant progress pictures (with LLLT to aid recovery)...

Victory is achieved by stopping hair loss, revitalizing your existing hairs, and getting new follicles into the slick bald areas. That first part is done by a laser helmet or device that can achieve 3-6 joules per square inch on your scalp. Don't know what I'm talking about?? ...Then you are a YEAR AND A HALF BEHIND the rest of us, and you need to go to www. and start catching up!

That second part... is done by a HAIR TRANSPLANT! A GOOD ONE, done by a good surgeon! We've talked about him a little before, but Dr. Jerry Cooley of Carolina Dermatology and Hair Center (www.haircenter.com) did my surgery, and he is incredible.

Not only did he do almost the entire procedure HIMSELF, he's a pioneer of innovative techniques like PRP -coating your transplanted hair with centrifuged Platelet Rich Plasma- and he's the US spokesman for Intercytex (the hair follicle cloning company). Also, as you can tell by the wounds... he doesn't use a scalpel for the graft incisions, he uses a syringe. That makes a tighter fit and there is left "shift" of the grafts.

But forget everything I just said... the guy BELIEVES IN THE POTENTIAL OF OUR LASER HELMETS! lol... That should say it all! Everything I've said shows that unlike some of the transplant doctors out there -especially ones with prominent online presences (Feller, Rassman, etc), this guy actually is concerned about US and OUR HAIR. He's cutting through the BS and wants to find the best treatments for us!

So, here's the point of this thread... I'm going to take daily update pictures of my progress, and put them together in this animated gif. When I take another one, all I have to do is swap it online and if you refresh your browser, the picture in this thread will update!

Enjoy the severly up close pictures of my scalp, and although we know that laser therapy fights hair loss better than anything else currently available, we don't really know how it will effect the recovery time and the dormancy time of the transplanted hairs! Hopefully it'll make it so the dormancy period will be much less... and you know what? YOU'LL SEE IT!

Here's the picture:

Remember, those are VERY HARSH LIGHTS, so anything that looks remotely good in these pictures looks great in real life.

Oh... for those of you that are just browsing this forum from other forums and don't really WANT total victory -hey... I'm judging you by your actions, and frankly I don't know what the hell some of you guys are doing on hair loss forums because you sure don't seem interested in actually FIGHTING your hair loss (maybe you're just stupid, I don't know), then this doesn't concern you at all. Move along. You can go talk about which brand of minox you like the best, how lasers are silly, how I control the universe, and how you can't wait until those cures that are [always] 5-10 years away actually get here! Me having and maintaining incredible, full hair and achieving victory just does not concern you. There it is.

Oh, one other thing... some of you saw those small, grainy pictures of the post-transplant laser devices that I'm using, and those will be featured in several videos I'm going to be doing soon (I actually SHOULD HAVE had one finished already, but I'm a little behind). For those of you that ARE interested in "shedding the baldness", you'll have all the information you'll ever want about this!

-O.M.G.

Also, sorry about the really WET hair from the first pictures... the idea is to NOT let your scalp dry out and to spray it with Dr. Cooley's "Magic Spray" that is full of amino acids and nutrients that your hair loves!

-O.M.G.

I disagree that transplants are needed though(I thought lasers were all that were needed..ha)..and the "cure" thing, well I think it's sooner than you think. It's been quite a change, the things we're looking at now.. compared to things being brought up only 5 years ago(that were "5 years away"). Of course I could be wrong..but things are looking good in the near future imo. But I don't think ppl should feel a transplant is their only hope.

I should mention that I've been able to do just fine with what I use. Would I love to see more regrowth? You betcha. Would I love to stop using topicals etc? I guess..but it seems with LLLT and even post-transplants..they're still being used.

In case you missed the question in the other thread...are you now "trying" the A&G product as well?

On another site about celebrities it had a bunch of male celebrity hair transplants, and the only one that looked undetectable, was christian slaters, because it had been made uneven, and left a bit recessed.

i can tell urs is going to look good.

Also omg.... your grafts are looking great. Placement looks good alltho some pics of temples would be cool. I look at heeeeaps of transplant results and your inflammation and redness is looking very minimal which is promising. I predict you wont shed any of the hairs once the kick off. all the best

Yeah, he did a GREAT JOB on the hair line... he made it look totally natural. When the hair growns in, I dare say that NO ONE would ever be able to tell it was a transplant!

Jacob...

No, I'm not trying A&G yet. I might look into it in a couple of months, though. As far as alternatives to transplants... all I can say is don't hold your breath! If your fine with the way your hair is right now, that's great! But for the rest of us that want stoopid thick hair.... even if there *is* a good altenative to a transplant in five years, that five years of your freaking LIFE that your missing waiting around for it. A lot of people have fears of transplants or something. One of the things I hope to accomplish is to eliminate that.

Oh, when there are like 60 pictures in that animation up there, I'll speed up the transition time! Also, let me know if there is anything else you guys think I should do. I do have an HD Camera that I'm going to shoot some video with, but I don't really have any BEFORE shots, so whatever... I will probably have another opportunity for that, though, because with most transplants the transplanted hair falls out and it looks just like it did before. Now, I must say... I'm hoping that I'll bypass all of that with LLLT! We'll see, and that's sort of the point of all this!

-O.M.G.

PS- You guys are going to get all crazy when I share with you the dosage times and schedules I've been doing. I'll get all that together as well as the reasoning I used for it, because wound healing is a different animal than hair regrowth, and I think it takes more exposure time broken up into smaller intervals. I'll explain later.

Yeah, I couldn't "do much" with my hair in these first pictures. You'll be able to see more of the temples soon. During those first four and a half days, I was wearing saran wrap under a surgical hat and spraying it with Dr. Cooley's Magic Forumula every single damn hour! Finally, some time yesterday, I decided it was time to take that crap off! lol...

BrendanJ...

Yeah, with all of their might, lasers just can't regrow what is "un-regrowable". By the way, a lot of that you are seeing I truly feel -and I would attest to this under oath, with a gun to my head, and all of my cats being held over a vat of bubbling oil- was caused by Minoxidil Foam! I have a lot of patches that fell out and NEVER CAME BACK with it. I think it killed follicles! Oh well... I suppose that's not a problem anymore!

But stay away from crack, heroine, and Minoxidil Foam. All of those will ruin your dreams!

-O.M.G.

Oh, I suppose I should point out that I am three days shy of 18 months on LLLT. ...And without the transplant, I have more hair than I did before I started. Duh!

...And by the way, if someone with a real laser device gets a transplant soon -especially a customer of mine or someone that gets a transplant from Dr. Cooley (that way I can find you if you run off with my crap!)- you can borrow the stand device I made for the first couple of weeks until you can go back to using your regular helmet.

Man... I really do like this stand, though. lol... As soon as I put my chin on that pad, my eyes glaze over and I go into a zen trance! It almost feels like I'm getting a massage. Maybe it's just because of the transplant and the lasers are really making it feel better -I don't know, but I wish I could do it for longer than 20 minutes!

I know you've seen them, but frankly I link to these pages in emails all the time and I think it's be good to have them all in one spot.

Yes, yes... they are grainy camera phone pictures. Sorry.

-O.M.G.

The PRP also sounds very intriguing. Did he just coat the transplanted hairs, or the entire donor as well? Everyone contemplating a transplant must understand that post op healing is very important. Some people are incredible healers, and some are not that incredible healers. The combination of lasers and PRP might be just what those poor healers need for their transplant to grow well. Did the doc elaborate on his experiences with the PRP? Would love to hear how it has done thus far.

Oh, and the obvious question, how many grafts did you get? And I assume it was strip and not FUE?

How long were you in the chair? Did you go back the next day, or day after,

and what do they do then? What was the cost? How many graffs previously?

Does this doc have a website with before ad after pics?

Re:

<b>Jacob...</b>

No, I'm not trying A&G yet. I might look into it in a couple of months, though. As far as alternatives to transplants... all I can say is don't hold your breath! If your fine with the way your hair is right now, that's great! But for the rest of us that want stoopid thick hair.... even if there *is* a good altenative to a transplant in five years, that five years of your freaking LIFE that your missing waiting around for it. A lot of people have fears of transplants or something. One of the things I hope to accomplish is to eliminate that.

I think many (who are in a far worse situation than you pre-even your first transplant) may have some legit reasons for not wanting, or being able to do a transplant.

1. Cost(all my years of topicals and shampoos..the money spent is still not what it'd cost to do a transplant..not even close. And again, it seems like topicals etc are still used after transplants)

2. They may actually be "scared" of going that route.

3. It's too drastic a change, too soon. I think many, while not liking how they look with their hairloss...may actually feel uncomfortable..embarrassed..__________ getting a transplant and having all their co-workers..family..friends seeing them afterwards. This is going to be the craziest sounding excuse for you, OMG..I can see it now LOL! I actually think it's going to be easier for many to talk about some new treatment that's out..even if it gives drastic results almost overnight.

4. They really don't care too much about their hair loss. While they'd love to get some hair back..or even all of it..they're able to live with what they have- it doesn't bother them for whatever reason(more important things to worry about..more important things to be thankful for..etc)

5. This one is mainly for the do-it-yourself'ers..but I guess it could apply to anyone using just about anything- it sorta applies to me(as does 4, 3(some) and 1 for me). They want to..even like to..try new things and try to beat the odds w/out going the surgery route. Now of course these same ppl would jump on the first topical or even other non-transplant procedure if it produced crazy results..but they could honestly say- no, I did NOT have a transplant! LOL.......

I'm sure there are others..

very nice!....its a great feeling isnt it?....

I'm just waiting for mine to start growing in, how many graphs did you have done?

I paid $4 per FUE and he gave me 200 for free

My mom works for a great plastic surgeon. One of the top rhinoplasty guys, and he won't even do a surgery unless the person getting plastic surgery agrees in writing that they will stop smoking at least 1 month before the surgery. It just goes to show you how important micro vascularization is to wound healing... especially to something like plastic surgery or hair transplants for that matter. I think lasers have a great future in post surgery healing of scars in many applications not just hair transplants.

Jacob how's your experiment with AG going and did you pay $200 for it or is it a free trial?

Also I've used the A&G complex. It has helped some transplanted follicles that appeared not to take 2 years to come out of dormancy and begin growing. As with most transplants there is a always some follicles that do not appear to take, A&G might be the solution to this problem.

MG63

key words....out in the open. KNOWN..RESPECTED

MG63...

How long after your transplant did you use the A&G complex? Yeah, I might try that at some point.

Hey, for some of you out there, don't forget... I *like* topicals! I don't think they are a necessity with LLLT at all -I think that's been proven well enough- but DUH... I'm always going to experiment because I want the best damn hair ever! It's MINOX that I don't like, and for most people it's bad news. If I have to be the one that starts the call to drum it right out of the forums, I will! Hey... How about at the new site I set up a place where we can keep track of people's success/failures with minox? Anyone want to take the bet that the success rate is going to be something like 10% or less?? WOW... talk about groundbreaking news! A site that finally has the guts to make a headline that says "The Hair Loss Industry is Lying about the Success Rates of Minoxidil, and Here is our Initial Proof:". lol...

So, I wonder which company -or segment of the Hair Loss Industry (LLLT, Minox, Merck, etc.)- will kill me first.

Hapyman...

SEVENTY SOMETHING BUCKS!!! That is coming out of your first paycheck! lol... For those of you that don't know, we were looking to find a really cheap source of power supplies, and we found them! We requested a free sample... and my free sample had a more than SEVENTY BUCK shipping bill attached to it! lol...

My free sample is the most expensive power supply I own by more than DOUBLE!

Seriously, though... as far as Dr. Cooley, he's going to be one of the only Doctors (and probably the only transplant doctor) that will have full access to the new site -meaning news articles, expert blogs, and posts. Hopefully we'll be able to get him to answer a lot of questions about his work, breakthroughs, etc. The problem... he actually WORKS, unlike some other transplant doctors that seem to have nothing to do but build an internet presence! lol...

His second in command there is Ailene, and I'll see if I can get here involved because I think she knows pretty much everything going on! I'll send her an email in a little bit.

Everybody else...

Look, I feel "dumbed down" having to even state this, and I'm sorry if I sound arrogant -I'm not, just flustered because it's common sense to me and it has been for years. If you are wondering why my hair looks thick in some pictures but thinner in these, then go stand two feet from four 100 watt bulbs in a bathroom mirror lamp that are facing straight out at you. Bend your hair forward, and take a picture. Then put that picture on your computer, and compare it to a picture of you in normal light. You will have answered your own question. Please, use some logic with this, ok? THOSE ARE BRIGHT F-ING lights, brighter than when you go into dressing rooms with full length mirrors under fluorescent lights.

ALSO, if you don't understand why a statement that resembles "If a laser helmet is effective, then why would OMG need a transplant?", then I really don't know where to start with you, except here: regrowth.com/hairloss-forums/viewthread.cfm?f=1&t=23758 ...and although you still would have a lot of work ahead of you in the big, scary world of hair loss, the FAQ I spelled out would at least give you a start. But it's time to get with the program, people! COME ON!

Ok, thank you for letting me do that.

-O.M.G.

When I got my first hair transplant, I actually SWELLED like the elephant man for a few days! lol... And yeah, I had red marks for a good long time -a few weeks at least. I remember that it hurt pretty good, too!

Obviously, none of that with this -at least not the swelling (too early to tell about the red marks, but I'm feeling pretty positive here)! This was a marked difference. Dr. Cooley is obviously very skilled, so I don't know how much to attribute this to his skill vs. the lasers, but one thing is for sure... I did NOT have any swelling or inflammation at all this time -which of course makes sense when you look at a graphic such as this (and thank you for this, Jdp710!):

This graphic speaks for itself -and why the medical establishment won't do scans of this sort of thing on HUMANS and release them to the public is beyond me.

This anti-inflammatory aspect and a few other little things I've picked up from tid bits regarding the wound healing protocols are what lead me to break up the initial treatments to several smaller sessions during the first few days.

Like I said, I can't FOR SURE say it was because of the techniques during the procedure, but I definitely never had any swelling or inflammation.

-O.M.G.

About eleven or twelve hours... and YES, he was there with me doing the procedure himself! I showed back up the second day, and all he did was take a few pictures, go over the specifics for this next week, he took some pictures, and we talked about the healing nature of lasers!

This was 2500 grafts, and his site has the specifics of his pricing (although I'll tell you that $10k is the all-inclusive 2500 price). He told me that he is in the process of overhauling his site (which has been delayed because he's moving his office soon) -including a section on his achievements, and he does have some pictures up there now. His site is www.haircenter.com.

He's got a GREAT ONE that he did on someone that none of us would consider "balding", but it's a great illustration of how good he does hair lines:

In fact... if you are like me, the guy in this picture makes me SICK! lol... But seriously, that's how NATURAL he makes his hair lines.

Here is the description of this photo, and HOPEFULLY we'll see the word "Laser Helmet" substituted for the word "finasteride" by this time next year!

This 32 year old man was bothered by his mildly receded hairline. His hair loss had been stabilized with finasteride over the prior couple years. He wanted his hairline reinforced to recreate the look he had when he was younger. After 800 grafts by Dr. Cooley to the hairline, he was extremely satisfied. The key to achieving a natural result here is to restore the frontal and temporal hairline together. Restoring the frontal hairline without filling in the temples will result in an unnatural appearance. Dr. Cooley specializes in restoring hairlines, focusing on creating a completely natural look. It's important to remember that transplanted hairlines are permanent but the hair behind the hairline may not be. Taking finasteride minimizes the chance for further hair loss, and there may be a need for touch ups and fill-ins in the future.

-O.M.G.

I have a couple of minutes of stuff recorded with my video camera, but the tripod wasn't set up right so I don't know how "usable" it will be. His head is cut off, and mine is barely in the bottom of the screen, and it's a little washed out. I, unfortunately, was HAMMERED from valium at the time, so it's my fault. I think I have me trying to stand up and almost falling over, too. I haven't watched much of it though because I'm still just too damn busy with moving and helmets right now -you know, things with a DEADLINE. I'll get to it soon though.

What's cool is that I think I should at least be able to grab a screen shot of me with the permanent marker drawn on my forehead like that guy up there.

-O.M.G.

-O.M.G.

I recall Cello_miami poured on minox on his hairline trpl. and half the hairs never came out! I would not pour on A&G or any other topical that is not recommended diretly by the doctor. Good luck with it OMG, look forward to follow it.

No, nothing was shaved at all. I haven't taken a picture back there yet so I might have to do that, but no... they didn't buzz anything!

I just don't think there is an advantage in the whole shaving/buzzing thing, and I'm talking about the recepient area here, too. Dr. Cooley is pretty groundbreaking to say the LEAST, and he still uses strip vs. FUE, and doesn't shave anything.

-O.M.G.

I've been meaning to say this... I actually stalked you and found your myspace page (when you wouldn't send me that picture I asked for -oh, and I don't need it now anyway), and all I have to say is that if the profile I found was indeed you... umm, you take care of yourself a little better than I do! lol...

That's an understatement, and the great thing about things as profound as a tranplant like this is that it helps you hit the "reset" buttons on other things, too... like the fact that I need to freaking get back in the gym!

-O.M.G.

I just took the picture and added "Day 8" to the mix, and today is the one week point -which is the first day I could really fully shampoo my hair in a shower.

So, almost all the scabs are gone now, and what's really funny is that it looks like I have toppik in my hair because of the little transplanted hairs! Seriously, I can't WAIT until these get full length because just the 1/2 cm hairs are almost GOOD ENOUGH on their own! lol...

So, they aren't any more red than my slightly Irish reddish complexion is anyway. It looks like the area is almost completely healed.

Now... a couple of things. First, I realize that my hair is kind of long and crazy now, so it's hard to see the grafts. So, would you prefer me to actually comb my hair BACK a little?? I think you could actually see the progression of the grafts that way. I might even start doing it wet if it looks like you can see it better. I'd like to know what you guys think.

Also, don't fall for this... there is a BRIGHT STRIPE down the center of my head from the lights. That's actually thick hair, and doesn't have any grafts in it or anything. That, of course, would be that wonderful, thick "island" that would have been left! lol... I just wanted to warn you of that because you are going to see it on A LOT of pictures.

Finally, this is the part we are all now waiting for... Now that I'm at this point, these little hairs -that almost look like toppik- would ordinarily eventually fall out and go dormant for up to 9 to 12 months. What I am hoping is that the accelerated healing of the lasers coupled with all of the other "magic" that LLLT does will result in a much shorter period of dormancy.

You know me though, I am crossing my fingers that they won't go dormant at all, and they have taken root and will simply just GROW, and in three months, they will be three inches long! Yes, that is "pie in the sky", and it probably won't happen. The chances are slim, and I'm not sure if it's even possible.

If it DOES happen like that... then I don't think anyone seeing this will doubt that lasers and transplants should go together like cheech and chong!

Wish those little guys luck, everyone, and yes... I am using the pre-laser topical again.

-O.M.G.

It didn't even dawn on me that people might want to do that! I just created an online folder with 1200 x 900 pictures of each day.

All you have to do is change the number of the day and you'll get the picture. I kept the address really simple, too, and day one is:

www./transplant/day1

...and you'd change the "day1" part to "day2", "day3", etc...

-O.M.G.

Yeah, I actually thought of that, too, which is another reason for my madness with my usage times (that I still haven't made public yet), which is essentially a lot of smaller sessions mixed in. I'll explain all of that at some point! lol...

-O.M.G.

Thanks for that .Yeah I've weight trained (drug steroid free) for 15 years now and being drug free you need to be as healthy as you can in your outlook and what you consume. I try to maximise my potential and you can control alot of the way your body responds,massive shame it's not like that for bloody hairloss or I'd be one happier dude. So you got another strip done,Aaargh I'm not really into that cos as I'm aging I see myself with a buzzed 1 or 2 if I ever get a transplant and just go for lower density but full coverage.With a tan I think this would be best for me.

Gym aint for every one,find something you like to do and aint a chore.I have a few other activities also.

Massive respect aswell man !

I've watched most of your vids (including the recent 1 on getting the messiah to fit well) and your hair looks massively thicker than in the pics above. Lighting does expose the scalp more (as does having wet hair of course) but the differences are immense in my opinion.

Don't get me wrong, I really hope the transplant works out well for you, but this thread doesn't fill me with confidence on the long term benefits of LLLT (am I going to get crucified for that statement? lol)

One transplant already and over a year of lasering, and you still need another TP?

Do you use any cover up products? Because that's the only thing that would explain the reasonably thick hair in your vids, and the perceivably thinner hair seen above.

I apologise for the unsupportive tone of my post, I don't mean to sound like a dick. This is a great forum offering a wealth of pooled knowledge... and support....but I can't understand the differences I see before me....unless your hairloss has continued despite lasers...or previous pics involve cover up products.

For the record, I would never have a transplant...way too scary for me....but I would use a cover up...I just don't think they're as effective for platinum blondes?

I've lost my hair for 14 years straight! I had a transplant SIX AND A HALF YEARS AGO, and I've needed another as soon as two years after that because I didn't find a treatment that worked until EIGHTEEN MONTHS AGO!

My first posts on this board in 2005 under the name "OverMachoGrande" where talking about how I needed my second transplant! Where is your confusion?!

I had AMAZING SUCCESS with a laser helmet, and I've never said you could regrow hair in a "slick bald area". Had I have had the money anytime before this, I would have gotten that NEEDED transplant as soon as 2005.

So let me get this straight, and I want you to respond to this: So because I've lost hair for 14 years straight and I want to look like I have never had hair loss in my life, I'm somehow saying lasers don't work as well as YOU THOUGHT because the past 18 months haven't regrown it to the point of my transplant 6 1/2 years ago? I truly hope you clear this up for me!

Man, you guys are killing me with this shit. I know no one can know EVERYTHING about me, but I've talked about my preveious transplant six and a half years ago and my desire for a second hair transplant for YEARS, and it's not hard to miss. The fact that you know that I'm any sort of hair loss veteran at all is telling me that you don't understand anything about hair loss. I'm not being mean... but I truly don't "get it".

And by the way, go stand two feet from four 100 watt light bulbs and take your picture and post it. Then take a picture of you in normal conditions, and you tell me what you see. Plus... I *always* state I've used toppik in my videos, and I have before and after pictures, too, that show what my hair is like. With laser therapy, I could finally get back to the point where I could walk around WITHOUT toppik -something I was a slave to for three years before that.

So, I want confirmation here, too... now that you understand more about my loss -that I'm sorry you have missed my life story but it's not hidden- do you understand that "this thread doesn't fill me with confidence on the long term benefits of LLLT" is a silly statement?!

I don't mean to sound like a dick, either, but I think if you take the leap to say a treatment must not be working because a veteran is getting a transplant -that's a pretty ignorant statement, but that's one thing. When that veteran has been talking about it ad nauseum for four years... that's another.

Man, seriously... please, everyone else that doesn't see this please speak up. Is anyone else confused about what I've been talking about for four years? Is anyone else confused by what I said laser therapy is capable of? Is anyone else confused by taking pictures two feet from four 100 watt light bulbs?

Let me know, because this needs to be settled, and my patience is just worn out from this after being "character assasinated" on Immortal's forum.

-O.M.G.

www.regrowth.com/hairloss-forums/viewthread.cfm?f=1&t=20612

This was posted six months IN to my laser helmet treatment, not even a year ago! If you missed this, once again... that's pretty innocent. But still, coming up with a conclusion that LLLT isn't what I and sixty other people have said it is because I'm getting a transplant to fill in the areas that NOTHING can regrow -and I've made hundreds of statements saying that I have areas behind my first hair transplant that will NEVER REGROW, lllt or not?! ...That's just STUPID.

I don't want to make an enemy out of you, DR185, so I'm sorry about my tone, but I just don't know how you could come up with that conclusion. I hope that you can understand my frustration with your statement because it's illogical even on the base level, and I'm honestly one of the hair loss forum world's LEAST ANONYMOUS PEOPLE. My life is pretty much an open book on these forums, moreso than I think anyone else. My transplant, my history, my jobs, my divorce, the cities I've lived in... all pretty common knowledge.

There are A LOT more threads than this one, too. Again, if anyone else is confused, please let me know. I know ONE THING you won't be confused about.... when this hair starts coming in three months from now -and I have all the HD video of how good ALL my hair looks, you're going to want to look this way, too.

Fighting hair loss is three parts...

1) stopping further hair loss,

2) getting rid of your dead, limp hair and making it vibrant and full again, and...

3) replacing the follicles that will never grow again.

I solved points one and two 18 months ago. Guess how? With a laser helmet -and I've tried everything else under the sun, and nothing worked but the LASER HELMET. Now that I solved those first two, I solved point three last week. I have VICTORY. I will have no further loss because of my laser therapy, and the hairs on my head will be as vibrant as they were when I was a teenager.

Had I had started my laser helmet in Jan 2003 when I got my first transplant... I NEVER would have been in this situation, you guys wouldn't know who I was, and NO ONE would ever have know that I was at one point considered "balding". You guys should actually be happy that I'm going to be so OPEN with this... I'm going to have up close pictures of my hair daily for years and years now. I'm going to SHOW YOU that laser therapy works exactly like I've been saying!

www.regrowth.com/hairloss-forums/viewthread.cfm?f=1&t=23758#139695

...and I responded with a long "FAQ" about my hair loss history that explains everything, once agian -not like I needed to because it's everywhere.

He *didn't* respond to it -and it gives me the impression of sort of being a "hit and run" slanderous type of thing. I'm sure that you wouldn't want to create that impression as well, because that'd be very unfortunate if that wasn't the case.

And by the way... so you missed this thread, too?? I this only ONE MONTH AGO, explained everything in plain text AGAIN, and it's entitled "Stage II" of all of this -Real Laser Therapy after a Hair Transplant experiment...":

http://www.regrowth.com/hairloss-forums/viewthread.cfm?f=3&t=23346

I don't know how I could have possibly done anything more other than to send personal memos to your house.

-O.M.G.

Thanks! I'm am no longer by any stretch of the imagination going to be considered "bald" after this.

I want to ask you a question, though... do you, Chore Boy, have a problem understanding why I got a transplant? Do you think that me getting a transplant goes against what I've been saying in any way, shape or form about LLLT for the entire history of my posting career -especially the past 18 months? Was it a surprise in ANY WAY?

I'm just wondering how widespread this is. No jokes, because I'm really getting a bit understandibly frustrated.

-O.M.G

I'm looking forward to Zix re-upping his diode supply so I can build a little cluster or something. I just can't stay focused with my 4-diode ALC... shit's a joke. I wish I had the resources to build a helmet but I have other ways I should be allocating my loot right now. I'm actually thinking about buying a house... I could literally own my own shit right now for less than I'm paying for rent!

...but also what I'm specifically asking, too, is if I -OverMachoGrande- have done anything to make you fee that I have fallen into the catagory of your statement: "...but you or anyone else would be delusional to think that LLLT could reverse extensive balding (with maybe the exception of it being used conjunctively and it being a case of an unusually strong responder)."

I feel that I've been REALLY CLEAR AND CONSISTENT on my message about LLLT -which is that I think it's without a doubt the best treatment currently available, but it will only do so much in terms of pure regrowth and you need new follicles (a.k.a. -a transplant) to fill in the rest if you want a full head of hair because slick bald areas are DEAD. I think that I've said that so much that everyone here should be able to recite that in their sleep. So... what I'm asking is that have I been really clear and consistent in that message, and does what I just said sound really, really, REALLY familiar to you?! lol...

Also, I wouldn't mind your opinion on my pictures. I've heard twice that people are just shocked that it looks like I have thinner hair in those pictures. I've posted before/after pictures perviously, I've explained that I'm directly in front of bright lights, and I've always said I've used toppik in videos (all of this is on record, btw)... so are those pictures up there in ANY WAY shocking to you? Do those pictures in any way go against anything/everything I said or led you to believe in my history of posting here at Regrowth?

Thanks!

-O.M.G.

There shouldn't be ANY SHAME in it. For some reason we are programmed to feel it, including me, but crap... hair is DIRECTLY RELATED to success with women, career, etc. We've all seen the stats. I don't see why we should have a problem with what other people WITH HAIR think about our balding situation!

As far as your pictures are concerned, it appears you are healing at a rapid rate... good for you. Definitely faster than I did! Your existing hair looks extremely healthy, too.

Don't concern yourself with what others think... let 'em hate. You know it's viable and that's all that matters.

-O.M.G

Re:

You are not going to regrow hair past the 30 month window. This has been debated in the past and nothing has ever shown to. If there ever was anything that would regrow hair 30 months after it died, everyone would be all over it. That's why you had everyone jump on A&G serum. That's why you had people rubbing cayenne pepper on their head, etc., etc..

So again, nothing will regrow hair past 30 months. Propecia won't. Minoxidil won't. LLLT won't. You get my point.

I'm going to highlight what OMG said as it's extremely important ...

====================================================

OverMachoGrande said:

Fighting hair loss is three parts...

1) stopping further hair loss,

2) getting rid of your dead, limp hair and making it vibrant and full again, and...

3) replacing the follicles that will never grow again.

I solved points one and two 18 months ago. Guess how? With a laser helmet -and I've tried everything else under the sun, and nothing worked but the LASER HELMET. Now that I solved those first two, I solved point three last week. I have VICTORY.

Had I had started my laser helmet in Jan 2003 when I got my first transplant... I NEVER would have been in this situation,

=================================================

Anyway, poor OMG. I feel sorry for the man. Everyone really need to read this forum more often as it's impossible repeating the same answers again. He has said dozens upon dozens of times that he's going to get a hair transplant and that we will all be envious of him once he does. He has never said, and nobody has that LLLT (or any hair loss product for that matter) will regrow hair past the 30 month window.

I'm not attacking you dr185 far from it so don't take my post the wrong way as making posts on the internet can be taken the wrong way. But the reason why I'm making this post is because I hear OMG's frustration as I have the same frustration. I'm personally very frustrated of having to repeat myself many times over and over and over again. I know other forum members have also commented that they are tired of seeing the same threads repeatedly. That's why you have people now answering questions by posting links instead of answering the question directly. That's why you have cuebreeze saying for the millionth time to use google to do a search on this site or click on the magnifying glass and then do Ctrl F on your keyboard to find the thread you're looking for.

Sorry for the rant.

Anyway, for those that don't believe LLLT works for MPB, at least they have PROOF that it's the best treatment to stop inflammation from a hair transplant, lol. Damn, in 5 days ... where's the inflammation!!!!

hope this helps

From what I've heard I believe there is also another one or two more studies being carried out right now, as well as an FDA approval. Not sure how accurate it is but maybe others can shed more light on the current studies being done and FDA approval.

what does dr. cooley think about a fue technique? the kind where they get the follicles one at a time instead of pulling a strip? besides taking longer and costing more are there any disadvantages to this method? and how many grafts did you get? or is that a secret?

hairisgood

some just dont understand any factors beyond this.

I was never under the impression that lasers would grow hair on long dead slick scalp. It did what i wanted it to.........stopped my hair loss dead in it's tracks....thickened what i got to make my hair look better than it has in 5-7 years. There are a few tiny hairs popping up in the frontal line and about three weird wild hairs about an 1/8-1/4 of an inch below the hair line.

5 months 230 diodes, 3x wk

Oh yeah, it also stopped that maddening scalp itch i had.

For example:whats is the thing with 30 months??? does a follicle lived 30 months after hair falls out???

Most people believe, and many accounts back it up, that once a follicle has lost its hair shaft for 30 months the chances of reviving it are very slim. Now this is in at least MY opinion is not set in stone but is a good estimate. Also who knows what the future holds... but as of right now it seems that nothing out there can revive a follicle after about 30 months. Maybe 5+ years of lasers will do it, or maybe not. No one knows.

Thats why i think also that most (pretty much all of them) topical doesnt work well. You have to get the scalp back to normal if your gonna have any luck growing hair and this could take a looooooong time if you've been slick bald for ages. But if you can get your scalp back to acting like a normal persons without hairloss than alot of these topicals might make the scalp react in a completely different way.

Its like putting a plant into a bucket with no soil. Add water and i highly doubt its gonna do anything (you mite get some peach fuzz hahahaha). But get some good quality soil and try adding your water a.k.a topicals and the plant may grow alot better!

Man that sounded so spot on to me

Re:

----------------------------------------------------

"A 30 Month Regression Is The Best We Can Probably Hope For

Again.....remember I am just stating my opinion!

I've always noticed that successful treatment for male or female pattern baldness seemed to occur with those individuals that recently began losing their hair. This study would tend to explain why that is. Basically it shows that once a hair follicle has stopped producing a terminal hair for more than 30 months, it can never be stimulated to do so. In short we need to intervene at the first signs of the condition. Essentially, the conversion of testosterone to DHT causes the physiological response of inflammation and then fibrosis. Once fibrosis has set in....the game is over. From a more practical stand point, the best case scenario would be to stop further hair loss and regress the condition back 30 months. If you're hoping to do better than that, your efforts will end in disappointment.

Understanding the "30 month window of opportunity" has some advantages for the long time hair loss sufferer. Being armed with this knowledge can prevent you from wasting time and money attempting to regrow hair that can't be regrown. Perhaps it will allow you to devote more effort in other areas that would be of better benefit to your self confidence. Getting in great physical shape could be one of them. Spending the money you would have wasted on hair loss treatments to buy a new wardrobe could be another.

Irreversibility of hair follicle changes after 30 months of Androgenetic Alopecia.

Konstantinova N, Korotkii N.G, Sharova N, Barhunova E, Gaevski D. Nioxin Research Inc, Atlanta, USA Moscow Medical University

We studied horizontal and vertical biopsy from 15 caucasian 24-41 year old males diagnosed with bitemporal recession Androgenetic Alopecia (AA) for 1.5 –18 years (average 7.4 years). All 15 biopsies were stained with H&E, Van Gieson and with other collagen specific stainings. 1. Eleven pts with AA longer than 3 years had perifollicular fibrosis - collagen fibers were compact and formed a small scar-like formation around each anagen hair follicle(HF). Two patients - 33 year old with 18 month AA and 23 year old with 20 month AA did not have these hair follicle changes. Two 26-year-old patients with 30 and 36 month AA respectively were found to have some not so severe collagen fiber changes. 2. Infundibulum of HF dilatated 124-192 mm and most of them covered with keratinazed plug lacking normal hair shaft growth. 3. Decreased number of hair follicles 1.75-2,45 per sq. mm from 3.5-5 per sq. mm in control group. 4. None of anagen HF was situated in subcutaneous fat. We showed a correlation between length of the AA and severity/ thickness of perifollicular fibrosis. The result of this study is that any treatment of AA is recommended to start earlier than 30 months from first signs of AA. This should prevent irreversible collagen changes associated with “fibrotic incapsulation” of most anagen HF in involved areas, which usually leads to loss of normal blood supply, innervation, and subsequent miniaturization and prevention of hair from normal cycling."

http://www.qdbd.com/hair_loss_treatment_103.htm

Personally I think wounding will take off in the next 5-10 years or so. I think wounding along with the proper topicals will stimulate regeneration of the endothelium, remove fibrosis, and stimulate hair stem cells. The proper "environment" for this to work is still being studied though so a public release is probably more.

Also Jacob I remember you posting once that the hair shaft will actually dissolve the fibrin above it to allow the hair to protrude. Stuff like this and the process that triggers this to happen need to be studied more.

As for me I think I am just starting to stabilize my loss and am starting to get some terminal hairs near the temple region which is reassuring. But who knows how much of what I lost will grow back. No matter how much we gain we always seem to want more

Anyway... I've got a very brief video that I'm mixing and I'm going to upload to SETTLE this bright light/digital camera mess ONCE AND FOR ALL. I'm going to post it into this thread and make it's own thread so I can easily link to it very soon.

You guys that apparently don't listen to me when I tell you things -things based from the simplest of practical knowledge that should be so commonplace with someone fighting hair loss that I'm embarrased for you when you "don't get it"- are about to have an "epiphany".

-O.M.G.

I don't check these boards religiously, which would explain why there are probably holes in my acquired knowledge. Sorry about that. I've almost certainly missed some important posts in the past. There are only so many threads a person can read in a lifetime.

Thanks for your comprehensive responses OMG, you have certainly cleared up a number of things for me. I didn't realise that you used toppik in your vids, I must have missed that info, sorry about that.

That in itself is enough explanation. I just saw what I thought looked like thinner hair in your recent photos, which led me to believe that your loss was continuing despite LLLT. Toppik explains it all, thanks.

Choreboy, there's certainly NO hate going on here, just free and open inquiry (albeit based on my partial ignorance....I really should read more threads).

Unfortunately for me 5 months of lasering hasn't done much for me. I intially felt some thickening benefits at the 2month mark, but I've steadily lost more hair ever since. I admit that my first device was only 60 focused diodes moved 5 times..but I've been using my 370 diode diffuse helmet for almost 2months now and I'm hoping this will show perceivable results soon.

Sorry to have been a catalyst for frustration.

Incidently I have introduced a 'different' type of light device on my days off from lasers. I beleive it's creating beneficial cosmetic effects after only 3 weeks....however I'm still reluctant to claim it's def because of this. I'm going to give it another month then post a thread on it....with a link to a very cheap device (of course it could be due to a delayed response to LLLT, I'll never know!?).

Similar to you OMG, I've been losing my hair since the age of 21. I'm now almost 37. Only people who've known me many years would tell that I was balding. My diffuse thinning is hard to spot even after 16 years, whereas many friends who began losing at the same time are completey slick now.

I've never used internals, I attempted minox a few yrs back which seemed to casues a year long shed. So basically I've done little to combat HL and yet I've retained a lot. My dad, uncles, cousins were all completely bald by the time they were 30. So my only theory is that I began washing my hair religiously everyday from the moment I knew my loss had started (it looked so crap if I allowed it to get greasy). No special shampoos, just normal thickening shampoos....I rinsed and repeated and let it sit on my scalp for 5 mins. That seems to have been enough to slow my loss considerably.

I hate having to spend time making posts like this, because it's something that people fighting hair loss SHOULD know all about anyway because they should be taking pictures of themselves under bright, revealing lights (whether they share them on the forums or not). I feel like I have to BACKTRACK over things that I shouldn't have to -I've spelled this out in the forums many times! However, this may help people understand more about the "art" of looking at hair pictures and what they have to take in consideration before they look at them.

Several people have not understood why my hair looks allegedly "thinner" in my before/after pictures and post transplant pictures than in my videos or other pictures from a distance -even though I've ATTEMPTED to explain this to no end on the forums previously. In fact, some have said that it DISHEARTENS THEM about laser therapy! Ugh... so, it's time for me to do more work to educate people on something I think is common sense.

So yes, I think what is in this video should be common sense... even if you know nothing about camera contrast compared to the human eye -and how HD cameras eliminate this problem. That's why I get frustrated... it should be "common sense" because you should know this from DOING THIS YOURSELF! We are all taking our own pictures, right?? RIGHT?! Whether we share them or not? Everyone reading this that has more than two posts by there name should have had experience with a camera under bright lights in their own bathroom, holding the camera out so you can see the LED screen in the mirror so you can line up the shot.

So, watch this very brief video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuKGkn9FpJg

Don't forget to click the "HD" button for the best quality resolution.

...and if there is ANYONE after watching this that doesn't understand not only am I indeed RIGHT about what I'm saying about the "wash out" effect and the short comings of digital cameras, but why I'm frustrated also... please let me know so we can clear it up right here, right now!

Without a doubt... my hair looks super thick -FROM THE LASERS- in real life, and that can't be captured with standard digital cameras under bright lights. If you saw the video, you just saw that. I'm not blowing smoke out your ass, I just freaking proved it. Yes, the newly trasplanted hair is sort of having a "masking" effect similar to a light dusting of toppik, but I think you are intellegent enough that you can use the same knowledge you just learned from the clear difference between the digital camera (not real life) and the HD camcorder (real life) in this video and apply it to a slightly different scenario. Being able to do stuff like that is what separates us from the monkeys. Well, separates ME from the monkeys at any rate!

...And everyone that does have the balls to take and share pictures with others, you may want to bookmark this thread. It may come in handy when you have some little occasional $*@! trying to pick apart your pictures. Anybody that's posted them knows what I'm talking about.

-O.M.G.

PS- Sorry about the "silence" in the video... youtube cracked down on using background songs, and frankly their replacement music is pretty horrible so I might leave it without sound.

I assume the "some little occasional $*@! trying to pick apart your pictures" statement refers to me (and prob anyone other POLITE inquirer). If so, then I'm quite disappointed with the venomous way you respond to posts.

I understand your frustrations, repeating yourself can become tiresome I know. But there's no need to be offensive.

I'm a high school math teacher. If a student has missed a key lesson and demonstration and doesn't have any guidance notes, I'd understand if they struggled with a new concept....and I certainly wouldn't call them stupid (I would be frustrated tho). If, on the other hand, they had done weeks of ground work with my support, completed assignments on the topic gaining As all the way....but they bomb in a interim assessment on the same topic....then I'd probably call them stupid, amongst other things. Apply that analogy to this situation and hopefully you understand what I'm getting at.

Trust me... when I say "picking apart your pictures", I *mean* "picking apart your pictures". "Your head angle is two degrees this way so it's making your hair look fuller than it is. Your hand six inches away makes it look like you hair is fuller than it is. Your hair is cut longer/cut shorter, and it's making it look fuller than it is." If you scroll up, you'll see he was asking for a pre-surgery picture. That... was a TRAP. I don't fall into traps. EVER.

Oh, it was even a joke to use the "$*@!" because whenever I do call him names, he repeats it to me on the thread about 30 times on the thread even after I tell him one more post will get him a warning! lol..

-O.M.G.

I have days 9, 10, and 11 -and 11 even made it into that video- but my camera ran out of batteries and my new laptop needs an adapter for the memory stick that I don't have, so what I'm saying is that my camera has to be ON for me to get the pictures.

I'll put them all together tomorrow, and honestly... I don't see why I wouldn't just KEEP taking these pictures for as long as I can. That'd be cool! I don't know if I have the drive to do that, but it'd be neat to have five years of daily pictures condensed to a minute animation.

I could never figure out that amsch guy. He would piss in everyone's threads when they posted pictures for having the slightest change in angle but he did the same when he posted pictures ....

http://www.regrowth.com/hairloss-forums/viewthread.cfm?f=1&t=21694

As jpd said before, it goes to show how easy it is to misinterpret the written word.

The amount of times I get into disagreements with my GF...because my text was too brief and direct...so I must be pissed off with her!!? When actually I'm holding on to the hand rail and getting thrown around on the train whilst on my way back from work....one hand free...sandwiched between hundreds of commuters....but it' obviously because I'm pissed off with her!?

Face to face communication will never be beat.

I posted pics of myself back around Sept of last year or so. Since then, I've probably had a dozen people say EXTREMELY negative comments about my pictures in dozens of threads. A dozen people doesn't sound like much but when they keep repeating themselves over and over again in many different threads it can take a toll.

In short, I believe these people who are so negative are mostly 20 something year old kids fresh out of High School that haven't grown up and just want to chat about life and really aren't looking into ways of fighting MPB. They make hit and run tactics on threads and you'll never hear from them again. Then they'll resurface a couple weeks later doing the same thing all over again ...

Anyway, if you want to see a classic example of people talking crap about pictures you should check out this thread and there a lot more out there just like it ....

http://www.hairlosshelp.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=7&threadid=83597&STARTPAGE=1&FTVAR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Linear

"After looking at the first few, not only are some of them atrocious quality, the ones that are half decent show no cosmetic difference."

------------------------------------

"Testimonials are WORTHLESS! Where are the pics for us to judge ?"

-----------------------------

HAHA,

Enjoy peddling this shite.

Between, lasers, toco 8, and now this other potential product, you all should have full heads of hair!

Oh wait, none of them work...

Good luck on your scams.

--------------------------------

I know exactly what Davis is getting at and so do you!! All your pictures show zero improvement.

Now i know that you harp on about doing things the natural way(avoiding drugs like minox/fin etc) But at least there are decent pictures for these products that represent evidence that they work

--------------------------------------

I remember looking at some of your progress photos before, showing temple growth. I was impressed...I COULD see an improvement (sorry I didn't add a post of support at the time...I should have).

Anyway, as already stated, it's easier for the individual to assess their progress, photos aren't all that reliable.

Incidently the 'altrenative to laser' light therapy I'm currently using (and I can tentatively say it's working... somewhat) relates to a previous thread we both discussed on. I'm reluctant to say more until I'm sure the improvements are real and continuing...watch this space!

Ok i'll stop being cryptic. I previously asked you about the use of UV LEDs (and yellow...but it was mainly UV I was interested in) to enhance the pigment of my blonde hair.

As I discussed before, sunlight has always improved the thickness, colour and health of my scalp and hair. I hoped that a decent UV LED bulb moved across the scalp might produce the same results.

It's only been 3 weeks (poss 4?) since I started this treatment, so I feel it's too early to say if its' helping. Having said that, my hair is definatley back to it's platinum best. It's taken on a great tone of colour. I'm noticing some cosmetic thickening also, which always occurs when my hair goes blonder in the sun.

I'll keep at it and report back when I can def say it's working (i.e. replicating the sun's effects). I got a good quality UV LED from ebay that even stated it could be used for medical purposes (amongst others). It was the most expensive bulb of that kind, with plenty of wavelenght data etc. They're probably all the same....but I'm one of those people that thinks, if its expensive it must be the best!? Having said that it was only approx $30 (I think).

I have it wired so I can easily hold it and move it around my scalp. I rest it directly on the scalp for a few moments, then move on to a new area. But for the most part I just keep moving slowly around (for about 30mins every other day).

With those quotes, I honestly expected the date of that HairLossHelp thread to be April 2007, not April 2009! lol... Man, those are reprehensible!

...and I don't believe them to be legitimate, at all. Either by motives that are sinister or just plain idiots that are there for conversation and AREN'T trying to cure their own hair loss (I wouldn't begin to understand WHY they are in a hair loss fourm, but we've clearly documented that those people exist!)... those people are NOT like the people at Regrowth.

If somebody says "I've tried this and it works" here, people listen, look into it, and if it doesn't pan out, it gets weeded out -and if it works then more of us try it. If somebody says the same thing at HairLossHelp, the opposite happens.... people DON'T LISTEN, NO ONE looks into it but yet they shout like they know what they are talking about, and whether it actually works or not... no one there will ever know! So, whatever.

One other point... the Lasercomb is approved by the FDA and has the same miserable failure rate as minox and propecia! DUH! ...But why are the other forums still locked goose-stepped into using minox and propecia, but they DON'T use the lasercomb -and they shout down all other treatments, too? [and new people, don't you DARE think I'm saying the lasercomb works! lol...]

Two reasons... laziness with using that laser comb (which most posters there are very lazy, want to be spoonfed, and don't want to do any sort of effort and just be "chatty cathys" I suppose), and behind-the-scenes money with minox and propecia. Meaning... there are A LOT of minox companies out there, and it's really easy for them to come on and say a few "HA HA, Lasers don't work!" things, and then say "I've had amazing success with my Promox and Xandrox 15". Jeez, look at when SANDMAN was here! lol... and where are all of those "first time poster with a question about [insert Sandman's product here]" threads that used to come up EVERY WEEK, and then stopped the very second he was banned?!

You get my point. I'm rambling, but all I'm really saying is I like regrowth because we have a GREAT sniff test for people here -and I think we know what the true evil of the hair loss industry is, and we FIGHT IT.

-O.M.G.

I think the problem here is that like Dr said people miss a lot of posts and there is no reason to expect everyone to catch every morsel of information. However, with that being said, people who do not know the whole situation shouldn't jump to conclusions about people without further inquiry.

Just letting you know that I'm on day 12 of the LLLT experiment, and judging by the pictures, I'd say I could have easily gone out in public (NOT UNDER BRIGHT LIGHTS LIKE IN THE PICTURE! lol...) by day 5 or 6, had full healing of the transplant area by day 8, and by day 10 or 11, my hair has returned to it's full vigor again. [Remember... I kept it wet most of that first week using the post-transplant spray.]

I still have the transplanted grafts on my head. Almost hourly (lol...) I check and see if they are still in place. So far, they don't seem to have fallen out YET.

Just to sum it up for people that may not realize this, what is SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN is that those hairs will fall out soon, the transplanted follicles will go into a dormant stage, and then they will ordinarily reawaken anywhere from six months to a year.

So, to re-state what I'm crossing my fingers about... I want the LLLT to be so effective that I don't lose those hairs, and they never go dormant! I don't even know if that's possible, and it's certainly not likely, but I hope that is what happens -and to point out... there is NO DOCUMENTATION (at least that we have access to) with an experiment like this with LLLT on this scale! I, of course, will be disappointed if they do, but in the way that you get disappointed when you don't when the 120 million powerball lottery! Got it? It certainly DOES NOT mean that the LLLT is not having a profound effect! I hate having to spell that out, but I have to put that stuff on record for the idiots out there that quote only half of what I say.

I'm going to mention the dosages that I used with my "Post Transplant Recovery Device", and I'll go a little bit into the reasoning, but I'll get into the explanations more in depth at a later point. One point you have to understand... after really looking into it, I came to the conclusion that wound healing is a much different animal than hair growing -and I think when you look at my recovery pictures, I think I have shown that my gut feelings have been right.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Day 1 - I used my device for five minutes (literally the first thing after walking into the hotel room immediately after surgery.) This time was based on the ".5 joules is ideal for wound healing on open wounds" study. Five minutes is longer than the time required, but my head was scabby and covered with blood, PRP, and liquids used during the surgery.

Honestly... I wish I stayed awake longer, or woken up at midnight, and did the same thing again,

Day 2 - Woke up in the morning, and did five minutes again. I would have done it mid-day, but I had a six hour drive. When I got back that evening, I did it five minutes again.

Like I said, I'll go into it later, but I have a GUT FEELING that breaking up the treatment is much better in a situation like this. I'd rather have the stimulation broken up over several periods during the day. I really think that this is better for the stimulation of the transplanted follicles.

Day 3 - I used it for three sessions, five minutes each time.

Day 4 - Same as day three, three x 5 minutes.

Day 5 - Five minutes in the morning, ten minutes in the day, and five minutes again in the evening.

AS you can see... I wasn't concerned about the "compounding effect of lllt". This is because I have another GUT FEELING. I think that when you go through something like a transplant... you NEED the energy, therefore you USE the energy. I think the mitochondria, cells, etc. are working OVERTIME to repair everything, and I think that the LLLT is FOOD for that activity. The food gets EATEN.

This GUT FEELING is backed up by studies done on rats that showed that large wounds still show signs of healing much quicker even with dosages as high as TWENTY ONE JO

I will look into magoil. I do take a magnesium supp every night, just before bed.....however it's mainly mag oxide, which I'm led to belive is less effective? Well it certainly sounds like it isn't absorbed and metabolised as well.

I think I should try a new brand for sure.

MAYBE... but remember, look at this picture: www./transplant/day1.jpg

...and remember that after wounding, your scalp SHOULDN'T look anything close to that! lol... I hope not at least! ...And I really didn't do that much with the times except break them up and do a week of every day treatment, and I'm now following that week with two weeks of 20 mins one day/5 mins the next alterations. I'm doing that extra time now to attempt to keep the follicles stimulated so maybe they won't go dormant, by the way.

So yeah, you could be right, so maybe you could wound on the "off days", and you could do a .5 joule dose (not the five minutes I was doing... maybe more like a two minute dose) with the laser helmet, and that might make a difference.

BUT ONE IMPORTANT QUESTION... the purpose of wounding isn't necessarily to heal as quick as you can, is it? With the transplant, I wanted to heal up the area as fast as I could so the follicles stayed active with less "shock". Even though I was an "original wounder" way back in the Summer of 2007, I've forgotten the theories now. Would accelerated healing mean more stem cells turning into more follicles, or would it mean a little bit less?

info regarding dermarolling from this thread http://www.regrowth.com/hairloss-forums/viewthread.cfm?f=1&t=23591#138279 =

"the inflammation phase is critical to the release of MANY enzymes and growth factors critical to wound healing. And the longer the inflammation phase, the more collagen that is ultimately developed"

info regarding LLLT =

"Growth factor response within cells and tissue as a result result of increased ATP and protein synthesis

Improved cell proliferation"

-------------------------------------------

BTW, based on the research at essentialdayspa.com using a dermaroller and LED lights is not a good idea. So again, use one or the other for results but not both. Using Vitamin A & C would be a better way of getting better results from dermarolling and "maybe" LLLT.

"Vitamin A in physiologic doses will stimulate cell growth, the release of growth factors, angiogenesis [7], and the production of healthy new collagen. The DNA effects of vitamin A interact in parallel with the growth factors released by PCI [dermarolling]. Adequate nourishment of the skin with vitamin A (not necessarily as retinoic acid but also as retinyl esters, retinal, or retinaldehyde) will ensure that the metabolic processes for collagen production will be maximized and the skin will heal as rapidly as possible.

Vitamin C is similarly important for collagen formation"

http://www.regrowth.com/hairloss-forums/viewthread.cfm?f=1&t=23591#138279

hope this helps

Also you menchoned that you will be asking dr cooley some posters questions. Ive read that he has some views and may try bht with prp in another forum. So if he thinks it may possibly have better results than id like to hear his views on bht with one of your laser helmets. Do you know when you'll be asking him some questions?

On a side note, I found this picture on another website....they did what I wanted OMG to do, that is only laser one side of your head so you can see the effect LLLT has.

http://www.promoweb-us.com/previewmmc/pics/results3.jpg

It's with a HairMax comb but at least it's something showing LLLT results post HT.

Is it the same person at all? To me it looks like they photochoped 2 sides together. Either different time frame or different person even. Look at how straight on side of hairline is compared to the other.

Either it's fake or this was one LOUSY HT job.

Hey, guys...

It's funny that this thread got bumped up because I was just at his office in Charlotte a few hours ago!

I'm going to make a new thread with new graphics and an HD video to do the one month update, but here is the news...

Dr. Cooley was STUNNED at the regrowth! I have 3/4 inch hairs already in the front, and he concurs that my results are EXTREMELY ACCELERATED.

At four weeks, the "expectation" normally is to be really nothing much at this point... just healing -certainly not the dense amount of growth that I already have. What's cool is that with the long ones, you can see that my hair went through a phenomenon called "Pohl-Pinkus"... basically, they have the dark tip, then they have a thinner, nearly colorless section of growth (from the stress of the transplant), and then they are back to thick and dark again. I guess I have Oreo Cookie hairs, and I have a lot of those.

So, he feels that there is NO DOUBT about LLLT speading up recovery times -and yes, I'm talking about my "post surgery trasplant device" here being responsible.

Now... Are you ready?? There is a MYSTERY FOR US TO SOLVE!!! Hooray! Our board is the best at this in the entire free world! My accelerated regrowth is the most prominent/profound AT THE FRONT, slowly gets a little less dense as it goes back, and by the time it gets to the very back, it's only better-than-average for this time period. So... there is the mystery!

So lets figure out why in the hell it did that! lol... Dr. Cooley took a quick stab at it that it actually might be due to the blood flow here. Yes, so maybe actually increased blood flow did something for us, for a change! Basically, the "richer, fresher blood" from the body is hitting those areas in the greatest amount, those hairs are taking the most nutrition from it.

Any other thoughts?? I started thinking that maybe I had too much of a "dome" under my transplant recovery device, but I don't think that was the case, nor has anything to do with it. I MADE SURE that it was conformed very well. Anybody got any theories??

Oh, and like I said... I will post a new thread on this when I get back in town next week. But here is the deal, we already know this laser shit is the real deal. Slowly but surely, just like what is going on right now, the word is going to start to get out to the "professionals" (remember... now INTERCYTEX knows the potential of our laser helmets), and the ones that were on the wrong side of the aisle will be drummed out of existence. [And the forum idiots that were fighting us? lol... I can't even remember the name of a single one of them, so who gives a damn.]

-O.M.G.

Did you use any topicals during the post transplant LLLT sessions?

Blood would be fresh to the site regardless if there was LLLT or not. Blood goes to the point of injury ANYWHERE in the body as it aids in healing. It could very well be the Mitochondria stimulation due to LLLT that was mentioned in a previous theory as to why. Could be faster because the hairs that were transplanted weren't susceptible to DHT binding to the follicle site. Could be a number of reasons but those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. I'll think about it for a few days, and see what else I can theorize.

Fresh blood just doesn't add up in my mind. But I could be wrong.

Anyhow I will take a stab at this. If I remember correctly you have WAY more transplants near the front than the back. So I am thinking that it may have correlation with the amount of wounding done to the skin in the front versus that of the back. More growth factors being released, healthy collagen etc etc. I've always have been intrigued with the prospect of wounding with the use of lasers. We may be entering another possible realm of treatments if this is the case. Lava212 is doing something like this with no transplants so it will be interesting to see if he continues to have great results... and if so if someone else can reproduce it.

A general consensus on the true results of minoxidil would be greatly appreciated. Personally, I think I have regressed after starting on a 15% solution approximately one year ago. Do you plan on developing this site soon or in the near future? If it’s anything like , I would be interested to know the feedback you receive from companies who have a vested interest in minoxidil.

Why Dr. Cooley and not another physician closer to home? Is he that good? As I am on the west coast, I value your opinion and suggestions.

Thanks very much,

I really do intend to do a big follow up on this! I'm sorry I'm taking so long. Maybe tomorrow, I'll take a picture of my hair with me holding a white sheet of paper under it so you can see the colors! It's amazing how it goes from dark to white and back to dark again!

-O.M.G.

Doctor should have plugs transplanted in his head as punishment.