One Man’s Hair Transplant Experience

…a look at the real-world experiences and insights of Northeast Hair Restoration’s Steven Matteo

Here at Northeast Hair Restoration, we pride ourselves on educating our clients so they feel empowered to make an educated decision and implement change with confidence. Many of our blogs are informational in focus, as they should be. But we know our readers also crave hearing about real-world experiences with the cutting-edge hair transplant services and short FUE recovery times we offer in Boston and Worcester.

That’s why we thought it would be a good idea to catch up with our very own Steven Matteo, the Hair Transplant Coordinator here at Northeast Hair. He recently underwent a no-shave FUE hair transplant and wanted to share his experiences so that others can see what a game changer this approach is.

Today we’ll take a look at the timeline of this type of ground-breaking hair transplant, from consultation to post-procedure FUE recovery. Steven shares his thoughts on what led him to choose the no-shave FUE procedure over others (hint: the short hair transplant recovery process) and why it’s ideal for modern men looking to restore their hair and regain confidence.

Not His First Rodeo

Steven, a Wilmington resident, isn’t new to the world of hair transplants. He had a traditional procedure done about 10 years ago but had to shave his head to prepare for the surgery. Shaving is ideal in some cases because the doctors can more easily see the donor site and hair follicles. This can ensure the hair grows back at a uniform rate. However, it makes the surgery much more visible to others. On top of that, hair takes a long time to grow back, which is not ideal for men who prefer longer styles.

With significantly shorter recovery times and a green light to return to normal activities within a couple of days, it was a no-brainer for Steven to choose the no-shave FUE method. In fact, Steven says he was able to get back to his normal activities within 24 – 48 hours. In addition to the short FUE recovery time, he was also attracted to the fact he could immediately conceal the donor area. This is something that isn’t possible with the traditional shaving approach.

That’s ultimately what pushed him in the no-shave FUE direction. It’s much less obvious to others that you had a hair transplant when your hair comes in slowly over a period of six to nine months as opposed to a full head of hair right away. This can be quite suspect to others if discretion is what you’re going for. And discretion is certainly at the heart of the no-shave FUE. It’s non-invasive and more natural looking, and because of that, the results don’t scream: “I had a hair transplant!”

A Look at the Process: Consultation to FUE Recovery

Not everyone is a good candidate for no-shave FUE. You’ll learn if you are or not when you come into the office for a consultation with your hair transplant surgeon. Part of the artistry and appeal of the process, says Steven, is knowing that in Massachusetts, a medical doctor performs all the extractions. The same can’t be said for other states or even other countries (see our blog post on hair transplants in Turkey, for instance).

When you come in for your consultation in the Boston or Worcester offices, plan to be here for about 45 minutes to an hour. During this consultation, the surgeon will go over the basics of the transplant, the risks involved, and what to expect in terms of the hair transplant recovery process.

FUE Evaluation

The doctor will evaluate you to see if you have a stable donor area with an adequate density of healthy hair follicles. If the donor area is not considered stable, you won’t be a good candidate for no-shave FUE. This is why it’s so important to be evaluated by a medical doctor, as not everyone is guaranteed success with this procedure.

(But don’t worry: you may qualify for a different type of procedure based on the results of the doctor’s evaluation.)

Also during this consultation, the doctor will listen to the patient’s goals of hair transplant surgery, identifying areas of concern. This may involve loss at the hairline, crown, or back of the head. Now the patient and doctor can come up with a game plan moving forward. The doctor can also specify the number of grafts needed to fill in the problem area.

The number of grafts directly impacts the cost of the procedure, so after this meeting you will know the kind of price tag you’re looking at. In the meantime, check out our hair graft estimator tool online!

Walking Through the Procedure and Hair Transplant Recovery Process

Once you have booked the appointment, it’s important to know what to expect on the day of the procedure. You’ll arrive around 7 a.m. Steven, as Hair Transplant Coordinator, will walk you through the day and go over the hair transplant recovery process.

Before the procedure begins, your head will be numbed with lidocaine to minimize discomfort. You will then lie face down in the cradle of the table. Plan to be in this position for two to three hours while the doctor performs the extraction. The transplant area will then be numbed, again to minimize discomfort. Then the surgeon will use a Sapphire device to create tiny, circular incisions where the new hairs will go. This part takes about an hour.

Settling In

After that, it’s time to pick a movie, lie down and let the techs work their magic by inserting the hairs one at a time into the transplant site. The whole procedure from start to finish takes up the whole day, usually about 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

There is no pain involved because the instruments used are so small that they don’t create a lot of trauma. You may only need Tylenol, if anything, to handle any possible discomfort as a result of the procedure and to ease the hair transplant recovery process. Many men don’t even need that.

Steven was struck by how comfortable he felt throughout the procedure. “The doctor and technicians make you feel at ease the entire day,” he said. “The process was much easier than expected.”

Once the procedure is done, it’s time to look ahead to recovery.

FUE Recovery Instructions

Once you return home, you should avoid showering for 24 hours. After that, you can gently wash your hair over the next five or six days. After a week, everything is considered healed so you can return to normal showering, swimming, etc.

You’ll come back to the office a month later for a follow-up appointment just to make sure everything is healing properly. You will then return for a one-year post-op appointment to check progress and make any touch-ups necessary (this is rare).

Embracing Normalcy

Steven says he was able to go back to work the very next day and resume normal everyday activities. He felt positive about the experience, noting it was much easier than he thought it would be. He especially liked that because the hair growth is gradual, the changes are subtle and therefore not noticeable to people around you.

This was important to him, and he knows it’s important to many men. Discretion is key with no-shave FUE.

This revolutionary procedure is getting more and more popular in the Boston area. In fact, Steven says Northeast Hair has seen a 50 percent increase in the no-shave FUE. It’s now one of their most popular procedures.

Learn About the Hair Transplant Recovery Process With Northeast Hair Restoration

Book Your FREE FUE Consultation Now

If you’re ready to learn more about the no-shave FUE recovery and process, book your free initial consultation with us at Northeast Hair Restoration. You will likely speak with Steven when you call, as he does all the consultations and books all the surgeries. To get started, call us at (774)-500-3896 or complete our online form.