Day 9 – My First Public Unveiling

9 days after FUE hair transplant – Aug 22, 2020.

After 6 six months of quarantine, today is a big day. I have three events to attend, which is a lot of action during a pandemic.

Today isn’t as much an unveiling as I’m emerging from the house for the first time since my hair transplant. I’m seeing people for the first time, and I’m not sure how I plan to handle this.

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Event 1: Pedicure

My first event is a pedicure. My husband booked the appointment because he is tired of trailing behind me, picking up the skin flakes tumbling off my dry, cracked feet. You could clone an army with the amount of DNA cascading from my feet.

My pedicure is nothing to write about, as I’ll never return. The pedicurist did an average job, and my feet are still full of calluses and dry skin. What irritated me is that they require a cash tip and won’t let you include it on your credit card. In an increasingly cashless society, why are we required to provide cash tips when no one carries money. I understand, cash is king and doesn’t need to be reported. I was a waiter in a previous life and always welcomed cash tips. But back then, people paid with cash more often.

Event 2: Gender Reveal Party

The second event is a gender reveal party, which is an outdoor event in Chelsea, MA. What I’m nervous about is being outside in the hot sun wearing a baseball cap and sweating. Even though I am healed, I’m still anxious that the sun and sweat can harm my grafts. At this stage, I must avoid direct sun to my head and exercise.

I was able to stay in the shade, and I wore my Lululemon’s running hat, which helped keep my head dry and protected. I love this hat because it’s lightweight, stretchy, sweat-wicking, anti-stink, and quick-drying. Unfortunately, it’s not a UPF for further protection from the sun. Not having this feature makes me anxious being in the sun. I tried staying in the shade most of the afternoon.

My next purchase is going to be the Mission cooling bucket hat with UPF 50. I purchased the Mission Cooling Neck Gaiter and find this to be cool and comfortable in the summer heat and humidity.

Event 3: Dinner with Friends

I’m looking forward to having dinner at our good friend’s house. This will be the first time anyone, except my husband, will see my post-hair transplant results. At this moment, there isn’t anything to show except a red scabby scalp. Which isn’t something that should be on display during a dinner party.

The joke of the night was our friend was trying to convince her husband that they ran out of donor hair on my head and needed to resort to transplanting pubic hairs. So he shouldn’t say anything if he sees a few stray black hairs on my head. Of course, he knew she was joking, but it took him a split second to think through the scenario.

Even though it’s too early to see progress, it’s nice to receive affirmation for my decision. I feel fortunate that my family and friends fully support my choice of having a hair transplant. We all need to do what we can to stay-in-the-game as we get older and maintain our confidence.

Current regimen

• Taking Finasteride daily
• Liposomal ATP spray to help moisten the scabs and reduce itching

Ongoing Anxieties

• Sunlight on my head. , I’m an Avoid direct sun on my head, even if I’m wearing a hat.
• Using my CPAP machine. I’m still sleeping without sleeping in bed, but without my CPAP machine.
• Showering. Using a blue plastic cup to rinse my hair, still avoiding placing my head under the showerhead.
• Paying for my hair transplant.

Photo update

No pictures today, no changes.

Progress update

The pain is different. It’s milder, and I don’t need to take Advil to manage the pain. It’s hard to describe the feeling. Even though the pain more manageable, I can feel where all 2,800 hairs were removed. 

This is day 9, and I’m healed, and most of the scabs are gone. At this point, it is what it is. I just want to make sure I continue to be cautious and doing my part.

I can’t imagine what this would feel like if I had the FUT, and they cut the grafts out the back of my head. That would be challenging to sleep on your back.

I’m starting to get excited about what I will look like in the future. This transformation has inspired me to begin making more improvements. Other changes I’m looking to make are skincare, diet, and exercise.