u/Canadian_whale

Hi everyone,
I’ve decided to document my upcoming hair transplant with Dr. Felipe Pittella in Vitória, Brazil to track my progress and hopefully provide useful information for others considering his work, especially those with advanced hair loss and prior surgeries.
I’ll update this thread from pre-op through final results, including photos, surgical details, exact graft counts, donor breakdown, and regular progress updates. I also welcome honest feedback throughout the process.
My background
I’m 38 years old and began losing my hair at around 17.
My loss has progressed to approximately Norwood 6, making this a complex case where donor management and coverage are critical.
I’ve had two previous FUE procedures, totaling around 4,000 grafts. Despite this, I still have extensive baldness and have used Toppik since around 2008 to improve the appearance of coverage.
This is therefore not a virgin donor case. Dr. Pittella will be working with a scalp donor that has already been harvested twice while attempting to cover a very large area.
Current treatment
● Oral minoxidil 2.5 mg/day
Biotion 1000 daily
● No DHT blocker currently
I’ve been instructed to stop medications three days before surgery.

Why Pittella?
I first discovered Dr. Pittella through Reddit while researching advanced hair loss cases. Seeing his results here led me to explore his work in more depth.
I focused particularly on his Norwood 6/7 cases, high-graft surgeries, and use of beard/body donor hair. I also considered other surgeons, including Dr. Zarev, before choosing Pittella.
A key factor was his experience combining scalp, beard, and body donor hair to maximize total graft availability rather than relying solely on scalp donor.
In a way, this thread comes full circle: Reddit introduced me to Pittella, and I’m now documenting my own journey here.

Surgery plan
Clinic: Dr. Felipe Pittella
Location: Vitória, Brazil
Dates: September 17–18, 2026
Procedure: Two-day surgery
Planned grafts: ~11,000
Given my limited remaining scalp donor (~4,000 grafts already used), the plan relies heavily on beard and possibly other body donor areas.
We’ve discussed the possibility of up to ~5,000 beard grafts, depending on availability and suitability during assessment and extraction.
Final scalp vs beard vs body distribution will be confirmed post-op.
Objective
With a Norwood 6 pattern, prior surgeries, and limited donor supply, I’m realistic about outcomes and not expecting high-density results.
My priorities are:

1. Natural hairline
2. Strong frontal coverage
3. Good midscalp coverage
4. Adequate crown blending for overall balance
5. Preservation of donor appearance
   I’m particularly interested in how effectively scalp and beard/body hair can be combined to create the appearance of density across a large area while maintaining a natural look.
   What I’ll document
   ● Pre-op photos
   ● Scalp and beard/body donor photos
   ● Hairline design
   ● Exact graft counts
   ● Scalp vs beard vs body breakdown
   ● Immediate post-op recipient and donor areas
   ● Healing and shedding phases
   ● 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, and ideally 18-month updates
   I’ll keep photos consistent in lighting, angle, and hair length for accurate comparison.
   I will be fully transparent about the entire process and outcome, whether positive or negative.

What I’d like from the community

I’d especially appreciate input from anyone who has:
● Had surgery with Dr. Pittella
● Undergone 8,000–12,000+ graft procedures
● Used large numbers of beard grafts
● Had multiple prior FUE surgeries
● Started from Norwood 6/7

I’m particularly interested in long-term donor appearance after large extractions and how beard hair performs in the scalp over time.
My surgery is scheduled for September 17–18, 2026, and I’ll post baseline photos before then.
Hopefully this becomes a useful long-term case study for others considering high-graft surgery for advanced hair loss.