Almost decided on an hair transplant. Full assault on my hair loss.

[Chadman]

I've said this in other threads, but since people may not read the other topic areas I'll repeat.

I'm 26, ignored my problem for years, and now I'm going to do something about it. I'm at probably an NW3+. I still have a fair amount of hair on top, but it's definitely thinned over the years.

Before I started reading HairLossTalk.com and other sites I completely refused medication, hair transplant, etc.; however, after reading the incredible results of so many I simply can't ignore it. I need my life back my friends.

So, I'm thinking I might try to get something done in the next couple of months (not sure if that timeframe is possible, but I'll try). I'm a small-business owner, so I will probably end up just taking some time off to make all this happen. I like the idea of making a little vacation out of the procedure by traveling somewhere remote.

I'm thinking of seeing Armani simply because he seems so highly recommended. I'm estimating that I'd need 2000 grafts or less, but perhaps I'm delusional.

I know people post threads like this all the time, but any words of wisdom would be appreciated. I'll keep doing research of course, but I'm looking at a September timeframe.

Also, I will follow my other regimen once I have the hair transplant. I'm just hoping the hair transplant will get me into an NW2 (that's all I'd really care to have to be honest) so that I can have a nice baseline.

Thanks everyone!

 

[hairhaircomeagain]

Pics will be more helpful, I guess

 

[Guest]

Chadman,

When you say, "Get back into my othe regimen", are you talking about the meds? What is your family history for male pattern baldness? Glad to see you doing research on all of this.

If you are a NW3 now and you want to get to a NW2, then 2,000 grafts sounds like alot for your class. Possibly you are thinking that is what you need. I agree, pics would be helpful. Feel free to e-mail them to me if you want any feedback.

Best wishes to you! :wink:

 

[Chadman]

I'll see if I can take some pictures this evening. Thinking about it last night, I might be closer to an NW4

When I spoke of my other regimen I mean the one I'm starting now I was hoping to get to a solid NW2 through hair transplant and then maintain what I have (the non-hair transplant hair) from there. Given my age, I know it's questionable how much I will continue to lose.

My father is probably about an NW5, and he's maintained that for years. My grandfather on my mother's side has always had a very attractive head of hair, but he's probably an NW5 as well at 85 years old. I don't know my grandfather on my father's side, but all of my father's brother's have a very healthy head of hair. My brother also has a great head of hair but he is losing a little at the crown.

I've been looking into Shapiro and Armani. Something about Shapiro appeals to me, so I'm actually leaning towards him at the moment.

Any comments appreciated!

 

[Mahair]

Something about Shapiro should appeal to you being as he is the only person I would ever let touch my head and doesn't care about MONEY. If he tells you to walk don't keep searching. I am actually surprised he is helping to subsidize a shill transplant salesman like Gillenator . Heart like a dove skin like rawhide. Gets me exited just thinking about how easily alligator skin tears. Yee Haa. I'm Back Gil and your brought me back with your self rightious, Evangelical heart wrenching story of compassion. I'll Flip you when your done. Thanks for calling me out of retirement.

 

[Guest]

Chadman,

Well a Norwood 4 would make more sense for the number of grafts. My family history has the same hit and miss too although male pattern baldness stems from the maternal side.

Dr. Shapiro is not only in the very top for talent and reputation, but he's an extremely hard working and honest man. That's probably one of the things you are picking up from him. He truly cares about his patients.

Best wishes to you bud and keep us in the loop! :hairy:

 

[Guest]

I see the demon is back! Triple :lol:, :lol: , :lol:

 

[Mahair]

I hope Dr. Shapiro drops your a$$ from his payrole.

 

[Guest]

Oh I get it Mahair. There's a full moon out! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Mahair]

Am I hurting business? Or do we need anymore hair cripples? He's to f'ing young. Or don't you get that shill? Maybe I should start a new topic on Shills. You know people that were N/W 5s went through a few surgeries and didn't get butchered. ended up happy n/w 3's.;Start selling transplants because you can make money at it. Ruin quite a few human beings along the way then play holy than though. Sound familiar. Christ its Gillenator.You turned out okay but please stop soft soaping the unsuspecting to the realities of this invasive surgery. Most 90% of the time hurts the patient.

 

[Guest]

I would concur that possibly 90% of UNIFORMED patients who do little to no research end up making decisions based on emotion rather than prudent sense. They also end up going to the wrong doctor so yes of course they are going to get whacked.

Still that's no reason to run around these forums trying to trash the industry and spreading poison. Don't assume others will make the same mistake you did. Other patients in these forums are here for viable information, they're doing their homework.

You never came to the forums until AFTER you made YOUR mistakes. And then you went on a hate-filled vengance for the same reasons I mentioned in my prior posts on this same thread. Then you leave for periods of time and every time you return, more poison out of you. Nothing else. Anyone around you or anyone that hears you speak can CLEARLY see your hateful, vengeful anger. Your behaviour SPEAKS VOLUMES about your character and agenda.

But thankfully there are individuals in this forum who genuinely and consistently try to help others. You see it in every post they do. Keep up the good work guys!

 

[Mahair]

...

 

[Chadman]

I must say, this is one of the frustrating aspects of hair loss and discussions around it in forums or otherwise. You can read a lot of positive and uplifting information only to have it reduced to nothing by negative posts that challenge everything that was positive.

I don't think anyone does this intentionally. We're all in this together, and most of us see no benefit in spreading anything but hopefully useful information; however, it's having so much information that leads to almost a form of analysis paralysis, and I think it's this that leads people to making emotional decisions and it's those emotional decisions that lead people to making bad decisions. Even I find myself wanting to say, "Forget it, I'm just going to try something" in almost wreckless abandon. There's a certain risk to almost everything we put on our heads or in our bodies, and the only way we can manage that is to arm ourselves with enough information as possible; beyond that it's trusting another body of intelligence to keep us in good health through research.

Anyway, sorry for the tangent fellas. I can't seem to make a decision these days. As an NW3V or so I'd think it would be completely feasible to achieve a NW2+ or NW3 and not have considerable problems later on, but that too is a gamble.

:freaked2:

 

[not me!]

No, I understand your frustration completely. I had the exact same frustration when I began researching a few years ago. I eventually sought out and found a few guys that I trusted for various reasons.

One of those reasons was their demeanor in their posts. Sorry, but I cannot be bothered to try to listen to someone that argues all the time on the message board. I can never trust if their answer is genuine or if they are only countering a point that someone else made in an argument that they are in. Seems like such a waste of time to me. I'm seeing a lot of that in the "Surgical Alternatives" section here lately. It's sad, since everyone came here with the same goal against the same enemy: hair loss.

You can never read too much but you must learn to filter the good from the bad. Easily 90% of what is written online about hair transplants is either hype or fluff. After I became more knowledgeable about the industry, met some of the physicians, and learned of their unique philosophies I became aware of the pitfalls and lies that are spread so effectively and so rapidly online.

You MUST make this decision as objective as possible. It will be impossible to make it totally objective, since it's your scalp but it's very important that you try. The decision you make now will affect you for life.

 

[Guest]

How refreshing it is to see the last two posts on this thread.

Chadman,

What you are probably experiencing is two-fold. First, we can be overwhelmed by the amount of info available on the internet and I agree that alot of it has to be deciphered. Whenever anyone begins to feel confused or at witts end, that's a good time to consider taking a break from it all. Take some time and let everything settle in your mind about the pros and cons of surgical hair restoration.

Once you start reminiscing about your research, the right questions start coming to mind and you want to write all of those down. Try to seperate them into plus' and minuses' and then, after a break from the research, you can return and start researching specific answers to thos questions.

What happens when we take a break is that every time you come back refreshed and start reading again, you'll start seeing more consistency of what you are researching. It will help when sifting through the second and third time. BTW, the second thing that can happen is that all of the confusion can cause some depression because we can then sense some loss of control over our hairloss.

Now, I don't agree that 90% in the internet for hairloss is hype although there is more than not. It really depends on what and where you are reading. If you go to sites that sell hairloss products or even alot of doctors' sites have lots of marketing to them, you expect to see that. What you want to read alot are the "individual patient cases" on the all of the boards. If you notice a particular individual constantly recommending just "one doctor" and they keep coming back pushing that doctor in their posts, then that's covert marketing activity IMO. Or posters who only come on to promote their doctor. Take note they do not post on threads that involve meds or non-surgery issues.

The posts to hone in on are the patients who explain his/her hairloss dilemma, they post their before and after pics, and they tell their story without attempting to sell their doctor throughout their thread.

For example, there is a particular guy on Hairsite.com who had a small FUE procedure of approximately 1100 grafts with an overseas FUE doctor. The guy only shows up in Hairsite to give posts of recommendations to his Doctor. Since his Doctor does not do strip, you won't find him in forums that recommend surgeons who do strip. I have never seen him post to questions about Propecia or to guys that already just had their procedure but still have post-op questions. He seems to magnetize to guys asking for FUE related questions and doctor recommendations. And he's also been posting in Hairsite for a good four years now. And guess what? His Doctor is one of the big financial sponsors of that site. See what I mean? Could that poster be earning himself his next surgery when he needs it in the future? What else could it be?

Look at what people DO and DON"T DO. If someone claims to be in the forums to help others, yet their posting track record is totally one-sided, we have to ask why. An ethical objective person will give BOTH sides, good and bad.

And if someone really is there to help others than that individual will offer help in any type of situation that involves hairloss. Even when a patient is too young or is not a a candidate for surgery at all. They will also show compassion to others on threads where someone might just need a little emotional support and are not even asking about surgery. They offer words of understanding and consolation to those who are struggling.

After awhile, you'll start seeing consistency good or bad. :wink:

 

[not me!]

Now, I don't agree that 90% in the internet sites for hairloss is hype. It depends on what you are reading.

That's what I mean. The average Joe just googling around looking at whatever pops up about hair loss is going to be treated to medicinal sites such as Merck's Propecia website, MANY scam sites, hack doctors' sites, wig salesman sites, all natural wheat germ or what-have-you sites, ancient Chinese secrets sites, and educational forums and authentic, skilled doctor sites.

The misinformation grossly outnumbers the good info. I'm not speaking just about forums, I'm talking about the 'net as a whole.

Yet another reason forums where guys with hair loss can share good information are so important.

 

[Guest]

You're absolutely correct Not Me.