diffuse transplant

[Optimist]

You're welcome Jayman. Can I share something with you that would be crritical for you or really anyone with male pattern baldness to know going forward into the future?

One of the things I encourage patients with male pattern baldness to track (especially the young men), is the total areas of scalp where miniturization impedes the scalp. And you want to also be aware of the rate of loss with hair shaft diameter. Let me explain.

If at all possible, have someone competent evaluate your entire scalp and then take hair samples from various regions of the top of the scalp, and then compare them to the hair shaft diameter of terminal hair samples from the donor area. The hair strands are then compared under microscopic evaluation, and then photographed and charted. The comparisons are made at six month intervals. All hair samples are saved for purposes of future comparisons.

If you were to start now, you would fulfill 6 clinical evaluations which would tell you: The total surface areas that miniturization is taking place, the other areas that it is beginning to impede. the degree of loss of hair shaft diameter.

So let's say worse case, a patient loses at a higher rate of loss, well then that patient needs to plan very conservatively for future needs, or he may see that he is headed for a class 7 and may change his mind altogethor.

Because you have employed a medicinal regimen that appears to be working very well, you may observe that your rate of miniturization is extremely slow or insignificant over the next three years. It's this latter situation that I wish you to be in three years.

In other words, if you do not note the miniturization process getting any worse, including the areas it "is not" impeding, then you'll feel much better about moving forward with surgery. See what I mean?

Great post! Who should we go to to get it mapped out? Can dermatologists do it? Or do we have to go to a hair transplant surgeon?

 

[Guest]

yes great post gillen. i am also interested to find derms who can do this

 

[Guest]

Guys,

Here's the thing. There are far more docs that don't offer this evaluation to patients than do. And the reason is obvious. Many hair transplant docs want to get patients into surgery because it's immediate income.

My contention has always been to offer this clinical evaluation to any patient, and emphasize the importance of this rather than having patients jumping into surgery at the initial stages of male pattern baldness. Again, this is especially true for the younger men or really anyone just beginning to show the signs of male pattern baldness.

My point is that you as the patient have to be insistent in getting the treatment and evaluations that you deserve. I always recommend guys to get started on Propecia through a reputable hair transplant Doctor. An ethical Doctor will not rush younger guys into surgery at the onset of male pattern baldness, but rather they get them started on Propecia, and then have the patient come back for follow-ups to see how efficient the drug is working or not working.

Once there is a clinical determination from your Doctor that Propecia is working, that's when you want to start this continuing evaluation of miniturization, and you also give hair samples at your future follow-up appointments.

But, INSIST to your Doctor that this is the path you want to take for the immediate future, and ultimately the clinical results will greatly help you determine a sensible and realistic restoration plan. Some docs may want to charge you a minor office fee for their time in future follow-ups, but IMO, it's worth it in the long run because the information is valuable to you as a patient.

So, you're basically telling your hair transplant Doctor that you are looking for someone that will also take the precautionary measures and time up front to determine what will be best for you over your lifetime, not just today's needs.

Very few derms have the competence to do these evaluations simply because most of them do not treat genetic hairloss, but some do and so you have to do your homework to find the ones near you.

Repuatble long term hair transplant docs have and continue to treat male pattern baldness patients both medicinally and surgically on a daily basis. That's all they do. They understand the progression of male pattern baldness and they have treated many patients with a very similiar profile and progression as yours. It's a matter of competency.

 

[Guest]

Gillen,

is this similar to Rassman's idea of a master plan? He wants people to come to his office so he can take assessments of their hair loss with a densitometer and then plot out realistic future scenarios for transplantation?

 

[Guest]

Yes, exactly. Bernstein has written a number of findings and these two docs used to practice togethor in NYC for a long time.

And there are other docs who have also made clinical contributions in how to evaluate diffusion, but if I start mentioning names, some will accuse me of promoting certain docs, especially any ones who support me as an advocate.

But really, any of the ones that have been around with good reputations will know what we are seeking when we ask for it up front. The best time to ask it is in the consultation where they can begin taking hair samples.