Donor Area As A Lifetime Source Of Hair

[Burrata]

Hi everyone,

Having had consultations with a variety of centers, a somewhat common recommendation I get when addressing hair transplants is an insistence or strong recommendation of finasteride usage after transplant, that not using it comprises the value of your transplant in the long term.

Like many people, I have a preference to not use finasteride, so I have questioned the value of a transplant for myself. However, recently, a doctor at UCLA Medicine (who does not do hair transplants and only does PRP on the side) told me that I absolutely do not need to use finasteride after a transplant as my donor hair area has enough hair to sustain me for future transplants (which, if I recall correctly, he projected could be done every 10-15years) for a lifetime. (I don’t recall if he was stating that to be the case generally or specific to me, that I happen to have enough hair in my donor area.)

I would like to ask if this is a common understanding in the field, that our donor area (for those with ample hair there) can be a lifetime source of hair transplants, thus forgoing the need to use finasteride?

Thanks for any insight.

 

[whatintheworld]

Think about it logically. How can a very small part of your head, relatively speaking, be enough to cover the rest of your head if you go Norwood 7? There is not even close to enough hair. This is why you need finasteride, to prevent further loss of the non transplanted hair.

 

[stachu]

Exactly, you can stop finasteride - Sure, but your natural progression will go on and boom, another bald areas will appear and another transplant to consult.

So just take finasteride, and be safe.

 

[Burrata]

Exactly, you can stop finasteride - Sure, but your natural progression will go on and boom, another bald areas will appear and another transplant to consult.

So just take finasteride, and be safe.

Yea, that was my understanding and assumption, so I was very surprised, and hopeful, when this UCLA doctor, seemingly of some esteem, and without any financial stake in doing hair transplants, gave me the advice he did.

I’m more open to topical finasteride as from my limited research so far, it is now considered more effective but also presents symptoms with lower likelihood.

Thanks.

 

[S14a]

His advice is correct, after having 4k grafts extracted I was also told I have a very good donor for future transplants if required. Im also not taking finasteride.

 

[Burrata]

Thank you for sharing! That’s very reassuring to hear.

 

[whatintheworld]

His advice is correct, after having 4k grafts extracted I was also told I have a very good donor for future transplants if required. Im also not taking finasteride.

What is the key point of your sentence, that you have "very good donor". Many people destined for high Norwoods won't be so lucky. You were just lucky enough that your hair loss (at the moment, or hopefully for your whole life) will be on a milder Norwood track.

 

[Burrata]

Can doctors make an educated projection at some point in a patient’s hair loss timeline on what their Norwood track may be like?

 

[whatintheworld]

Can doctors make an educated projection at some point in a patient’s hair loss timeline on what their Norwood track may be like?

They can using a microscope to examine your hair for miniaturization. However, as a general rule of thumb, the earlier this whole process starts the more likely you are to go to Norwood 6/7. My dad, for instance, started thinning only in his 50's. He's 57 now and his hairline has receded, diffused thinnned a bit, but I think he will never go to Norwood 5+. Me, on the other hand, who started at 22 aggressively, would definitely be slick bald right now if I didn't use finasteride and minoxidil.

 

[Burrata]

Makes sense. Thank you for sharing.

So, given what everyone said here, it seems clear the doctor I saw was correct, in regards to me, but the answer would be different for each individual.

 

[whatintheworld]

Makes sense. Thank you for sharing.

So, given what everyone said here, it seems clear the doctor I saw was correct, in regards to me, but the answer would be different for each individual.

Yes, if he analyzed and found your loss would be slow enough / stop on it's own, that is fantastic. This stupid disease is unpredictable though, there is always a degree of risk unfortunately.