hair transplant at young age-why not?
- Thread starter BBallHead
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BBH,
Well I am glad to hear you are on finasteride and like the other guys said, give it a good year to evaluate it, six months is too early IMO. If you were to experience any side-effects from the drug, you'll know generally within a few months of taking it. So I wish you the best with it.
To answer your last question, let me say this. First, I want to commend you for taking the time to research and educate yourself to the extent that you have. Keep up with it too because things change and as you already know, male pattern baldness is progressive. But you are in fact thinking about your future, both worst case and best case. You have a plan for either. That's a good thing. What I hate to see is very young guys who HAVE NOT done their research to know and understand both sides of the equation. Many times they freak out at what they see in the mirror and want to just jump into a hair transplant. They think a quick hair transplant is going to solve their hairloss dilemma. Many times they end up with the wrong doctor or hair mill who ultimately takes advantage of them both psychologically and financially.
Because you are taking a conservative approach, because you recognize that worst case you cannot attain complete coverage, because you are willing to take a sensible, non-aggressive approach, yes, I think you are approaching this okay. But you must take control and not let any Doctor talk you into doing something that benefits his bank account moreso over your life-long planning.
If you want to e-mail me your pics in total confidentiality, I'll give you my opinion for whatever it's worth. But you will need to send to my e-mail link as you cannot do this by PM. I wish the best for you BBH.
Well I am glad to hear you are on finasteride and like the other guys said, give it a good year to evaluate it, six months is too early IMO. If you were to experience any side-effects from the drug, you'll know generally within a few months of taking it. So I wish you the best with it.
To answer your last question, let me say this. First, I want to commend you for taking the time to research and educate yourself to the extent that you have. Keep up with it too because things change and as you already know, male pattern baldness is progressive. But you are in fact thinking about your future, both worst case and best case. You have a plan for either. That's a good thing. What I hate to see is very young guys who HAVE NOT done their research to know and understand both sides of the equation. Many times they freak out at what they see in the mirror and want to just jump into a hair transplant. They think a quick hair transplant is going to solve their hairloss dilemma. Many times they end up with the wrong doctor or hair mill who ultimately takes advantage of them both psychologically and financially.
Because you are taking a conservative approach, because you recognize that worst case you cannot attain complete coverage, because you are willing to take a sensible, non-aggressive approach, yes, I think you are approaching this okay. But you must take control and not let any Doctor talk you into doing something that benefits his bank account moreso over your life-long planning.
If you want to e-mail me your pics in total confidentiality, I'll give you my opinion for whatever it's worth. But you will need to send to my e-mail link as you cannot do this by PM. I wish the best for you BBH.
Gillenator,
Thanks for your input. Your words are very encouraging. I will work on getting my pics to you so that you can evaluate.
In the meantime, I have a couple questions (to whomever can offer some info/help):
1) What will I be able to tell at 1 year on Propecia that I won't be able to tell after 6 months? If it proves to be effective at the 6 month mark, is it possible that it will lose its effectiveness after that?...In other words, if the Propecia proves to be effective at the 6 month mark, then why wait another 6 months to re-evaluate?
2) If i do decide to go through with a hair transplant in 6-12 months, assuming the Propecia had proven to be effective, do you think it would be a good idea to go for FUE instead of strip? I realize that with the need for further surgeries I will most likely need a strip procedure done in the future, as it is believed by most to have better yield and it is more common when dealing with a larger number of grafts, however, if I can put off having a strip scar on my head for few years until the next procedure, that would be ideal. Having FUE done for this first procedure (to fill in hairline and temples), and enjoying the result (without a strip scar) for a few years, and then waiting until further procedures to opt for strip if it is needed--does this sound like it might work out?
I know I might be getting ahead of myself a little bit here, but it was just something that I had been thinking about.
Thanks
Thanks for your input. Your words are very encouraging. I will work on getting my pics to you so that you can evaluate.
In the meantime, I have a couple questions (to whomever can offer some info/help):
1) What will I be able to tell at 1 year on Propecia that I won't be able to tell after 6 months? If it proves to be effective at the 6 month mark, is it possible that it will lose its effectiveness after that?...In other words, if the Propecia proves to be effective at the 6 month mark, then why wait another 6 months to re-evaluate?
2) If i do decide to go through with a hair transplant in 6-12 months, assuming the Propecia had proven to be effective, do you think it would be a good idea to go for FUE instead of strip? I realize that with the need for further surgeries I will most likely need a strip procedure done in the future, as it is believed by most to have better yield and it is more common when dealing with a larger number of grafts, however, if I can put off having a strip scar on my head for few years until the next procedure, that would be ideal. Having FUE done for this first procedure (to fill in hairline and temples), and enjoying the result (without a strip scar) for a few years, and then waiting until further procedures to opt for strip if it is needed--does this sound like it might work out?
I know I might be getting ahead of myself a little bit here, but it was just something that I had been thinking about.
Thanks
BBH,
first of all, you seem like a smart, level-headed kid and that is worth more than anything anyone on this forum can tell you. that being said, it still is a good resource to use and i'm glad to see that you're certainly doing your homework.
second of all, for all the people that say "see how you respond to propecia first"....there is definitely something to be said for that. HOWEVER, i started losing hair at 27 and started Propecia a few months later. well you know what happened next? for the next two years almost (about 20-21 months), i assumed that i would never have to worry about hair loss again. propecia was beyond a "wonder drug" for me. i mean, i'm talking i never saw hairs in my hands in the shower while shampooing/conditioning...i just forgot all about hair loss ever even being an issue. then, after almost two years on Propecia, my body built up a tolerance to it. it stopped working (not necessarily stopped altogether, but stopped the same level of effectiveness). i started shedding. i then came to these forums and learned that shedding is pretty normal and should only last a few months and then i'd be ok again....
well, here i am, about 3 years after this shedding started and it hasn't stopped. i still take propecia every day, same as always and i'm sure that it's still helping to some degree. but for almost 2 years, i seemed to the poster-child for a "great responder" only to have that go by the wayside. and i've heard my exact same story from many other people on some of these forums and in-person over the last 3 years.
so yeah, you should probably wait and see how you respond to it before you do anything in regards to a hair transplant. but be sure that you know that that decision won't necessarily solve anything in regards to you deciding to get a hair transplant or not. you could wait a year, see Propecia stopping/slowing your loss and then say "i'm a great responder! time for a hair transplant!" and then it could lose it's effectiveness shortly after the hair transplant and then the whole "see how your respond first" theory is pretty much out the window.
the main thing is that you have to do what makes you happy (FYI, i'm almost 5 months post-op from an Armani 3,100 FUE procedure to fill in the temples and zone 2 - now at 32 years of age). there is no right or wrong answer that someone can give you. you have to be prepared for all possible outcomes, which it certainly sounds like you are. worst case scenario would be that you have the hair transplant in the hairline and maybe a second or third down the road and (assuming you have FUE and donor scars aren't an issue) if it's still simply too thin to look decent in 10 years, then you buzz your head eventually and your hair transplant(s) help frame your face nicely and it will look much better than if you just have to shave the whole-thing and have no discernible hairline.
and during the years between now and that day that you may have to just buzz your head, you at least have some good years to enjoy having hair that you like and can style decently.
now maybe you don't want to risk spending thousands (and let me tell you, it will be tens of thousands of dollars if you go to a good Doctor....especially for FUE) only to have the only benefit 10-years from now be a hairline that helps frame your face.
these are all things you need to think about, but don't be scared off by bitter people on this board that try to tell you that you're going to look like some sort of freak-show down the road if you have it done. WORST case scenario (again, assuming you go to a good Doctor for FUE and are willing to shave/buzz your head down the road if it gets too thin) is that you still look better than if you didn't have anything done. is it worth the aggravation, time, $, etc. for an unsure outcome? only you can decide for sure.
first of all, you seem like a smart, level-headed kid and that is worth more than anything anyone on this forum can tell you. that being said, it still is a good resource to use and i'm glad to see that you're certainly doing your homework.
second of all, for all the people that say "see how you respond to propecia first"....there is definitely something to be said for that. HOWEVER, i started losing hair at 27 and started Propecia a few months later. well you know what happened next? for the next two years almost (about 20-21 months), i assumed that i would never have to worry about hair loss again. propecia was beyond a "wonder drug" for me. i mean, i'm talking i never saw hairs in my hands in the shower while shampooing/conditioning...i just forgot all about hair loss ever even being an issue. then, after almost two years on Propecia, my body built up a tolerance to it. it stopped working (not necessarily stopped altogether, but stopped the same level of effectiveness). i started shedding. i then came to these forums and learned that shedding is pretty normal and should only last a few months and then i'd be ok again....
well, here i am, about 3 years after this shedding started and it hasn't stopped. i still take propecia every day, same as always and i'm sure that it's still helping to some degree. but for almost 2 years, i seemed to the poster-child for a "great responder" only to have that go by the wayside. and i've heard my exact same story from many other people on some of these forums and in-person over the last 3 years.
so yeah, you should probably wait and see how you respond to it before you do anything in regards to a hair transplant. but be sure that you know that that decision won't necessarily solve anything in regards to you deciding to get a hair transplant or not. you could wait a year, see Propecia stopping/slowing your loss and then say "i'm a great responder! time for a hair transplant!" and then it could lose it's effectiveness shortly after the hair transplant and then the whole "see how your respond first" theory is pretty much out the window.
the main thing is that you have to do what makes you happy (FYI, i'm almost 5 months post-op from an Armani 3,100 FUE procedure to fill in the temples and zone 2 - now at 32 years of age). there is no right or wrong answer that someone can give you. you have to be prepared for all possible outcomes, which it certainly sounds like you are. worst case scenario would be that you have the hair transplant in the hairline and maybe a second or third down the road and (assuming you have FUE and donor scars aren't an issue) if it's still simply too thin to look decent in 10 years, then you buzz your head eventually and your hair transplant(s) help frame your face nicely and it will look much better than if you just have to shave the whole-thing and have no discernible hairline.
and during the years between now and that day that you may have to just buzz your head, you at least have some good years to enjoy having hair that you like and can style decently.
now maybe you don't want to risk spending thousands (and let me tell you, it will be tens of thousands of dollars if you go to a good Doctor....especially for FUE) only to have the only benefit 10-years from now be a hairline that helps frame your face.
these are all things you need to think about, but don't be scared off by bitter people on this board that try to tell you that you're going to look like some sort of freak-show down the road if you have it done. WORST case scenario (again, assuming you go to a good Doctor for FUE and are willing to shave/buzz your head down the road if it gets too thin) is that you still look better than if you didn't have anything done. is it worth the aggravation, time, $, etc. for an unsure outcome? only you can decide for sure.
BBH, just one other comment. most of the guys on this board seem to be very well-intentioned and certainly, most of them know a lot more about hair loss than me.
however, i can't help but notice that there are a few (not just on this board, on HLH.com too) that are really just bitter assholes. they constantly make comments like ("dude, i would KILL for your hair! if you get a hair transplant, you're an idiot!" or the "you're going to look like an mental patient in 10 years if you get a hair transplant"). i don't know what these posters agendas are other than just being depressed individuals that have nothing better to do. what the f*** gives them the right to say who has too much or not enough hair for a hair transplant? i think a lot of them would probably have said i had "too much" hair to be getting a hair transplant if i ever posted pics (which I may in several months after my results are final....before and after pics that is). but you know what, it's all relative. i may have a lot of hair compared to the NW5's and NW6's on this board, but i certainly don't have a lot compared to what i would like (i don't even really know what i'd be on the Norwood-scale....maybe 2.5). and so who gives a sh*t if they think i'm wasting my money b/c i already have "enough" hair? they're not living my life for me.
anyway, same goes for you. all anyone should ever be concerned about is that posters around here do their homework, know what they're getting themselves into and can make an informed decision about what they feel is right for them. it's a shame that these types of boards are too often turned into an open forum about who should or shouldn't get a hair transplant or who's results look good and who's don't (i've actually seen posts from dudes that are clearly psyched about their hair transplant results and they come here to post pics and then some d-bag goes "sorry to bust your bubble man, but that looks awful! it's so noticeable as a hair transplant"....again, this is only the small minority of guys here, but just so you know they're out there). as long as you're happy with yourself and you're decision, that's all that matters. like i said, you're a smart kid and you've done the research. do what you want.
however, i can't help but notice that there are a few (not just on this board, on HLH.com too) that are really just bitter assholes. they constantly make comments like ("dude, i would KILL for your hair! if you get a hair transplant, you're an idiot!" or the "you're going to look like an mental patient in 10 years if you get a hair transplant"). i don't know what these posters agendas are other than just being depressed individuals that have nothing better to do. what the f*** gives them the right to say who has too much or not enough hair for a hair transplant? i think a lot of them would probably have said i had "too much" hair to be getting a hair transplant if i ever posted pics (which I may in several months after my results are final....before and after pics that is). but you know what, it's all relative. i may have a lot of hair compared to the NW5's and NW6's on this board, but i certainly don't have a lot compared to what i would like (i don't even really know what i'd be on the Norwood-scale....maybe 2.5). and so who gives a sh*t if they think i'm wasting my money b/c i already have "enough" hair? they're not living my life for me.
anyway, same goes for you. all anyone should ever be concerned about is that posters around here do their homework, know what they're getting themselves into and can make an informed decision about what they feel is right for them. it's a shame that these types of boards are too often turned into an open forum about who should or shouldn't get a hair transplant or who's results look good and who's don't (i've actually seen posts from dudes that are clearly psyched about their hair transplant results and they come here to post pics and then some d-bag goes "sorry to bust your bubble man, but that looks awful! it's so noticeable as a hair transplant"....again, this is only the small minority of guys here, but just so you know they're out there). as long as you're happy with yourself and you're decision, that's all that matters. like i said, you're a smart kid and you've done the research. do what you want.
bighurt,
Thanks for your sharing your experience and offering up some helpful advice. I can't help but agree with you that some guys do seem bitter and quite ignorant to the fact that hair loss is all relative. After reading many similar posts about younger guys and hair transplant's, I just couldn't help but get the sense that a lot of guys making those comments just could not grasp that sometimes it's not that easy for a 20 year old to just wait around until their 30's to go ahead with a hair transplant. Obviously hair loss is bothering us NOW and that's why we're here trying to get help.
Anyway, I appreciate that you can understand where I'm coming from and the fact that I have really tried to educate myself on this matter as much as possible. And you're right, it is ultimately my decision to make in the end, however, it is comforting to know that I am not making a completely irrational decision for getting a hair transplant at my age, like many have made it out to be. Like you said, there is no right or wrong answer, but having some support in my decision is a great feeling.
I can't begin to tell you how helpful all of you guys on these boards have been, and how great it is to have this support. There's not many people I can talk to about hair loss at my age, and this has been great for me.
Question:
Would it make more sense to go with FUE exclusively in my situation from start to finish, even if I need to have 2 or 3 procedures done? The reason being that if I do eventually run out of donor supply and cannot achieve full coverage, I will have the option of buzzing my hair down and at least having a hair line that frames the face, like bighurt said?
-OR- Would it make more sense to go with strip from the start, since the yield is generally higher, thus maximizing the use of my donor supply, in hopes that I may achieve full coverage with the help from Propecia?
Thanks for your sharing your experience and offering up some helpful advice. I can't help but agree with you that some guys do seem bitter and quite ignorant to the fact that hair loss is all relative. After reading many similar posts about younger guys and hair transplant's, I just couldn't help but get the sense that a lot of guys making those comments just could not grasp that sometimes it's not that easy for a 20 year old to just wait around until their 30's to go ahead with a hair transplant. Obviously hair loss is bothering us NOW and that's why we're here trying to get help.
Anyway, I appreciate that you can understand where I'm coming from and the fact that I have really tried to educate myself on this matter as much as possible. And you're right, it is ultimately my decision to make in the end, however, it is comforting to know that I am not making a completely irrational decision for getting a hair transplant at my age, like many have made it out to be. Like you said, there is no right or wrong answer, but having some support in my decision is a great feeling.
I can't begin to tell you how helpful all of you guys on these boards have been, and how great it is to have this support. There's not many people I can talk to about hair loss at my age, and this has been great for me.
Question:
Would it make more sense to go with FUE exclusively in my situation from start to finish, even if I need to have 2 or 3 procedures done? The reason being that if I do eventually run out of donor supply and cannot achieve full coverage, I will have the option of buzzing my hair down and at least having a hair line that frames the face, like bighurt said?
-OR- Would it make more sense to go with strip from the start, since the yield is generally higher, thus maximizing the use of my donor supply, in hopes that I may achieve full coverage with the help from Propecia?
G
Guest
Guest
bighurt,
Awesome replies you gave and I agree with what you have stated. Obviously you also have well educated yourself in all of this. Sorry to hear of how Propecia lost its efficiency, and you are right that it can indeed happen. Have you tried dutasteride at all? It may be worth a try but you can run a risk of shedding with commencing that drug as well. We can never know precisely how the tide will turn in the years to come and that is indeed part of the risk. But you said it well in that being prepared for the best and worst is crucial. I also like what you said concerning the fact that we are all different and only ourselves as individuals can make those personal decisions for us.
Look forward to your pics if you do share them and I wish you the best in every outcome.
Awesome replies you gave and I agree with what you have stated. Obviously you also have well educated yourself in all of this. Sorry to hear of how Propecia lost its efficiency, and you are right that it can indeed happen. Have you tried dutasteride at all? It may be worth a try but you can run a risk of shedding with commencing that drug as well. We can never know precisely how the tide will turn in the years to come and that is indeed part of the risk. But you said it well in that being prepared for the best and worst is crucial. I also like what you said concerning the fact that we are all different and only ourselves as individuals can make those personal decisions for us.
Look forward to your pics if you do share them and I wish you the best in every outcome.
G
Guest
Guest
BBH,
That's why I suggested that you keep a higher hairline and not touch the crown for now. I had a premonition that you had male pattern baldness on both sides of your family with your maternal grandfather reaching class 7 right? And bighurt made a good point in that you want to be prepared for the worst should finasteride stop working for you. Worst case, you could hit class 7 yourself. Thank goodness there are no cases of donor zone thinning on either side. He also made a good point in that it is very possible that should the worst happen, you could still have a buzzed hairline that would frame your face verses doing nothing and shaving everything off with a razor. You and only you can decide that. But that also leads to the next area that you are wrestling with, deciding between FUE and strip.
Yes in the initial phases of your restoration, you can no doubt get by with a smaller session of FUE to work in the frontal zone. The extractions can be spread out far enough to where no one should be able to tell you had a FUE session. In other words, no strip scar to be seen. BUT, you already know that you will need much more work in your lifetime (worst case), so the more FUE extractions that are done, the more moth-eaten your donor zone will start looking. If you have very dark hair against a light complexion, it is much easier to spot the extraction sites. So IMHO, FUE can be more hidden on a smaller scale, but not on a large scale of work that is/will be needed. And you are correct in that overall, strip continues to produce the best overall yields considering our donor supply is limited.
So if you go the strip route, you have to prepare yourself that you may never buzz down any shorter than a number 3 guide. You might be able to get down to a number 2 but you'll never know for sure until you get there post-op, meaning how successful it will be to conceal the strip scar. So now let's consider this scenario. You end up doing strip anyway or eventually, Propecia quicks working, and your hair is buzzed to a number 3. Will that still be acceptable to you should you end up progressing to a class 7 elsewhere on your scalp? Remember, you can still get the frontal view looking okay, but you may not keep anything behind it that is not transplanted hair. I know a number of guys in that situation right now BUT they still are more happy with having hair in the frontal third with a higher hairline than being completely bald. That's where you and only you can decide if that's what you want or accept, again in a worst case scenario. Who knows, finasteride could end up working well for you long term like it is for me. There's no guarantee either way.
I agree with bighurt in that let's say Propecia works well in the first year and you go ahead with the hair transplant only top have it stop working a short while after the procedure. Then waiting six months or one year to rate its efficiency is illrelevant. The reason why I said give it one year is because some respond slower, some quicker. I would just hate to see you throw in the towel if you did not see satisfactory results in the first six months of use.
I have said this before many times. Any guy that I have spoken with in the past 28 years who started hair transplants in their early twenties and eventually hit class 7 have regretted ever getting started in the first place. But also take note that many of them did their first hair transplants when the technology was terrible and went to shady doctors who took advantage of them. Many of them never had finasteride available until 1998. Today is different with the hairloss meds that are available, it's just that the future is unforeseeable. I have never felt that class 7 candidates make good candidates for surgical hair restoration. Top shelf hair systems are geting better too and many guys in class 6 and 7 are moving to them and away from surgery. It's a personal choice. Take myself. I have the potential of hitting class 6. I have been cutting Proscar (finasteride) since 1996 and it's been working ever since then. I had four seperate procedures totalling 6900 grafts to date. I had very little put in my crown so worst case if finasteride quicks working for me, most of my front and midscalp is transplants.
Definitely alot to think about because all of us are different from one another.
That's why I suggested that you keep a higher hairline and not touch the crown for now. I had a premonition that you had male pattern baldness on both sides of your family with your maternal grandfather reaching class 7 right? And bighurt made a good point in that you want to be prepared for the worst should finasteride stop working for you. Worst case, you could hit class 7 yourself. Thank goodness there are no cases of donor zone thinning on either side. He also made a good point in that it is very possible that should the worst happen, you could still have a buzzed hairline that would frame your face verses doing nothing and shaving everything off with a razor. You and only you can decide that. But that also leads to the next area that you are wrestling with, deciding between FUE and strip.
Yes in the initial phases of your restoration, you can no doubt get by with a smaller session of FUE to work in the frontal zone. The extractions can be spread out far enough to where no one should be able to tell you had a FUE session. In other words, no strip scar to be seen. BUT, you already know that you will need much more work in your lifetime (worst case), so the more FUE extractions that are done, the more moth-eaten your donor zone will start looking. If you have very dark hair against a light complexion, it is much easier to spot the extraction sites. So IMHO, FUE can be more hidden on a smaller scale, but not on a large scale of work that is/will be needed. And you are correct in that overall, strip continues to produce the best overall yields considering our donor supply is limited.
So if you go the strip route, you have to prepare yourself that you may never buzz down any shorter than a number 3 guide. You might be able to get down to a number 2 but you'll never know for sure until you get there post-op, meaning how successful it will be to conceal the strip scar. So now let's consider this scenario. You end up doing strip anyway or eventually, Propecia quicks working, and your hair is buzzed to a number 3. Will that still be acceptable to you should you end up progressing to a class 7 elsewhere on your scalp? Remember, you can still get the frontal view looking okay, but you may not keep anything behind it that is not transplanted hair. I know a number of guys in that situation right now BUT they still are more happy with having hair in the frontal third with a higher hairline than being completely bald. That's where you and only you can decide if that's what you want or accept, again in a worst case scenario. Who knows, finasteride could end up working well for you long term like it is for me. There's no guarantee either way.
I agree with bighurt in that let's say Propecia works well in the first year and you go ahead with the hair transplant only top have it stop working a short while after the procedure. Then waiting six months or one year to rate its efficiency is illrelevant. The reason why I said give it one year is because some respond slower, some quicker. I would just hate to see you throw in the towel if you did not see satisfactory results in the first six months of use.
I have said this before many times. Any guy that I have spoken with in the past 28 years who started hair transplants in their early twenties and eventually hit class 7 have regretted ever getting started in the first place. But also take note that many of them did their first hair transplants when the technology was terrible and went to shady doctors who took advantage of them. Many of them never had finasteride available until 1998. Today is different with the hairloss meds that are available, it's just that the future is unforeseeable. I have never felt that class 7 candidates make good candidates for surgical hair restoration. Top shelf hair systems are geting better too and many guys in class 6 and 7 are moving to them and away from surgery. It's a personal choice. Take myself. I have the potential of hitting class 6. I have been cutting Proscar (finasteride) since 1996 and it's been working ever since then. I had four seperate procedures totalling 6900 grafts to date. I had very little put in my crown so worst case if finasteride quicks working for me, most of my front and midscalp is transplants.
Definitely alot to think about because all of us are different from one another.
thanks gill, you do phenomenal work around here.
i remember a few years back coming home from work one day and i was just sitting on my bed and the issue of hairloss just hit me like a ton of bricks. i mean, i was on the verge of just balling my eyes out. i didn't even know what to do or think b/c i wasn't (still am not) comfortable talking about it with friends/family. i started searching online and found this site. that first night, i literally was up until like 3:30am just reading through posts and trying to educate myself as much as possible. i remember when i finally did go to sleep, i felt A LOT better b/c i felt like i had a place to read about other guys' experiences going thru a lot of the same emotions as me and to give me new ideas for other treatments (none of which really worked - including dutasteride-, but oh well.....live and learn). i don't spend too much time on these boards, but if one of my posts can make a new guy feel even a little bit better, then great.
so i think it's finally time i thanked all the great guys around here that form a pretty great "community". thanks!!
i remember a few years back coming home from work one day and i was just sitting on my bed and the issue of hairloss just hit me like a ton of bricks. i mean, i was on the verge of just balling my eyes out. i didn't even know what to do or think b/c i wasn't (still am not) comfortable talking about it with friends/family. i started searching online and found this site. that first night, i literally was up until like 3:30am just reading through posts and trying to educate myself as much as possible. i remember when i finally did go to sleep, i felt A LOT better b/c i felt like i had a place to read about other guys' experiences going thru a lot of the same emotions as me and to give me new ideas for other treatments (none of which really worked - including dutasteride-, but oh well.....live and learn). i don't spend too much time on these boards, but if one of my posts can make a new guy feel even a little bit better, then great.
so i think it's finally time i thanked all the great guys around here that form a pretty great "community". thanks!!
Another question:
Suppose Propecia proves to be ineffective, or I am forced to stop due to sides -- is all hope lost as far as having a hair transplant goes? Is it completely unwise to have a hair transplant (especially at my young age) if Propecia is ineffective or not an option?
Suppose Propecia proves to be ineffective, or I am forced to stop due to sides -- is all hope lost as far as having a hair transplant goes? Is it completely unwise to have a hair transplant (especially at my young age) if Propecia is ineffective or not an option?
G
Guest
Guest
If Propecia (finasteride) is ineffective in greatly slowing down the progression of your hairloss, I would not get a hair transplant if I were in your situation.
metalheaddude
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- Reaction score
- 9
Wow to be honest based on these pics, I think you would be very foolish to get a hair transplant right now. Its hard to predict what your hairloss might be in 5 to 10 years but given you're only 20 I dare say you will be approaching NW6 territory by the time your 30, in which case you will greatly regret the transplant. I think you should stick to the meds at least for a few more years :dunno:
As I already stated in my original post, I realize that the progression of further hair loss is unpredictable and I actually assumed a worst case scenario in which I did reach a NW6 by the time I am 30. This is the reason why I am looking for a conservative, mature hairline, with a long-term plan considering further loss.
Metalheaddude,
I don't understand how you can say that I will greatly regret a transplant if I do get one now. You have no idea what situation I am in or how I am personally affected by my hair loss. You also have no idea as to what my expectations are, as it is clear that you did not bother to read my original post, in which I stated that I am looking for a mature hairline, with conservative use of donor hair, so that if I do ultimately progress to a NW6, the goal is to have a hairline to frame my face, and thin coverage of the crown. I also stated in my original post that I am fuly aware that more than one procedure will most likely be needed in my situation, as it looks as if I may progress to a NW6. However, I am hoping for the best with finasteride, and the point that I originally tried to make is this: If the worst case scenario does happen, and I do progress to a NW6, I would much sooner accept a bald crown in my 30's (after all my donor hair is used up), knowing that I have done all i could do, than I would accept "waiting it out" through my 20's with a receding hairline, watching my hair dissapear, constantly knowing that there is something I could do about it.
I appreciate any further advice/help that can be offered after evaluating the pics I provided. I hope they help!
Thanks
Metalheaddude,
I don't understand how you can say that I will greatly regret a transplant if I do get one now. You have no idea what situation I am in or how I am personally affected by my hair loss. You also have no idea as to what my expectations are, as it is clear that you did not bother to read my original post, in which I stated that I am looking for a mature hairline, with conservative use of donor hair, so that if I do ultimately progress to a NW6, the goal is to have a hairline to frame my face, and thin coverage of the crown. I also stated in my original post that I am fuly aware that more than one procedure will most likely be needed in my situation, as it looks as if I may progress to a NW6. However, I am hoping for the best with finasteride, and the point that I originally tried to make is this: If the worst case scenario does happen, and I do progress to a NW6, I would much sooner accept a bald crown in my 30's (after all my donor hair is used up), knowing that I have done all i could do, than I would accept "waiting it out" through my 20's with a receding hairline, watching my hair dissapear, constantly knowing that there is something I could do about it.
I appreciate any further advice/help that can be offered after evaluating the pics I provided. I hope they help!
Thanks
metalheaddude
Senior Member
- Reaction score
- 9
BBallHead said:
Yes ur right. I probably am guilty of just brushing over your post...sorry :blush:
Ive had a change of tune now. Your idea sounds like a possibility if you take the conservative route. Im far from an expert on hair transplant's (starting researching a few months ago) im still learning myself. Im sure some other old hair transplant pros like SAF or Gillantor will be able to give you more sound advice.
Best of luck man...Keep us posted
G
Guest
Guest
Your hairline looks fairly high from your pics--- I would not do strip at this time and I would limit yourself to 1000-1200 grafts to bolster your frontal forelock and remove the "thinning hairline" look by doing FUE.
You know, these guys are right to suggest that you wait a bit-- but again, I understand your concerns 100%--- I think if you stay conservative and do not try and lower your hairline by more than 1/2cm and use the rest to bolster density you will be very happy.
Again, I would strongly recommend you do not have a strip surgery at 20.
Jason
You know, these guys are right to suggest that you wait a bit-- but again, I understand your concerns 100%--- I think if you stay conservative and do not try and lower your hairline by more than 1/2cm and use the rest to bolster density you will be very happy.
Again, I would strongly recommend you do not have a strip surgery at 20.
Jason
s.a.f
Senior Member
- Reaction score
- 67
This guys photo's are the spitting image of me when I was about 23 and I went to nw6 within 5/6 yrs of that.
Now I was'nt on meds but I'd suggest he's definatly heading the same way if the drugs dont work for him. Therefore using up 1 -2,000 on a great hairline now would be a big mistake.
Now I was'nt on meds but I'd suggest he's definatly heading the same way if the drugs dont work for him. Therefore using up 1 -2,000 on a great hairline now would be a big mistake.
G
Guest
Guest
I agree SAF--but the tone of his posts state his position clearly and on top of that-- there are many docs who would be happy to take his money.
I encourage him to wait for a bit but if he cannot wait, do fue and only use a small amount of grafts.
Take Care,
Jason
I encourage him to wait for a bit but if he cannot wait, do fue and only use a small amount of grafts.
Take Care,
Jason
metalheaddude
Senior Member
- Reaction score
- 9
I sympathsize with this guy I really do, because waiting 10 years or more to see where things go is incredibly hard when its the prime of your life and you want good hair now and not tommorrow.