hair transplant for NW2-3?

[newguy2006]

I am 22 years old and currently a NW2. I do have a family history of thin hair on my mother's side, but only have one cousin who suffers seriously from it. The rest of my family (on that side) kept most of their hair well into middle-age. Would it be a terrible idea for me to consider a hair transplant two or three years down the road - when I'll likely be a NW2-3? I've seen numerous photos from the Alvi Armani and Ron Shapiro websites that show this successfully done on young patients, but many on here seem to advise against it.

The way I look at is the following: the biggest concern with restoring NW1 hairlines is the worry that you'll eventually run out of donor hair if the receeding continues throughout middle age. However, with all the information coming out regarding HM and cloning I feel that it is inevitable that this problem will be solved within a matter of years. Furthermore, using the Big 3 along with other treatments (revivogen, spironolactone, etc.) should seemingly stop my mild recession from ever turning into something that a follow-up hair transplant cannot fix - if need be 10 or so years down the road.

What do you guys think? Is this something I should probably just speak with a respected surgeon about?

 

[not me!]

It's always impossible to determine where you will be in 5, 10, 20 years as far as your hair loss goes. After all, I bet that one cousin that does suffer from male pattern baldness probably thought he was safe didn't he?

On the other hand, treatments can certainly slow down the clock quite a bit. In my case, they even turned it back as far as my crown is concerned. The magic bullet with treatments is diligence. Use them daily, use them completely, or don't use them at all. Don't jump around on your treatments. Investigate them, research them, decide on them, use them. They should be a part of your life much like brushing your teeth and using a Q-Tip.

I cannot tell you not to consider surgery. I certainly did at 22. I think your wisest action at this point is to educate yourself on the surgery, the implications, the cost, the possible harm it can cause, and the limitations that it has. It sounds like you are on the right track with this, but you can never learn too much.

Take a look at the link to my story in my signature line. I went through one hell of a journey with hair loss in my late teens to early twenties and progressed to a NW4 by the time I was 25. It was then that my road to recovery started and at 27, almost two years later, I can honestly say that I look completely different, for the better.

I don't advocate surgery for the simple fact that it isn't necessary. You aren't going to die because you didn't get a hair transplant. However, if you are an ideal candidate physically, emotionally, and mentally and have researched the procedure so much that you are counting grafts in your sleep then when you feel it is time your next step may be to consult a physician (or physicians) that you want to learn more about.

If they try to "sell" you, walk away.
If they gloat about how many surgeries they have performed or their board certifications, walk away.
If they tell you "it's just like going to the dentist" run away.

Good luck in your journey. Remember, read until your eyes bleed then wipe them out and read some more.

Let me know if I can help you out any more.