Should I get surgery?

[Viper5]

I've been feeling really down about my hair thinning/loss. Just turned 31 and what's worse is trying to attract a mate as I'm alone at this point. I think the hair transplant may be what I need. Maybe not.

I've been using minoxidil since the beginning of the year so almost 3 months in. The beginning of this month I started to incorporate newer products. My regimen is as follows:

2x daily minoxidil 5% (1mL crown, 1mL hairline, .5 mL beard) (01/01/16)
1mg daily finasteride (03/01/16)
3x weekly lipogain shampoo(03/01/16)
1x daily 10,000mg biotin (03/01/16)


Jan 2016

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Mar 2016

In both overhead pics the hair is wet. I feel like it's getting better but may just be placebo. It's actually a bit difficult to compare due to the shorter hair now. Maybe I'll start taking pics of it dry if it even matters. I think I'm a NW7. Is surgery something that would benefit me and how much grafts should I expect to require (aka $$$)?

 

[buckthorn]

Do not get surgery yet... You have to wait and see how you respond to finasteride and minoxidil. You may be a good responder and grow some of that back. Wait at least 10 months and then make a decision

 

[Viper5]

I have recently started taking finasteride but getting freaked out about stories. 10 months is a long time to take "poison." I don't think I've been experiencing side effects too much but then again it may just be in my head after hearing everything about it.

I forgot to mention I was going to buy a dermaroller to help with the minoxidil absorption.

 

[Pequod]

You look like you have good donor hair and yes you need a hair transplant. I would guess 3500 grafts up to 4500. I doubt finasteride will bring much back but it will keep what you have.

You are not a NW7, you are more like a NW4. The price depends on where you go to get the procedure.

 

[Viper5]

You look like you have good donor hair and yes you need a hair transplant. I would guess 3500 grafts up to 4500. I doubt finasteride will bring much back but it will keep what you have.

You are not a NW7, you are more like a NW4. The price depends on where you go to get the procedure.

Why do you doubt that any part of my regimen will not show favorable regrowth?

I can travel to a good doctor if I need to. I am in Florida now. Any suggestions?

 

[crowngarden]

You and I have a very similar pattern. A transplant is an option but make sure you go to a top surgeon because the crown requires a lot of skill. And you need to understand that the crown is a deceptively large area to cover so even with a transplant, your hair may never be full to the point where you won't see scalp. It will just improve the appearance and make it seem less thin. Also, you seem to have some hair still left that may be lost to shock loss. If the hair was destined to fall out then the trauma of implanting follicles may cause those hairs to fall out and never grow back making the net gain of hair in the area hardly noticeable. I have seen some great results though like this guy: http://www.hairlosshelp.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=58&threadid=84534&highlight_key=y It's all a gamble really but you greatly improve your odds by choosing the right doctor.

- - - Updated - - -

I have recently started taking finasteride but getting freaked out about stories. 10 months is a long time to take "poison." I don't think I've been experiencing side effects too much but then again it may just be in my head after hearing everything about it.

I forgot to mention I was going to buy a dermaroller to help with the minoxidil absorption.

Taking finasteride and minoxidil may help to avoid shock loss after a transplant from what a couple of doctors have told me.

 

[Viper5]

Is Dr. Charles somebody whom you would consider a "right doctor?" Was thinking of going there. He is a couple hours drive from me.

I was checking out some other before/afters from that link and somebody there mentioned they didn't think he was good. I've read others that have said they are very pleased.

 

[crowngarden]

Is Dr. Charles somebody whom you would consider a "right doctor?" Was thinking of going there. He is a couple hours drive from me.

I was checking out some other before/afters from that link and somebody there mentioned they didn't think he was good. I've read others that have said they are very pleased.

I don't know anything about Dr. Charles. But I have been out of the loop on these forums for a few years. Maybe someone else would know. I do know that the great doctors in the U.S. can probably be counted on one hand and chances are you would have to travel quite a distance to go to a great surgeon. Two things that shouldn't factor into your decision when choosing a doctor is expense and travel distance. If you can't afford to go to a great doctor than don't have a transplant. Save up until you can afford it or put it on credit. Don't go for a discounted price. Remember, you're not buying furniture. You're having a cosmetic procedure done that will be on top of your head forever.

 

[follicle2001]

I would say you could consider hair transplant now if your frontal hairline is stable. If you are thinning in front too you might be better off waiting until your final pattern is apparent.

 

[arfy]

Don't use a dermaroller, use Minoxidil foam. It has better absorption rates than the liquid. I don't know why the hell people are using dermarollers on their scalps??? (apparently, copying people they see online). I've never seen the dermaroller be officially recommended by anybody legitimate, have you? Also, why are you using Minoxidil on your beard??? Minoxidil does have some systemic effects, and you should be trying to minimize your use (not apply it places it isn't needed).

Also, if you started your regimen 3 months ago, it's too soon to know if you'll get results. It is very hard to get regrowth. Stopping hairloss is more realistic - the more recent your hair loss is, the better the odds at regrowth.

The bad news is that you are a diffuse thinner, and the loss is in your crown. An ideal candidate has distinct area of frontal loss (among many other factors). The crown uses up a ton of donor hair (a person could easily use up an entire donor supply in the crown area alone). Diffuse thinning is bad, because it indicates a higher risk for shock loss (telogen effluvium) basically the surgery can accelerate your hair loss, just due to general trauma.

I don't know what your answer is - I would sit tight and continue your regimen for another year, then take photos and compare. Take the best quality photos you can, then repeat in the identical circumstances, for best comparison... same lighting, same camera, same camera angles, same length of wet or dry hair (although dry makes more sense to me) etc.

 

[Canadian Hair]

You cannot rely on hair products as they may work for one person, but not necessarily for others. Still, I would advise to wait for the results to show from your current regimen and then make a decision for surgery.

 

[Damnman123]

Long-time lurker, first-time poster.

Just wanted to say, my hair is about the same as yours and we are the exact same age. Your hair is not that bad (at least relatively speaking).

Stick to your regimen and maybe work on your self-esteem. Start working out, shave your beard, take good care of yourself, etc. I bet that is the issue with why you are "still alone" at 31 - not the thin hair on your crown.

 

[Rockinlove]

You are clearly a diffuse thinner. I understand all too well what your concerns (being a diffuse thinner myself) are and would urge you to wait. Give your regimen some time to work (8 months to a year) before you jump on to the hair transplant bandwagon.

I'd also suggest sticking to liquid minoxidil with propylene glychol as it helps the minoxidil absorb better. Of course dermarolling would also be benefical arguably.

In my case; drinking apple cider vinegar with garlic extract pills helped mitigate the shedding. Of course my regimen is far more aggresive than yours.

I've been feeling really down about my hair thinning/loss. Just turned 31 and what's worse is trying to attract a mate as I'm alone at this point. I think the hair transplant may be what I need. Maybe not.

I've been using minoxidil since the beginning of the year so almost 3 months in. The beginning of this month I started to incorporate newer products. My regimen is as follows:

2x daily minoxidil 5% (1mL crown, 1mL hairline, .5 mL beard) (01/01/16)
1mg daily finasteride (03/01/16)
3x weekly lipogain shampoo(03/01/16)
1x daily 10,000mg biotin (03/01/16)


Jan 2016

[






Mar 2016

In both overhead pics the hair is wet. I feel like it's getting better but may just be placebo. It's actually a bit difficult to compare due to the shorter hair now. Maybe I'll start taking pics of it dry if it even matters. I think I'm a NW7. Is surgery something that would benefit me and how much grafts should I expect to require (aka $$$)?

 

[GoldenMane]

The norwood scale doesn't apply to you.

 

[eugenixhairsciences]

I think you must consult an expert or experienced hair transplant surgeon. See an specialist and if he or she suggest you for hair transplant then get it done. You may use some home remedies to regrow hair. But consulting an expert is goo idea.