Why Don't You Guys Do A Hair Transplant?

[aceman626]

I am just wondering for all of you here, why haven't you done a hair transplant? Most of you must really care about hair + how you look, that's why we are all here. And seems like everyone has tried most or all treatments, wasted a bunch of money, for years. Am I missing something?

Is it the cost? Sure it is expensive at around 8-10K, but it is generally a one time cost (maybe 2x) and doable if you save up. If you buy a ticket to another country, cost is only 4-5K all in.

Is it the risk of side effects? I know there is some initial shock loss, but from what I've heard it always grows back right? So far I have no heard of any hair transplant with hair that doesn't grow back. If you go to a crappy doctor if might look weird, but so far no other sides I can think of?

Is it intrusive? Seems like fairly minor compared to other surgeries.

Is it recovery time? Seems like recovery is fairly painless and quick? I've heard of scars and what not being no longer noticeable after a few days, some people go back to work the next day? Am I wrong here? Do you have to shave your entire head?

Is it scarring? Seems like with FUE scarring is minimal? At least it's not noticeable?

Is it waiting for a better option/treatment/cure? From what I heard a transplant shouldn't interfere with future treatments right? Plus there is basically nothing promising on the horizon, I have been following new treatment news very closely for 10 YEARS and NOTHING. I would bet my left nut that NOTHING significantly better will come out in the NEXT 10 YEARS. This seems like the best option for guaranteed effects NOW.

Seems like half of hollywood men have done it, and they look great.

I would love to hear the reasons why people haven't done a hair transplant, which is basically a permanent, low maintenance, semi-cure.

My hair loss is getting aggressive, I plan on trying minoxidil for 12 months and if that doesn't work I might just jump ahead to a hair transplant. Even minoxidil gets me a bit worried about the sides.

Would love your thoughts, thanks.

 

[Takeela370]

1. Cost
2. Big scar
3. Taking off work/school for multiple weeks and waking around with giant scab on your head.
4. If they come out with a treatment with significant regrow then your hair will never be the same as it was. I want my own original hair in its original pattern, not something a surgeon has to try and make blend in.
5. Some people pay the high cost and it doesn't take or turns out poorly and they need another and another. (It is true, followed multiple blogs from people after they have transplants and sometimes there is not even a noticeable difference a year+ after surgery). To add insult to injury if this was the case, then a treatment came out that worked, your hair would be all over the place and you would feel extra dumb bc you paid all that money and your hair still looks bad.

These are just some of the reasons I came up with right off the top of my head, I'm sure there are even more I'm not thinking of.

On the flip side plenty of people's turn out amazing. It's just a gamble many aren't willing to take I guess.

 

[Takeela370]

I never said just wait for the cure. There are many treatments in the pipeline. And ofc the typical finasteride, min, nizoral for current regrowth.

I mean look through the link Fred posted and do your own research if you are thinking about it. Some people have success, some don't. Some of those people look like they will have good results but half of them don't look like they have even started to regrow the transplanted hair and already said "worth it." I'd probably convince myself of that too if I just dropped 8G's. Also some of the results don't look stellar and still got worth it's. And some of them actually do have good results but it looks like most of those are the ones that started NW3 or less.

Just do research for a while and get informed it's a lot of money to spend and a big investment.

 

[lamch]

As soon as I have the money its game!

 

[ThatHairStruggle]

I'll do one eventually if no treatments come out and I start aging terribly. As for right now, I can style my hair in such a way that it's not noticeable and with finasteride and min I think I'm maintaining. But yeah, if any of that changes and suddenly I want a bunch of hair then I would do a hair transplant.

 

[Dench57]

Some valid reasons for apprehension I think although ultimately, none of these compare to going bald. These don't apply to everyone:

-Cost (anywhere from 5k-30k depending on grafts and surgeon)
-Risk of a bad result
-Significant downtime (2-5 months) of ugly duckling, red scalp phase for many which is difficult for people in certain professions or lifestyles
-Unable to maintain native hair, meaning you'll probably have to go through it all again in 5 years. Some surgeons won't even operate on you.
-Thinning donor hair which means transplanted hair thins anyway

 

[Illusions]

I am definitely going down the transplant route in the future. But the main reason most people don't just get a hair transplant is because for the majority of us you will need multiple surgeries and not everyone has the funds to do so, it isn't just a one off cost like you said. It could take up to around 4 or 5 surgeries over the course of your life if you wanted to have a decent head of hair. Besides if finasteride isn't working for you (or you had to stop due to sides) than you'll still be losing ground even after a hair transplant, unless you were already slick bald.

 

[N003]

You've just summed up my greatest fears about the transplant. It's a risk, especially if you're prematurely balding and, therefore, very young. If finasteride and dutasteride stop working, there's a good chance you're fucked.

A hair transplant is the gold standard and a good way to find peace.

There are many long-term studies about finasteride. It works fine for the most people.

 

[Mattias]

I have done two hair transplants with 5 years apart and im 29 now and just started taking Finastride.
For me it was a no brainier and im so happy i did it. The surgeons today are so good that you cant tell , not even a hair dresser. The scars are so small no one has ever noticed not even when im buzzed down to 1mm and pointed it out. it takes one week before you look descent and clean enough to go out without anyone noticing.

I agree with @FredTheBelgian , i see more excuses and fear of other things than the hair transplant it self.

It has brought me so much confidence and joy over the year..

 

[Dench57]

it takes one week before you look descent and clean enough to go out without anyone noticing.

Come on, a week and nobody notices the transplant?

 

[Mattias]

Come on, a week and nobody notices the transplant?

yea? for me atleast. after 7-10 days i was good to go..

check it out. pictures of my first hair transplant after 10 days.

http://tenermaspelo.com/showthread.php?759-Dr-Keser-2065-grafts-FUE

 

[throwaway592845]

You've just summed up my greatest fears about the transplant. It's a risk, especially if you're prematurely balding and, therefore, very young. If finasteride and dutasteride stop working, there's a good chance you're fucked.

I've never understood people like you. If you continue to lose hair beyond norwood 3-4 you are fucked with or without a transplant. What difference does some hair on the top of the head and temples make?

 

[Dench57]

yea? for me atleast. after 7-10 days i was good to go..

check it out. pictures of my first hair transplant after 10 days.

http://tenermaspelo.com/showthread.php?759-Dr-Keser-2065-grafts-FUE

all i see is 10 days post-op with grafts still in place and then 4 months after. i'm talking about the ugly duckling phase when grafts shed and aren't growing at 1-2/3 months post op

Same for me, once I had removed the crusts, you could not tell I had any work done.

your case is a good example of minimal downtime but that's because it was a small amount of grafts spaced over a very large area, so little trauma/wounds and thus not much lingering redness

 

[Dante92]

I've never understood people like you. If you continue to lose hair beyond norwood 3-4 you are fucked with or without a transplant. What difference does some hair on the top of the head and temples make?

Just ask those here who were not so lucky. Now not only are they balding anyway, but they also got a nasty scar and "patches" of hair. I never said that I'm not gonna have a transplant out of fear, I said I'm gonna tread lightly, and think about it very carefully, and consider all options and only the very best surgeons here in Europe.

 

[jetlife1]

@Mattias how old are you? Your hairline went from being way worse than mine to better than mine. I only am receded just a little bit (left temple slightly more than right) and it is not really noticeable besides to me, but your pics make it seem like getting a hair transplant is worth it. Congrats on the results bro!

Also guys hear me out, if you stay on finasteride or dutasteride I feel like you should be fine with a hair transplant because even if you do start to lose ground it's not like you're going to go from a NW2 to a NW5. If you start to lose a little ground on treatments then you can just get another hair transplant to fill it in. Your hair loss should stabilize sooner or later anyway.

Personally, I'm going to hold off on a hair transplant cause my hair is still thick and looks good and I also want to wait and see if Shisheido or Replicel is successful in the next couple years.

 

[kj6723]

I've never understood people like you. If you continue to lose hair beyond norwood 3-4 you are fucked with or without a transplant. What difference does some hair on the top of the head and temples make?

I second Fred's stance

Just get yourself a decent hairline in the NW1-2 range, and save enough grafts to spread out over the rest

As long as your donor isn't terrible, I do believe this is realistic for most people. Even if at some point your run out of donor, you will look completely fine as a 45+ year old man if you have the appearance of minor thinning, and you will never be the bald guy

 

[dunno]

4. If they come out with a treatment with significant regrow then your hair will never be the same as it was. I want my own original hair in its original pattern, not something a surgeon has to try and make blend in.

Nice cope. Once you start losing it, theres rarely any way back with treatments. Only a very small minority is able to get their recession back to its original state and thickness. And to postpone a transplant to rather wallow in misery because there MIGHT be a possible cure in the "near" future is just being plain delusional. I would however start out with treatments at first and opt for a hair transplant later if needed.

I myself am considering getting one done next summer.

 

[sunchyme1]

Fred your theory works good because your pretty sure your end pattern will be nw5/6.

What would you do if you were heading for a nw7? and weren't on meds. (I tried finasteride for a year. Had great results but just as bad sides. So I will never touch that stuff again)

 

[sunchyme1]

And everyone's else's opinion on guys heading for a Norwood 7. What would you? If you weren't on meds?

 

[Dench57]

And everyone's else's opinion on guys heading for a Norwood 7. What would you? If you weren't on meds?

Just do what Fred did. Rape your donor covering as much ground as possible, most important thing is having some sort of hairline that frames your face. Will have to accept thin density and bald crown if destined for NW7.