Pat - Publisher of this Community's Hair Loss Story

I started losing my hair in my mid twenties. I felt cheated of my youth. I knew that at the rate I was thinning I was fast heading for a severely receding hairline or worse yet - bald well before age 30. And at that time (late 1980s) there weren't any real hair loss treatments. Rogaine had not been FDA approved and there was no Propecia. Hair transplants also were outrageously expensive - as much as $25 per graft for old style minigrafting.

Given these realities I found my hair loss a constant loosing battle, which was very depressing. It was like a constant cloud that followed me every where.

I tried minoxidil and other topical treatments but my hairline kept receding and my hair got thinner on top. I then wore a "hair stystem" for several years but this always felt phony.

Finally, I found Dr. Ron Shapiro in 1996 and after 3 sessions of about 1,500 grafts each I was able to get completely out from under my hair system. It was very liberating to have a completely natural look that was my own naturally growing hair again.

More recently, November of 2004, I had Dr. Paul Rose in Tampa Florida add about 1,000 grafts in my crown area, which over time had continued to thin. This new hair has now grown in and helped add fullness and shape to me crown area.

On November 21st of 2006 (ten years after my first hair transplant) I did another session of 1,631 grafts (3,902 hairs) with Dr. Ron Shapiro.

I've continued to gradually loose hair in my crown area because as they say "hair loss is progressive". I believe that using finasteride and minoxidil have slowed this thinning process. But they have not halted it. In time I may do more hair transplants to add hair into my crown area.

In general I'm very glad I did hair transplantation. My hair will never be as full as it once was. But at my age I have a very natural look with a reasonably full appearance.

Best wishes to you in achieving the look you want. Pat

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