I would agree with everyone else that this is basically a vagary in the process of innovation; the science is still (relatively) solid, and the prospects for $ are enormous. It will happen.

Nonetheless, I still feel a fine-tuning BHT is the next "great" advance for us, which would effectively augment our donors in a way that touches upon the oasis that Swagger feels is necessary to get a good turnaround.

Which I somewhat disagree with. HT's aren't a true cure, or a panacea, and as such it will be inherently flawed. But this does not negate the tremendous good that they can do, and that they do in fact do for countless people.

It's just not true that HTs don't give adequate density, and that HM is some necessity for a HT to be a fitting solution. HM will give absolute density, and do it unequivocally for anyone with the resource and will, but there still exists a large segment of people for whom HM is *not* a necessity, or a dire need.

The evidence is written on the (forum), and what not.

The best thing about HM, IMO, is that we can abandon fin, which I'd love to get off of. Even then, for a majority of people fin not only responds as it should, but with zero perceived side effects.

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*A Follicles Dying Wish To Clinics*

1 top-down, 1 portrait, 1 side-shot, 1 hairline....4 photos. No flash.

Follicles have asked for centuries, in ten languages, as many times so as to confuse a mathematician.

Enough is enough! Give me documentation or give me death!

its true that MY HT didnt give me good density..

its true that Aaron1234's HT didnt give him good density


its true that 'john malloys' HT didnt give him good density

its truth that TTP's HT didnt

even the emperor's hairline in notably thin

its also true that the ONLY way to remedy this ever existing problem with HTs is to undergo ANOTHER procedure, all while burning up MORE donor and all while we continue to lose more hair. even for many who DID recieve good density did so at high cost of using a alot of donor. those people will have less options and coverage available for the rest of their heads as the continue to bald..

also thana.. u say there are a large segment of people whom HM is not a "dire need"... i find this a bit funny since HAIRLOSS IS PROGRESSIVE IN ALMOST ALL CASES.....so thana, how many of these guys who arent in "dire need" of the luxury HM would provide WILL need it a WHOLE LOT MORE DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THEY LOSE HAIR AND ARE LEFT WITH A THINNING TRANSPLANT UP FRONT AND ever minaturizing hairs on the rest or their heads.. were NOT talking about dudes with 'mature hairlines' here thana were talking about guys who have MPB and are GOING BALD.

i feel this is a valid question since you are the perfect example of someone who will in time not have your crown or midscalp.. your young thana like me..i know you think about this. now tell the people why this procedure is still worth the YEARS of trouble, and the years of maintenance, the potential risks, and the for sure scarring. they listen to you

HM is the only hope i have.. any future HTs i have from this point forward SERVE ONE PURPOSE ONLY at this stage... and thats to keep me from looking like a FREAK with a thin patch of hair growing unnaturally in my front third throughout my 30's 40's and 50's. or a freak with a stretched ear to ear jagged scar and minimal pitting in the hairline when shaved down... either way i put myself in a situation where im forced to have more work done, just like the MAJORITY of HT patients.. and thats the reality of it


Bill--for the maybe 20,000 time now you have labled me negative during my time here.. while i respect your position i know something that you obviously dont... and thats that im an unbelievable human being.. every day i do good for this world and other people, whether its here or not.. every day i care about other humans. every day i have the goal to impact people lives for the better, and im not simply talking about HERE as this forum is nothing but a TINY portion of my worth..

unlike many of my religious folk out there, i dont live this way because i desire some type of REWARD from god when i die..nope, i could care less about where i go when i die, ill cross that bridge when i get there... I care about others BECAUSE I CHOOSE TO LIVE THIS WAY. because it feels correct at my core to care about MORE than just me... so when i come to this place and speak up what MANY OTHERS FEEL AND KNOW about hair transplants and i am constantly, time and time again labled as a NEGATIVE person by the moderator simply because i dont believe in the procedure he promotes it makes one wonder what the problem REALLY is. i have alot of character, and thats not something a modorators mis guided belief of me can alter.

Swagger,
Unfortunately, I don't personally foresee a huge stem cell break through with regards to hair loss anytime soon.

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Blake (Future_HT_Doc)

Forum Co-Moderator and Editorial Assistant for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum

All opinions are my own and my advice should not constitute as medical advice.

Future_HT_Doc,

What're your views on Histogen (who have already released what seems to be impressive photographic evidence and statements suggesting that the treatment could be available to the public as early as 2012)?

I wonder if and when hair cloning will be offered as a hair loss option, who will be performing those surgeries? Surgeons or someone else?

Swagger, I do not deny that your HT did not give you good density, nor the HTs of *many* people. Truly, I do not. Moreover, in the very threads of the people whom you cited (TTP, Aaron, John, e.g.) I went out of my way to speak plainly in agreement with their issues, looking at their situations objectively; I even *outright* caution a couple *before* their operations, in their old pre-op threads.

But I still stand by that HM is not a "dire need" for many. This means, of course, that the people in question must have the resource and will for *multiple* procedurs -- but is this not something that is discussed prior to their HTs, and something they are consented upon?

You seem to greatly discount the fact that while MPB is indeed progressive, so is the ability for people to combat it with multiple HTs. NicNitro, Bobman, Bill, Jotronic, LondonLad, and countless others have done just that. I myself will be amongst this list as I too need a subsequent HT.

I undestand that HM *is* a dire need for many. I don't deny this, nor do I look to undermine the marvelous benefit it would have for untold numbers of people. Including myself.

A bad HT is about the worst thing that can happen to a man, particularly a young guy; and so I nonetheless understand where your vigilence is coming from, even though in and of itself I simply don't feel it's always accurate in light of the very real options a lot of guys have.

Re: me. Honestly, I'v lost my midscalp since my HT, and it has wrecked havoc even on my hairline's perceived density. It's caused me a good deal of grief, and it's extremely annoying. But:

Would I still go back and get a HT? Yes. I'm better off for it, despite the fact that I STILL battle MPB to this day...but the HT -- and the subsequent HTs I will get -- have let me battle MPB better than I could have without.

To be frank, I wish I was as informed now as I was when I got my HT; and it is my express desire to have every guy who gets a HT be as informed as I would want myself to be.

HM is the holy grain, there's no doubt about it. I simply feel for many the route of HTs as it stands can yield fully satisfactory results. I honestly believe myself to be in this category as I embark upon my 2nd HT, and I know it is true for many others.

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*A Follicles Dying Wish To Clinics*

1 top-down, 1 portrait, 1 side-shot, 1 hairline....4 photos. No flash.

Follicles have asked for centuries, in ten languages, as many times so as to confuse a mathematician.

Enough is enough! Give me documentation or give me death!

LMS,

I don't know you personally, but I think this may be the problem: Staunch ideological crusading, boycotting, etc, are often perceived as negative tactics because they're usually intended to be punitive rather than constructive, and in many people's opinions, antithetical to the idea of a free society/community. On a hair transplant forum, it sends the message, "There are risks associated with this procedure, so let's destroy its credibility, or even try to hurt the industry financially."

If everyone who has ever considered looking into hair transplantation suddenly retracted their interest out of fear, there would be no future, no progress made, period. The way to promote advancement in the field is to support the doctors and hair loss communities, not condemn them. I say this as a repair patient.

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All opinions are my own and my advice should not constitute as medical advice.

View my My Hair Loss Website

I guess it depends on how it's done. I could be misunderstanding this, but Intercytex had problems regarding growth in their initial trials and started looking at growing follicles in vitro which would then need to transplanted.

Aderans' technique is trying to produce more donor, so in both of those approaches a transplant surgeon would still be required. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

If it doesn't require a surgeon the HT surgical field will be ???

Maxxy is right. The latest research has shown hair multiplication to be unpredictable. It's suggested that the key to success may lie in growing stem cells in vitro to a hair follicle stage and then transplanting the hair follicles using today's state of the art surgical hair restoration techniques. While more research is needed, if this is the avenue cloning ultimately goes, experienced and skilled hair transplant physicians will be needed to deliver the best results. This includes proper and careful handling of the grafts, strategic placement of the grafts, making tiny recipient incisions to minimize trauma to the scalp, etc.

At this time, which direction hair multiplication will go is unknown. While I hope it eventually becomes a reality, I think we have several more years before we know anything for sure.

Best wishes,

Bill

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Managing Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog and the Hair Loss Forum and Social Community

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To learn about how I restored my hair, view my my hair loss website.

Remember, true beauty radiates from within, not from the skin.

I am not a medical professional and my words should not be taken as medical advice. All opinions and views shared are my own.