Hello All. I am an HT candidate with reasonably good donor area and will need about 3000 grafts. I have approached various HT clinics and have been advised FUE as well as FUT method.

Some have also advised me to go on Propecia/Minoxodil 5% for 4-6 months to strengthen my hair roots and avoid 'shock loss' during the transplant.


I need to know which method is better suited and if I should wait for 4-6 months.

Kindly comment.

Ketan,

If you could post some photos of your hair, that would help.

However, do know that waiting to have a hair transplant is never wrong. In fact, if you haven't tried hair loss medication like Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil), you may want to try these for a solid year before proceeding with surgery. In many cases, these proven treatments (especially when both are used) can slow down and stop hair loss. They can even strengthen thinning hair making it thicker.

If you are a candidate for a hair transplant, unless you are really concerned about the linear scarring FUT creates, FUT is probably the better procedure for you given the number of grafts you require. FUT is overall considered more consistent and less expensive. The only real advantages of FUE are a lack of linear scar and faster donor healing time.

In optimal cases, both strip and FUE scarring is minimal and can be concealed even with short haircuts.

Best wishes,

Bill

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Hi please find pics as asked.

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one more

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You should not be using minoxodil 2 weeks before your HT. If you are going for 3000 grafts, it will only cover the frontal region and not the crown

I would strongly advise FUT, Ketan, though I would also strongly advise you to personally counsel with Coalition doctors, ideally including at least one who is pro-active with FUE. But my personal inclination is that you are firmly suited for FUT/strip.

I believe FUE to be a *very* excellent weapon in our armory against MPB, but it is just that -- a weapon -- and it needs to be treated for all it is, both good and bad, and not allow the hype of the past to intrude upon it's actual place.

I would also agree that getting on finasteride (aka propecia/proscar) is a wise move. You may not get great regrowth at this stage in the game, but it can help preserve the boundaries of your current pattern of loss.

Assuming you have the ability from a physiological perspective, I would also reccommend *shooting* for more than 3000 grafts. 3000 grafts in the hands of a honed physician will indeed do a great service to you; but, if you yourself want, and you yourself even can, attempting to get more is something to consider.

Ideally, IMHO, I would attempt to get 3000+, bolster and create your hairline and frontal 1/3rd, and then use some grafts to taper backwards over the top and leading up to your vertex and crown. A strategy like this is likely what I would pursue in your shoes.

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