As you can see by the pictures, I also have hairloss. I`ve been on regaine and something called Ekstrakt from a clinic in Copenhagen for 2 years. My age is 25 years old, it started when I was around 20`s. The hairloss is still there. I recently started taking propecia (a month ago), now im considering a HT. Some of the surgeons I have consulted are confusing me. Some are saying "go ahead, do a HT. And others are saying, wait some years and get a mature/better hairloss pattern.

Question is now: What do you guys recommend? I`ve been reading this forum since december 2007. There are lots of smart people around. Im a student and I was thinking of doing the HT in Pakistan this summer. Do you recommend it? Or shall I wait for the propecia to work? Thing is, I know that propecia wont work in the front area, is it possible to do a HT in the front and not experience shock loss in the crown area or around the middle? Thanks.

Btw, sorry if I posted this the wrong way. Thanks for answering.

Noelio,

Since you are a student, I'm going to assume you are under 25 years old. IMO, I would wait a year and see if the Propecia will work. Another idea is to check out the drug Proscar, which has the same active ingredient as Propecia but comes in a 5mg. You then have to break the pill and take 1/3 every M-W-F. But, this will be considerably cheaper. For me, it will be $80 for a three-month supply of Proscar.

Also, take a look at Toppik concealer in the meantime. It'll wash out every day so you can take some pics in a year to see if the Proscar / Rogaine regimen is working.

If it was certain you'd never lose anymore hair, or if you were 40 years old, it looks like you'd be an excellent candidate for about 3,000 grafts, imo. But, you would need to be careful at such a young age as you don't to look goofy when you are 40 b/c you have a disfunctional looking hair pattern.

Also, be careful with surgeons as this business is ripe with those with questionable morals. Some clinics, by default, will tell you to go ahead with a transplant.

Don't sacrifice your long-term looks for some short term improvemetns.

__________________
100? 'mini' grapfts by Latham's Hair Clinic - 1991 (Removed 50 plugs by Cooley 3/08.)
2750 FU 3/20/08 by Dr. Cooley

My Hair Loss Website - Hair Transplant with Dr. Cooley

Current regimen:
1.66 mg Proscar M-W-F
Rogaine 5% Foam - every now and then
AndroGel - once daily
Lipitor - 5 mg every other day
Weightlifting - 2x per week
Jogging - 3x per week

How old are you? If under 25 i'd wait! Yes you could benefit from a HT, but if you are under 25 some doctors couldnt accuratlly predict your pattern of hair loss. Now I say 25, but thats not set in stone, It just seems about the age when hair loss for most starts to become more apperant and you can see a pattern starting to set in. Hope that helps

Thanks guys.

Im acctually 25 years old. Hairloss started when I was around 20/22. Thank for the tip regarding proscar, I will start to use that instead since its much cheaper. The temples are really bothering me. The thing I dont understand is the following:

I have talked to about 5 surgeons. 4 of them are saying I should wait If I only want 1 HT. The last one said Im ready for a HT. Lets say I only get a HT in the front area. Around 2000 grafts with FUE method. Will that infect the other hair area part? And yes, lets assume that hairloss is getting slower. With Regaine for almost 2 years and vitamins + propecia now is really slowing the hairloss, but Im still seeing hairs falling down. (Not that much like before)

I see that Drs. Feller and Epstein are online; so maybe they can comment on your situation.....

__________________
100? 'mini' grapfts by Latham's Hair Clinic - 1991 (Removed 50 plugs by Cooley 3/08.)
2750 FU 3/20/08 by Dr. Cooley

My Hair Loss Website - Hair Transplant with Dr. Cooley

Current regimen:
1.66 mg Proscar M-W-F
Rogaine 5% Foam - every now and then
AndroGel - once daily
Lipitor - 5 mg every other day
Weightlifting - 2x per week
Jogging - 3x per week

just stay on propecia for about 8months and see were you are at. With your pattern, FUE is probably not the wisest choice.

also, you will have major shock unless you have stabalized on propecia.

Sometimes I feel I should have not started with regaine and ekstrakt. After starting with that the hair has dissapeared. I tried stop taking it in january 08, but then I experienced some loss and started again in february 08.
Im lost and thinking about this 24/7. A HT will maybe get my front area back atleast.

I think the first shedding you experienced might have been signs that it has actually started working. From what I understand, that is normal.

Send those pics by email to one of the coalition docs listed above and do a phone consultation with him / her. Tell the rep. you want to speak directly with the doctor; and then you will be getting an expert opinion for free.

There are some experts on here to, so get on here daily and keep doing your homework.

I got a transplant at 25 so I can feel your pain. Mine was similar to yours. To be honest, my continued hair loss made the prior transplant have minor results.

If you get to that point, I would think the strip method would be in your best interest. Have you tried Toppik? It's like $30 or so and will last a few months.

__________________
100? 'mini' grapfts by Latham's Hair Clinic - 1991 (Removed 50 plugs by Cooley 3/08.)
2750 FU 3/20/08 by Dr. Cooley

My Hair Loss Website - Hair Transplant with Dr. Cooley

Current regimen:
1.66 mg Proscar M-W-F
Rogaine 5% Foam - every now and then
AndroGel - once daily
Lipitor - 5 mg every other day
Weightlifting - 2x per week
Jogging - 3x per week

Hi Noelio,

I am also a 25 year old student and I had a HT with Dr Rahal last march!

I flew all the way from Portugal to Canada to get my HT with one the worlds top surgeons, insted of going somewere in Europe and having to do a repair job afterwards.

You have to ask yourself a question: If not now then when are you going to have a HT???... When you are 35 married and with children?? Who cares about hair then!!!
If you want great hair NOW is the time to have it, when we are still in our Prime!

Your hairloss looks kinda like mine and it seems they will rebuild the frontal zone like they did to me so count on at least 3000 grafts.

You can check out my results here:Dr. Rahal 3425 grafts 28/03/2008 18 Months Update

I had hair in the front but Dr. Rahal said it was not going to last long so he decided to do the whole frontal area, this way if I got shock loss there would be no problem. I have seen very little shock loss because some of my original frontal hairs were strongh enough to come back

I also went on Propecia but I have trouble with taking a pill everyday for the rest of my life so I stoped it!

If you are like me and dont want to take supplements and drugs for the rest of life, just get off everything you are taking now and go in for and HT drug free.
If you get drug free you will have some major shedding but that is your sistem getting back to normal and you will lose it anyways in the long run so it might as well just let it shed!
After the HT the Doctor will advise you to go on Rogaine for 12 months to help the hairs grow and when you stop using it the effect will not be unnoticable because you have really strong hairs now.

After 12 months you are drug free and with a great set of hair that will last forever and if we get bald in the back in the next 10 years we can just get another HT done or forget about it cause we will be 35 and married by then!

I would advise to get prices from these doctors:

Dr. Rahal, Dr. Feller, Hasson and Wong and Dr. Ron Shapiro.

Ask for student prices and see who gives you the better deal.

Hope I have helped!

Cheers.

__________________
Dr. Rahal 28/3/08
3425 Grafts / 7035 Hairs

Check my results: http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.co...d.php?t=152718


Using Rogaine Foam 5% for the 12 months cicle and Nizoral 2% on ocasion.

Uhhhh............you too will care when you're 35 w/ kids.

__________________
100? 'mini' grapfts by Latham's Hair Clinic - 1991 (Removed 50 plugs by Cooley 3/08.)
2750 FU 3/20/08 by Dr. Cooley

My Hair Loss Website - Hair Transplant with Dr. Cooley

Current regimen:
1.66 mg Proscar M-W-F
Rogaine 5% Foam - every now and then
AndroGel - once daily
Lipitor - 5 mg every other day
Weightlifting - 2x per week
Jogging - 3x per week