savehair

Well I'm in the ugly duckling stage right now.

 

I know I've been experiencing shock loss which is expected.

 

Can't wait to hit the 2 and a half to 3 month mark when things start getting better.

what ugly duckling phase?

i cant really tell anything was done, looks like it will get you where you want to be

congrats!

start taking photo of your hair every single month ,this will be the only way you can tell if your hair loss is starting

natural hair loss will happen gardually but if you can tell you are losing hair then by that time it's already too late to try to restore anything

go to a dermatologist to get a second opinion to see if you are worried about hair loss starting

i wouldnt use rogaine or lipogaine until you need to or advised to. also once you start using it then you have to keep doing it

Hi All,

sorry for creating another thread , i know this has been discussed multiple times and in multiple threads but i want some inputs from the community to see if i should continue taking finasteride

i starting taking generic finasteride at 1.25 mg every other day January 2012 then increased my intake after 6~8 weeks to 1.25mg everyday but skips on the 5th day to get to 5 mg every 5 days.

Pros:

- my hair now feels much thicker than before

- i do see some improvements in my vertex where hair was thinning and scalp was showing

Cons:

- depression , i would occasionally get down real easily, i do have some bad thoguhts from time to time , it's taking a big toll on me. it's also getting worse due to some events that's happening in my life

- occasionally get soft erection or penis feels numb.

Currently, after consulting with my dermatologist, he suggested that i should stay on the drug for the improvement on the hair but reduce down the dosage to 1.25 mg every other day if i want to. we didn't really disucss much about the cons so that wasn't factored into his decision, i just merely asked if i can reduce down the dosage because of the recent news and side effects

given my current situation, what would you recommend for me to do? thank you....

here's my profile

Age: 27

Hair Loss level : NW3. receding hairline, thinning all over the head but most noticeable on the crown, showing some scalp and circles

Treatment: kirkland minoxidil 5% twice daily, 1.25 mg finasteride every other day

i've also scheduled a HT in december this year to restore my hairline and frontal third

amazing results, subscribed for text when you add to the thread

Yeah. The thing is, I don't know, because I don't know what am looking for. You apparently lose 100-150 hairs a day to make way for new hair growth, right? If that's the case, I'm in that range, but then I see hairs that are darker than my own hair but short and very thick. Then I see some that appear thinner, but I can't tell because my hair is blonde. I also see then coming from the back of my hair and sides. Doesn't make sense. I've been 'monitoring' my hair for nearly two years now, and there's been NO change whatsoever. I'm not even just saying that because am in denial, either. There's cached images around the net of my hair, because I deleted my old PhotoBucket account, but my hair is the same. I've even posted pics of my hair from when I was 18 which shows my hairline as being the same shape as it is now. Close ups that I've posted on this forum as well, showing off macro's of my hairline prove that my hair is fine. My on top/around the crown where I have a parting also show no change. I just have an inflamed scalp. I just see these hairs on my hands of different shapes/sizes/colours. Don't get it.

look for any places that looks thinner or places that are out of proportion, look for white hairs, asked others to judge for you

if you seriously cant tell any difference and still want a peace of mind, go to a dermatologist or HT doctor to get an assessment of your current scalp

there's a good chance there's nothing wrong with your hair and you are just being paranoid and extra cautious which is a good thing

most 22 year olds dont lose their hair enough to make an appearance differnces but there seems to be more and more cases of young guys start losing their hair significantly in their 20s , myself included

Hey,

 

Thanks for your replies, but I was wondering whether I could get some info on miniaturisation as well, if possible? I know I've posted countless pictures, and my hair hasn't changed from those pictures, but I still can't work out the difference between miniaturisation , and then new hair growth/normal shedding.

 

I look at my hairline, I see vellus looking hair just in front of my hairline, but don't know whether that's 'just supposed to be there'. You can probably see them on my older pics, but am confused about them. Am also confused about the hairs on my hand in the shower/when I apply wax, because they appear to be different sizes and thickness, but they can also come from the back and sides of my hair also.

 

Don't really understand the process, so info would be great!

 

Thanks.

like many said, your hair looks fine but you know your hair best, if you think it's thinning or minituarizing , there's a good chance it probably is

there's a couple ways to find out if you are beginning to lose hair

1. get photos from a couple years ago , see if you notice any difference when comparing problem areas before and now

2. go to a dermatologist or reputable HT doctor , have them do a in depth analysis on your scalp. they should have equipment to magnify and look at your scalp to see if you are really balding or not

3. start measuring the length of your forehead, you probably have to do it every 3~4 month and go out a year to get a trend. you will be able to tell if it's receding on you.

i used to have thick head of hair and never thought balding would be a problem, it's good if you act fast at least to rule it out and if you are indeed losing your hair then you get a lot more options now to keep your head of hair before it's too late.

good luck

Dr. Rahal and his reps claim his FUE yield is close to his FUT yield, and I'd say the results posted in this forum so far support that. In other words, I think it's fair to say that if you insist on FUE, then Rahal's yields will probably match those of the best FUE docs in the world. However, the odds of a slightly greater yield may be better if you go for FUT regardless of the doctor you choose.

 

If you go FUE, and it's a success, do you think you'll sit around caring about the slightly better yield you may have gotten with FUT? Maybe, but I doubt it. You'll probably be thrilled at your transformation and be happy you have less noticeable scarring.

 

All HT procedures are a gamble. You increase the odds of a good outcome considerably when you choose a talented, proven doctor, and I think Rahal qualifies.

thanks, this is what i am looking for, hopefully more chimes in on the results FUE vs FUT that Dr. Rahal produces. if its similar , then i rather go with FUE

Getting a smiley scar because its taxing for certain doctors is just nuts.

 

Go to Europe and get away from the docs that insist FUE is just hype or good for small jobs. IMO, under 30, the more grafts you need, the more you need the option to buzz

 

But docs and reps will tell you there are good reasons to create a scar nonetheless.

like zenmunk mentioned, Dr.Rahal's rep didnt try to sell me on FUE, they recommended me FUT instead. but like you indicated, i m relatively young, i want to preserve the right to buzz down in the future which is why im leaning towards FUE

for 3000 grafts - STRIP (too many to do FUE in one session...not that it hasn't been done, but it's taxing)

 

you can always FUE the strip scar in the future

Around 3000 is the max for an FUE session. How short do you keep your hair?

hey guys,

i am not going for 3000 via FUE , if i m going with FUE i m only going for 2000 to address the frontal third.

my question is more around , does Dr. Rahal's FUE and FUT yield the same results based on what people have seen on the forum.

thanks...

Picked an excellent surgeon.

 

Do you have any pics?

sorry no pics.... but i added my profile in the first thread and below

When it comes to Dr. Rahal, I strongly recommend Strip surgery as he is more experienced in it plus his scars are unbelievably pencil-thin. Good luck.

thanks Hariri, i've been following your thread as well

Dr. Rahal has not been doing FUE for that long, hence less Rahal FUE results.

 

It is really hard to say IMO if the yield would be the same or not, and what does about the same mean? How many are you needing? Do you ever plan on wearing your hair shaved?

Hi Spanker ,

i need about 1800~2000 in the front , i have thinning in the back but i'm less concerned about it. since im relatively young, it's very possible that i continue to lose more hair through the course of the years, i want the ability to shave it down the road......

my profile: also edited in my first thread

NW3V receding hairline and thinning in crown

Age:27

quoted ~3000 grafts with about 1800 to front and 1200 to crown if strip

i am actually ok with just doing the front with 2000 via FUE since i think that will be the biggest difference maker

Hi all,

love this forum , i've learned so much about the hair loss and ways to restore your hair and what one should expect after lurking on here for a bit. thank you all very much for contributing to this forum for an issue that bothers most of us

i have decided to go through with a HT with Dr. Rahal to restore my frontal third, but the problem is that i m undecided between FUT and FUE.

im leaning towards FUE because of the less obvious scarring, but for those of you who have been here long enough , is there a difference in the end results by Dr. Rahal when it comes to FUT or FUE base on the cases that had been posted over the years?

In my online consultation, i was told it should yield the same results , but when i search on the forum here , most of the cases are FUT, just want to get further inputs

my profile:

NW3V receding hairline and thinning in crown

Age:27

quoted ~3000 grafts with about 2000 to front and 1000 to crown if strip

i am actually ok with just doing the front since i think that will be the biggest difference maker

looks great, congrats man

confidence booster for me going into my ht with Dr. Rahal later this year

any picture on the fut scar lifted up like you did at the 3 month mark?

looks like excellent work man, congratulations

i also have scheduled a FUT with Dr. Rahal , do you mind showing the scar as of right now?

in for pictures too, i hope they are good like you described !

amazing results, congratulations man!

Savehair,

 

Forgive me if I am mistaken, but I think you might still be missing the point of what people are telling you. A hair transplant will never give you the ACTUAL density (hair count), or even 90% of it, you had in your recipient area (where the transplanted hairs go) before you lost hair there. Rather, a well performed hair transplant can make it APPEAR that you have not suffered significant hair loss in the recipient area. Why? Because before we start to lose hair from a given area, the average male has approximately 80 - 100 follicular units per square centimeter (FU's per cm2) of scalp. Hair transplants as practiced today generally provide somewhere between 35 - 65 FU's per cm2, depending on donor supply, hair characteristics, extent of loss, and the region(s) being transplanted -- usually higher FU's per cm2 in the hairline zone, but using only single hair follicular units (so lower total hair count), with fewer FU's per cm2 farther back, but often with 2 and 3-hair FU's, which enhances the hair count per cm2. In other words, current technology and technique does not permit transplantation of 90 - 100 FU's per cm2 with acceptable yield (90%+), even if you had sufficient donor supply to attempt it and could be assured you wouldn't need more donor hair for further hair loss in the future.

 

But the good news is that men can lose quite a bit of their native hair from a particular region (thinning) before it becomes cosmetically noticeable. Generally speaking, it is said that you can lose 40%- 50% of your hair in a particular region before it becomes cosmetically noticeable. The area will start to appear noticeably thin once this threshold is passed. A well executed hair transplant can return that region to the cosmetic density threshold (sometimes beyond, depending on circumstances), and with modern implantation techniques, such as lateral slit and close attention to hair angulation, get the most cosmetic benefit out of the transplanted hairs and make the region appear even denser than it actually is. This is what is meant by the ILLUSION OF DENSITY. You will not obtain the ACTUAL density you had in your recipient area before you started losing hair there, or even 90% of it, but you can obtain a sufficient cosmetic illusion of density in your recipient area that the average eye will be "fooled" into perceiving that this person has not suffered significant hair loss there.

 

I hope that helps.

 

PupDaddy

ahh, thanks Pup for the explanation, that makes a lot of sense and i understand what you and previous posters are trying to say now . just wondering though, when you say cosmetic illusion of density, can that be jeodardized when your hair is wet or in certain situations?

in other words, post HT, do you still feel your head of hair is thin or bald just that it doesnt appear so? does it feel like it's full?

Thanks for all that responded so far

i want to make one thing clear

when i say 90% of pre loss day looks. i am referring to the areas that you are thinning or balding and getting implants on

i understand HT is basically moving hair from your donor area to where it's been lost so obviously you can never achieve back to 90% of pre loss hair total counts

also in terms of overall density and thickness, are people happy or do you still feel some what bald especially under lightning or wet. of course this also depends on your level of loss and number of grafts implanted.....so if you specify the details that would be great

been thinking real hard about going through with a HT lately

for those who have done it , are you happy with your results?

happy is subjective, let me put it this way.

do you still feel bald or you feel like you are pretty close back to pre hair loss days?

i know a lot of it matters depends on your current loss status, physiology and hair characteristics but i just want to get an idea if you truly feels like you got most of your hair back or is it just better than before and still not quite back to pre loss levels?

a little bit about myself

im probably a NW III , thinning overall but still got most of my hair to cover with concealers. im in my late 20s, wants to achieve to probably 90% of my pre-loss look.......

-Updates after reading 1st page of response:

Thanks for all that responded so far

i want to make one thing clear

when i say 90% of pre loss day looks. i am referring to the areas that you are thinning or balding and getting implants on

i understand HT is basically moving hair from your donor area to where it's been lost so obviously you can never achieve back to 90% of pre loss hair total counts

also in terms of overall density and thickness, are people happy or do you still feel some what bald especially under lightning or wet. of course this also depends on your level of loss and number of grafts implanted.....so if you specify the details that would be great

BadBeat,

 

I have not found any price quotes online yet and still need to get to Walmart for a price check. Hopefully someone will beat me to it.

 

Dutch,

 

Here in the US the best price you can find without a special is probably Costco. It runs about $48 for 4 bottles. I wouldn't call that cost prohibitive but, when you compare it to Kirkland liquid at around $17 for a 6 month supply it starts to look expensive.

 

I'm expecting the new generic foam to fall somewhere in between and probably fall in price over time. I

 

I'm really looking forward to trying it out.

hmm sounds interesting, where do you find kirkland liquid for 17 for 6 month???

Congrats man! PMed with further questions

good luck man, keep us posted on the good news!

man, i am sold, time to book a trip to ontario

good luck man!!! im in a very similar situation (overall thinning with receding hairline, but my hair is thick enough to disguise some of it)

will probably go for a HT when times right too, can't wait to see your results, i m sure they will turn out awesome for you!

when you start to lose your hair at that young of age, i seriously doubt it is from stress or related to that.

 

is there any baldness in the family?

yep, my dad is going bald but he didnt start losing until 55.

my losing is definitely not stress driven. it was the increased level of DHT due to excessive sex and masturbation ....lol

too bad i dont think it reversible...

here's a question related to supplements.

does the timing of when to take certain supplements matter?

i usually try to take them in the morning rather than later part of the day

thanks Swimmy, i appreciate your lightning quick responses! it is really nice to have someone to talk about particularly around this topic haha...

 

 

I think the sides are similar Fin but to a lesser extent.

 

 

Brand is very important. No brand is the same. Some use crappy ingredients.ETC. Now Foods Brand seems to be the best overall brand for supplements and price.

 

Here's the link

 

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/157775-what-top-hair-supplements-swimmy.html

 

 

Not sure if you mix it. I think you apply one that day and then the other the next.

 

 

Too early to tell. Started a month ago. But it seems like my front hairs are getting a darker pigment

 

 

thanks again! also another thing i just recently started doing 1 month ago is that i use medic rollers before i apply minox. maybe a viable option for some of the people that didn't knew about it yet.

 

in case some of you that had no idea what it is. medic roller is basically a roller with mini spikes on it. i guess it opens up the pores on the scalp for for more absorption of any thing that you might want to apply. i think it also stimulates circulation on top.

 

use at your own consent though, since if you have sensitive scalp, you probably dont want to stimulate it even further