Thehairupthere

The donor area is different for every patient. That area needs to be assessed for every patient and then it can be determined where the "safe zone" or donor supply area is. Once that is established the grafts would be taken from that area, some doctors may take a risk and take from other areas, but that is up to the surgeon and the patient to accept that risk. Some surgeons may see the yield rate as lower, it is certainly possible for it to be less, it depends on many things, such as experience of surgeon as well as the quality of the hair that is being transplanted, and the physiology, but from my experience in our practice the number is 90-95% yield success rate.

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/158019-dr-dorin-1441-frontal-fue-14-days.html

The hairs in the donor area are resistant to DHT that is why they are the donor supply as opposed to any other hair. If a doctor is transplanting from an area that is not in the desginated donor supply area, than that is an error and should not done. The link below shows a patient that has had FUE procedure and you can see how it heals and how it looks like directly after surgery so you can spot where the grafts were removed from. The yield rate like I stated above is 90-95% which is not due to the hair being in the donor area or not, it simply due to the possible trauma caused to the graft itself, if it was taken out properly and transplanted properly it will certainly grow.

You should use the Minoxodil and the Finasteride daily for 6-12 months and see if the hair loss has stabilized. Then see your doctor again to see if you have made any progress and then you can consider having the transplant.

The long term yield is 90-95% if done correctly. If the grafts are put in properly and are growing properly they will continue to do so permanently, due to their inability to react to DHT, unless it's forcefully removed or damaged, or due to serious skin conditions like alopecia areata. The FUE grafts are taken from the same area as FUT are, they are both from the donor supply and both are DHT resistant, the doctor can be more selective in his choice because FUE offers that luxury, but it also depends on the overall size of treatment.

At this point you haven't taken the medication long enough (2.5 months) you need to take the medication at least 6 months before noticing any significant results, and usually about one year before seeing any type of regrowth, so don't be discouraged, you still have some time before you see the results, so do not stop using it. If you want to use the spray version of minoxidil that would only help you more, so definitely use both if possible and see how the results are in one years time.

FUE should yield somewhere from 90%-95% of all grafts that are harvested. This number also depends on what instruments the surgeon uses, as well as the experience of the surgeon.

If you plucked out the hair by the root then the hair won't grow back, usually you just break hairs in that situation and it will grow back normally.

cc89, The first thing you should do is consult with a recommended doctor on this site. Due to your age, and relatively low amount of thinning you are not a candidate for transplantation. You should speak to your doctor about Finasteride or Rogaine to halt any further hair loss, and it could also help regrow hair especially in the crown region. Transplantation at this point would be a rash decision and unnecessary one. Use the medication first for at least one year, and see how the results look. These are medications that need to be taken on a daily basis for as long as hair loss bothers you, so it could potentially be decades or life long, but this is certainly the way to go at this point.

Doctors in the United States are perfectly capable of producing 4500 grafts or higher. The reason why there may not be many cases, is because it's a very large size case and most people do not need that many in one shot. There also could be limitations like skin elasticity and overall trauma to the scalp if too much is done. This could lead to a thicker scar as well as increased shock loss. Once again doctors in the U.S and in New York are more than capable of having 4500 grafts or more, it's just that the majority of the population do not need that much done in one go.

A graft can contain more than one hair, they can hold between 1-4 hairs. That number depends on the patient and his or her needs, due to strategic placing of certain grafts. For example if a patient needed only a small hairline transplantation the majority of the grafts would be single grafts as they are more natural looking and in the first layers of the hairline they are the only grafts that should be used. Behind that original hairline is where you would see the first double (2 hairs grafts) and triple (3 hair grafts) etc grafts being placed do add density and thickness overall. Follicular units are grafts or naturla groupings in which hair grows, of one, two, three or four hairs.

It is extremely important who extracts grafts for an FUE procedure. Only a surgeon should do so. Grafts must be taken out at a very precise depth in one's dermis and removed carefully as to not "cap" or damage the graft while extracting. This is why FUE is regarded as more risky due to the higher chance of damage to the graft, but if an experienced surgeon knows what he is doing he can minimize that risk significantly.

hi Avi, my name is Eyal also Israeli. I would recommend doing a lot of research on those doctors from this forum, take a look at their site and what patients are saying about them. I would only recommend seeing a surgeon that is recommended by this site as they are highly regarded as the best in the business. Sometimes it is necessary to travel abroad to find a quality surgeon, so do not go for the easy solution, this is an investment for the rest of your life, you want to make sure you are choosing the right doctor. Some doctors such as Dr. True and Dr. Dorin offer travel discounts for patients coming from abroad, to ease the financial burden it can be to travel such a long distance. Also if you would like to contact our office, I can speak to you in Hebrew if that helps.

Typically it is up to what the surgeon prefers, but it is not necessary for the recipient area to be shaved. Dr. True and Dr. Dorin do not require shaving the recipient area, they do not find it difficult to work around the patient's native hairdo. One way is not necessarily better than the other, shaving your head simply makes it easier for them to see the scalp.

I recommend you go see your surgeon so he or she can assess the situation and see if there are any issues. At this point you should be seeing results, not full results, you are only about half way, it takes one year to see the final result. Unfortunately, there are some people who simply do not experience good results due to their physiology, but this is certainly not the rule, it is an exception, and quite rare. I am a consultant for Dr. Robert True and Dr. Robert Dorin. These opinions are my own.www.TrueDorin.com

Gubter, It is great that you have been using finasteride for almost 2 years, you should continue using it and if possible add rogaine (minoxidil) to that regiment so you can maximize your hair growth, and stabilization. You are very young, and at your age you should be very conservative with the a procedure for hair transplantation. Since you have been using the medication for quite some time, you can have a procedure but it should be on the smaller side to work on the hairline, temples and corners. Have you been seen by a hair transplantation surgeon? I understand that at this age this is very important to you, but as you stated yourself, you should be weary of bad surgeons and unrealistic goals. If your goals are for a smaller procedure for the hairline, and corners then perhaps you can have a procedure like that done but I wouldn't suggest going too extreme and perhaps causing unnecessary shock loss in areas which appear to be too dense at the moment. At your age you need to be conservative, because again as you stated earlier, you may wind up a Norwood 6 and you will need all the donor supply you can get to fill in the hairline, top and bridge areas. you do not want to have a large procedure today to fill in the crown and on top, where it doesn't quite seem like you need anything from the photos I see. Since you are using the medication it should allow you to keep a majority of your native hair from the top to the crown, but likely continue to lose hair in the hairline and forelock regions. So once again you should be conservative with the first procedure and perhaps a few years later if you continue to thin, you can have another touch up. Unfortunately, this is the route that is usually best for people your age and in your situation. Be sure to see a recommended surgeon from this forum. I am a consultant for Dr. Robert True and Dr. Robert Dorin. These opinions are my own. Medical Hair Restoration, Hair Transplant Surgery, Hair Loss Solution, Cost and Remedies

Propecia can regrow hair, usually it will take about 1 year to notice if that has happened, but you should save most of your native hair aside from the hairline and forelock regions as they typically don't respond to the medication. Most users tend to see their hair loss subside significantly, and a smaller percentage of users see hair regrow, so you have good chances to see an improvement in your case. Just because you are young and haven't used the medication yet does not mean you cannot have the procedure in the future, you just should slow down and do this the right way. You should see how you react to the medication and take it religiously for at least one year to see how the results pan out. After that you should consult a legitimate surgeon, one that is recommended on this site to see if you are now a better candidate and can proceed with the procedure. I am a consultant for Dr. Robert True and Dr. Robert Dorin. These opinions are my own. www.TrueDorin.com

Unfortunately, It won't matter if your hair looks a little thicker today which it most likely will since it has grown out more, the fact is you are very young to consider transplantation before using any medication. We do not want you to feel helpless, you may be able to have a procedure in the future, but at the moment it would be careless, please try and get minoxidil or finasteride. I am unaware of any websites that you can buy this medication from without a prescription, worth asking your doctor about it. As for the side effects, they are extremely rare, a large majority of users never feel any of them. 90% of users see a visible change in their appearance between 6-12 months and if you do notice the side effects you can stop the medication and it should leave your system within 2 weeks and return to normal. If you go on to have the procedure and do not use the medication you will certainly have an awkward looking result in the next few years. Take your time and do this right. I am a consultant for Dr. Robert True and Dr. Robert Dorin. These opinions are my own. Medical Hair Restoration, Hair Transplant Surgery, Hair Loss Solution, Cost and Remedies

Welcome to the forum MaxM3. At your age you should consider using medication before committing to any surgery. You are very young and you may go on to lose more of your native hair. Speak to your doctor about Finasteride (propecia) or Minoxidil (Rogaine) to help stop your hair loss, and possibly regrow hair that has miniaturized. I would suggest you try this route before going through a procedure, because from the photos it looks like you are experiencing a significant amount of hair loss, and could become a number 6 on the Norwood stages. Due to this significant loss you should be very conservative at the start and see how you react to the medication. Many people see their hair loss stop significantly after 6 months and also have better quality hair, and regrow hair, so you may not even require such a large procedure. I would not suggest you go through the procedure until you start the medication regiment for at least one year so you can see if you are experiencing positive changes, and only then would I even consider going through the transplant. Do not rush into this decision, this will effect the rest of your life and due to the amount of hair you have already lost, and what you can lose later on, does not make you a great candidate at this point. As for your other questions, FUE and FUT are both very good options for transplanting, but FUE does have a lower success rate as opposed to the FUT. A good surgeon can have about 90%-95% success rate from FUE, and the reason for this drop it due to the difficulty of removing the graft intact and undamaged from the scalp. Once again this is the difference between a good and bad surgeon, which you will find out quite often on this forum. FUT is about 98%-99% success rate, so you will have more growth with FUT but you will be left with a small very thin scar, which will be noticeable if you shave your head shorter than 1 inch. So if that really bothers you than FUE is the way to go but remember you should use the medication before even considering transplanting at your age. I am a consultant for Dr. Robert True and Dr. Robert Dorin in New York. www.TrueDorin.com

Lucky7 at your young age it would be appropriate to consult with a coalition doctor about your hair loss. He or she should tell you if taking Minoxidil or Finasteride is the right choice and they will also tell you if you are a good candidate for surgery, but since you are young they may want you to defer treatment after about half a year on one of those medications to see if you have stabilized. I would suggest seeing a coalition doctor for this prescription as they will also be able to tell you more about the transplantation process and if you are a good candidate, so you can take down two birds with one stone. The design of the transplantation will consider how you will look at 40 years as well as 80 years. This hair will be with you forever, so we design it appropriately with the pattern of loss that is expected. You may need to get additional transplants done in the future if the surgeon believes you will go on to lose more native hair, but they may be years later. There are some supplements that can help with overall hair health and quality, sol palmetto, biotin, but Minoxidil and Finasteride are much better and you will see greater results with those as opposed to vitamins or supplements. I am a consultant with Dr. Robert True and Dr. Robert Dorin in New York. All opinions are my own. www.TrueDorin.com

40-50 grafts per square centimeter is considered dense packing. True this will not be as thick as native hair that has not thinned yet but asthetically it will look natural and thick to the point where it looks like he's just beginning to thin. He could do additional treatments to the same area to add extra density. Going higher than that amount can cause issues due to lack of blood flow for the rest of the grafts or the ability to properly angle the grafts. It is possible to get higher density but there won't be much room for the surgeon to place them and would most likely have to be place straight up and look unnatural. So to answer your questions 40-50 grafts per square centimeter is a good amount for the hairline, and temple regions. I am a consultant with Dr. Robert True and Dr. Robert Dorin. These opinions are my own. www.TrueDorin.com

At your age it would be prudent to start Minoxidil and Propecia due to the probability that you will continue to lose hair as you age. You should consult with a coalition surgeon about using these medications and their diagnosis about what your future holds. If you were to have a procedure you may still lose the native hair behind what was transplanted and you would continue to "chase your tail", which can result in several touch ups in your future. If you were to use this medication you could save yourself additional procedures and money in the long run. Using the medication is clearly optional, but it is certainly the prudent route and better to see that you are stabilized before going through a transplantation. As for the question earlier about consulting with Bosley. You should always meet with your surgeon during a consultation, this is something that is very common with Bosley that you only meet with a consultant and not with the person working on you. You should consider visiting with a coalition surgeon and actually meet with the surgeon and ask any and all questions that you may have about the procedure. I am a consultant for Dr. Robert True and Dr. Robert Dorin all opinions are my own. Visit our site at www.TrueDorin.com

The surgeon would excise the old scar, by cutting along the same line the past surgeon gave you. Then he or she would take an area above or below that incision and close it with a trichophytic stitch. So now you would be left with only one fine scar you won't have 2. As for the bumps there are a few treatments you can consider to reduce the bumpiness. First is cortisone shots to the area, laser resurfacing can help as well, and vitamin E oil may also help out. Once you do that you can have another transplantation treatment to add density to the area you had previous work on. This extra treatment would make the hairline look much more natural and full so it wouldn't be as noticeable, but if the bump do bother you I would suggest doing that treatment first before transplanting. If you have another treatment with a coalition surgeon than the hairs that are transplanted will be placed in a correct growing pattern so this same situation won't repeat itself. At your age transplanting to the crown is a bit premature, but consult with a coalition surgeon about a proper diagnosis for that area. Continue taking Propecia 1mg and Minoxidil daily, as it should help keep as much native hair as possible, and help you regrow hair especially in the crown. Only stop usage upon noticing side effects and consult with a doctor if that does occur. I represent Dr. Robert True and Dr. Robert Dorin in New York City all opinions are my own. Visit us at www.TrueDorin.com

You should ask your doctor if he feels at this point Propecia would be beneficial. If you still have miniaturized hairs on top then you may have a chance of seeing an increase in density and overall better quality of hair. Your surgery can be successful even without the medication as the transplanted hairs do not need propecia to survive, unlike most of your native hair. Propecia in your case will simply help keep more of your native hair and possibly help grow some extra. Propecia also to my knowledge is actually beneficial for people who have prostate issues as it shrinks them, but if you are unsure you should ask your urologist. I am a consultant with Dr. Robert True and Dr. Robert Dorin. My opinions are my own. Visit our website at www.TrueDorin.com

You should definitely consider using Rogaine and Propecia as they will help you retain your native hair and also can help grow miniaturized and unhealthy hair. If you stop using them, it will not aggravate the hair loss you will simply return to the pattern of hair loss you would have experienced before using the medication. Dr. True and Dr. Dorin offer phone/online consultation it can be done through skype, or through photos by email. Technology today has given doctors the opportunity and ability to see patients from great distances while still being able to give a proper diagnosis. Obviously there would be another consultation the day of surgery if you were to proceed just to agree on the exact treatment that will be done. I represent Dr. Robert True and Dr. Robert Dorin. These opinions are my own. Visit our website at www.TrueDorin.com