Jump to content
FORUM RECOMMENDED SURGEONS

swayzedo

Senior Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    166

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Blog Entries posted by swayzedo

  1. swayzedo

    3 weeks away

    By swayzedo,

    Well I'm having to write this blog from Firefox again as something seems to be blocking it on google chrome but doesn't matter!



    So, I'm just over three weeks away from my procedure and the emotional pace is beginning to gather. It hasn't helped that I've not been well at all the last few weeks. I started to suffer from panic attacks (at least that was the best diagnisis the doctors gave) last year but they went away after a few months but recently I've had similar symptoms and am feeling a little stressed about it all.



    Even a few weeks ago I looked in the mirror and honestly I looked like death. It's as if my whole face had just disintegrated and drooped which i can't understand becasue my diet has been perfect. Better then perfect in fact, although I have been smelling amonia in the mornings before my workout which apparently is a sign of amino acid breakdown due to lack of nutrition and I'm (for now) attributing that to my intermittant fasting that I've been doing so I'm easing up on that from an 8 hour eating window to a 12 and see if it takes the edge off. Food allegries could be a thing too so cutting out nuts and dairy to see if that makes a difference. I did make the mistake of going on a very high fat/protien & low carb diet and I stuck to it for a whole month and by the end of it I was having spots, tiredness and eventually problems with my heart beating way too hard (not fast just hard). This was before I discovered metabolic typing of course so putting a few more carbs in helped a lot as I seem to be a mixed type and mediam oxidizer who needs a bit of everything.



    Any back to hair, as I have probably said before I'm not releshing the fact that is a 2 day procedure and I'm a little concerned that the final price will be made on the day as I just can't say ok if it's over a certain amount as it's taking all my and my families money to even meet the 2000 grafts that was quoted to me so if it's 2200 or 2400 that the end result needs then I'm not sure what I'm going to do becasue the money just won't be there.



    On a positive note I think I'm going to be happy with my result. yes I have seen some results that I think "Eeech that looks like a hair transplant!" but I think this is down to the persons hair thickness rather than the clinics techneques as people with thicker hairs tend to look out of place when transplanted to the very front. Dr B said I have medium to fine hair (More fine) so I'm taking this as a positive as it may look better at the front instead of tree trunks bursting out my skin.



    Even though I've been leading an extreely healthy lifestyle the last few months I'm taking myself out for a drink and some social interaction for the last time this weekend and then it's back on the wagon as I want to be in perfect health for the procedure to maximise healing potantial. I don't really have many concerns about growth, I've always thought my hair grows really rapidly but then again this is subjective.



    At this point my biggest feat is that I'll be replacing one worry with another. Instead of thinking "can people see my receding hairline!" it will be " Can people tell it's a transplant?" This is all down to how I think it looks of course becasue as an artistic person I'm very critical of the way things look in terms of shape and natural behavior.



    Sometimes I look at a hair transplant and think it looks fake but then again I've not been used to a naturallly broad hairline for such a long time that I can't remember what looks natural and what doesn't so it may be my paranoia acting up and f course the hair is just one part of it, styling is also a big factor which, and I do say so myself, I'm quite good at (as are most men with hair loss).



    Well that's about it. I hope that I can kick whatever is eating me right now in time for the operation as it's no fun looking and feeling 60 when you're only 36!
  2. swayzedo

    Now booked with BHR

    By swayzedo,

    Well that's it, I'm booked in for my surgery with BHR on the 18th and 19th of June!



    I'm still quite surprised at how soon it is I thought the clinic would have been booked up for months in advance but I'm very happy about it becasue the sooner the better in my view and if all goes to plan and I get a good yeild and good growth then I could possibly.....and I emphasise the word possibly, have a decent enough growth by Christmas to maybe venture out again.



    A big thanks to Stephen the UK BHR rep who have been pestering for a good few months now and has answered every question with both speed and patience.



    I must admit I'm not particularly looking forward to a 2 day surgery for my 2000 grafts but if that's what the doctor thinks is best I won't argue. It's really just becasue I get homesick very easily and it's an extra day away but it's nothing in the grand sceme of things.



    So yes, Phase 3 is now under way. All the scout work has been done and I know the score about travel and a little of my way around Brussels(around the Clinic anyway!)



    Of course I've been spending my time lookng at videos and pictures of BHR results and yes there are a few which I don't like but on the whole all the results seem to be excellent.



    The way I am looking at it is I'm going to get a good result with Dr Bisanga and then it's up to me and my styling skills when it all kicks in and since I've managed to do quite a good job at being presentable with the hairine I have already I think with all the extra bits filled in it'll be a breeze to make look good.



    Just today I walked to the shops thinkng "No-more wearing this damn baseball cap when I'm just out the shower, no-more fearing that gust of wind on the way to a night out and no more dreading getting caught in a rain shower with no hat to wear!"



    It's strange, paying all this money so I don't have to think about my hair but it's the peace of mind knowing that I will look good TO MYSELF! That's the only reason I'm doing it, so I can look in the mirror and say "Yep, that's me!" and live life with that in mind.



    I couildn't have doen this without my family though as they have helped me foot the bill. A big gesture indeed seeing as we are neither rich or particularly well off but happiness within one's self comes first and I think it helps that I'm not one for expensive tastes or fashions, cars etc so when I asked for help with this they knew that it must have been something that really was upsetting me.



    So yes that's it, I paid the deposit and the first payment yesterday and will be booking my flights and hotel soon to get everything stabelised and it's just a waiting game until the big day(s).



    In a way I wish it were tomorrow but the time will fly in as it did before my consultation and once it's done I just need to bide my time, but I have plenty to keep myself occupied so again I can see it flying in.



    It won't be much of a summer socially, a shame because it looks set to be a good one but I'll have plenty of happier and hairier summers ahead of me so the sacrifice wil be worth it!
  3. swayzedo

    My consultation

    By swayzedo,

    Well it's Thursday Morning, I'm still half aslep from my day to belgium yesterday but what an all round experience it was, I thoroughly enjoyed it!



    First off the flying! The fligt over was an absolute breeze. I'm so surprised at myself to the pojnt of stunned as I've never been like that on a plane before. I was even gawking out the window for most of it when previously that would have made me bring up my breakfast! To be fair the 5 diazapam I swallowed may have had something to do with it and the fact that the flight only had about 20 people on it. The way back wassn't so good as it was crowded, dark and the air-con seemed to be broken but still it was bearable and didn't seem to take as long.



    Taxi's were no problem too and besides a slight language barrier from the official taxi man outside the airport he was nice enough and a quick look at my iphone whosing the clinic address was enough and just over 50 euros for the trip. The taxi back was a verty talky affair though, a lovely Portugese gentleman who actually took me to see some sights in brussels plus got me to tye airport n less time than the first AND charged me less.

    But to the clinic itself. As I was sitting in a lovely park in Brussels eating my lunch in the blazing sunshine (it was a beauticul summer like day!) I got a call from the clnic asking if I wouldn't mind coming n a bit early and since I had got bored sittng at the airport and had went in to the town for a wander about and was getting abit bored now it was a welcome change.



    When I got to the clinic all the staff were extremely friendly (and not to sound sexist but rather easy on the eye too!) and I was made to feel very welcome. They appeared to have lost my form that I filled in online but it only took 2 minutes to fill out another one.



    So the man part - first impressions of Dr Bisanga! Top man! I really, liked him. He was very easy to talk to, a good sense of humour and an infectious laugh. The time came and he asked me to pull back my hair to see the damage and he looked pretty surprised at what he saw as I'm quite good at covering it up after years of practice. After gingerly informing me that he would have to snip parts of my hair to assess density (apparenly something he always asks patients with long hair) I said that was absolutely fine and to chop away so he did his assessment and It turned out that had higher than normal density in the two parts he looked at (75 and 90 I think) and after i got home I honestly can't see where he cut it. After that he took charge of the situation prety much from the off and went to draw a hairline on me from what I had described in my form, which to be honestt i was a little uneasy about as I thought I would have a go first and then he would refine it, but I was happy as he got it pretty much bang on to what i would have done and not conservative looking at all so it was all good. The only thing we didn't quite agree on was that I wasn't too bothered about it being rounded off at the points where it met the temples because my old hairline never did that and was quite happy to have a square edge but the doctor insisted that this was nescessary to be able to blend it in with my natural hair and in that I can see his point and he did reduce the rounding a touch for me although I would have liked it reduced firther sill. This was also true of my frontal third, which i thought would be left alone but again he said it was nescessary to fill in a touch at the front for blending. I thought it looked a little juvinile to be honest but that's not a bad thing, it's a bonus as more area will be covered and I'm down with that. He explained a little aboyt how the hairline was made to go with the contiurs of my face so he obviously takes that in to account when designing hairlines and an do it with a glance and being the arty type I am I do agree with him and that's probably why we thought alike on the design.



    Overall the graft count was higher than what I expected at 2000, which is the maximum I can afford. i was hoping for 1500 but if it has to be 2000 then 2000 it is.



    The one thing I will say is that the cosultation was very short, about 20 minutes. This was mainly my fault as after the stresses of the day I had forgotten to ask a lot of the questions I had set out to about graft placement, density necessity as I'm not looking for super thick teenage like coverage and I was kicking myself a bit afterwards but I'm sure there will be some sort of mini session right before the surgery that I can express all these concerns and make sure I'm exactly at ease and ready. I'm wondering if I can maybe get away with 1800 grafts, but I don't want to second guess someone like Dr Bisanga who seems to reall now what hes doing.



    After having the pen cleaned off my head by his lovely assistant the clinic were kind enough to book me a taxi back to the airport where i had 5 hours to kill but actually went by so fast after a quick sandwich in a cafe and a read of my book.



    Dr Bisanga is going to send me a report of the consultation and from there I can decide what I want to do, but all in all I'm feeling pretty confident as it was a very positive meeting!
  4. swayzedo
    Well it's Monday and I jet off to Belgium on Wednesday for my consultation appointment with Dr Bisanga at BHR.



    I'm starting to get a little nervous but not as much as I expected, probably becasue I have had other things to occupy my mind but I know my whole system will probably go apeshit when I'm at the airport or waiting to get on that flight.



    Did I mention I hate flying? Yes, well I'll maybe just mention it again!



    Add to the fact that when researching taxi companies to take me there and back once I arrive I noticed that people were saying there are a lot of rogue taxi companies in Brussels who will completely rip you off and as I'm only taking 200 euros I'm a little worried about getting suckered by one of these and stranded in the middle of Brussels. From the airport will be fine as there are official ones parked outside but what about from the clinic back to the airport? I wouldn't be able to tell a good taxi from a bad one and that's where the risk lies.



    I'm going to chance my arm and ask the clinic if they wouldn't mind phoning me a taxi as I'm sure they know a reputable company (I hope!).

     

    It's going to be a long day alright. My plane leaves Edinburgh at 5:50am so that means me getting up at about 1am in order to get there in good time, then I arrive in Brussels at about 8 or 9 and then I have 6 hours to kill before my appointment at the clinic at 3:30pm and then another 6 hours before my flight back at 9pm.



    A good book will be essential methinks!, that is if I dont pass out asleep as not only with ai be tured from getting up so early the tranquelizers I'm taking to ease the flight jitters will pile on the sleepy eyes on top of that. I'm not a big coffee drinker, green tea is my thing but I think I'll be getting a big mug on arrival just to give me a nudge.



    I think my worst fear is getting lost at Brussels airport on the way back and missing my flight. I've never flown alone before and when I did I always let someone else figure out what to do and where to go. No idea how to read airport boards or any of that and looking at the map of Brussels airport......well safe to say I can't really make head nor tail of it, but I guess I'll have that 6 hours to get everthing sorted adn I'll quite happily sit in the departure lounge outside the gate for that amount of time.

    Storm in a teacup indeed but I guess new experiences are always like this.



    And on t the subject of hair (finally) I pretty much know what I'm going to say to Dr Bisanga because I know what I want. Whether he will say he can give me it is another story but I'm sure a compromise can be reached. I have sent Stephen the UK rep some videos of Dr Bisanga's work, some which I lie and some which I don't like just to show the kind of end result would be prefereble in terms of graft placement at the front becasue some are lovely and staggered with a very natural gradient at the front line where as other examples appered to be quite harsh and a noticablely over straight hairline which I want to avoid .



    As I'm sure I've mentioned in previous entried this is Phase 2 of a 4 phase program I'm doing for myself. this is undoubtedly the hardest part (bar the procedure itself) because so much is unknown about everything but I'll feel much better once I'm back with my arse on my own couch with all the details and all the flying rubbish behind me (and with a better understanding for next time!)

    So that's about it and hopefully by Thursday I'll know a little more about my future. It's a lot of running about for a 30 minute appointment but it is an importaint one so I'm glad.



    Here we go.......


  5. swayzedo

    Phase 2

    By swayzedo,

    Well it's been about a month since I deleted facebook, set myself some goals and made an effort to reinvent myself.



    It feel like a million years!!!!!!!!!!



    Seriously, I've been locked away in my flat with zero contact besides familyat the weekend. No booze, strict diet and ust myself to talk to is hard going but I am allowing myself a night in the pub in my home town in the country at the end of the month so looking forward to that. Not that I know anyone from there any more but a social setting will be nice. Maybe I'm a masachist but this level of discomfort makes me feel like I am making an effort and if i don't feel that then it's all too easy to slip into bad habits.



    The good news is I have my consultation with BHR booked for the end of next month. Of course wouldn't you know it I'm summoned for jury duty two weeks beforehand so I'm hoping to god it doesn't spill over to my consultation date. I should be ok though but it's just another added worry onto an ever growing pile.



    It's helped that i my mind I've broken down my hair journey for the next year into 4 phases which will rise in difficulty go as such-



    Phase 1 - See local GP and get prescription drugs for flying



    Phase 2 - Fly to Belgium for consultation then fly back same day.



    Phase 3 - Fly to Brussels for procedure. Get in one day early stay in hotel, have procedure, stay in hotel, get check up next day then fly home in the evening.



    Phase 4- This happens when my hair has grown in sufficiantly to style.



    I've already completed Phase 1, got some Diazepam 2mg pills for the flight. I was advised by the doctor to try some out if I have spare time to see the effects which I did and I ended up taking 4 becasue honestly i didn't even feel the first two and even after the 4th I just felt a bit tired but then again I normally feel tired around that time since I'm an eay to bed person.



    I can see myself having to 'triple dunt' three of these pills to have some effect becasue I was watching a small documantary on youtube about how to go through a flight and I kid you not, even when the presenter was filming going down the jetway to board the plane my heart was absolutely thumping with fear just watching it and to top it off this will be my first time flying alone so extra pressure is on.



    I've still to book the flight as well which is costing me £250 as I can only get a direct flight to Brussels from Edinburgh and not Glasgow airport which is just down the road from me. The flight will be at 5:50am as well which also means getting up in the middle of the night to drive to Edinburgh for 4am and my consultation isn't until 3:30pm (Brussels time) and the flight back is not until 9pm I think.



    So much pressure as flying on a plane is one of my big, big issues in life and I'm trying to see it as facing a fear but that dread is ever looming, especially as the last time I was on a plane I vowed I'd never get on one of those evil beasts again!



    Then there is the fear that I get to the consultation and the doctor and I just won't agree on a hairline but I think that is paranoia more than anything else.

    If I'm honest Phase 2 will probably be the hardest one to complete. It's the 'scout party', the dry run almost. Once it's done the next time I go it should be ok becasue I'll know where to go and what to do but right now I'm petrified not just of the flight but getting lost in the airport or going to the wrong section after landing or even worse getting lost and lanuage barriers making me look like a typical arrogant Brit.

    There really is a lot riding on this next Phase but if....and i say if, it all goes to plan and I get there in one piece and the consultation goes well I'll most certainly be having a few beers once I'm safe and sound back in my flat, no matter how long I'll have been up for.



    I guess we'll just need to wait and see, but if i don't check in here after April ends there's a good chance I missed my flight back home due to getting lost and am walking!



    On a lighter note the length of my hair right now is reaching just above my belly button. I've been dying for a while to cut it becasue being the seasoned rocker that i am I've had long hair for over 20 years and one of the reasons I'm having this procedure is becasue i really want a change but there is no way I could have short(ish) hair in any style that would look good with a receding hairine. It would just age my face (and beleve me my pockmarked, big nosed face needs all the help it can get!) and I don't think I could go that. Anyway, I nearly had the chop last week to something a bit more sensible but I decided for a laugh to keep growing it until the actual day of my procedure just to see how long it will be and then it'll all come off, every last bit of it. At least until then I can keep my receding hidden with the long hair tucked behind my ears and it will be sad to say goodbye to an old friend when the time comes but having hair this long at my age really is starting to feel ridiculous!



    And i can always grow it back!

     
  6. swayzedo
    Well, two days ago I took my first steps into total character reinvention. The goal being to eliminate all that is negative and neurotioc while retaining all the things I actually like about myself.



    The first step I took was to delete my facebook page. I don't need the distraction or the hurtful drama that unfolds there and even within 48 hours my mood has improved and I'm being creative again.



    I also started back on my workout routine. I've always ate healthily and I lost nearly 20lb last year and even though I've been drinking and feeling sorry for myself the last month or two I've kept a firm, eye on what I've been eating and I haven't gained a pound so I'm picking up where I left off. Alcohol is also off the menu for the next month or two at least as the depressant in in was dragging me down further.I haven't been trim and slim since I was 30 and I really miss having that confidence as well so if I can get to a point with my body and then have my transplant procedure then it will be a double whammy for my confidence which at the moment is absolutely shattered an needs fixing fast as I don't even leave the house any more. It's coming back a little, I'm fitting into t-shirts and trousers I haven't been able to for years and muscularity its certainly making it's way forward, but all this is nothing without a decent hairline to frame my face the right way and sometimes I think a well developed body with no hair is overcompensating. Women may disagree with this but I'm not doing this to impress women, it's all simply so I can look in the mirror and think "Yep, you look good" and be able to take that confidence out with me into the world and infuse it in all aspects of my creative and emotional life.



    I'm also in the process of tallying up things that I own to sell to contribue to my transplant as I forgot to factor in flghts and hotel costs. I have appointment to see my GP in 2 weeks to ask about medication for flying (Xanax has been recommended) and if that is all go then I book my face to face consultation at the BHR clinic and if all goes wel then I will be boking my procedure for as soon as possble so that I can get healing as fast as I can.



    It's a scary thought at 36 to just cut yourself off from everyone you know but to be honest all my real friends have settled down and I never see them and while I wouldn't call my facebook friends 'dead wood' it does feel like I'm trimming down all the unnecessary parts of my life. I would have had to disappear after my procedure anyway so it's best it happens now and I feel much more focused on what I want and the procedure is sucha a big part of that.



    I do keep worrying that I'll get to the consultation and the doctor will refuse to give me what I want and insist on a much more conservative hairline. I have a firm idea of how I want to look and I think it's reasonably conservative anyway but any less and Iit would still be a receding hairline that's too far I'd be just and neurotic. I can't see it happening though but it's just a worry. Other things like donor density are a worry but my hair looks very thick so again I can't see it being a problem but even still looks can be decieving!



    The waiting is the killer and then knowing I'll have to wait again after the procedure to get my results is torture but I'm going to use my time wisely in aforementioned fitness goals and creativity so it certainly won't be just sitting about waiting for hair to grow.



    This is certainly going to be a year outside my comfort zone and it's scary, very scary with a lot of time, effort and money being spent but I'm confident that this complete character rebuild (Or refurbishment if you wish to call it that) will open doors for me that I never even dreamed of and all the effort will have been worth it!
  7. swayzedo
    After quite an emotional few weeks I retreated back to my hometown for a break and ended up telling everything to my family, all the pain, all the lack of confidence and all the desires.

    They have agreed to help me fund my hair transplant (even though they are not rich in any way) and the relief I am feeling is somewhat overwelming. There is light at the end of the tunnel and although my hair is only one of my issues right now I'd say its one if the biggest ones and to have it sorted would literally change my life for the better.

    It's still taking absolutely every penny I have and most if my possessions to come up with even half of what I'm expecting the final price to be and there is some element of guilt there, I've never taken anything from anyone but my family says that it's is better they help pay for my happiness rather than get into debt to strangers or banks.

    I really don't think I'll get this chance again so I'll have to take it for the sake of my own sanity but I'm so unhappy with everything right now it's a leap I just have to take and I'm so grateful that I have such an understanding family.

    ill be booking my face to face appointment at BHR clinic as soon as possible and hopefully get in as soon as possible after that. Can't believe this finally could be happening for me!
  8. swayzedo
    This year saw the complete destruction of the best relationship I ever had with a woman and it was all my own fault due to my crippling neurosis. I always thought she would leave me becasue I wasn't good enough or handsome enough and at least 75% of this neurosis came from my receding hairline.



    I used to be a confident, outgoingl ife of the party person and I realise now what a change my receding hairline has made in me psychologically and although losing this fantastic, kind and wonderful woman for good and to another person I might add is something I am going to have to live with for the rest of my life and I will never forget it.



    Add to this my dear friend of 12 years just passed away from unexpected and agressive cancer. He always wanted to get his somewhat large nose reduced AND fix his bald patch but was always worried about debt and never got around to it and hance never enjoyed it.



    I have made the decison to go for a hair transplant at some point this year. I can't afford it and I will probably not be able to keep up payments but I'm getting a loan or a credit card and getting it done. The crippling, soul destroying lack of confidence has turned me into a person I don't want to be and to have that lifted will be a mental godsent in the purest form. Learing to accept it or therapy won't work, I've tried it and I can't.



    I know many others feel the way I do, hair loss can change you, it can change your psyche and cause severe mental disturbance because it is true, if you are not happy with yourself then you won't be happy with anyone else. I am one step short of going on a campaign to try and present this to the psychiatric medical community in order to get hair loss regognised as a 100% legitimate mental trauma.



    In the UK you get expensive tests, pills, lengthy treatment for depression and other unseen traumas that seemingly have no root for free on the NHS. Why not hair loss? Why is it that becasue some people take it in their stride that others who are not as secure have to suffer it being labeled 'cosmetic'?I have made my opinions on the high price of HT's very clear, it's far, far too expensive to the point that it is not a 'luxury', it is 'exclusive' and this needs to stop right now. No one is saying it should be cheap but the small smount of surgery I would need to make me happy will still run up to £5000 which is absoolute nonsense.



    Unfortuatly all my physical issues that I have with myself seem to land on my head. Bad acne as a teenager left my cheeks deeply pockmarked, dermatitus and prescribed steroid cream has made my skin sag on one side of my face. I have since made this slightly better by a good natural diet, excercise and skin care routune but the damage is done and my hair is the only thing I have left and I can't lose that.

    But like I said, at this point I don't care, I could get cancer tomorrow and never know the joy of having my confidence back and I don't want to live hiding in the shadows any more.



    I will go to a loan shark if I have to to get the money. I have £3000 in savings which is all I have (and honestly should be more than enough if hair transplants were a fair price) but I need another 2 and a half and I will get it any way I can.



    Yes this is desperation and I don't blame capitalism, hard work should be rewarded. What I do blame is failure to recognise genuine mental trauma from a physical condition and exploitation of that trauma from overpriced clinics.



    I know I'm not alone, this is what keeps me thinking this is the right (and only) way!
  9. swayzedo
    Well it's been a good while since I posted anything on here.



    Not much has changed since my last post and this is both a good and bad thing. I still have my receding hairline which drives me crazy every day, I still cannot afford to do anything about it becasue of overpriced treatments and surgeries plus rising living costs here in the UK. On the other side of the coin it has not gotten any worse and I am strangely at peace with where I am in my hair loss journey because of it.



    It's been nearly 2 years since I stopped taking propecia due to the horrible inconvenience of having to make a doctors appointment every time I needed a refil plus the everv fluctuating price for the drug which always went in the upward direction and looking at my photos from around that time there really is no change and I am 36 this year. The rest of my hair is fine, thick and in good condition with no thinning of the crown whatsoever. I still keep it long so I can tuck the front behind my ears and that covers the receding bits, but my rock 'n roll days are pretty much behind me and I would love to have my hair a bit shorter but without looking like a 50 year old.



    The lack of movement either way in my hairline, well Ill never know exactly why but I'd like to think it is down to a mixture of genetics and the fact I keep dietvery geared towards hair loss.



    As I've probably mentioned before, I drink green tea religiously, I have fresh fruit and vegetable juices with wheatgrass (Which actualluy reverses grey hair in my head and beard) and I only eat whole foods like lean protein and complex carbohydrates. Never refined sugar. I also still use my derma roller once a month over my receding.



    I firmly believe that my hairline would be worse, maybe not by much but still worse if I did not follow these dietary rules.



    I also suffer from dermatitis and a few other complains that have virtually disappeared by change of diet so although it may not grow my hair back I truly think it is helping me, however small to hold onto more hair.

    As for the issue of repair, I really doubt I'll ever be able to afford surgery or treatments. Which ever way you look at it it is far too expensive, even for the intricate work that is done. I know of no other profession where a days work can yeild £8000+ and this is with the help of a team to perform on an area about the size of my thumb.



    When the prices come down to 1 pound/dollar/euro per FUE graft then I will certinaly consider it as it will be within a price range I can afford. £2000 a day for the procedure is still an extremely good deal for the clinics and as more people could afford that price then business would boom.



    By that time though, I am hoping that advances will be made in the buzzing field of actual hair re-growth. There are many, many exciting researches going on at the moment, some throwing outragious claims of cures within 2 years or breakthroughs on mice which we all know have been happeing for years but the genuine research is continuing and I'm sure everyone would rather they could re-grow their own hair rather than have to suffer limited surgery.

    Until then I will just have to bite the bullet and carry on as normal, which is no bad thing but the morning look in the mirror does bring it's daily dose of downer. On the fun side I'm having my last attempt at 'heavy metal hair' and seeing if I can get it down to my waist like I used to have when I was n my 20's but dreams of a managable, short, neat and receding free side shed will always be at the front of my mind as I drag ever closer towards middle age.

     

     

     










  10. swayzedo

    Derma Roller update

    By swayzedo,

    Well it's been a couple of months now since I started using the derma roller on my receding hairline and so far.......I'm really impressed! There is definate new growth happening and every day I seem to be finding new hairs and they are getting quite long and thicker by the day, and this is just with derma roller 0.5mm, no creams or minox or anything like that.



    Make no mistake though, it's slow...slow and drawn out but the progress is there and noticable. The hairs are still quite thin and in some strong lights they disappear altogether but in others they look dark and getting thicker. The other day in a brief flicker of sunlight while looking in the mirror I noticed quite a few vellus hairs which were a bit longer than the others and a 'touch' more golden looking. I can only assume (or hope) that this is the hairs in their early growing stages, much like baby hairs and they will become thicker and darker as time goes on. My receding patches are covered in small vellus hairs anyway, a touch thicker than on my forehead but I think it was like that anyway so I'm hoping that if I keep stimulating them they will grow into nice thick hairs.

    I've decided to give the derma roller a year. It's a good length of time to determine what will happen. My new hair growth may stop at a certain stage, or it may become patchy with growth only in certain areas but I'm hoping for the best and TBH I don't need my hairline ultra straight to acheive that great Kurt Russell look which I am after.



    One thing I am shocked about is the complete lack of treatment results on the internet. There are scores of site promoting derma rollers in combination with minox with some (pretty shady if I'm honest) photos of 'results' but these sites are comletely geared towards selling you something and as such I don't trust them, but just cases of normal people doing what I'm doing and documenting it seem to be zero.

    Like I said, I'm not using any minox or chemicals, I'm simply running the roller over my hairless areas very gently twice every night and that's it. No blood is drawn and no pain is felt although i do get the 'sunburn' effect straight after but I put a touch of moisturiser on after and it's gone in the morning.

    The person who derma rollers my face is the one who told me about how to go about it. He says that the whole roller/minox thing is just companies trying to sell you something and that the body is more than capable of regenerating the follicles on it's own providing you have a good blood supply and that excessive force with the roller can damage the follicle and as such it must be used for gentle stimulation on the thin skin that is on the head. I'm quite a keep fit fanatic and I've taken to putting a pillow on the floor and doing a headstand for 30 seconds a few times after a workout, just to blast a bit of blood to the scalp to help the process along. I have no idea if it works or not but i recall seeing a program years ago about a bald man who did inversion therapy (hanging upside down) and he had new growth appear on his head so I'm reckoning that it can't hurt.

    I hope someone reads this and tries it out as well as I'd like the comparison but if you do then I'll tell you exactly what I was told. You will reach a point where you will thnk "This is doing nothing for me!" but just keep at it and I'm pretty sure you will see something as well.




  11. swayzedo
    Well it's late on a Friday night and I felt like writing something down so here we go. It's not an update (much) or my usual moan but just some thoughts.



    I've come around to the fact that hair has become an obsession with me. Not that it's anything new, I've always had a thing about hair since the days of watching He-Man as a child in the early 80's and I've always had long hair. I just like the way it feels and it suits my head and face. Seriously! I wouldn't suit short or no hair.

    With that in mind I do put this obsession that has developed now down to a combination of my early love for hair and a slight but all too real form of mental trauma. I don't kid when I say this, many peoples obsessions are the result of trauma and for a man, losing your hair can be extremely traumatic indeed. Even all the scam websites push this fact, albeit for the wrong reasons, and I'm sure everyone on here would share this feeling but yet it is still seen as a cosmetic luxury. Why?



    It comes down to the opinion of "You can function properly without any hair!" Well, you can function properly with one leg as well. This may seem like an extreme example but the end result is basically true in this modern world.

    People who worry about losing their hair are branded as vain with no real problems and this simply is not true. It is the opposite in fact.

    I personally feel that if I could reverse my condition and grow hair back in the places that it is missing that my work productivity would increase tenfold, my confidence would grow even more and my general wellbeing would rise to heights that I can't even imagine becasue of the simple fact that I wouldn't have to think about my hair as much!





    It's true! Most of my time is spent worrying about that gust of wind, or that spout of rain or that one annoying person who insists on ruffling your hair as a greeting and praying to whoever that it doesn't expose that horrible receding that I took great pains to style to make less noticable. if i had my way, it would be a quick wash and dry, a few strokes of the fingers through the hair and out the door without giving the locks a second thought.

    It would also allow the sort of therapy women have been privy to for centuries. A change of style! There's not much you can do with (in my case) longish hair and a receding hairline bar a middle parting or slightly off centre and then tuck the rest behind your ears. What about a "straight from the pool" combed right back look, or even a clean cropped trendy style with a spike or some such or maybe a big sweeping side shed straight from the 1980's (my personal favourite)



    It is true, a new hairstyle like new clothes can be like a change of character. Very helpful if you have some other sort of trauma going on in your life. It can completely transform the way your face is shaped, reflect your mood and make you feel like a new chapter has started.



    This is the choice that is denied to millions of men around the globe due to a genetic defect that has absolutely no relevence OR advantage to anyone in this day and age, not that it ever did of course!



    So why is everyone still treating this condition like a case of bad vanity? Is it vanity to want to look your best and therefor help you be your best? If I suffered facial burns and wanted to get it sorted would it be vanity then?



    No? Why? I could still function.



    These examples must seem rather heartless to the poor souls who have had to really suffer them, but I only use them becasueI have had them flung in my face when trying to discuss my hair loss with others only to be met with the response of "You don't have a problem, poor people with burns on one leg have problems!"



    This is of course absolutely true, but just because one persons trauma is more extreme does not make the other persons any less of a trauma and this should be fully recognised by everyone!



    We can grow a human ear on a mouse but we can't figure out how to regrow hair? Pull the other one!!!



    Thanks for reading!



    P.S. Just a small update on the derma roller. It's coming up to the 3 month mark now I think (or was that last month) and I'm still plugging away every night. My right temple which has the most receding has more darker longer hairs regrowing than the left which isn't as bad but only has a patch of dark hairs. Both sides seem to have ample vellus hairs in the form of what looks like downy fluff and again the overall result so far looks better in some lights than it does with others, although lately it feels like things have sort of slowed down a little in the progress department. I have noticed that any new dark hair that starts growing has an invisible tip that looks like an old vellus hair that is only visible in certain lights so I'm very much hoping that the rest will be going through their cycles and will follow suit.

    Until next time!





     

     

     
  12. swayzedo
    Well yesterday I took my first Propecia pill. I had visited the local doctors on Friday to see about getting a prescription and low and behold i got one. I must say, it is amazing the stress and embarrasment I felt sitting in that waiting room, especially as it was really busy and the receptionist stated that it was 'choc-a-bloc' today. I began to doubt that it was a good idea coming here, because I wasn't sick or in dire need of anything and I felt sure that the doctor would give me 'the look' as in "Why are you wasting my time?". But no, the doctor was friendly, helpful and informative and put me on a months course just to see if I had any side effects. One thing that both the doctor and I were pretty disgusted about was the price difference between the 1mg Propecia Finasteride used forhairloss and the 5mg Finasteride used for prostate reduction treatment. Exactly the same drug but yet the 5mg costs £2.99 for a months supply and the Propecia costs £28 for the same. The doscor informed me that it was simply because it was directed at a cosmetic treatment and so they new they could charge that muhc and get away with it.

    Some pretty vile standards there, but at £28 I'm not complaining. It's less than a night out at the pub, and I only go out once in a while anyway so it's easily affordable.

    I must admit I was dubious about the pills as regards to the side effects I've been reading about. Almost immediatly after took the pill I thought I felt pain in my testicles and my nipples getting sensitive, but I just realised it was all in my head. Today though, and in fact while I was typing this very blog, I came over quite nauseous and I thought I could feel a pain in my left nipple. After a quick lie down I felt a little better and discovered the pain was a tiny spot just above my nipple and that the nausea was probably because I was a bit dehydrated and had wolfed down my breakfast of oats, whatgerm, crushed nuts and whey protein drink. A few sips of water seemed to sort me out.

    I do still feel quite dubious as it's only my second day on the tablets but I seriously hope I don't fall foul of the side effects. It would be just my luck, but I'll take the months course unless something gets really bad and we'll take it from there.

    Thanks all for now folks! More updates when I have them!
  13. swayzedo
    Well this is my first blog and first real day of being a part of this network of wonderful people.

    I've been thinking and dreaming about doing something with my hairline for years now and all of a sudden the wheels seem to be moving. My girlfriend has been extremely supportive of my decision to get a hair transplant, although she keeps telling me I don't need one hehe but she understands it's not what I need, it's about lifting a constant thought from my mind that would be put to better use if I was rid of it and thinking of something more useful.

    After doing some research on this and other forums I have pretty much decided to go with the Dr's Farjo and their team. Their name was mentioned in a few forums and after being on their site and watching many videos by both doctors I instantly find them both friendly, informed and honest which is a big plus. The very fact that Dr B. Farjo reccomends investigating multiple surgeons instead of trying to coax you to only him is very refreshing and after checking out examples of his work I find it very good. I also admire the "we are still learning" attitue that he and his wife take to their skills and are constantly trying to improve and learn new techneques.

    All this has come about rather quickly and yes I am doing much more investigating before I even book a consultation, but even with the anticipation that it is going to happen has put a spring in my step that I have not had for a long, long time.

    It'll maybe be 2 years before I reap the rewards of even my first session but everytime I go over it in my head I just come to the conclusion that it is all worth it and will give me a peace of mind that will last a lifetime!



    More blogs when more events develop.

     

     
  14. swayzedo

    Limbo

    By swayzedo,

    Well I'm midway through week 4 post op. I really should get off my arse and do a good write up of the procedure but busy days have come since getting back into my old routine.



    So how's it been? Well good and bad I guess.



    Good in the fact that I have somethig to look forward to I can't wait until it starts growing in and I can really play with the comb. SO many different styles I want to try out that I just wasnt brave enough to when I had a strong hairline whe I was younger.



    The bad is the fact that time seems to be passing so slowly but yet so fast. The novelty of the shaved head has long since passed and now that shedding has really got underway I'm left with a buzzed head that really shows off my receding hairline and absolutely jo trckery to cover it up. The redness of the scalp is still very much there but it is fading slowly but surely.



    My plan was to keep buzzing it until the hairs sarted to appear but I've had enough of this look so I'm just letting it goand the transplanted hair can catch up when it starts to grow. I can always get a trim to even it all when the time comes but for now I just need some length. I've also decided to grow a beard to keep myself occupied and also to take my mind off my head. Did a cmplete clean shave 2 weeks ago and I'm not touching it at all for a whole month. After that I'll decide whether to trim and style it or just go full mountain man.



    One thing I have noticed....and I was afraid of this, is that the grey in my hair is really starting to come through now that eveything is the same length. My beard has a healthy amount of grey on wither side of the chin as well so I gave in to vanity and bought myself a beard dying kit. It serves a double purpose as I always wndered what I'd look like with a brown beard as, although my hair is dark brown, my beard is a mongrel mix of black, brown, blonde and ginger so it might be nice t make the whole hairy package a little more uniform.



    I can't think of much else to say other than 'hurry up'. I know I'll have at least (if I'm lucky) another 2 months of the rest phase before the hair starts growing again and I just want that to hurry up so I know that tangible progress is being made.



    Yes the honeymoon period is well and truly over and the settling in to married life is a long way off so the limbo in between is going to be a hard one. I'm also trying to get in shape again as just two weeks post op of sitting on my arse eating chocolate has made me gain a few pounds so I can't even have a drink until the end of the month and progress has been made. Everything seems to be on track though so we'll see.
  15. swayzedo

    Day 11

    By swayzedo,

    Not a great deal to share but I might as well. Still waitig on the op day pics from BHR and then I'll do a full report!



    Last week ws MURDER!!!! I was unlucky enough to get nerve pain in the back of my head (1 in 6 chance) and little did i know that occipatal nerve pain can simulate the exact symptoms of a migrane so not only did I have a very nippy back of my head but screaming headaches as well. Add to this the fact I was on edge all week for fear of bumping the grafts and being all scabby didn't help.



    Anyway since day 8 I've been able to wash my head with baby shampoo and the difference has been great. The headaches have pretty much gone (stil a few here and there) and all the scabs from the recipiant area have fallen off leaving a purply pink scalp undernearthbut I think that's fading fast. I will say that the hairs don't quite blend in with my natural hair but since they are going to fall out soon and re-grow from new I'm guessing they will look more natural then.



    No shedding yet bar one or two hairs coming out so patiantly waiting on that happening. It looks like the hairs are growing but Stephen the BHR rep said it was just the dead hairs being pushed out the shafts so it's sad that my new hairline will have to go before I can enjoy it again.



    I'm getting my head buzzed down next week for sure. It's still very long at the top and although I tried to get away with a 90's style udnercut with a pony tail the fact that the front is also shaved defeats the purpose so beats get it all off. I've shaved my whole face yesterday as well and I'm going to have a race between my head by growing a beard from now on. Trouble was that without any kind of facial hair I forgot I look like a chinless potato so the sooner it starts to grow in the better.



    Thinking back to the procedure itself. it really was nothing and was over in the blink of an eye. I'm actually considering getting some other work done if and when I can afford it. I had horrible acne when i was a teenager and it left me with a few pock marks on my face and a few years ago I had a patch of dermatitis on my face which the doctor foolishly gave me steroid cream for so after a few years ofl lashing that on my face it's made my cheeks sag a bit which has made the pock marks even more noticable so perhaps some sort of surgical lift to stretch it out a little becasue when I lift my cheeks up with my figer everything goes away and looks great.



    If anyone reading this has any info on such procedures in the UK then please fling them my way as it would be good to research right now.



    But back to hair, I guess it's just a waiting game now and it IS a bit frustrating knowing that I'll have to shed first before growth but hey, that's the game!!!
  16. swayzedo
    Well I'm day 5 post op and honestly....it feels like 3 months!!! Time is passing so slowly it's horrible, especially as I'm bored out of my skull with no excercise to do and a month off of work.



    I think I just want this week to be over as I'm constantly on edge for fear of bumping or accidentaly touching or scratching the grafts. On day 8 I'm allowed to go under the shower and gently massage the recipient area with special shampoo so not only will I be somewhat out of the danger zonebut it will get rid of the crusts on my scalp which have been itching like f**k the last few days. At least if I can even do the old trick of tapping gently when i get an itch it will be fine but this zero contact has me eating my fist.



    Another thing that's cropped up that I was hoping to avoid is nerve pain in the donor area. It's ok most of the time but really seems to flare up after applying cream and massaging and it gets pretty nasty last thing at night, so much so I have to pop painkillers to be able to get to sleep. Funny thing is that it's not actually painful in a traditional sense, more of an extremely uncomfortable tingling that gets nippy sometimes. Last night I could feel it starting and it actually spread through my whole body but the painkillers kicked in and went to sleep and was fine in the morning.



    I really want to buzz my whole head down as well becasue the doc only shaved a patch at the back and at the front and left the rest long which is quite tickly on the back of my head if I don't keep it pinned up and is quite messy when applying cream. Wearing a baseball hat instead of a bandana would be good as well as I feel a bit chemo-ish with it on, especially as today I tried to buzz down some of the longer hair at the sides and made a complete patchy pigs arse of it. I don't think a cap will be allowed for a few weeks yet though



    I think I've watched every film known to man in the last few days, I'm even re-watching the Nolan Batman trilogy as we speak just for something to do even though I watched it very recently. My flat is also ridiculously immaculate as I think I've just constantly cleaned to keep busy



    I do actually have a few creative projects that I could do but I know that if I don't have at least 80% of my attention on my grafts I'll unconciously run my fingers through my hair or scratch and when I'm engrossed in composiing music or making a video game I need to focus on it and t's just too dangerous right now.



    Well that's my rant over for now. I'm quite chuffed with how the hairline looks, I just wish it was hair rather than scabs that make it but once this week is over and a bit of contact is allowed I'll feel safer and after 2 weeks I'll start to get back to somewhat of a normal life.



    Until next time.....


  17. swayzedo
    Every day I look at my hairline and every day I see no change as to what it was 4 or 5 years ago. I hit my mid 30's last year so it's all downhill from here, which I don't mind at all but it is frustrating.

    I'm still using the derma roller, taking zinc and vitamin D pills and drinking green tea every day and I'm guessing it has helped a lot in maintenence but still. I've been experimenting with different harstyles and no matter what I do I just can't get away with anything other than my usual just off centre parting.

    I don't find a bit of receding abhorrant, a mature hairline can look quite swish and cool but unfortunatly my receding digs just that bit too far deep upward rather than the more common round the sides and up a little. The actual hair at my temples is fine and solid, it's my brow hairline that is affected.



    If it was even just a 'little' broader, say half an inch then I would be sporting a Jim Carry type hairline and in all honesty, be quite happy with it and wouldn't even think about surgery or anything else for that matter.

    Don't get me wrong I'm glad I have the good thick hair that I do, but this looks to be it for me in terms of hair loss and it's frustrating looking at something that's almost perfect but just that bit too far gone to look good.



    I still say, and will continue to say that £6000 is a lot of money for one days work on such a small surface area. It will need to be a third of the price before people start considering proper value for money, but there will always be idiots out there willing to pay and ruining it for the rest of us.

     

     
  18. swayzedo

    Derma roller.

    By swayzedo,

    I thought I'd do a short post as an update.



    Well after the less than encouraging appointment with Vinci I decided to give the derma roler a go. TBH I didn't hold much hope for it. I'd seen gimicks before and I thought it would just be one of them but I decided to give it a shot based on the reccomendation of the person who derma rollers my skin.

    Well I'm one month in and I have to say.......I'm quite impressed. I'm definetely seeing growth of new hairs and this is without any other chemicals or product being rubbed in afterwords (apperently it's a scam and all you need s the derma roller itself)



    I'm using a .50 length roller and I was instructed to go over the area that I wanted treated sort of like painting. I'd do it upward once beiong careful to avoid any overlaps and with minimal pressure (it can damage the follicle apparently) then repeat and put a touch of mousturiser on after. I've also got back into my old bodybuilding routine and diet and started cardio as well so there should be plenty of nutrients flying around my body and a nice healthy system to transport them to the head.



    I'm thinking of getting gravity boots and trying some inversion as well as I've heard good things about it and it can't hurt to shunt some blood to your head.



    It's still a long ways off of course but even when I was on propecia and I got a tiny little amount of spurts it was nothing like this. It's baby fine hairs of course and not many at the moment but they are there and I seem to be finding new ones every day. I'm hoping that the fine hairs will thicken up now that the follicles have been re-activated and are going through their stages again.



    If this is just a month in then I can't wait to see what my hairline will be like in a year.

    I'll report back ina month or so.
  19. swayzedo

    Greed!

    By swayzedo,

    Well I have just come back from my consultation with the Vinci hair clinic, and I must say I am disappointed.

    My appointment was at 2pm and I met my consultant (a nice gentleman who has had many experiences of hair transplants since the 70's) and the first thing I realised that it was not a Surgery I was in, but a hired confrence room in an office building. I then found out that the clinic actually had no surgerys in Glasgow at all and the main ones that I would need to travel to for the procedure were in London or Malaga.



    The consultation was pleasent enough I suppose. My consultant asked me about my family history of hair loss and gave a small lecture about FUT and FUE (all of which I'd researched before anyway but it was nice to be reinformed!) He then examined my donor area with some sort of camera hooked up to the computer and told me what I really already knew that I had lots of thick full doner hair with lots of 2&3 hairs sprouting from a simgle follicle ripe for the taking. All was going nicely then I got asked to draw on my head where I would like my hairline, and I did quite a good job if I do say so myself, but then it turned a touch suspicious. A photo was taken then I was told that my receding area was going to be examined to see how many grafts that I needed. I had images of a nurse coming in with some sort of skin area measuring machine or some way of counting hairs per sq. inch that would be suitable for my thickness, but no. My consultant took a look at one side of my head for all of 6 seconds then sat down and told me that I needed 1500 grafts to achive the look I wanted. Now, far be it from me to argue but I know my area that needs fixed is next to nothing especially when compared to others, even more so due to the fact that my original hairline was slightly curved upward and didn't begin it at the lowest point and I got that bang on with the pen on my head so 1500 seemed a bit excessive a number for what I thought I needed and for the quickflash examination by someone, albeit experienced, was not a doctor or qualified medical professional.



    After some scribbling he got out his calculator and got down to prices and that's when my jaw nearly hit the ground. For the procedure to be performed in London it would be £8000 and in Malaga it would be just over £7000.



    I nearly walked out there and then. I know HT's are somewhat expensive but for someone who can still walk around quite happily in public without a hat having enough hair at the front to comfortably hide any of my small recdeding and knowing the surface area that needs fixed I just thought that this was a complete rip off.



    If it costs 8 grand for someone like me to get a small bit of hairline straightened out at either side of the temples (none in the middle, that is still there and very thick) then what must they charge for someone who is really going bald?

    My heart did sink afterwords. I still don't get how people can charge £3-4000 for HT let alone £8000. It's just far and beyond the reach of you're average normal person.



    I was expecting 900-1100 grafts and maybe a cost of about £2500-3000 which at a stretch I could pull off (I refuse to get into debt, has to be a one off payment!) but these prices are just greed plain and simple becasue they can charge it, and after the rather speedy 'examination' and arrival of the amount of grafts I needed I'm finding the trust in the whole buisiness and concern about my well being and result rather than bagging another client rather hard to find.

    I would like to shop around and try other clinics such as Farjo, just even for a second opinion but right now I'm feeling rather sour.

    Well for now I am trying the derma roller on my receding hairline as recommended by my skin consultant who says it is effective in regenerating sleeping follicles and I hope he is right as right now it seems to be my only option.











     






  20. swayzedo

    So close!!!

    By swayzedo,

    It's been a while since I've posted a blog on here. been concerned with other stuff right now.



    My hair loss journey continues and I'm close to actually booking a consultation with the Vinci clinic here in Glasgow. I didn't know much about them at first but I've seen their results and for what I need (which isn't much) it will be ideal for me.



    As I've said before, I'm lucky! I'm 34 years old and I have a good head of hair with no real signs that it's getting any worse. I've been off propecia for about 3 months now and I can't really see much difference either way, but my receding hairliine still plauges my mind at every turn.



    I'm a rock and metal guy and even though I've been wearing it reasonably short I have the urge to grow it again so it's basically now or never as I'll probably have to get it shaved to complete the procedure.



    After looking at old pics of myself I realise now that my receding is nowhere near as bad as I thought it was. I have what I call my 'dracula' point in the middle and I've always had it which gives the appearence of much more receding than what actually is. I can safely say it's just over an inch from my original hairline that I've gone back which for my ages is damn good and its reasonably thin as well and should be easy to straighten off.



    It doesn't in any way take away from the horrible pain and torment that I share with everyone else on this forum, but It seems so much more in reach now than it ever did and I can't see the entire procedure being any more that 800 grafts max (FUE) in total which is both affordable and less time consuming.



    I still refuse to take out a loan so I have a number of posessions that I can sell to get me going, I just need to take that final step and book a consultation and find out what the score is with pricing and procedure.

    Wish me luck.......it begins here!!!

     
  21. swayzedo

    A rant!

    By swayzedo,

    Some folk suit being bald. They really do and they look both stylish and distinctive. Some people choose to be bald by shaving their head right down to the scalp and all power to them. To have the choice must be wonderful.



    I however absolutely know that I would not suit being bald or losing my hair. It really is amazing how much of your personality and character lives on the top of your head and how it can change the way you look by framing your face.

    I look at balding actors on the TV and I always put my thumb up so it covers their head and just shows their face and BAM! It instantly knocks about 15 years off them. There is no getting away from it, losing your hair makes you look OLD. No sorry I will rephrase that, old is good and can look great. To my eyes It makes you look like you are malnourished, diseased and past a certin point of virility that most men do not hit until their early 50's now (if at all)

    I lead a healthy lifestyle. I work out, my diet is a protein rich, vitamin laced menu of real, whole organic foods and fruits and I feel great in the fact that if there is a part of me that I don't like then I can change it with excercise, good nutrition and patience (this goes back to my teens when I suffered from bad acne and a good diet all but cured me!) Now I'm no control freak, but I do like to have options and losing my hair is one of the biggest frustrations I thnk I have ever encountered. No amount of working out or good food will grow my hairline back and that really, really angers me. I'm lucky in the fact that I am just receding at the temples and I can still go out and look perfectly fine with a bit of combing, but my hairstyle is limited to a middle parting or slightly off centre. I'm a rock man so I wear it long but there is no variety at all that I can do and this frustrates me even further.

    I've been on Propecia for three months now and I am slightly confused about what the drug is meant to do. I have heard so many different reports from different people and I am wondering what one is correct? I've heard people say it halts receding altogether while others say it only slows it down. Others say it will promote new growth and others say that new growth is impossible on it.

    3 months in I have had a few tufts of very fine but dark hair grow in aroudn the edges of my receding. This occured quite soon after taking tem so I was understandably excited but not much seems to be happeneing now. I'm just wondering if it is worth paying £40 a month for a few baby tufts of hair that I can do nothing with. I am becoming increasingly disilusioned with hair transplants because of the highly overblown price of them. There's no arguing about it, it IS far too expensive. There are many skilled and artistic jobs out there that are both time consuming and require a flare for style and none are as expensive as HT.

    I find the term 'cosmetic' in regard to hair restoration both insulting and devious. No one knows the tramua that a man goes through when he loses his hair exept that man and it is deep and distresing yet to do something about it is seen as a luxury treatment, a frivolous expense to rub one's own ego and the medical community has pounces on this like a pack of wolves on a wounded calf.

    Paying isn't a problem. It really isn't. I don't know wany man who wouldn't fork out a bit to look his absolute best when it comes to hair, but the only reason that these prices are as they are is because they can be and that is all. No one denies doctors their living, but for me it will have to come down by at least half before I am willing (or able) to pay out. A reduction in price would enable the more common man to afford the treatment WITHOUT landing himself in debt and surgeries would be swamped, guarenteed!



    I have high hopes for the future though. HT are becoming much more widely accepted and public which will hopefully drive competition up and prices down. I remember when Botox was a celebrity only treatment that you really had to pay for and book in advance. Now any hair saon has a botox booth for a reasonable price and, altough I wouldn't like it to go that 'cheap' I am hoping that good quality HT will become much more affordabe for the billion+ laymen that are out there and can seriously consider it in their budget instead of desperatly seeking out credit cards and paying money that they don't have!

    I just hope it's sooner rather than later!

     

     

     

     

     
  22. swayzedo
    I'm reading a lot about other people Propecia stories, particularly if anyone has had regrowth in the temple region because, obviously that's where my problem is. The overwhelming opinion is that it's rare to see any regrowth at all and it is simply a stabalizer for teh loss.

    I find that interesting becasue I am still finding new tufts of regrowth almost every time I look in the mirror. As I've mentioned before it's not thick and it's quite sporadic but it's starting to become noticable now. I can clearly see a slight widening of my hairline and the tops of my receding 'horns' are starting to get darker with the finer tufts that are growing in and so seems to be blending much much more with the rest of my hair. I guess I am one of the luckier ones becasue I neverexpected this to happen at 2/3 months in. I'm considering getting some regane foam to use as well since the propecia is working so goo I thought I might give it a hand and see what happens. According to writings the fine hairs caused by the propecia should thicken up and if I can encourage ore with the regane then it may just save me a bit of money when I do go for my HT.

    Even now with this small improvement I feel more confident and ready to deal with life in a much better state of mind.

     

    I still feel very outraged that this horrible condition that affecst men is still seen as trivial. It is not, it is a MAJOR psycological handicap and really should be recognised as such in the interestes of metal health.



    I was discussing this issue with a gentleman who is a fairly bald, matcho type and he says that it doesn't matter and real men should just accept it. I would bet every hair on my head that if an affordable, non invasive cure was found tomorrow for baldness that he would be first in line. Similarly the attitude of women has to come a long way as well. Listening to a friend of a friend go on about it you would think that to have any kind of hairtreatment if you are a man is the same as admiting you are not a man, but if you are a woman and suffer hair loss it is somehow more distressing and tragic.



    Opinios are just that though and I am delighted to see that celebrities are bringing these treatments into the spotlight and hopefully oen day I will be able to visit my local heirdresser for a quick touch up of my hairline!

     
  23. swayzedo

    2 months down!

    By swayzedo,

    It's been a while since I've been on here. Been busy, busy with work so here's my update.

    I'm just about to complete my 2nd month of being on Propecia. I'm definately getting some growth back in the form of some small thin baby tufts around the receding parts of my temples. It's nothing I can style obviously and under a light you can hardly see it but it's nice to know that soemthing is happening.

    One thing I have noticed about Propecia is that Chemists seem to be vert poorly stocked. I visited two with my prescription and both said they would have to order it in which took a day or two (in the end I lost 5 days of not taking it!) Plus the price seems to vary a great deal. In one Pharmacy I was charged £28 but in another it was £36 for a months supply. Quite outrageous and obviously exploiting the people who use it.

    Anyway, I am going to be on these for 6 months and then I shall book my consultation for transplant. I've decided that it's FUE all the way for me. I saws an FUT procedure on the telly and it put me off. I really don't want a strip of flesh torn out of the back of my head, so even though it may cost a bit more it's 100% FUE.

    My favourite in the running is still the Farjo clinic. I realise the Dr's Farjo mainly do FUT but I do know that they do FUE in special cases and to be honest I really only have a very small area that will need a transplant. I am lucky that at 34 I still have thick hair over about 90% of my head and that it is just my hairline at the front that needs fixed due to my temples receding so I think FUE will be very suitable for me.

    It will be good to get the consultation out of the way and I actually have a price and an Idea of what the Doctor is going to do, but that is a while off yet. In the meantime, it's hair brushed forward or baseball cap on!



    Until next time!

     

     

     

     
×
×
  • Create New...