Jump to content

zenmunk

Senior Member
  • Posts

    305
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by zenmunk

  1. Thanks for your contribution to this important thread, Dr. Shapiro. Very educational. I think it would be great if you can capture Beauty Medical's technique, and bring to back to the U.S. Best of luck with that.
  2. formertrackstar, No idea about cost. I haven't had this done. Just going by what their site says. According to them, this is NOT a permanent procedure (which is why it's appealing to some). If you do the math, you'd have to have at least 5 procedures done in a ten year period. But odds are you'd be looking at 10 - one per year - if you want to maintain the illusion consistently. You should contact Jotronic directly about this company. Also, shoot the company an email with questions although communication may be a little shaky, because of the language barrier. z
  3. Thanks for the update. Congrats on your good progress so far!
  4. The company is called BeautyMedical s.r.l. You can google it. I recommend using google translate unless you can read Italian. On their site it says that the optical effect could begin to decline from the sixth to eighth months post treatment thus requiring a touch-up. After two years without a touch-up, not a trace will remain.
  5. OK, let's shoot for the 12th month target. So, maybe in early Sept. after a fresh haircut as described ?
  6. When did you start noticing your memory/concentration problems?
  7. I've seen a few pics online where they claim finasteride regrew a significant amount of hair including frontal hairline, but if they are true, then they are few and far between. It may happen in rare cases, but I wouldn't get my hopes up too high if I were you. Sorry. Give it a shot; you may just be one of those really lucky ones.
  8. Sorry about your ordeal, sr0d. Your point is well-taken - there are no guarantees. You're already committed, so focus on an improvement with this procedure at month 12 and achieving your goals with the next. Best of luck.
  9. Shampoo, That was probably because fish oil, like aspirin, can thin the blood which is not good if you're going for surgery. z
  10. In my consultation with Dr. Rahal, he immediately said FUE was the right choice for me. He didn't try to sell FUT at all. Also, he quoted me 2000-2200 grafts. Sean had over 3000 FUE by Rahal, so I wouldn't lump Rahal in that category.
  11. I take two teaspoons of fish oil daily. Haven't noticed it contributing to hair loss. I am on propecia, however, so not sure if that would make a difference. My gut tells me that fish oil is not causing your hair loss.
  12. Dr. Rahal and his reps claim his FUE yield is close to his FUT yield, and I'd say the results posted in this forum so far support that. In other words, I think it's fair to say that if you insist on FUE, then Rahal's yields will probably match those of the best FUE docs in the world. However, the odds of a slightly greater yield may be better if you go for FUT regardless of the doctor you choose. If you go FUE, and it's a success, do you think you'll sit around caring about the slightly better yield you may have gotten with FUT? Maybe, but I doubt it. You'll probably be thrilled at your transformation and be happy you have less noticeable scarring. All HT procedures are a gamble. You increase the odds of a good outcome considerably when you choose a talented, proven doctor, and I think Rahal qualifies.
  13. Great example of how fine, transplanted hair can look very natural at the hairline. Add to that Dr. Rahal's uncanny ability to achieve enough density for a natural and effective blend, and you have success. Planting into pre-existing native hair at the hairline was no doubt an advantage.
  14. Other than finasteride, minoxidil. Some people take biotin, because they claim it promotes hair health (don't mistake that with growth). Also, there are some shampoos (like Nizoral) which act as weak DHT inhibitors. Use the search function - there's a ton of information on this forum which cover the full spectrum of products. The two biggies by far are finasteride and minoxidil, though. Regarding diet, nothing specific. Just try to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet and get ample exercise. Your overall health will help your hair be as healthy as possible, but if you suffer from genetic MPB, diet isn't gonna do much to stop hair loss.
  15. Mainly your age makes you unsuitable. However, other factors may contribute. Let's assume age is the only factor. That's still a big one. Because you are so young it's impossible to predict what your hair loss will ultimately be. Even older patients who are enjoying relative hair loss stability are not guaranteed that their hair loss won't come back with a vengeance. Even people on finasteride are not guaranteed preservation of their native hair - it may not work or it may stop working at some point. It's an odds game. Older patient on meds exhibiting long-term hair loss stability = great candidiate, because odds are in his favor (a family history of no high norwoods increases those good odds even more). Very young patient not on meds exhibiting no hair loss stability = poor candidate, because odds of a good long-term outcome are bad (a family history of high norwoods increases those bad odds even more). Most ethical docs will probably have a hard time justifying working on someone your age unless your circumstances are extraordinary. HT hair will typically last as long as the hair in your donor region will last. Some donors thin out a lot as people age; some don't thin at all; and, probably most fall somewhere in between - very gradual thinning over time especially when you're really old. If your donor stays strong, then it's likely your HT hair at the recipient will remain strong. Again, somewhat of a crap-shoot; no guarantees. Shock loss becomes permanent when the hair that was shocked out was on its last legs anyway. If strong native hair shocks out, odds are it's only temporary and will grow back. Meds are said to help reduce shock loss. Moral of the story: Crap-shoot; odds game; no guarantees. However, if you go to a highly skilled, highly experienced, highly ethical doctor, then you increase your odds of a good outcome significantly.
  16. Yeah, it's odd they didn't ink the scars. His dark skin also makes the scars more apparent. For people with light skin, this gives you an idea of what FUE white-dot scarring could look like if you kept your hair very short and didn't always use high SPF sunblock on your donor. The darker the skin, the more obvious the scarring.
  17. You have to use finasteride for a full year to see how it works for you. You may experience some shedding before you start to see regrowth. Unfortunately, the meds usually do not work well at the hairline. They are most effective at the crown and mid-scalp. While you may not see any regrowth at your hairline, the meds may indeed halt or slow down further recession. If you stop finasteride, you will eventually lose whatever the meds were preserving for you. Usually, that will occur within 6 months time, but there are no definite timelines. Yes, you will have to take finasteride for the rest of your life (or until a better medication/technology comes along or the meds stop working for you) if you want a shot at preserving your native hair. Good luck.
  18. Bobilero, Thanks for your post. I think you raise an interesting point regarding age. I agree that levels will vary according to one's age, and that should be kept in mind while interpreting results. I'm happy to hear you're feeling back to normal. I'm curious to know if your test results change. Please feel free to post them in this thread when you get them. z
  19. Sean, Thanks so much for your willingness to meet with me! I didn't realize you were so close to me. I would absolutely come to wherever is convenient for you, so if the Menlo Park Mall area, and Woodbridge Mall Area in central New Jersey is the place, then that's fine. Also, I'm in no rush for a number of reasons (despite the advantageous exchange rates). I can easily wait until after you hit the 12 month mark (or whenever you feel confident with your outcome) - whatever makes you the most comfortable as you'd be doing me a big favor. And, an hour is plenty of time. Lunch/drinks are on me, by the way. Just let me know when you're up for it, and I'll make the trip out. Again, no rush, and many thanks, man. HT is a forever commitment, so I'm totally cool with taking everything s - l - o - w. z
  20. Sean, Dr. Rahal said he's willing to do a small test FUE session. I haven't decided about that yet. Even Spex recommended that I get 1000 grafts first to see how it grows, and if all goes well, then go in for a second pass. It would be the more prudent way to go, but I'll pay for the caution with extra time and money. I can definitely see the advantages to your approach - one and done. It's a tough call. Dr. Rahal said I have good density even though my hair is fine. That, plus my age; relatively small degree of hair loss; the lack of advanced balding in my family (that I'm aware of anyway); and, the fact that I'm on propecia make me a good candidate for a densely packed hairline. I'm confident that if Dr. Rahal packs at 60+ fu/cm2 I'll enjoy a natural and effective blend. He said he'd be able to achieve that goal during my consultation, and based on his amazing and consistent results, I believe him. Brain fog or lack of concentration... interesting. The past few years have been the most stressful in my life by far, and the stress has taken a toll. Unfortunately, there's no way for me to determine if finasteride is contributing to those issues beyond the extensive testing I've already undergone. I don't think there's a way for me to know without stopping. Guess I'll take it one day at a time with that decision. I hear what you're saying about taking the plunge. I suppose the next step for me is to meet some HT patients in-person to review their results. It's not easy to do that though. Matt from Dr. Rahal has tried to find FUE patients in my area who are willing to meet, but no dice so far. He did find a strip patient who was willing, however. So, if he still is, then I'll take him up on that. Maybe I should make a post asking if any FUE patients from my area are willing to meet. Obviously, I'd prefer Rahal patients since I'm leaning toward him, but I suppose any FUE patient would be helpful. What do you think? What do you think about Dr. Carlos Wesley's research? Numerous members of the forum who are privy to the details say that the new technology has the potential to be ground breaking re. yield and scarring. If you knew about this research prior to your HT, do you think you would've waited to see what it's all about? Thanks, z
  21. I'll definitely let you know when I take the plunge, Sean. Last in-person consultation I've had was with Dr. Rahal. He quoted me quite a bit more than the other docs: 2000 - 2200 grafts FUE. I was dismayed at the thought of the extra cost and scarring. However, the more I think about it, the more he's probably right. In fact, long before my consultation with Dr. Rahal, other learned members of this forum recommended I get closer to those numbers, too. 1300 grafts (the original quote I was given) is just too conservative in my estimation. I think because my hair is fine that any chance at an effective and natural blend will require that many densely packed grafts (I think Dr. Rahal said around 60 fu/cm2 for the frontal hairline). Regarding finasteride, I've been considering cutting back or stopping for years! lol I expect I will always be conflicted about it. Some people are completely at ease with taking it, and I envy them. I have never been, but I'm also really afraid of the amount of hair loss I'd suffer 6 months after stopping. I have no idea, but it could be quite significant. And, if it was significant, I'd never bother with a HT. I'd just shave down which is what I've been doing for the past year anyway. I've been on this stuff for 14 years in August. That's not your situation. I'd say if you're looking to ween yourself off the meds after 12 months post-op, then go for it. You can always resume if you start to lose a lot of hair, and since you're already a HT patient, you can always go for another procedure without as much trepidation as a virgin scalp would feel. As for me... I still don't notice any troubling sides, so I'll probably keep taking the meds for now. Then again, if I stopped I might notice an overall improvement in my well-being. Part of the problem is I can't remember what I felt like before starting the meds. You're in a better position to answer that question - have you noticed a difference in your overall well-being since taking the meds? I wish I didn't give a damn about hair loss at all. I'd just quit the meds, forget about a HT and save a ton of money. Alas, I'm afraid that is not my fate. I do care. Always have and probably always will. I really don't like being captive to these feelings, but not sure how to free myself of them. All well, there are worse things to worry about, and better things to concentrate on.
  22. Some journey so far, corvettester. Props for frequently updating your hair journal. I appreciate your commitment to getting the exact results that you want, and it shows. The transformation from your pre-1st HT-photos to your current photos is impressive. I agree that you do not need the FUE touch-up, but you've come this far; why not go all the way? Good luck. Respect to Dr. Dorin as well.
  23. Sean, Thanks for your personal observations at the 9.5 month mark. I think you have reason to be optimistic that the next few months will produce an increase in overall density. I gotta tell you though, your hair looks very good, very natural, and imo ultra-naturalism trumps ultra-density any day. Even if your hair stayed as is (and I'm not implying it will), I'd still say your HT was a success! In fact, I'd be satisfied if my final FUE results (density and naturalism) matched what you have going on right now. That said, best of luck in the next few months to get the result you're wishing for! z
×
×
  • Create New...