almostdone99

Note: The below change was requested by the poster: My pigment, done by Scalp Aesthetics, has improved my profile and helped to camouflage my scars

Fin is a half-measure imo. More permanent solutions should be sought.

Not to bring you down but 1693 grafts will not transform your head as much as you've planned. Don't feel bad though....when I started ht's in 1996 the doctor recommended two procedures of 300 and 400 grafts. These were designed to fill in the diffusely thin head of hair of a 24 year-old. Actually, it would have taken several thousand grafts to "start" filling it in. But, I didn't know any better; the internet wasn't around and I was scared to ask for anyone's help.

Feel your pain buddy. Do a lot of research and don't rush into a procedure. Think long term. I thought the same thing: my head and ears won't fit a buzz. But, I recently buzzed my head without a guard and it is liberating to not spend time with hair gel and concealer; took about an hour a day (due to ht scars). So, the scars show and I'm working on camouflaging with pigment. Sure I don't look as attractive(women still like me though), but it is a clean professional, and symmetrical look. Anyhow, if you are a norwood 6 like me.....it takes a lot of grafts and good donor density to be satisfied, and it will most likely never look as it once did. Good luck and talk to someone, like a counselor, because keeping it inside will eat you up.

From your pics it seems like a ht would benefit you. I was diffuse all over and ht's framed my face a little, provided a thin head of hair, and cost me a lot of money/scars. The ugly duckling phase is different for everyone. I got some time off work which helped. If you have an excellent doctor....you should be in good shape. Shampoo is correct: only those who know your appearance well will be able to notice a change. I think that I kept some distance from my friends/family for the first 2 weeks post op; that helped.

It is good that you are possibly catching hair loss in the earliest stages. If you are able to halt its progress and keep the existing hair....you'll be in good shape; finasteride would be my first choice if your doctor agrees. By the time I starting using rogaine, I'd already lost a significant amount of hair...it went fast for me at only 20/21 years of age.

Distance to the physician shouldn't matter. Travel as far as you need to---to get the best quality. Two ht doctors were convenient for me. Unfortunately they were also sloppy and unethical.

Wow! 9000 sounds like quite a bit. Who is the doctor? Did you contact his or her patients? Please do some research before you commit; I didn't and the result was ear to ear scars/stretched areas. Once the the knife cuts your flesh, it's too late!

If not apples-apples, then the difference should be explained fully: the change in lighting, hair length, hair style, time of day,season, etc........ Sometimes it isn't possible to re-create the exact conditions of the original pictures; this should be transparent for the potential client to make an informed decision.

Tried minoxidil for 2 years and quit due to heart palpitations. The problem, as I see it, is that one starts minox or finasteride only after seeing signs of hair loss. So, if the chemicals maintain what you have left, then you are stuck with some signs of hair loss.......and the fact that the chemicals could lose efficacy over time. Anyhow, it seems like using chemicals to control hair loss is sort of like a half-measure and perhaps a ticking time bomb; at least it was for me.

I've been teased about my hair loss for years. It is my only obvious weak link in a very robust chain. Yet, what's the use of having a robust chain if it can be easily broken by "one" weak link. Hopefully I can strengthen this link, or at least have it appear so.

Finding a good shrink or psychiatrist, while you're researching solutions, might be good for you; it is something I should have done and might have helped me avoid making rash decisions that left me with scars, physical and mental.

Scalp MicroPigmentation (SMP) is the use of pigment to simulate hair. SMP is for those who will cut their hair very short, though it can be used for longer hairstyles. It is especially desirable for those who have harvested all of their donor region, like me.

Brother, I had a similar friend who chastised me to my face, but mostly behind my back. Bottom line, get rid of your friend; I did. Also, I use a 7mm guard(shortest I can go without scars showing) and dermatch. My hope is to eventually use a 3mm guard after getting SMP to cover up the damaged donor area.

My donor density is low as well... so, I am looking into SMP as an adjunct to my transplanted hair. It depends on how comfortable you are with a #1 guard. I've tried a 3mm guard and it looked fine in the front with my transplants (about 4500 grafts); it looked horrible in the back with the strip scars because the concealer doesn't work well at that length. SMP should do wonders for a damaged donor area and to thicken up things overall.

Similar situation for me at 20/21 (read my profile and don't do what I did "learn from my mistakes"). You can try rogaine and finasteride, wait 18 months, and see if you are content; it will most likely never look as it once did (sorry). If, at 18 months, you are still unhappy......do tons of research on different hair loss treatments. Don't rush into any procedures. Hopefully you will be happy maintaining the hair you have, with a short haircut; try a buzz cut as it might look good. Also, see a shrink to help you maintain a healthy perspective on losing your hair.

I agree with spanker.... IMHO, the minox and fin are half-measures (maintain existing hair, with a small likelihood of regrowth); the routine of applying the topical and taking pills is a drudgery. You seem to have nice-shaped head and might look good with a buzz? Wish my head was as nicely shaped, but I still am shooting for the buzz look after SMP. Anyhow, if the buzz look doesn't satisfy you....look into a combo of ht and smp. Ultimately, the probability of long-term satisfaction with the combo(smp and ht with tons of doctor research) is much higher than with topicals, pills, cracking eggs on your head,licking banana peels, snorting ginseng, etc.....

First, one must have good credit. Second, transfer ht procedure balance from one credit card to another credit card, using a promotional offer of 0% for 1-2 years. That's how I financed my ht procedures, and I paid off each credit card (eventually) with little paid interest. Like shampoo and capelli were saying.....priorities, priorities! For me, my daily mood affects my life much more than a house, car, or being in debt.

Scar revisions are a risky business. In my experience a scar revision made things worse. Perhaps once the donor area is traumatized to a point.....it's better to look at SMP or alternative, less invasive options to repair; that's what I'm doing anyhow.

Have you tried dermatch? It seems to be the best concealer I've found, and it washes out easily with shampoo.

The only thing I can add is to see a counselor/shrink. I lost a great deal of hair at 21 and couldn't handle the emotional turmoil, which I decided to deal with all by myself; that was a big mistake. The right counselor might have been able to give me a different perspective on how to live my life, not dwelling on my hair loss so much. It seems you are doing much better than I was.....good for you!

Good to hear "good" things about Dr. Umar. I've decided to try SMP since I feel it is my best option (tons of research). Course, I am on a different path than you (says in my profile). Bottom line.....wish you the best fugly.

I am not a doctor-basher by any means, but I saw someone mention Dr. Umar so I will tell a short story. About one year ago I sent my pictures to Dr. Umar for possible scar repair; he never returned my email. Followed up with an email a month later........no reply. I can't speak for his work on heads, though customer service, to me, is just as important.

What were the daily intakes that caused the adverse effects? For example: dose-response studies often show rats, or another human model,fed 10-1000 times the average human daily intake of the substance (soy in your example). I am not an expert with soy metabolites, but I know risk assessment well; I also know that if you ingest enough of practically any substance it becomes toxic.

I concur with spanker......how I feel about myself is paramount! One thing I should have done when I started losing my hair at 20......see a shrink. I wasn't thinking logically at the time and needed to speak with someone to put my feelings in perspective. Losing the majority of one's hair in his early twenties is tough, but making it worse with poor choices in hair transplant doctors is much much worse. At 20 I felt that it was too embarrassing to speak with anyone, so I figured that I would take on the burden of losing my hair and trying to fix it all by myself. Hopefully someone reading this, a young person losing their hair, will subscribe to my advice and let me know if it helps.