I started losing my hair when I was 25. I am 43 now and I have used minoxidil for the past 17 years. I also started using propecia 5 years ago and have stuck with them faithfully. I think both meds have helped me maintain what I have but 17 years is a long time and I guess that my hairline has receded just under a centimeter. I don’t ever expect to get my early 20s hairline back but I would like to reinforce what I have and make sure that it doesn’t get worse. I may dye my hair as well because it’s really starting to turn greyish-white.
I live in Massachusetts and have considered speaking with the following Doctors: Dr. Leonard (RI) and Drs. Bernstein and Feller (both in NY). My questions are as follows:
1. Is reinforcing what I have a good strategy? Or, does it look silly in a few years when it recedes further with a thick line (the transplants) in the very front. I understand I will have to go back sometime for more transplants. I think I have a strong donor area, no problems in back but ultimately, can transplants on top and at the hairline be dense enough where it looks natural?
2. I have a good donor area but my hair is very fine. Does this present a problem when trying to have it be dense enough?
3. How natural can it look? Can you tell if you look really closely?
4. I just want to reinforce what I have, maybe a little more. How many grafts would I need?
5. I understand that the doctor makes the holes and techs place the grafts. How important is the skill of the techs? Is there any way to ensure that you get good techs? Seems like they play an important part.
6. Does anyone know of a surgery that went very wrong (in the past 5 years) with Feller, Leonard or Bernstein?
I am pretty nervous about the whole thing.