jerzig

You are just fine. Keep an eye on that spot but don't worry about anything for at least another five years. Any decent doctor wouldn't consider you for a HT until your balding pattern had matured.

I'm not closed minded or anything, but I'd take a bic to my head everyday before going that route.

Good info! Thank you. I am lucky and haven't had too much redness. Just one spot on my left temple that is still pretty red after almost two months.

Yep. Wait two weeks or so. Just be careful while taking anything off and on for awhile so you don't accidentally scrape your scalp.

Definitely get that stitch checked out asap. It shouldn't be there after this long and may lead to an infection and/or keep your scar from healing properly.

Hey there. You can never do enough research. Don't rush into anything. If a doctor has bad reviews, don't go there. Your best bet may be to find a qualified doctor outside of your country. Good luck!

I've heard of clinics offering %10 minoxidil here in California. Not sure how expensive it is. Maybe we'll see it become more widely available and affordable here soon?

Sketchy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

12 months minimum is what I've heard from several sources.

I did not need my donor area shaved. I let my hair get a bit long prior to my procedure and was back to work five days after my procedure. I was able to wear a hat for a bit so it was fairly easy to conceal. Even without the hat the longer hair was able to conceal my procedure. Again, it depends on several factors, but in general you should take into account that you could look less than "normal" for some time.

Two weeks and you should be good. You'll probably have some redness still. You might consider growing your hair out a bit and styling it so it lays forward over your grafted region.

I've been on minoxidil for about 4 months now. There was a little shedding but it wasn't noticeable in my appearance. Everyone reacts to it differently though. And it's a bit like the same scenario of a HT: you're going to look a little worse for awhile, but you have to suffer through that stretch to look better in the future.

You too! Keep us posted after you hear from the doc.

No problem. Just worry about taking care of yourself, healing well and following all of your post-op instructions. You've got plenty of time to worry about hair growing in over the next year. For now just focus on giving them the best possible chance of growing.

No problem. I will send you a private message with my full name.

Hi Shabs. What doctor did you go to? Your donor scar seems much higher than mine, but that may be due to your donor area density? Looks like shockloss is setting in but I would definitely consult your doctor.

I have a similar balding pattern and had about 2000 grafts. However, I didn't bring down the widows peaks like you are suggesting. Best of luck!

Hey notsosure. I agree with most people on this forum that you should not limit yourself by region. HOWEVER, I understand the worry over added expense and down-time involved in travel. I also live in Northern California and after two years of research I had my HT with Dr. Rosanelli in San Francisco. He is recommended by this site and has an excellent track record. I am only six weeks out so I can't give much insight into my final results, but my experience with him was absolutely stellar. I'm not saying that he would be the perfect doctor for you based on your needs, but based on my experience and research you should definitely at least meet with him for a consultation. Feel free to message me if you have any questions about him.

Two words: chill buddy. You've got a whole year of waiting. No use in obsessing now.

%5 is pretty standard whether it's Rogaine or generic. I use the Kirkland brand stuff from Costco. It's pretty affordable. There are other more hardcore ones out there that go up to %10 and higher, but I haven't tried them.

You are better off waiting until you can afford to travel to a reputable doctor rather than going with a cheaper place. You'll end up needing more surgeries to fix the cheap one.

Hey Raph. Looking good! I'm a few weeks behind you and dealing with similar issues. I've been keeping my hair longer than usual and that has made it easier to cover the donor area. I didn't have to shave my head for the procedure so that was a big help. I've been using Maderma scar cream on my scar and the redness has been gradually fading. Hang in there! We're in for some great things.

I've heard and seen great things from both doctors. I would research which doctor has the best track record for balding patterns similar to yours. Good luck!

Just googled them. I would not consider them. They do not specialize in hair transplants and offer "cheap" cosmetic surgeries. Research doctors that are recommended by this site and start making decisions from there.

Definitely get on Minoxidil. I am also anti-Propecia but you are at a much more advance level of balding than I am. You may not have enough donor hair to achieve your ideal results, but with some careful placement you may be happy with the coverage.