Follicular Slippage

D'oh -- I just noticed the date of the original post! Sorry for contributing to a previously dead thread - seems to be a few of these coming back to life lately. I guess the comments from TP, Shed and Hugh just set me off . . . Just out of curiosity Mahair did you ever file the lawsuit? If so, what is the status? FS

TP, Shed and Hugh - I think that this is a case where the better course of action would have been to refrain from making any comment at all. Presumably you all are on this forum because you're balding and want to do something about it. I would also assume that you think about this topic a fair amount and quite possibly discuss it, ad nauseum, with your significant other. Take a moment to think about how your baldness makes you feel - the insensitive comments from family and friends, how it makes you look, etc. Now try thinking for another moment how you'd feel if you finally made the decision to have a HT, only to have your baldness problem go from bad to worse. I personally cannot imagine a more devastating scenario - the problem that you were initially trying to hide is now plainly obvious for everyone to see. Rather than kick a guy when he's down, I'd hope that after a small amount of self-reflection, you guys might be able to recognize how inappropriate and petty your comments are. The fact that you could make such comments on a Forum that is essentially a support group for people who are attempting to deal with their baldness is unbelievable to me. Mahair - I wish you all the best in your lawsuit against MHR. FS

Another vote for Graftcyte. My doc recommended it after my HT last November. Seems to have done the trick. FS

Wanted to bump this thread up the list to see if anyone had any information on this.

That thread was deleted because it apparently went way off topic. Check out this link. However, it would be helpful to see that discussion resurrected since this new technique evidently holds a lot of promise.

Starsky posted this link on another thread and I wanted to make sure that everyone saw this: http://www.intercytex.net/ICX.php?Page=trichocyte Is this the mythical hair cloning treatment that we've heard about? Evidently, this is still in clinical trials but it's encouraging to know that progess is being made. FS

Starsky posted this link on another thread and I wanted to make sure that everyone saw this: http://www.intercytex.net/ICX.php?Page=trichocyte Is this the mythical hair cloning treatment that we've heard about? Evidently, this is still in clinical trials but it's encouraging to know that progess is being made. FS

Very nice job by Dr. Distefano. You got terrific coverage and I like the way your hairline turned - very natural. Congratulations! FS

At two months, I believe it's still early to see any substantive changes in the donor scar. I know the topic has come up a lot in the Forum and you should do a search for it. As for the numbness, I'm still feeling it after almost 4 months. Everything that I've read on here seems to imply that this is normal and that the numbness typically goes away after 6 - 8 months or earlier depending on the person. FS

I know that Telephone Man had his HT done by Dr. DiStefano about a year ago. He recently posted pics and I thought his HT looked quite good. Here's the link: Telephone Man I'm assuming you're in New England; I had my HT done last November by Dr. Robert Leonard. I think he did an OK job but the hairline, low number of grafts and subsequent density has been a bit of a disappointment. I'm hoping to do a second HT this year and will probably not be going back to Dr. Leonard for any additional treatment. Good luck. FS

Spock - You and I had our HTs at about the same time and I've noticed the same thing; my "original" hair seems to be growing faster than my transplanted hair. I'm assuming it's related to the dormant period that the follicles go into after they're transplanted.

Johnnie - I think Researcher raises a good point; sometimes less is more. While I haven't run across a routine as elaborate as yours, I do admire your discipline and tenacity. I had my first HT of 1,650 grafts last November. By comparison, my routine is simple: I take Propecia, 3000 mg MSM and the Tricomin shampoo. Researcher's comment about shampoo cuts through all the rhetoric; once this bottle of Tricomin is finished, I don't plan on buying another $25 bottle of shampoo. I also plan to discontinue the MSM once my hair grows out to a sufficient length. In my case, with the exception of the actual HT and the Propecia, I'm beginning to feel like much of my routine has been overkill in my efforts to combat the problem of my receding hairline. Though I have my doubts about the light therapy, shampoo, and sprays that I initially used, I think it provided me with peace of mind; I was doing everything I could within reason to make sure that my HT was successful. Now as I hit the 14-week mark, I'm beginning to see results, feeling less anxious and thinking that this may actually work out after all. As for a lifelong routine, I'm thinking Propecia will pretty much do it for me until something better comes along (Rogaine sounds like too much bother. ). When I go back for a second HT (the 1,650 wasn't really enough), I would begin taking the MSM a month or two in advance to derive the supposed benefits of reduced shockloss and increased rate of hair growth. After the HT, I might even be tempted to buy another one of those $25 bottles of shampoo! At this early stage of the game, my advice would be to continue doing whatever you feel works for you at this point. Depending on the results that you get, you may decide to adjust your routine accordingly. Good luck - FS

I lived in Rio for 3 years during my formative teen years - you gotta write it the way it's pronounced, "Hee-oh"! Enjoy that steak and HT in Vancouver, Emerald.

Thanks for the compliment Brando. In spite of the fact that I enjoy writing, I'm not a writer. I'm actually a web designer and I also teach design. As such, I find myself proofing client's copy and letting my student's know that they will be penalized for typos and grammatical errors in their websites - a little unorthodox for a designer but I think that attention to detail is important and good written communication skills are essential. Thanks again for the kind words. FS

Robert ??“ Great post! Let me recap your key points: You and your friend both have O+ blood. As such, your blood could be transfused to other people and could potentially save someone's life. Your friend can't donate blood because of a very serious medical condition that could jeopardize her life. You can't donate your blood because it is tainted and might cause birth defects if it were given to a pregnant woman. I think the ethical dilemma that you're referring to is that we are all taught to help each other out, particularly in a situation that might involve life and death. You and your friend both have a blood type that can be used by others who are in need. When asked to donate blood, you both declined and felt uneasy over your inability to potentially help those in need. I assume that this unease was caused by a sense of obligation and not being able to fulfill that obligation. First off, I think you and your friend are very thoughtful and compassionate people. It is a very complex issue. Let me try to throw out some thoughts to serve as a counterpoint to the points that you've made in your post. Regarding your friend, self-preservation is a valid argument; no person would expect your friend to sacrifice her own life to potentially save someone else's. I assume that you felt that your reasons for not being able to give blood paled in comparison to those of your friend's; she had no choice in the matter, but you did. Some might consider your actions to be selfish because in the abstract, your blood could have helped someone out. I emphasize this only because in reality your blood can still be used to help someone out ??“ just not someone who is pregnant. The problem is, as Brando points out, is that the Red Cross can't ensure that your tainted blood won't be given to a pregnant woman. Recognizing the limitations of the Red Cross, you acted responsibly and rightfully declined the offer to donate. About your O+ blood: I ran across this Red Crosssite. It states that 40% of the population is O+. Only 7% of the population is O- and this is the preferred type for accident victims and babies needing exchange transfusions. Hopefully, these stats will help set your mind at ease; there are a fair amount of O+ donors out there and it sounds as if the O- type (not O+) is used in emergency situations. While I understand your point in the abstract, IMHO, I'd say in reality there is no ethical dilemma. BTW - if I ever need a transfusion, I'll be knocking on your door for some of that Finasteride-laced blood of yours! All the best, FS

I hear ya Emerald! You get to the point where it's time to either fish or cut bait. I waited years (NW6) before I finally had my HT last November. Much of that time was spent trying to understand my predicament in a rational and logical manner: - Perhaps the hairloss will stabilize at some point. - What will other people think if they knew I had a HT? - Maybe I would/could learn to accept it-do the whole buzzcut and goatee thing. Or maybe do the ponytail - grow it long because I could! Nah - I didn't think so either. In spite of my efforts, I wasn't able to rationalize it or stop comparing my hair to other guys my age. I realized that I'd never find a logical explanation because to me, hairloss was an emotional issue. When I came to this realization, it didn't take long for me to say: SCREW IT - I'M GETTING THIS THING DONE! Although most of us aren't conditioned this way, sometimes you just need to do something for yourself. I was wasting far too much time thinking about my hairloss and I feel like my HT was the first step in finally getting the situation under control and hopefully achieving a comfort level where I can simply stop focusing on it incessantly. Best of luck to you. FS

Interesting solution to hide a nasty scar. One observation: if you get the tattoo artist to create all those dark dots on your scalp, as you get older and your hair turns gray, you'll have to either dye your hair to match the dots or let it grow out.

I think that LondonGuyGraftKing's own post coupled with Hairworthy's clarification helps to confirm JacobS comment about appropriateness: <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>I am selling these primarily because I get acne from use, this which I don't from Proscar. Acne?!? Well, I guess even if you factored in a 3-month supply of Clearisil to control your zits, you'd still save a ton of money by using a generic! Hell - you might even prevent some hair loss!! Clear complexion + hair = sounds like an awesome deal! Thanks LondonGuyGraftKing!!! Apologizing in advance for the sarcasm. FS

MSS28 - At first glance, I'm sure it appears that most of the people posting are HT newbies such as myself. Once you get a chance to delve into the forum, you'll see posts by people such as Smoothy, Pat and others who have had HTs done over a number of years (click on Find and type in their names to view their posts). I'm reminded of the saying, "Nothing focuses the mind like a .44 pointed at you. " The reason you don't see more HT vets is because this is a support group for people who are in the process of losing their hair and want to know what options are available. People come here to gather feedback on what they might do and then compare notes once they've chosen a specific treatment. Once the problem is under control, and they've decided what they want to do and do it, it's understandable that people would simply move on with their lives and stop participating in the forum. It's been suggested that a special category be added to the forum (HT Alumni) to document the experiences of people who had their last HT two to three years in order to provide information to those of us who are embarking on this journey. It's great that you've found this forum - it is a tremendous font of information and should help you in your decision. As long as you remain inquisitive and focused, I think you'll find the answers that you're looking for. Best of luck

Just wanted to beat this deadhorse one last time - any feedback would be appreciated!

Assuming the doc is reputable, I'd say that's a terrific deal. Last November, I had my first HT and paid $6,500 for 1,650 grafts - I don't think you can do much better than what you're being offered.

There's a noticeable difference in the redness of your scalp between the Week 5 thumbnail and Week 7 thumbnail - it's definately faded. However, I understand your concern since you and I had our HT at the same time. I bought a bottle of witch hazel today and I'm going to give it a shot for several days to see what happens. Wish me luck!

EastCoast: Try contacting the state medical board. Here's the website for the State Board of Medicine which is under the aegis of the Pennsylvania Department of State: http://www.dos.state.pa.us/bpoa/cwp/view.asp?a=1104&q=432799

Hi Robert - Thanks for posting this graph on Propecia. There was a thread in the Hair Loss Drugs section that sought information on the long-term effects of Propecia. Here's the thread:http://hair-restoration-info.com/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=5696015661&f=6566060861&m=227108908 Unfortunately, it really didn't generate much discussion and I'm hoping that this thread could be picked up again here. Regarding the results shown on the chart (which is a little difficult to read): 1. Is there any interpretation for the results shown on the chart? 2. Is the tapering off of the top Propecia line an indication that the drug peaks and then becomes less effective at preventing hairloss over time? Thanks for the info.

I just started taking Propecia and am curious as well about it effectiveness long-term. I'm assuming that as I get older (41 now) and things begin to slow down, that my level of hair loss will also slow down to the point where the Propecia will no longer be needed. Then of course the question is when will that be - 50? 60? 70 . . . ? Since I'm considering another HT, I'd like to get some sense of whether or not I can rely on Propecia to help me out over the long run.