Earmuffs

It does. It says 1mg and then on the little brown pills it has a number, i think its 714. I did read somewhere that when pills say 1mg of any particular drug (not just this one) its really an estimate as to the actual dosage since these pills are made in large vats and its not possible to get it completely accurate. What are your thoughts? Thanks so getting back to me.

Have others gotten a script for the generic finasteride and filled it at Costco? I did that a few weeks back and I was amazed that a 90 day supply was only $35, rather than the $180 CVS wanted for their generic brand. But I also wonder whether I am getting what I pay for, meaning is the generic one from Sun Pharma that is sold through Costco as effective as the other generic brands than cost more. Does anyone have any thoughts on that topic? One of the reasons I ask is that since I started on the Sun generic I feel like I am losing a bit more hair in the shower than previously. I would love some feedback from you guys. Thanks so much.

It's now been almost 5 months since my procedure with Dr. Charles and I wanted to provide a brief update along with some pics. I definitely feel a difference in terms of density and i couldn't be happier. Being that its not even 5 months since my FUT I hope to continue to develop further thickening over the next 5 months. I have experienced some in grown hair issues which have developed into less than pleasing "pimples". They seem to come back often and I guess its just part of the process. They are not painful, but rather annoying and to a certain extent disgusting. But my hair is long and thick enough so that I can cover up any redness. I am still waiting to get full feeling back on my scalp and I hope this happens sooner rather than later. Otherwise all is good.

So I wanted to give a brief update on my procedure. Its been about 7 weeks since I went to see Dr. Charles for my 1st ever FUT. Everything seems to be coming along as it should. I am slowly getting feeling back in my scalp and I can see some small hairs coming in. I assume that this is the hair that was shock lost. Does anyone know how long it normally takes for shocked hair to grow back? I am now off the Graftcyte shampoo and condition and am alternating with Regenpure and Revita. As most have said, the wait is the worst part of this procedure. I recognize that I will need to be patient until sometime in September to begin seeing the results...and that seems like a long time from now. I have uploaded a few updated pics. As you can see, the hair lost during the procedure has not completely grown back in, which is frustrating. On the positive side, the scar is barely visible and you really need to look for it in order to see it.

So I wanted to give a brief update on my procedure. Its been about 7 weeks since I went to see Dr. Charles for my 1st ever FUT. Everything seems to be coming along as it should. I am slowly getting feeling back in my scalp and I can see some small hairs coming in. I assume that this is the hair that was shock lost. Does anyone know how long it normally takes for shocked hair to grow back? I am now off the Graftcyte shampoo and condition and am alternating with Regenpure and Revita. As most have said, the wait is the worst part of this procedure. I recognize that I will need to be patient until sometime in September to begin seeing the results...and that seems like a long time from now. I have uploaded a few updated pics. As you can see, the hair lost during the procedure has not completely grown back in, which is frustrating. On the positive side, the scar is barely visible and you really need to look for it in order to see it.

Great question. I would be pondering the same thing if I was in your shoes. IMO, if I was dating a girl for a couple of months I probably would not tell her. But since the relationship you have with this girl appears more profound I don't think you have anything to worry about in telling her. As some others have pointed out, I think she would be fascinated and opposed to thinking that you are somehow less of a man than she has come to know. I actually had the same issue right before I had my first FUT with Dr. Charles about a month ago. I wanted to get a hair cut right before the procedure and I decided after much deliberation to tell my hair dresser why I was coming back to her so soon after my last hair cut. I had some trepidation about how she would "look" at me or judge me, what have you. And in the end, all she did was ask me a bunch of questions because she was fascinated about the procedure and made me promise to come back so she could check out the scar. I know that most of us guys on this forum might see loss of one's hair as a sign of lost manhood, virility or attractiveness to the opposite sex. At least those have been my feelings over the past few years. But in the end, its really nothing to be ashamed about. It's not like I am going out on the rafters and yelling out my personal business, but I don't think there is anything wrong in telling your close friends or in this case girl friend. Another funny note, I was out with a buddy of mine getting some drinks and decided to tell him what I had just done and then he proceeded to tell me that last year he had the bags under his eyes removed, also for aesthetic purposes. Everyone has their thing. So don't be embarrassed and tell her. It'll make you feel better.

Thanks for all the replies. It seems that Regenpure and Revita have some good reviews on the site. Both have at least 1% ketoconozole, rather than the 2% in Nizoral. I may use those once a week or twice a week and use a less expensive thickening shampoo for the other days. I really appreciate your insights.

Sorry if this discussion has previously taken place but I wanted to throw it out there again. My post-procedure graftcyte shampoo/conditioner is on its last legs and so I wanted to buy a new thinning hair shampoo. With so many on the market, I was wondering if anyone could recommend a brand and how it has worked for you. I see a lot written about Bosely, Biota and Nioxin. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Thanks David. I will definitely continue to share pics of my progress. Right now I am just dealing with shock loss, although that seems to have tappered off a bit, coupled with the paranoia that the grafts didn't take. I am trying to avoid becoming neurotic about the procedure and let nature take its course, but I assume that its normal for us to get anxious especially after your first procedure. Did you feel that way as well?

Would be great. I heard they are making advances but are having issues controlling the direction in which the hair grows.

I just responded with some pics. Hope it helps.

Hey Taco. Here are a couple of pics of my donor hair. Not the best in the world but apparently enough for a few procedures. This is what I was told my multiple surgeons including Dr. Charles. Hope this helps. Sorry you got the bad news. Hopefully its just one opinion. Maybe FUE would work for you.

Thanks Blake.

Hi Devian. Dr. Charles does not require that you shave your head. It's one of the reasons I chose him in the first place. It's a bit more work for him in that he needs to see and make the inscisions around the existing hair and could (in my case, did) lead to hairs getting nicked. But i was ready for the shock loss, even though it sucks and am hopeful that those hairs will grow back in the next month or so.

Matt - The 1700 was really a result of donor hair. I assume he would have done more if there was that possibility. I guess he could have cut out a larger strip, which would have yielded more grafts but likely would have resulted in a larger scar. I know people like to do the mega sessions but I'm not sure it would have worked in my situation. As for my game plan, I'm gonna see how this HT works out and then consider doing another session with Dr. Charles. I spoke with him already and he indicated that I definitely have plenty of donor hair to do at a minimum 3 more sessions. Who knows, perhaps in a couple of years we will be looking at stem cell options. Hope this helps. Spex - Thanks so much.

Not to bore anyone to tears, but I thought I would just mention my journey leading up to the day last week when I visited Dr. Glenn Charles' Office in Boca Raton for my 1st FUT procedure and certainly to get peoples feedback based on the pics attached. It goes back to 1997 when I was a junior in college, having just turned 20 and one of my roommates noticed that my hair had somewhat thinned out. At the time I didn't think much of it, but as time progressed the thinning, especially in the frontal portion of my scalp had progressed, I became a bit more conscious of this issue. So around 2001, I went to see a specialist in NYC and he started me on Propecia, which I have taken ever since, although at times not religiously. I have never taken any other hair loss substance. Since then my hair loss somewhat stabilized that is up until a few months ago when I (and my wife) noticed some significant thinning. Some pre operation pics are attached. At that time I decided to begin researching the possibility of hair transplants. I had never really delved into the topic and the only thing I remember is seeing those doll-looking grafts of old. So I was definitely stunned with the level as to which the techniques had advanced and the results looked absolutely astonishing. I went to visit four different specialists, including Dr. Charles. Two providers I was less than impressed with, this included a small boutique dermatological laser clinic that used the Neograft machine, but otherwise did not do enough of these procedures to make me comfortable, and the other was Bosley. The people there were friendly enough but the reviews were less than stellar and their prices were simply illogical. I selected Dr. Charles because of the many positive reviews and results I was able to access through the Net and this site in particular, as well as the feeling I got from meeting him in person. Dr. Charles is just wonderful - extremely down to earth, knowledgable, frank, and patient in answering all of my questions. I had a tough time deciding between Dr. Charles and another provider where I live and for whom I have the utmost respect. Aside from what I just wrote, I selected Dr. Charles because I thought his pricing was fair in comparison to the level of expertise he brings to table, his staff was extremely nice and has worked with him for many years, and he did not expect me to shave the top of my scalp where he was implanting the grafts. My procedure was on Thursday Jan. 11th. Prior to that, Dr. Charles was kind enough to answer the myriad of questions that came to mind, and certainly as my nerves increased closer to the day of the procedure. He began by giving my something to calm me down and discussed the places in which he intended to implant the grafts. As you can see from the after photos, we selected the frontal third of my scalp. As for the procedure itself, the staff tried to make me feel as comfortable as possible. There are no two ways around it, the anesthetic shots in the sides and back of the head hurt like hell. It was not a fun 5 minutes and I quickly realized that I would not be a good hostage . The staff was very gracious and made sure to give my plenty of fluids. My recommendation to anyone is that the morning of your procedure you drink some OJ. Once that was over I didn't feel a thing. I just sat there watching Netflix. They ordered me lunch and by 2:30 I was out the door. Dr. Charles makes sure you leave his office with not only post-op instructions, but also antibiotics, painkillers, a bottle of saline spray and a bottle of copper peptide solution. Mind you, I didn't have to pay extra for any of these items. He also gave me his cell phone number and called me that night to make sure I was okay. The first night is a bit uncomfortable. Its tough to sleep and the stitches pull. But I have to say that its not really painful per se, just annoying. I took one painkiller that first night and, thereafter, I was fine with 2-3 Advil taken at night. At this point, the crusts are falling out and, unfortunately I am also experiencing some shedding of the hair I currently have. I know it was to be expected, but its annoying nonetheless. My hope is that this hair will eventually grow back along with the grafts. In my opinion, Dr. Charles did an amazing job with creating a densely packed hair line. He was able to get just below 1700 grafts in the session. It truly is an art form and I believe it is key to go to a surgeon who has done these procedures for a long time. Without an ounce of reservation, I would recommend Dr. Charles to anyone looking to have a hair transplant. Even though the tiny holes where the grafts are located look awkward, coupled with the pain and discomfort of at least the first 5 minutes of the procedure, you really have to look at the longer and bigger picture. And now the unbearable waiting game. I will try and keep this blog updated from time to time with new pics. It was also recommended that I start using Rogaine, at least for the first few months. I also decided to take Saw Palmetto and see if that does anything. Please feel free to contact me should you want to chat about the procedure. Good luck.

I assume others have seen this report: If so, what are your opinions and does anyone have any other information on potential clinical human trials, etc? Thanks.

I assume others have seen this report: If so, what are your opinions and does anyone have any other information on potential clinical human trials, etc? Thanks.

Not to bore anyone to tears, but I thought I would just mention my journey leading up to the day last week when I visited Dr. Glenn Charles' Office in Boca Raton for my 1st FUT procedure. It goes back to 1997 when I was a junior in college, having just turned 20 and one of my roommates noticed that my hair had somewhat thinned out. At the time I didn't think much of it, but as time progressed the thinning, especially in the frontal portion of my scalp had progressed, I became a bit more conscious of this issue. So around 2001, I went to see a specialist in NYC and he started me on Propecia, which I have taken ever since, although at times not religiously. I have never taken any other hair loss substance. Since then my hair loss somewhat stabilized that is up until a few months ago when I (and my wife) noticed some significant thinning. Some pre operation pics are attached. At that time I decided to begin researching the possibility of hair transplants. I had never really delved into the topic and the only thing I remember is seeing those doll-looking grafts of old. So I was definitely stunned with the level as to which the techniques had advanced and the results looked absolutely astonishing. I went to visit four different specialists, including Dr. Charles. Two providers I was less than impressed with, this included a small boutique dermatological laser clinic that used the Neograft machine, but otherwise did not do enough of these procedures to make me comfortable, and the other was Bosley. The people there were friendly enough but the reviews were less than stellar and their prices were simply illogical. I selected Dr. Charles because of the many positive reviews and results I was able to access through the Net, as well as the feeling I got from meeting him in person. Dr. Charles is just wonderful - extremely down to earth, knowledgable, frank, and patient in answering all of my questions. I had a tough time deciding between Dr. Charles and another provider where I live and for whom I have the utmost respect. Aside from what I just wrote, I selected Dr. Charles because I thought his pricing was fair in comparison to the level of expertise he brings to table, his staff was extremely nice and has worked with him for many years, and he did not expect me to shave the top of my scalp where he was implanting the grafts. My procedure was on Thursday Jan. 11th. Prior to that, Dr. Charles was kind enough to answer the myriad of questions that came to mind, and certainly as my nerves increased closer to the day of the procedure. He began by giving my something to calm me down and discussed the places in which he intended to implant the grafts. As you can see from the after photos, we selected the frontal third of my scalp. As for the procedure itself, the staff tried to make me feel as comfortable as possible. There are no two ways around it, the anesthetic shots in the sides and back of the head hurt like hell. It was not a fun 5 minutes and I quickly realized that I would not be a good hostage . The staff was very gracious and made sure to give my plenty of fluids. My recommendation to anyone is that the morning of your procedure you drink some OJ. Once that was over I didn't feel a thing. I just sat there watching Netflix. They ordered me lunch and by 2:30 I was out the door. Dr. Charles makes sure you leave his office with not only post-op instructions, but also antibiotics, painkillers, a bottle of saline spray and a bottle of copper peptide solution. Mind you, I didn't have to pay extra for any of these items. He also gave me his cell phone number and called me that night to make sure I was okay. The first night is a bit uncomfortable. Its tough to sleep and the stitches pull. But I have to say that its not really painful per se, just annoying. I took one painkiller that first night and, thereafter, I was fine with 2-3 Advil taken at night. At this point, the crusts are falling out and, unfortunately I am also experiencing some shedding of the hair I currently have. I know it was to be expected, but its annoying nonetheless. My hope is that this hair will eventually grow back along with the grafts. In my opinion, Dr. Charles did an amazing job with creating a densely packed hair line. He was able to get just below 1700 grafts in the session. It truly is an art form and I believe it is key to go to a surgeon who has done these procedures for a long time. Without an ounce of reservation, I would recommend Dr. Charles to anyone looking to have a hair transplant. Even though the tiny holes where the grafts are located look awkward, coupled with the pain and discomfort of at least the first 5 minutes of the procedure, you really have to look at the longer and bigger picture. And now the unbearable waiting game. I will try and keep this blog updated from time to time with new pics. It was also recommended that I start using Rogaine, at least for the first few months. I also decided to take Saw Palmetto and see if that does anything. Please feel free to contact me should you want to chat about the procedure. Good luck.

I completely agree with you about the regret aspect of this. My understanding from talking to others is that the reason that some doctors want you to shave your head is for their convenience of being able to see better where to place the grafts. And, of course, that could lead to better results. But I also need to consider what I am going to look like for the several months post procedure until the new hair grow in or the old hair grows back. The other option would be to just shave my entire head and deal with the scar being visible, which Dr. Lindsey does not recommend. I don't have an appointment yet but I was looking to do the procedure in January. I still haven't made my final decision, but I will say that I would trust Dr. Lindsey completely, even if I select the other doctor. Have you spoken to other doctors who do this procedure?

I completely agree with you about the regret aspect of this. My understanding from talking to others is that the reason that some doctors want you to shave your head is for their convenience of being able to see better where to place the grafts. And, of course, that could lead to better results. But I also need to consider what I am going to look like for the several months post procedure until the new hair grow in or the old hair grows back. The other option would be to just shave my entire head and deal with the scar being visible, which Dr. Lindsey does not recommend. I don't have an appointment yet but I was looking to do the procedure in January. I still haven't made my final decision, but I will say that I would trust Dr. Lindsey completely, even if I select the other doctor.

Interesting that he recommended FUT. He is definitely one of the best in the business from what I read. I am considering between Dr. Lindsey here in Virginia and Dr. Charles in Boca Raton. I think it would be FUT with either but I am just debating in light of the shaving my head issue. Dr. Charles indicated that he does not shave the crown even though it means more work for him. They both seem like great guys with superior reputations.

thanks Jay. That was my understanding as well, which is why it surprised me that this other surgeon was willing to proceed without shaving my head. The prospect of having my head shaved, only partly, does make me consider having FUE rather than the strip method, since i could just shave my entire head and not have to deal with the linear scar. Is that something you considered as well? Thanks

I am considering a HT by strip method and had a quick question regarding two different methods by two very well regarded doctors. This concerns the recipient site. One doctor proceeds by shaving the area, in my case the frontal lobe, before proceeding with the implantation. The other doctor does not shave the area and just works around the hair you currently have in plae regardless of length. Is there a major difference between the two with respect to efficacy of implants, shock loss to existing hair, recovery, etc. I would prefer to not have to shave the front third of my head while leaving the rest longer as it would look quite peculiar from an aesthetic perspective, but notwithstanding my vanity I would prefer the better procedure. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.