CHB811

This topic really speaks to me having gone through a similar process. I'm not bald by any means yet but I have entered into an accelerated stage of hair loss recently. Even prior to my current dilemma I've had a lot of time to reflect and think about hair, HTs and why I had this done to myself. I can't really blame the OP for being angry with himself, although I now understand that everyone makes mistakes and you shouldn't beat yourself up over it. Still it is a decision that I've struggled with every day since my fateful decision. My story begins at a diffuse NW2-2a and foolishly rushing into an HT. My goals were far too lofty and I was in over my head. Looking back, my doctor surely knew my state of mind and didn't protect me from myself. While you can only blame someone else so much I find that part the most despicable. I researched and made my decision within a month. That was my huge mistake. With all the hindsight I have now, here's an exhaustive list of things I wish I had done: - initial HT consultation with at least 2 coalition doctors - try the big 3 meds first for at least 6 months; pay attention to side effects - continue researching HT procedures, techniques, results and doctors for 12-18 months - understand location and cost should not be constraints - measure donor & recipient density/hair bulk, loss pattern - consult with dermatologist for any possible reactions - understand the procedure end to end including surgical process, expectations, common side effects in the skin, healing and care - consult with psychologist (no joke) to understand if I would be able to handle the change - consult with coalition HT doctor again and draft a master plan - see a HT result in person, performed by different doctors; all pictures can lie; lighting and angles deceive - Look for pictures and posts of good AND bad HTs - Know your options for HT repair - shave head and keep it that way for at least 1-2 months, see if you like it - read bald guys forums for support and tips to maintain a buzzed dome - After 12-18 months, if ready, try HT and be as conservative as possible I actually had a pretty good head of hair when I started (still decent) but here's my story - I had an uneven hairline with a raised side only which was really the only concern. I didn't really know I was balding in a diffuse pattern. I had the FUE HT without being on meds and had shockloss. Went on fin and it helped keep the crown full, side effects faded in a few months but the hairline continued to shed. Flaky scalp ensued (and persists to this day). 1 year post-op I tried kirkland minox 5% and used it for 2 years, things seemed to be on the up and up, however it is likely that I just slowly thinned uniformly to match the hairline and having a short buzz on the sides helped create an illusion of fullness. My loss has picked up in the last 8 months and I don't think I'm going to make it out of this year without the HT standing out on its own. It has only been 3.5 years since the HT but that time has been littered with obsessiveness, self consciousness, spectrophobia, anxiety and most of all - regret and disappointment. In that entire time I've only had a fleeting 6-8 months where I felt 'normal'. Being super picky about hair, I honestly feel that HTs are probably not truly viable for many if not most candidates in terms of being natural looking. This is just my own opinion but I personally wouldn't recommend a HT at all save for a few situations: - no balding; filling in temples or rough patch - older (40ish); family history of loss is documented; hair loss has been stable for a long time - fantastic responder to meds in addition to strong characteristics from point 2 and a master plan good psych health and with money to spare Even happy patients with sparsely laid HTs are probably just fooling themselves about their hair. I understand that the last statement in particular sounds really jaded and that's because I am, even with a good and relatively even amount of hair on my head. I would say I'm fairly lucky as I've shaved down to a 0 in the donor and didn't mind the FUE pock marks too much. It is almost invisible at a 1 guard. Still I'm a concerned about my recipient zone due to scaly, flaky skin, and larger follicles in the grafts but I think it should be manageable if I buzz down with some laser treatment and electrolysis to get rid of the hairs; possibly fraxel or vbeam to smooth the skin. This is going to take time, money and head/heartache. While I know there is more to life than hair, I'm having a lot of trouble looking past it as it has been a strong defining characteristic for so long. My vanity led to my undoing and in the end I've learned that I had my priorities in the wrong places. I hope the OP is doing well and keeping his spirits up. I mostly just wanted to say that I understand what you are going through and I hope you end up luckier than me - stable and with a good result. If anything at least you can grow facial hair unlike me, hah! The industry definitely needs to be more honest and upfront about the process and results. I hope this post finds people debating on getting a HT and at least have them reconsider once more. I'm not saying there can't be good results and I'm not saying that every doctor is crooked, but I think the realities of HTs are not exactly what the photos would have you believe. Be cautious - I wouldn't wish my worst enemy to go through what I did.