Gram

From what I've heard, the first 6 weeks are vital. Post 8 weeks and you're out of the danger zone and you'll get what you'll get based upon your individual biology.

Wow great result. Wavy, wirey hair for the win.

I'm curious what the consensus is on minoxidil application. Should it be applied post shower? Does it work as well if it isn't? Ive read that there's anecdotal evidence that absorption of anything topical is optimal with moist skin, but what do you guys think, and what has your experience been?

Interesting post dr. K. what characteristics make a patient more prone to FUE failure or success? I am a proponent of test patches as I have posted before.

Looking forward to the paranoia i get associated with every scalp itch i have for the rest of my life!

I get what you were trying to do and I take almost all of the supplements you mention in hopes of preventing hairloss. Taking the times to share your knowledge of alternatives is very much appreciated. I just wanted to emphasize the gaping difference in proven effectiveness among all the hairless tools out there in case the OP was unaware. Sorry if it came across as brash or personal.

All due respect, I think while what you're saying is true it is also pretty misleading. I think most can agree that you're putting yourself at a massive disadvantage without minox and fin. Many docs believe everything you listed is a waste of time and resources. That doesn't mean it's gospel, but why sugarcoat like any of that stuff will compare by any stretch of the imagination.

Maybe this guy is just a slow grower, but there's no such thing as too much information. http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/178365-6-month-results-fue-2200-grafts-dr-feriduni.html

You guys are crazy...great, natural result. Congrats to the patient.

That's unfortunate to say the least. Ok, I can't think of a plausible explanation in that case although in reality my knowledge base is limited short of being a forum spectator. Hang in there man, in the HT world things could be a whole lot worse. You can be fixed and likely even achieve your original goal from what I can tell from your pics and have seen on here. Stay positive, which I know is easier said than done. Very much looking forward to hearing from your doc and how he plans to rectify your situation.

Had the OP had prior work done or was this virgin scalp? I think this matters.

KO, We talked about it in depth. He said he suggests test patches for all potential FUE. My guess is it's cost prohibitive for docs to perform. With that said we didnt discuss cost associated with a test patch. Maybe some docs are so proficient in FUE that they feel it unnecessary. The doc i visited has showcased a bit more FUT than FUE on here but has had great results with both.

Looks really good..congrats!

Hello, I've been more active on this forum of late, but I've been reading for quite some time. At the risk of beating a dead horse regarding the FUE/FUT debate, i agree that both have their place depending on each patients situation. What i cant get around is the fact, or at least my perception that while one without question avoids the unwanted linear scar going the FUE route, the yields and generally quality of FUE procedures seem to be much more unpredictable. Furthermore, we/i have seen patients who have undergone FUE procedures who have exhausted their donor region due to presumably high transaction rates. In a perfect world of course, all of us would love to have full heads of hair without any scarring but as we all know that there is an unavoidable trade off no matter what. I visited with a coalition doc a few months back. I went into his office with a strong preference for FUE. He expressed that I was a candidate for FUE, but raised some of the points above. He suggested we preform a very small test patch to see how things turned out. While i haven't done this (yet), i dont understand for the life of me why everyone undergoing FUE doesnt do this. I guess it could be limitations relating to time or finances, but it without question seems worth exploring from my point of view. I love instant gratification as much as the next guy but id also prefer to wait a few months to find the best possible solution for my physiology versus a complete roll of the dice which could put me in a worse place then where i started. I see what i see. My two cents

This thread is a few days old. I think you may find it helpful. http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/178333-hair-transplant-without-meds.html

Why not disclose the physician's name? If this site is about transparency and empowering the patient, this should be done without hesitation. We are all adults here and we know (or should know) that there is risk in any HT procedure. Good, bad, or indifferent I really wish there was better transparency on here. Why are physicians protected time and time again when there is a poor result? Given that i am aware of the inherit risk of a ht, if this surgeon had a track record of good results and ended up remedying this patient's issue/gave an explanation, he could come out without a blemish on his reputation. Instead we are all left wondering who is responsible and as a result further susceptible to encountering the same misfortune. If the doc was stated previously then sorry for the rant, but I see this happen way too often.

Who was your doc? Unable to tell from the link. Happy growing...there's time still.

For what it's worth, I work with a 54 year old guy who has great hair....nw1. About two years ago I started to notice him thin out quit a bit (diffused). I always wondered what was up/was discouraged that even after that long of holding the line, the mpb boogeyman can spontaneously appear. Come to find out he began T treatments 2 years ago. I highly doubt it's a coincidence.

Once you have a scar, you might as well continue to utilize that scar like you said. Plus exhausting FUT prior to utilizing FUE seems to be the most prudent way to maximize donor over the long run. Lastly my FUE result was so so. I believe that the method itself is quite a bit more stressful on the transplanted follicles than FUT and more of a roll of the dice based upon my result and what I've seen in the forums.

Good man. I went fut then FUE and am regretful. Just looking out for a hairloss homie

Win, are you going FUT or FUE?

When referencing shock loss, most people are referring to loss of native, non transplanted hair in and around where the surgical procedure was performed. It doesn't look like you're experiencing that. What you are seeing is the loss of transplanted hairs as they go into a resting period which can last anywhere from 3-18 months. 4-5 months seems to be most typical time period prior to their regrowth. The loss can be uneven or uniform. It's not going to look pretty for a couple of months yet. Everything you're seeing is typical. Patience is your best friend.

Others may disagree, but I strongly believe in the meds. They saved me big time. I also have friends who have regrown a dramatic amount of hair on finasteride who are your age and nw3s. If I was you, I'd give the meds a try for at least a year assuming you don't have sides. If you have the sides then perhaps reasses or modify dosage. At least you will have tried at that point. You might be in a dramatically different place after giving the meds a year to work. A HT is no joke and should be your last resort imho. Some vets will chime in here soon I'm sure. PS I like to tie one on with my buddies as well. Alcohol won't affect the meds.

Hey buddy, you've entered some controversial waters. Couple of questions: how old are you? Has your hair loss stablized or is it progressing still? Some pics would also be helpful. As a general statement, i think anyone who goes down the HT route without getting on meds is rolling the dice big time. Unless youre older and have a stablized mpb, meds are a necessity to some extent unless youre willing to have several procedures (which you still might need to do even with the meds). While some do experience sides from the meds, i think they are extremely over stated.

Are you referring to meds related to the surgery itself or hair loss prevention?