Tree Hugger

Hello All, Finished my consult at H&W and got good and bad news, most of which I already figured (but didn't know). Good: - My head is small. - Need 5-7k graphs to get where I want, have about 7k graphs to give. Bad: - On a donor scale, I'm about a 6 out of 10. (Thinner hair, not a sharpei head) - Estimated graphs for one surgery is about 3500... will need two surgeries. - I'm still bald. Now the everlasting debate of what/when to do is circling in my head. Told Mike I'd call him back soon, so if the H&W team is reading this I'm not blowing you off, just trying to come to a decision. Right now I'm at 80% ready to pull the trigger and do it. My questions: Say propecia doesn't take, is the 1 year between surgeries long enough to know how meds are working? (This way I know how to attack the 2nd procedure...) During my initial procedure (3500), how much is spent filling the front and tying in to the sides? (Sides are pretty strong... but could go) Photos of me are under the "Pull the Trigger?" post under the group therapy section. Thanks

Hello All, Finished my consult at H&W and got good and bad news, most of which I already figured (but didn't know). Good: - My head is small. - Need 5-7k graphs to get where I want, have about 7k graphs to give. Bad: - On a donor scale, I'm about a 6 out of 10. (Thinner hair, not a sharpei head) - Estimated graphs for one surgery is about 3500... will need two surgeries. - I'm still bald. Now the everlasting debate of what/when to do is circling in my head. Told Mike I'd call him back soon, so if the H&W team is reading this I'm not blowing you off, just trying to come to a decision. Right now I'm at 80% ready to pull the trigger and do it. My questions: Say propecia doesn't take, is the 1 year between surgeries long enough to know how meds are working? (This way I know how to attack the 2nd procedure...) During my initial procedure (3500), how much is spent filling the front and tying in to the sides? (Sides are pretty strong... but could go) Photos of me are under the "Pull the Trigger?" post under the group therapy section. Thanks

Well, admittedly I'm a little closer to the guys at my work than most people (military), but I'm telling pretty much everyone about it. Mine will be pretty obvious anyway. Not one person yet has said anything negative. Mostly I get guys asking me how to research it for themselves. It's still a personal decision though, so if you don't want people to know than don't tell anyone. That will come with some hiding/fibbing.

Looks awesome. If I get to that point I'll be stoked Ithink, and you got a ways to grow.

UPDATE. Both Joe and Mike have called me, and it's been resolved. The reason for my cancellation is completely understandable, just wish I would have been notified beforehand. Life sometimes does not work like that. I still don't know if I'm even a good candidate for what I want, but if I am, I still feel like I'm in excellent hands. Wish me luck on Wednesday... that's my reschedule. Thanks for being my sounding board

I go no attachment now (zero), but when I first started losing my hair I shaved with a #2. I'd start with that (a #2 is about a 1/2 inch), and if you don't like it you can just go down (or up in a week) from there.

I'm sure based on the title of my post I'm going to stir a pot or two. And honestly, I'm hesitant to post this, because I believe H&W to be among the best in the world, but in my short time in this forum, I'm relying on YOU GUYS, because you can relate like no one else can. I scheduled a consult for today to see what my options were. Mind you, I'm ready to drop 20 to 25k in cash if I qualify for what I think I need (5-7k grafts). I've been waiting all week to see if I'm a candidate, picked the dr.s I believe to be the best for my situation, took a day off of work, traveled for the consult, and got cancelled on upon arrival. No consult. No warning. I got told by the receptionist (after sitting for 20 minutes) that my consult would have to be rescheduled. An emergency, that wasn't explained to me, caused the delay in my consult. This is after I took the day off of work, paid for parking and a ferry (two hours roundtrip wasted), all for nought, and found out 10 minutes after my scheduled consult that I wasn't going to be seen. Also told that an alternative would be to send in pictures. Uhm... I was ready to pay the 100$ consult fee so I can ask questions directly. That's why I scheduled the consult and didn't send in pictures in the first place. Anyways... now I'm sitting on the ferry going back home with nothing accomplished. I'd understand if there was a true emergency that happened which caused this... but NOTHING has been explained to me as to what it is, now 3 1/2 hours later. Like I said, I'm ready to drop serious cash, and never in my life in business have I been ready to drop this much money for a product and been blown off this hard with no warning. I feel hurt and want an explanation. To make it all worse, I've been growing my hair out WAY longer than I normally would to get properly evaluated, and with functions coming up this week, I don't know if I should buzz my head as I normally would or keep the horseshoe in hopes of a reschedule this week. Frustrating! rant off.

I'm sure based on the title of my post I'm going to stir a pot or two. And honestly, I'm hesitant to post this, because I believe H&W to be among the best in the world, but in my short time in this forum, I'm relying on YOU GUYS, because you can relate like no one else can. I scheduled a consult for today to see what my options were. Mind you, I'm ready to drop 20 to 25k in cash if I qualify for what I think I need (5-7k grafts). I've been waiting all week to see if I'm a candidate, picked the dr.s I believe to be the best for my situation, took a day off of work, traveled for the consult, and got cancelled on upon arrival. No consult. No warning. I got told by the receptionist (after sitting for 20 minutes) that my consult would have to be rescheduled. An emergency, that wasn't explained to me, caused the delay in my consult. This is after I took the day off of work, paid for parking and a ferry (two hours roundtrip wasted), all for nought, and found out 10 minutes after my scheduled consult that I wasn't going to be seen. Also told that an alternative would be to send in pictures. Uhm... I was ready to pay the 100$ consult fee so I can ask questions directly. That's why I scheduled the consult and didn't send in pictures in the first place. Anyways... now I'm sitting on the ferry going back home with nothing accomplished. I'd understand if there was a true emergency that happened which caused this... but NOTHING has been explained to me as to what it is, now 3 1/2 hours later. Like I said, I'm ready to drop serious cash, and never in my life in business have I been ready to drop this much money for a product and been blown off this hard with no warning. I feel hurt and want an explanation. To make it all worse, I've been growing my hair out WAY longer than I normally would to get properly evaluated, and with functions coming up this week, I don't know if I should buzz my head as I normally would or keep the horseshoe in hopes of a reschedule this week. Frustrating! rant off.

I took malaria pills for eight months while in Afghanistan. I took the daily pill doxycycline (sp?). There was also a horse pill that could be taken weekly, but my stomach didn't really appreciate that one... so I stuck with the daily. I didn't notice any type of increased hairloss (well, I am going bald...) And I can say that out of the 1000's of other guys I was with, no one bitched about crazy hairloss because of medication we had to take. I will say this: Take it with food or a glass of milk until your body gets used to it, which it does in about three days. You also need to continue to take it for a month after you return to ensure you don't pass it on to someone else back home. Also use sunscreen because it ups your chances for a sunburn (great news if you have to take it in the Middle East). But above all take it if you are supposed to. You do NOT want malaria, I saw the people who skipped their meds and got it. Life sucked for weeks for them.

Welcome to the forum. I, like you, am new to here, considering a HT seriously for the first time, and am also 30. If she's meant to be with you, and she truly has been your best friend for the last six months, than I don't think you have anything to worry about. I also don't think you need to broach the subject with her as one of total shame. In fact, I think you could bring it up with her the exact same way you just brought it up with us. "Hey, not to sound completely shallow or vain, but I'm considering a hair transplant. This is what I've learned. These are the current procedures. What do you think?" It's a foot in the door to having an open conversation. If anything, she should at least feel secure in knowing you trust her with your most intimate feelings. If not, well then maybe she's not the one. ...Here I go bringing up feelings again. That's why I'm the Tree Hugger.

Thanks Bill. I'm trying to keep my hopes realistic but should know more answers soon. The links you posted were helpful.

Congrats on your confidence, should be awesome.

Same thing here Bill. Awesome to have a wife's support no matter what. I'm gonna find out if I'm a good candidate in less than a week, and if I'm not, then I'm not. Life will go on. While I still think that there are definitely women that truly find baldness attractive, from my experience most women don't put it high on their priority list when looking for a mate. I know lots of bald guys (myself included) with hot wives or g-friends.

Consult is booked with H&W! Going in Monday to see if I'm a good candidate and to get some answers.

Appreciated GQ. I'm not on any meds besides some supplements for fitness. (Funny enough, I see some of the ones I take on some poster's lists as ones they take for hair loss, like fish oil and saw palmetto... I take those for heart and prostate health, but they're obviously not working to stop my hair falling out.) I'm starting to look into hair meds, but previously they just seemed like a costly gamble with limited (read: non permanent) results. Like I said, I haven't really looked into it yet...