Speegs

Any other hair loss? If so, finasteride is in order. But if this is an isolated bald patch from birth, it's very treatable by a capable surgeon. Reach out for some consults with recommended physicians on this forum, I'd contact a minimum of 3, try and see how their opinions vary and go from there. Let us know if you'd like some direction in reaching out to clinics.

Is this the lone spot on your scalp? Any evidence of others forming? How long has it been there?

Eyeballing it i'd say you're close to a Norwood 3a, looks like some discernible thinning in the frontal tuft along with recession. In my opinion, if you were only a Norwood 2, that would be an age appropriate hairline and I wouldn't worry about it, restorations for advanced hair loss typically don't exceed bringing it back beyond a Norwood 2 level as it is. How's your crown look, is it all frontal loss? How long did you try propecia? Did you have side effects or do you think it doesn't work because your front thinned? Typically propecia protects the crown and mid scalp the best, which allows you to focus surgical restoration upon the frontal third. I too had a Norwood 3a hair loss pattern at the beginning of my transplant journey, so let me know if you have questions.

How did a thread about appraising Dr. Bloxham derail into talking about a bunch of other stuff?

As we discussed over email, don't fret this boring stage, gonna be lots of self doubt in this dormant phase, but just press on through. Come month six you'll start to see some light at the end of the tunnel, and once you make it to month 8 and 9 you'll be able to make an educated guess about the final outcome. Keep us posted, and keep your spirits intact.

I've never seen a flap repair, so this was fascinating.

That wave in his hair is a godsend for maximizing density, if we all could be so lucky. Nice result for a relatively conservative graft count.

Age appropriate results, hope he's a happy camper, he looks very natural.

I have some salt creeping in...maybe it has some advantages for the future.

Tough case, super fine straight looking hair, advanced loss, but what was done looks age appropriate and clean. The gentleman is a dead ringer for Andy Warhol, a clone if I've ever seen one.

Good coverage for such a conservative procedure, and given his contrast between dark hair and relatively light skin. Is there a reason such a conservative initial number of grafts were used with a patient with relatively advanced hair loss, was the donor not able to supply more at this time? Or was scalp laxity uncooperative?

Were you born with this spot? Is it from an injury or alopecia?

What's your hair loss level, can we see pictures?

Nothing you can do about it now, 2 grafts lost in the grand scheme isn't much, but DO NOT pick any others. This short video is a comprehensive way to address the temptation of scab picking.

Take your time, I'd line up at least 5 consults off this network. I think I talked to 8 to 10 doctors before I pulled the trigger on my first procedure, and then I switched doctors for my second and third to Dr. Gabel after I felt his work was better than my first choice. Personally Dr. Gabel and Dr. Konior would be at the top of my consult list if I were in your shoes, and I once was. There's truthfully only about five surgeons I'd let touch me, so be very particular and thorough, you want to get this right.

McGrath has a Zeiring background I'm not fond of (they're a chain similar to Bosley, in fact Dr Zeiring used to work for Medical Hair Restoration which Bosley bought and absorbed), and I feel his practice incorporates many of the salesy tactics of where he trained. I investigated him as I live in Austin. I don't think he's an incompetent surgeon, but I think you can do much better for the same money...and I hate the ambiguous attempt to sell you hairs by the strand over follicle grafts, as if this is somehow more hair, when it reality it makes it harder to gauge the volume of hair you're getting in comparison to the grafts. So since you're already willing to travel, I think it would be worthwhile to investigate alternate clinics, just my opinion as a local that went far out of state and didn't choose McGrath.

That's a good rule of thumb for pricing across the United States for doctors that do procedures by graft.

Your 20s are a drop in the bucket of your timeline on this earth, and you're half way through them, think long term, my friend. HT's are for life, think about what's good for you for the rest of your days.

$10k for 3,500 grafts is a pretty good price, that's less than $2.86 per graft. Most sought after North American based doctors charge $4 or $5 per graft. Your hair loss is relatively advanced, showing signs of both vertex, crown, and frontal thinning. To be perfectly honest, 3500 isn't enough, it's only a start, would probably restore your hairline area and that's it. You also have dark hair and light skin, which creates contrast that makes density more difficult to achieve. Whatever you decide know that you'll likely be starting a journey, not ending one, there will be no instant gratification and you appear to need more than one procedure, all spaced at least a year a part. And PLEASE, do not make affordability the end all be all of where you choose to go, do not compromise a safe and reputable physician for dollars, in the end it will cost you more. If you can't afford to do it right I would advise not doing it until you can afford to do so. Happy to talk you about my experiences with a couple of doctors and who I would recommend, but do not rush into this.

Speak with a doctor about dosages and perhaps try finasteride again, without first stabilizing your hair loss you'll always be chasing it with surgical procedures as opposed to restoring your scalp coverage. I can vouch for Gabel as a veteran of two from him if you have questions.

You have less hair loss than I had at 25, I think you're a fine candidate if you've stabilized your hair loss with finasteride. Finasteride could potentially stabilize and bring back some of that crown. I don't think two weeks was a sufficient enough trial period. Just make sure you and your doc have a long term strategy for surgical restoration.

Subjective question you'll have to answer for yourself, many doctors do great hair line work, some more conservatively than others. Consistent work can be found by Dr. Gabel, Konior, Feller, Rahal, Hasson and Wong, Cooley and more in North America. I recommend you start with that list and narrow down your preferences, no harm in consulting with them all and comparing.

That strategy will not give you good coverage and will look incredibly thin, I doubt either doctor will oblige this.

You ain't lying, I have a ton of hair, my stylist always comments on how much of it I have, but it is ultra fine. It took 7k grafts to restore me to an age appropriate hairline and density from a Norwood 3A.

You have advanced hair loss, friend. Please don't go to Bosley, but realize that no matter where you go that tempered expectations must be in order. I see you've cropped your hair, have you considered trying micropigmentation to make it look as though you've adopted a buzzed hair cut and have a full head of hair? I'd investigate that, it would be eons cheaper than a transplant and would not be limited by your donor supply. You may very well need 10k grafts to create a realistic density across your scalp, if your donor only has 4k you'll only have enough for a modest hairline and frontal restoration.