Shera

There really is nothing to worry about here, keep calm and move along.....

I used the same shampoo for 2 years following my transplant and it never had any damaging impact. Also most patients also use it with no issues. If it was damaging in any way then it would not be one of the worlds most popular baby shampoos, think about it. You'll be OK, stop worrying.

You will find numerous results on this very website where patients have had surgery on similar hairlines (maybe a bit more recession) to your own, just have a look at the section "Hair Transplant Experiences and Surgeon Reviews". I think you will follow a similar pattern to your brother, your hair loss is not overly aggressive, I think it will slowly creep up on you. Speaking from my own experience where my hairline was similar to yours at the age of 30, by the age of 44 I was heading for a NW5 like your dad. I didn't really pay much attention to it when I was your age, never really noticed any loss, I was of the thinking that I was never going to go bald....... If you decide not to go through with a transplant just yet then you should consider the medications, it could make all the difference. Feel free to contact me if you wish to talk over your options.

That would be your crown area, it has been mentioned in my post. You should consider Finasteride to help recover this area depending on how far the balding has gone. Actual pictures of your scalp would be most helpful if you want a more informed response.

Hi Direwolf, If your hairline is bothering you which I would say it is hence your posting, then I would suggest you go for a small procedure of 1200-1500 grafts to strengthen the hairline where it is showing early signs of recession. I would take a guess at looking at your pics and say you have ample donor. At 27/28 years old you should also consider taking medications such as Finasteride/Minoxidil to delay any further hair loss which I believe is evident. I have seen the same early signs in my own old pics.

For an NW5, 4000 grafts once grown out successfully will more than likely need an additional pass to create a more fuller look. There is the option of A. covering the whole area. There is a small possibility that once grown out, if your hair calibre is good this might give you a good aesthetic look creating the illusion of a full set of hair. You may feel content with the result but the option of another surgery to do another implantation pass over the previous area is still there. B. concentrating on the hairline and the mid-scalp, this should give a fuller look head on and frame your face better with the more strategic use of graft placement. Again, you may be happy with this look and take a hit on the crown. Otherwise again the option for surgery 2 is still there to do another pass over the previously implanted area and address the crown. Obviously both options are dependent on availability of donor grafts.

From the prices I know, they do seem to be fairly accurate but they probably need a slight percentage adjustment to take into account current exchange rates against the US Dollar.

You have aggressive balding for one of such tender age. You are probably strongly tempted to get it surgically fixed now but in your case I would advise you to wait. Take the advice offered to you from the highly regarded clinic and see where you are in 6-12 months when you can reassess your options. All the best, I really hope the meds work for you.

You definitely do not need a transplant. If you wish to give Finasteride a try, 1mg a day is the recommended dosage.

My take on this would be that if you have altered your eating habits to a more healthy diet then this should be enough to provide you with the necessary vitamins your body and mind needs to function. You may just be throwing your money away on taking stuff you don't need. Apart from Biotin, you shouldn't need any more supplements for healthy hair.

See below..........

3500 grafts should keep you going for a number of years. Your hair looks fine and your donor looks thick so no issues there. You appear to be an ideal candidate for hair transplant surgery. Not so sure about your crown strategy, you'll have to wait and see. Good luck to you

There are many users on this forum who have their own regimes that they feel work for them. Some may miss a a day or two, some may halve the dosage etc. I always advise new users to try it out for 2-3 weeks and monitor any changes they feel aren't quite right with their bodies. I think with most drugs it does take a few weeks for your body to get used to it, after all it is messing with your hormones. If after 2-3 weeks a patient doesn't feel right they have the option of halving the dosage, if issues persist then they will skip a day. If the patient still experiences unacceptable side effects then its probably for the best to stop usage. I have been taking Finasteride myself for just over 3 years since Oct 2014 following my own surgery, I did cut down after a year switching to 1mg every 2-3 days, lately I have been taking it every other day. I believe it has delayed any more balding of my native hair and to date I don't think I've experienced any side effects. Also, if I was to stop I would cut down gradually allowing my body to adapt rather than just stop. I know of many patients who take it periodically as you mention, again you will only find out if this works if you try it.

Hi Twentyfive, It's your call with the Finasteride, but like I said side effects are very rare. To put it in perspective, side effects from alcohol are much more prevalent yet most of us ignore these with little thought. It kind of makes you laugh..... Its safe to buy from eBay, just check the sellers feedback , you have a lot of options. Other places to buy the chemical cheap are abroad, if you know someone who's kind enough to take the time to bring you some back from their travels the better. Most of my UK guys stock up to the max when visiting India for surgery. When they run out, eBay is generally the preferred buying outlet.

I can't think of any reason why having the scabs still intact after day 22 would have a negative impact on your transplant. The only impact I can think of is cosmetic, IE your appearance. Generally the scabs should fall off during the day, sleeping and whilst washing the hair after 10-14 days. By day 10 it is safe to gently rub them in a circular motion while they are soft when washing the scalp. You can apply shaving foam to soften them further and wash this off. By day 14 you should be relatively scab free.

Hi Twentyfive, Looking closely at your crown, unfortunately I would say there is some thinning going on. You could give Finasteride (Propecia) a go, I have seen it work wonders in this area. You will need a prescription from your GP and you should be able to pick up the generic version quite cheaply which works just as well judging from the results I have seen. There are associated side affects but in my experience they are rare. You could carry on with the Minoxidil (Regaine), again you can pick up 3-6 months of Qgain from Ebay much cheaper than on the High Street. It contains the same Minoxidil ingredient. Hopefully the meds will help you sustain your hair for a number of years yet as they have done for many others. Feel free to contact me if you need any other advice.

Would you really want the SMP to last a lifetime? A hairline that looks cool and hip on a 30 year old might start to look a wee bit silly in later years.

Hi, If you went ahead with SMP to the crown area and then followed this up with FUE getting as much scalp grafts as possible with the option of supplementing these with beard/chest grafts then there is no reason if all goes as planned why your final result will not create the illusion of a full crown. However, as mentioned it would be useful to see pics of your entire scalp to see whether your limited grafts can be used more effectively elsewhere on your scalp.

5000 grafts does seem excessive, feel free to get in touch if you want a more precise figure from Dr Bhatti. Oh, and your country and India do enjoy excellent relations.

Hi Segal, After 24-36 hours your grafts are firmly embedded in your scalp, only a major bump to the head can dislodge them at this point. After about a week they are pretty rigid. It is best to keep your head upright and avoid any sudden movements following surgery at least for the time mentioned above. Also no sign of blood is usually a good indicator to show all your implanted grafts are still intact. I don't think you have any cause for concern.

Hi Redarmy, You are 36 so you have done quite well to retain your hair up to this point without the use of any meds. Your hair seems quite thick and plentiful, judging from your pics I would say that you are blessed with a decent donor area. It would be beneficial for you to start on Finasteride, your crown area seems ideal for improvement via Fin judging from past patients progress. However if you are dead against taking meds then surgery is a viable option. You do have the option of using fibres, a bit cumbersome but they will reduce your need for surgery by maybe another 5 years or so at which point you will be more clear on you hairloss pattern. Saying that, your hairloss is similar to mine at your age and to get some idea where you could end up then you may want to view my thread in my link below. If you decide to go for surgery now then I would agree that you could do with about 2500 grafts to strengthen the hairline, mid scalp and fill in the temple areas, maybe a further 800 or so grafts to strengthen the crown if you must. I would say right now you are a NW 3 heading for a NW 4.

If you're having 2500 grafts placed in the front and crown then it will be difficult for you to pull of any style with the shaven donor and recipient areas. With that many grafts it will be better for the surgeons to work on a blank canvas so I would advise you to shave the head.

Hi Triotex, I would go along with your graft estimates. You will need more than one surgery and you will need to utilise body grafts. Feel free to contact me in the UK if you are considering Dr Bhatti.

In my experience, approximately only one in five patients have any swelling following FUE which usually occurs within 24 hours of the surgery. It usually calms down within the next 24-48 hours. My point is actually the discomfort and the unnecessary risk you will be taking flying back a day after surgery. I've yet to come across a patient who wishes he/she would have returned via long haul the following day. Personally I wouldn't feel comfortable sending a patient back home on a 17 hour long haul journey the day after lengthy surgery, I think it would be irresponsible.

Or just apply a blob of Germolene to cover the pimple and loosely stick a piece of surgical tape over the top at night. In most cases the pimple will have gone/shrunk by the morning. This worked for me and for many other patients.