MattyNJ1

Hello everyone, just thought id pop in and see how everyone is doing with their own HT journey....hope all is well! and thought id post a 4 YEAR update on my own...

So i will be at the 4yr mark next month, I just turned 53 in September, and Iam still hangn in there!. My HT has kept me satisfied for the most... part for my needs, and served me well.

Because i know someone will ask, I stopped Fin/Minox about 10 months ago, I deff had just about every bad side you read about, but i stuck with it, until i just kinda missed my old raging libido and..well just don't feel comfortable being on any meds for long periods of time. IMO the Fin deff brought my HT across the finish line for me. I did have hair fall/loss in the months to follow after stopping, but i monitored it carefully and it stopped at a point where I was okay with the trade off....

The photos are just some random recent pics post Fin...and iam okay with where iam... like i said im 53 and feel im doing pretty good. 

My crown is deff going to need another surgery im thinking maybe next year as the Fin really grew most of the hair in that area, so its a bit thin back there now that i stopped, but i brush it fwd and pull off the illusion just fine lol...at this age and in this crazy world with all things considered, i count my blessings....

So then..how's everybody in these crazy times? hope all is well....any advancements in the HT world since 2017???? I can only hope. Any top FUT surgeons in NY/NJ area? there weren't back when i got mine....

Anyways no regrets for me, as iam better now than pre surgery, so that's all that matters! Thanks

On 8/5/2019 at 11:48 PM, yesplease said:

He specifically addresses his experience and concerns with fin in his update. 

thanks, i was scratching my head on this one....had to look to see if i was on my own thread or not lol 

On 8/9/2019 at 7:10 PM, lukeyb1687 said:

Matt! Looking amazing mate! Congratulations!!!

thanks yours as well! cheers

About 1yr 7 months since my HT with Dr. Gable. Sorry about ghosting some of your questions, been busy with life in general. 

So here is my takeaway from my HT, Finasteride usage, and my personal hair loss experience. 

Iam very happy that i put myself through this process, No regrets, the results i got, restored that gut wrenching feeling we all know about, (when we start seeing our ugly scalp in the reflection of the mirror), back to a feeling of satisfaction and confidence...I love not really thinking or worrying about my front hairline receding any more, and that feels great. 

I feel Dr. G was a little conservative with my hairline, as i would've liked to have it slightly lower, and a tad more in the temples, but i let him make the call on the final design. But as a HT surgeon, Dr. G, and the procedure were fantastic. 

Iam probably not one of this sites "WOW" before & after stories, but at nearly 51yrs old iam more than okay with the state of my hair at this point in my life. 

Its true what Dr. G and others have stated, IT TAKES MORE THAN A YEAR....iam just now still seeing visible thickening and maturing and naturalizing of the transplanted hair. I would also caution people about shock loss, as i experienced ALOT of shock loss, and it took a long long time to grow back. That was the only scary 'low point' I had post procedure. 

Finasteride:

I went back on Fin shortly after the HT, despite having some strange reactions the 1st time around. This time low dosage EOD.

I didn't get the visible hair growth right off the bat like the 1st experience, but stuck with it and still take it now only 2x per week.

Look...idk how some ppl claim this drug doesn't give them sexual sides, and iam not calling them a liar however, in my case, it absolutely has many side effects that i acknowledged, monitored and dealt with. Very clear, side effects, not cognitive dissonance or paranoid delusions...just very apparent sides. 

ED, was one of them....no more morning wood was the eventual 1st obvious side effect. FIN comes with a price, while FIN was not growing my hair, (this time)  i (believe) it may be stopping it from falling out and getting worse (fending off dreaded DHT) . So i stayed on it, despite obvious drops in libido, ED, and even some genital shrinkage.....however it would always seem to cycle. There were Eb & flow, highs and lows. And to be clear, never any permanent effects as i stopped here and there for just a few days or a week and everything seems to come back to normal. I settled into a twice a week dosage that seems to be the middle ground now where i dont see any shedding and my libido is normal. I also with out a doubt notice that Fin + Minoxidil in my case work to grow new hair, they seem to be synergistic, for sure. One without the other wont seem to produce for me.... So that is my experience, and anyone using this Rx should know that there is a possibility of these sides, however i think the nightmare cases are rare and are the exception rather than the rule...

At any rate, these are my results taken in the past week or so, (some wet some dry) I grew my hair quite long on top, as ive been building a off grid cabin in the middle of nowhere so i dont cut it much, but you decide for yourself....Good luck to anyone considering HT, i do think it is a great option for most people with hair loss, and Dr. G is a great choice for surgeon....maybe ill be heading back for some temple work and crown in the future....till then I wish you all good luck with your choices and your road to happiness.  

15 hours ago, lukeyb1687 said:

@MattyNJ1 How is the hair coming along? Hope all is going well man!

Touch and go for the 1st 6 months,..9 and 10 were good months for me though. I plan to write a progress post in December @12 months. Looks like you are doing really well with yours!  i believe we both had our HT's the same day if im not mistaken...although i think you have more done mine was 2500... 

This was at the 6 month mark. I was back on fin for about three months trying to recover a lot of shock loss from the procedure, which I think was a good decision at that point in time. I will post a full report in a couple of months seeyah then! happy growing!  

Looking great! month 9 & 10 are big months....?

lookn good

Thanks Matty. Did you pull out any of the stubble with tweezers? Also, did the hair come out with a normal wash or did you vigorously rub the area?

No i never pulled any out with tweezers...seems to risky for me lol..but yeah every time i shampoo there are tiny hairs in the suds...my native hair is over 2" long so i know its the transplants continuously releasing small hairs in the resting phase bc they are ready to sprout new permanent hair.....funny i never read anything about this in all my research, no one talks about this.

i posted a similar question in a recent thread. At about 3 months post HT, i noticed what i referred to as a "2nd shed"...i started getting alot of stubble in the shampoo after a wash, as well as fall out in the sink from running my fingers thru my hair....and i still am at 4 months. Turns out its a GOOD thing. My take on it is, these new transplants are spitting out these small follicles that are in a resting phase to make room for the new permanent hair about to grow. You will start seeing more growth.

My Dr. recommended it...ive been taking it about 6 months...couldn't say if it helps or not...

Hi MattyNJ,

 

MWF stands for (M)onday, (W)ednesday and (F)riday and it simply means one just takes finasteride those 3 days during the week.

 

As far as I know, this approach has two benefits, the first one is that it may prevent/lessen side effects and secondly you do not really need to take it every day because the drug half-life is about 6 hours[Finasteride], hence, if you take 1.25mg on Monday you will still have approximately 0.15mg[1.25/(48/6)] by the time you take another 1.25mg.

 

Cheers,

utxeee.

Thanks ...got it.

If i go back on Fin, i will concider .25-.50 MTW and see if at leasts stops the hair fall...

I think PRP with Acell using the Angel system may have benefits for the right patient with the right right doc. It doesn't replace finasteride at all though.

 

Check out Dr Cooleys PRP results.

 

Actually, I think your hair loss type and pattern (diffuse) probably benefits the most from PRP.

Can you explain the procedure? This is the plasma injections? Thanks

Thanks for the positive sentiment UK...?

I just finished reading a few articles trending about Cellular therapy, or Acellular matrix as an alternative to Finasteride. The doctor(s) claim in the article that this "Hair regeneration" shows noticeable improvements in hair miniaturization becoming thicker...And that many are using it to avoid the side effects of Fin.

The injection applied once, in 15 months claims to be consistent with its patients regrowing hair in the "long resting phase"

Anyone have any input on this procedure?

MWF is a good way of avoiding side effects, but it's best not to go into this too worried as the mind if a powerful thing.

what is MWF??

Something is very odd about this post....who needs 3000 grafts @ NW2???? 19yrs old with grey hair? i must be missing something....

Can anyone confirm the consensus of whether or not, low dose Fin (.25 e.d.) significantly reduces risk of sexual sides, compared to higher doses?

Ive read both ways, where its not so much the actual dosage, but the way the drug shuts down (hormone) over "time"..."time" being the keyword. Id love to speak to a Doc that can really break down the way Fin works on a hormonal level. Seems alot of the horror stories involving Fin, were also on very low doses.....id love to hear thoughts on this. Its a shame its such an efficient Rx for hair loss, and really the only thing that works...

Yeah, you were a late bloomer for hair loss if you had a full head 10 years ago

 

I have seen guys that were early nw3s that stayed that way through their 60s.

 

Late hairloss that goes advanced is less likely than early, but it happens. Remember TV evangelist Jim Barker? Google that dude now. Crazy.

I hope you're right about late hair loss although it seems I hope you're right about late hair loss although it seems to that sped up this is a picture of me in 2009 my hair was so much thicker it's ridiculous! I'm 40 years old in that picture. Granted I don't have an overhead picture but I assure you the back of my head was thick... aging sure plays a cruel joke on us all lol

U look great for ur age Matt..

Thanks! I take good care of myself, run everyday! Cheers!

Hey Matty,

 

I'm saying that if you realize the areas that you and were thinning, and that these areas will get worse without medical intervention, then you made an informed decision, based on the risk vs reward that is acceptable to you in terms of sides.

I can say that lot of changes happen as we age in addition to hairloss, and a lot of people are quick to point to fin as the cause. Unlike yours though, a lot of it is age related (no morning wood, weight gain, etc), all things that happen to people every day off of fin.

 

For me, a decade with as much hair as I started on, and maybe even 15 years was worth the trade off. I believe that some people just can't tolerate it, but for me, it would have to be something that I absolutely couldn't tolerate for me to discontinue.

 

I know some guys try like a .25mg and up it slowly and that worked for them too. For someone who did respond so well, it would be hard for me not to try something. You will never get back as much hair as you will by starting today, the longer your off the less you will get back. You responded better than most. A lot don't grow much back, they just maintain.

 

It sounds like you understand where you're at and the risks. Overall, I think you'll be happy in 9 months, but the front will look good enough you'll wish you had more behind it, which I believe fin will do for you.

I agree, Fin grew back alot of hair mainly on my back crown area....If i did go back on,i would get the 1mg tabs and take .25mg e.d.....id like to prove this condition was something else other than Fin side effects, like you said the body changes as you get older. But its still a gamble, with ED and sexual sides.

Glad to hear Fin worked for you, i ckd out your blog, seems you're about a decade younger than me? ...funny i had more hair than you 10yrs ago! Alot changes in 10yrs thats for sure...late 40s are rough, it happens overnite! Its good that you were proactive back then. You never experienced any sides with Fin?

Im starting to see alot of growth in the front everyday now, im hoping the density will thicken over the next few months, but I agree...going to need more in the back crown. Ill prob schedule another HT this next winter for 1500 grafts in the crown ...Im hoping i have at least that much in my donor...

Spanker...lol, i promise you, you are not bothering me about Fin...and i actually appreciate your input, and agree with you for the most part. Although not sure if i interpreted your point here?

Considering that you responded well to fin as far as your hair goes, you could be above your base line while on it for a decade or more. Without it, you will only go below base line.

 

If you are understand that, then i think you're making an informed decision.

Truth be told, I battle with going back on Fin everyday, knowing i had incredible results with it...but in reality Fin is a very controversial drug, with a lot of risk.....I still don't know if my "episode" of Pruritus and then becoming "histamine intolerant" was related to Fin, but it's hard to rule it out considering i've never been allergic to ANYTHING in my life, and iam 100% healthy. I still till this day (nearly 7 months later) get itchy for no apparent reason after meals...apparently this is called a histamine intolerance , caused by unstable mast cells producing histamine for no apparent reason as a defense mechanism ....its completely bizarre and all happened after using that drug for only 3 months....

As far as the NW scale i agree absolutely a 3 Vertex heading into the 4v range for sure. Although I said that to Gable and he told me i was a NW ll ..so... lol....so no denial here!

I think i should have another 2000 in the bank (i hope) to do one more HT to fortify my thinning back crown area, and that will hopefully get me across the finish line ....at least that's the plan. If not?....oh well, such is life if im a NW 5 in my late 60s so be it! ....

I respect and welcome your comments, knowledge and opinions please don't hesitate to speak your mind, anytime... Thanks

Hey Matty,

 

Hope things are starting to progress. It can takes about 6 months to recover from shock.

Are you on fin? I remember you were apprehensive about it and started and said you may cycle on and off of it? Did you do that?

 

Also, in rare occasions, you can shock out hair that was on it's way out and it doesn't bounce fully back. Looking at your pics, you did have thinning hair before the procedure throughout. I would strongly suggest getting on finasteride daily without cycling and sticking with it.

 

I believe if you grow your hair out and comb it by month 6 or 7 you'll have bounced back more and your transplant will start showing you the direction its heading for month 12, but you won't get more hair that you already had in areas that weren't transplanted.

 

Its early days. Seriously consider a steady fin regiment though because I do think you are patterned for advanced loss without it.

 

Good luck!

I went on Fin for 2 months, and then mysteriously started to developed severe hives and itching out of nowhere...i still cant explain this condition but cant help but assume it was from the Fin. Ive have zero health issues or allergies and the ONLY thing i changed in my life was adding that Rx....so i stopped using it....despite it working quite well.

That being said i dont think id agree that im on a pattern for "advanced loss" as you put it...ive had thick hair my entire life, and only started to thin in recent years..im going to be 50 this summer so, YES iam thinning for sure, but not sure its full speed ahead for advanced loss....my Doc didn't mention anything like that either. But did note some miniaturization on the the back crown area.

We transplanted a total of over 7000 hairs (2500 grafts with a 2.5 average) thats alot of hair ...most went into the front triangular section of the scalp, fortifying the very front hairline with most, then with more mixed in with the native hair going back into the front, and then about 400 o/ 500 in the thinning crown area...(which may need more later). It was a very smart use of the amount of grafts, addressing most of the concerns in order of importance.

Since this update, there has been noticeable improvement of the front hair line NEW growth, as well as some overall density of my native hair, and what i hope is shock loss returning.

I agree with you, Fin was very effective, and would offer alot more from my HT, however there are just too many risks with that drug that unfortunately out weight the pros... I went into this with the intent on being completely drug free, as many do. And iam a firm believer that a HT is NOT contingent on Fin to be successful...

I think in the months to come i will have a good outcome, just hoping for a good density turn out from the procedure...iam confident in my surgeon Dr Gable, and i will revisit the crown area with perhaps another small transplant maybe next year IF my thinning advances.

Thanks for your reply I will update in a couple of months!

3.5 month update:

Reached the 3 month mark on March 11th, and took some photos that day...now 2weeks later ive taken a couple more.

May hair is fully grown back to the same length as the day i had the procedure, but the problem is i have A LOT less of it. My hair is at least 30% thinner now than when i started. And im not talking about my donor area...im talking about the top of my head that didn't have any HT, yet seems to have suffered collateral damage.

I've noted my concerns with "shock loss" since the beginning of this journey. My 1st wash after the procedure the sink was just littered with stubble (shock loss) and i was very concerned as ive read some horror stories about it not growing back it....(lets face it.. it permanent shock loss wasnt a possibility then it wouldn't be listed in the surgeons liability waiver.)

My hair now doesn't even cover my scalp in daylight at the moment, and iam very concerned about permanent (collateral) damage to my native hair. So despite my (native) hair fully grown back, i cant even been in daylight without looking like a diffuse thinner or a cancer patient growing back from chemo. This has me very concerned.

That being said, i haven't been able to get a straight answer .. to exact questions pertaining to shock loss return.

1) what % is permanent loss?

2) what is the timeline for shock loss follicles to regenerate and grow back permanently as compared to the new graft cycles?

How long should it take for shock loss to return? ...as long as the transplanted grafts?

very worried....

as for the "transplanted" new front hair line area, im just starting to notice some shadowy signs of growth now. Noticed a 2nd shed of the transplanted grafts over the past few weeks after shampooing small stubble from the front. Must've been the new growth kicking out the existing follicles for new ones to come.

Sorry i dont have more positive news, but its all a bit concerning right now...i mean, what's the point of a new front hairline if the entire top of your hair thinned out from the procedure??!

I couldn't have asked for better results , Very pleased !!!

Great to see another happy ending result! which month(s) did you notice the most significant new growth? Iam approaching the 3 months mark myself but haven't seen much of anything quite yet...

Great Surgeon...good luck!