jjsrader

Here is my long-term 'guesstimate' - no one knows for sure because hairloss is a progressive condition and no one has done double-blind long-term trials on identical twins (10+ or 20+ years). I don't show pictures - but LONG term (15+ years) and (20+ years) you can expect propecia/fin - avodart/dutasteride to slow down hairloss in the long term. Short-term up to 2-3 years many get a bit of regrowth and at worst a stabilization of hair loss and better hair quality of remaining hair. 3-5 years is probably the 'baseline' of these meds. After 5 years although you are losing less than taking no meds, but - you are losing hairs, however slowly - time marches on. At 10 years if you were an early hairloss sufferer or your family history is very bald (NW 5/6/7's) you can expect an acceleration of hair loss again. At 15 years you probably saved yourself 1 to 1.5 points on the Norwood Classification System. However, from 10 years on I believe your remaining hair can stay quite strong for transplantation if you stay on meds (preferrably taking Dut at this point). It's all one big crapshoot in the long run though - be prepared for a lifetime of hairloss, regardless. It is inevitable. peace... p.s. Would like to hear from surgeons w/their long-term opinions & anecdotal reports from their patients. But I doubt they will chime in.

Good writeup for newer members to read & compare w/other doctor's they are considering. Shows you what a truly meticulous and excellent doctor says and does before/during a transplant to get the best possible results for his patient. Taking everything into consideration - details/details. Nice.

Looking good! Stay on the meds - after your 2nd hair transplant is fully grown out you could have many many years of enjoying your hair you paid for!

Yes, this is the best forum for us Americans imho. When you first got here you were all over the map. A bit of time and knowledge puts things into perspective. Stay on your meds and I think when you do have your surgery for your frontal hairband and dense-pack it I think your results will be great.

Markee, bump your thread again and see if some of the other members have some good advice. I am sure a very good doctor somewhere in your geographic region can do a detailed consultation w/analysis of your hair visually and using a magnification device and at least square you up on exactly where you stand. I can't remember who you went to in person but you really need to confirm that you are suitable hair transplantation candidate. Temple points are important for advanced Norwoods - so yes, a good doctor can re-balance out your profile when done properly. I always thought if you didn't keep your hair too short and wanted the most bang for your buck (if you are a candidate for hair transplant) and the most hairs in one surgery - would be Hasson & Wong strip. For FUE in N. America probably Gabel or Shapiro Medical. If you are on meds for 6-12 months (sounds like you want to use all the best systemic meds) - this might get your donor hair back up to a stable baseline to truly see if you are a candidate for surgery. I know you've done alot of bodybuilding prohormones for probably many years - that's definitely some strong medicine that goes against keeping hair if you are prone to hairloss. Big time. I did them for literally only 1.5 months in 1996 and immediately stopped as the amount of hair I was losing was insane in such a short amount of time. And I was only using the prohormones they sold in health-food stores before they banned them - not hard-core anabolics at all. Anyways, hope you get it sorted out and can get surgery. If your expectations are realistic - a good 1st surgery can be a wonderful way to turn back the hands of time on the top of your head. peace...

I have a big head; here's the gory details. Due to avodart, progressively stronger rogaine from 5% up to 30% 2X's per day, hair laser from overmachogrande.com and Nizoral 2% shampoo - I was able to do really well from age 38 w/my surgery w/Dr. Feller for about 6-8 years. Then, my genetics and family history and many years of taking fin, then dut, rogaine 2% then up to 30% 2X's per day and using Nizoral shampoo 2% for many years - my hairloss accelerated again after about 8 years from my strip surgery w/Dr. Feller. I don't have a bald spot nor any areas where hair is not growing - but I would like to maximize my results. At 18 months out from my last surgery I'll do another one and then a year or so after that I'll have my final surgeries, which will be FUE. At that point, w/permanent micropigment from Mark Weston somewhere in between these surgeries I'll be done. I always knew that I would do anything in my power to not be bald and from the outset I was prepared for many surgeries if necessary. Unfortunately, aggressive baldness w/a family history of almost everyone balding is not very good. This type of balding is a progressive illness and requires follow-up surgeries if you are committed to not being bald (and alot of medicine and treatments as well). Again - I don't even recommend surgery to anyone w/early balding or poor hair quality (thin/fine hair) or family history that is stacked against them; it's a truly personal decision. If I could go back and do it again knowing what I know now - I would have gone bald w/a bit of grace and dignity. Age 24 - two strips a month apart from Dr. Matt Leavitt (100 & 120 grafts respectively). This was the OLD days of strip removal. Small scars but they were micrografts of 2-8 hairs. Age 27 - One strip from Dr. Pomerantz 400 grafts. Again micrografts. Age 28 - Another strip from Dr. Pomerantz - 700 grafts. Again micrografts Age 38 - A strip from Dr. Feller - 2250 grafts. Follicular units dissected under microscopes. Age 50 - A strip from Dr. Soni - 4500 grafts. Follicular units dissected under microscopes. Age 50 - (same day from Dr. Soni) - 500 FUE

For oral minox @cheapest price go w/www.thailandpharmacy.net A bit odd how you pay them but they are good. For oral spiro I would go with www.inhousepharmacy.vu Good luck.

Hi Legend, I have very thin/fine hair, my entire family history (males) on mother/father side are all/were Norwood 6 & 7's, I started losing my hair around age 21 - so, the odds/genetics were never on my side. Even when I was very young my hair was bone straight and wimpy - so it took so much work just to make it look 'full'~~ Anyways, without meds & transplants I would be a Norwood 7 by now - so I'm not satisfied w/having thinning mid-vertex and crown - but what am I going to do? I'm at nearly 9K grafts now. I'll have one more strip and then max out on FUE in the next 3 years and be done w/my journey. I do have hair coverage throughout my entire scalp. I'll probably get permanent scalp migropigmentation w/Mark Weston after my final strip. I wouldn't worry if I were you - your family history is on your side, you had full hair until recently and your hairloss is confined primarily w/your frontal hairline zone. Huge differences than my issues. You'll be fine I am sure.

You get a full year - and you can get the scrip filled monthly or every 90 days (that's my preference). So basically, for returning customers each year my consult is about $80 plus cost of them shipping me my physical prescription I take to the pharmacy. In the 90's and early 00's I had a great primary care physician that would write me scrips for propecia & then in 2002 Avodart. She left her practice in '08 and I'm too lazy to haggle w/a dermatologist about writing me a scrip - so I use online now. Also, I take oral minox & oral spiro - no U.S. doctor will prescribe those at 10-20mgs daily and 100mg daily respectively, so I buy them from online pharmacies overseas. I eventually tired of using 30% custom-compounded minox cream for my scalp after many years and before that I was using 5% minox. So, several months ago I switched over to oral minox/oral spiro combo which is way more convenient and from the research I did for several years, the systemic effect is better than topical. Frankly, I don't even recommend younger people have transplants or take medications - I'm 51 and been in the game so long and frankly - if you have early hairloss you eventually will lose almost all your hair regardless of the drugs. It just slows it down over time. Even early reversal of hairloss or halting of hairloss after 20+ years the inevitable takes over if you have family history and early hairloss going against you. I also don't recommend transplants to younger people either, though I have had many surgeries and will have a few more in the next 2-3 years. If I had a clean slate, so to speak I would now just let nature take over. Good luck on your upcoming transplant. Being older and having surgery is always way more advisable. For the very mature younger person who knows all the pros and cons - they'll always have surgery anyways no matter what anyone says to them.

I have a doctor that writes me for brand-name avodart one per day www.medicalwellnesscenter.com and my insurance covers the cost. For the other capsule I go online and buy from www.inhousepharmacy.vu (I get the brand name, not generic here as well).

I take a double dose each day - so two 0.5mg capsules per day.

Sure - been using it since 2002. You're starting late so maybe it will help your hair or stabilize it a bit more for the next 10 years.

That's a hell of a long-term gamble/commitment to 'wearing full-cap' hair. At age 45 or 50 (you are in your late 30's, right) you might decide you no longer want to wear hair and you are screwed. Are you prepared to wear hair 'til age 80 or 85? I don't know - that's alot of commitment. Interesting idea; ethical for a doctor to take your money? Probably not.

You should take good quality photos of your front and sides and back from all angles. It looks like you have fine/straight hair. You might be on your way to a full Norwood 7 with that much loss so young (even being on fin). At age 22 unless you have slower hairloss and better quality hair - I personally wouldn't do it right now. You need to go to a real LIVE consultation w/a few doctors and have them check your density/hair quality/possible miniaturization issues, etc... Do that and take some better photos and post again - you'll get lots more feedback. Good luck and stay strong - alot other guy's here started balding very young as well. Even though it sounds cliche you can have a full life without hair on top of your head; believe it or not. But you have choices - just make sure they are well informed. Balding is a progressive condition - especially after age 45 if you have considerable baldness and a high % of hairloss on both sides of family.

Hi, You've had strip surgery with two very good strip surgeons (Hasson & Wong) and Soni. It looks like you have very wimpy hair (like me) - fine and thin w/average to lower than average density. Although you may want to wear your hair longer it is probably best suited for short haircuts. Anyways, until your final result from Soni I wouldn't obsess too much. It appears you have done everything right as a patient. Not everyone gets homerun results (I sure haven't) even w/multiple surgeries. You've only had about 4K grafts done. You easily have another strip and could even do FUE after (long term if you continue to lose hair in the midscalp and crown). Hoping you get some good solid growth in the next 8-12 months. If your final results are not as good as you want for the frontal 1/3rd of your scalp you might go w/a top-rated FUE surgeon next and have him pick the best of the best hairs and get your very frontal hairline and frontal hair zone sorted out. That's about where I am right now and I've had about almost 9k grafts done. Having very fine-caliber (thickness of each hair follicle) and also it being very straight w/avg. to a bit lower than average density is difficult to transplant successfully long term aesthetically.