Shifty

Wear a hat for the time being?  I mean you're a trooper, this is a great excuse to wear one of those awesome trooper hats! lol

I see an officer wearing this walking up to me, I know he means business.

14 hours ago, Shmiggy said:

Shifty,

We need to see more angles and better quality pics to make a better assessment. I can tell you my loss looked exactly like yours at 35 and I got on meds. It slowed down considerably to where I didn’t see hairs on my pillow anymore. But at 45 on meds I am a classic Nw 5-6. From just the one pic, what you have on top looks like it will go  by the time you’re 50. Just be conservative.

I haven't seen a hair on my pillow in 2 years, or even in the shower drain. When it was falling out I would be standing over the sink and see them in the sink.  =/ Honestly if I knew 2/3 years ago what I know now it might not have progressed so far, I JUST started taking Fin. Such is life.

I will get some better angles later tonight, the suggestions and replies are much appreciated.

26 minutes ago, HairLossMentor said:

@Shifty That's my point man...It has not stopped. The only time it will stop is when you're 6-feet under  Though It "should" slow as you age. Bottom line...you have an aggressive pattern. Most guys with your ethnic ethic background end up a class 4-5. But you're showing signs of a class 6...so the only thing we don't know is how bad it's going to get.

What triggered the shitty gene...could be stress...who knows. But you're in a war man...and the only way to win the war is a combo of meds/ht...a ht will just win the battle...but you will lose the war down the road. And then you're screwed. Make sense?

Just want to make sure you're going into this with all the info...so you can make the right decision. You can do this...but it's a life long commitment. 

We can agree to disagree. I will even go a step further. I have been using the proper products one should before going through with an HT, and while only a little over a month, I have seen a change in thickness as well as notice small hairs sprouting where I thought none were. Will this end being a complete reversall, we both no it won't, but its a pretty hopefull start for me since I've never used finesteride for one. 

I stopped losing hair early last year (2017) so its not something I just started saying just because. I am going on 2 years with zero change of hair on my head. when i realized it stopped is when I decided to try a hair system which was a complete fail for me. I went for the consult in May 2017 had the system on October 2017. Took it off  forever this Sept and started fin and minox and booked my HT for July 2019. Mind you i could have gotten an HT with the money I spent on the system ? literally thousands. 

Now, I've seen quite a few amazing results with fin and minox so God willing (He clearly wasn't willing before the meds) things will look more in my favor come next summer. 

I think the one thing we can agree on its a shitty gene. ? 

I will win the war. 

@Spaceman No one in my immediate family has hair loss like me. I am very confident it has stopped. I would run my hand though my hair and it would fall out all over the place. A doctor I visited told me it was strange how fast it was falling out. It was weird maybe it was stress related? Either way. Nothing falls out now thank God. 

On 6/3/2017 at 1:19 PM, JeanLDD said:

This is why I cringe when I see the 3500-4000 graft FUT cases over the same area lately. Obviously this guy has fantastic hair texture and calibre but clearly there's a point of diminishing returns with cramming huge numbers of grafts. Did propecia contribute to the result at all?

 

A shot with the hairline pulled up would be nice though.

I am seeing so many really good HT's using what seems to be smaller amounts of grafts than usual. Maybe the doctors are just getting better? Another 9 months till my HT, fill my head up with 1000 grafts by then lol

Solid results, gives me hope fro my front hairline using up as little grafts as 1600. Makes 2500-3500 grafts go a LONG way.

22 hours ago, Melvin-Moderator said:

The front is patchy and trust me that’s way more important than the back. I would say you need around 4K-5k grafts. Best way to maximize your donor is to do FUT first then FUE. You can have the strip slightly higher on the occipital ridge, which would allow you to do a low fade. Also, that amount is for both the front and back.

Ive been looking at before and afters recently like its my job lol I just dont see what I'm needing as being 5k. I am thinking more like 3500. Unless you are saying for beautiful full results not just great results 5k is needed?

@HairLossMentor I just typed in 'v shaped hairline' Just a random photo.

If I spend up to 25k on an HT or even less but get it done in another country and I have to continue to cover areas I just had work on, I would be disappointed. That being said, its not a perfected craft because there are many variables. As I've seen many times posted online you may have to go back to refine.  if the frontal hairline is no where near what was discussed prior,  meaning its drawn on your head beforehand you should know,  that's pretty much a botched job.

13 minutes ago, LaserCap said:

What technique to use will depend on you and the hair styling choices you consider once there is more hair.  The way I see it, if you are doing transplants is because you want to let the hair grow.  If that's the case, FUT.  It is less expensive, the grafts are more robust. But, most important, is the fact that you have access to the entire donor area.  You may be able to do more FUT procedures until you run out of elasticity.  You can then move to FUE, (and can place grafts on the scar to help camouflage).

You seem to have kept a decent bridge,  Seems the forelock is intact but you are starting to thin in the area right behind it, based on the photo you posted.  Make sure the doctors blends grafts through that area to avoid an unnatural looking pattern should you go on and lose the native hair.

It is imperative you get on medical therapy, (Propecia, Rogaine, laser and PRP).  Avoid transplants to the crown until you are happy in the front and middle.  If you look at the way most patients lose their hair, with a pattern similar to your own, you will note that the crown is the weakest area.  That's because it is spherical unlike the front and top where all the hair grows forward and shingles.

Unfortunately you did not post photos of the back, (donor area).  Not sure how far down you are dipping.  \

Eventually, depending on the outcome, you could consider SMP.

 

I stopped losing hair,  so I do not think any more will fall out unless the transplant makes it via shock loss. As far as hair loss goes I have that going for me lol. 

The back doesn't go down much at all if any. basically what you see here is all the areas needing work.

I do use laser, minoxidil and finesteride as I stated, even though I stopped losing hair.

In regards to FUT, I like to fade my sides and back, pretty sure I would be losing that ability if I did an FUT just weighting that give and take in my head.

The crown is what aggravates me the most. Which sucks because everyone says do they front first.....I don't think  I would ever do SMP.

That is a life changing ht. if everyone could be so lucky.

13 hours ago, SHANGLA said:

09-02-18

that's pretty stellar especially considering the amount of grafts.

I have a appt with Diep next year. really not sure if I should go FUT or FUE.

42 yrs old -  hair loss happened really fast (between ages 39 and 41) no longer losing hair  - good skin laxity as far as I can tell - decent donor

I started taking fin along with minox a month ago. started using derma roller 2 weeks ago. I have been taking vitamins of all kinds for years. I do see small hairs growing near the temples where there wasn't any before so I am holding out hope things change a little for the better in the frontal and on top over the next few months with this regimen.

Dr. Diep stated 2500 FUE was what we are looking at with the possibility of more.

Do you guys think its possible to get decent coverage with 2500 (hopefully more he said he might be able to get up to 3500 depending on donor) FUE both front and top? Not to hot on the idea of FUT but also not to hot on the idea of more than 1 surgery, both are clearly on the table. I also have always kept my hair buzzed on sides and back. I want to keep the age appropriate hair line, I've always had the Eddie Munster "V".

Thanks for the info, just preparing myself mentally for fue or fut.

17 hours ago, SBSinNYC said:

When I was a kid there were jokes about Nuns telling kids that if they masturbated hair would grow on their palms!

They wouldn’t make that up, would they?

I'm using the hair on my palms and transplanting them on my head. 

On 10/11/2018 at 9:55 PM, Melvin-Moderator said:

Unfortunately, medication works the least int he hairline, the only way to truly regrow hair where there is no hair is through surgery.

Tomorrow is one month on 1mg Fin and I am pretty sure I am seeing small hairs growing in the frontal hairline. Long way to go but I am trying to be optimistic.

I went through forhims.com 1mg fin for 30 bucks/months supply. probably paying more than normal but it was a very easy process. dollar a day not a big deal. I spend10x that on coffee.

@Bill - Managing Publisher you mention 5mg..any particular reason for going that high considering i was given 1mg?

3 minutes ago, twf123 said:

Sounds like you have a plan, but it may be a bit overkill. All you really need is finasteride and Rogain. Anything after that won't be that much of a help, so don't kill yourself spending all this money thinking you will 'maximize' your prevention. 

Not sure its so much a plan as throwing everything but the kitchen sink at it. Considering the amount the transplant is costing, buying some shampoos is a drop in the bucket. You are probably right but I'd rather try than not.

I started seeing real hair loss around around 40. 3 years later and I'm panicking. I'm 100% positive no more hair is falling out but I wish I had done research then like I've been doing now.

I have my appointment July 2019 with Diep and I am considering FUT because of the amount of hairs that can be harvested. I do like to wear my hair short so I am very torn.

On 10/8/2018 at 8:29 PM, garethbale said:

If the wedding is a month before your appointment with Diep why can’t you attend the wedding? 

No one knows I have lost hair. i wear a hat all the time. There will be plenty of pretty single woman at this wedding, Its just giving me anxiety. The stigma to hair loss is strong in me.

On 10/8/2018 at 10:29 AM, Pete-from-Farjo said:

One of the cruelest things about hair loss is that it can turn even the most sociable people into hermits. I've been there myself.  But 2500 grafts if used sensibly can make a big positive difference for you. And if you respond well to finasteride you could be in a much better situation a year or so from now. 

Today is 3 weeks taking fin, I have high hopes as I believe I already see some small hairs forming. And trust me I'm looking every second I have the opportunity too lol.  I have become fairly anti-social. I wont leave the house except with a hat on. I know its stupid to think anyone will care but it just cant bring myself to not care, and I have always been a social person.

At the moment I am using special shampoos and conditioner. Using the laser cap I Own. taking Finesteride, using topical Rogaine foam. I always take vitamins always have, including Biotin. And I should be getting a derma roller tomorrow in the mail. So hopefully the full on assault will turn things around.

@lukeyb1687 dam man, stellar results. I would be taking pictures all over the place if mine came out like that lol

@twf123 Dr Diep. I just started taking Fin 1mg little over a week ago so I'm keeping hopes up high. I don't want to but I may skip this wedding. Dieps appt is July of next year wedding is a month before. ?

Quick Q; Will results possibly be better if I use Rogaine along with Fin? I still have a couple extra foam bottles. 

7 minutes ago, Speegs said:

Finasteride actually started out as a male prostate drug, used to shrink enlarged prostates and possibly prevent prostate cancer,  a happy by-product discovered was that the lowering of DHT in the bod helped prevent hair loss in a number of patients.

So if anything your prostate may be benefiting as well as your hair.

I wonder if these side effects, like cancer,  manifest with people who are prone and have history. Not much of that in my family.

Here's to a healthy prostate and a fuller head of hair!! ?

6 minutes ago, Speegs said:

What I mean is that most men that report sexual dysfunction while on finasteride are in an age group where the possibility of erectile dysfunction is possible in the general population and they falsely assign blame to finasteride.

Under 40 people aren't susceptible to ED so much, and when it does occur in that age group it is usually psychological in origin.

 

Im more worried about cancer lol there are other things for ed but i doubt that will happen to me. 

39 minutes ago, Speegs said: