eastend

You are an excellent candidate in my opinion. What you need to be concerned with is how far your hair loss is likely to progress, in other words how likely are you to become NW7 (finasteride should help here, but you have to make the committment). You are only 28, and I would say you are NW5, not 5A (your sides are receding downward). It would be a good idea to look at the rest of your family and their history. In any event, even a NW7 can get a lot of grafts. Do a search for a poster named 'oswaldwasbald'. He only posted twice, but you'll see what I mean. In a worst case scenario, you should be able to get a good amount of coverage on the front half of your scalp, with a properly-designed and natural-looking bald spot in the crown. That's a worst case scenario. Best case scenario is you remain where you are, get two megasessions and achieve good coverage and density all the way to your crown with a minimal bald area. Your first transplant should work on the front 1/3 to 1/2 of your scalp, and the grafts should be planted between your existing hairs. You still have a hairline defined, and the transplant can be drawn to follow it. It will be on the high side but still look really good. Now you need to pick a doctor and find some cash.

There's plenty of hope. Without a picture it's tough to tell, but do you have hair loss on the crown with a decent amount of hair remaining in front? If so, the doctor might have meant that it's not wise to transplant to the crown before transplanting the hairline and mid-scalp, because when the hairline and mid-scalp go bald you'll look like an idiot unless you have more surgery. If your hairline is sparse, though, then the comment doesn't make sense - the transplant should fill in your hairline in between whatever existing hairs you have, and work backwords towards the crown. You are a good candidate if you have good donor characteristics (density, laxity, and zero or minimal previous scarring) and good recipient characteristics (no previous work, especially bad work). Your age does come into play, because of the difficulty of predicting future hair loss for a younger guy. At 28 and a 5A it's pretty clear you'll either be lucky and stay at 5A or you'll end up a 6 or 7. Even for a 6 or 7, you can achieve great results with a right doctor and a couple of megasessions.

Interesting question, and I must admit I never really thought about the flexibility that FUE would provide for this scenario. It's a great theory, now that I think about it. Affordability is the real question, I suppose. I would envy any guy with hairloss progression that was slow enough and "even" enough to stay ahead of the game in the way you describe (I may also envy him for having the $$$ to pay for it). If all of a sudden his hair loss accelerated, though, he would have a real problem with an un-natural look. Although I'm not totally convinced he would have to permanently remove the transplanted hair .. might be possible to buzz it all really short and then go for a megasession that would give a natural look e.g. decent frontal scalp and the standard thinning/balding crown.

I'll rephrase - I think it's in the best interest of the patient to plan for one session in one area, as opposed to planning for multiple sessions for one area. If I come across as overly opinionated, it's because it's the guys with the virgin scalps that have the most potential to make their lives better with the correct choice of their first surgeon and the greatest risk of messing up years of their lives with the wrong choice. Over on another thread, there's a guy talking about MHR. Good lord, run like hell. Meanwhile, baldcasanova is saying Straub "did a good job", on a strip surgery for 630 grafts. 630!!!! That's criminal for a strip surgery!! Nobody should be cutting open anybody for less than 2000 grafts on a first surgery. Additional surgeries are case by case. The first one should always be a megasession unless we're talking about a guy 50+ who's lucky enough to have stayed a strong NW3 and just wants a fixup. To the people reading who have never done a transplant: If you pick the wrong doctor, you get screwed in at least four ways. First of all, you will ABSOLUTELY NEED WORK LATER to correct the first botched procedure. That means you will need at least one more period of recovery and at least as much money, but likely more money, than you spent the first time. Second of all, you will have a depleted and scarred donor area to work with, which will make your second surgeon's life harder. Third, you will have a compromised recipient area and your new grafts will likely have a lower survival rate. Fourth, you will be messed up psychologically, and you will have wasted some number of years hiding from the public. Plan wisely, and the younger you are, the harder it is to do.

It's not a good idea. It has been shown that in a given area of scalp, the first transplant grows best, in part due to microscarring that occurs on implantation which impairs the vascularity of the region. So if you plant in a region a second time, you risk two things. The first risk is shocking the previously planted hairs, possibly by transsection which would mean permanent loss, although a high level of surgical skill can lessen this risk. The second risk is a less-than-optimum yield of the newly planted grafts, due to the microscarring mentioned above. This is why one-pass dense packing of FUs in a particular area of scalp is the method of choice for successful surgery.

My story is up in the "Hair Restoration Experiences" section. I had a procedure very recently with Dr. Seager and I am thrilled with how I was treated and how the surgery went (pre-op, the surgery itself, and the post-op). It is my personal opinion that the Seager clinic produces among the best results I have ever seen and I fully expect that my results will be awesome also. I would wholeheartedly recommend the clinic, and my single regret is that I wish I had gone there sooner.

There have been many regulars on this forum who have been a great help to me and now I hope I can help others. I prefer anonimity, though, so I won't be giving too many specifics. Background: I started noticing problems with my hairline when I was in my late teens. The hairs were very thin and they would stay short and wispy. By early 20s I was NW 3A, rapidly becoming NW4A. Through hard work, and a lot of time in front of the mirror, and styling products, I hid the problems as best I could. I am now into my 30s and over the past couple years noticed the crown thinning as well, so I am on my way to 5A, maybe even a NW6 (hopefully not!). And so I reached the crossroads, "balding guy" or transplant (no drugs yet but I got my finasteride prescription so I'm going to start that now, along with the MSM, and minoxidil temporarily). I started reading/hearing about Dr. Seager and his all-FU technique some 7-8 years ago. I discovered this forum and other internet forums some months ago, and I remain shocked that there are other clinics in the world still practicing old techniques. I have posted on this forum previously and I outlined all my reasons for choosing the Seager clinic, so I won't repeat them. Suffice it to say that what I hoped for was exactly what happened, and my experience was entirely positive. I had almost 2,900 FUs (approximately 6,600 hairs, although I think the number of hairs might actually be higher) transplanted to the front 1/3 to 1/2 of my scalp, with a density of ~40 FU/cm2, which is Dr. Seager's trademark one-pass session, and the procedure was extremely painless and dare I say fairly comfortable. The staff at the clinic is truly first class. I have read many posts on this forum about various clinics, including the Seager clinic, and I recall one in particular in which the poster suggested that HT surgical assistants and techs have "zero qualifications". Let me assure all of you that this idea is complete nonsense, at least as far as this clinic is concerned and other top clinics I'm sure. Anyone who touches your head or administers medication to you is a doctor (Drs. Seager and Simmons are class acts and true professionals in every sense of the word), or a trained nurse, or a trained surgical assistant, or trained in medicine in another country. Additionally, the entire staff has been trained extensively for years specifically in the techniques used at the Seager clinic. As I said, the procedure went extremely smoothly. The only part I was not awake for was the cutting of the strip. I hardly slept the night before (and they said I should avoid caffeine) so once the hairline was drawn after a discussion with Dr. Seager, they turned on the IV sedative and it probably took about 4 seconds for me to fall asleep. I woke up maybe 1 or 2 hours later and everything was in full swing. Also, there were a couple of times where I heard specific requests for more "single-hair FUs" I opted for slightly higher hairline in favour of saving grafts to plant farther back; I am very comfortable playing it safe with a mature hairline (I was NW4A at 24 yrs old, I'll dance in the street with a dense mature hairline), and I figure if I have the donor later and my temple recession co-operates, I can lower it slightly or "flatten" it, as the case may be. Post op was fairly uneventful. I had a really bad headache in the donor area the night of the surgery, but one shot of pain medication knocked me out and I felt great the next morning. I did suffer from quite a bit of swelling, but I was told this could happen and I took time off so it wasn't a big deal. During the procedure I metabolized the anaesthetic like a mutant (in general, I seem to be fairly resistant to medications ... I wish I was resistant to DHT but don't we all), so I required additional doses. I may thus be resistant to the anti-swelling meds. I had very little pain the day after surgery. The only medication I took was the anti-swelling pill in the a.m. and meds at night to help me sleep sitting up, and there was no itching in the recipient area. Word of advice, buy a travel pillow that wraps around your neck. They cost about $10 and it's are the best thing in the world post-HT. I also cut my nails and wore cotton gloves when I slept, just in case. I am keeping track my progress with photos, which I may post in the future to give a decent before-and-after. I also have to edit the pics to obscure my face. Now it's just a matter of playing the waiting game. My plan is to have a second procedure within the next 12 to 24 months (we'll see how the meds go) - I am told that with my donor region I could easily have 2 more surgeries if I choose. I also think this has a lot to do with going with the Seager clinic, where they are committed to preserving your donor hair and minimizing scarring, but I think with my expecatations I'll be happy with two procedures and I can wait a long time for a third, if I ever decide to have it. Thanks to all of you that have posted your stories, specific thanks to the Seager mentors (Olsen and Mire1954) and former patients on this site, and of course the entire staff at the clinic. I would wholeheartedly recommend the Seager clinic to anyone with a hair loss problem. You are in good hands, and I cannot speak highly enough about the doctors, the staff, and the whole experience.

There have been many regulars on this forum who have been a great help to me and now I hope I can help others. I prefer anonimity, though, so I won't be giving too many specifics. Background: I started noticing problems with my hairline when I was in my late teens. The hairs were very thin and they would stay short and wispy. By early 20s I was NW 3A, rapidly becoming NW4A. Through hard work, and a lot of time in front of the mirror, and styling products, I hid the problems as best I could. I am now into my 30s and over the past couple years noticed the crown thinning as well, so I am on my way to 5A, maybe even a NW6 (hopefully not!). And so I reached the crossroads, "balding guy" or transplant (no drugs yet but I got my finasteride prescription so I'm going to start that now, along with the MSM, and minoxidil temporarily). I started reading/hearing about Dr. Seager and his all-FU technique some 7-8 years ago. I discovered this forum and other internet forums some months ago, and I remain shocked that there are other clinics in the world still practicing old techniques. I have posted on this forum previously and I outlined all my reasons for choosing the Seager clinic, so I won't repeat them. Suffice it to say that what I hoped for was exactly what happened, and my experience was entirely positive. I had almost 2,900 FUs (approximately 6,600 hairs, although I think the number of hairs might actually be higher) transplanted to the front 1/3 to 1/2 of my scalp, with a density of ~40 FU/cm2, which is Dr. Seager's trademark one-pass session, and the procedure was extremely painless and dare I say fairly comfortable. The staff at the clinic is truly first class. I have read many posts on this forum about various clinics, including the Seager clinic, and I recall one in particular in which the poster suggested that HT surgical assistants and techs have "zero qualifications". Let me assure all of you that this idea is complete nonsense, at least as far as this clinic is concerned and other top clinics I'm sure. Anyone who touches your head or administers medication to you is a doctor (Drs. Seager and Simmons are class acts and true professionals in every sense of the word), or a trained nurse, or a trained surgical assistant, or trained in medicine in another country. Additionally, the entire staff has been trained extensively for years specifically in the techniques used at the Seager clinic. As I said, the procedure went extremely smoothly. The only part I was not awake for was the cutting of the strip. I hardly slept the night before (and they said I should avoid caffeine) so once the hairline was drawn after a discussion with Dr. Seager, they turned on the IV sedative and it probably took about 4 seconds for me to fall asleep. I woke up maybe 1 or 2 hours later and everything was in full swing. Also, there were a couple of times where I heard specific requests for more "single-hair FUs" I opted for slightly higher hairline in favour of saving grafts to plant farther back; I am very comfortable playing it safe with a mature hairline (I was NW4A at 24 yrs old, I'll dance in the street with a dense mature hairline), and I figure if I have the donor later and my temple recession co-operates, I can lower it slightly or "flatten" it, as the case may be. Post op was fairly uneventful. I had a really bad headache in the donor area the night of the surgery, but one shot of pain medication knocked me out and I felt great the next morning. I did suffer from quite a bit of swelling, but I was told this could happen and I took time off so it wasn't a big deal. During the procedure I metabolized the anaesthetic like a mutant (in general, I seem to be fairly resistant to medications ... I wish I was resistant to DHT but don't we all), so I required additional doses. I may thus be resistant to the anti-swelling meds. I had very little pain the day after surgery. The only medication I took was the anti-swelling pill in the a.m. and meds at night to help me sleep sitting up, and there was no itching in the recipient area. Word of advice, buy a travel pillow that wraps around your neck. They cost about $10 and it's are the best thing in the world post-HT. I also cut my nails and wore cotton gloves when I slept, just in case. I am keeping track my progress with photos, which I may post in the future to give a decent before-and-after. I also have to edit the pics to obscure my face. Now it's just a matter of playing the waiting game. My plan is to have a second procedure within the next 12 to 24 months (we'll see how the meds go) - I am told that with my donor region I could easily have 2 more surgeries if I choose. I also think this has a lot to do with going with the Seager clinic, where they are committed to preserving your donor hair and minimizing scarring, but I think with my expecatations I'll be happy with two procedures and I can wait a long time for a third, if I ever decide to have it. Thanks to all of you that have posted your stories, specific thanks to the Seager mentors (Olsen and Mire1954) and former patients on this site, and of course the entire staff at the clinic. I would wholeheartedly recommend the Seager clinic to anyone with a hair loss problem. You are in good hands, and I cannot speak highly enough about the doctors, the staff, and the whole experience.

Keep on thinking seriously, and best of luck to you. I went to the website, and I'll tell you what I did NOT see: I did NOT see a single mention of "all-follicular-unit hair transplantation", and I did not see any reference to state of the art microscopic dissection of the donor strip. I'm not sure why you're even asking. It's clear you have chosen to disregard the advice you've already been given. People here have differing opinions on doctors, but it's easy enough to pick out what is universally agreed on - that for strip surgery, the state of the art is all-FU transplantation, with qualified doctors and staff using proper microscopes, and with a proven record of consistent results and positive patient testimonials. What makes it even more confusing is that you have already been burned once, and you have a result you're not happy with. Hair loss is tough, and everybody here knows the anxiety. I also hate traveling, and I know it's so much easier and seems more comforting if you can just stay close to home and get your procedure done. The prospect of traveling just adds a layer of complexity that maybe you're not willing to deal with becuase the hair loss and prospect of surgery is already enough to handle. Well, get over it because you're likely going to look like sh*t, and given that you had the chance to ask your questions and get sound advice, it'll be your own fault. Btw 1100 grafts for a guy in his mid 30's from a strip surgery is questionable, in my opinion. When you replace a timing belt you also do the water pump, because you're 3/4 of the way there already and that water pump is definitely going to fail, just like more of your hair is going to fall out. So why would you cut yourself open for a only 1100 grafts? It's one thing if your 60 and a NW3, another thing if your 35 and a NW3.

I think George W. specifically opposes abortion. I honestly think he's too stupid to understand anything about stem cell research itself. If you could find a way to do it without the use of embryos, he would move on to his next pet project and leave you alone. I am in total support of stem cell research btw. I had wondered also whether stem cell research might gain some momentum with the death of Reagan and the problems he had with Alzheimers.

Dr. Feller, Way back in November 2002 there was a thread called "HT's to thicken exisiting thinning hair", and in that thread you stated that you were not a proponent of finasteride (which is NOT to say you were you anti-finasteride either). Your comment was that you believed that DHT may be needed for other biochemical processes and that causing hair loss was just one part of it. Fast forward to today, where you just stated in that other thread that you have never taken any hair loss drugs (though your support of minoxidil for post-HT recovery is clear). So the question is, do you still have the same opinion now about finasteride as you did then, with 20 or so months of additional data? Thanks for your time.

Dr. Feller, Way back in November 2002 there was a thread called "HT's to thicken exisiting thinning hair", and in that thread you stated that you were not a proponent of finasteride (which is NOT to say you were you anti-finasteride either). Your comment was that you believed that DHT may be needed for other biochemical processes and that causing hair loss was just one part of it. Fast forward to today, where you just stated in that other thread that you have never taken any hair loss drugs (though your support of minoxidil for post-HT recovery is clear). So the question is, do you still have the same opinion now about finasteride as you did then, with 20 or so months of additional data? Thanks for your time.

Nope, we're pretty much all SOL on that one.

I believe that is the question - how long does it take to see these effects from MSM? Is it the case that immediately after starting to take it, the majority of people see faster growth of hair and fingernails? Or is it the case that the majority of people have to be taking MSM for some number of days/weeks/months before they see those results?

Rugger my man, you are becoming my online reference - I started MSM today and I'll head over to GNC asap and check this out. Thanks!