The hair from around the nape of your neck continuing around the area above your ears is thinning which is common in MPB and is called retrograde alopecia. The thinning rises up around this area. The reason you want to be on Finasteride, Minoxidil, etc (Iβm not a doctor) prescribed by your doctor, dermatologist to address this is to keep to keep your donor strong. Your donor area is DHT susceptible. Itβs not DHT proof. There is no true βsafe zoneβ as such. You should be looking for a surgeon who will be planning surgery/ies for the life span (even at 40. Iβm 57). Rarely is surgery a one and done deal. Itβs like attempting to hit a moving target. Spend at least a year on medication (again Iβm not a doctor) and during this time to see how your hair responds, put in as much research as you can. There is no such thing as a silly question. All the best.