Baldingat22

7 minutes ago, OtherSyde said:

DJS will bring your jawline way forward, and if it is a normal or large size jaw then it will no longer be buried back against your neck so it will often look much bigger/more defined, especially having the skin stretched more tightly around it as well. Obviously DJS won't change the actual size or shape of your jaw bone however. Most people do report much more satisfaction with the appearance and forward projection of their jawline after DJS though (at least on the r/jawsurgery subreddit I watch periodically).

No extra weight, but if the surgeon is some kind of idiot and depresses or even severs your mental nerve (something any surgeon worth their license is well aware of), you could lose feeling in your lower jaw/lower lip. Surgeons like Eppley, Yaremchuk, etc. note this as part of their implant design procedures on their web sites, specifically being careful to design the implants around and under the mental nerve.

Oh I've researched it extensively - especially seeing as I was scheduled to move to Hawaii within 2 weeks of my surgery, I knew that I absolutely could not afford an infection, since it would likely mean emergency antibiotics, a big swollen face that would blow my cover, and probably removing the implant (and only a specialist can do that). I was very specific to ask Dr. Eppley about this issue during my 30-minute pre-op appointment the day be fore surgery, and he took the time and explained to me that (in addition to a full run of 2 different kinds of normal oral antibiotics) he had been using a method since mid 2020 where, before closing the 3 main incisions (one on the inside/bottom of each cheek and one on the outside under the chin) he basically dumps an exorbitant amount of a certain type of medical-grade antibiotic/antibacterial powder into the open incisions where it will remain and mix with the bodily fluids, creating a sort of thick "antibiotic soup" as he phrased it. In the newly-created tissue pouch where the implant resides, it will basically marinate in this solution for upwards of a week until it's all absorbed into the body, aggressively preventing infection long after the wounds are closed and starting to heal. He told me he has not had a single instance of infection since beginning this routine in 2020. I do not know if other doctors do this or not, but it was definitely a huge selling point for me with Dr. Eppley.

Wow very well thought out and explained there lol I almost feel like I had the surgery myself. Thank you for this you know what you are getting yourself into for sure. I’ll look into Dr. epley I have maybe vaguely heard of the name but I usually look into hair doctors so I’m not sure if I have heard of him for that. How old is he? Lol I’d be interested in getting procedure but who knows maybe he is close to retirement. Pretty cool though that he is able to prevent infection. I bet in another 5-10 years he will have something even better in terms of wound care/implant customization.

27 minutes ago, OtherSyde said:

Oh Texas? Well then you're in the home state of the Godfather of Ab-Etching, Dr. Henry Mentz in Houston! Lucky you. I looked at him but Dr. Mowlavi also had many great results, was way closer to me (I was living in San Diego), and offered me a fat RealSelf discount (from $18K to $13K). If you're already in Texas, I would definitely look into Dr. Mentz, he's pretty famous for his pioneering ab etching work. Here's his ab etching page.

 

[EDIT] - And yes the holes they make are tiny; they're meant to be low-visibility. You can see how small they are in my immediately-after-surgery operating table pic above towards the beginning.

Awesome thanks I’ll look into him. Means a lot and great results

1 hour ago, OtherSyde said:

I haven't seen many 20+ year old facial implants, and no custom ones that old - just those old off-the-shelf ones which were all that was available back in the dark ages, so no idea how a custom implant will be in ~20 years, but I'd bet it'll be a lot better than one of those garbage off-the-shelf implants for sure. We'll see.

As far the TMJ situation, I have absolutely no idea - honestly I would address fixing the TMJ via jaw surgery or something first, and then look at implants.

Sometimes I see people say double jaw surgery made there jawline insane but idk. I just didn’t know if the implants would cause extra weight in the jaw or mess up the feeling of the jaw? Maybe they get infected too but have researched minimally there. Either way your results are insane. Probably more women coming your way then you know what to do with lol 

1 hour ago, OtherSyde said:

There is one up underneath the overhang of each pec muscle near my armpits, two at the bottom of my abs below the waist-line about 6-8 inches apart, and one inside my belly button - all strategically placed to be out of sight in any normal circumstances - although from my pictures you can obviously tell that they're barely visible anyway as they were tiny little holes to begin with. They're just big enough for those little clear drainage tubes to be inserted for a couple of days, which are about the same diameter as the cannula used (hi-def lipo uses smaller, more precise cannulas than regular lipo does for the detail-work of carving out the little troughs between the muscles).

Oh they are tiny holes not like actually large cuts? Also outside of your Dr. Any other ones you prefer? I live near Texas lol but I would go to him but seems pretty high idk

42 minutes ago, OtherSyde said:

Really? I chose to stay wide awake during my otoplasty, I was talking to the surgeon and assistants just like with my HT's! They did comment that I was especially ballsy to do this however, since most people choose to go under.

Oh heck yeah! In fact the procedure of getting pointy ears, aka the "Elf Ears" surgery, has become a bit of a popular thing among zoomers and cosplayers in recent years. You can change the shape of your ears for sure! This clip is from way back in 2013 almost a decade ago, and it's gotten way more popular since then!

 

Interesting I get made fun of for elf ears lol 

1 hour ago, SadMan2021 said:

I think this goes outside of an otoplasty procedure. But I sense in plastic surgery land it is definitely possible. 

Thanks 

1 hour ago, pkipling said:

Aside from Nizoral, I don't recall any other shampoo having a strong consensus around here tbh. 

Thank you. But nizoral is not everyday correct?

1 hour ago, pkipling said:

If you're looking for a shampoo that works to regrow your hair/prevent hair loss, they simply don't exist - so be mindful of that when finding hair products that promise to do this. What shampoos/products can do is help increase the volume of your hair, but that's not the same as the hair regrowing/thickening. 

As for what the "best shampoo" is, that's going to be very relative based on your specific hair type and hair needs. I've cycled through so many different shampoos and styling products over the years, so I know how overwhelming it can be to try to find the one that works best for you - especially when so many brands promise to do sooo many things for your hair that they often don't live up to. I ended up having to do trial and error to find what works for me, and even still, I have to bounce between different styling products depending on the length of my hair throughout the month. 

If you're looking for a product that will help the overall appearance of your hair and give you some volume, I would suggest checking with a stylist at a salon who could point you in the right direction. The reason being that it really comes down to A) what your hair type is, and B) what your goal is. They could even work with you on getting a haircut that's best suited for whatever's going on with your hair as well, because not every hairstyle is suitable for every hair type. 

I'm currently using Kevin Murphy products, but they tend to be a little on the pricier side. You can find similar products that are a bit cheaper, I just have a sensitive scalp and random skin allergies, so I typically have to get the more expensive ones. 

I hope that helps or points you in a direction!

Oh thanks. I understand that the whole “fix your hair and thinning” doesn’t exist that is why I don’t want something loaded with 900 extracts that just end up drying everything up and is harsh. Kid of just wanted to know if there was a universally great shampoo many on this board used?

10 minutes ago, SadMan2021 said:

well don't get me wrong it's definitely a significant surgical procedure and I was put completely to sleep into the twilight zone by the anesthesia (whereas a HT they just numb you up). It's been a long time since I was 12 but I think I remember wearing a head bandage for a week if not longer. And there will be blood and other gross stuff coming from behind your ears as they heal. 

So its definitely a real medical surgery and I wouldn't plan on going to work or even attempting to conceal it for 2 weeks or so. 

But yea its not an incision all over the face, they "simply" remove the cartilage behind the ear to pin it back. 

I'm just comparing it to a hair transplant since we are on a hair transplant forum lol. An otoplasty can still get screwed up - just like any procedure, but I sense it is much much harder to get a botched otoplasty than it is a hair transplant. And you should be able to determine if the otoplasty was successful right away, instead of the brutal and agonizing waiting period a hair transplant entails. 

No yes thank you for using the comparison it is very helpful. Oh you have to wear a bandage will that kinda ensures no being around people lol but ya seems very interesting to say the least. If your ears are pointy can they change that too?

1 hour ago, OtherSyde said:

Yes! It's just lipo, really, but done with a smaller canula and the help of either high-frequency vibrations (VASER) or light/heat (SMART Lipo) so as to be much more detailed than traditional tumescent lipo. The fat cells are (aggressively) physically removed and gone though, so it's effectively permanent unless you eat so  much for so long that you gain an absurd amount of weight (like 100+ pounds of pure fat) - which is basically the only way to get your body to create more fat cells past the late-adolescent stage of life. There's no need to work out like I do to keep the results, I'm just extra I guess.

I have heard of that crappy temporary lipo you mentioned as well - I forget the many trendy name-brands it keeps hiding behind, but it's the kind with no actual surgery involved that "melts" or "freezes" away the fat, but it's actually not removing any fat cells and only temporarily emptying the cells in the area where it is applied. Cheap charlatan gimmicks and a total waste of money; avoid that stuff lol.

Oh like coolsculpting? Ya I never knew with Vaser I’ve heard of it and seems cool but not many are qualified to do it. Where are the openings for the canolas or I guess where you get stitched up? Does it almost appear like an appendix scar?

1 hour ago, OtherSyde said:

I read up on bone resorption and most implants won't significantly degrade a person's bone structure unless it's a result of friction from either the implant being too big (or not a shape that correctly matches up to the bone shape - which is common among the older, non-custom, generic off-the-shelf implants) and thus causing constant pressure on the bone, or if the implants are "floating" unsecured and hence move around. A well-made custom wrap-around implant would not have these issues due to being moulded to the bones and screwed into place as described above. The implant also would not really "break off", as they are fairly flexible silicone and won't snap upon bending. Your bones would break first. Like I said above though, taking a hit hard enough to break your jaw bone would cause big problems, and also getting a deep enough cut to expose the implant could definitely cause infection problems, so I guess if you're a pro MMA fighter that doesn't use any kind of face protection then this might not be for you. Most regular sports would be fine though - even football or rugby or whatever, since although they're definitely rough, they don't tend to involve extremely hard, sharp knuckle-shots directed specifically at your face/jawline like fighting does. These implants aren't invincible, but they're definitely not delicate either; they can survive real life.

Hmm interesting ya was curious if they had any degrading to the bone in that area over a 20+ year span. Also curious if someone with let’s say Mild TMJ may get it more pronounced if they went and did a jaw implant

2 hours ago, SadMan2021 said:

Not OP but I've also had an otoplasty. There are very tiny scars behind the ear where incisions are made to remove the excess cartilage. Literally no one will ever see these scars. It's not comparable to an FUT scar at all. 

Thank you both for saying. I will have to look into it. I always assumed it was some huge incision all over the face so never thought of it but if it is behind the ear where the end of your glasses it I might look into that

What does the scarring look like if you don’t mind me asking?

So do at home laser hair removals work? Like I think i so one marketed as RoseSkincare. Seemed good on dude using it. Really just want to use it for stubborn neck hair/unwanted facial hairs/around nipples 😂 

Oh so ab etching is permanent? I assumed it was like a couple years similar to some lipos 

Curious about long term effects. Very good look though I must add, but could they lead to bone deterioration? If you are in high contact sports could they break off easier?

What shampoo do you use? I know many say nizoral and I have used that(even though it can be kind of irritating) but more so curious on an everyday shampoo that is very effective for hair loss/regrowth/thickening but in the same is not overdue with so many irritating products, useless products, or sulfates/parabens. Thanks again

I was just wondering what of their packages is the most bang for your buck? I guess most overall top to bottom cheap but also just as good as top tier 

Very curious for update. Also probably dumb question but does the area where the hair gets transplanted(frontal hairline in this case) every get like scarring/pigmentation changed due to the insertions of hair? Like if you went bald in the hairline would little bumps or discoloration show where hair was inserted? I guess also same question for donor area?

50 minutes ago, NARMAK said:

Honestly, only you can decide 2hen the "right" time is but a reputable clinic usually won't touch you till like minimum 25+. I can look back at maybe from when i was 21 till 31 and feel incredibly fortunate i started medication because i think i got to a point where i was at that point of where things would head into a negative direction if i didn't start medication when i did. 

However, i wish i could go back knowing what i know and start earlier at 21 on Finasteride etc. and probably would have been in an even better situation potentially. I don't feel like there's been a lot of "lost ground" per se, it's been really gradual/slow for me, because i guess i was quite conscious of it from a younger age, but i wish i didn't listen to the BS around Finasteride etc. about the overblown side affects. 

Stay on Finasteride, possibly look into Minoxodil for just the frontal areas and Microneedling. Microneedling is probably a good route to promote bloodflow all around the scalp. I think i'm gonna try getting a Derma Pen for that purpose soon as i mentioned elsewhere. 

Minoxodil is a hassle topically to apply, and looks like maybe oral minoxodil is getting popular due to this and being easier to stick with. Personally it's not widely available here in the UK but i think i'd give a low dose a try now. I was scared of the sides like Trichosis etc. but you can always laser it off i've realised. 

So since I started on fin around 21 you think if that is all I do and maybe incorporate microneedling I will keep it similar by 31?

1 hour ago, NARMAK said:

Do what you can now, save up and cross that bridge when you come to it. 

Hell, if they get clone hair in the next decade, your HT could be a fancy dream lol. 

Staying realistic though, it's just a matter of time and patience. Manage as best as you can. Hair is only as big a problem as we make it, and above all, nobody should ever let it define them. 

There's too many "Blackpill/Redpill" nonsense out there. You should improve yourself all around as a person and your 20s generally shape the person you grow to become. Mould a good person. 

Billions of people. Billions of problems. Hair loss is just one we focus on and make that mole hill into a mountain. 

Thanks for this it means a lot. So don’t even consider touching it until later? Just focus on fin now?

3 hours ago, NARMAK said:

I didn't recede as much on the frontal hairline, so i can't speak for that. But my temple points were basically gone by 17/18 from what i recall. That's imo also really bad because losing them, aged me. 

I looked around too at people without hairloss in their 20s "living their best life(!)" as you assume, but i hand on heart think i will care about my hair as much in my 40s and 50s as i do now, but i still feel like i can hopefully enjoy my hair in my 30s with a HT like i would have liked to in my 20s.

Also, don't forget that most men as they age seem to give up on themselves. Looking after yourself is a big thing imo, because you never know what curveball you'll get. There's guys in their 20s, 30s etc. that let themselves go, don't worry about their hair anymore during a long term relationship and at some point, if it fails and they have to start looking again in the singles market. Good luck when you put a load of weight on, lost a significant amount of hair and are older. 

Stay looking good guys! Whatever your age.

I agree I mean I will always care about hair. I mean if I am 90 in a rest home I doubt I’ll care but in my 40s I hope to be married so if it goes then I would be sad of course but not as sad as at 25 when I’m trying to find someone. Of course ideally I want the HT to last forever and my hair to not further recess and I know in person is the only way to gauge this but I just wondered if my back stays like this at let’s say 27(thinking I stay on fin and maybe incorporate oral minox) what there be enough hair based off the picture that even if i was to go bald I could still donate?

Hello. Thank you all. I agree and most ethical doctors(besides the ones who have no care and are not really certified) have told me to wait until 25 at least. I think like all of us have it sucks though because all my friends were blessed with amazing hairlines. I do of course plan to wait but I’d really like to have a good hairline in my 20s and then when I’m 30-40 maybe I’ll be married and I won’t be trying to keep up with peers. Idk just my thought. Either way I wear my hair like a fade on the sides and leave the top(because of the hairline) my hairline has always been jagged like this but started looking similar to this around 3 years ago and just has not changed a ton. I haven’t notice further recession on fin. Family history my mom’s dad went bald at 22. My dad has hair of wool almost and even in his mid 60s he only had recession around the hairline. My dad’s dad had probably Norwood 1 until his death in his 80s. There is a lot of variables at play and of course if I get my moms dad hair I will be bald in the next year, s my moms side has thin hair and dad has thick. Either way these are some photos. I definitely will bald further but the back and sides I have not noticed a ton of anything yet the hairline is the main worry. Again thank you all for responding I love this community!

8 minutes ago, NARMAK said:

You're at a young age and being Norwood 3 at 22 isn't looking good. If you got to maybe late 20s, early 30s and can show no further progression over that time, a reputable clinic may be willing to help with a HT. 

Restorative treatment is 100% what you should focus on right now to halt the progression if possible and regain what you can. 

Mainly stay in fin will it keep it the same?

Ya any sides? Internal or externally like hair on face, acne/oily skin, dryness?