Robert_

C.L., I have been advising against ordering from online pharmacies for a couple of years now. Not becuase I think that all or even most are bad, but because I know that some are. Search Google News for instances of confiscated counterfeit prescription drugs that are being seized by U.S. and other countries' customs officials and you will quickly see why I am so hesitant. The criminals that run online prescription drug scams are not low rent crooks that are packaging blatantly obvious aspirin. They are sophisticated criminals that are able to duplicate packaging, labeling, and pill architecture. So the end user is ultimately completely unable to determine if the drugs they are recieving are legitimate or not. Propecia isn't really cheap at around $50 a month, but what is more expensive: $50 a month and knowing that the medication you recieve from your pharmacy is real or $25 a month and ingesting a medication that can be fake or even dangerous. Additionally, you can obtain a prescription for Proscar from physicians that realize that cutting these 5mg finasteride pills into quarters and taking one quarter a day is a viable alternative to taking a 1mg of finasteride Propecia pill per day, possibly saving you around $20 to $25 a month. Check out the article " Save money on your Propecia " that explains Proscar in more depth. My advice would be to talk to your doctor to get a prescription to Proscar or Propecia to be on the safe side. -Robert

Pat, is this your new bumper sticker? Close, Bushy. But I think Pat is carrying this message a little "closer to heart." Hense the new tattoo: Pat, Great write up. I'm always super interested in the discussions that go on at these ISHRS meetings. I am ecstatic that physicians continue to actively discuss and debate the finer points in hair restoration surgery. Though the industry is far from perfect, it's great to know that the pioneers and frontrunners such as Dr. Cooley , Dr. Shapiro , and Dr. Wong continue to strive to perfect their craft for the patient's benefit. -Robert

western_star, Welcome back to the forums, man! Where ya been? Long time, no see! Did you ever go for a consultation before? I remember seeing your pics but I can't recall what your donor area looked like. I also can't seem to find them on the forums. Did you take them down or am I just getting rusty at searching the forums? As a NW6, you've been here long enough to know that your expectations are going to have to be reasonable. However, with the right physician and the right plan, you may be able to accomplish what you want. You don't need me to tell you that you won't have a huge helmet of hair again, but you can get coverage that looks flattering and natural. Additionally, some physicians such as Dr. Konior have concentrated their artistry on performing hair restoration procedures that enable patients to have a surgically restored hairline with an accompanying hair piece behind it. This method has a two-fold benefit: a full head of hair with a completely natural hair line. As you may know, the hairline is where hair pieces are most detectable. Check out this thread: Placing grafts in front of a hair system This may be an option to consider if you really do want a larger amount of coverage. Of course, wearing a hair piece may open up another can of worms for you in terms of maintenance, increased costs, etc. -Robert

There is strong evidence that shows that when a patient first begins taking finasteride (the active ingredient in both Propecia and Proscar) doses as low as .1 mg can be as effective as 1 mg. Of course, as the body becomes acclimated to the medication, the dose must be increased incrementally. Dr. Cooley is right on with his recommendation for new Propecia users. -Robert

mm, You can email the pics to me at help@hairtransplantnetwork.com and I will post them for you in a photo album, properly sized. Or I just edit them down to a proper size and email them back to you along with instructions on how to post them. Let me know your preference. -Robert

Girls, girls! That's enough, now. Now go ahead and give each other a hug. Seriously, though, we're all sitting around talking about a cream in a tube. I'm going to give it the 6 month challenge starting December 1st and give a fair write up about it at the end of May. I'm horrible about remembering to take photos and I seriously doubt that I will have any kind of significant growth from the CP but I'll try to keep a photo log too. Fair 'nuff? -Robert

Mark, At almost two months post-op, your risks of any kind of infection are slim-to-none. Your recipient area has healed and should look almost exactly as it did pre-op. I wouldn't worry too much about that. As far as more studies, there just aren't any. Studies take lots of money to set up and perform and since it doesn't look like anyone is researching CP hardcore right now or seeking FDA approval anymore, the research may have been abandoned. Much of the financial backing and excitement that previously surrounded treatments like CP has gone to hair cell culturing research these days, it seems. I will keep my eye out for more studies, etc. for copper peptides but at $36 for a three month supply I dont need much arm-twisting. It either does something for me within 6 months or I drop it. No biggie. -Robert

whynot, I have seen both Dr. True and Dr. Dorin perform surgery. I feel that Dr. Dorin is an exceptional physician and I would have no trouble with having a procedure performed by him. But Bill is correct. This is your head and your decision. We can only help you make a good decision, not make it for you. To tell you the truth, when you are selecting between physicians like Dr. True and Dr. Dorin and others that Bill listed you are selecting between "excellent" and "excellent." You are basically deciding between a Dodge Viper and a Corvette. Here are a few examples of Dr. Dorin's patient photo albums I posted a while back. The first of which I was actually there for and witnessed: Northern's Procedure with Dr. True and Dr. Dorin 9 Month Progression of 2,048 FUT by Dr. Robert Dorin Pictures of 943 FUT performed on a female patient by Dr. Robert Dorin 1,525 FUT performed by Dr. Robert Dorin 10 days post-op 12 Day update* Photos of 3,974 FUT by True & Dorin Medical Group in NY Hope this helps. Good luck with your decision! -Robert

Now that's just crazy talk. We can't be allowing that kind of attitude here, ya know. Sincerely, One of the "smug b****rds with hair lording it over the balding noobs" Ok, in all seriousness I did some digging around in the whole copper peptides thing and I wrote up a blog post on the Hair Loss Q & A Blog. I didn't get too much into the studies and such because I keep the blog pretty "layman-esque" as much as possible. However, in my digging around it really looks like the science is there. As pretty much all of us seemed to agree, it appears that copper peptides, when applied in a strong enough concentration, can be a vialbe addition to a hair loss regimen. I'm ordering some Folligen cream and lotion. The cream is supposedly great for the hair line and thinner spots. The lotion is for thicker areas. I guess I'll be using it at the crown. -Robert

Well, I just gotta add my two cents into the discussion. I want to point out that even though I started losing my hair very young, have been through two hair restoration procedures, and have been involved with these forums and the Hair Transplant Network for the past two years, I am absolutely horrible at spotting hair pieces. It just isn't on my mind, I guess. For instance, the last time I "noticed" that a guy was wearing one, it was actually pointed out to me by a young lady I was with. I had been talking to the guy for well over ten minutes and then walked away to grab a drink when she yanked my shirt and asked me about it. She said that his hair looked "kind of funny" and that she thought it may be a "wig." I just kind of looked over at him casually and noticed that, yeah, it looked bad. Very bad. The thing is, I hadn't even noticed it before. And I like to think that I am a pretty observant guy. I guess my point is that 99.99% of the population is like me: they aren't going to give it a second thought unless there is a blatant reason to. If the piece is horrible, like this guy's was, then of course someone should pull him to the side. But if it looks like Jerry's (which, in my opinion, looks great) and the change from natural to wearing the piece wasn't so abrupt that young children would know, then I don't see the problem. Surgery isn't for everyone. And a piece can be a fine alternative for those that have been the victim of botched hair plug and hair flap surgeries. I guess it's all relative. I mean, there are people on forums that swear that they can spot a hair transplant on anyone. But I challenge those guys to spot me in a room. Because it's not happening. I know that my results look great and completely natural. And you know what? Even if I was spotted by some "hair geek" in the corner that could somehow tell I had a transplant done, I would be fine with that, because the odds are overwhelming that he would be a hair loss sufferer himself and would never call me out on it. If anything, he'd probably just pull me to the side and ask who my doctor was. So I guess I can see both sides of the issue. If a piece looks awful, then I do think that someone should alert the wearer to that fact. Gently, of course. However, if someone really has to look for a flaw, then I say let it ride. Jerry, I welcome you to the forums and once again I want to reitterate that it looks great and natural to this untrained eye. Wear it well, my friend. -Robert

I'm not surprised that soy products that contain genistein can reduce the conversion of testosterone to DHT, especially since recent studies have proven that soy products can actually lower testosterone overall in men. While I don't like the idea of lowering my testosterone by eating soy, or eating soy products at all, for that matter (personal preference, of course) I can see the appeal. However, I would agree with Bill and suggest that you supplement your DHT-inhibitors with soy, not replace them. -Robert

Well, in reality it was a Hummer H1 that was rigged with steel-plated heavy munitions armor that was wearing a Cavalier as a hood ornament. Yeah, that's it. And it was going a good 60 m...er, I mean 80 miles an hour when it hit me. No biggie. -Robert

Mark, Click on the "Go" button located near the top left of your screen. It has a little compass beside it. After you click on "Go," mouse over "Personal zone and click on "Profile" in the little menu that appears. Now click on "View/Edit Complete Profile" located over on the right. Scroll down to "Avatar/Picture URL" and click on "Edit" You can use one of the supplied avatars or upload your own from a URL or from your computer, as long as it is no larger than 60x60 pixels. -Robert

It's true that applying the minoxidil after a shower will grant better absorption because the pores are more open. However, since minoxidil can cause rapid heart beat and similar symptoms I don't think the makers of Rogaine will advocate any quicker delivery due to the potential danger to sensitive users. However, if you don't have a problem I say go for it. I do it myself. I always wondered why Rogaine stopped putting the sprayers in the boxes. They only work if you have very little hair at the application spot. Otherwise, you just give your hair a minoxidil shower. I also recommend the minoxidil applicator that I have been using for 2 years now. You can check it out in this thread. I also wrote up a blog post on the applicator on the Hair Loss Q & A blog. -Robert -Robert

Great name. I was also Cooleyfied, alsocooleyfied. I, too, experienced a faster rate of growth on one temple than the other initially. It will all even out. Happy growing! -Robert

This is exactly right. That's why so many people on hair loss forums give Propecia a bad rap. Because the first place people run when they have a problem is the forums. That's not a bad thing at all, but it does offer a skewed perception at times. Generally, if everything is going well, a person doesn't think to post about it. BTW, I'm a young guy (28) and I have been on Avodart for 2 years now with no such side effects. Avodart inhibits both types of DHT, while Propecia only inhibits type II. -Robert

birixote, Welcome to the forums. Sexual side effects are NOT common with the use of minoxidil (Rogaine) and are not even listed in the side effects portion of literature that accompanies Rogaine Extra Strength Formula, Rogaine Regular Strength Formula, or Rogaine Foam that I know of. Rogaine can cause a rapid heartbeat, which is the closest side effect that I can guess would give you that sort of problem. If you really suspect the Rogaine, why not give your doc a call? Couldn't hurt. From Rogaine's website: Stop use and ask a doctor if * chest pain, rapid heartbeat, faintness, or dizziness occurs * sudden, unexplained weight gain occurs * your hands or feet swell * scalp irritation or redness occurs * unwanted facial hair growth occurs * you do not see hair regrowth in 4 months -Robert

I began losing my hair at 18. By the time I was 21 I was much worse than you. Muuuch worse. Dr. Cooley performed both of my procedures. I trust his assessment because I have no doubt about his ethics. I know that he isn't quoting a number just to "get you in the chair." I have no doubt that if you went in for a face-to-face consultation that he and Ailene will offer you similar alternatives and not push surgery on you. I know what its like to be young losing hair. It sucks. But there are other options. Have you been applying minoxidil to the hairline twice a day? While it won't perform miracles, it may help. I won't promise that it will regrow any hair but it may stave off future loss. And maybe "bic"ing the area isn't for you. What about a very close buzz? You may be surprised at how well that camoflages a thinning area. Oh, and trust me, you are the one that notices your hair loss 100 times as much as anyone else. Even if an acquaintence mentions it, odds are they have forgotten all about within 10 minutes. You carry it with you because, as it is with all of us, it's a sore subject for you. If you really, really, really are going to go through with it, please go to Dr. Cooley for a face-to-face consultation. Dr. Blaine Lehr has a great reputation and I have no reason to believe that he would shoot you wrong, but I would put my trust into Dr. Cooley any day of the week. We're here to help. -Robert

The reason that the hair never returned after you buzzed your hair is because those hairs were already in their telogen stage. Which means that they were bound to jump ship very soon anyway. You just hastened the process by buzzing them down. Why do you only have less than a month? Who are the physicians you are consulting with? If you go toa well-renowned physician that turns you away, would you just "doctor shop" until you found one that would operate on you, no matter what the consequence? Like I said before, I don't think that 21 is always too young. However, if you can posibly wait then do it. Believe me, I'm not telling you this to be mean. I'm telling you this because it's a huge decision that you really have to weight the pros and cons on. And no offense, but I am not so sure you even know what the full extent of those cons are. Let us know who the physicians are that you are considering and let us hlep you make a decision on a physician that will definitely look out for your best interests no matter what. -Robert

Well, while I am the last person to advocate surgery, I don't think that 21 is too young in every case. However, in your case I think you would be much better served by shaving your head and applying minoxidil to the area twice a day for the next year or so. Yeah, I know it's not what you want to hear; you want hair. We all do. But what other forum posters and I am trying to do is make sure you look before you leap. While there are thousands of possible complications for caucasion hair restoration surgery patients, there are a few more for darker skinned patients. First, as B SPot pointed out, black patients are much more susceptible to keloid scarring. This requires an extra step of planning. Most physicians I have talked to about this say that they prefer to test the skin of the patient for keloid scarring before going forth with a full-blown procedure. This is done by transplanting just a few hairs into a small, relatively unnoticeable area. If keloid scars form, they will know the patient is not a candidate for surgery. Additionally, black patient's hair has to be inserted in a different way than that of caucasions'. This isn't a detriment, though. Just make sure the physician you are considering is familiar with this method of placement by asking for references and to see pictures of as many black patients that they have operated on as possible. I know that you know you can shave your head and pull it off, but I want to stress to you how much of an expense and long road you will be saving yourself if you go that route now, apply minoxidil (a growth stimulator) to the area twice a day, and stay on the Propecia. Do this for a year diligently (keyword: diligently) and assess where it gets you. After that, if you are still serious about trying a surgical option you can go forth in your research. I'm only a couple of years older than you and I had every one tell me that I was too young too. So I know how you feel. It's not that we're shunning you, but if there are easier, less invasive methods that will possibly work, you want to utilize them first. In spite of what some make it look like, surgery is not the easiest way to go about this. -Robert

The Dr. Shapiro located in Florida is Dr. Lawrence Shapiro. He has not been invited to join the Coalition and is not a recommended physician. -Robert

Guys, I know I'm guilty of hikacking this thread too but let's get whynot's thread back on track and divert the CP talk down to this thread below. Thanks, -Robert

This is true. However, this is where it gets complicated: is the absorption rate of CP with the delivery mechanisms used allowing it to penetrate at a quicker rate? Hmm...looks like I'm going to have to do some research. -Robert

Yeah, man. Got hit by a car crossing the street a few weeks ago. It was actually a hit and run. Noone even thought to get the tag off the car. I came out ok, though. Just a broken wrist and a mild concussion. It was only a Cavalier. I guess I'm lucky it wasn't something bigger. I was laid up for a few days but I'm back in business now; good as new. -Robert

Mark, I agree that the exposure that is granted from a shampoo and conditioner is not going to be ideal - that's why I ditched them so quickly too. I think that the cream or the spray would be the way to go. I also question the concentrations and purity of something made available to consumers as opposed to the CP that was utilized in studies. As a result of all this talk, I may go ahead and give it another try. Nothing to lose, right? -Robert