misc1729

I took photos with moderate direct light, but if it’s harsher my crown and right temple are quite see-through. I also can’t tell how much thinning my midscalp has… I haven’t grown my hair longer than this in years so it’s hard to ballpark. I only grew my hair out for a few weeks to get an estimate from some clinics. Maybe I’ll try to let it grow a bit more despite my urge to shave it back down again lol

I’d like to get a transplant to restore my temples and thicken my crown. I’ve been quoted around 3k grafts, and neither surgeon seems concerned about my donor, but obviously they’d like a paying customer. I’m a bit worried if my donor is thinning/suitable for a transplant. This is about 2-3 weeks of growth from a shave. I’m 28 and have been on fin and min for ~6 years. I’ve maybe lost a little bit more hair but have mostly been stable since then.

Yes, unfortunately recipient sites influence hair survival. The degree seems to significantly vary between people. A lot of hair transplant doctors claim 100% donor dominance to sell more procedures, but that isn’t that case. Donor hair can thin with age, but that’s not what is causing significant loss only a year after surgery

Interesting. So many hair clinics claim 100% donor dominance (transplanted hair has the characteristics of the donor area), but I don’t think that’s necessarily true. There are a couple studies and some anecdotal cases like yours where recipient site characteristics have an influence. It seems like how big that influence is depends on the patient

Manutd, how long did your HT last before it started notably thinning? Was it good for awhile then suddenly start to diminish, or was it a pretty immediate process?

@Rahal Hair Transplant Thanks for the feedback. I am 28. I’ve been on finasteride and minoxidil for about 6 years now. Medication has slowed my hairloss down pretty significantly, but not completely halted it. When I started medication at 22, my hair had a similar pattern, though was a bit thicker on the crown/midscalp. I would guess my hairloss would be quite advanced by now otherwise.

I sent these photos to a couple surgeons (actually it looks like one was the doctor who did your transplant) and they didn’t mention anything about my donor area. But you’re probably right… a local consult where they can look closely would be a good idea. Unfortunately the biggest clinic near me is a place with some questionable reviews, so I’m not sure how honestly they’d answer my concerns vs trying to make a sale.

I’m leaning towards a hair transplant soon, but I’m slightly concerned about my donor quality since I can see some scalp in bright lighting. My hair is probably 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick at the moment

I don’t disagree - that study is imperfect. But there are other studies referenced in the video I posted that indicate donor dominance isn’t as iron-clad as we once thought

Yeah, I wish the study was slightly better designed or gave a bit more info. But from the couple of pictures they have (4 people if I remember correctly), a lot of the loss seemed to come from transplanted hairs

If you check out this study (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8061642/), a big portion of guys lost density, and finasteride wasn’t shown to have a statistically significant impact on keeping or losing those transplanted hairs. It’s counterintuitive to what I’ve always read, which is why I’m confused

I’m asking for more info because it isn’t clear. One study (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8061642/) referenced shows the majority of guys losing density after 4 years (not native hair and finasteride wasn’t significant for maintaining or losing transplanted hair), but I also see lots of guys saying they have had their transplant for a decade with no issues

I’m considering a hair transplant. I’m 28, about a NW3, have been on min and finasteride for 6 years which have seemingly stabilized my hair loss. Hair looks about the same now as it did at 22. Looking through the literature, it seems the common theory of “donor dominance,” meaning hair from the back of your head will remain DHT insensitive indefinitely, may not be totally true. There are studies and a handful of cases where transplanted hair thins and/or falls out (and these aren’t cases of native hair falling or hair taken from outside the safe zone). This video summarizes the concerns well: Yet there are also examples of people having no issues at all. Is there anyone here who has had their transplant 10+ years ago that can share how well it has held up?