youngsuccess

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know exactly why Avodart was not granted FDA approval or if it will ever be reviewed for approval again?

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know exactly why Avodart was not granted FDA approval or if it will ever be reviewed for approval again?

"I discussed this with Dr. Wong in the morning[this was slightly different from what I had discussed with him the day before], and he had no problem adjusting to my new request". I remember that the thing I was most nervous about on the morning of my ht was agreement upon the placement of the hairline: I was worried that my doctor would'nt recreate the exact outline that we had previously drawn. Funny to think that I wasn't really concerned about the potential pain involved or anthing like that (good thing there wasn't any though!). Once it was drawn on, I was relieved and went through the rest of the procedure relaxed. Glad to hear that you took the initiative and communicated exactly what you wanted to him.

venkat_1980, I can see the thinning, but if you begin taking finasteride immediatedly like everyone suggested, you can probably expect to maintain what you have there now (which compared to some people is a lot!) I hope you don't mind me doing this, but I would like to ask everyone here a question regarding your loss and hair transplantation: since venkat still has some hair all over his head, will finasteride prevent the native hair from being damaged if the procedure is done? I have heard so many different things about shockloss and about what factors determine whether it's permanent or. If the patient is on finasteride and in the hands of a competant surgeon, shockloss of the native hair usually is not permanent right? I know that all of my sparse hairs, even the very soft ones remained in my hairline after it was restored and were never even temporarily shocked out. Why exactly do some people experience permanent shockloss?

Whoa looks awesome. The hairline especially is placed perfectly: it doesn't even look like a maturing hairline at all. Is this how your hair looked before you started thinning? It must be an exact replica. Amazing.

I started shedding the transplanted hairs at 16 days, but managed to hang on to maybe 25-30% in total. The funny thing was that at 14 days, the scabs were resting on top of the hairs. They were no longer attached to the scalp, but I was so nervous about dislodging the grafts and so gentle with maintenance that the scabs eventually were just hanging on to the tips of the hairs and I couldn't bring myself to slide them off. Two weeks after the procedure, I finally got a little rougher with massaging the grafts with shampoo to get the scabs off, and a few days after that I noticed some of the hairs finally coming off. I remember freaking out during the first week because at the time I had read on a few generic, anonymous hair transplant info websites that all scabs, pinkness, and transplanted hairs should be gone 3-4 days after the procedure. What a bunch of b.s. I could have saved myself from a few panic attacks had I come here back then, although in retrospect I don't see why retaining all the hairs two weeks later scared me since common logic suggests that they were not damaged in that case.

Oh yeah the 90210 guy. It looks like he might have...wonder why he didn't consider the temples.

Thanks- I have read a million articles on the maturation process, but its always good to hear it straight from the horse's mouth (i.e., someone who has gone through it)

Holy crap I thought I was the youngest (I don't feel so weird now)! Congrats man, but definitely listen to these guys.

Mrjb and rp1979: Thanks for the info on finasteride and dutasteride (hopefully I will never have to switch to dutasteride). Bill how long have you been taking finasteride and what do you think about its working expectancy? (didn't know how to word that better)

Mrjb, I've been on Propecia for a year and a half, and if I was in fact destined to thin any more, it definitely prevented it from happening so far. It's encouraging to hear that you've been on it 7 years and it reamains just as effective. Is it true that some people may become acclimated to its effects after several years, or is that mainly just one of the "negative guy's" scare tactics?(just like how the talk of side effects scared the shi! out of me until I began taking it and had absolutely none)

Thanks for the comments guys. Hairbank and Bill: Thanks and I'm not offended by the comments; I basically felt compelled to put that defensive album intro up there just so people don' think, "He is a moron and has not considered the future at all". I was prescribed finasteride after showing the matured hairline to a dermatologist and expressing my concern and wish to prevent it from continuing as a precautionary measure, even though baldness is not in my family. Finasteride is less effective in treating the hairline, I know, but I wasn't assuming it would grow it back. I'm thinking that since the rest of my hair is not thinning, and I started Propecia before it started if it was going to, the chances of it preventing more thinning in the front are good, if in fact future hairloss is in store for me at all. After the procedure, the sparse hairs originally in and above the hairline remained (they were'nt even temporarily shocked out). To me it suggests that, at least for a while, they are not predestined to fall out. I could be wrong, but I'll throw out a worst case scenario to argue ("worst" in this case not being scarring or cobblestoning and things of that nature since there is none): 7 years from now I become acclimated to finasteride, and start thinning all around (I don't think that in any way I am destined for complete shiny baldness). I decide to just shave (buzz down) my head. There are 600 hairs in the hairline; when I look at it, I can picture shaving it down and it looking fine, since some men naturally retain a little of the hairline but bald in other places. In picture 4, it may look really dark and sharp, but consider the lighting and the faint pinkness which appears differently on a picture- up close they are close enough to create a soft hairline but are spaced far apart enough that shaving it would look natural. If it had been 3000 grafts there, it might be a different story. Plus, even though we all know the deal with assuming and being an ass, I really don't think it is super wild speculation to think that there will be advancements in the not too distant future, even just with the medications, if in fact I decide to break my family's genetic code and become Mr. Clean. I know crazy talk surfaces on hairloss forums once in a while about "future" treatments which will be approved in like a month, but there is enough solid evidence that at least the research has begun on a lot of new treatment options- cosidering the size of this industry and the amount of people out there who want their hair, I think good things are in store for all of us if the natural hair gods try to screw us again! Anyway, I am pleasantly surpised to see this much progress by 5 months. The only thing I notice that I think could be improved is that since the hairs haven't matured, some are indeed very thin and white, and others are thick and darker. Does the maturation process involve just thickening the baby hairs, and therefore making the area look consistent with the darker ones, or does "maturation" also mean that the more coarse hairs will begin to look a little softer to match the baby hairs?

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vinz, I will get some pics here later tonight if I can, but my story and pics are here if you want to read it: http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/showthread.php?t=154978 My dononr scar at 5 months out is entirely undetectable. I did not have to shave any of my head for the procedure, but the area that was being worked on was bare except for some sparse hair (which is still there anyway). Some docs seem to prefer to shave the area; others do not; it all depends.

Hey vinz, I can appreciate your feelings, as I am 24 and had an ht done to restore my hairline 5 months ago. There are many factors to consider before taking this plunge at our age: family history of baldness (genetic predisposition); response to finasteride; degree of hair loss; amount of donor hair, etc. Why did you initially stop Propecia? It sounds like you responded well to it. It would also help if you posted some pics showing the current state of your hair. I personally feel that I am at a low risk of experiencing significant further loss, but I took a big risk. At 5 months, it looks really good though, and I feel really good about my decision. As far as Dr. Karamikian goes, I googled him and found mixed reactions. It doesn't neccasarily mean that he does poor work, but most of the people here will recommend seeing a coalition doc. I admit that I did not do this; however, my doc is part of the ISHR, and I felt very comfortable with him. But again, there are a $^$*#&load of docs who are affiliated with the ISHR, so that alone doesn't indicate much about doctors' cred. Even though I think my results are awesome, the work I had done was minimal; so to be honest, after signing up to this forum and gaining more knowledge, I probably would choose a coalition doc in the future just to be safe if I had to have another down the road. I'm sure others will chime in and give you more advice. Good luck!

hairdini, Your concerns are rational and entirely normal; in fact, if you were'nt experiencing this kind of apprehension, you probably wouldn't be a human being. I would bet that every single person to ever undergo a hair transplant felt the same way that you are feeling right now at some point. The actual procedure is the easy part; it's all the waiting and second guessing that really tests you. I'm 5 months out from a relatively small procedure involving 600 grafts to the hairline, and it was still a big deal emotionally for me (the results are looking really good though). You might want to post some pics of your hair for the veterans on this board, and then maybe they could provide some insight on the number of grafts you may need and whatnot. The only thing I can personally recommend that might ease your anxiety somewhat is Propecia (finasteride): if you're on it, good; if not, look into it because it could save the hair you have now and possibly arrest any further loss (it is especially important to get on it before a ht). You've stated that you are uncomfortable with your hairloss, but feel that it is minimal- finasteride may be the solution. If you are already on it though and still seek improvement, an ht could be the answer, but a little soul searching is part of the process. Good luck!

You might just try sifting through the threads on this forum to find posts dealing with hts on black men (I think I have seen a few). The authenticity of a lot of the pictures floating around online are often questionable, so your best bet is probably to locate some real patients through the forums here or see some from the doctors you meet with. But I have read that natural results aren't as difficult to achieve in black men due to a smaller contrast between skin pigmentation and hair color, whereas caucasian or asian men with dark hair and light skin tend to pose more challenges, especially with the hairline. So you're probably starting off with one advantage already. You can locate credible surgeons using this site as well; here is the link to the doctor I found in Atlanta: http://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/Consult-a-Physician/doctors.asp?DrID=39 Hope that helps a little.

Glad to see I'm not the only one. Mrjb and Hairbank: thanks for the advice, and I will try to be more patient. Glock08: Your six month pic looks good. I can relate about wanting it to thicken up though. Definately looks natural. Just think: a bald man would look at your hair now and say, "I wish I had that much hair." I guess we have to try to keep things in perspective! Thanks again for the empathy and comments!

Andy, Happy to give you some insight on my procedure, but just so nobody comes on here and starts yelling at me, I'll begin by stating that price range varies considerably depending on your doctor and the amount of work needed, so don't quote me on anyting My doctor starts at a base price of $3900 for smaller procedures, although he cut me a slight discount because mine involved only 600 grafts. Again, if I needed say 1500 grafts, still not a whopping number, it would have been more, probably $5000-$6000. Now, 600 grafts is relatively a small number, but for my area it was perfect. I posted the pics on a fairly recent thread in "experiences and surgeon reviews" entitled "new member: 4 1/2 months progress plus pics" (at 6 months I'll bother with the album thing). Seeking a youthful hairline is usually a controversial topic, but as you and I both have said, we feel we have a better chance of retaining most of our hair (you especially have a better reason for wanting the hairline refined now after the tattooing). I'll also mention that I have been on Propecia as a precautionary measure against future thinning and haven't experienced any side effects. Do try to get some pics up though if you are comfortable with that, because this is an interesting topic as it relates to ethical issues and hair restoration. Occasionally there are some bitter, negative posters around here, but I honestly believe that you and your case will gain the support it needs, by fellow patients and by doctors. P.S. About the price thing: it may cost you a little more, but you may want to look into some doctors who have expertise in hairline density, depending upon the appearence of the ink. Also, check out this link I found- talks about hair restoration over tattoos (guess you are not alone!) The doctor who posts on this q&a forum responds with two solutions, the second one relating to your case (first one is worse than yours, don't worry!) By the way, I am NOT recommending this doctor, just that the patient has a similar question. http://www.baldingblog.com/2005/05/17/removing-scalp-tattoo/

The reasonable, informed, and mature attitude to adopt following a hair transplant: "I'm not going to count on seeing anything by month 3; I'll wait until at least month 6 to expect any signs of growth or cosmetic improvement. I won't expect to see some miracle over a period of a few months." My problem is this: I've seen pretty good growth and I'm only at 4 3/4 months. But this makes you spoiled, and only more impatient. Seeing good growth early on made me think that by month 6 I'd be done. You will judge your early results more stringently. I've been thinking, "Well, I obviously see the growth, so I must be done", even though I know there is still more to come and the maturation process must begin to take its course. So just like you've heard of the "3 month doldrums" for late bloomers, we early sprouters experience the "5 month doldrums", a period in which we believe that we have stopped growing because we had it easy in the beginning and our perception of time has been thrown off. You will PMS during this period. Yesterday, I thought my hair looked good, and was nice to everyone. Today, I thought it didn't look thick enough, and was an asshole to everyone at work. The problem is this: it's come in enought to where I can go out, it looks pretty good and is undetectable. But having this kind of freedom may make you expect to see final results eveytime you look in the mirror, as you've gotten back to a normal life and routine. My conlusion: Sprouting early doesn't mean you'll be FINISHED any earlier than a late bloomer. We're all in it for the LONG HAUL.

The reasonable, informed, and mature attitude to adopt following a hair transplant: "I'm not going to count on seeing anything by month 3; I'll wait until at least month 6 to expect any signs of growth or cosmetic improvement. I won't expect to see some miracle over a period of a few months." My problem is this: I've seen pretty good growth and I'm only at 4 3/4 months. But this makes you spoiled, and only more impatient. Seeing good growth early on made me think that by month 6 I'd be done. You will judge your early results more stringently. I've been thinking, "Well, I obviously see the growth, so I must be done", even though I know there is still more to come and the maturation process must begin to take its course. So just like you've heard of the "3 month doldrums" for late bloomers, we early sprouters experience the "5 month doldrums", a period in which we believe that we have stopped growing because we had it easy in the beginning and our perception of time has been thrown off. You will PMS during this period. Yesterday, I thought my hair looked good, and was nice to everyone. Today, I thought it didn't look thick enough, and was an asshole to everyone at work. The problem is this: it's come in enought to where I can go out, it looks pretty good and is undetectable. But having this kind of freedom may make you expect to see final results eveytime you look in the mirror, as you've gotten back to a normal life and routine. My conlusion: Sprouting early doesn't mean you'll be FINISHED any earlier than a late bloomer. We're all in it for the LONG HAUL.

andy31, I recently had my hairline lowered slightly and feel that I meet the criteria listed above by Bill to have had this done (without genetic risk of severe loss ocurring in other areas). I have quite a few tattoos myself, and always have been interested in the artform. I have heard of women having eyeliner and other makeup being permanently tattoed, and I once wondered if what you had done was possible. I guess it is, but sorry to hear about your unfortunate results. If it turns out the ink is too dark and concentrated for new hairs alone to cover it sufficiently, I wonder if you could first have the tattoos removed without leaving behind severe enough scar tissue to complicate a transplant. Definitley consult some docs first though like Bill suggested. I know that extra care and effort goes into repair work, and although this case doesn't technically fall under the conventional definition of "repair work" for hts, I would think and hope something can be done to correct this.

Hey SandyG, Are you saying that you believe that you have inherited genetic hairloss, or do you feel that your hair has just always been a little thin? When you say that you think it runs in your family (female hairloss), do you mean actual marked thinning/balding or just hair that you perceive to be a little thin by nature? In the latter case, Youngguy might be right in that you may be able to get the results in just one smaller session if actual thinning is not the problem and future loss is not in store for you. I can see what you mean in the picture, but rest assured you do not look like a woman losing her hair, maybe just one who doesn't have uber-thick hair in the front. Not to tell you that you can't have your reasons for wanting it thicker there, but definitely don't worry about looking like a woman with overall thinning hair. The orientation of the hairs on an individual's head also affects how it looks under certain lighting conditions, and I've noticed that digital cameras for some reason (perhaps the intense flash) make most people's hair appear a little thinner than it is. A doctor should be able to assess the situation for you, and determine whether or not you actually have lost hair vs. your hair naturally being a little thin in the front. But this is a not so uncommon procedure for women to have nowadays, and it acually seems like you guys have better results than the men, as I don't recall seeing too many shabby women's hair transplant pics vs. a ton of casualties on our end (although I'm very happy with my results!) And yes, hair can be successfully planted in the front and hairline (that's where mine was done), and doctors actually seem less hesitant to restore this area for women as most women are expected to maintain their hairline througout their lives. The basic argument for men conservatively approaching the hairline is that it is assumed that we will experience future loss, thus creating an unatural appearance if the hairline is placed too low, with dense coverage in the front and thinning continuing in other areas. But I don't see why that would be a concern with women, unless again it is patterned hair LOSS and not just naturally thinner in one area. And with any doctor, even if it's just a dermatologist to start, make sure he/she has top experience. My dermatologist was shady and a dick, yet my ht surgeon was extremely friendly, honest, warm, and confident, with the resume to back it. Good Luck!

Damn man, look at this one. This is with his hair slicked back, really exposing the sides. Compare this one with the good look above it- goes to show you what cool styling can do. P.S. Not some Jude Law fanboy; just always thought he was a good exaple of a guy with cool hair that isn't conventionally appealing as far as hairlines go.

Cool hair style, using hair from the sides to sylishly, not "comb-overy" cover the area above the temples. There's a million different variations of this look, from Jude Law to Johnny Rotten back in the late 70s (although I doubt he did it to hide temples). English dudes introduce the world to some pretty cool hairstyles.