imissthebarber

Bill - can you clarify "week 5 and 6 were the worst for shock loss"? Does this mean that the most amount of hairs fell out in weeks 5 and 6 and then it was stable for several weeks before it grew back, or, was there a noticeable improvement from week 7? Thanks

I would suggest studying a lot of old family photos if possible. A lot of my relatives reached nw6 around 30 but none really went on to a nw7. It isn't a perfect guide but as the doc suggests it may help to guide reasonable expectations you could have for the future.

I agree that it usually takes longer than people expect. There are a lot of variables. The main risks are I guess 1) the scar is visible 2) swelling 3) redness in recipient zone 4) redness in the donor zone 5) shock loss in the recipient zone 6) shock loss in the donor zone 7) length of transplanted hair is shorter than other hair when it does start to grow Swelling should go in a few days so no need to worry about the 2 months. For a nw 6 I would suggest that you grow the hair as long as possible in the donor area. This should mitigate risks 1, 4 and 6. Again no offence but it doesn't sound like 5 applies to you. So 3 and 7 are the main ones to think about in your case. 3 - there will be redness, it might be slightly noticeable, more likely to be noticeable if you have fair skin. It could be explained as an irritation, sunburn etc. On it's own no-one will think it is that weird once the first few days mean the worst is past. 7 - once the transplanted hair starts to grow three-five months post-op you could shave to a 4 or so all over, then within a few weeks you could have a fairly even hair length. Some guys find the transplanted hair that starts to grow is colourless at first so this could also help as it will only show colour when it already has some length. I guess a lot of your question about recovery is not to do with the final outcome but when you can be seen again in public. In addition to the factors above and your nw level this is also a matter of personal preference and comfort.

Or wait until day 6 or 7 as the swelling should be over by then and the grafts may be a little more settled.

One obvious piece of advice that you will see lots of times is <span class="ev_code_BLUE">Do your research thoroughly</span> before making any final decisions. Ask as many questions as you want on the forums and to the clinics / docs if you decide to go for a HT. It can help to be a little more specific with the questions you ask as advice is usually relevant to your personal situation.

Very amusing - worked fine with Firefox as recommended.

Congratulations, it seems like you have really found your calling in life! I heard that defined once as the place where your deep happiness and the world's deep pain meet. Whilst baldness is not the worst thing that could happen to someone, we all know how it can effect people, and the work you do has been really valuable to lots of people.

What about other sports like soccer or snowboarding where there is not the constant pressure like with weights but there could be sudden movements or collisions?

Guys it is interesting to compare top picks for docs, but for any newbies out there, bear in mind that each person making a list has their own priorities, their own degree of current hair loss and each doctor has a slightly different philosophy. The trade-offs in a HT you need to think about include: 1) coverage vs density 2) short term result vs. long-term situation (which could include further hair loss). Do you want to cover areas such as the temples and a lower front hairline which might look good but leave less hair to cover further loss further back. Top Docs are aware of these but each has a subtly different approach to these and related questions. I believe it is important to understand what a doctor is reknowned for in terms of what you are looking for. Don't just accept that because someone says Dr X is Number 1 that he is the best in all situations. If you want naturalness is he reknowned for naturalness. All the top docs will take all these points into consideration but may have different opinions about the best way of tackling them. I hope this helps.

Other research has suggested that although it lowers the risk of prostate cancer, people who do use it and still get prostate cancer may get a more aggressive form. This is a controversial topic so there are opinions either way. On another note I have noticed quite a few guys saying that they used it for quite a while before they developed side effects. Others suggest it worked for a while but then hair loss returned. I think any HT strategy should therefore take into account that propecia may not be able to hold back further hair loss forever for the reasons mentioned above.

I'm no expert but I think when someone first starts taking fin it takes 6-8 weeks for the effectiveness to build up. From this I assume that there is a cumulative effect and each tablet has an ongoing effect. Missing them for a couple of weeks therefore could make the whole treatment slightly less effective for a couple of months or so. However, I don't think stopping for 2 weeks would wipe out all the intended effects. Again I'm no expert but some people have suggested that some in some cases unwanted side effects can dissappear after a while as your body finds a new chemical balance.

It seems to me like this is a personal decision where each person has to find what is right for them. If you tell people then the secret is out so I guess you should think about that first. I think there is a factor of timing as well. If you are pre-op or in the "ugly duckling" phase you may be less comfortable than when you start seeing good results. Some of the videos & comments I have seen where guys are happy for others to know seem like the best place to be. You are comfortable with what has happened and not afraid to show others that you are comfortable with it. On the other hand it is quite a personal thing so there is nothing wrong with not wanting every Tom, Dick and Harry knowing about it.

Yes I am definitely following this story as well, but 5 years is a number picked out of a hat, no-one really knows. All we can say is there do seem to have been some developments in the last few years. HealthyLiving - Baldness can come from either the father's or the mother's side of the family.

The episode sounded interesting. Does anyone know if there is a site where people not based in the US can see it online?

Have to say I agree with the guys who say that they are doing it too. Once or twice I've notice another guy see me looking at his receding hair then I felt bad because I don't like people doing it to me. But like everyone said I am not doing it to insult the guy just because I guess I think about it quite a bit. I disagree with people saying it is just other balding guys that eye drift. I can think of lots of women that have done it and made comments as well.

I have a HT booked in a couple of months time and I have been thinking quite a lot about this and how to explain to people I am not going to be around for a few weeks. Is there anyone who has been open about their HT and is glad that people know? I'm currently NW5 and I have a hard time thinking people won't notice, although like someone else said they may think it is due to meds?

Thinking about it I should have said my friend was not losing his hair which was pretty thick. The shampoo just made it appear thicker still.

I used Loreal Vive daily thickening shampoo at one stage. I had an amusing incident when a friend of mine borrowed it and it ended up looking like he had an afro when he didn't normally look that way. That was enough to convince me that it definitely did something!

Thanks for sharing your story, I really hope it works out well for you.

I've read lots of good things about H&W but what do people think of Dr Bernstein's point that doing so much in the first surgery limits future options? Also do people agree with his assessment that 6k is an average amount of donor availability?

I have a question relating to shock loss and overlapping the transplant zone with existing hair. Is it a good idea to have a HT overlapping with existing hair a little so if there is further MPB it won't immediately be obvious that there is an area missing hair between the transplant and the remaining non-transplanted hair? I am particularly thinking of the region going back in a straight line from the temples. So far I have heard different opinions about this. One was that it is not a good idea because it might cause shock loss.