imissthebarber

Thanks for your thoughts but can you tell us how long is your scar? Many scars now are around 30 cm or 12 inches so doing what you said there would still be 4 inch long scars on either side plus the 4 inches covered at the back. Still it could be an idea worth pursuing for some guys, especially those with shorter scars. If it works for you great!

First off I'm glad to hear that you're otherwise fully recovered. If you go for a strip surgery then the shortest you can hope for is 3/8 and in many cases it is much more than that. If you want to go ahead with transplants then FUE might be better BUT: IMO I think you should look into scar excision a bit more. The width of the scar on the top is much narrower than the strip that a surgeon would take out via the traditional strip method. If you have a transplant you asked Will it look weird? Think of an old guy totally bald except with hair in the places where you currently have the 2 scars. I would think it would look very weird. If that did happen you could laser the hairs to kill them off but that seems like a waste. As I said I think you should look into excision a bit more. Also once the scars are fully healed using scalp exercises could increase your laxity which would help with the excision process.

Over the next 5 weeks there should be some improvement even if you don't use any creams etc. I found aloe vera to be some help although I was never that bothered by the redness.

Michael - sorry to hear of your situation. I hope that you are otherwise fully recovered from your accident. Bear in mind that because you are so young any HT you opt to take must be done with the possibility of more common male pattern baldness effecting you as you get older. For example many people decide not to address the crown even if they get a HT to the front. However if your scars are in the crown (even partly) and you densely fill them now then if your crown thins out later it will look unnatural. All the best with whatever you decide.

I've been on propecia for around a year and just started rogaine recently. I know that it can take around 4 months to see effects from rogaine. However, I know that it works synergistically with propecia. So I was wondering whether it will be less than 4 months before I can hope to see any increased results from using both rather than just propecia?

propecia can cause regrowth in a significant number of cases, although it tends to be more effective in the crown area.

Thanks, yes that does make things clear. As you mentioned in your previous post I would also be interested to see a pic of Bill's scar or anyone else who has kept staples/sutures in for a longer period, say over 3 weeks.

First of all I'd like to say if I haven't already Bill that I really hope you find the best solution to this difficult situation. Best of luck buddy. Dr Simmons thanks for this information about the strength of the scar at different time horizons. Is this based on your personal experience with patients or on published research? I don't want to hijack Bill's thread but I think this interests a lot of guys. Judging from what you have said 3 weeks would be acceptable? How long do you normally advise your patients to leave staples/sutures in and what is the longest you would be willing for a patient to leave them?

Are there any downsides / risks to this? I know discomfort is one but I'm sure in a situation like this a few extra days discomfort for a better outcome would be preferable. Still I was wondering for example whether it can make shock loss worse or whether additional scar tissue would form around the staples/sutures which could create it's own problems? How long would you suggest? 4 weeks?

I can understand what you are saying that a shorter scar won't be as noticeable. I've seen guys with shorter scars buzzed down. However, I still assumed it was a transplant scar due to the exact placement in the donor area. Others might not assume this though. Even if they do I guess it isn't quite so in your face. If you are concerned about "passing off the scar" then why get one at all. If you are a NW5 now then the amount of time you can pull off different hairstyles with a few hundred extra grafts (over FUE) will be limited to non-existent IMO. Then you will have to pass off the scar for many years if you intend to buzz down. Just my opinion on first impression, others may disagree. Good luck whatever you decide.

Looking good Mike. I was just wondering whether you consulted with anyone before bleaching your hair? I understand having very low contrast between hair and skin colour makes any imperfections less noticeable. However, I was wondering whether the chemicals used to dye the hair could have a negative effect on weak hairs and could it lead to more hair loss?

I often only sign-in when I want to reply to a thread so oftentimes I would count as a guest not a member if I am just reading posts. Guessing maybe quite a few others do this too?

Congratulations!

Mate, this is a great post, thanks for sharing your experience and respect to you for what you've done.

I'm glad to hear it mate and I will look out for the other post. How did it go going back to work, did you tell people about the op? What kind of work environment are you in?

People have been saying 5 years for at least... 5 years now... Obviously this would solve most hair loss problems for people who could afford it but it would be most unwise to bank on an uncertain future outcome. If you look at pictures of the different levels of hair loss in the Norwood pattern you will see that hair loss follows identifiable patterns. If you put in strong temples then the hair behind the temples dissappears then it will not conform to any natural hair loss pattern and people will notice. This is especially likely to be a problem if you are not taking finasteride. The hairline is a little different as some men are naturally left with a tuft front and centre which is an island but you were asking about temples. I do hope you end up with a satisfactory situation but I just want to make sure you do not have unrealistic expectations as this is a recipe for disappointment.

Farjo is based in Manchester but does some consults in London. However, I do agree with the other guys that you have very extensive loss and limited donor hair which could itself thin out thus exposing the scar. IMO, if you are dead set on surgery, you might want to consider FUE so that you can still shave down short say a #2 or even a #1 but there will be the appearance of hair in the hairline. FUE is likely to yield less grafts and costs more but you are not left with the long strip scar which can be difficult to hide. Most people say it should be possible to hide but shaving to a #4 but there are plenty of guys who have to have their hair much longer than that to cover a scar that goes from ear to ear. I do empathise with your situation but overall I am not convinced that hair transplantation is for you, especially at the age you are at now with the significant loss you already have.

I saw an article recently saying that the 60's mop was back which is basically a comb forward type look. The article was trying to sell hair product but they suggested using mousse while the hair is wet then blow-drying. This is supposed to make it look natural but give better hold and volume. (I haven't tried it out yet but worth a try in your case I reckon.)

Slight temple recession might seem like a big deal to you at the moment but it is totally natural and there are plenty of guys on here who wish that was the worst hair problem they faced. If you go ahead with surgery then you will be tied in to needing more surgery as the hair loss continues and there may be phases where it looks unnatural (which is much worse than natural hair loss) as hair recedes behind the transplanted hair. It is a huge emotional (and financial) life-long committment if you do go ahead.

I think it is unlikely that she will be delighted with this aspect of it! Also if it is put back there could be a lot of explaining that needs to be done. If you are not happy talking to her about it then how will you explain it to friends and family. Obviously I am not saying you should rush into getting married but if a wedding date is put back people get curious/worried.

I agree, good luck. I found that using it in moderation is key, the temptation is to use to much.

I am a bit mystified by this, why not just thin the hair piece down, or get another, to match the sides that way? Having said that I guess it looks from the angles presented.

I found the dermatch to be very effective although it is obviously easier when your hair is slightly longer. btw I believe shockloss is most noticeable at 2 months so it might get worse before it gets better. Still if you let the hair grow around the scar that will help.

I agree. How old are you?

Aged 23 IMO it is a very bad idea to start addressing the crown. Since your hair loss has started so young it would be wiser (not easier) to wait and conserve grafts which could be better used in the hairline and frontal areas if (I almost said when) this becomes necessary. 1300 is not enough for a full crown. Even if it would be OK for the bald patch you have now there is no realistic likelihood that your hair loss has stabilised at 23.