richie48

Hi Chris , I'll try to update in the New Year , that will then be 12 months after HT2 . Jay , I've been asked this many times over the years , I cut 5mg Generic Finasteride into 6 pieces , it's alot easier than you may think , this gives me 0.8mgs daily . I do this for two reasons , I have steadily reduced my dosage without it effecting the quality of my hair and I'm tight with money and want the most I can for the least cost hahaha . Below is a link to a previous thread about the subject and a pic to show you how I do it . http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/166811-new-uk-member-hoping-help-advice.html

Hi I've been taking , firstly 1mg of Propecia , and now 0.8mg of generic Finasteride daily since June 2006 . I have had no negative side effects , I still think about sex all day every day , wake up with morning glory most days , still fancy my girlfriend after 8 years of being together , and due to wanting to start a family I have had my testosterone levels , thyroid gland and sperm checked for count , mobility and fertility enzimes three times in the last three years , all my tests came back normal and better than average , so no problems there . I have however noticed a marked reduction of thick dark hairs on the back of my hands and arms and the odd one which grew on my back , I started to notice these hairs in my mid 20s around the same time as my hairloss seemed to accelerate . While I have been taking Propecia and now Finasteride , not only have I noticed a reduction in these course hairs , I have also felt more calm and a more measured person , maybe this is also to do with simply growing up , I can't be sure , however I believe since taking Propecia and now Finasteride , I have retained and re-grown hair on my crown and mid scalp , had a definate reduction in dark , course back and arm hairs and have become a more thoughtful , measured person , my sperm has become more watery , but this has had no effect upon my fertility . I see these as positive effects , plus I have had two HTs over 5 years , so now I have a decent head of hair which I can grow , cut , style , colour , I no longer get any ,"your balding" comments . All this combined has left me knowing I made the right choices for me and has left me pretty happy . Thanks Richie . http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/167623-richie48-dr-feller-uk-patient-8-month-update-ht2-4200-grafts-total.html

And jo .... make sure you show him your strip scar , the scars are getting better and better from the top few world class clinics . 362guy , I hope you realise that one of the best HT clinics in the world has just personally invited you to go see them , mint ! Get yourself there asap ! richie

looking forward to a new update with pics if possible many thanks Richie

Hi In the past I have always tried to show my HTs in reality, scruffy , straight out of bed , no styling or styling product , but after having a look at some other results today , I have decided to follow suit and comb my hair , my hair is slighly mucky as I took these pics straight after comming home from the gym . Please note I have a double crown , which Dr Feller has recreated , my hair is combed to follow the natural "fall" of my hair , seperated at my double crown , all my pics are taken outside today and some have been left in there larger file size so you can really see what is happening up there . I have tried to copy the angle and orientation in the first front pic for a really good comparison and I have included several slightly different angles because we are all aware how this can show different levels of density . The difference from 2006 to 2012 is night and day ........... Meds since June 2006 , now take 0.8mgs of finasteride daily with zero side effects . 2100 crown grafts Nov 2007 2100 crown , mid scalp and temples Jan 2012 Richie

mint , thats a proper anchorman do........ try to stick a before pic on the same post , that way guys can see how far you've come hahaha great stuff well done richie

mate stop panicking , if some body gets within 20cms of your personal space then starts to probe your hair purposely looking for a scar in a swimming pool , then they may find it if your hair is wet and you hair is shorter than 8-9mm , but dude that is just not going to happen . I ask my girlfriend to sometimes look for my scar and she has trouble finding it , let alone a stranger , i have cut my own hair down to a grade 3 and still had to purposely look for the scar . after 6 months or so , depending on your body the redness goes , one the scar has gone white it really is hard to find , having shorter hair is actually more benificial due to the shorter hair being reluctant to part , having longer hair means you can part it and look for it easier . the scar is hard to find even with fingers running through it , all this however will be aided by the skill of your chosen surgeon , so always go with the best . stop panicking and find a way to meet a ht patient , then try to find his scar , good luck richie

Great write up bud ! Maybe use paragraphs next time though hahaha You're in the right hand and you will be fine , good luck and try to forget about it now , well atleast for the next 3 months , after that things start to turn around . Richie

Great transformation ! Glad to see you finally reching your goal after the poor work you recieved in the UK . Great stuff , well done Chris . Richie

Hahaha thanks for the nod guys Badbeat , what do you thinnk when you did eventually get the pics ? Richie

hi bud Those "spots" you are finding are from open pores , healing scar tissue and holes from the staples that fill with old dead flakes of skin and soap from baths , hair products , wax , gel etc , grease from your skin and other grose stuff , the body then treats it like a foriegn body , this can then become enflamed and can itch slightly . My girl has this habit of "picking" at them, sometimes she sqeezes them like a blackhead and a little bit of stuff comes out ,just like a blackhead , nothing to worry about and these "spots" clear up eventually . Your right where you should be and on the edge of a growth explosion , good luck Hope that helps bud Richie

Hi Most of you guys know me ,Richie , Dr Feller UK patient Meds since June 2006 ,currently on 0.8mgs of Finasteride daily . I was starting to become atleast a norwood 3 vertex heading towards a norwood 4 , my crown was begining to meet up with my temples and i was left with an island of hair at the front . 2100 crown grafts in Nov 2007 2100 crown , mid scalp and temple grafts Jan 2012 Below are pics taken in Feb 2006 , summer 2007 and Sept 2012 , Ive used different lighting and angles to show what can be achieved in reality with a long term approuch and a top surgeon .These recent pics where taken in a variety of lighting and angles and straight out of bed , no styling , no combing , no clay or wax etc . I don't use any thickening product , powders , etc , totally natural and out in the sunshine . Feb 2006 ,before meds and Hts and today Sept 2012 Summer 2007 and today Sept 2012 Richie

Mate forget ireland and the uk , bisanger is good , but if I was starting this from scratch again I would do the same thing as I did the first time . Contact Spex and speak to him , then get over to the US and see Dr Feller , I did twice and it was easy both times . Good luck richie

Like the guy above have stated , if it is shockloss it will grow back but you will look awful for atleast 4 months . This is know as the "ugly duckling phase" , the recipient area , donor area and strip scar will also stay sensertive for 6 months or more , it varies from person to person , try not to stress or focus on it too much . What does concern me is the UK clinic you went to , was it definatly Dr Shahmalak who performed the surgery or some other doctor working under his name ? If this is the case you may have had work done at whats know as a "hair mill" this is a francise , like mcdonalds , I haven't heard much about Dr Shahmalak and I wouldn't trust all that celebrity bull shit you've read in mags or seen online . I always try to tell newbies to research and see through this celebrity crap as they all do it for some kind of monetry gain and there testomonies should not be trusted . Please any newbies reading this make sure you research well and understand this surgery can be life changing for the worst if you make rash desisions . I've said it before and I will say again and again , after 7 years researching this shit and two HTs the best Drs at hts are in North America and Canada , followed by some great work comming from belgium in the last few years . As for your ht chrisjones , you will proberbly be fine , hair will grow in the recipient area ,but I feel they're better clinics out there with less risks . Good luck bud Richie

Get intouch with spex on this forum , he is the rep for Dr Feller He will help you bud Richie

Great result , he looks miles younger The guy must be over the moon with this , nice one richie

Hi bud You're young and have lost alot of hair , certainly from the crown , you seem to understand how this all works and have done some research . I agree with you that for now 12 months on finasteride /propecia will definatly be the way to go , minoxadil didn't seem to help me much and irritated my scalp so I gave up on the topical cream . I had a great result from just using finasteride to stablize and increase growth in the mid section and crown , I too started using 1.25mgs , now I cut 5mg finasteride into 6ths and only use 0.8mgs daily and have not seen any decrease in stablization of my hairloss . Hts are a very long term fix and should not be rushed into without a long term plan , unfortinatly you do seem destined to be a nowood 4 vertex leading to a norwood 5 if the front temples reach the crown , I had a very similar loss pattern but it was more than ten years later than you . I also feel results from fue are not as good as fut results , both have good points and both have limitations , you will need more that 4000 grafts even to help you now , thats a big ask from fue , i know it has been done but the results and yeald are not as good and consisitant as fut yet . However fut leaves a smiley scar there is no way you'll conceal it shaving as low as you are now , it's gamble and its a big choice to make , and be under no illusion hts are no quick fix . If I were you and this is my opinion formed from 8 years of research , having two HTs and taking finasteride daily , plus your age and level of loss , is to get on finasteride 1.25-0.8 daily , forget about the minoxidil , stay on fin religiously for at east 12 months . Then providing you have no side effects and are responding well , stay on it for the next 5-6 years , watch for advancements in HTs and the tecnology surrounding the HT and hair restoration world and see where you are at when you enter your 30s . I know this is proberbly not what you want to hear but I think this is the best way of avoiding any life changing mistakes . Good luck bud and I hope this helps . Richie

I agree with bluesteel on this , any credibility with increase with pics and progress . You do learn to spot the bull from the legitimate posters , forum veterans can see it a mile off . As is always said , research is the key , good luck . Richie

Mate I've been researching this shit since 2005 , been on meds since 2006 and had two hts with Dr Feller in the states and i'm from the UK , so what does that tell you ? I had consults with uk clinics , all very nice but there work was way behind anything from the top surgoens in North America and Canada . You only get one chance at this , stay away from any uk clinic , Bisanga is showing some good work and is only a hop across the channel . Keep researching but stay away from any uk clinic . Richie

Mate it looks fine , I agree with the posters above . you are young , you have lost alot of hair already , any good doc was always going to go on the side of caution . Mate let it grow out , maybe an 1-2 inches , stick some wax in it , make look funky , like yer ........ I've lost a bit of hair but I'm cool with it look , and go rock the new "maturing" hairline , pull some chicks and have confidence in the work , your new hairline will look fine bud . good luck richie

hi Although I don't know of any physical reason why this should happen , my own crown took longer to grow in than my temples . My first HT with Dr Feller took 18 month to fully grown and mature and that was the crown , . HT2 was also with Dr Feller this time more into the crown and we touched the temples , this time the temples have "shown" more growth than the crown over the same period . I have a theory that this could be an illusion , when you look at any temple or front HT you are looking at the layering effect the helps with the illusion of density , in effect helping it to look thicker when looked at fron straight on . However us crown baldies always view our own crowns with the old two mirror trick this means we contantly view our owe crown from above , this makes the area look thinner due to looking down from above . If i look at my temple work from directly above it doesn't look as thick as when viewed from the front , and I think this is why we are "tricked" into thicking our crowns are growing is slower . This is my own theory but it semms to stand up to my own scrutinee of my own crown and temple work , try to use the mirror trick to look at your crown from a lower angle , more eye level , this will help you to see what I mean . It will look thicker form eye level , whether it is the front or crown , try it . Richie

Hi bud , Give the meds a year atleast , thats what I did , that way you'll stablize your hairloss and really be able to see where a HT will be the most benificial to you . If you want to go down the HT road it is best tpo have a plan , and think long term . You may even be unfortinate a suffer from side effects from the meds and have to come off them , again give it a year to see . I had a great result from the meds first then backed it up with two HTs . I have had no problems and I have been taking finasteride since 2006 , I have now had two HTs with Dr Feller . Check out my links below to see mt progress and good luck . http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/166654-richie48-uk-patient-dr-feller-ht2-6-month-pics.html http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/166811-new-uk-member-hoping-help-advice.html http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/155471-dr-feller-uk-patient-richie48-then-now-two-year-trip-meds-9-month-hair-transplant.html

Contact spex mate , he was my first port of call when I decided Dr Feller was for me . Nice guy , easy to get along with and has helped me twice now , top bloke . Richie

when i first started to combat my hairloss I used the belgravia clinic in london , I started with 1mg propecia and a minoxindil solution , I soon realised I could get propecia or finasteride cheaper if I hunted round and found some good reputable sources , so I changed to fin and changed suplier , this also made it alot cheaper , as the belgravia center charges a fortune !!! . I found the minoxidil irritated my scalp and looked greasy , also it was a pain to use , i rung belgravia and they said to stop using it , to be honest I don't really think that helped much , the meds however really gave me a head start and stablized my hairloss , I also regrew some hair and the condition of all my hair became much better , stronger and healthier . where i had lost the most hair or where it had miniturized the most , i had the least re-growth , too far gone I suppose , I also had a shed , so simply shaved my hair off and as it regrew over the next 6 months , it regrew much healthier and stronger , i have pics in my links to visually show my progress . richie

Hi , first thing first , stop panicking , calm down and don't make any rash desisions , that is a recipy for disaster . the advice above is good , I feel you are a little too young to start down the transplant route yet . I have replied to another uk guy about meds and provided loads of pics to back up my claims , I've been on fin since 2006 without any side effects , but please read all my links to find out more details . please check out the link below to one of my older threads and trawl thought the links and photos to see how a long term goal , a world class surgeon and forward planning without panicing has helped me to not be the balding guy any longer . Loads of pics , long hair , short hair , shaven , scar pics , info and pics on just how the meds helped me , even at the front , more so at the crown but deffo helped all over the top and front , check it all out here bud http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/166811-new-uk-member-hoping-help-advice.html good luck richie