PCC

Lynette, Not sure if you are going to see this, but thanks so much for the kind response and support. You are correct, HTs are not for everyone. In my case the early balding had made me miserable (remember, this was the "big hair" obsessed 80's) and to just live with it was unacceptable to me. Propecia and Rogaine were still several years away. To shave one's head was not mainstream like it is today. Although many men look fabulous like this, for obvious reasons I will never be one of those guys. With that said, there is a feeling I must "finish what I started" with what likely will be my last go around. To improve the hairline and frontal core as much as possible, I need a top doc, especially with corrective procedures. I might then consider a partial, light density system for the crown, however that really doesn't bother me too much. Thanks again for all you do and take care! Phil

Hi Lynette, I have been following you for awhile over on "the other place" and I just want to say that I think you look wonderful. I am a guy who started losing hair in his teens and resorted to hair transplants with mixed results. I would rather correct/improve what I have done as much as possible, but at times the idea of a system seems very appealing. Frankly though after my last surgery nearly 15 years ago, I don't know if physically or emotionally I could go through another. You and I are around the same age and I can certainly relate to your accounts of how hairloss has affected you. Luckily we both have supportive spouses and families but it is difficult for others to know what its like if they have not "been there". My biggest concern at this stage is that I feel this is impacting me professionally, drastically limiting options/opportunities, etc. I think you have found something that works beautifully for you and I appreciate all the expert advice,wise counsel, and emotional support you have given others. I've really learned a lot from you! Phil

Vince, That term has such a stigma and unfortunately just won't die. I have been questioned about "hair plugs" many times and definately did/do not appreciate it. Yes, I also noticed that it reared it's ugly head through the whole "Jon and Kate" melodrama. Although I have never followed the show religiously, I do think Jon's proceedure was very sucessful. What a difference between this year and last and this was especially evident in the outdoors scenes in the episode the other night. He still has the spot at the crown though. Phil

Although my outcomes have been both a blessing and curse, hair from my earliest proceedures 25+ years ago is still growing vigorously. In fact this hair has to be trimmed by the barber at least every 3 weeks or it becomes unmanageable. Phil

Some of the results of the laced based systems that I am seeing look very good. And I don't have any reason to doubt that the particular website I've seen depicts real people and real systems (unlike that of "the club"). This may be a better option for someone with more advanced hairloss that could not achieve a pleasing outcome from a HT. However the maintenence regimen seems like it would be very daunting to me. Phil

Hair is There, I also began balding while still in high school so I can related to your feelings of being the only and first person in school to be losing it at that stage. However, I'm sure that many of my peers have "caught up with me" in the years since! When you talk about being "outed" by teachers and other supposedly caring adults, I've "been there, done that". Phil

I just love those commercials. I'm surprised that the guy who is/was dating Drew Barrymore and has been in a few movies is still doing them.I figured he would have "moved on" by this time. I can't recall ever seeing the other guy in anything before. Phil

I haven't been religiously following the show or the current controversy but from the recent pictures I have seen his hair does look significantly better than last year. Whether or not he is enhancing the effect with any concealers is another story. Phil

He was just on the news tonight but I've wondered about him before. Do any other HT vets suspect that he has "had work done"? He has some hair in front and on top but then a large bare crown, very similiar in pattern/appearance to Vice President Biden. With that said, I think he looks OK and age appropriate, although the hairline does look a little rigid. Also like VP Biden, I think he could be helped by wearing a light density system in the crown so he wouldn't look so bald from the rear. Phil

He was just on the news tonight but I've wondered about him before. Do any other HT vets suspect that he has "had work done"? He has some hair in front and on top but then a large bare crown, very similiar in pattern/appearance to Vice President Biden. With that said, I think he looks OK and age appropriate, although the hairline does look a little rigid. Also like VP Biden, I think he could be helped by wearing a light density system in the crown so he wouldn't look so bald from the rear. Phil

dalew, Your story resonated with me on so many levels. My journey also began during the "big hair and looks obsessed" 80's, although for me I was still in high school. I was so self conscious about the appearance of my hair I skipped my senior prom (of course it was also difficult finding a date). Like you I rushed into HTs at a young age because the early balding had made my life miserable, it was unacceptable to me, and there were no other alternatives to consider back then. God bless the young guys today who can shave their heads and look great! In "our day" though that was certainly not as common as today. Like you I have also had to endure my share of hat wearing, funny looks, and snide comments/questions. However most of this has come from other men. I will say I have been fortunate to have had some very nice ex girlfriends and a current wife who have loved me regardless and for whom the hair was not an issue. Probably facing at least one corrective surgery to improve the front/top as much as possible. Really don't care about the crown and could always wear a small, light density system to cover that for special occasions. At this stage of the game my biggest concern is that I fear it is limiting my options professionally. Phil

Wow what a head of hair! Can us balding guys borrow some donor from him? Is it "his own"? I think the style and color could be a little more age appropriate but in his current predicament I'm sure hair issues are the least of his worries. It seems guys like this always come out smelling like a rose or getting a slap on the wrist. I guess our President-elect is trying to distance himself from him as much as possible. Phil

My wife and I were watching that new TV show with Christian Slater the other night (My own worst enemy)when she asked if he "had any work done". He certainly has a gorgeous head of hair, although when I think of it his hairline does look slightly "rigid". He does not look like he has any issues with hairloss. Anyone have any thoughts? It seems like he's been out of the spotlight for the past few years and this show if it suceeds may be his comeback. His voice has always reminded me of a young Jack Nicholson. Now that's another story as far as hair! Phil

There was a snide reference to Biden's "plugs" on tonight's Saturday Night Live takeoff on the vice presidential debate with Tina Fey continuing her role as Governor Palin. I guess if McCain/Palin win Tina will have a regular part time gig on the show. She certainly has mastered the look, accent, and mannerisms! Joe looks better following his repairs and as his haircolor has lightened with age. I wonder "who he went to". He looks age appropriate but of course is still very much a balding man. As I have said before I think he would be helped further by a light density hairsystem for the crown to complement the work in front and mask that large shiner. I doubt he has the donor left to address it and I'm sure he has a lot of old scarring. Phil

Did any of you catch this weekend's "Saturday Night Live" where Tina Fey came on to play Palin opposite Amy Polner's Hillary? Absolutely hillarious! Tina looks a little like Palin anyway (especially with the glasses) so she is well suited for this role. I think Mariska Hargitay from "Law and Order SVU" resembles Sarah also and could pull it off. One would definately have to get the rather unique voice down though ("I'm just a hockey mom and small town mayor from Alaska, etc."). Yes, we have had an interesting slate of candidates hairwise. Barack has a nice head of hair. McCain, Huckebee, and Guliani are balding. John definately has a bit of a combover going on and usually wears his Navy cap outdoors. Rudy looks a lot better without his combover which was the butt of a lot of jokes on late night TV. Biden as we all know has had old style plugs and evidently some repair work. Romney and Edwards both have gorgeous heads of hair. So about the only thing we have been missing is a system wearer. Two of our US reps (including the one who serves my area) from FL are admitted "hair wearers". If one of them had run we would have almost had the full spectrum. Phil

Did you all see Biden's son (who apparently is the state attorney for Delaware) introduce him tonight at the convention? He has a gorgeous head of hair. Obviously he did not inherit his father's mpb. Joe can look "OK" and age appropriate indoors but outside even in a slight breeze it is a different story. His hair is so thin/fine and I'm sure he has a lot of old donor area scarring. To me the frontal hairline still looks somewhat "rigid". I wonder if he could be helped by additional repair work but I doubt he has any viable donor area left. His only option to cover the large bald crown would be a light density system. To me this is a good example of the limitations of HTs and the importance of long range planning. It's also interesting that someone who is accomplished and prominent struggles with the same issues as the rest of us. Phil

I've never been more proud to be a HT recipient or American than I am today. The feeling is overwhelming and hard to describe. This makes me feel like I can accomplish anything!(HA-HA) This could be a very good thing for us. I envision increased federal funding for research on the latest follicular techniques and expanded tax deductions for proceedures. Does anyone have any idea who has done his work over the years? As I have said here before he does not have a great head of hair and is still very much a balding male. But he does look age appropriate and the front is significantly improved. He always has the option of wearing a light density system to cover the crown. Phil

Yes, Kenny has never seemed to have any significant issues with mpb although maybe his hair has thinned somewhat with age. I do agree though that his facial and eye surgery is very obvious. Phil

I recently saw a clip from a talkshow in which it was mentioned that Chris Meloni from "Law and Order SVU" wears a hairsystem. Although I tend to focus more on Mariska on the show (LOL), if that is a system I think it looks quite good. I'm not sure how much of his hair is "his own" but the frontal hairline is very appropriate and you can see the hair as if it is growing right out of the scalp. He's always kept it in a short, nearly crew cut style which has not changed much over the years. I know that actors have professional stylists but it also looks good in the many outdoor scenes on the show. If he does wear one the density must be fairly light which is age appropriate for him. I've never seen him "without hair". The one previous role that I remember him in was as the fiance in "The Runaway Bride" movie and I know he played a prison inmate on an HBO show. Phil

Is this the "Fear Factor" guy? I've never watched the show religiously but he's always seemed to have a nice head of hair that he keeps in a short style. That show typically has a lot of outdoor scenes and it looks decent. Of course he could have been using a concealer. Phil

To me he will always be "George" despite his other roles over the years. He was balding as far back as "Pretty Woman" where he played Richard Gere's friend/coworker. That's the earliest role I know of him in. Yes, I fondly remember the hairsystem episode of Seinfeld in which Jerry referred to it as "your little hat" and Elaine tried to snatch it off his head. That would be a great one to rent on DVD. Phil

By, I'm glad to see that you armed yourself with the great information and counsel available through this forum to find the best Dr. for your needs. It definately sounds like you have done your "due dilligence" and for that you should be proud. It's also nice to see an "Arlingtonian" here. Although I've spent most of my life here in Florida, my family has strong roots there and I was born at Winchester Hospital. My grandmother had a home on Alton Street in "the Center" and I spent a lot of time there as a kid so I know my way around town well. We also went to church at St. Agnes. I've always found it odd that the Boston area is not better represented when it comes to the top independent docs but you would be well served to consult with those mentioned in NY. Phil

There is a marathon of episodes going on now "as we speak". My wife and I had never seen it before and just happened to stumble on to it while flipping channels this evening. You guys weren't kidding about Jon's hairloss. His balding is readily apparent throughout the top and crown especially in scenes outdoors. Yes, I agree that he will need more than just an initial proceedure of 1800 grafts as well as getting on propecia to hopefully supress further loss. That portrait looks nothing like him and there must have been use of a concealer, different lighting, or the photo otherwise touched up. I have the same issue. In some pictures over the years my hair looks OK and others I just want to throw out. Not sure about the sequencing of the episodes. One tonight had a Halloween theme so I would expect it took place last fall. I didn't see any indication of Jon having had a proceedure so I imagine these were shot before. In another(where they took they children back to the hospital where they were born for a reunion of sorts)he had a fresh haircut. Jon is not the only one to have benefitted from a donated cosmetic proceedure. Another episode tonight centered around Kate undergoing a "tummy tuck" to get rid of the excess loose flabby tissue secondary to her childbearing. This included a recuperation stay at the affluent home of the plastic surgeon and his wife. Must be nice! Oh well, you can't help but fall in love with the kids! Phil

I got to try on a "Hannah Montana" wig the other day courtesy of our 8 year old niece. Although it was the most hair I've had on my balding head in a long time, it definately wasn't an improvement for me! Phil

It never occured to me whether Steve Carrell has "had any work done". I've always thought he has a great head of hair although the length and style has changed slightly between "The Office" and his various movie roles. I think in the earlier episodes of "The Office" he would have it wet and slicked back as evidenced by the photo Bill provided. I'll have to rent the earlier seasons on DVD and compare. The first thing I remember him in was as the anchorman in "Bruce Almighty". I think that came before "The Office". Phil