Dedred105

After re-reading that quoted text, I guess some confusion could arise. I meant by this was that if I experience those side effects I couldn't live with (ED and possibly other of the more harsher effects), then I would not proceed with an HT. I'm sure there's a lot of you who've gotten transplants and are currently taking Finasteride, and I'm sure this is strongly recommended, even by the doctors who perform the surgery. With how rapid my hair loss is, it would not be feasible, economic or otherwise, to proceed with a hair transplant without currently or post-operationally using a drug to keep what I have; I'd lose more hair pretty much negating the transplant. Although I hadn't considered the Finasteride not completely halting the hair loss (rose-colored shades)or not working at all, if the Finasteride does a good job in slowing the loss AND I experience no (harsh) side effects within the saving process, then a HT will continue as the end all to my decision "calculus" (being an engineer, this term stuck out). A second transplant will be an option - a second tranplant would be a definite if hair cloning becomes a reality - if/when my hair loss increases after the first HT. With all this being said, I went to see a doctor today and I got a prescription for 5 mg Finasteride; three refills for FIVE BUCKS! This is my first time with health insurance and I'm pretty excited. Now all I need is a pill splitter. Here's to having my finger's crossed...

Okay guys, there's some information missing from my initial post (http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/showthread.php?t=156171). I left out the fact that I am a black male. Seeing how I am seriously considering an HT, I am curious as to why there aren't many before/after photos of many black males on the surgeon websites. I guess I sort of already know the answer(s) to this question. However, I really don't want an answer to be because the texture of our hair makes operability difficult or even possible. And the shortness would not be able to adequately hide the donor scar. So what's the deal? I mean, sure there are *some* pictures, but not enough to really compare my pattern loss and possible gain towards. Are most black men steered away from this procedure because their hair type is/was not primarily designed for the FUE surgery? I guess my questions and concerns could be answered by a dermatologist or HT specialist; I'm just wondering if I'm setting myself up for disappointment. I swear, if I go through with an HT AND it is a success, I will stick around on the board and endorse the respective doctor's magic touch.

Oh, and since I'm fron the North Carolina area and have the possibility of relocating to Charlotte for work in a couple of years, Dr. Jerry Cooley is on my list of possible doctors for HT surgery.

You look awesome. Glad things worked out so well.

Hello all, I'm new to the board here. I'm 27 years of age and I've been thinning heavily on my mid-portion for the past three and a half years. Back in 2005 I had a "full" head of hair (unnoticeable hairloss); currently it's to the point where it is noticably thin after a few weeks without a haircut. My hairline is still strong but I have the "V" shape coming in strong. Good 'ol genetics! BOTH sides of my parents' family have hairloss; all of my uncles excluding my pops were bald (lucky him) and my bro just turned 31 but has as much hair as he did in his teens (lucky him, too). I came to the decision of getting a HT just recently; however, I've been considering the idea for more than a year. I've done the research about current HT technology and the risks involved, so this is not a snap decision. What made me affirm my decision was that I have been thinking about my past and my present since I officially accepted my hair loss. For my entire childhood, teens, and some of my twenties, I have had my confidence literally stripped away from me and have battled with low self esteem as a result. So, I decided to do something about it. At about 23 I decided to start lifting weights and eating healthy for some confidence building. It worked for about a couple of years until when I would look in the gym mirrors all I would see were the signs of genetics taking hold of my roots and literally strangling the life out of them (Why do so many gyms have to have so many mirrors????!!). After many years of looking down on myself I was finally starting to have a positive self-image, then fate/God/who/whatever decided that I couldn't have confidence. Go figure. After thinking about things, in a nutshell, I want full-fledged confidence after being denied it for so long. I want to finally look in a mirror and not focus on things I don't like, currently the hair disappearing from my scalp. All I see nowadays are men's hairlines and asking myself questions like "Why does this guy have so much hair when he's TWICE my age?" I want to hold a conversation with someone and not have to notice their eyes flicker up to my scalp. I've been a victim for a while; It's time to take a stand for myself. Enough of the backstory/ranting/revelation, here's my current plan of action to hair regrowth. I understand the full results of this plan won't be observed until about 3-7 years from this point, but this alternative is better than watching my hair fade away to where I'll be completely bald in 3-5 years while doing nothing. 1. Save money: HT's aren't cheap. So, for the next 1 1/2 years I'm going to start putting money away in savings for the big day(s). While I'm saving, I'll be doing other things to make sure this is the right decision. 2. Chemical treatments: I figure I should try to postpone any more hairloss and try to keep what I have. This will be accomplished using a) Rogaine and b) Propecia. a) I just started using Rogaine foam a couple of weeks ago. Haven't had any adverse reactions and I'm not expecting any results so soon. Been applying for 2x a day as directed. b) Very shortly, I will see a specialist to receive a prescription for Propecia. Have done some research on the drug and the side effects scare me. Quite frankly, the < 3% of patients having ED as a result of the drug seems like bunk when there are so many reports of this and others (on the web). However, there are others who seem to be doing fine with the drug. There's no way for me to know what will happen until I use it; if I experience no (major) side effects: Success. If there are side effects I cannot live with: Unsuccess and quit taking the drug. Unfortunately, if the latter occurs then I will have no choice but to resign with gradual hair loss and no HT, since Propecia seems the best in keeping what is there. It would not make any sense to get a HT and do nothing to digress any further loss. Waste of money. 3. Waiting: Both Rogaine and Propecia makers recommend at least one year to see if they are actually usefull and I could be one of the few who have moderate to exceptional hair regrowth with the products. In a sense, I could be happy with just chemical use, not need a HT, and could put the money I've saved into a new car. Realistically, I could only achieve results approaching my high school years with a HT where the chemicals would make the results all the better had I went into the HT operation drugless. I'll also be taking pictures to document my progress, as I started a couple of weeks ago at the beginning of the Rogaine application. The waiting period will also be used to research who would be the best doctor to take my services to. MHC and Bosley are definately out of the question as 1) I've seen/heard dreadful results from these two and 2) any type of surgery advertised on TV just does not seem right. Besides, I'll (hopefully) have the money and I'm going to get the best treatment these dollars can afford. 4. Hair Transplant Surgery: Speaks for itself. ... 5. Profit I'm about a Norwood early-type 3 and forsee an estimate of 1500-2500 grafts. Please add comments to this and let me know if I've left anything important out between now and my proposed HT (in about 2 years). Thanks!