pushing 40

Well one thing you can take comfort in: if you decide to go to a "discount doc" you will probably discover 6 months after the surgery that he was most assuredly just as skilled at photo shop as you are. not a calming thought in my opinion.

Congrats man!!! Its all a cake walk of patience and waiting now. If he gave you some of that Hasson juju he gave me, you're going to get happier and happier as the weeks roll on.

Well, maybe just because there is diffuse thinning doesn't mean ALL that hair will fall out. I often see older men who are diffusely bald on top meaning they still have terminal hairs up there. Enough to cover all that balded area? Well of course not, but the hair that is left is thicker, fuller, and has obviously been able to ride out and withstand years of DHT suffocation when their brother right next to them succumbed back in the late 70's.

my throat makes some sound and it throws some air out.

uhmmm.... that sound may be called your voice and that air may be called breathing....? Dude, if you have a worrying personality, you are not going to ever be satisfied with normal, non-spastic answers. All the correct information in the world will not satisfy a skewed manner of thinking. Sorry.

Correct; my whole head from front to back with a #2 clipper (very short)

I did mine on day ten the minute my wife took out the staples. No problems

What?? Those are not known side effects of propecia. Go to a hospital immediately if your throat is swelling or closing causing breathing problems. For fucks sake man........

You know, I've kind of been an outspoken advocate of the "screw it, stand up and be proud of it, in your face, blah blah blah" side of this issue. But I have to be honest: I initially was apprehensive about the whole "people knowing, what will they say or think, will I be embarrassed, etc" thing. Right up until I had the surgery I still felt those things. So, I'm not some super confident, don't give a damn, in your face, kind of guy as some of my posts may have intimated. BUT, after the surgery when I saw myself back at the hotel, I was so excited, and truly exhilarated, to have that "I'm going bald" monkey off my back that at that moment, those apprehensions just faded away. It wasn't thru any super strong character traits on my part (as much as I wish it was). It was just a natural occurrence I think that the excitement of what I had done FOR ME vaporized those insecurities about what people might think. I was so pleased and excited I went without hat from Van Couver to Baltimore and from then on out. If anyone asked, I told them exactly what I had done and explained the whole process if they actually wanted to know. So, what I'm saying is you might be surprised with yourself. You might just come out of screaming "hell yeah, baby. Look at me" while you're still pink and funny looking. You never know.

Be careful with this "knowledge". Don't scare yourself. As you probably know, a developing fetus is controlled by chemicals; they do millions of different things a million times per second, and hormones (different combinations of proteins) control a LOT in a developing fetus. Finasteride blocks conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone. The proper functioning of both these hormones are are VITALLY important in development of a fetus. However, there has been NO data in any way shape or form that a man taking propecia when impregnating a woman has ANY impact at all in the development of the fetus. None. It is the direct contact with the chemical itself by a woman that is of concern: absortion by her of the actual chemical finasteride is the thing needing to be avoided. In that case, the chemical would direct itself to the blood stream as it should and go to the fetus where it would do what it is supposed to do: interfere with testosterone conversion. That could be very bad for a fetus.

Now, can it do this through the actual impregnating semen? Nobody truly knows but supposedly it is a VERY remote chance if its possible at all. Very remote. Remember: only one single sperm cell fertilizes the egg. All the other ones work hard to get thru that cell wall, but the INSTANT, and I mean instant, ONE sperm cell penetrates, a chemical reaction in the egg cell occurs which basically hardens the cell wall making it impenetrable to the still living sperm cells left out in the cold. So how much finasteride can one single sperm cell actually carry and contribute to problems? Not much I'm sure. But, keeping in mind we are walking bags of chemicals doing millions of processes every second of every day of our lives, is is possible to still cause problems? Well, I guess anything is possible. Just not probable.

Hey, out of curiosity, how is the rest of your hair? It looks as though the forelock area and maybe the top are still rather dense? That sure as hell beats diffuse thinning all over, so maybe things will turn out well for you. Here's to hoping. Either way, you seem to have a good emotional grip on this so keep up with that or it'll get the best of you. And remember, we are our own worst critic; meaning- your hair loss to you looks like a huge neon sign hanging over your head. To others, it is more comparable to a tiny little advertisement on the back page of the paper. Don't forget that!

Just tell her to try something new for some variety like: scratching your back all to hell or squeezing your butt or something. The change will be refreshing and she can go back to hair pulling in a few weeks.

That looks fantastic. Very dramatic difference also in facial / frontal appearance.

All good advice given. Slow down and relax. My hairline receded just like yours by the time I was 23 or so but then stayed that way for the next almost 20 yrs before it thinned out enough across the top to appear balding. You just never know how its going to go so take your time, learn more, and consult with ONLY ethical honest docs.

No, not at all. No one really knows for sure (medically speaking) if shedding is a natural consequence of propecia, why it happens if it happens at all, or if its just anecdotal. A lot of people will SWEAR by the shedding thing, others say it never happened. (I don't really think I had any). So no worries bro.

Hey Bro, thanks. Yes it is weird. I used to sit and rub my bald forehead when reading or something. Now I reach up there and there is hair! Very strange. The biggest difference is from a side or angles profile; thats when those big bald temple areas looked like the size of football fields. I was just inspecting my hair line tonight and the hairs are still so skinny and thin. Supposedly they will thicken up so hopefully that will add to the density.

So, gonna take the plunge?

Yeah baby! I saw the Cure in Orange France back then. Awesome show.

As far as hair style, I'm wanting a longer one. Not Joe Dirt mullet or anything but longer in the front where its almost the same length from front to back. We'll see how it works out.

Yes she did mention it as a matter of fact. She said it went quickly at a certain area fron very straight to kind of frizzy. I just said yeah I think because its been shaved so long and not used to growing long.

I just put up some 6 1/2 month photos. I think that's right?; my surgery was 20 March so 20 Oct will be 7 months. Got a hair cut for the first time since I last shaved it down in July I think. The back and sides were growing faster than the top transplanted hair so it started looking kind of silly. Still have the poofy/kinkies going on but I'm being patient. When I saw my haircut it kind of freaked me out. It looked just like I used to wear it when I was 20yrs old. Kind of sad actually that I have a haircut from 1986 but oh well, better than no hair at all. I had it cut by a barber I used to use before I retired. I mostly kept it shaved down back then but would let her cut it for me if I wanted a "decent" cut. She said "wow, I didn't recognize you with all that hair". At first I thought "wtf, does she realize?". But then she said "you used to keep it so short and now you're going hippie on me". I don't think she realized I actually had a lot "more" hair because it used to be buzzed all the time.

Yeah, whatever numb nuts. Fuck off........

Ohhh....sorry NN, it was just too funny for me to resist. I tried so hard not write a funny ironic response but just could not resist....i'm sorry. Love ya babe and well written post with an excellent point of view. Thanks for reminding us.

Jeez Bob, you're a greedy bastard! Your's was one of the first transplants I ever saw and was VERY excited to see what was possible. Good luck and best wishes for your latest procedure! Keep us posted.

And I say again: Damn that's impressive!!

I just don't get what the big deal is with people knowing. Who gives a rats ass? Do you realize you're going to be dead in a few years. Dead. No more. No more fresh air, sunshine, rain, arguments, sex, love, pain, joy, books, music.....nothing. Just a rotting piece of animal flesh who no longer exists in any way, shape, or form. So seriously, relax and just enjoy it. You'll get through the rough few days and it will only be a memory. People will forget all about it. They have lives to get on with and are way to busy to be concerned for more than 10 minutes about your hair transplant. Remember: you're in the box looking out; everyone else is outside looking in. Completely different view brother. They don't/won't care. And if they do care in any negative sense, is that someone whose opinion you value? Probably not. And don't use the old "easier said than done" excuse. That is WAY over used and abused. Just stand tall, make no excuses, and push through it. Just as easy done as said.

Wow, this is cracking me up. I love so many of you guys I've gotten to know over the last few years and DO NOT want to offend you personally. I've met a few believers over the years and have sometimes admired that special "peace of mind" they seem to garner from their belief in the whole "God thing". But from the time I was about 12 yrs old or so, it just wasn't an acceptable premise for me. And I have to admit, for a few years after I spent some very miserable time in Somalia I was vehemently, and obtrusively, abrasive to anything and anyone having to do with religion. That faded with time I guess but still I find the whole premise to be rather comical and sad at the same time. To each his own I guess. Just my opinion, so no hate mail please.

WOW!! Holy crap! That looks absolutely incredible. Seriously as if you had never lost any hair to begin with.

Well, it starts "working" immediately; you wont see the results of what it does for a few months though: 3 or 4 usually.

Dazza, congratulations!! I remember your situation from a few months ago as being pretty bad. I'm sure you're going to be very happy with the outcome. Keep us posted and be patient; its worth the wait!