arfy

Hi hair4good We refer to the Norwood Scale of hair loss when talking about what level of hair loss we have. The Norwood scale is not perfect (it doesn't describe every possible pattern) but for a lot of guys it is a good shorthand description. If you go back to the front page, there is a bunch of information and links there. You can find a version of the Norwood Scale in the section called "Online Consultation". There's only a handful of great doctors in the field, in my opinion, and I recommend that guys make the effort to seek the best. A lot of times that means you need to travel, the same way you might travel to see a great heart surgeon. Do yourself a favor and spend some time doing some research and reading. Ask questions as they come up and get as many suggestions and as much feedback as you can. There is a variety of opinions here and there isn't only one right way to get a hair transplant. Then it's up to you to sift through the suggestions as best you can, based on the knowledge you've gathered. I bet you will find that it's well worth a little effort to do this legwork. The more you know, the more likely you are going make good decisions.

I mentioned already that you don't want to raise your blood pressure with extreme effort, such as doing leg presses etc. The issue is not as simple as flexing the skin on your neck vs. not flexing the skin on your neck. Raising your blood pressure temporarily under a heavy load could be bad for your donor area healing perfectly.

Yes, you can have the grafts revised or removed. A lot of guys have needed to have this done, there is information on the net, but it takes some effort to track it down and then sort out the various options. There is no one size fits all solution. A lot of your decision making is going to be influenced by how many grafts you have, how bad they look, where they were placed, what your standard of success is, etc. Any time you have surgery there are scars. You can diminish scars significntly but you can't eliminate them completely. People have discussed using the various types of lasers (ablative and non ablative) dermabrasion, etc. You need to find expert advice and top level people, you don't want to make your problems any worse than they already are. Here's an interesting link for a place that does this kind of work, there are certainly others. http://www.hairprofessionals.net/scalp2.html Should you go the laser or dermabrasion route, there are forums where those techniques are discussed the same way that hair transplants get discussed here. I suggest that you meet with several hair transplant surgeons who regularly do corrective surgery, for informatinal purposes. Some of these doctors may suggest revising your grafts and adding new grafts, to try to improve your transplant rather than reverse it. You should consider this as an option. Anyway, be aware that some guys get disappointed when they ask a doctor about reversal and the doctor prefers to move forward instead. Be open to all options but stick to your guns too. I recommend that you go whichever route will look the most natural when you are done.

The best scenario is when you can meet patients in person... as many as possible. Hopefully these are guys who are similar to you in age, amount of previous hair loss, and hair characteristics (wavy, straight, etc). Photos can be deceiving even when the intentions are good. It helps to see guys from different angles, whereas a photo compresses the space and only shows one angle. Hair can cast a shadow on the scalp which makes it look like areas are denser than they actually are in person. Ask the clinic if they can introduce you to some patients, your clinic has heard this before and it is not an unusual request. Some clinics have open house for this purpose, others have a list of people who don't mind talking about HT. Maybe ask if you can come in to the clinic on a certain day and see returning patients (I don't know if that would work...) Get up close to these guys and scrutinize them.

It's good to see patients have options. I believe that Dr. Epstein does a good amount of repair work, and FUE is especially valuable in those cases.

I don't know anything specific about results. I assume it is better than 5% Minoxidil, but isn't going to be a knock-out punch either. Somewhere in between.

I wish I was 18 again and had Propecia available. I wasted my fair share of time on crap that didn't work.

The incision in a strip surgery goes deep, and it is not something that heals completely in a week or two. Some guys go to the weight room and they putter around, read the newspaper while they lazily pedal a bike, etc. This is going to be different than a guy who does heavy squates, deadlifts, leg press etc. A heavy leg press creates an incredible temporary rise in your blood pressure. Have some common sense if you must return to the gym, do not put tension on your donor area, including "internal" tension from serious exertion. [This message was edited by arfy on February 08, 2004 at 11:18 AM.]

I agree with the comment to avoid the big franchises. Don't go to anyplace that advertises on TV with infomercials, these places are not the best. In my opinion there are only a handful of doctors who can do a consistently great result. That means the odds are slim that one of these doctors happens to be located in your immediate area. Don't bother with an "okay" or "average" hair transplant, in my opinion these will look like obvious hair transplants and are a waste of money. Be careful as there are sharks in these waters. The best thing to do is spend a bunch of time learning about hair transplants, what can they do and NOT do, what are the best methods, what to avoid etc. The more you know, the more you raise your odds of making a good choice and having a successful outcome. I'm not sure, but I would not at all be surprised to hear that there isn't a really great clinic in West Virginia. The really great clinics are rare, and you need to figure out which ones they are. The main thing is to keep reading and keep learning and keep asking questions.

I'll post in your other thread, to keep everything in one place...

Dave, it bothers everyone to lose hair. It's not something that older guys don't understand. Also, everyone who is young feels bad about not having a full head of hair. That isn't the point. The point is a hair transplant may or may not be a good idea for you (I don't know). It is based on factors OTHER than how upset hair loss makes you feel. FUE is less of a commitment in a way, but I personally think that if a guy is not a great candidate (especially a young guy) he should hold off, no matter what method he would choose. You may want to post your pics to get more specific comments. And I agree that your post will get more responses if you put it in another section.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>The thinning is not all that noticeable on top and the hairline isn't that bad because I wear my hair down. If it's not that bad then do not get surgery. It sounds like you are wanting a transplant in order to prevent "future baldness". This is a mistake in my opinion. Also, I think getting a hair transplant just to get a couple hundred grafts is a bad idea. Bottom line is that you are not nearly bald enough yet. Stick with Propecia and hold off on any surgery.

Poet said he is getting good results from Avodart, and there are certainly others too. But it seems premature to switch now, after only 6 months of Propecia. Give Propecia more time to work, IMO. Only switch to Avodart out of real necessity. If you are doing okay on Propecia I would suggest staying with what has been working so far. If it aint broke- don't fix it. It's still too early to decide that Propecia is "broke" for you. You can always switch later.

He is referring to Dr, Ziering who was formerly the 2nd in command at MHR. Dr. Ziering is now in business for himself apparently.

The dropper is good for getting between hairs right down to the scalp, if you still have a lot of hair. The spray might not reach the scalp as well, in the areas where you still have quite a bit of hair remaining.

There is a big difference in recovery time between strip and FUE. If you get a strip excision be careful not to do anything that would put pressure on the donor area. Check with your doctor about when you can resume lifting again, especially if you do serious weight training with heavy weights.

I recommend you avoid Kassimir. I have not heard good things about him. You should probably meet with both True and Bernstein just for information-gathering purposes. Don't automatically go with the first doctor you meet. I hope you realize that women are typically not good candidates for a hair transplant? Many women who are losing hair lose it from all over their head, whereas men have a stable donor area (permanent horseshoe fringe). Your donor hair must be stable or your transplant is worthless. Some women do have a stable donor area... so make sure you know where you stand. Also, women can take medications for hair loss that men can't take. Make sure you have exhausted your options before resorting to surgery. It's important to stop the progression of hair loss, whether you get a transplant or not, and whether you are male or female.

These are pretty clever ads... "the good news is I saved a bunch of money on my car insurance at Geico" Yes the "hair" one does remind me a little of Dr. True's commercial. http://www.boardsmag.com/screeningroom/commercials/751 "I love to run, and it's not a problem, the hair goes with me when I run..." LOL

Here are some things to ask your clinic, or to think about... Does your clinic use binocular microscopes to dissect the donor strip? Microscopes can increase graft yield by a reported 20 to 30 percent, in any given donor strip. So the clinics that do not use microscopes may be throwing some of your precious donor hair into the garbage. This means you'll probably use up your limited donor resources faster than if you went to a clinic that conserves your donor supply. Does your clinic use salespeople to diagnose your hair loss and make surgical recommendations? Or do you meet with the exact doctor who will do your surgery (and not just whoever is free at the moment?) Do the salespeople get paid a commission? If they do, don't you suppose that they might encourage you to get a hair transplant even if it wasn't in your best interests? Does your clinic use Minigrafts? They can look pluggy and they are an inefficient way to use your donor supply. Read this for a brief explanation why microscopically-dissected Follicular Unit grafts (FUs) are superior to Minigrafts and Micrografts that were not microscopically dissected: Best_hair_transplant_procedure Here's a much longer article that is more in-depth, about why the all-FU transplant is best: The Logic of Follicular Unit Hair Transplantation Ask your clinic if they use FU grafts exclusively, or do they use a mix of large and small grafts. The franchises usually use a mix of large and small grafts. Even though the results do not look as natural the process is faster and "time is money". I suggest you find a clinic that uses FU grafts only... NO Minigrafts. How many other patients does your doctor operate on, while he is working on you? The best doctors tend to work on one or maybe two patients a day (meaning that they concentrate on you exclusively). The big franchises are notorious for having the doctor jump from room to room and divide his attention among as many patients as they have room for. Where do you think you will get superior care, at a clinic where you are the only patient or at a franchise clinic where 3 guys are getting work done at the same time by the same doctor?

How old are you? How long have you been on Propecia? Guys who have frontal hair loss only have an easier path than guys with crown hair loss, or both front and crown. Do you realize that you could use up your entire donor supply just on your crown? The crown can take a lot of grafts, so you have to approach it with some planning. You seem to be a borderline patient, in my opinion I recommend that you hold off and do not get any surgery in the near future. You are not bald enough yet in my opinion.<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>I mean how long do I have to wait? Until it's completely noticeable that I'm losing my hair? The whole reason for the transplant is to avoid that isn't it? Actually no it's not. If your whole motivation is to look like you don't have any hair loss whatsoever, then I think you have unrealistic expectations about what a hair transplant can accomplish. Do yourself a favor, make sure you understand hair transplants inside and out before you decide you want one.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>i think i read on this site some where, that a hair transplant surgery could possibly kill other hair follicles or fasten your hair loss where you've already begun to lose hair. is that true or am i way off? Its called shock loss or shock fallout. if you have hairs that are borderline, the surgery can possibly cause those hairs to be lost. Some guys have a problem with shock loss and some guys don't. But you need to be aware of the possibility. The worst case would be that you end up with less hair after your transplant, than you had beforehand. The typical recommendation is that a guy should have more than just a minor amount hair loss, and he should get a fairly large number of grafts transplanted (probably more than just a couple hundred)... that way he is most likely end up with a net gain of hair and not a net loss, after the dust settles.

Hi ISO It looks like you will have a nice result, good for you. You still have "high sides" and that can be a big help with your appearance. If you can keep the existing hair high around the fringe, that would be a very good thing. You may want to rethink your stance on Propecia, but I know that is a personal issue and some guys do not want to use it. But I think you will be happier if you can prevent yourself from progressing to a Norwood 7. You may be able to do that with Propecia. That extra fringe you have does make a difference! Good luck no matter what you decide though. I should probably mind my own business on this...

He posted here a couple of weeks ago. Be patient, he will be back.

Propecia and proscar are both Finasteride, yes. If you were a little older it might be easier to get a prescription for Proscar. Older guys than you might use Proscar for their prostate health. In other words it may be hard to get your doc to write a prescription for Proscar if you are in your 20s and have hair loss. But I guess it doesn't hurt to ask. The main reason to use Proscar is to save money, but you said you've saved enough money for a surgery. Propecia is about 600 bucks a year, Proscar is about half or a quarter of that price. You can probably afford Propecia, if you want to increase your dose then get on Proscar, but supposedly according to Merck, Finasteride is not dose-dependant, and all you do is raise your odds of side effects slightly when you raise your dose. Some guys do think it can be dose dependant but they are in the minority. Discuss this with your doctor. You might not be too young for a hair transplant, but it is possible you still have too much hair to make a transplant make sense. (Post a pic if you want). You should really have a significant amount of hair loss, and not just be in the beginning stages. If you still have a lot of hair left, you can be hit hard by shock loss from surgery, and end up with less hair after the surgery (or the same amount) instead of making a net gain. If people told you your pattern of loss is an issue, then I would listen and take that seriously. Some guys use transplants as a reaction to future hair loss. They say "I'm not bad now but I want a transplant so that I don't get any worse". Those guys are usually making a big mistake if they get a hair transplant, in my opinion.

How do I know if I really had 1000 done? Have a pretty good head of hair but wanted to stop or fill in thinning areas before it got too bad and noticeable. I doubt 1000 grafts will give you a WOW reaction. If you still have a decent amount of hair left, the effect could be subtle, except at the hairline I guess. I am taking Propecia to keep the rest of my hair and was told that Propecia is great for regrowing hair on the crown area, true or false? Propecia works best at keeping the hair you still have. That makes it valuable. It's not as good at regrowing hair, but it can reverse hair loss in some guys, especially guys with recent hair loss. It doesn't work for every single guy, about one in five will not respond. Give it a year at least. Next concern is this SHOCK period...I was informed that my hair would be thinner after the HT but it would grow back. This is a result of where he (the doctor) was making the graft incisions and it would cut the hair that I have on my head. I do have somewhat thinner hair in the areas worked on but isn't that bad....my question is this my "shock" or is there some delayed reaction that I should expect and see more hair loss before the transplants take affect? You could continue to see shock loss, you are still in the time frame when shock could happen. Propecia can help with shock loss, although beginning Propecia just before surgery isn't the best way to do it. You should be on Propecia as long as possible before surgery, because there is an adjustment period and some guys go through a minor shed period. You should start using propecia as soon as you notice hair loss being a problem, in my opinion. Your strategy of just getting 1000 grafts may not have been the best one, because if you lose more hair due to shock loss than you gain from your transplant, you have wasted money (and hair). Guys with diffuse hair loss, minor amounts of thinning, beginning stages of hair loss etc, need to think carefully about whether a hair transplant will be a good idea. If shock loss hits you hard and you only got a small number of grafts, you can end up with less hair after your transplant than you had before. Hopefully that will not happen to you, just remain calm and pamper your head for the next few weeks and months. Stay on Propecia and keep your fingers crossed. Assume everything will turn out positive. My comments are just discussing general strategies and may not apply to your specific situation. You may want to post some pics, and also get some feedback from other people too. Who was your doctor? Age, rank and serial number?