JakeVig

kg, quoting www.minoxidil.com after you have used minoxidil after 2-3 years you can drop down to 1 application per day to keep what you have. I would definately prefer a single night time application at the moment.

I agree, The photo even looks doctored with a pure white background, etc.

Ok I have a few theories myself but I believe (is it hope?) that you do not always have to head up with your predetermined genetic balding pattern. DHT is definately the cause of hairloss. People who have been unlucky enough to be castrated either due to cancer or accidents (from wars etc) do not go bald because there is no more source of DHT, in which case they ultimaley avoid their predetermined genetic bald ness pattern. So basically lowering the production of DHT will help you keep your hair. Avodart is a more potent (as well as having more potent side effects) prevention of hairloss than Propecia. There are also topical treatments that can reduce scalp DHT like Azelaic Acid and Spironolactone (both of which can be found on www.minoxidil.com). Though at the moment there are no cures available for hairloss only treatments which means when you stop treatment the hair that was saved because of the treatments will eventually be lost. Unless your lucky enough to only have a mild bald pattern (e.g. NW3) in which case a HT will be able to restore your hairline. Still we gotta stay strong guys, there are promising future possibilities for hairloss sufferers in the form of Hair Multiplication/Hair Cloning and Gene Therapy. Until either of these advancements become a reality the best course of action is to try to save as much native hair as possible using the knowledge and treatments available now.

Hi dhuge67, We'll judging from your postop pics it looks like you should still be expecting growth on your hairline. I know that a lot of people here have had most of their growth between 6-8 months so I would wait a couple of months before deciding on your HT results. Do you know what density you got on your hairline, judging by your post op pics im guessing around 40cm2 but Its hard to tell because of the scabbing.

ok from what I understand, steroids are known to affect the hormone levels and has been known to accelerate hairloss and make people susceptible to hairloss who otherwise would never have been affected. Creatine is also another supplement that has been linked to hairloss. I doubt any other supplements like protein, nutrients etc will have any effect. Either way just to be sure im not taking creatine anymore. I don't think there is a direct known link between working out naturally and hairloss. It would be good to get some professional advice on this though.

Cantona, I'm also in the UK, I have to say looking at your situation I dont think you need a HT at all. I dont think you want to add any density as it would be practically impossible to add any density without shaving your hair first and even then you may lose more due to shockloss than you get transplanted. So unless you want to have a lower hairline Im not sure where else you are going to want to place the grafts. If you want to get some good personal advice you should contact Spex who is a showcase patient of Doctor Fellers and you can get his contact details from his website at: http://www.hairhelp.myzen.co.uk/ Good Luck, let us know what you finally decide on. BTW do not go to DHI or any other hair-mill, the doctors in the UK do not compare with the doctors in the US. I travelled to the US to have my HT done, if I were you I would do the same if you end up deciding to have one.

Well Propecia/Minoxidil is like a lottery it works good for some people and is not so good for others. Waittosee is a good example of a person who responds really well to Propecia/Minoxidil and has pretty much regrown hair everywhere including on his hairline: http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/showthread.php?t=156138

Hi FacelessMan, I am just over 1 month myself i think things are going to plan where most of my transplanted growth has shed and have not seen any real growth thus far. Since my redness has been gone for quite some time I am unsure as to where my eventual hairline will be! So yeah I have some anxious/excited times coming up in the coming months. How about yourself? how are handling things at your end?

Hi southflorida411, I'm glad you had a much better experience with Doctor Charles. He has had many happy patients over the years so your good experience and eventual results comes as no suprise. Just for clarification, when you mention your experience with Dr Shapiro I am assuming that you had your procedure with Dr Lawrence Shapiro who has had many unsatisfied patients over the years and not with Dr Ron Shapiro of Minnesota who is considered one of the worlds best surgeons where you would have been guaranteed an equally pleasant experience as you had with Dr Charles. We'll I am about just over 1 month ahead of you and as you know from your previous HT we have a long wait in front of us for our growth to sprout! Happy Growing!

htownballa, Adding Nizoral to your Propecia/Minoxidil regimen is a good idea because apart from minimizing the 'minoxidil itch' and being a good cure for dandruff, it is one of the only shampoos that will actually reduce scalp DHT (Which is the cause of hairloss).

waittosee, You have the best regrowth from meds I have ever seen. Im sure I don't have to tell you this but hang on to that minoxidil for dear life! The minoxidil bottle is your friend

Browny217, Congratulations on your procedure, I have only heard good things from Dr Martinick so I expect only the best results from your procedure. Good luck and I hope you keep us posted on your progress. Having a look at your post op pictures on your web log here: http://www.hairlossweblogs.com/home-page.asp?WebID=95 It looks like you have received a very nice hairline. The first few months after the shedding of your HT hair are going to be tough but hang in there your new hair will come. Happy Growing!

Hi htownballa, The reason for this is quite simple. If you are balding when you are young there is no indication of how bald (i.e. what level on the Norwood Scale) that you will end up in future. A hair transplant is not a cure for hairloss and you will continue to lose your surrounding native hair as you would have done without a HT. Unfortunately the limited donor supply that everyone has cannot restore a full head of hair. Since the hair from a HT is permanent, if you are too aggressive with your hairline you may be left with only a tuft of hair on your hairline and be bald everywhere else. This will look very unnatural in the future and you will regret ever having undergone a HT in future. Also at such a young age it is almost expected that you will have to undergo further HT's in future to keep up with your hairloss. If you are considering a HT at a young age, it would be unwise to not to undertake hairloss treatment like Propecia to slow/halt your hairloss. Only Propecia and Minoxidil are FDA approved for hair loss so I would recommend that you consider these treatments first. Realize that these treatments are also a life committment, i.e. you will lose any benefit (i.e. hair) that these treatments have helped you keep if you stop these treatments in the future. You also sound like you have not done enough research to even consider a HT. My recommendation is first to start treatments like Propecia and Minoxidil for about 1 year before considering a HT to see if you can regrow some of your lost hair and are able to avoid having a HT in the first place. During this time you should research what can be achieved with a HT and what is possible for you in the future with your limited donor supply. You have found a great (life saving) resource with this forum. The bottom line is to only consider consultations from the best and most ethical surgeons for your HT (i.e. Surgeons listed on the coalition), and they will let you know the best advice for you and your longterm interests. Hope this helps!

dhoose75, Dont wont to ruin a good story but... At only NW 2.5 I very much doubt that she would've blown you off because of your hair. I would say that along with your new hair you are probably more confident, and consequently more attractive to the opposite sex now.

kg007, Minoxidil and MSM are ingredients often touted to speed up hair growth. Hope that helps!

If you sent them to H&W over one month ago, it is probably lost or misplaced, I would email them again. All the virtual consults I had all replied to me within 3-4 days. I would say they have a tiered pricing model, you would pay so much (I imagine around $4-$5) for the first 1200-1500 grafts, then the price would drop for subsequent grafts.

Hi steve21, Avodart is not yet FDA approved for hairloss and has more potent side effects than Propecia. It is recommended that all patients go through a couple of years of Propecia before considering Avodart as Finasteride (Active ingredient of Propecia/Proscar) has been around for over 40 years and there is a large body of knowledge about it. Avodart on the other hand is relatively new which means that no one knows the long term side effects of it if any.

Hi Janna, Yes I read the same thing in my post op instructions. What is the reason for the wait?

Hairbank, I have been using Dermatch since a few weeks after my HT to mask my donor and recipient area, it has worked wonders, and it definately masked the fact that I had a HT. I used to wet the applicator as well, but I have found it is best to pour some water in the Dermatch disk itself and then use the applicator to mix the water with the dermatch to thicken it up then scoop up the resulting thick-wet dermatch with the applicator then apply to hair. I dont really get the chalky appearance cause I only ever apply wet dermatch.

Igydigitek, You are only meant to take one of them. I stayed on Propecia for 10 days in combination with Avodart. I also front loaded my Avodart dosage in the first 10 days (2.5mg per day) to get my DHT inhibition to the most optimal level in the shortest amount of time. This was NOT recommended by my doctor but I decided upon this course of action after looking at the dosage charts for Avodart. So far after 1 month of use I haven't noticed too much going on (not much shedding either).

Yeah unfortunately, the 10% left of transplanted hair is normal. Now you just have to sitback and hope the months go whizzing by :-). Are you using anything to try to speed your growth, i.e. Minoxidil or MSM?

USCMan, You seriously do not want to let geography be a factor for you. The best doctors are available in the US/Canada so I would research these forums and results and go to the doctor you think is the best. I flew all the way from the UK for my HT to go with the doctor who I thought was the best in the world for me. You should do the same, $7 per graft is very expensive and is at least $2 more than what you would pay per graft for the best surgeons in the world. The only people I know to charge that much are hair mills run by sub-par doctors, this high price is a necessity to pay for their commission based sales and expensive marketing campaigns.

Yeah it looks like he could be the Dcotor, I hope for his sake he isn't describing his wonderful Mini/Micro graft procedure.

Just-a-guy, Of course you have a right to express your opinions and we welcome them. From what I can tell you are recommending balding men considering a HT to just shave their head and accept it. That is definately the easiest option and if guys are able to be comfortable with that route than the better off they will be. IMHO there are both good HT's and bad HT's and I also believe that no HT is better than a bad HT. It doesn't change the fact that a good HT can have a positive life changing experience as is expressed by so many patients here that have gone to good doctors. It also appears that there are patients that never wished they had a HT. This is also good to know as the more information we have available the more informed our decision will be. You are stating some valid points, the most obvious one being that a HT is a life comittment and if you down that route you have to expect that you will require future HT's. So all patients should weigh up the pros and cons before contemplating a HT. But what would be more helpful rather than suggesting people get bald gracefully is to tell us your story, how you approached your hairloss, the doctors you went to and the results you had as well as the results you were expecting. This information will be more helpful and can hopefully save someone from having a bad HT experience.

Yeah I was really itchy when my hairloss was at its peak, I thought this was the process of balding since I was using head & shoulders and it didnt help. Now after using Nizoral 2% the itchiness has largely gone away, I just wished I used this product sooner!