Teddw2ds

How exciting! I can't wait to hear about your results. You definitely picked a great doctor. Any one of the Shapiro group and you can't go wrong. Tedd

This is a question that comes up quite frequently, and there simply is no single answer based simply on your Norwood pattern. There are so many variables involved, it is hard to determine without a thorough examination of your head, or at least really good photos. Not only is your Norwood pattern a factor, but also your hair density, hair thickness, skin tone, and hair color. It also depends on just how aggressive you want to be. Even the doctors can have vastly different opinions. After I sent my photos off to several doctors, I got estimates ranging from 1200 to 2200 FUs. I wanted to go rather conservative for now, since I am young and have almost no information about my mother's side of the family, as far as hair loss patterns. I could very well end up a NW 6 someday, so I wanted to preserve donor hair for later in life if I need it. I would recommend doing just as I did... send high quality photos to at least 4 doctors to get an opinion. Describe exactly what you wish to accomplish, and ask for an estimate of how many FUs it would take to do it. All of the doctors I emailed were very good about getting back to me quickly. Good luck! Tedd

There was a previous thread on this subject when the article was first released. As I recall, tht thread had some interesting posts. You may want to check it out for more information. Previous thread

Oscar, I wish I could add something more positive than what these guys have written, but I'm afraid they are both right. For one, since HT is such a bloody operation, and not medically necessary (purely cosmetic), physicians have the right to deny you based on your HIV status, and you will have a hard time finding one that doesn't. Secondly, I would definitely listen to your doctor regarding Propecia. It alters your hormonal balance, and specifically testosterone levels in your blood. This is not something you want to mess with if you're HIV positive. Finally, Joe is right. Although every single person on this board can certainly sympathize with the humiliation and degradation you feel, 20 years old is just too young to consider a transplant. That's because you have no way of determining at that age what your ultimate stage of hair loss will be, so it's impossible to map out a natural looking transplant. As much as I am opposed to them, if you don't like the idea of going for the shaved look, I think your best option is probably a hair piece. I will probably be stoned for saying that on this forum, but given your particular set of contraints, it's worth consideration. Best of luck to you, Tedd

I know what you mean Dart. I am about 5 weeks post-op, and I just loved staring in the mirror with all my new stubble, and running my hands over hair in areas where I hadn't had any in a long time. But then... they all started falling out again. It's kind of depressing, but I just keep reminding myself that in justa few short months they will be coming back for good!

Well, there's certainly nothing wrong with waiting, especially if it doesn't bother you that much. For me, it was something that I just really couldn't stand any longer, especially after doing the research and finding out just how natural a HT could look. I thought, if I could have my hair back and it would look completely natural, there's just no way I could NOT do it. Even then, though, I waited a couple of years before I worked up the courage to go through with it.

Yeah, that was me who said Rose is now doing FIT, but I'm not sure if he's doing body hair extractions. I would also encourage you to email Dr. Rose if you're interested. I read somewhere else that some doctors have abandoned the idea of alternate sources, since they do not look completely natural. They tend to take on the characteristics of head hair, but apparently not enough.

none Well, I debated whether or not to tell my brother what I was taking, but then I figured... if it bothers him as much as it bothers me, then he's a smart guy and he has all the same information available to him as I did. He can make that decision for himself. Besides, it's just too fascinating to see the comparison grow greater with each passing year. I've been on Propecia/Proscar for almost 4 years now, so the difference is definitely noticeable after that amount of time.

Really the only two considerations when choosing a hat are: 1) it cannot touch the recipient sites for at least a few days, and 2) your own personal comfort. The type of hat you're talking about that I've seen The Edge (from U2) wearing is a knit stocking hat, and that would definitely be a bad idea for the recipient site. A ball cap is probably best, since it has a band around it and the actual material is lifted away from the head at the recipient sites. The downside is that the same band is likely going to fall exactly where the donor scar runs. But I still wore a ball cap, I just wore it loosely and it was never much of a problem.

Thanks for the encouraging words, all of you. But I am not hurting. I am looking for another position within corporate America, but I am also exploring self-employment options. Seeing as I knew this was coming for a while, I have been saving diligently, plus I had 9 years at the company, so I got a very healthy severance. I can afford to take a long time off and develop my self-employment while also looking for another corporate job. But I have the luxury of being selective about which offers I entertain (assuming there will eventually be some coming my way!! ).

Wow Texas! You found a much better "before" shot than I did of Matt M. That kinda removes all doubt, and I don't think he got that kind of result from any medication. Guapo - He talked about using Regenix on David Letterman, but if he's talked about having a HT, I think this board would have been all over it by now.

I have seen several posts on here where doctors suggest Proscar is just as effective taken every other day as it is taken daily. From what I know of Finasteride's (the active ingredient in both Proscar and Propecia) efficacy curve, this makes sense, but I still have yet to try it. Finasteride has both a long half-life and a fairly flat top-end efficacy curve. What that means is that you don't need to take daily doses for it to remain active in your bloodstream, and higher doses produce incrementally smaller returns. I don't remember the exact figures, so what I'm quoting next would be purely hypothetical for example purposes only. Say you are taking 1mg of Finasteride daily, and this supresses 90% of DHT. If you were to take 3mg Finasteride daily, it would only supress 91% of DHT, and 5mg daily would only supress 92% of DHT. Your improvement is far out of proportion to your dosage once you've reached an effective level. That effective level may well be 1.25 mg every other day. Doing this would cut your costs in half. Perhaps now that I've been laid off, this would be the time to try that strategy, huh?!? Tedd

I am guessing it happened sometime in 2001 or 2002. Look at these photos I found from U-571 (2001) and from How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003). In the first, you can see some very definite recession in the temples. In the second, he's got a high school hairline!

I quarter Proscar and take 1/4 tablet every day. Others say you can take 1/4 every other day, but I've never tried that.

Thanks Jo. I won't get my expectations up too much, then, but it was still really exciting to make this "discovery" It's funny now long a few months can seem, huh?

You're absolutely right Joecifus! As you can see, I live in Tulsa, OK, but I had my procedure done in Tampa, FL. Does that mean there are no clinics in Tulsa that do HT? Not at all, it just means that after doing my research, I would never consider going to those clinics! Realisticaly, if you are prepared to shell out $5000+ for a hair transplant, whats another few hundred $$ for airfare and hotel for a couple of days? And a lot of docs will even give you a travel credit if you're coming from out of town, so it all evens out, or is offset at least a little bit. Don't let geography even be a consideration in your decision. Go to the doc that you feel is the very best for your particular circumstances, no matter where he or she happens to be.

Okay, I'm currently at 5 weeks post-op, and much of my transplanted hair has shed, so I thought I would be just waiting around for a few months to start seeing regrowth. Imagine my surprise this morning when I looked in the mirror closely (I haven't done this in a while since I didn't expect there to be anything to see) and found the beginnings of regrowth. Has anyone else experienced this so early on? Everything I've read says at least 3 months, and more like 4 - 6 months before the transplanted hairs start coming back in. I guess I should also note that I have been using Rogaine since after the 2nd week. Dr. Rose's post-op care instructions indicated that this could speed the regrowth process, but I didn't think it would be that dramatic. Granted, they are not thick and bushy, but they are definitely breaking through the surface. I've spotted maybe a dozen or so after I started looking real closely!!! Perhaps my wait will not be so insufferable after all. Tedd

Okay, I'm currently at 5 weeks post-op, and much of my transplanted hair has shed, so I thought I would be just waiting around for a few months to start seeing regrowth. Imagine my surprise this morning when I looked in the mirror closely (I haven't done this in a while since I didn't expect there to be anything to see) and found the beginnings of regrowth. Has anyone else experienced this so early on? Everything I've read says at least 3 months, and more like 4 - 6 months before the transplanted hairs start coming back in. I guess I should also note that I have been using Rogaine since after the 2nd week. Dr. Rose's post-op care instructions indicated that this could speed the regrowth process, but I didn't think it would be that dramatic. Granted, they are not thick and bushy, but they are definitely breaking through the surface. I've spotted maybe a dozen or so after I started looking real closely!!! Perhaps my wait will not be so insufferable after all. Tedd

Oh, don't feel bad for me PD. With each passing day I realize just how happy I am to not be there anymore. I imagine it's like most places that are in a shut-down phase... it's depressing, chaotic, frustrating, and unnecessarily stressful. At one time I loved my job, but I realize now it's like the parable of the boiling frog. The temperature rises so slowly that the frog doesn't even notice the difference until it's too late. At work, things changed in small ways everyday and it got to the point where I no longer enjoyed my job. In fact, I dreaded going to work. That's no place I want to spend 8 or 9 hours a day.

My experience is the same as Vocor, except that I never lost any hair in the crown area... mine was all frontal / temple areas. Propecia/Proscar did not regrow much hair for me, but I did definitely notice a dramatic halt to my loss progression. And unlike most people, I can say conclusively that this halt was not simply my natural genetic pattern, because I have an identical twin brother (same genes, you know) who is not on Propecia, and his loss has continued unabated. He surely looks the same as I would today had I not started the medication.

I've never seen Matthew M. without hair. What movie was that?

Yes, I've used it in the front and temples, and I believe it has made some difference. Not dramatic, mind you, but noticeable.

Smoothy, That's exactly what I was talking about in my post here: http://www.hair-restoration-info.com/groupee/forums?a=tpc&s=5696015661&f=7466060861&m=7876094914&r=3986049124#3986049124

Okay, I've been reading other posts about Harrison Ford and Joe Torre. The guy whose hairline I can't tear my eyes away from is Christopher Meloni, who plays detective Elliot Stabler on Law and Order: SVU. Has anyone else noticed this? What's going on with his hair? Is is a bad HT, too much concealer, or both? Whatever it is, it looks bad! Any others we should be on the lookout for (besides the usual suspect... Nic Cage, Joe Biden, etc.)?

Okay, I've been reading other posts about Harrison Ford and Joe Torre. The guy whose hairline I can't tear my eyes away from is Christopher Meloni, who plays detective Elliot Stabler on Law and Order: SVU. Has anyone else noticed this? What's going on with his hair? Is is a bad HT, too much concealer, or both? Whatever it is, it looks bad! Any others we should be on the lookout for (besides the usual suspect... Nic Cage, Joe Biden, etc.)?