Ironman

ts808- I understand the commitment of having a transplant done, so I don't mind that you're trying to be front up with me regarding your opinion. Short-term I know that a transplant would probably do some good for both my appearance and self confidence, but long-term it may be a detriment to both if the worst case scenario occurs. That's why I will think long and hard about any permanent decision I end up making. vocor- Thanks for the drug advice. Do you think I could just contact one of the doctors that I've seen about a transplant in order to get a prescription to Proscar? Also, is it hard to cut into 4ths or 5ths or is it relatively easy to cut into smaller pieces?

Thanks for the advice so far. I have a few questions that have come up for me after reading a bunch of threads on this message board. What's the main differences in the type of hair transplantation done? I understand that one kind doesn't leave a noticable scar but that it's more expensive and fewer surgeons are good at it. Is the latter factor so big that it's easier to get a well done transplant done in the other method, or does the lack of scarring(for those who like it cut close on the back and sides like I do) make up for the fact. And are the most recognized doctors who perform the more exact surgery reasonably priced(relative to other doctors who use that method)? I've been taking Propecia for about 13 months now, but it's pretty expensive. I've heard about Proscar(sp?) on this board and was wondering if it's proven to be as good at stunting hair loss and about it's much lower cost. Also, is using both Rogaine and a pill better than either method alone? I hated the stickiness of Rogaine so much that I only put it on at night, but I guess I could wake up a little earlier and put it on in the morning if it would help me keep what hair I have.

Let's start with the background info. I'm 23 years old and have been losing my hair since about 18/19 years old. I've been taking something(first Rogaine, then Propecia) since I was about 20 and although I'm sure that the medication has helped to reduce my hair loss, I've still been losing hair. I have a noticable bald spot and the hair in the first few inches of the front of my hair is pretty sparse. I comb it forward and you can tell that my hair is thinning, but it's not horrible yet(if I weren't surrounded by other kids with full heads of hair I "might" not mind so much). Anyway, I've spoken with two doctors about getting a hair transplant already(Dr. Nusbaum and Dr. Sorrel Resnik, both in Miami) and am seriously considering the procedure. I have substantial fears about having a weird looking head of hair as I age and lose more. My grandparents have told me that they'll cover any costs of a transplantation, so that's not a concern. Also, I'm not really comfortable with the fact that all that can be done for me is filling in the front to be more dense. Sometimes I look at my hair and think that the difference wouldn't be worth it and other times I see my hair and can't wait for the day when my hair feels normal again. Regarding the thickness of my hair, it's not very dense on top, has solid thickness on the sides, and is very dense in the back. I have a family history of baldness on both sides of my family and both my father and uncle would be very high(6 or 7) on the scale of baldness(it's all women on my mom's side, but even most of them have seen their hair start to thin). Any advice or suggestions anyone can give me would be very appreciated. At the present I'm leaning towards not getting the transplantation done, mainly because of the fear of long-term damage and the benefits that can be gotten from waiting for some future breakthrough in the field.

Let's start with the background info. I'm 23 years old and have been losing my hair since about 18/19 years old. I've been taking something(first Rogaine, then Propecia) since I was about 20 and although I'm sure that the medication has helped to reduce my hair loss, I've still been losing hair. I have a noticable bald spot and the hair in the first few inches of the front of my hair is pretty sparse. I comb it forward and you can tell that my hair is thinning, but it's not horrible yet(if I weren't surrounded by other kids with full heads of hair I "might" not mind so much). Anyway, I've spoken with two doctors about getting a hair transplant already(Dr. Nusbaum and Dr. Sorrel Resnik, both in Miami) and am seriously considering the procedure. I have substantial fears about having a weird looking head of hair as I age and lose more. My grandparents have told me that they'll cover any costs of a transplantation, so that's not a concern. Also, I'm not really comfortable with the fact that all that can be done for me is filling in the front to be more dense. Sometimes I look at my hair and think that the difference wouldn't be worth it and other times I see my hair and can't wait for the day when my hair feels normal again. Regarding the thickness of my hair, it's not very dense on top, has solid thickness on the sides, and is very dense in the back. I have a family history of baldness on both sides of my family and both my father and uncle would be very high(6 or 7) on the scale of baldness(it's all women on my mom's side, but even most of them have seen their hair start to thin). Any advice or suggestions anyone can give me would be very appreciated. At the present I'm leaning towards not getting the transplantation done, mainly because of the fear of long-term damage and the benefits that can be gotten from waiting for some future breakthrough in the field.