N-6

What concerns me about propecia is that it may artificially lower your psa score, meaning someone may receive a low psa score when it can actually be double that score. Its fake reassurance. Psa is one test used to try and diagnose prostate cancer. Your urologist needs to be aware of propecia use and aware of its impact on psa.

A strip scar is permanent and healing of it depends in part on a patients physiology. If you are concerned about keeping really hair close in the back and not showing scar, you could try to put grafts in the scar or tattoo the scar but a strip surgery may not be right for you. There is no perfect procedure. An FUE procedure may help you keep hair shorter in the back and sides. There isn't a smiley face scar with FUE but it does leave small circular scars. If you are a NW 5 6 then you may not be a candidate for FUE.

Alix, that's true in general but the issue here is of the potential for permanent sexual dysfunction after discontinuing use. There is also the prostate cancer issue on which there seems to be conflicting data. Doctors can be well-intentioned but not always well-informed so a simple discussion with them about propecia's perceived pros and cons will not always be accurate or current. Beyond that, and I think this is significant, is that doctors and patients alike will not always know the long term side effects of a drug because the drug simply has not been around long enough for testing in that regard. I can only speak for myself but I had not heard of the potential for permanent sexual side effects or prostate cancer issue with propecia until very recently.

Also I'm not sure how relevant the Japanese study is to western men because japanese men are known to have less issues with prostate to begin with becausr of their lifestyle. Its apples to oranges comparison.

Yes newhair the study did say a 25% decrease in low grade prostate cancer BUT an increase in high grade cancer is troubling for me. High grade cancers are much more dangerous because they spread quicker to other parts of the body which makes treatment more complex and can decrease survival rate. The only slight comfort I take is in the fact that the study involved proscar which had fin and was administered at 5 Mg daily. The fin I had been taking was only 1 Mg and even then it was 3 times per week. I have doubts about the FDAs credibility because many of their advisers are former big pharmacy staff and heads. Lots of conflict and I could easily see drugs being passed off as safe short term just so companies can continue to churn out big profits.

Glad you posted this because I'm having second thoughts about continuing not really because of sexual side effects but because of slight increase in risk of high grade prostate cancer. That's serious stuff. FDA mentioned it last year and my ears have perked up. Fact is like what was said earlier these drugs haven't been around long enough to assess long term side effects. My opinion is that drug companies can put out drugs like vioxx, stations and make billions. When lawsuits arise, they can always settle the case and and still make a nice profit. Its a business decision. Now just because there's a lawsuit it doesn't mean that its a winning lawsuit but it also cannot absolutely be discounted as frivolous.

Agree with bonker about pics posted. Scar pics were nice outcome but its unrealistic to think that every patients donor will look like that on day of procedure. Strip poses risk of scar stretching and donor shock loss. FUE no scar. That said I prefer strip because of superior yield and superior efficiency of harvesting grafts plus, of course, cost. Personally I have gone back to work by day 15 to day 17 and don't think anyone noticed anything. For my last procedure I had staples in for abt 2 weeks at my office, no hat,, and feel it was well concealed.

100% agreement with spex. Also how advanced is your balding pattern? How old are you? Based on some of info Ive read, I think FUE has its place by way of smallish sessions but once there's a need for something like 2500 grafts plus then you're risk taking grafts from the fringes of the safe permanent zone and beyond. FUE is not as efficient as FUT at harvesting grafts.

Maybe even longer than that, golf may involve too much neck twisting, ask your doc.

Well said Staggerlee. Faketrees I checked your pics and I think that's what's to be expected for 1500 grafts in that size of an area. Good luck on ht no. 2

Shampoo that can certainly be done. Check out goodlook ink in Minneapolis they have some good case studies. Yes Rudy fue scars will show if its that close. Fue isn't a scarless procedure.

Where is he going to get grafts via fue for his extensive hairloss? This will necessarily be taken from the fringes of the perm zone and beyond. Remember that Fue isn't as efficient as harvesting grafts as strip therefore you are able to get more grafts per sq cm via strip than fue. So with fue he can go conservative route and not get adequate coverage or go mega session fue, risk outside safe zone grafts and possibly have them fall out anyway. I wouldn't spend my hard earned money on a procedure that may partially fail in the long run. Meds are not foolproof at all and their effectiveness eventually wears off. Recall that Fue hasn't been around very long so we don't know how all these mega session fuepatients will look long term. I really think its an overhyped procedure but it does have its place. I just think this patient is way better off with strip.

You're right Nw 7, no donor and cant cover scar isn't a good situation. Would you care to share more details about your situation? How many procedures did youhave? How many grafts? How long ago? Meds? Where exactly was your strip taken from? Scar 5, that's exactly I would choose fut, because for someone at that level of loss, strip grafted hair has a better chance of being perm since its taken from traditional perm safe zone. I wouldn't pay double price for fue for hair which could fall out anyway so I could avoid a scar.

You're essentially guessing that bisanga is incapable of doing a larger fue, you're entitled to your opinion but I'm not sure what basis you have to say that. The risk is very real of harvesting from a nonperm zone in a younger patient with extensive hair loss in an fue. Feel free to do some medical research on the issue. Trapped did u do it scar? If so can u post pics?

In his situation it is absolutely a no brainer unless like I said he wants to keep it buzzed. Apparently his own doc doesn't think he is a good candidate for FUE but you missed that in his first post. Micropigmentation looks like a great option to conceal scar and add appearance of density. Just checked goodlook Inc site and am very impressed.