Average age of an HT patient

[dhuge67]

I'm just sitting here at work, bored, and wondering about this. What is the average age of an HT patient? It's probably hard to answer that exactly, but from this community it would seem that most are older than 30. I find this interesting because the average age of a married man is what, 25-30? It seems odd to me that hair-loss would be problematic to someone who is settled into a kind of comfort zone with marriage, kids, and a solid job. Of course there are personal issues that go beyond that, but I'm just thinking out loud.

 

Don't beat me up over this.

 

I'd say my main issues with my hair loss stem from it happening to me at such an early age. It's hard enough to "get the girl" with everything going for you, without being a balding 20-something. Eh, even if the girls don't really care, it SEEMS like they do. And I have run into a situation where a girl even asked me about it once....not fun.

[dhuge67]

I'm just sitting here at work, bored, and wondering about this. What is the average age of an HT patient? It's probably hard to answer that exactly, but from this community it would seem that most are older than 30. I find this interesting because the average age of a married man is what, 25-30? It seems odd to me that hair-loss would be problematic to someone who is settled into a kind of comfort zone with marriage, kids, and a solid job. Of course there are personal issues that go beyond that, but I'm just thinking out loud.

 

Don't beat me up over this.

 

I'd say my main issues with my hair loss stem from it happening to me at such an early age. It's hard enough to "get the girl" with everything going for you, without being a balding 20-something. Eh, even if the girls don't really care, it SEEMS like they do. And I have run into a situation where a girl even asked me about it once....not fun.

[hairbank]

d-

 

I'm not sure what the average would be for HT patients. I will say that I believe it's gotten younger, especially in the last few years.

 

HT's have been around a long time, however, in the past 5 years the process has become so refined as to provide a very, very natural an full look. This, I believe, is one of the key factors it seems more and more are considering this a viable alternative to strictly using meds, shaving down or wearing a piece.

 

As for hairloss being an issue for someone married, with kids, good job...etc......I'm exactly smack in the middle of that particular demographic. I got married at 25 (hair loss started around age 23), have two kids and have been blessed with a successful career. If I were single, it would likely have bothered me more. Personally, even after marriage, family, etc.......balding (or totally bald) is no more appealing than before you were married. My wife thinks I'm good looking with or without the hair. My reasons for getting HT's boiled down to the fact that I liked how I looked better with hair versus without. There may have been an age consideration factored in for me as well. I turn 40 this year, have a brother 2 years my senior who is a "chia pet" head and he's been getting away with introducing me as the older brother for years now. I think the hair loss plays a big part in this.

 

I was fortunate (I think) in the way I experienced the loss. While I had some receeding in the temples, the front of my hairline is no more than 1 inch from where it was in high school. My loss was mainly in the crown (with some diffused on top) and creeped forward. I'm tall, so for many years it appeared to those who saw me (from the front) that I still had a decent head of hair. The clencher for me to do HT #2 and focus on the crown was looking at the "sky cam" in Walmart as I walked out on night and nearly seared the retinas in my eyes as I glanced at the overhead TV while it lit up the back of my head! I hated how it looked!

 

Anyhow........long story short (too late), I would guess the average age of HT's at this point to be 30 or less. 4-5 years ago I would have put it more around the 35+ mark. Anyone else care to chime in?

[JakeVig]

hairbank, I think you are spot on with the average age. If we base the patient photos in the photo album as a sample I would still say that the average age is close to early 30's. Of course younger people will probably be more likely to be private about their HT which could reflect on whether they allow their profile to be displayed.

 

Then if we take an account of Bosley's aggressive marketing towards younger people who should 'stay ahead of their balding' then it will be younger again.

[HairHope]

http://www.ishrs.org/mediacenter/pr/pr7.htm

 

"Forty (40) is the average age for men and women seeking hair restoration treatments."

 

I've seen the report, its quite comprehensive.

[irish homer]

surly if you are in the 30-50 age group with your house bought or at least near to being bought, your kids on the way to being fully grown and your career stable you have more disposable income to spend on what you want. this is the case with me for getting the HT at 40, just simple economics-)

[Hoping]

Fifty when I had mine although almost had one at when I was about 29. Also looked into hair transplants at about 40 with MHR (the one with Levitt). I went for a consultation and for at least one year they constantly called me asking me to come back. Now why did I do it? Well I guess there are several reasons. When I was young and in my twenties I was a very good looking guy with very thick hair. I started losing my hair in my mid twenties and thought about a transplant when I was 29 because I thought I had lost too much hair. (I chickened out last moment while in the surgeon's chair). By the time I was about 50, I hated looking at photos of myself because I looked so bald from the front (top 1/3 of my hair), but in a way I really didn't care all that much about my looks any more. After all I was fifty, good career, married, kids, the works. And then I decided that I didn't like not caring anymore. And one day I simply decided to go for it - did an internet search, found Dr. Epstein (before I found this site) and had the work done. Best thing I ever did and if the technique was better ten years earlier, would have wished I had it done when I was forty. I have definitely gotten back some of my youthful good looks, but alas, the twenty year old women don't even know I'm there :-)

[troy]

I had mine done at 32. I have 3 kids was married. for me it was simple now with the techniques available and abundant information online, and shapiro 15 minutes away. Given the choice, I choose to have hair. Now being sigle again it is a nice self confidence booster to have hair again. And i spent a fortune on my divorce, and have given everything to my kids, this was something I did for just me. now that i am almost 6 months post op Im glad i made my decision.

[dhuge67]

Originally posted by JakeVig:

 

Then if we take an account of Bosley's aggressive marketing towards younger people who should 'stay ahead of their balding' then it will be younger again.

I think this strategy can be effective for some.