Advice - HT, drugs or just wait for cloning or stem cell therapy?

[2Bornot2B]

After years of not really caring I have read about all the new therapies that may (or may not) be coming down the pipeline and my interest in getting my hair back has been piqued.

Here is my story:

35 year old with pretty much a Norwood 6. Started thinning at around 20 yrs old - very unhappy about it but gradually got over it and have shaved my head for over a decade now (very very lucky that I have a head that looks good shaved, or so I'm told). Crown and back of head is pretty much all gone with some fuzz. Tried rogaine and finasteride for a very short time years ago.

Have read some of the experiences of posters on this website and impressed with some results. My question is whether a 35 yr old with my level of baldness has a chance of getting a natural hairline? I am comfortable with my baldness but I really do miss my hair. I have a fairly large head but with a large donor area and very thick hair where it does grow. Is it worth it to start a regimen of rogaine and finasteride now? (And why does nobody on this site take duasteride?). Should I wait until cloning or stem cell therapy becomes viable?

 

I am very impressed with the breadth of knowledge many of you seem to have obtained on this subject and your thoughtful advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[2Bornot2B]

After years of not really caring I have read about all the new therapies that may (or may not) be coming down the pipeline and my interest in getting my hair back has been piqued.

Here is my story:

35 year old with pretty much a Norwood 6. Started thinning at around 20 yrs old - very unhappy about it but gradually got over it and have shaved my head for over a decade now (very very lucky that I have a head that looks good shaved, or so I'm told). Crown and back of head is pretty much all gone with some fuzz. Tried rogaine and finasteride for a very short time years ago.

Have read some of the experiences of posters on this website and impressed with some results. My question is whether a 35 yr old with my level of baldness has a chance of getting a natural hairline? I am comfortable with my baldness but I really do miss my hair. I have a fairly large head but with a large donor area and very thick hair where it does grow. Is it worth it to start a regimen of rogaine and finasteride now? (And why does nobody on this site take duasteride?). Should I wait until cloning or stem cell therapy becomes viable?

 

I am very impressed with the breadth of knowledge many of you seem to have obtained on this subject and your thoughtful advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[hoose]

2bornot2b,

 

some pics would help evaluate your situation; however at 35 and a NW6, if you are a candidate for a HT, you have to have very realistic expectations; realistic expectations being a mature hairline and less overall density; there are some NW6's on this site who had good results with HT's; Bobman being one that stands out; it sounds like you have good donor area, so you may be a candidate; if you do go the HT route, it is recommended that you get on finasteride to maintain the hair below the crown area--thus you will keep your donor area strong; if you are a NW 6 rogaine may not be worth the hassle IMO; you will want to consult with coaltiion docs to evalutate your situation; especially docs that do megasessions; you will want to go for the most grafts possible in your first session.

[Yogi's Dad]

This is an excellent question.

 

My thoughts are twofold. First, you should seek a consult (could be done in many cases via an email consult) with a coalition doctor regarding the meds. In most cases, meds do not re-grow hair. However, in many cases they help stabilize hairloss. And these are generalizations. If you do opt for a HT, your doctor will likely want you on finasteride (e.g.) for several months prior to and then for the forseeable future, post-op (another generalization).

 

Second, you mentioned that you look good with a shaved head and have become fairly comfortable with it. You also note that "I really do miss my hair". A HT will not give you all of your hair back, but it will re-distribute a good bit of hair to your balding area. A skilled surgeon will provide you with style-able recipient hair. It will look good, but it won't be thick enough to prevent a sunburn

 

If you change your sentiment from "I really do miss my hair" to "I really really do miss my hair"... Then it might be time to make that consult with one of the great colaition physicians who are members here. They are the world's finest.

 

I'll defer the cloning question to others here, but I do believe that procedure is years away.

 

Good luck with your decision!

[dabuski]

Hi 2B,

the fact that u are comfortable with your baldness is great.

If what you say about your donor and hair characteristics is correct then u stand a good chance of

creating the illusion of hair once again in your balding areas.

How u choose to recreate a hairline and additional coverage should be down to consultation with your self

and your chosen surgeon.

Because of your level of baldness, good donor and hair characteristics are everything as is a realistic attitude to what can be achieved via HT surgery.

If your comfortable with your lot why not wait for future developments for cures.

You could also just revert back to NOT REALLY CARING as u stated at the beginning of your post.

Whatever your chosen path ,best of luck.

 

Dabuski

[Clive McQuire]

2bornot2b

 

Realism is the key to hair transplants!!

 

My hair went first on the crown then the hairline, and now at 48, i have a spattering on the centre top but not a lot else.

 

I recently had 2700 grafts with DR Feller, and as other posters have said all the top doc's will tell you straight, you can only cover so much scalp with what you have in your donor area.

 

Sounds like you have a fairly thick donor, so you may well be able to get 3-4000 grafts out of it, but that will only realistically enable you to have a decent hairline density, with some covering in the centre, but not as far back as your crown.

 

So the choice is yours, i went for it and hopefully in 12 months will have my hairline back, which as Dr Feller pointed out frames the face, so will give a straight on significant cosmetic improvement.

 

Whatever you choose to do, make sure you get consults in with top doc's. As for cloning, as far as i can see you are talking many years off, and no idea of price or effectiveness.

 

All the best.

 

Clive.

[Ja-Man]

As the others mentioned, you would have to have realistic expectations (high hairline, thin crown).

 

You do have to remember that once you go down the HT path, you will not be able to shave your head ever again (w/o revealing the long, thin scar). Which may not sound like a big deal now, but it might one day if you ever get tired of it all.

 

Personally, I'd wait until cloning becomes available (looks to be years away). But, it all depends on how bad you miss the hair (and you've come to the right place to find the best HT docs).

[bllorayne]

CLONING -STEM THERAPY---WAIT FOR 10 YEARS AS AFTER DEVELOPING THE TECHINQUE THE TESTING IN LAB REQ 5 YEARS ON ANIMALS BEFORE IT IS USED ON HUMANS...BE ON PROPECIA ROGAINE SAVE UR EXISTING HAIRS BRO AND GO TO DR EPISTEIN OR DR H&W .THEY R THE PAPA OF ALL PAPAS IN MEGASESSIONS.I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT YOU WILL GET BACK UR HAIRS..BEST OF LUCK.

[bllorayne]

GET A HT---DEVELOP A GOOD HAIRLINE--THIN CROWN WILL GET COVERED BY CONCEALERS...DONT WORRY...CROWN WILL BE THIN AS ITS LIKE A WELL HUNGRY FOR HAIRS...SO CONCEALERS WILL DO THE JOB...

[Smoothy]

30's is probably the best time for HT as your hairloss has probably started to level out and your donor density is about where it will be the next 15 yrs. As far as hairline, it depends on your surgeon-- get one who has great success and publications on hairlines-- DO RESEARCH! Then it depends on your donor. I would recommend focusing on hairline/temple/frontal core first then leave the top/crown area last depending on donor availability.

If you havent already start taking the following supplement to limit or stop future hairloss and help regrow your HT.

Propecia and Rogaine

Multi vitamin with Zinc

Saw Palmetto

Zrii which has Alamaki

Start now before your surgery to get a jump start. Use Rogain on recepiant site to help speed up growth and reduce dormant period.

Good luck