Request Help in deciding a surgeon

[venkat_1980]

Hi,

 

I am a 27 yr old and have been experiencing severe hair loss recently. I had this problem since i was 23, but then the fall was very rapid recently and i lost a lot of hair and am close to going bald. It was my fault that i was late in reacting to it, but then the rapidity increased all of a sudden recently.

 

I spoke to few doctors, had them go through my pictures. spoke to Dr. Jeffrey in Florida, Dr.Katz in PA, Dr. Charles in Fl, and few others in charlotte. I have phone consultations with few tomorrow, Jon Shapiro from MN, Dr. Cole in Atlanta and Dr. Jack Fisher in TN.

 

I was wondering if someone could help me choose a doctor for my case. I see some excellent reviews for Dr. Jon Shapiro and Dr. Jeffrey too. I guess Dr.Jeffrey is bit conservative and i completely understand his stand. he was suggesting like 2000 grafts. But i would like get a few more.

 

I would really appreciate if someone compare my case with their case and share their experiences as how many grafts they got done and how does it look now and etc.

 

Its majorly on the frond and the top. My pictures are big in size and am not able to post them. Lost a lot of hair from the front to the crown though

 

I feel so depressed and low these days because of this. It really took my confidence away.

 

Thanks in Advance and look forward to your help!

 

-Venkat

[Gorpy]

Are you referring to Dr. Jeffrey Epstein? You know, those estimates are not set in stone. If you feel the need for more, you can discuss it with him.

[MrJobi]

Hi Venkat

 

We understand how you feel. It can be quite demoralizing watching your hair fall out and your confidence with it. The good news is you are looking to do something about it. There are many good docs available so making a choice can be quite a task.. Stick with Coalition dotors and the names you hear consistently on here.

 

Epstein

Feller

True & Dorin

Hasson and Wong

Keene

Shapiro

 

Are just a couple of the top docs. You should meet with them to get a comfort level as well as some of their patients. You can use the search function to find out more about the docs in questions

 

Good luck

[hairbank]

Venkat-

 

Sounds like your getting a plan to restore the lost hair. I would also recommend that you stick with our Coalition Surgeons when consulting. They have been carefully selected as the "best of the best" in HT's and consistently produce great results.

 

If you could post pics it would better help with evaluating your situation, but a Doc will be better able to assess it and it sounds like you have some consulting appointments set up so let us know what you hear.

 

Are you doing anything for future loss prevention like taking Finasteride (Propecia) or using Minoxidil (Rogaine)? If not, I'd highly recommend it to assist in staving off further loss in the future.

 

Good luck,

[YoungGuy]

Venkat,

 

I'm actually in a similar situation to you, I'm 27 and had a HT 2.5 months ago with Dr. Feller in NY.

 

Could you post your pictures? This would be the best thing to do as it would let folks here get a better idea of what your needs/options are. Also, feel free to take a look at mine in the photo albums section to compare cases.

 

Naturally, if you're not on finasteride yet, get on it ASAP - any physician should be able to proscribe it for you, it's called Propecia.

[Janna]

Hi Venkat,

 

We're looking forward to hearing from you. I just wanted to clarify that it's Dr. Ron Shapiro from Minnesota, not Jon. Good luck in your research.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Janna,

 

You mean you never heard of Dr. Jon (pronounced Zhon) Shapiro? I used my cloning program to make him! Now he's going to start posting random silly things here and there as a Bill-Clone!

 

venkat,

 

We can certainly feel your pain here...we are all here because we are struggling or have struggled with losing our hair. The good news is there is something you can do about it.

 

Everyone above gave you good avice. As hairbank said...to prevent future loss, it's important to get on finasteride (and maybe minoxodil if you don't mind the messy regime). I'd stick with the medication for 6-12 months first before getting an HT.

 

so you are the same age now as when I got my first HT. There is hope brother...but spend your time researching before you jump into anything...but get on the medication (if you aren't already) asap!

 

Bill

[venkat_1980]

Hi,

 

Thank You all for your responses. I really appreciate it.

 

I started using propecia like a week ago. bought rogaine foam too, but haven't started using it yet. can i use rogaine all over the head? on the pack, it says just apply it to the crown.

 

Gorpy,

yes i was referring to Dr. Jeffrey Epstein

 

Janna,

yes i was talking about Dr. Ron Shapiro from Minnesota, not Jon. sorry about that!

 

I spoke to the consultant(patient educator) at Dr.Ron Shapiro's office. He advised me not to go for the surgery, infact he said he wouldn't be receptive at all(meaning they wouldn't perform the surgery on me). he said you are not bald, its just that your hair is thinning and asked me to be on medication for atleast 1-2 yrs. I wouldn't question his expertise(He was very informative, very patient, very practical and very nice), but i can see my hair falling and it simply in is hundreds(number of hairs) whenever i have a head bath. so, i am kind of scared.

 

My images are too bog and size and so cannot post them here. if you guys wouldn't mind, i would appreciate if you could use the following account to have a look at my pictures. I created it just for this purpose.

 

http://www.yahoomail.com

username: venkat_charleshair

password:sanjana3

 

Thank You very much and I look forward to your advice.

 

-Venkat

[Gorpy]

Yes, I can see you are a diffuse thinner. I agree, you need to give the propecia a chance to work for a couple of years.

[venkat_1980]

Hi,

 

Thank you all for your responses.

 

I feel more terrible guys. This sunday i was having my headbath and could see hundreds(literally) of hair falling off. what makes so much hair fall off while having head bath. They fall while i comb my hair too, but its like 10-15, perhaps 20. do you think its because of the shampoo i use? i use head and shoulders. i feel so terrible guys! I buy purified water cans from outside and use those for my headbath. doesnt make much diffrence though.

 

could you please suggest any good shampoo that i could use?

 

also, i bought rogaine and i don't understand how to apply it. i mean it says "apply half cap of foam". but half cap, it doesnt even cover 1/10th of my head. can i apply any amount i wish to?

 

I would really aprpeciate your answers to these concerns guys!

[Gorpy]

Venkat,

The Shampooing (head bath) of your hair is not making your hair fall out. I suspect it is always falling out, you just notice it more when you wash your hair.

 

You need to give the propecia time to work. I understand your question about Rogaine. I would use a little extra to cover your entire head.

 

Hope that helps.

[Bill - Seemiller]

venkat_1980,

 

Trust me my friend, we all know and understand how you feel. Unfortunately though, there is NOT an immediate fix for the problem. Many of us have been working hard for years to fight the problem and are still not there, even with surgery.

 

I'm sure Dr. Shapiro isn't rejecting you from surgery eventually...it's just that he has deemed you as "not a candidate at this time".

 

Have you started finasteride yet? This IS the MOST important step you can take at this time.

 

Regarding minoxodil...if you want to try it, feel free to use more than a cap size if you need to apply it to the whole head. The recommended usage is twice a day, but many only use it once per day and swear by it.

 

Starting finasteride or minoxodil MAY INCREASE THE SHEDDING OF HAIRS. This is normal and may occur for about 3 months. This is a sign of the medication working and the hair that fell out because of shedding WILL GROW BACK. BUT, any hair falling out due to MPB may not be coming back.

 

We understand how you feel...but please don't rush into surgery...you will potentially make things much worse.

 

Bill

[Aquarius]

Once again DR. Ron Shapiro shows himself as a real Doctor.

[venkat_1980]

Hi,

 

Thank you all for your responses.

 

Bill , yes i have started using propecia, its only been few days over 2 weeks though.

 

Dr. Jeffrey Epstein from florida has asked me to be on proepcia for 8 weeks and said he would have a relook at my case after that.

 

Thanks again for your support and responses and would appreciate any more input from you guys.

[Bayer]

Venkat_1980,

 

You are at the panic stage, a place where we have all found ourselves. The difference is, you have come to a place where you can get great information.

 

As difficult as this seems, patience is the key. Thinking should be in terms of years, not weeks. You actually have a killer mop relative to some of us.

 

Give the propecia time. Eight weeks is short leash, but I am not a doc. Meds need time to work.

 

Good news = you have talked to Shapiro. We should all have been so lucky. Take your time, look at your long term objectives, and talk to your brothers.

 

Bayer

[MrJobi]

Hi Ven

 

I certainly understand how traumatizing it is to watch your hair fall out ( I vividly remember myself in my old bathroom freaking out).. The good news is Propecia will most likely stop this.. Do it ASAP and it will take a month or so.. It will stop this craziness.

[youngsuccess]

venkat_1980,

 

I can see the thinning, but if you begin taking finasteride immediatedly like everyone suggested, you can probably expect to maintain what you have there now (which compared to some people is a lot!) I hope you don't mind me doing this, but I would like to ask everyone here a question regarding your loss and hair transplantation: since venkat still has some hair all over his head, will finasteride prevent the native hair from being damaged if the procedure is done? I have heard so many different things about shockloss and about what factors determine whether it's permanent or. If the patient is on finasteride and in the hands of a competant surgeon, shockloss of the native hair usually is not permanent right? I know that all of my sparse hairs, even the very soft ones remained in my hairline after it was restored and were never even temporarily shocked out. Why exactly do some people experience permanent shockloss?

[Gorpy]

If the patient is on finasteride and in the hands of a competant surgeon, shockloss of the native hair usually is not permanent right?

 

That's an excellent question. Unfortunately the answer is not cut and dried. Finasteride can strengthen existing hair, but unfortunately it is limited in its ability. It's not going to turn every hair on your head into a strong permanent hair. I wish it would. I think, with every competent surgeon, shock loss will not be caused by transecting existing follicles. However general trauma to the area can cause hair to be shocked out. Some of that could be permanent shock loss. It is very unpredictable and as you can see, most doctors err on the side of caution.

[youngsuccess]

Thanks for the info Gorpy. It sucks that some people can't take advantage of the hair they've already got when approaching hts.

[Bayer]

quote:

If the patient is on finasteride and in the hands of a competant surgeon, shockloss of the native hair usually is not permanent right?

 

This is an interesting subject.

 

I have been on finasteride since April 2006 and had a 3500 graft procedure done on Jan 30/07. My native hair as well as that of two prior procedures (400 grafts in 1996 and 488 grafts in 2000) was all shocked.

 

I am getting growth (hard to tell if native, prior HT hair or recent HT hair) so I will be watching with a lot of interest.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Finasteride can minimize shockloss of native hairs, however, this does not mean that there is a guarantee that some native hairs won't be permanently shocked. There is a possibility that even if finasteride IS effective and working for you that not all native hairs will respond to the medication. Long story short...there is no guarantee but it WILL minimize the risk.

 

Bill

[venkat_1980]

Hi,

 

I spoke to few doctors(Eipstein, Dr.Feller, Dr.Ron Shapiro etc.) like 6 months ago about getting a transplantation done. considering my age and the rate of hair fall, they have suggested me to be on propecia for a while.

 

from the research I've done i knew 2% of propecia users experienced some sexual problems like penis erecetion and that too those problems would go away once they stopped using propecia. so i decided on using it, but unfortunately i started experiencing those problems. it was soo dreadful. so i stopped using them for a while and i was back to normal. wasnt sure if it was due to propecia, so i started using them again, but the problem re occured. i was soo scared and stopped using propecia. I think i'm still not back to normal. I hope i'll get back pretty soon.

 

now is this problem soo common? or i am one such unfortunate guy in this regard? I'd rather go bald than experiencing such problems!!

 

Thank you

Venkat

[MrJobi]

Some people do have side effects as mentioned. Now, are the side effects psychological or not?? That is the question in my opinion.. Maybe you can take 1/2 a pill a day ?