HT & Hairpiece Combo -- Opinions Wanted

[MarkV]

About 8 years ago, when I was 38, I was quite bald in the crown area, but had a decent (but somewhat receded) hairline with quite a lot of hair in between. At that time, I got a hairpiece to cover the crown, which I am still wearing. Note that my hair is dark brown.

 

Over the years, the balding area grew. However, until now, I had enough hair in front to maintain a facsimile of a hairline and to hide the existence of the hairpiece (or so I think).

 

Today, at age 46, the hair in front has become VERY thin and receded and I feel that I need to make a move. I should point out that I would rather walk around bald and beautiful (yeah, right) than wear a hairpiece that is not camouflaged by a natural frontal hairline.

 

Therefore, I have given serious consideration to a ht. I find it hard to believe that I have enough donor hair to adequately cover my entire Class VI head. My idea is to get one or more ht's to restore a nice and full hairline and to continue to wear a hairpiece to cover the crown and perhaps a portion of the top of my head.

 

I e-mailed Dr. Bernstein the foregoing information and posed the question of whether this combination plan was viable. I received a reply from someone in his office stating that they would need to see me. So two weeks ago, I journied from Cleveland to NYC and met with Dr. B.

 

After determining that I was a Class VI and had average donor hair density, texture and laxtity, and a fairly small head, he told me that my plan to combine a ht with a hairpiece would not produce a good result. Instead, he recommended that I undergo a ht over the entire balded area, which he estmated would involve about 3,000 fu's.

 

While I would love to rid myself of a hairpiece, I am deeply concerned with two issues.

 

First, I still have a hard time believing that one or two strips cut from the back of my head would provide satisfactory coverage for the entire bald area.

 

Second, this approach would require me to take off my hairpiece and go "bare" for the 8 months to a year it will take for the ht's to grow and fill-in. It is not a pretty site looking in the mirror every three weeks when I go to the hair clinic to swap hairpieces and it would be traumatic to walk into the office one day totally bald.

 

My primary problem at this point is that I really don't understand why the combination of a ht and hairpiece "would not produce a good result," as Dr. B stated. He did not explain to me why he believes this to be so.

 

Any thoughts or comments regarding my dilemma would be greatly appreciated.

 

[This message was edited by MarkV on October 21, 2002 at 01:37 PM.]

[MarkV]

About 8 years ago, when I was 38, I was quite bald in the crown area, but had a decent (but somewhat receded) hairline with quite a lot of hair in between. At that time, I got a hairpiece to cover the crown, which I am still wearing. Note that my hair is dark brown.

 

Over the years, the balding area grew. However, until now, I had enough hair in front to maintain a facsimile of a hairline and to hide the existence of the hairpiece (or so I think).

 

Today, at age 46, the hair in front has become VERY thin and receded and I feel that I need to make a move. I should point out that I would rather walk around bald and beautiful (yeah, right) than wear a hairpiece that is not camouflaged by a natural frontal hairline.

 

Therefore, I have given serious consideration to a ht. I find it hard to believe that I have enough donor hair to adequately cover my entire Class VI head. My idea is to get one or more ht's to restore a nice and full hairline and to continue to wear a hairpiece to cover the crown and perhaps a portion of the top of my head.

 

I e-mailed Dr. Bernstein the foregoing information and posed the question of whether this combination plan was viable. I received a reply from someone in his office stating that they would need to see me. So two weeks ago, I journied from Cleveland to NYC and met with Dr. B.

 

After determining that I was a Class VI and had average donor hair density, texture and laxtity, and a fairly small head, he told me that my plan to combine a ht with a hairpiece would not produce a good result. Instead, he recommended that I undergo a ht over the entire balded area, which he estmated would involve about 3,000 fu's.

 

While I would love to rid myself of a hairpiece, I am deeply concerned with two issues.

 

First, I still have a hard time believing that one or two strips cut from the back of my head would provide satisfactory coverage for the entire bald area.

 

Second, this approach would require me to take off my hairpiece and go "bare" for the 8 months to a year it will take for the ht's to grow and fill-in. It is not a pretty site looking in the mirror every three weeks when I go to the hair clinic to swap hairpieces and it would be traumatic to walk into the office one day totally bald.

 

My primary problem at this point is that I really don't understand why the combination of a ht and hairpiece "would not produce a good result," as Dr. B stated. He did not explain to me why he believes this to be so.

 

Any thoughts or comments regarding my dilemma would be greatly appreciated.

 

[This message was edited by MarkV on October 21, 2002 at 01:37 PM.]

[NW]

Hi Mark,

 

My opinion k ?,

 

I agree w/Dr Bernstein as to the nicest most "hassle free" result in the long run and under the right Dr's direction, is an "undetectable" FU HT. A conservative "hairline" of modest coverage still frames your face nicely.

 

Here is my observations about Hairpieces, in all honesty I went to "Hair Club for Men" after my 1st HT, but only because I needed a trim after getting stitches out (from HT), I figured the hairdressers have seen many a scalp, and they helped me get a nice trim without having to explain the HT stuff...it's exhausting to have to go through that with a hairdresser, they were great,

 

BUT

 

In the lobby, every single man that walked in had "Elvis" thick hair, honestly they all looked absolutely stupid (3 diff. guys)...I have been told guys that are used to "Elvis" thick hairpieces would be disapointed with a nice and natural (albeit a bit thinner)HT.

 

I am not saying this is your situation, your plan sounds like it has worked great for a long time...but, you heard it here 1st, you cannot get the hairpiece density most are used to, but you can come close and look great when swimming or in the wind etc..

 

Sorry for saying too much, but you have a great ally in Dr. Bernstein, he is said to be amongst the best group in the business. I have had 2 HT procedures, they do work, and they work great with the right Dr...I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

 

Good Luck !!!

NW

[Guest]

I'm not a doc, but I have some suggestions anyway. There are many in your situation that have made the transition from hairpiece. I would strongly recommend consulting with a couple more doctors and getting names of their patients that have done it. Though I wasn't in your situation, one of my doctor's patients who I spoke to before my surgery was, and he had a great result, though the transition was difficult. I understand your reluctance to have to go without the hairpiece after surgery. However, in my opinion, in the long run you will be much happier if you figure out some way to do it, no matter how difficult. I believe that it is possible to wear a hairpiece over the grafts after a few days of healing if you are careful. Some combination of vacation time, ball cap, and hairpiece until the grafts grow in might work for you. Think ahead 10 or 20 years from now, do you really want to be still wearing a hairpiece? If you go through the trouble now, you can be set for life. Now, some guys only want want a HT if they can get thick coverage. IMO thin coverage (like I have), if it looks natural, is much preferable to a hairpiece. At your age, thin coverage is actually more natural looking, as about 50% of all males experience significant male pattern hairloss by the age of 50. In any case, you should not make a decision after consulting with only one doctor.

 

[This message was edited by Gary on October 20, 2002 at 08:45 PM.]

[SouthCarolina]

I have had one HT with Dr. Shapiro. I am a 6-7 and wear a hair replacement to cover. This is working for me. (The trick is to place the tape in front of your hairline. I once had the super glue version. It won't work here however. Just tell them you want to use tape.) I cut the tape in half width wise in order to leave room not to touch the hair line. My system stays on 5 to 7 days. After my HT I stayed out of town a few days (I traveled to see the doc) and did without the replacement to allow the grafts to heal some. For the next month or so I used very little tape and took it off every night to "rinse/wash" my new grafts and put the system immediately back on. After total healing there is no problem. I plan my second HT in the next few months. A 3rd HT may be required but not as large as the others. I understand the crown may be sparce but I will probably live with it. I have worn a system for 21 years (I'm in my mid 40's) and I think I can live with a "sparce" crown if it lets me be free from the replacement. I am older now so it probably won't bother me to have a "balding" spot. I can however see how a small hair replacement for the crown would be acceptable for many. It seems do-able to me.

[Guest]

I am wearing my hair-piece while my HT grows-in.

 

I had a corrective surgery by Jean Deveroye in Brussels.. Fantastic... he fixed a previous surgery I had ten years back.

 

I didn't wear the piece for two months (I had a long holiday).

 

Now I use tape only. Cut the tape in the front in half and wear it only at work.

 

It has-been about 4 months and now I think I look better with the growth than the hair-piece.

 

Close friends have told me they couldn't tell it was a piece, but now I am in my mid 30's and I just feel like an IDIOT wearing this thing. I don't even believe my friends anymore.

 

I had a smallish FU operation of 1500. I planned on a second of 2600. Looking back I would recommend one big operation, by a GREAT doctor and all will be well.

 

With the one big operation you can get enough coverage that the second won't be so noticable. (the redness etc) If you go for a second.

 

If I had gone for the bigger operation I would have flushed this rug down the toliet. But, I didn't get any FU's in on my crown and really don't want o bring attention to myself.

 

So, after the first one grows in, I will decide where I want the second set of FU's to go. Then after they grow in I will be RUG free. You know, I may do it sooner and take another hoilday after the second operation.

 

It is a funny thing. I never thought the wig was so bad. Sure, it was a pain to tape it on and wash it. Go get it colored, etc. I mainly went for the corrective HT, because I was sick of looking at my bad plugs. I never even let my wife see my head. Now the plugs are gone and the FU's are growing nicely and my tolerance for the wig is about gone.

 

If you are use to a thick wig a HT will be different. I think better. Things like wind, riding a bike, swimming, giving your child a piggy back ride as they hold onto your hair, are just not a problem anymore. (well, after your healed)

 

take care

 

david

[NW]

David, great story, congrats !

 

I have never worn a hair-piece, but have had 2 HT procedures. Looking back I fully agree with David on how to "plan" for 2 Procedures.

 

I would strongly suggest to get the majority of your needs corrected on surgery #1, it is true surgery #2 is far less traumatic (cosmetically) due to the exsisting coverage. A 3000 graft+ session is very realistic today.

 

re: HT #2

 

For me at 6+ weeks I look exactly as I did "prior to" HT #2, Far less shedding, and to my knowledege zero shedding of grafts from HT #1. Additionally the "sunburned" look is covered by pre-exsisting hair/grafts. I guess my point is; do your mega-session 1st, the greatest amount of trauma will then be out of the way, then HT #2 focus of fine tuning, you will not have nearly the inconvenience later. BTW after my 1st HT I shed fairly bad and wore a hat for 3 months, the shed hair all pretty much grew back later....but happy its done !!!. (whew!) I am not needing a hat after HT #2.

 

Do your mega-session 1st !!

 

 

NW