RE: HT & fine hair - Questions

[NYCman]

First, a little about myself - I'm a male in my early 30's experiencing hair loss since my early 20's. The hair loss has been primarily a frontal recession with minimal loss on the crown. I have dark brown hair that is very fine.

 

I've been considering HT for a few months now and have been doing my research. I have consulted with two Dr.'s in NYC. The first Dr. was confident that I was a good candidate and that good coverage and density was possible with HT. The 2nd Dr. suggested that I continue with the Propecia for one full year and then come back for another consultation. He was hesitant about the procedure being successful because I do have fine hair.

 

I'm concerned that I have received two very different answers from the two doctors that I have consulted. Is there anyone that has had HT that also has fine hair? If so, how successful were the results? Has anyone else been 'turned down' by a Dr.?

 

Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you.

[NYCman]

First, a little about myself - I'm a male in my early 30's experiencing hair loss since my early 20's. The hair loss has been primarily a frontal recession with minimal loss on the crown. I have dark brown hair that is very fine.

 

I've been considering HT for a few months now and have been doing my research. I have consulted with two Dr.'s in NYC. The first Dr. was confident that I was a good candidate and that good coverage and density was possible with HT. The 2nd Dr. suggested that I continue with the Propecia for one full year and then come back for another consultation. He was hesitant about the procedure being successful because I do have fine hair.

 

I'm concerned that I have received two very different answers from the two doctors that I have consulted. Is there anyone that has had HT that also has fine hair? If so, how successful were the results? Has anyone else been 'turned down' by a Dr.?

 

Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you.

[Mahair]

It sounds like the second Dr. was being truthful with you while the first was trying to SELL you something.

[Robert_]

Getting turned away by a physician is not a "bad" thing in that you have found a physician that is ethical enough to believe that you are not a good candidate. This does not necessarily deem that the physician that did not turn you away as unethical, however.

 

Surgical hair restoration is very much an art in that no two are going to be a like and no two physicians will perform the exact same procedure on the same patient.

 

You have had two consultations with two physicians. That is a good start and shows that you are not rushing into this decision.

 

If you want the help of the forum members, why not post some photos of your situation (you can omit facial features) and share the names of the physicians you consulted with? Perhaps some of our members have had experience with one or both of the physicians and can give you some insight on your own situation.

 

Good luck and welcome to the forums.

 

-Robert

[GuitarPlayer]

NYCman,

 

What doctors did you consult with if you don't mind me asking? Thanks.

[Switch]

I beleive by fine hair you mean thin... One Advise to you mate if you go in for HT go for large numbers cause the drawback with fine/thin hair is that you need greater numbers for fullness/denseness...

 

Also fine hair IMPO are more suspectiable to shockfallout... So if you getting HT done in an area where exisiting hair are already present there dont ignore the factor of shock fallout...

[Mahair]

It just seems strange that one Dr. is giving realistic expectations and not rushing him while following good protocal(reccomending propecia and a 1 year assessment).While another is giving him a confidence talk about good density and coverage(get him started give realistic expectations later).I feel it is much better for a guy to be given and honest opinion and have it come out better than he expected than to use semantics in regards to good density and coverage, then be dissapointed with the results (*good* to him and *good* to the Dr. may be two different things). I too would be interested in who they where.

[terry mitchell]

NYCman, I think you got solid advice from the second doctor. Your experience underscores what happens in the ht industry. This should prove to you that research is your first line of defense. Given your age and current hair loss, you have plenty of time to make an informed decision. I would stay on this site and learn from other member's experiences before committing to a surgery. Terry.

[arfy]

Thin wispy hair doesn't cover as well as coarse wiry hair. As someone noted, it takes more grafts for the guy with the wispy hair, just to get the same amount of coverage as the guy with coarse hair. That can be a problem because hair transplants are a numbers game, where you usually start off with less donor supply than you'll end up needing.

 

There are certain characteristics that a guy can have, that make him a better candidate for a hair transplant.

<UL TYPE=SQUARE>

<LI>Coarse hair (instead of thin, fine hair)

<LI>wavy or curly hair (instead of straight hair)<LI>high donor density (lots of 2s, 3s and 4 hair units, instead of mostly 1s and 2s<LI>Hair color and skin color are similar<LI>You already halted your hair loss with medication<LI>you have frontal hair loss, instead of crown loss or all-over diffuse loss<LI>You can afford multiple surgeries<LI>You don't expect a transplant to take you back to Norwood One appearance (no hair loss)<LI>I'm sure I am forgetting more

You can still get a transplant if you don't meet these criteria, but the more good charecteristics you have, the better potential you have for good results.

 

I think it's important for guys to have a realistic idea of what their potential for good results will be. I bet a lot of guys would think twice, if they knew ahead of time that they will not get a WOW hair transplant result. If your hair is very fine and you already have serious hair loss then you will probably not get a wow result. That doesn't mean a hair transplant is forbidden... It depends on the guy.

 

Would you be satisfied, and still be glad you did it, if the best you can hope for is a "good" result (not great or wow)? Not everybody is an ideal candidate, and they certainly can and do get hair transplants too. But it just helps to know what you're getting into. Think about it.

 

By the way, if you still have a lot of hair left, the second doctor may have been concerned about shock loss. The surgery can sometimes accelerate the hair loss, of any "at risk" hairs you have. It's good to stablize your hair loss and stop it from progressing, before undergoing surgery. That might explain the second doc's recommendations.

 

Some guys are so desperate about hair loss (or the clinic is so desperate to make a buck) that they will go ahead with a hair transplant even though to the "trained eye" they clearly won't get a good result. That's not a good situation.

 

By the way, you never lose anything by putting off a hair transplant until later. If one doctor advises you to hold off and use Propecia, then you might give that a whirl and see where it leads you.

[NYCman]

Thanks for all of the responses. The first Dr. that I consulted with was Dr. Karamikian, the 2nd was Dr. Bernstein. I have read mixed opinions on Karamikian on this site and read many good things about Bernstein. I am aware that Bernstein is one of the more 'conservative' surgeons in this area. I plan to schedule a 3rd consultation with True & Dorin, will let you know how it goes.

 

One other question, as I mentioned, I have just started on Propecia and have noticed some severe shedding. Is this normal? I've read that this is a good sign that I am 'receptive' to the drug. Was looking for some other opinions.

 

Also, I don't have the capability to post digital photos.

Thanks again!

[arfy]

Somehow "conservative" approach is looked down upon. As long as the doctor is doing the all-Follicular Unit transplant (Ultra Refined Follicular Units) then "conservative" means the doctor is trying to protect you from getting messed up.

 

The last thing you want is an "aggressive" doctor who doesn't mind "pushing the envelope". Most of those docs are loose cannons and they put your appearance in jeopardy. Unfortunately, many guys don't realize that they made a mistake with their HT strategy until a few years down the line. The "aggressive" doctor has nothing to lose (in fact they usually make more money by going aggressive). The ill-informed patients tend to rally around them because these doctors appeal to their fantasy that a hair transplant "can do it all". It's the patient who gets burned, when things don't turn out exactly as hoped, with an "aggressive" approach.

 

It sounds like you are on the right track and approaching this intelligently, by researching and also asking a lot of good questions (not just on the net but also during your consults).