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CarlosM

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Well your pic is a little blurry. But my first reaction is "You look fine".

 

I don't think you need a hair transplant!

 

Look at Pat's before and after pics. You are not at Pat's "before" stage yet, not even close. You have more hair now, than Pat has, AFTER his transplant! A hair transplant is not what you should be doing, in my opinion.

 

You say you haven't regrown any hair on Propecia, but you have stopped your hairloss from progressing (correct?) If that is true, that is a big achievement, one that should satisfy you for a while. Having your hair thin out is a drag, but a hair transplant is a drastic measure, and I don't see any reason for you to go to that extreme. The recession in your temples is perfectly natural, it looks appropriate for a guy who will be 40 in a few years. Your hairline is already lower than the hairline a guy would get from a good hair transplant surgeon, anyway. Look at Pat's hairline (which was done by one of the best docs in the world). You're still ahead of the game!

 

Maybe I just don't see it, because of the photo, but since you asked for opinions, I'm telling you "Don't do it." No way!

 

There are other more effective drugs on the way, (like Dutasteride) plus all kinds of other treatments being planned. A hair transplant is a "last resort". I would kill to have as much hair as you still have, and I bet a lot of the guys who have gotten transplants will agree.

 

I'm sure you can find some sleazy transplant doctor who will tell you he can "improve" you, but don't buy it. I bet many of the good and ethical doctors will tell you to come back in a few years.

 

I'm sorry that this is not the message that you wanted to hear. But in my opinion, you don't need it, and when you know more about hair transplants, you'll realize it isn't the right solution for you. According to Spencer Kobren (a hairloss consumer advocate) a guy shouldn't even consider a transplant until at least Norwood 3. You look like a Norwood 2 to me. Keep learning about transplants, to satisfy your curiousity. But don't get one.

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Carlos,

 

You are not a good candidate for a transplant in my opinion. You don't appear to need one either. Furthermore, the only doctors who would probably consider you a good candidate for a transplant are the most unethical and poorly skilled doctors out there. From your photo you appear to be a Norwood 2.5 at worst and probably with surgery would be at risk for an unacceptable amount of what is called "shock loss" (losing of existing hair from the surgical shock of what is involved in the transplant). Many unethical surgeons ignore or are dishonest about the shock loss issue because shock loss helps them get more surgeries from you.

 

Stay on the Propecia to keep your hair, and save your surgery money (or if you are intent on spending it, look at some children's charities).

 

Don't make the mistake, Carlos. I'm sorry you feel unhappy now but you have to realize how bad the surgeons who'd be willing to operate on you are and how you'd feel afterwards.

 

?er

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Hi Carlos.

 

I've seen your picture and you have a very similar hairline to me. I receded and established a V shape which is frustrating. I went to Shapiro's last week and I was like the other posts above borderline as to whether surgery was required. By no means did they influence me in to having surgery. It was my decision and I am now 9 days post op. The surgery went great and I am now waiting for the implants to fall out and grow in about 3 months which apparently is what happens. With regard to shock loss. Yes that was one of the key issues I was concerned about and to date I have not lost any of my original hair with the exception of tiny velus hairs that were on their way out anyway. I am a Norwood 2 as well and it is the loss of confidence that affected me most.

If you want to respond please do. Alternatively leave a message on my email at jameslewis@totalise.co.uk

 

Good luck mate.

 

James.

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James,

 

Thank you for your reply. Granted, my hairloss is not very advanced yet, but the current v-shaped style is enough to bother me on a daily basis. The way I see it, I have two things to do to be happy:

1. Get a transplant to eliminate the v-shape.

2. Get on Propecia right away.

 

Do you have photos of your hair?

 

Thanks!!!!

 

Carlos.

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Hi Carlos

 

I'm sorry I don't have pictures of my hair at the moment. However, I am going back to work on Monday(I've had a couple of weeks of work to rest) and have a digital camera, so I can get some then. You should ge on Propecia staright away whether you have a transplant or not. I've been on it for two years and although I still went ahead with a transplant, I do believe that it helps to stabilise further loss of hair. I spoke to Dr Shapiro about Dutestaride which is another drug coming out soon. This apparently is a very strong drug with more side effects than propecia, so i'm not going to use it, but to be honest I don't know that much about it.

With a hair transplant and your sitution, you need to be able to determine whether or not your going to lose any more hair in the future. If you know you are you're probably better off waiting. However, I was at the same stage and just had to do something positive instead of hope that it doesn't get worse.

 

Good luck.

 

James

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Sorry Carlos I forgeot to answer your original questions.

 

If you had a transplant I think you like me would probably only need 900 grafts.

 

The cost obviously depends on which doctor you choose. I found this the most difficult aspect about coming on the internet. There are so many negative comments about certain doctors and hype about others that you just don't know who's telling the truth. In my case I can say nothing bad about Shapiro. He and his practice are excellent. There is Dr Woods who performs hair transplantation without the removal of a strip at the back. Woods is far more expensive and doesn't get any better results than Shapiro at the frontal hairline. However, Woods too is supposed to be very good and money shouldn't be an issue if you are going to have a transplant. It's for the rest of your life. The scar at the back is virtually undetectable and i've not yet had the stitches removed. The cost at Shapiro's is approximately $4,500.00 for 900 grafts whereby Woods charges approx $8,000.00 for the same. This would take one procedure as it did for me.

 

I would recommend going to Shapiro himself who has a waiting list of about 3-4 months.

You will be very impressed by their professionalism.

 

Hope this helps.

 

James.

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One reason I wish to add why I agreed with Arfy is because of the nature of his own experiences. He got screwed by a bad doctor yet he helps people here in spite of that without a trace of bitterness toward those he's advising even though most of them have not had to endure what he has. There is only one word to describe the advice you'll get from someone who's capable of doing that: "honest".

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DONT LISTEN TO WHAT SOME OF THOSE OTHER POSTS ARE SAYING, THATS GARBAGE....! IF YOUR HAIR LINE BOTHERS YOU THAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT.

 

YES, ITS TRUE THAT YOU DONT NEED A COMPLETE RESTORATION BUT YOU COULD CERTAIN USE A FEW HUNDRED GRAFTS ON BOTH SIDES OF YOUR HEAD WHERE IT IS THINNING. THAT IS OBVIOUS.

 

AND THAT COMMENT ABOUT HAVING TO COME BACK IN A FEW YEARS BECAUSE ANY ETHICAL DOCTOR WOULD NOT PERFORM A HT ON A CANDIDATE LIKE YOU IS A JOKE......! THAT IS COMPLETE GARBAGE. THE PERSON WHO WROTE THAT USUALLY HAS PRETTY INTELLIGENT THINGS TO SAY BUT THAT CERTAINLY WASN'T ONE OF THEM....! THATS BS. YOUR A FINE CANDIDATE FOR A HT, JUST NOT A MAJOR RESTORATION... WELL NO SHI* I THINK YOU CAN FIGURE THAT ONE OUT ON YOUR OWN.

 

YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT SOME PEOPLE A VERY BITTER CONCERNING HT BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN BUTCHERED BY THE STRIP EXCISION AND WILL NOT RECOMMEND A HT TO ANYONE UNLESS THEY BELIEVE IT IS ABSOLUTLY NECESSARY. THIS IS BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TO HELL AND BACK DUE TO POOR DONOR SCAR HEALING OR JUST A POOR HT ALL TOGETHER.

 

IM NOT SURE HOW EDUCATED YOU ARE TO THE HT SCENE BUT I BELIEVE THERE IS ONLY (1) HT DOCTOR IN THE WORLD WORTHY OF PERFORMING A HAIR TRANSPLANT AND THAT IS DR. RAY WOODS IN SYDNEY AUSTRALIA. OTHERS WILL DISAGREE WITH ME ON THAT ISSUE BUT YOU ONLY NEED WHAT DR. WOODS WOULD CLASSIFY AS A "TOP UP". WHICH IS EXPLAINED IN HIS WEB SITE: http://www.4hair.com.au/?eflfj

 

DR. WOODS IS THE ONLY HT DOCTOR IN THE WORLD THAT WILL OFFER YOU A SCARLESS HT. HE DOES NOT UTILIZE THE STRIP EXCISION WHICH IS THE TECHNIQUE USED BY ALL OTHER HT DOCTORS. BASICALLY HE DOES NOT CARVE A CHUNK OF FLESH FROM THE REAR OF YOUR HEAD AND CHOP IT UP INTO LITTLE BLOCKS CAUSING YOU TO RUN THE RISK OF AN UNSIGHTLY SCAR AFTER BEING STITCHED. LOOK AT THE WEB SITE AND YOU WILL UNDERSTAND MORE.

 

HE IS NOT CHEAP BUT WITH YOUR CONDIDTION YOU COULD HAVE ONE PROCEDURE AND PROBABLY BE SET FOR LIFE. THATS IF YOU BEGIN USING PROPECIA TO STOP ANY FUTURE HAIR LOSS OF COURSE.

 

BOTTOM LINE IS THAT YOU DONT NEED A LOT OF HAIRS TRANSPLANTED SO WHY RUN THE RISK OF HAVING THE TRADITIONAL STRIP EXCISION HT AND RUN THE RISK OF A POOR DONOR SCAR THAT DID NOT HEAL PROPERLY, WHICH IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY.

 

ITS YOUR MONEY AND YOUR HEAD BUT YOU WOULD NOT NEED TO SPEND THAT MUCH TO LOOK THE WAY YOU USE TO SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL ELIMINATE THE RISK OF BEING SCALPED AND SCARRED FOR LIFE....!

 

FOR YOU ITS PROBABLY A ONE TIME THING SO WHY TAKE THE RISK...?

 

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIAGREE WITH ME AND TELL YOU OTHER THINGS ABOUT DR. WOODS BUT DONT LISTEN TO THEM BECAUSE IF HE WAS LOCAL AND CHEAPER I WOULD BET DOLLARS TO DONUTS THAT MOST ALL WOULD BE SINGING A DIFFERENT TUNE... HE IS THE ONLY ONE IN THE WORLD THAT PERFORMS A SCARLESS HT. HE ALSO SPENDS 10-12 HRS TO MOVE APPROX. 500 HAIRS. A STRIP EXCISION HT DOCTOR WILL SPEND 1/3 THAT TIME TO MOVE 2 OR 3 TIMES AS MUCH. HE TAKES GREAT PRIDE IN HIS WORK WHICH IS MORE THAN I CAN SAY FOR MOST OTHER HT DOCTORS. HE ALSO HAS NO ASSISTANTS. ITS JUST HIM AND HIS SISTER WHO ARE BOTH DOCTORS.

 

GNX...

 

 

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James and GNX both bring up one of the big reasons why someone at your stage of hairloss would want to weigh your decision carefully:<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> FOR YOU ITS PROBABLY A ONE TIME THING SO WHY TAKE THE RISK...?

Or as James said:<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>With a hair transplant and your sitution, you need to be able to determine whether or not your going to lose any more hair in the future. If you know you are you're probably better off waiting.In other words, when you get a hair transplant, you are comitting yourself to that route. There is no changing your mind. If you have stopped your hairloss cold, that is great. Also, we all hope that there will be a "cure" for this someday. However, if neither of those things are true, and you actually continue to lose hair, you will be forced to get more grafts, in order to look okay. So that is something to think about. Once you get "a few" grafts, you are locked into having to continue with the program, as needed. You have made a comittment to further surgeries, if you lose more hair. There is no guarantee it's a "ONE TIME THING ".

 

Also, you are wanting to change a recessed ("V-shaped") hairline back to what you had when you were 20. That might look terrific for a while, maybe even always. But when you are 70, you will still have that "20-year-old's" hairline. That might look a little strange, or it might not. But planning for the future is one of the tricks of getting a great result. Not just the future 10 years from now, but 40 years from now. Yes, a transplant would benefit you for now (as long as you use one of "the best" doctors). But keep in mind there are long term consequences too.

 

This is why I was comparing your hairline to Pat's. A good transplant on a fellow who is fairly bald (or might possibly be fairly bald someday) will have a mature, recessed hairline. If you think you might possibly be fairly bald someday, the grafts you get now to fill in your temples will be too low on your forehead. Besides the "age-related" issues I mentioned, having grafts put in too low can be a mistake. We all have a limited amount of donor hair to use for grafts. If you have a large bald area you need to cover, you won't have nearly enough grafts to cover the top of your head, if you have started them "too low".

 

Just some additional things to think about. But I still stand by my opinion. If I were you, I would not get surgery, not yet. You can always change your mind, and get grafts. But you can't change your mind and "un-get" them, so think it over carefully and don't rush into anything.

 

[This message was edited by arfy on January 17, 2002 at 02:48 PM.]

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Yes you might trust Arfy now because he was mutilated by his own incompetance and mis judgement. The only thing he has left is to vent to others how bad he messed up. In other words he is just damn stupid to have gotten a hair transplant because he got butchered by his own sword. A person is the sum total of his sins and the sum total of his environment and no one to blame but himself. Now everybody likes a postman, a policeman, and a fireman. These are no controversal jobs that envoke goodwill and all that stuff.... Everybody also likes a person who has had misfotun. Just look at Jimmy Swaggart and Tammy Fay (boy can she cry!) Go to the had of the class Arfy. They should call you "Jabber Jaws" because all you do is take issue and try to play hair lawyer. There is a lot of good stuff going on in hairtransplants and all you see is one side and one view point. This is not even serious surgery stuff. Get a life and get a wig!

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I don't mind a little give and take, Airtrans, but I don't see any comprehensible points in your post, just a bunch of cheap shots. They're not even good ones.

 

You're not even on topic here, you knucklehead.

 

Maybe you are still smarting after I laughed at your idiotic "breast implant" comment, where you compared big breasts and big plug grafts, and said they were both desirable. You must have been drunk when you wrote that.

 

I didn't mutilate myself, like you said. I was lied to and cheated by a doctor who does the kind of plugs you recommend: old-fashioned Mini and Micro plugs, the kind they started using back in the early 80's. My gripe is that there are a bunch of crappy doctors still using these crappy grafts, just because they make more money with them, and they're too lazy to learn how to make Follicular Unit grafts.

 

If you want to wear a hat every day for the rest of your life, listen to Airtrans and get these kind of big, outdated grafts, and not "FUs".

 

Did Bluford Stough promise to give you more big plugs if you'd attack me? Gee, I bet he's really proud to have YOU as a spokesperson! icon_rolleyes.gif

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(The offensive comments made among some people is what is sad.)

 

I am confused because I don't know if I would continue to lose my after, but I suspect that my hairloss is a gradual path to my final doom. That's how it worked with my father.

 

But, if I get on Propecia right away, wouldn't that keep my hair from falling from now on? That way, I could get a transplant to fix the current v-shape and know that I will never have to do the procedure again because I will always take Propecia, or whatever the other drug is that has the same active ingredient. What do you guys think, and let's please be respectful even if we don't like some of the comments that we read. Some people might be frustrated because they may have had negative results, let's be sympathetic, patient and even compassionate towards one another. This is a virtual place for discussion, and that's where one's character shows the most in my opinion.

 

Thanks, I appreciate all your comments.

 

Carlos.

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But Airtrans has been promoting some doctors who use outdated techniques, and claiming their results are better than the latest modern methods. He also made some weird statements. When I tried to discuss how his doctors were using the same methods they used in the early 80's, he just started ripping into me, no longer interested in talking about the facts. Just throwing insults around. I wouldn't be surprised if Airtrans works (or worked) in the hair transplant industry, because he was promoting some doctors who are very very "old-school". Those doctors are the ones who hate forums like this, where the patients can get together and talk about what's REALLY up.

 

Carlos, get on Propecia and stay there. Hopefully you will never lose any more hair. But I still say you should review your options most carefully. I stand by all of my previous comments, as issues you need to factor in.

 

Everyone wishes that hair transplants were the "cure" to hairloss. They are not, and they are not problem-free. You should not make up your mind that a "hair transplant is the answer" (you said something similar to this on your pic page) until you have seen both sides of the coin.

 

Eventually there will be other remedies for hairloss, so don't think you have to choose between a hair transplant now, or a bald future. For example, there is human testing happening with Dermal Papilla cells, that seem to "re-awaken" dormant follicles. This is just one example of what the future holds. There are other treatments being planned as well.

 

It is also possible that you can get a transplant now, and future therapy in the future (hopefully, if it happens). But if I were you, I'd hold off for a while, and keep learning about hair transplants. That's the most direct and honest advice I can give- if I were in your shoes, I would not choose a hair transplant right now. You don't really need it yet, so why commit yourself to that route.

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.....sorry my comments will be off-thread, but i just can't resist. after reading the exchanges between arfy and airtrans, it seems to me that airtrans makes little sense. arfy, as usual, is right on the money. negotiate for peace airtrans, because you have lost that war of words with arfy. the more you say.....the more stupid you are looking. this is not because you have different opinions than arfy (its great you like your results, and fine to argue your viewpoint on why you think mixed grafts are better than all- FU even though IMO your arguments don't hold any water) ...its because you take the low road with your un-called for insults. keep taking the high road arfy....its guys like you and gary and lots of others here who make this site worth patronizing.

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Airtrans' has chosen to take the low road. His comments are really worth dignifying with a detailed response. It is always important in life to only care about the opinions of those you respect. I see no reason why Arfy should respect someone who speaks as Airtrans has chosen to.

 

Carlos, you may get a delay on hearing back from Dr. Woods for 2-3 weeks or so (based on what I've read on other sites) because there have been some terrible fires in Sydney not too far from his clinic although his clinic is reportedly safe. He has a secretary named Wendy there on Tuesdays I think, you may want to contact her to see whether there is a backup due to the fires.

 

The last thing I want to mention, is, as Arfy said, that future treatments are starting to look more promising and less distant. I posted about a month ago about Dr. Unger's work in the "Future Treatments" thread on this site, and since then we have learned that he was able to grow "cosmetically" significant and acceptable hair in two of his ten or so test studies.

 

I invite the other posters to revive that thread, my last post there has been sitting by its lonesome for a month, and I think it's a topic worth discussing more for a lot of fellows (and fellettes) because a lot of people have to approach transplants from a long-term standpoint and well, if you can may be able to regrow your hair from a series of injections 2-5 years from now, then well, that has to play into your thinking. Cell therapy, as it is known, may be a way to regrow your hair with vastly better coverage than an HT and with no removal of a donor strip and hence, no surgical scar. I'd hate to be the last strip patient operated on before they announced cell therapy was going to be available. Anyway, this thread is not the most appropriate place to discuss cell therapy in great detail, like I said, if people are interested in talking about it then I welcome some intellectual company on the future treatments thread where I will share more.

 

?er

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I've ordered my first batch of Proscar online. I'm getting on the drug right now and wait at least a few months before getting a HT to fix my v-shaped hair. If Proscar does its job, my hair should (hopefully) quit falling as long as I take the drug, which I guess it should be for the rest of my life if necessary. And I am only going to wait at all for the HT due to my current financial situation; otherwise, I'll probably be getting on the plane on the way to a chosen doctor soon.

Carlos.

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Carlos.

 

The above posts were exactly the same when I wanted help. There is a lot of people out there slagging off hair transplants. If done by an excellent surgeon it can be a success. However, I do agree with some of arfy's comments about whether you need one or not.

 

At the end of the day it's all in your head. For some people hair loss is not a bigg issue. For others like me it was. I am only a Norwood 2 and have filled in some of the receeding areas at Shapiro's who I was advised was one if not the best surgeon in the world.

 

If hair loss bothers you do something about it now rather than agonisingly wait and hope it does not get worse. If it doesn't bother you then you obviously wouldn't be posting on this page.

 

All i'm trying to say is that my experience with proceeding and having a transplant has so far gone well and i would like to help others do the same.

 

The key issue is to go to the best surgeon. Only 10% of all HT doctors do follicular unit transplantation. You have to pick one of these otherwise you'll suffer old style grafts.

 

I would suggest one of the three following doctors in this order.

 

1. Shapiro.

2. Woods.

3. Bernstein.

 

Good luck

 

James.

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CONGRATULATIONS... YOU JUST MADE THE HALL OF FAME ON THIS FORUM FOR STUPIDITY... NOT FOR NOTHING BUT THAT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST RETARDED POST I HAVE EVER READ. YOU SOUND LIKE A COMPLETE MORON.....!

 

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT.........? YOU COULDN'T HAVE MADE A BIGGER ASS OUT OF YOURSELF.

 

HERE'S IS A LITTLE ADVICE, DO YOURSELF A FAVOR, TRY JUST READING POSTS AND LEAVE THOSE OF US WHO ARE LITERATE TO WRITING THEM. YOU MIGHT WANT TO TRY GOING BACK TO HIGH SCOOL AND GETTING YOUR GED TOO...(TRY MAJORING IN ENGLISH)!

 

AND IM SURE IN THE FUTURE IF ANYONE ON THIS FORUM WANTS YOUR ADVICE WE'LL BE SURE TO GIVE IT TO YOU.... WOW....!!!!!!!!! IT'S MORONS LIKE YOU THAT GIVE PEOPLE LIKE ME JOB SECURITY..

 

SO ON SECOND THOUGHT... FORGET EVERYTHING I JUST SAID AND JUST CONTINUE BEING STUPID. GOOD WORK...!

 

GNX... icon_cool.gif

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GNX

 

What's your problem.

All i'm trying to do is help instead of slag people off like you.

 

This is exactly the crap I had to put up with prior to myself getting a transplant.

 

Why don't you submit constructive critisism or help?

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