What Do You Think, Any Idea About Grafts?

[weweregods]

Well guys, I've been a lurker on the new forum, but until now I've been too busy to participate--I've recently lost my job and my freelance work has dried up. So, I'm taking my time to return to school and work on getting my Ph.D.

 

It's been a while since I posted pictures on my hair loss situation, so I thought I'd use the extra time to post some now that my hair, or what is left of it, is shorter. Also, I thought I'd post some wet pics.

 

I'm 31 years-old now and I've been thinning since I was 17. I've been taking Propecia and using Rogaine foam for almost five years now and I think my hair loss has stabilized. My loss has been contained in the frontal third and I would classify myself as a NW3 with some diffuse thinning in the frontal third. My father and my grandfather (his father) had similar patterns and both started their loss in their teens, like me.

 

I've had one awful experience with a hair transplant mill--national chain--when I was 20. The density always sucked and looked sparse. They said I was given 1,000 single hair grafts. The placement always sucked and there is even some pitting in the graft area. Almost all of the transplanted hairs were placed so that they'd grow straight up. I suppose that I couldn't have expected any better from a clinic that was still performing scalp reductions and a transplant doc that was sued several times for his bad plug jobs.

 

It's sad now that I'm unemployed that I cannot afford the transplant now, and yet I had cold feet when I could've afforded it due to my horrible transplant experience at 20. You know, I've heard of websites that allow people to donate to women for breast implants, why aren't there any where we can donate for a balding bro's hair transplants? I guess men like girls with big boobs more than girls like guys with thick hair. It doesn't seem that way, though. But hey, guys if you're good at building websites, there's an idea--especially with the world economy in the toilet... it'd be great if we could support each other in that way. You could even create a community loan site and have the people pay it back with little or no interest... Just a thought.

 

But anyway, how many grafts do you think I'd need now?

[Johnny1386]

Hey

Your hair looks good ........If I was you I would get my Phd and then when I am practicing get a HT in maybe 10 years

[Surfarosa]

These photo's make any real analysis difficult other than to ascertain that your have a receded/receding hairline. There are posts that highlight how to take pictures that show hair-loss more accurately.

 

However, you are in very good shape IMO. You have lots of hair, your med regime is working and your are now in your 30s. Should a HT be in your future, you are also in the right place to ensure you do not make any further F ups.

 

I would go for a free consultation to multiple HTN patient recommended surgeons and see what they have to say. Consults are fee and they do help you feel like you are doing something. In fact, you are perhaps doing the most important thing that you can do at this stage. Selecting the best strategy and HT doctor for your future.

 

Good luck.

[mattj]

You mention that the grafts from your previous transplant are poorly angled. Do you feel that those grafts will need to be removed? The photos aren't ideal for assessing how your hair looks up close which makes it hard to tell where those grafts are. Nothing jumps out as obviously unnatural and in need of fixing.

[weweregods]

Thank you for your opinions. Frankly, I've been balding for 13 years... And yes, with financial restrictions, I will have to wait longer. I think lots of posters on this forum have, since my time, gotten into their heads that age is the most important factor in deciding candidacy for an HT--even going so far as to tell a clinic that 39 was too young. Guys, if we keep pushing back HTs were going to be in our 90s before we can enjoy our hair. It's not that I think a 20 year-old isn't making a mistake in getting a massive HT, it's just that we need to use some moderation. Saying that you want to be young enough to enjoy a full head of hair is a valid consideration. I mean, come on, some of you guys are getting more strict than the doc on this subject. I'm not saying I want 5,000 grafts all in the hairline here. I'm just saying, I'd like to go out in public without concealers. While you may say I "have lots of hair," trust me when I say that my hair loss has not and does not go unnoticed. Because I still have "lots of hair," I feel I may be a good candidate for an HT--it stands more of a chance to make it look as if I've never lost any... not that that is my goal, but I wouldn't complain if it were the outcome!

 

Look, I apologize for the crappy pictures--no matter how hard you try or how many primers you read on the subject, it's difficult to take a picture of your own head in an enclosed space. That being said, Surfarosa, in actuality, I have no idea what you would be trying to ascertain other that the fact that I do have a receding/receded hairline--that was the point of my photos and the area in which I would like an HT. I'm sorry, but I don't see what else you'd be trying to ascertain? Do you mean that you wonder if I have any crown loss? I don't. In fact, I have gotten some free consultations with HT doc from the forum and many have said, because I have an obviously good area of hair for donation and no loss in my crown, that I am an "excellent candidate" for another HT--barring of course any flubs that may be a result of the earlier HT.

 

Mattj, once again, I apologize for the poor photos once again. I think it'd be difficult to take any picture that would accurately illustrate where the grafts are because of the poor density. They are all right at the hairline--if you look to see the blurry area where it looks like I've lost the most hair in the hairline, that's them. I don't think they'd need to be removed, just disguised by transplanting around them. They made no positive cosmetic impact; if anything, it's been negative because they draw more attention to the lack of a hairline. Now, I realize that doesn't mean that the doc I went to didn't flub up the back with the strip... but I don't think that he did and I thank God for that.

 

I hope that answers the questions on the subject.

 

Thanks again!

[RCWest]

Let me ask you a question....were you just getting a mature hairline and the clinic did the grafts?? Other than the hairline the rest of your hair is amazing! It's strange to recede just a little and then keep the bulk of your hair for so long. The grafts they did do may have transected healthy hair and that is the problem all along.:confused:

[weweregods]

No, RCWest, I was actually balding when I was I got the transplant. I was a NW 3 then still and I have thinned very diffusely in the frontal third since then. It's a misconception that all people will quickly progress from a classic NW 1 or 2 to a NW 6 or 7. Some may never progress past a NW 4 or 5. Also, keep in mind I've been on medication--Rogaine, Propecia, and Ket--for a long time. But, I cannot discount the fact that my father and grandfather also started balding at an early age and never progressed past a NW 3 or NW 4. Just goes to show you, the classic NW scale has been updated, but many people don't know that there are other patterns and some people just don't progress past a certain stage.

 

All that aside, I went to a dermatologist who even mentioned that my hair is very, very dense and has average thickness. I was freaked out about shedding, but she told me something I'd never thought of before: people with greater density will shed more than average, or more hair=more growth=more shedding as more hair goes through the growth cycle. Also, she said that while she's no genetics expert, the fact that I have lots of Native American blood in my ancestry may contribute to my fairing better in the hair loss game than others--many Native Americans lack the gene for both hair loss and facial hair growth. Whatever the case, I appreciate the compliment. I like my hair outside of the crappy hairline... the fact that my other hair is "amazing" just makes the sh*tty hairline even more unbearable for me, personally.

 

Oh, and transection of native hair might be a possibility, but I doubt it as the hair that was in the area that was transplanted into was already miniaturizing.

[mattj]

Thank you for your opinions. Frankly, I've been balding for 13 years... And yes, with financial restrictions, I will have to wait longer. I think lots of posters on this forum have, since my time, gotten into their heads that age is the most important factor in deciding candidacy for an HT--even going so far as to tell a clinic that 39 was too young. Guys, if we keep pushing back HTs were going to be in our 90s before we can enjoy our hair. It's not that I think a 20 year-old isn't making a mistake in getting a massive HT, it's just that we need to use some moderation. Saying that you want to be young enough to enjoy a full head of hair is a valid consideration. I mean, come on, some of you guys are getting more strict than the doc on this subject. I'm not saying I want 5,000 grafts all in the hairline here. I'm just saying, I'd like to go out in public without concealers. While you may say I "have lots of hair," trust me when I say that my hair loss has not and does not go unnoticed. Because I still have "lots of hair," I feel I may be a good candidate for an HT--it stands more of a chance to make it look as if I've never lost any... not that that is my goal, but I wouldn't complain if it were the outcome!

 

I completely agree with this. The tendency here seems to be one of caution, and that's no bad thing. It's never a bad idea not to get a transplant if you don't feel totally compelled to. I think my record shows that I'm not gung-ho in advising people to get transplants, but sometimes, like in your case, it just doesn't make all that much sense to wait (financial issues aside), because you could improve your hair with a transplant and you don't fall into the category of greatest risk. I agree with whichever doctors told you you are a good candidate. By the way, didn't they give you graft estimates?

[weweregods]

Thanks, Mattj, I am in total agreement with you. I think that caution is a good idea, but we should measure our fear against what could be gained from a quality transplant. If one can gain a great deal of positive cosmetic impact without risking a great deal due to possible further loss, I'd say go for it. Perhaps some of the apprehension is because I am new to this version of the forum, but I assure everyone I am actually not new to the coalition--I'm, in fact, an old-school fan since 2005 (I posted quite a lot and even contributed an article on LLLT.) Trust me when I say that I wouldn't just be jumping into an HT.

 

To answer your question, not all of the docs gave graft count suggestions but I did get suggestions of anywhere from 1700 to 3000 grafts with 2400 being somewhat in the middle. One doc actually mentioned that, given my circumstances, even the most conservative docs would likely feel that they could be a little more liberal with the graft count due to the relatively low amount of loss and good donor.

[Surfarosa]

Of course what I was trying to ascertain is the extent of your hair-loss??

 

If you were losing the central core and crown it changes the # of graphs needed. That was your question - correct ?

[weweregods]

Surfarosa, I'm sorry that I didn't understand your question... I wasn't trying to be sarcastic. I thought it was obvious that I only had loss in the frontal 1/3, which is why I primarily only included pics of that half. I have no loss in my crown or center-head area. Only loss of the hairline and general diffuse thinning in the frontal 1/3. Also, I had mentioned that I'm a NW 3 which typically only has loss in the frontal third... so, you can understand my confusion.

[Surfarosa]

Then I'd say you are comparable to me but with less fine hair. I had a 3000 FUG reconstruction of my entire hairline. Hope this helps.

[weweregods]

Thanks, that's good to know. I think that, given my average hair diameter, that the 2400 range is a good start. It's hard to know if our situation is indeed comparable without pictures, though...

[j1j9j85]

2500 dense packed around recession points to improve hairline would look great nice hair by the way man,

[weweregods]

Thanks man. Yeah, I think around the 2500 mark is about right. Thanks for the compliment, by the way. I have such nice hair elsewhere, it kinda makes he hair loss up front harder to take, you know?

[j1j9j85]

completely understand,

 

get on meds ie finest if your not already? use some minox

 

save up go and see dr feller or hasson i would and get 2500 dense packed in the recession points try to leave as much of your natural hair alone as you can ie dont go placing grafts in amoungst the good stuff you already have...

 

in a years time you will be looking good my friend im sure of it.....

 

good luck

[weweregods]

Yeah, I'm on fin, minox, and I use ket... I have for five years now.

 

I think, as far as hairlines go, I prefer Rahal or Alexander. Other than possible transection of existing hair, what's the problem with packing some into existing hair? I think it would be advisable, give the potential for future loss. Also, a competent doc should be able to plant grafts without transecting natural hair, right?