IS this feasible? Real truthful answers please

[spongebob]

Hi.

 

First of let me start by saying that I am well aware that my hair loss problem is not as bad as what most people have. However it bothers me a lot and I would give a lot to find a solution.

 

Heres the story.

 

I used to have great full head of hair that I used to comb straight back. (see the pic below). Almost like that american idol lad adam lambert.

 

However over the last two years I have been experiencing gradual thinning and shedding of hair. specially from sides and front. As a result I dont have the thickness/density to have a good combed back look. So now i spike it. However I would love to have my old look back.

 

Is there a solution to my problem? Money is not a limiting factor.

 

Will hair transplant bring me back to my orignal density?

Should I combine hair transplant for my sides and get a quality hair piece for top?

What do the experienced people think

 

I am attaching 3 pics. I am sure everyone can tell which ones are pre hair loss and which ones are post

[Thehairupthere]

From what I see here it seems like your hair loss is minimal which is a good thing. To stunt further hair loss you should consider using propecia or rogaine as you may lose more hair as you age. If you were to do a procedure it would be relatively small perhaps somewhere between 800-1000 grafts. That being said, the density of transplanted hairs are not equal to the density you had before you started losing hair, it just isn't possible with today's technology. Typically after one procedure people can get between 50-60% of their original density which is enough to cover the scalp, and give you a "full" look but it's never going to be as thick as it was when you were a teenager. It is possible to make it thicker with a smaller 2nd procedure, which may be necessary if you want to get as much as possible. You should meet with a recommended surgeon on this site and get their 2 cents about your situation.

[spongebob]

Thanks for your response.

I see so 50/60% thats still not bad.

 

I will see a derma and get a prescription for proscar.

[mattj]

Can I assume that the photo of you holding the camera shows you before you noticed any loss of hair, and the other two depict you as you are now?

 

It's hard to tell the degree of hairloss from those photos. Has your hairline receded at all? Regardless, I think your hairline remains in a good position. I think you're talking about merely adding density. It's possible, but there is the risk that when hairs are placed among your existing hair, some of that native hair will be lost due to the trauma. This is called shockloss, and the shocked hair can sometimes be permanently lost.

 

The risk is highest when weaker hairs are present, and the higher the native density the closer each incision (and the inevitable minor trauma caused by that incision) will be to surrounding hair. I hope this makes sense.

 

The best way to proceed would be to take some high resolution photos which clearly show the current density of your hair, and then to pass those on to transplant surgeons for evaluation.