Seriously considering HT, please advise!

[thebmkb]

Hello everyone,

 

I'm 24 years old and am very seriously considering getting hair restoration.

 

Here is the story. I noticed I was losing hair on the front / temple area about 3-4 years ago when I was 21. I didn't think it was too big of a deal at the time, but I went ahead and paid for a procedure involving laser treatment which was supposed to prevent further hair loss by promoting stronger roots and thickening existing hair. There were a total of ~15 of these sessions, but I do not believe it worked well since I have noticed further hair loss on front / temple area and also on the top and the back as time has passed. I am interested in going through with the hair restoration process because this has brought my confidence down and is something I always am thinking about when I look in the mirror. I went to the free Bosley consultation in my area but did not find the counselor to be particularly helpful (e.g. when I told him my backstory, he replied almost in a curt manner, "Well, what are you going to do about it then?"). Considering how important this is to me, not exactly the type of response I was looking for when I went in!

 

I am very glad I found this forum and have been trying to read as much as I can, but wanted to start my own thread to get personal advice from everyone. I have attached a few pics to show my current hair situation. Pics were taken shortly after taking a shower and towel drying my hair, some days look better if I dry my hair even more so it doesn't get clumped together I suppose, but the hair loss is evident. In my opinion the worst has been the front right of my hair, right behind the initial part of where my hair sticks up, as there is quite a bit missing or gone, and now on the other side, the front left, it's getting to be kind of similar. Please let me know how many grafts you think it would take, the cost, and of course if it even makes sense for me to do (I really want to get this done as I mentioned, but am more than willing to listen to the downsides / negatives of getting it done at this age).

 

Also, I tried searching for recommended doctors in Michigan and could only find one (Dr. Tessler) on this site, but there were no existing threads that I could find? Can someone please share or point me in the right direction for the best doctors in Michigan (the Southeast / Detroit area), or also Georgia (Atlanta).

 

Thank you very much for reading and any help you can provide.

Edited April 8, 2011 by thebmkb

[TakingThePlunge]

thebmkb,

 

Welcome to the community!

 

In my opinion, given your age and the hair loss exhibited in your photos, I do not feel that you should pursue hair transplant surgery at this time. My recommendation is to talk to your doctor about Propecia (finasteride).

 

I would also highly consider adding Rogaine (minoxidil) to your daily regimen. Combining Propecia and Rogaine is currently the best medical hair loss treatment available. The younger you start and the more existing hair you have, the better the results you can expect. However, there are no guarantees and results vary widely. The best thing you can do is continue treatment for at least 6 months before evaluating your results.

 

You may find that you recover some of your lost hair while also slowing the progression of your hair loss. If you do opt for hair transplant surgery in the future you may end up needing fewer grafts and most hair restoration physicians will want you to continue to medically stabilize your hair loss after surgery for best results anyway.

 

The average cost for follicular unit transplantation (FUT) is typically between $4 and $6 per graft. Average session sizes are in the 2500 to 3000 graft range.

 

I suggest using our graft calculator to help you estimate the number of grafts you feel you would need to reach your goals.

 

Most of all, continue to research and ask questions.

 

Best of luck!

[mattj]

The treatments TakingThePlunge has recommended are the best first step even if you do decide to go ahead and have hair restoration surgery. It's generally best to start treatments and gauge your response to them before taking the surgical route.