Advice...again...

[mick reno]

As my seemingly endless journey to a hair loss resolution continues, I am still unable to pull the trigger.

 

I have now consulted with most of the best HT doc's as said by this community.

 

Looks like I will need about 3100 to do the front 1/3rd for now and likely another at some point in the future.

 

Even though these are real factors, let's take cost, location, and Dr. (I have a short list of top docs) out of the equation.

 

3100 via multi-day FUE or standard FUT?

 

I would like to be able to buzz my hair short and it gives my some sense of security knowing I could just buzz it way down if for some reason things got messy. That's my thought behind FUE.

 

Two of the docs I have consulted with, both highly regarded in this community, have completely different opinions. One says "3100, no way" the other says "Yes, over two days." In all fairness, the doc that said yes did qualify that statement saying he would really need to "test" the area by extracting a few grafts.

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

Just keep in mind that if you will end up needing more procedures in the future and you do repeated FUE's there can be severe general thinning of the entire donor area. Sometimes people accept that giving up the real short buzz cut option is worth having a hairline and looking more youthful. Multiple large strip procedures is sometimes easier to camoflauge with normal density hair above and below the scar.

Edited August 11, 2011 by TakingThePlunge

[aaron1234]

If you want/need 3K grafts then FUE is probably not for you. The donor area can only be thinned so much. A strip scar can often be unnoticeable even with a #3 or #4 guard.

[orlhair1]

Agree......with what has been recommended for you it sounds like FUT is best for your long term plan.

[Capelli11]

I'm in the same boat as you Mick...I have had different opinions in terms of graft size...I am a Norwood 3...1 doc said around 1,200 to 1,700, another about 1,700 and the last one said approx. 2,500. The 1,700 docs said you will prob have to come back for density while the 2,500 doc said one pass and you will enjoy the density. I also am struggling with the usual FUT vs. FUE. I don't want the scar as all my life I have always worn my donor hair at a 2 to 3 clip so I don't feel comfortable having the "smiley face" scar shine through bc i don't have great coverage with a 2 or 3 clip. But of course there are limitations with FUE in the potential yield so I think to myself that is it worth having less yield and no scar or a scar and higher yield? Because I also understand that any second procedure can be rough on the donor area...FUE or FUT...you are dealing with scar tissue at this point and I could only imagine your scalp can have so much laxity as it may tighten up...FUE on the other hand has tiny little scar tissue all throughout the donor area and could like someone said above cause the donor area to thin out if you take too many grafts...ahhh...decisions decisions...lol. I think at the end of the day I am going to go with the FUE bc of the scar issue and also I feel pretty comfortable with the doctor and he has good bedside manner that if anything went wrong he would correct it...that is important too.