Is HT also not a permanent solution??

[missionrejuvenation]

Hello everyone,

 

I started losing my hair when I was 19, since then it kept on getting worse. After 5-6 yrs, I think I'm Norwood III or IV. I'm not sure about stage cos I have lost my hairline as well as the bald spot on crown is getting bigger now. So I guess it is Norwood IV.

 

After looking at many posts and pictures on this network, I guess I would need minimum 3000 grafts.

 

My basic question is : to have a fuller hair again does one has to go for repeated HTs till the time natural hairs are replaced by transplanted ones?

 

These are my other queries:

 

1. Can the doctor cover front as well as crown in these grafts? I don't want too lower hairline cos that destroys natural look.

 

2. If not, does that mean I will need 2 or more HTs

 

3. Will I keep on losing the existing hair? And I neccesarily have to take Minodoxil or any other medication for entire life?

 

 

I'm asking cos money is a factor for me. I can only afford one HT for now. And I want to get it done sooner. I can't look at myself in mirror nowadays, and guess HT is the only option left. :confused:

 

Also, I'm not on any medications right now, but considering to consult some good trichologist in Ahmedabad.

 

Please reply,

 

Thanks.

[richie48]

hi

 

First of all stop panicking , that will only see you make rash desisions and costly mistakes .

 

If a hair transplant is done correctly by a first class surgeon , and taken from the correct possition over the opcipical bumb , on the back of the head , then the hair folicals transplanted will be permanent and will remain un-affected by DHT .

 

In your post you sound like you're panicking , you have to calm down , research and make an informed desision .

 

Try finasteride or propecia first for 12 months , stablize your loss first , see if you suffer from any side effects ,then and only then then think about having hair transplatation surgery with one one the worlds best surgeons .

 

You will have to stay on meds for the rest of your life , some guys have and still do have a ht without taking any meds , this can be done but has risks from unforseen future loss .

 

A rule of thumb quick giuld to how many grafts you will need is , what ever your norwood scale x 1000 ,

 

For example norwood iv or 4 would need roughly 4000 grafts to cover the balding area , this is not an exact science and a top class hair surgeon's opinion is a more exact way , but it does help with working out cost first .

 

A top surgeon can place grafts with skill to give the illusion of density and these transplanted grafts can be placed at the front , mid section or crown .

 

This can be done all at once or with multiple surgeries , this would be something you deside with you surgeon .

 

I have included some older threads from my own jouney on useing meds and having 2100 crown grafts with Dr Feller in 2007 .

 

I hope that this info starts you on the long road of reasearching .

 

good luck

richie

 

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/155471-dr-feller-uk-patient-richie48-then-now-two-year-trip-meds-9-month-hair-transplant.html

 

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/136000-dr-feller-uk-patient-richie48-2100-crown-grafts-15-month-update-pics-very-slowly-getting-better-better.html

 

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/138494-brand-new-dr-feller-uk-patient-richie48-2100-crown-grafts-19-month-update-pics-baldy-moody-emo-grungy-surfer.html

[El Nino]

No, a HT is not a permanent solution because it will not stop the rest of your hair falling out.

 

Ideally, your hair loss should be stable for at least a year prior to surgery. Using a DHT blocker like Finasteride can help you with this.

 

And if you have one HT you must be prepared to have more if you lose more native hair or if you want to add density. You should work with your Doctor to have a long term plan, this is extra important for you because you are only 25.

 

So send your pictures to some Surgeons on this site and see what they say. You may not even be a candidate for a HT.

 

Good luck.

[ziggy00]

While this forum is good for general questions, the best option at the stage you're at is a consultation. A lot of HT docs offer free consultations--try to find one who seems honest(these forums help with that) and see what the doctor says about what realistic goals you can have.

[missionrejuvenation]

Thanks everyone for the replies. It feels a relief to actually discuss and talk about your problem.

 

As you all have said, I think I should first consult a trichologist/dermatologist for some medical treatment for atleast 12 months to stabilize my existing hair. This will give me time to research about a good doctor as well (so far my choice is Dr. Madhu in Hyderabad) and to arrange for the required funds.

 

I know I'm panicking but I recently realized that I have lost too much hair on the crown and now it becoming apparent I really need to do something fast.

 

One more thing, is Minodoxil a better choice then propecia? Cos I have read that the latter can lead to sterility.

 

So its clear that I will lose my existing hair even after HT if I don't take any medication. I think I should go on medication, then HT and then as per the advice of doctor I will chose whether to continue it or not.

 

Hope to have my good old hair soon

[Al - Moderator]

If a hair transplant is done correctly by a first class surgeon , and taken from the correct possition over the opcipical bumb , on the back of the head , then the hair folicals transplanted will be permanent and will remain un-affected by DHT .

 

FALSE. The hair will be affected by DHT the same way as it would have been if it hadn't been moved. I'm 44 and my donor area has thinnned considerably over the years and so has the transplanted hair. If you're going to end up a high NW level at a relatively early age then HT fallout, donor thinning, scar showing through does happen.

[richie48]

hi Behappy

 

I disagree with my statement being false but I could have made it clearer , although there is always a risk that any hair could be effected be DHT , like you have pointed out above , it is widely accepted that hair from the "safe zone" , this is mostly the horse shoe area around the opcipical bumb is the safest and has the least risk of being effected be DHT and future loss .

 

I agree nobody can accuratly predict the future and just how far your loss could progress , this is where looking at your family history could help .

 

The most ethical hair transplant surgeons also try to asses how far your loss may progress and many have reservations of doing work on young patients destined for a high norwood scale , with good reason don't you agree ?

 

If all hair on all patients was effected by DHT , nobody would have HTs , as what would be the point of moving any hair only to fall out ?

 

Is think that is a clearer way of putting my point across , do you agree with the way I have explained my earlier statement behappy ?

 

richie

[Al - Moderator]

richie48,

Your clearer way of saying it doesn't really say anything at all.

 

If you were one of the people who were not candidates for HT because of a high level of hairloss or diffuse thinning all over, you would not agree with your statement. You believe your statements are true only because they happen to be true for YOU. If I didn't lose any more hair after the point of starting my first HT then my HT would look so much better and would have been at least somewhat successful. However that is not the case.

 

Here's another way of looking at it. I've heard that about 20% of people get turned down for HT by the better Drs. If that's the case then that's 20% right off the bat that don't fit your statement of there being a safe zone, or at least not enough of a safe zone to matter. That's not even counting the percentage of people who don't even go for consultations because after researching they realize they probably aren't candidates. Out of those who have HTs I'm guessing about 20% will eventually end up losing donor hair and transplanted hair to the point of not being able to cover the scars or have enough up top to do a decent style.

 

That's around 40% of men who are not a good fit for a HT. You can disagree with my percentages as I've not studied it, but I hope you get the point. You can't look at ONLY those who have had a HT and leave out the ones who haven't had one. I can easily say 100% of anything is true if I've already weeded out all the ones that will be false.

Edited October 20, 2011 by BeHappy