not sleeping well.. upcoming procedure

[s2k]

While I am confident with my choice of Dr. (he is a coalition member) I cant help but have anxiety for my upcoming procedure in oct. mainly due to the fact that I can not take propecia as I have had very bad side effects. I will probably end up a Norwood 6 worst case.. is this a bad idea if I can not take propecia?

 

I know that as of now with the amount of hair loss I have at this very moment the final result will be awesome. It is mainly the future I am worried about. in 2 or 3 years..

 

I have realistic goals and don't mind a high hairline. but I think my main concern is that when I do lose my native hair the transplanted hair will be see-through (3000 grafts on front and blended into mid scalp)

 

 

has anyone on the forum had luck with a transplant and not on propecia?

 

thanks guys. this forum really helps.

[TommyLucchese]

Did you discuss this with your doctor? Do you have the finances/willingness for future procedures if/when you need them?

[s2k]

i have the willingness.. and as for the money ill figure that out when the time comes... but the dr said he will plan for the future.. im just worried what will happen in a few years.

[Sean]

Good luck s2k. It's not easy but make the best plan you can safely. There are a couple of people on the forum that have stopped taking propecia. You may want to message TakingThePlunge (the moderator) or Hariri on the forum. Maybe they can give you some input. Last time I read they disclosed they weren't taking it. They have had a transplant so they may be able to tell you if they saw any changes after stopping.

 

Are you going for FUT or FUE? If you are going to possibly be a norwood 6 in the future, then the doctor probably has planned an approach to cater to that in the future.

[s2k]

Good luck s2k. It's not easy but make the best plan you can safely. There are a couple of people on the forum that have stopped taking propecia. You may want to message TakingThePlunge (the moderator) or Hariri on the forum. Maybe they can give you some input. Last time I read they weren't taking it. They have had a transplant so they may be able to tell you if they saw any changes after stopping.

 

Are you going for FUT or FUE? If you are going to possibly be a norwood 6 in the future, then the doctor probably has planned an approach to cater to that in the future.

 

 

Thanks Sean, its FUT with dr. cam simmons who is highly recommended. and I do trust him based on what I read on the forum about him

 

just worried my end result in 2 years will be for not...

[s2thoudriver]

completely un-related, but i notice you are another fellow Honda S2000 driver. I've had 5 of them over the years, great cars.

 

If you are as careful with your procedure choices as you are with your car choice, you'll be fine

 

Rob

[PupDaddy]

Hi s2k,

 

It sounds like you and your doctor, in devising a plan for your first ht, have taken into account your anticipated future hair loss and the fact that you will not be taking finasteride. So I think you are set and should be fine. A target of 3,000 grafts is large but not massive, so it sounds like your doctor is making sure you will have plenty of grafts left in the bank for future procedures should you need them. So even if you were to lose some or all of your currently native hair in the frontal half over the coming years, your doctor would be able to fill in amongst the DHT-resistent transplanted hairs with additional DHT-resistent transplanted hair to prevent things from being "see through." And if you do progress to a VI down the road, there should still be enough donor left for okay coverage in that event.

 

Can I ask: What is your present Norwood level? Are you completely bald in the hairline zone? Do I understand correctly that you have some remaining native hair in your mid-scalp area but everything in front of that will be transplanted hair? If you are able to post a couple of photos, some of the vets or docs here might be able to give you some better reassurance about your plan, but it does sound as though your doc is well aware of your concerns and has planned things conservatively with a view towards the future, but also with a large enough session initially to provide you with a nice cosmetic change.

Edited September 4, 2012 by PupDaddy
typo

[Bobilero]

I have read lots of cases of guys who have had procedures and dont use propecia. They have had great results which should last them years.

 

If guys are in the 30's their main loss pattern will have developed by then and the Dr will be able to see other minaturized pockets of hair where future loss could occur. And decipher their probable future Norwood state.

 

This will give optimum planning. Once your planning is conservative and you dont break 'the bank' you will get a great first result that will give you a good cosmetic improvement.

[aim4hair]

In the past i consulted with some docs who only adviced me to take minox to maintain some hair due to the potential sides of fin. Are you gonna use rogaine ?

TBH im confused about the whole minox thing, since usually doctors look at it this way:

1) some doctors would recommend it and beleive it's enough to maintain your native hair if used at least once aday, and they even mention in their sites and emails that after HT the patient should use fin OR minox (yes it's OR not and).

2) some doctors beleives it's useless if used without fin.

 

I think it's worth it using rogaine if you not gonna use fin.

 

One more thing if you so sure that u will end up being nw6 in the near future and not sure about doing additional HTs, then you might wanna go for FUE or HST instead of FUT, at least you will have chance to buzz your hair short and move on.

[s2k]

I wanted to say thank you to all that posted, i feel more confident in what i am doing...I am going to use rogain... I will post a blog of the entire process... Im thinning to a future norwood 5 with a band in the middle and a thinning crown, hopefully rogain will help combat this. the dr thinks going to a 6 is possible and a 7 very unlikely.

 

and to answer the question about my s2k... I had one for 5 years but sold it not to long ago,. best car i ever owned. I was about to buy another one but guess what Im using the money for instead.

 

 

and in terms of fue instead of fut...i feel strip is the better option financially I think I would just rock the scar if it came to that.... I really am not ashamed of my ht or care about scars as much. but i will take great care to keep my scar on the thin side and not stretch it out

 

thanks again for your replies!