Future transplants without medication and timing it

[Artie]

This is the first time I've been to these forums (although read the great posts always) since having my first HT surgery. I visited Dr. Brandon Ross and it's been 16 months since my surgery.

 

My confidence has never been higher and I'm feeling great. The density could be a little better I feel but when I look back at past pictures I can tell what a difference it's made. I was a NW 4 and still had good native hair coverage (I had more a dracula receding hairline) so I could style my hair in such a way to minimize the surgery. The treatment and work done was excellent and I will definitely go back to Dr. Ross.

 

So that brings me to my point. About 3 months after my surgery I decided to give up the finasteride. I wasn't having adverse side-effects such as libido and inability to get erections but my body shape started change - I was getting man-boobs. Also, I was starting a serious relationship and didn't know how to approach the subject so rather than lie and do it in secret I stopped. I eventually found the courage to talk about my surgery and got it out of the way. She was very understanding although i haven't talked about it since. She loves my hair but has said many, many times she would not care how I looked that it's a deep love. I am incredibly lucky in my relationship.

 

Given my family history, no-one has ended up more than a NW 4-5 - never a bowl-shaped baldness on the back of the head just a dracula recession with some thining on top. So going forward I've decided to consider a 2nd surgery for density but still declining to take finasteride. My dilemma is when to schedule this - i.e, how long to wait for natural hair to fall out then re-filling with donor hair. If I do it now (I'm 36) then I will look great but later on in life I would either have to have another one. Or I can wait until my mid-40's and do another one then be done with it since I believe I would be happy with the level of coverage I'll have. When I see actors like Sylvestor Stallone who have such thick density in his mid-60s that is more eye-catching to me then actual baldness (not to mention his hairline which has gotten lower). The charge for my surgery was very reasonable and with inflation will only get more expensive in the future although it's still one of the cheapest around.

 

I guess this is more of a commentary then a question really. I admit I am a little concerned about long-term use of finasteride and the ritual of shampoos, pills etc. I expect most people will say I'm mad but it's my choice.

 

Anyone else considered this path or live without medication?

 

AF

[biscuit]

The forum search section is kinda hard to find:

 

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/search.php

 

Try searching for "meds" or "propecia" in the Hair Restoration Questions & Answers section. Select "Search Titles Only" to narrow down the threads.