24 years old NW5A (I think) and considering Hair Transplant.

[CarrotMan]

Hi

 

I am a 24 year old based in the UK and I have decided that I am going to go ahead with a hair transplant. I am a NW5A (I think) with a lot of miniaturised hairs on my crown and my hairline is gone. Here are pics;

 

I normally buzz my hair grade 0 but I grew it slightly to take these pics.

 

I have never taken finesteride but I am considering it (although I feel like it is stupid for me to risk the side effects now when it probably would have done me a lot more good if I had started taking it 4/5 years ago when I started balding.) I have tried minoxidil but it gave me bad acne and really bad black rings under my eyes so I stopped.

 

I would prefer FUE because with FUE there is always the option to buzz it down again after if I am not happy with the transplant (Although I am aware of the white dot scars which do concern me). I have had a consultation with Dr De Reys and he has proposed a 3000 FUE to restore my hairline and then a second transplant further down the line to replace the crown. I am also strongly considering Dr Bassinga because from my research he appears to be one of the best at FUE with some great results. I may consider FUT if the doctors suggest that would be a better option.

 

I am really struggling to find many cases of people who have had HT's, who started out at a similar stage (and at a similar age) to me and in truth I do not know what to expect because results vary so greatly from case to case.

 

Would it be realistic for me to expect to be able to achieve a decent head of hair with a new hairline? Or am I still going to look like a balding bloke, even if I have a HT?

 

My dilemma is that I actually dont think I look that bad with my bald head when it is buzz cut but I cant help feel that I would look a lot better with decent coverage. Plus the majority of girls my age seem put off by my baldness. I dont however want to have a HT and make things worse for myself, removing the buzz cut as an option.

 

Can anyone give me any advise/idea of what I should be expecting from a HT because I dont want to get my hopes up too high only to be underwhelmed.

 

Many Thanks for the platform to vocalise my thoughts/story.

Edited January 6, 2013 by CarrotMan

[1978matt]

Hello mate,

 

Good work finding this site - you have come to the right place for advice. Take your time making a decision.

 

You have really agressive hairloss and only a finite amount of donor hair. My own personal view is you should do nothing, get down the gym and get on with your life (easier said than done I know).

 

The best I think you could hope for is a scattering of grafts across the top of your head.

[chrisdav]

CarrotMan,

 

As you are based in the Uk, then it might be best have a consultation with Farjo in the Uk or if you travel that bit further with a surgeon in Belgium. Spex is someone also I would advise to speak to in the Uk.

 

You will then find out if you are a candidate for hair transplant surgery, how much miniturisation on your scalp you have, where your baldness is most likely to progress and find out the size of your donor supply. You can also discuss the positives and negatives of the non-surgical treatments if you choose to use them.

 

It is good to hear that you look good with a shaved head.

 

If you are a candidate for surgery, then ideally you should try to meet patients from the clinic you decide to choose with the approach you decide to use whether that is the buzzed look with Fue & maybe temp SMP to frame your face or a larger session of strip as Ben stated.

Edited December 29, 2012 by chrisdav

[Modenese]

Hi Carrotman

 

It won't harm to have a few consultations, but you are asking for opinions so in mine you shouldn't go ahead.

 

You are very young and have lost a lot of hair already. It's hard to see how you could get decent coverage using either strip or FUE, and may end up losing even more hair. If you look OK buzzed that's a great positive, and a HT might put that in jeopardy.

 

I stood behind a guy at the airport a couple of weeks ago. He had very little donor left, and his scars were clearly visible - even though he'd tried to cover them with a tuft of hair. The transplanted area was separated from the rest of his hair at the front by about an inch either side, as his natural hair had continued to retreat - leaving him with no choice but to buzz the lot.

 

Overall, he'd have been much better not to do anything. I felt very sorry for him.

 

To say something positive, have a look at SMP. The BBC ran a documentary (BBC3?) about 2 months ago about cosmetic procedures in young people, and there was a professional dancer who was losing his hair. He also looked good buzzed. He did not go down the transplant route, but went SMP.

 

The SMP gave him a good look, like a man with a full head of hair who shaved it off. It was cheap, and there are non-permanent versions around today which I would recommend (i.e., you can change your mind).

 

All the best

[Davis91]

Talk to Spex

[KO]

The only way I think you could be an HT candidate is if you get FUE done to add coverage to the front and top of your scalp, not with the goal of getting hair, but simply so you can create a "buzzed" look, say with a triangular hairline. In that vein, SMP might be a good idea to investigate as well. Broadly you should accept "buzzed" as the only possible style that is achievable, and try to find a solution, whether it is FUE or SMP that can maximize your look for this particular style.

 

I don't know how often that is done, but you should discuss it with your doctor.

[savehair]

i believe the most important for you now is to find out how much donor you have. if your goals are to restore a full head of hair , it may be possible but depends on how much donor you have. i m guessingin it will take a minimum 5~6k grafts to restore the entire front and top, if you wana do crown, it may take even more. good luck !

[CarrotMan]

I've just realised I never came on here to say thank you for all your advice, so thank you. I have decided not to proceed with a HT because several consultations have advised me they can not give me what I want from one. I'm glad I posted this on here because when I did I was very close to going for one with a doctor who had promised me a result which I now realise he could not realistically guarantee.

 

Since my post I have tried a hair system which was a massive flop for me. I'm not sure how I proceed from here, I don't mind my head shaved but it's hard to let go when you think you would look and feel a lot better if there was some solution.

[james84]

I wish i could pull off the shaved head look, then i would not have to be a member of this forum!

 

Honestly if the the shaved head look does not bother you, then try and forget about a HT.

 

You will be richer for it, that i can assure you;)

[KO]

I don't mind my head shaved

 

Do it, and see how it goes. It may be liberating for all you know.

[KO]

I don't mind my head shaved

 

Do it, and see how it goes. It may be liberating for all you know.