level of hair loss (pics)

[Jazzsnazz1]

i've posted some pictures upon request because last time many of you didn't like the quality and therefore didn't want to assess my hair loss, i've been on fin for over 2 years and my recession hasn't moved at all as far as i can tell, i don't have any loss on the crown, i'm 25 and have been on fin because my brother has a norwood 5 patters where there is recession as well as thinning all over the top, but how many grafts would i need to restore my hairline? my hair is also very fine. most of these pics are just right out of the shower with my hair combed back. thanks for any imput

[tacolinowest]

i wish my hair looked that good,, im also 25, idk if the doc would do anything with you since ur hair is good and your also 25, but to answer your question maybe 1800 grafts

[Jazzsnazz1]

thanks man, i'm just happy i i caught the loss when i did with medication, i actually was gonna get a hair transplant when i was 22 but my credit card wouldn't go through at his office, then i came to this forum and everyone told me the doctor who was gonna do it is a butcher, so i never responded to his calls, so this site has already been a saving grace for me

[tacolinowest]

interesting,, who was the doc?

[1978matt]

I'd say about 2000 grafts.

 

A good job your credit card failed!

 

Your hair isn't too bad at the moment. At 25 you've got to weigh up: a)Future loss happening despite the fin and b)Your finances, as not many 25 year olds can afford to chase a hairline with multiple HTs.

[gillenator]

Jazz, your hair looks so good and full at present. You may want to consider waiting for awhile because you may not make that much of a visual gain especially if you have a smaller procedure FUHT or FUE.

 

The greater risk for you IMHO is shocking out some of the level of density that you presently have and enjoy. The larger the procedure, the greater risk to that volume of exisitng hair.

 

If you bring your hairline down then you will be chasing the loss behind it as your hairloss progresses.

 

Glad to hear that your hairloss has stabilized with meds however finasteride is not as efficient in the frontal zone where there is mild recession at your hairline.

 

Best wishes to you....

[Jazzsnazz1]

can they really replicate density, i'd rather have a high hairline than a hairline with a dense front and really thin temples, which would be where the transplanted hair would go, that's my main concern

[gillenator]

The primary objective of surgical hair restoration is to achieve "the illusion of coverage". All factors being equal, the average patient with average hair characteristics can achieve this look at roughly 50% of orginal density.

 

On the reverse side, it's when we get below 50% of density that we begin to see our scalp and really notice the hairloss and thinning as the progression of MPB continues.

 

It's a big relief to know and one of the foundational truths about surgical hair restoration that we do not need to achieve real high densities to look restored.

[jfables]

You would be better off getting on propecia or dutasteride and waiting it out. If you continue to lose more hair over the next few years you will have a better plan to procede. Look at my pics, jazz. I was your age when I got my first to fix my receeding hairline. See how much work I need now 9 years later?

 

Anyway your hair looks great. Comb your hair forward if your hairline bothers you. Some of us had that hairline when we were 15.

[Jazzsnazz1]

i appreciate the input, but if my hairline stayed the same let's say for the next 5 to 10 years and i wanted to get it trated, by these pictures would it be safer in terms of density to go with FUE or strip?

[gillenator]

jazz,

 

That's just it, your hairline and density will not stay the same for the next decade or so because MPB is progressive in nature. Yes, effective hairloss meds can buy us time but they never stop our hairloss completely.

 

The isssue for you is not whether you do FUE versus strip, the impending issue for you with that volume of exisitng hair is shock loss and potentially advancing your hairloss as jfables pointed out. He's giving you good advice.

[Jazzsnazz1]

i thought shock loss only occurs when you transplant hair in thinning areas not completely bald areas such as recessed temples.

[gillenator]

Any hair that is DHT receptive is subject to shockloss. Even terminal transplanted hair can be subject to shockloss but in most cases, will grow back.

 

The more diffused the DHT receptive hair is, the more subject it is to shockloss and may not grow back. This is when the patient begins to chase his/her hairloss with more and more procedures.

 

The one thing that we know for sure is that it is unpredictable. :rolleyes:

[OtherSyde]

I'd stick with the Propecia for another 3 to 4 years; once you hit 28 or 29, I think it's fair game to shoot for some reconstruction. I was less lucky and went for about 1,700 at the age of 27, and it's turned out great, although I already knew I'd need another one just because the height of my hairline sucks.

 

Once you get up around 30, a lot of guys seem to stabilize (or at least their hair loss becomes predictable to some extent). Of course, some guys are fine until 32 or 35 or any age really, and suddenly, BAM! Halfway bald in a year or two. It's a risk either way. I would plot and plan for another 2-4 years, do lots of research, and then, once you know where you stand, make your move around the 27 to 29 age range.

 

I don't see really any significant bald spot at all around your crown; you'd probably only need a little bit of grafts there, and a decent hairline rebuild/lowering. Maybe 2000 grafts, tops?

[Spanker]

I'd say about 2000 grafts.

 

A good job your credit card failed!

 

Your hair isn't too bad at the moment. At 25 you've got to weigh up: a)Future loss happening despite the fin and b)Your finances, as not many 25 year olds can afford to chase a hairline with multiple HTs.

 

Not many (insert age) year olds can afford to chase a hairline.

[Spanker]

I agree that you don't need surgery at this time. My best friend is 50 and his hairline receded in his 20's at the temples and he still has a strong head of hair. Just a little loss in the crown in the last few years.

 

Try not to sweat it yet (I know easier said than done). I would wait to decide on FUE or strip in 5 or 10 years, as the field may be very different by then.

[Jazzsnazz1]

thanks for your input, like i said earlier i've been on fin for a little over 2 years but my doctor wants to take me off proscar because he said i'm too young and there's no visable signs that i'm losing hair on my crown, plus he advised that long term use on young people has not been greatly studied, should i take his advice or find another doctor who will continue writing me proscar perscriptions? it took me awhile to find a doctor or will wirte proscar i think i've been rejected by 3 of them who said they would only perscribe propecia which obviously is much more expensive?

[gillenator]

jazz,

 

IMHO, the reason that many doctors refuse to write scripts for Proscar is because it is a prostrate drug and not developed for treating MPB like Propecia. And although Propecia was developed for treating MPB, it is very expensive and why many of us choose to cut Proscar into 4 smaller pieces.

 

There may not be "visible" signs of thinning in your crown to the naked eye however it is stiill possible that there is mniturization going on and cannot be readily noticed unless high power magnification using a scope is utilized. This is critical especially in the beginning stages of miniturization.

 

That analysis will reveal whether or not you are losing hair shaft diameter in the crown area as compared to the hair shafts of your donor zone (terminal hair).

 

If you are miniturizing in the crown, then Propecia or another form of finasteride will be of the greatest benefit to someone who still has a fair amount of hair left there.

 

Yet we are not physicians so we cannot comment on being too young for the meds nor can we advise you to take them. My suggestion would be to have a HT doctor evaluate your crown with a scope and clinically determine the status of your crown, and then make a formal diagnosis either way.