Regular Member wolfsatplay Posted July 20, 2013 Regular Member Share Posted July 20, 2013 I am seriously considering a HT in December of this year. I try not to let hair loss bother me, but too often I find myself, not going out to big social functions, etc or just not in the mood' to go out..... I am between a N 4-5. It's so difficult to determine between FUE and FUT. I'm in Canada , so I've considered Rahal but FUE prices are steep. And H&W are great but strip scares me. So, I've gotten in touch with Dr Hakan in Turkey. Reached out to Dr Erdogan, no reply yet. Dr. Reyes in Belgium:no reply yet and Dr Reddy in London. I'm looking for around 4200-4500. But I'm realistic. It won't fully cover my crown but will really help. I can only book in December because I can take 2-3 weeks holidays into Jan. Interested if anyone has any comments on these doctors...or their process. Wolfsatplay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member 1978matt Posted July 20, 2013 Senior Member Share Posted July 20, 2013 Can you post some photos? 4,312 FUT grafts (7,676 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - August 2013 1,145 FUE grafts (3,152 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - August 2018 763 FUE grafts (2,094 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - January 2020 Proscar 1.25mg every 3rd day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Blake Bloxham Posted July 20, 2013 Senior Member Share Posted July 20, 2013 Wolf, I think determining whether you're interested in strip excision or follicular unit extraction is the first step. Afterward, finding a surgeon that specializing in this specific mode of hair transplant surgery will be easier. Have you undergone any evaluations/consultations with trusted hair transplant surgeons? If not, this may be the first step toward determining your candidacy. Look forward to updates! "Doc" Blake Bloxham - formerly "Future_HT_Doc" Forum Co-Moderator and Editorial Assistant for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum All opinions are my own and my advice does not constitute as medical advice. All medical questions and concerns should be addressed by a personal physician. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member wolfsatplay Posted July 20, 2013 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 20, 2013 Here is my head from above. So strange taking pictures of one's self, especially their noggin.I talked to Chad from Rahal and he determined roughly 4200 grafts. But, the more I read bout FUT vs FUE, I'm leaning toward FUE, even thought the cost is more, the results from doctors like Hakan, Bhatti and Erdogan are impressive. wolfstaplay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member wolfsatplay Posted July 20, 2013 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 20, 2013 And BTW, guys thanks for the quick responses and support. It's amazing what support does for guys going through hair loss. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member 1978matt Posted July 20, 2013 Senior Member Share Posted July 20, 2013 Can you take one of the donor area? If it were me I'd go for the maximum FUT with H&W. It looks like you will progress beyond a NW5 at some point and it is easier to switch from FUT to FUE than the other way around. FUE could be your insurance policy if the sides drop in the future. I guess it depends how important a short hairstyle is to you. I personally never go beyond grade 4/5 on the sides an with a shaved head I'd look like an extra from StarTrek. 4,312 FUT grafts (7,676 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - August 2013 1,145 FUE grafts (3,152 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - August 2018 763 FUE grafts (2,094 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - January 2020 Proscar 1.25mg every 3rd day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member wolfsatplay Posted July 20, 2013 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 20, 2013 Hey 1978 Matt, Thanks again for your reply. As i mentioned, I am new at this, my donor area I'm assuming will be the back of my head...? Anyway here are more pics. I don't wear my hair too short, usually it's how it in the pics... So, you think FUT might be better. I have been in touch with H&W. Strip scares me but I'll do what's best for my head. Also, is it counter productive to start on the crown and work back? By that I mean, if i get 4500 grafts, could i say fill in the crown first and work back to front or is that mistake? Could I take a leap of faith and depend on fin and rogaine to hold on to the front for another year and then maybe get the front done. Sorry about all the questions. wolfsatplay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member WRajah2012 Posted July 20, 2013 Regular Member Share Posted July 20, 2013 (edited) Hello Wolf I had a very good experience with Health Travel International. They are a UK based company with a clinic in Istanbul, Turkey. I have just reached 8 months and couldn't be happier with my results and my experience with the company. I have very thin hair and bad donor area but I managed to get good result for me. They were so helpful, arranged all flights and accommodation for me and looked after me so well when I was there so I only had to concentrate on my results. I have put a blog on here of my results. You should do plenty research it is very important. they reply straight away and are so helpful. Good luck with your HT Edited July 21, 2013 by Future_HT_Doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member wolfsatplay Posted July 20, 2013 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 20, 2013 Cheers WRajah2012, I saw your blog. Nice results. You must be happy, no doubt!! wolfsatplay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member 1978matt Posted July 20, 2013 Senior Member Share Posted July 20, 2013 Well you do appear to have a great donor area and good hair qualities (it looks coarse with some natural curl). I'm no expert but I think you could get great coverage with 4200 grafts. If your scalp at the back is very loose you could even get total coverage with a bigger strip and more grafts. Unless someone has a solid front I don't think I've seen anyone start at the Crown and work forwards. I guess it depends which bit bothers you the most. I would think that treating the crown and letting the front receed may look worse than the other way around (easy for me to say as I hate my front). Hopefully some others will chime in... 4,312 FUT grafts (7,676 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - August 2013 1,145 FUE grafts (3,152 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - August 2018 763 FUE grafts (2,094 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - January 2020 Proscar 1.25mg every 3rd day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member wolfsatplay Posted July 20, 2013 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 20, 2013 Cheers! Makes sense. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member 1978matt Posted July 20, 2013 Senior Member Share Posted July 20, 2013 'hairthere' kind of has similar hair to you (I think): http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/170565-temple-point-forelock-update-15-months.html 4,312 FUT grafts (7,676 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - August 2013 1,145 FUE grafts (3,152 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - August 2018 763 FUE grafts (2,094 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - January 2020 Proscar 1.25mg every 3rd day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member wolfsatplay Posted July 20, 2013 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 20, 2013 Yup, his may be a little thicker and more curlier but close. But it's good to see similar cases and the great results they have. Thanks for this. wiolfsatplay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member WRajah2012 Posted July 20, 2013 Regular Member Share Posted July 20, 2013 Thank you that is very kind yes I am so happy. I was nervous before because there is so much to research/read/conflicting advice but I'm so glad I was brave because nowI have my confidence back again All the best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Slickers Posted July 20, 2013 Senior Member Share Posted July 20, 2013 Can you take one of the donor area? If it were me I'd go for the maximum FUT with H&W. It looks like you will progress beyond a NW5 at some point and it is easier to switch from FUT to FUE than the other way around. FUE could be your insurance policy if the sides drop in the future. I guess it depends how important a short hairstyle is to you. I personally never go beyond grade 4/5 on the sides an with a shaved head I'd look like an extra from StarTrek. I agree with Matt. Given your donor, how you wear your hair i.e. the length you wear it at the sides and your level of loss I think you should seriously consider H&W or Rahal. Both are in Canada and have scores of patient cases of this size of session. Clinics posting results is all well and good but of the doctors you've mentioned how many actual patients results / threads have you seen? No clinic bats 100% so clearly the more patient posted results you can see, especially cases very similar to your own the better. Also based on Reddy's average price stated on here, a procedure of that size would set you back circa $40,000 canadian. Food for thought. Best of luck with your decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member wolfsatplay Posted July 20, 2013 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 20, 2013 Indeed food for thought. Thanks for your reply. Had no idea Dr Reddy would be that expensive considering he's not yet a house hold name....Thanks for your reply. Greatly appreciated Slickers. I have a consult with Rahal this Tuesday, but H&W to be truthful haven't exactly been enthusiastic or left me feeling warn in their replies. May be just a little over sensitive!! I'll let u know how the Rahal consult goes. wolfsatplay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Cant decide Posted July 21, 2013 Senior Member Share Posted July 21, 2013 The fact is that in the hands of Rahal or H&W, the scar is almost always a non issue. If you have a good donor, you could get great coverage in the front 2/3 with 4500 and then hit the crown with 3000 more in round 2 which would give you a complete restoration. My Hairloss Web Site - Procedure #1: 5229 Grafts with Dr. Rahal Oct, 2010 Procedure #2: 2642 Grafts with Dr. Rahal Aug, 2013 7871 Grafts http://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/blog/home-page.asp?WebID=2452 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member wolfsatplay Posted July 21, 2013 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 21, 2013 Thanks for your reply 'Can't Decide. So this is where i get confused. I've seen a few transplants in the 4500 range that were very similar to mine with great results. I realize everyone is different. I guess that is where the right dr comes into play and the right approach. So what you're saying, just so I'm clear, is there is no way to get any crown coverage in my case with 4500? I'd be best to concentrate on front and mid in my first session? wolfsatplay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Cant decide Posted July 21, 2013 Senior Member Share Posted July 21, 2013 It depends on how big your head is but I am 95% sure that 4500 will cover the front and mid with good density but will not be enough to go into the crown. Of course this is unless you want to spread the 4500 over a bigger area and go into the crown. I strongly suggest you don't try to spread them out over too big an area and focus the on the front 2/3 to make sure that density is set. Check out my web page with my results. I was in a similar boat. My Hairloss Web Site - Procedure #1: 5229 Grafts with Dr. Rahal Oct, 2010 Procedure #2: 2642 Grafts with Dr. Rahal Aug, 2013 7871 Grafts http://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/blog/home-page.asp?WebID=2452 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member wolfsatplay Posted July 21, 2013 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 21, 2013 Thanks again, Yeah, quite similar and from e'thing I've read, you're right. Being smart and realistic is always the best way to approach a HT. I'm being quite reassured by all the feedback. Cheers. wolfsatplay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member wolfsatplay Posted July 21, 2013 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 21, 2013 Not sure if I am being paranoid, but I seem to be reading a lot of threads about people dealing with scar issues from FUT and I really feel for them. Fact is no matter how good a surgeon is - everyone heals different- But is it true with FUE there seems to be less of an issue overall with scarring/healing? Just want to be sure that as a 47yr old between stages N4-5 with a good donor area, that FUT is the the better way to go...cheers wolfsatplay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member greatjob Posted July 21, 2013 Senior Member Share Posted July 21, 2013 Not sure if I am being paranoid, but I seem to be reading a lot of threads about people dealing with scar issues from FUT and I really feel for them. Fact is no matter how good a surgeon is - everyone heals different- But is it true with FUE there seems to be less of an issue overall with scarring/healing? Just want to be sure that as a 47yr old between stages N4-5 with a good donor area, that FUT is the the better way to go...cheers wolfsatplay Are you having an in person consultation with Rahal? If so I think the most important thing you need to figure out to help you decide between FUE or strip is going to be how much total grafts Rahal thinks you have available over your lifetime from each method. If you don't have enough donor available to get the desired coverage and keep up with your loss via fue then you can cross it off the list. However if it is determined that you can harvest enough grafts via fue then you are going to need to look at other factors such as number of required procedures, cost, how important avoiding a linear scar is to you, ect in order to make the decision between fue and strip. But like I said I think you should first get an idea of the total number of grafts you have available from each procedure and then proceed from there. As far as determining how your scar could turn out, I think past scars can be a good indicator. If you have had any previous surgeries look at those scars as an indicator of whether you scar well or not. I was lucky in that sense as I beat the hell out of my self over the years and have had many surgeries and many scars. Every scar I have had has healed to almost becoming invisible within a few years, and my strip scars followed that model pretty closely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member wolfsatplay Posted July 21, 2013 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 21, 2013 Yes, I will seeing Dr Rahal on Tuesday to chat. Thanks so much for the advice Greatjob. A smart plan of attack. I will definitely ask him these questions and more..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member 1978matt Posted July 21, 2013 Senior Member Share Posted July 21, 2013 Agree with greatjob's sentiments above. Not sure if I am being paranoid, but I seem to be reading a lot of threads about people dealing with scar issues from FUT and I really feel for them. These nearly always seem to be surgeries from obscure clinics not recommended on this site. Welcome for anyone to prove me wrong though. I'd suggest reading up on donor closure techniques, e.g. trichophytic closure . I'm sure there will be good info out there on some clinics websites. Bernstein's has a lot of info on there I seem to recall. 4,312 FUT grafts (7,676 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - August 2013 1,145 FUE grafts (3,152 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - August 2018 763 FUE grafts (2,094 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - January 2020 Proscar 1.25mg every 3rd day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member wolfsatplay Posted July 21, 2013 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 21, 2013 Will do. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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