26 y/o considering FUE in Turkey

[gimmefiction]

Hey guys! I started getting comments on my thinning in high school. Now, my hairline has started to thin quite a bit. With my fare complexion a lot of times bright light just shines completely through my hair making me look bald. I've started getting more self conscious about it in pictures especially, my hair line appears so much higher than it seems in real life.

 

Anyways! I am American living in Azerbaijan so I am just a three hour flight to Turkey. HA, the locals here (who are very friendly but very forward) often suggest me to take rogain and also that I can get a hair transplant here for a euro a graft (HA - have not heard ANY stories about Azerbaijan hair transplants... so NO). I've been taking Propetia or similar generics for about two years. I have noticed major slowing of hair loss but I still would like to lower my hairline and add some density to the middle. I have heard others warn about getting a transplant so young, but I hope my balding has been significantly slowed.

 

I am here asking am I ready and about how many grafts do you think I would need? I am considering Hakan Dogan or Demirsoy in Turkey but am still doing my research.

 

Thanks guys!

Edited August 29, 2013 by gimmefiction

[gimmefiction]

So I contacted a few doctors in the region today and was pleasantly surprised with some of their quick responses. One said around 3000 - 3500 grafts and the other said 4000 - 4500. Wow! I didn't realize I was in such a need for a huge job. Does that sound high?

 

The one thing I am nervous about (HA - cause there is only one ) is that I am still young. If I have been doing propetia for two years and my loss has stopped (from what I can tell), and I understand in 10 years I will need a touch up most likely I am ready yes?

[hairshopeing]

I think 3500 is about right, depends of your hoping to fully address your crown and if you want to close off your temples!! Both top notch surgeons your considering,very good plan!! Turkey and fue seems the way to go at the moment, churning of some amazing results!!!! I think if your in propecia and have stabilised your loss you should be ok at 26, but obviously use it wisely, you really need an evaluation on your donor then plan from that!! Hopefully it's plentiful!!!

[hairshopeing]

Excuse my grammar bloody I phone!!

[Blake Bloxham]

Fiction,

 

Looks like you may be a good FUE candidate. I highly recommend trying to consult with several FUE experts to confirm this suspicion.

 

Having said that, I would highly recommend both Dr. Doganay and Dr. Erdogan in Turkey. Both are fantastic FUE physicians, and I think a consultation with either (or both) would be very helpful.

[KO]

Yo I want to see pics if you get an HT. I have the same style of hair loss!

 

 

Best of luck buddy!

[s2thoudriver]

Please feel free to search for my detailed thread on here regarding my positive experience of FUE in Turkey with Health Travel International.

 

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

 

Rob

[ali1991]

Fiction,

 

Looks like you may be a good FUE candidate. I highly recommend trying to consult with several FUE experts to confirm this suspicion.

 

Having said that, I would highly recommend both Dr. Doganay and Dr. Erdogan in Turkey. Both are fantastic FUE physicians, and I think a consultation with either (or both) would be very helpful.

 

Hey mate.

 

Just wondering why you think he is a good candidate? I've come across other posts of yours and have seen you advising young patients to stay away from surgery IIRC, the OP is pretty young too.

 

Just wondering did the fact OP has been on propecia for 2 years and says his hair has stabilized, make you decide he is a good candidate?

 

Thanks.

[1978matt]

If I were you I'd consult with Doctors worldwide and try to gain an overall consensous from what they say.

 

A key issue is what the future holds and that looks to be a NW6 level at the minimum. Taking a mass of FUE grafts now would reduce what you could take from Strip if in the future should you decide you need more grafts to keep up with the loss.

 

If your plan is just to have good hair 'for the next 10 years', then shave it close and forget about it then FUE could be for you....or if you really want to have hair for life then strip nearly always gives the most grafts (excluding Body hair which is not for everyone and IMO a last resort).

 

You do have at least a couple of things going for you: 1)Good hair/skin tone contrast, and 2)On propecia

Edited August 31, 2013 by 1978matt

[Blake Bloxham]

Hey Ali,

 

Great question. First, I did want to state that this is my opinion and it is definitely not a guarantee of what the consulting physicians will think. However, I think he appears to be a suitable candidate for several reasons:

 

1. Medications

 

Yes, the fact that he has been on preventive hair loss medications and likely stabilized his loss is huge. At a young age, this provides the opportunity to be a bit more aggressive if the patient agrees to continue using the medications. It seems like fiction understands the benefits stabilizing the progressive loss and will continue to use the medications. Because of this, a physician will likely feel a bit more comfortable reconstructing a more youthful hairline and reinforcing the frontal scalp at a high density.

 

2. Age

 

Though it's a bit subjective and arbitrary, I've always thought of the general "cut off" for hair transplantation as 26. Frankly, I'm not sure where this number comes from (especially if you consider the fact that approximately 33% of men show signs of androgenic alopecia by 30, but this number jumps to 50% by 50 years of age), but it seems reasonable. I suppose at this point, physicians are able to obtain some sort of grasp on how they should (or should not) proceed surgically, and it's likely generally ethical to operate at this point. If he were 2 years younger, it would likely be a different story. Remember, there are big exceptions to these rules, and I think it can be subjective and unique to each patient.

 

3. Hair Color

 

Contrast between the color of a patient's hair and the skin tone of their scalp can make a huge difference. In patient's with light skin and dark hair, it's very easy to see the contrast between scalp and implanted grafts. This stark contrast often makes results appear thinner or less dense. In patients with similar hair color and skin tone, this isn't as much of an issue, and the contrast is much softer. This, in some cases, allows for a more aesthetically pleasing result with a fewer number of grafts.

 

4. Hair Loss Pattern

 

Though it appears as if fiction would technically be classified as a NW Level VI (as the scale is best used to describe where a patient is likely headed), he's fairly diffusely thinned from his hairline to his vertex. This could be a result of stabilization from the medications. Regardless, the fact that he still has density all the way up to his frontal hairline means the hairline, frontal scalp, and partial midscalp could be restored with decent density.

 

5. Donor characteristics

 

Though it's a bit difficult to tell from the images (and I do think he's shaved down a bit in the donor region), it looks like he has decent donor density with moderately thick, "wavey" hair.

 

Again, just my "2 cents." Hope it was helpful!

[gimmefiction]

Hey guys,

 

I've been on the sidelines waiting for where the chips land. Thanks for mainly addressing my concern about my age. You've helped me think about and decide that it is more important for me to bulk up my hair line and look great in my younger years. If I am seriously thinning at 40 I will be much more comfortable about it than I am now. Plus, I am an optimistic person so I am hoping for the best. You helped me think about the worst case scenario.

 

Question - About how many graphs does a person usually have in their "bank?" I know it will be a wide varying range.

 

Ha, now really the worst scenario now seems to be the "ugly duck" phase. LOL. I work for a business in luxury that kind of emphasizes appearances.... Just have to get through that first month it seems. I was looking at pictures of guys who had areas shaved vs the entire head.... Ha, I'm pretty sure I would look a disaster if I tried that. Will be nice to shave the dome and try that look out.

 

I also sent inquiries now to Erdogan in Turkey and also Maras in Cyprus. Got a cool picture with lines on my head from Maras almost instantly which was cool. I'd be happy to share more info from what I've gotten but I feel like I should read the terms of service first or something.

 

Thanks guys