Thinking about FUE sometime soon-need advice

[bjk1903]

Hello all! I recently made a thread about my progress with hair loss meds and when I was carefully looking through the pics I came to the conclusion that it is time to go for some FUE at the hairline and crown. I'm getting more and more upset that I cannot style my hair the way I want due to the thinness in the hairline and crown. I've seen a couple of hair loss docs and they all said that I would need some work but suggested I wait a little bit more. I agree I might still be young for a procedure but my confidence is taking a major dive. I am not looking for super thick hair, just a little thicker then it is now. I am pretty realistic about my goals and as long as I have good hair into my late 20's and decent hair into my mid 30s, I wouldn't mind slightly thinner hair into late 30's and on.

 

Latest photos can be seen here: Hair Restoration Social Network - Hair Loss and Transplant Photos

 

I wrote about my history of hair loss in this thread: http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/171934-fight-save-my-hair-follow-along-me.html

 

Forgot to add my family history of hairloss on that thread

Paternal Grandfather- NW4-5(passed at age 50)

Maternal Grandfather- NW3-4(passed at age 40)

Father- NW6-7(age 56)

Paternal Uncle- NW6(age 60)

Maternal Uncle- NW6(age 58)

Male cousins all have mbp

Obviously genetics are not in my favor

 

How many grafts would I need? I asked the docs about what kind of hair loss I can expect with my current pattern and family history but they all said that it is a bit unpredictable. Based on everyone's experience how is my hair doing and what norwood am I/heading towards? Thank you all for reading and I eagerly wait for your insights!

[Spanker]

No way to predict it but I do not think that you are a candidate for surgery at all.

[tacolinowest]

my mans got a full head of hair, what would you be restoring? your hair looks great right now

[MAGNUMpi]

If I were in your shoes I would buy some Toppik for your crown if it's bothering you, and learn how to use it so it looks nice and subtle.... or get some good gel that helps you style so you are happy with it. I would not get a HT. Save yourself the trouble/money/possible future complications. You have good hair now. Try to enjoy it.

[bjk1903]

Thank you guys for the input!

 

@Spanker I was wondering why you think I am not a candidate? Am I still too young? I was hoping that with the pictures I documented throughout the last year and half, it would show that my hair loss is not progressing as fast(I believe I slowed it down with meds, but I really can't say how long it will keep up since I haven't been taking any DHT inhibitors for a year) and I would be a good candidate.

 

@tacolinowest Thank you for compliments. I really wasn't expecting anyone to say it looks great haha. Also wanted to compliment your HT, I've been following and it is going to look fantastic in 3 more months. Best of luck and happy growing!

 

@MAGNUMpi I bought some Nanogen last year but I have still yet to try it. I do minox foam morning and evening so perhaps the fibers might not work as well. I definitely need to try it one of these days with the foam and see how it works. Also wanted to say how similar our pattern of hair loss is. Honestly, if my hair looked like yours at your age, I would be ecstatic(probably won't be the case for me though since your loss is slightly more than mine and I am still 25). It's kind of funny how you think I don't really need a transplant and I think that you really don't need a transplant(in your pictures you say you are considering one).

 

I know I do not have extensive hairloss. I really think that the first couple inches of the hairline is getting to the point where it is too thin so adding a couple of grafts there to boost the thickness would be realistic right now-same for the crown, especially on the right side. And as long as this lasts me for 4-5 years, I wouldn't mind getting a larger session when the hair loss is more.

 

My thinking was that I would get a small session now and just keep adding sessions as needed(until I max out the donor) and assuming I reach NW6 my entire head would be replaced with transplant hairs. This way I will never really be bald and have nice hair in my 20's and thin but still decent hair into 30's and 40's. Is my thinking not a very logical approach?

[1978matt]

Your hair looks too good to me. You're basically a NW1 at the moment but with the capacity to be a NW6 based on family history. I believe you also had to give up finasteride because of sides.

 

Be aware that docs can only restore 50% original hair density and what you have looks to exceed that already, maybe not where those finer frontal hairs are in the first cm, but cerainly beyond that there is still good density.

 

Transplanting the hairline will draw a line in the sand and you could well end up looking goofy in later years. It may also just shock out any weaker hairs and you would end up back to square one with no change in density you had pre-op.

 

If you're lucky you may have 5,000 FUE lifetime donor supply which may only be enough to cover half of your head. Pack a couple of thousand in the front in the next couple of years and what happens? You lose all that hair behind it and have a mass of scalp in the middle with no hair and not enough donor to fill it. Then your only option is a partial hairpiece..

 

Transplanting your crown in it's current state would be madness and no sane Dr would do it. Maybe if you were 45 and on finasteride, but until then, no chance!

[bjk1903]

Your hair looks too good to me. You're basically a NW1 at the moment but with the capacity to be a NW6 based on family history. I believe you also had to give up finasteride because of sides.

 

Be aware that docs can only restore 50% original hair density and what you have looks to exceed that already, maybe not where those finer frontal hairs are in the first cm, but cerainly beyond that there is still good density.

 

Transplanting the hairline will draw a line in the sand and you could well end up looking goofy in later years. It may also just shock out any weaker hairs and you would end up back to square one with no change in density you had pre-op.

 

If you're lucky you may have 5,000 FUE lifetime donor supply which may only be enough to cover half of your head. Pack a couple of thousand in the front in the next couple of years and what happens? You lose all that hair behind it and have a mass of scalp in the middle with no hair and not enough donor to fill it. Then your only option is a partial hairpiece..

 

Transplanting your crown in it's current state would be madness and no sane Dr would do it. Maybe if you were 45 and on finasteride, but until then, no chance!

 

Thanks for the awesome advice!

 

Yes I did give up all the DHT inhibitors I was taking due to sides. Although I am considering taking at a very low dose again. The time that I got sides was just a very bad time in my life so I am thinking it might have been due to that. When I first took it, my only sides were dull ball ache, and a change in the consistency of semen. The ball ache went away after a week or so and I just had the other side. Ten months into it, ED and massive drop in libido hit and I freaked out since I never had a problem with that at all. Now I am back to normal but I don't feel comfortable with my regimen because the DHT is wreaking havoc on the hair follicles.

 

I am hoping an alternative to finasteride(and even minoxidil) can be found soon. I have done plenty of research on RU, CB, and all the other drugs that might be an alternative but none of those have gone through clinical trials yet. I just don't feel safe using a drug that I don't know the side effects are(long and short term). Some people in other forums(perhaps even this one) are taking these drugs and if they have an overwhelming positive experience, then perhaps I may try them.

 

It's pretty sad that all the medications that we can use for maintenance and regrowth is over 20 years old.

[Mickey85]

Stick with the Minox foam and maybe add in a shampoo like Revita or Regenepure, they don't contain the product SLS which is used in detergents. They are high quality shampoos and make your hair look more dense. They state they inhibit DHT also. Your hair looks good to me. I would err on the side of caution. If you do go through a procedure, I would not go over 1,000 grafts via FUE at the absolute maximum. I would recommend you try take your mind off a hair transplant altogether and maybe revisit it in a few years or not at all though.

[bjk1903]

Again thanks to all for the wonderful advice!

 

I wasn't really contemplating surgery until another couple of years(perhaps when I am 28-29). Like many have said, I was afraid of experiencing permanent shock loss to the native hairs and the transplant going to waste. The reason why I wanted to get surgery was after seeing results like this:

 

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tkfWkID42w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mDvI67mIbg

I do not know the history of these patients but these guys either have the same level of hairloss as me or either slightly less or more. Basically if they can achieve awesome results, I believe that with the right doctor, I can too.

[BrianR]

I don't blame you for wanting to do something, your hair is looking a LITTLE thin and that's scary as hell...

I remember when my hair 1st started getting thin 30 years ago and there was nothing I could do, I freaked as soon as I could see my scalp a little...

Good Luck

[gillenator]

Having that volume of native hair and considering your family history, I would advise you not to start HT surgery at this time.

 

You do IMHO run a higher risk for shock loss and questionable if you would make any visual gains.