NW5 first HT, which areas should I focus on?

[Jared77]

Hi,

 

I'm scheduled to have my first HT with Dr Devroye in Brussels next month and would like some advice please. The procedure is FUT and during our consultation he estimated 2500-3000 grafts or perhaps more. He recommended we focus on areas 1-4 but I'm not sure.

 

Yes the front is what I will see most often but area 5 annoys me allot. It's when the barber holds the mirror above when he's done, when the CCTV captures my head and I can see the monitor. It's frustrating and also people around me can see this all of the time.

 

I thought perhaps we skip area 4 and add some grafts to area 5. This way I wouldn't have this ugly bare patch on my head and I could perhaps add some concealer to area 4 and 5 to improve the look.

 

If it was up to me I would have 5000 grafts done and be over in one procedure, but unfortunately this isn't the case.

 

Your feedback is most welcome, thanks in advance.

[cueball35]

Hi Mate, I had a similar hair loss pattern as you and my initial thoughts were i wanted my crown sorted first aswell. I hated it bigtime!

 

We all have a finite number of grafts available and we must use these wisely, the problem with the crown is it uses up a tonne of grafts to get a decent coverage, this is because the crown is a concave shape and has a larger surface area. The hair has to grow up and swirl around whereas for the hairline and midscalp the hairs can grow forward and can give a much better illusion of density.

 

So for me i went and concentrated on areas 1 2 3 and 4 for my first procedure then hit 5 and 5v for the second. Even at that i still believe i will need a third operation so its a long road for us high norwood guys unfortunately.

[Blake Bloxham]

Normally, hair transplant physicians usually start from the hairline and move posteriorly. Though it may seem like your vertex is very noticeable and prominent, it's likely that people see your hairline and frontal scalp much more frequently. Rebuilding these areas helps frame the face and provides the best aesthetic "bang for your buck." The vertex region is also notorious for requiring a large amount of grafts with less significant cosmetic transformation. However, if you would like some coverage in these region, I recommend discussing it with Dr. Devroye.

 

Good luck!

[scooter]

Have you also discussed getting on Finesteride for the crown?Could be an option for you as you start out.

[TommyLucchese]

Jared I seriously recommend clicking the links on Cueball35's signature - his hair WAS very similar to yours and it shows what you can do to get it sorted with the right plan/doctor.

[Garageland]

Jared,

 

I think you Doctor is right 2500-3000 would be best served into the zones 1-4, how often do you catch yourself in a CCTV camera or have to see yourself in the barbers mirror. The front is where you will notice the difference and people will notice it in you when talking to you.

 

That said you should look at a two stage plan to address the crown with a lighter coverage at a later date if it bothers you. If you try to address the crown in the first session and the front then I think it will look too thin and you will still end up going back and redoing the whole area again to add density.

[Jared77]

You guys have done a good job of explaining the benefits of fixing zones 1-4 for my first HT. Thanks for the feedback and I will happily take your advice.

 

scooter - I've been on propecia/finasteride for almost 2 years.

 

TommyLucchese - When you say "right plan/doctor": I'm happy to stick with propecia. I did use regaine foam for 6 months but found it a chore so stopped. Should I be exploring other options? As for HT surgeon I chose Dr Devroye based on the good feedback about him on this site...so I believe I made the right choice.

Edited February 2, 2014 by Jared77

[TommyLucchese]

When I say right plan, I mean for example: sorting out the frontal region now, then addressing the crown in 2 years or so. For others like myself, the plan was to conservatively sort out my hairline so that if I lose more hair down the line I have enough donor.

 

Minoxidil definitely would be recommended, even if once a day.

 

You've chosen a good doctor, good luck to ya!

[Jared77]

Thanks Tommy, I've ordered some Regaine.

Edited February 9, 2014 by Jared77