Hairline transplant at temples at age 26 (pictures included)

[yeeaah]

Hi guys, I am a first time poster and I want to thank you guys in advance for the advice that you guys will be giving. I am 26 years of age and I dont really like my hair. Heres my problem, I cant let my hair grow because the way my hair is, its hard to cover the temple area with my hair. I wanted to do the hairline transplant and go on finestaride for the rest of my life. Also, one side is more receeding than the other.

 

Here is the type of hairline that I am going for.

[yeeaah]

Or this type of hairline

[Sean]

I dont think many doctors would give you a temporal hairline like that. Very few are able to successfully frame the face with such a hairline or temporal work. Others would try to give you a 45 degree or recessive temporal look even if you ask for closed temples to reduce the recessive look in the first place. Check out Dr. umar for adequate facial framing, dr. Erdogan, other Turkish doctors, etc. as a start. Good luck.

[Mickey85]

Don't do it man... The hairline you desire is much too aggressive. Most guys that have never lost a hair in their lives don't even have a hairline close to that. The problem is your young age and a finite donor(something we all contend with). The average person has around 5,000-6,000 scalp grafts to use and I'm guessing you would need 1,500-2,000 grafts for the hairline in the photo, especially for a convincing look and density. Problem also is you want to bring your hairline forward, whilst a balding pattern recedes backwards... The average non-bald individual has around 30,000 grafts on the top of their head, so a surgeon has only 6,000 grafts to use, for an area that originally had 30,000 grafts. They can employ clever techniques like layering, tapering the density off towards the mid-section etc but it will never achieve the density and fullness of a natural head of hair. If you use up 2,000 grafts to lower your hairline and temples, that will leave you only 4,000 grafts for the future if you do progress into a higher balding pattern. At age 26, it is simply too early to even try and predict where you may end up.. I really don't think you should go through with it right now...

[yeeaah]

I understand what you are saying as far as not doing it. But let me ask this? Would I get away with doing it if I do the transplant and get on medication (Propecia) for the rest of my life?

[Rootz]

My 2 cents... If you really want to do this, you should first have your hair analyzed by a reputable doc to see how much miniaturization you have. Then go on Fin for a solid year and come back to the same doctor periodically and have them analyse it again. If your situation is improving after a year, I'd say you're clear for take off. If it's the same, that means you haven't worsened but going forward with the HT would still be risky... maybe compromise with something more conservative. If it's worse, obviously you wouldn't want to do anything aggressive at all.

[yeeaah]

Even something more conservative I'd be willing to live with. Dr gabel is going to see me at the end of the month but I really want to atleast gain something back on the temple area. One temple is more receding than the other.

[Questionmark]

I wouldn`t do it, either. You have got a hairline which is perfectly defined and suits your face very well. Nobody seeing you would even think about for one second in a negative way about your hair. Why not keeping your individuality, originality and naturalness here and maybe evaluate the situation again in a few years. You may be running into something which actually reflects something else, you know.. So maybe take a few days and honestly think about what you are not comfortable with in other terms in your life. Anyways, just my opinion, you`ll do the right thing, all the best!

[yeeaah]

Interesting. What do you mean running into something that reflects something else?

[Questionmark]

Sorry for my bad english. A lot of people that think about getting an aesthetic surgery actually have totally other issues they are often unconscious about, rooting for example in another unfulfilled desire, their childhood, their relation to relatives and/or friends, their place in life and society, etc. etc. Much like with consumerism, in our media society nowadays it often happens that these kind of fundamental desires are so difficult and challenging to get conscious about, let alone settle them, that they tend to get overlayed by the attempt to perfectionate actually minor, and rather superficial issues, such as buying new clothes, getting a nosejob, fuller hair, or in general putting up a facade. You know, psychological stuff

 

Not saying that it might be the case here, but imo it is the case anyway much more often than most believe. One major indicator might be that others don`t see the alleged and subjectively perceived necessity of a surgery, such as in this case. I think you have got wonderful hair for your age, many people would be jealous of, and you look good in general, so I guess either the hypotheses above are right, or really your life is so perfect that you don`t know what to do with your time and money than fixing an actually perfect and beautifully unique looking head Man, no homo, but look at you! No need to change anything there, be glad you`re blessed with life, health, in a really really goodlooking body. Your hairline suits your facial features just PERFECTLY imho..

 

Also be aware that hair transplants NEVER give you a natural look, but at best the illusion of. If there are not strong psychological issues directly related to hair loss and thus the aesthetic appeal, and hence arisen problems in social life, a hairtransplant surely is not the way to go, and every ethical doc would confirm this.

 

Having said that, it`s not that you could not at all be a candidate who could get satisfied also long-term with a conservative approach HT. If you are really sure you want to do it, and after having done your research and looked at the results of dozens of cases (not only the benchmark ones, but also average, and maybe some poor ones) of different docs on here. Thoroughly and carefully do your research and evaluation of options, talk to several docs, and don`t necessarily go with the one who makes the biggest promises

 

Btw I, as always, can only emphasize what Mickey85 wrote All the best!

[yeeaah]

Wow man thanks for the long response. That was deep. And yes I agree I might be looking for perfection and that's why I thought I needed the opinion of unbiased individuals that would be very honest with me. Thanks. I appreciate feedback from all of you

[Mickey85]

Sorry for my bad english. A lot of people that think about getting an aesthetic surgery actually have totally other issues they are often unconscious about, rooting for example in another unfulfilled desire, their childhood, their relation to relatives and/or friends, their place in life and society, etc. etc. Much like with consumerism, in our media society nowadays it often happens that these kind of fundamental desires are so difficult and challenging to get conscious about, let alone settle them, that they tend to get overlayed by the attempt to perfectionate actually minor, and rather superficial issues, such as buying new clothes, getting a nosejob, fuller hair, or in general putting up a facade. You know, psychological stuff

 

Not saying that it might be the case here, but imo it is the case anyway much more often than most believe. One major indicator might be that others don`t see the alleged and subjectively perceived necessity of a surgery, such as in this case. I think you have got wonderful hair for your age, many people would be jealous of, and you look good in general, so I guess either the hypotheses above are right, or really your life is so perfect that you don`t know what to do with your time and money than fixing an actually perfect and beautifully unique looking head Man, no homo, but look at you! No need to change anything there, be glad you`re blessed with life, health, in a really really goodlooking body. Your hairline suits your facial features just PERFECTLY imho..

 

Also be aware that hair transplants NEVER give you a natural look, but at best the illusion of. If there are not strong psychological issues directly related to hair loss and thus the aesthetic appeal, and hence arisen problems in social life, a hairtransplant surely is not the way to go, and every ethical doc would confirm this.

 

Having said that, it`s not that you could not at all be a candidate who could get satisfied also long-term with a conservative approach HT. If you are really sure you want to do it, and after having done your research and looked at the results of dozens of cases (not only the benchmark ones, but also average, and maybe some poor ones) of different docs on here. Thoroughly and carefully do your research and evaluation of options, talk to several docs, and don`t necessarily go with the one who makes the biggest promises

 

Btw I, as always, can only emphasize what Mickey85 wrote All the best!

 

Wow... Very insightful post.. very impressed. Is there a reason there is often a link between cosmetic surgery and a general void in someones life?

[WHTC-7706631290]

Hi. You will experience a change in appearance in the next few years and this will change how you see the problem. I hope you choose to stay away from surgery until you have pursued maximal medical therapy. Swallowing a pill won't always be easy, especially if the results aren't visible until six to twelve months. Do everything that you can to avoid surgical hair restoration. The effects of surgery are permanent and there is no guarantee of satisfaction. The commitment to a treatment plan is crucial because the nature of hair loss is progressive. Make sure that your physician devises a treatment plan that is in your best interests.

 

Your donor resources are very finite and reserving donor supply is critical due to the fact that future hair loss is unpredictable. We can slow the progression of hair loss but we can by no means control it. Imagine losing much more hair...

 

You should consider yourself to be extremely fortunate and you should enjoy what little hair loss you do have. Have your hair loss monitored, but don't undergo any surgery until you and your treating physician knows what is occurring.

[voxman]

There have been some very thoughtful and insightful responses to the OP. The only comment I have is that our views of an attractive head of hair are often time formed by media and pop images and that radical straight hairline across the forehead look that's all the rage today may change in 10 years and you'll not be able to do anything with it. Plan for a long life and the ability to change styles as you can, not be locked down to one 'look' that says '2014, here I am'.

[Rootz]

Questionmark I found your post fascinating thanks for posting. In response to some things you said,

 

Also be aware that hair transplants NEVER give you a natural look, but at best the illusion of.

 

I think "never give you a natural look" is too extreme. Hair is an illusion whether or not there's been a HT. I've seen plenty of HT results that look both natural and good. You don't necessarily need high density to look natural either. But I agree expectations need to be in check when considering a HT, as the result will never be the same as prehairloss density... and of course, sometimes shit happens and you get unexpected results. There's risks.

 

A lot of people that think about getting an aesthetic surgery actually have totally other issues they are often unconscious about, rooting for example in another unfulfilled desire, their childhood, their relation to relatives and/or friends, their place in life and society, etc. etc.

 

I don't really agree with castigating desires to get a HT (or any cosmetic procedure) for those reasons alone. Now I agree too much importance can, and often is, placed on such things, and expectations can become unrealistic. But what "pure" reason is there to get a HT?

 

Every reason to get a HT is superficial. Every reason is psychological. Every reason is to fill some void. Every reason is subjective. What you may find petty, may be a big deal to someone else on a fundamental level. I think what matters is having realistic expectations... which follows from careful consideration and research. If I'm a huge Justin Bieber fan and want to have hair like him, and have thought about it for years and done plenty of research and know exactly what to expect... am I crazy, am I wrong, or am I just doing what makes me happy? Yeah, maybe I would be a little weird... but everyone is weird on some level.

 

One major indicator might be that others don`t see the alleged and subjectively perceived necessity of a surgery, such as in this case.

 

Let's be honest, people are no where near as critical about the appearance of others as they are about theirs. What you may not see as a problem with one person, could be a big problem if you switched shoes. Also, most people lie or sugar coat their answers about your looks... you could have a dick growing on your head and people would still say, "Oh you know what it's not that bad... I can barely notice it when you comb it to the side"

[Questionmark]

Rootz, I totally agree with literally everything you say (especially the "weird"-part) I normally don`t tend to get people off the train. Though you get my point, in this specific case. Sometimes I just want to challenge people Each to his own...

[Baldybee2]

Mickey, great message. I saw that you mention avg person having like 5000 to 6000 grafts of donor hair. Does this apply to fue? Just wondering how many grafts an avg person can get doing fue without it looking moth eaten.

[Mickey85]

Mickey, great message. I saw that you mention avg person having like 5000 to 6000 grafts of donor hair. Does this apply to fue? Just wondering how many grafts an avg person can get doing fue without it looking moth eaten.

 

Yes, just to FUE exclusively. If you went for strip and FUE combo or strip first and FUE later(or vice versa) you could stretch out the grafts by a few thousand more probably. It all depends on the individual of course and these are very rough averages. Certain surgeons are willing to give the patient a choice in whether they want more grafts(at the expense of donor density and a shorter haircut) whilst some surgeons won't budge past extracting more than "X"% of the donor area. Guys of a higher norwood pattern might be more open to the idea of only being able to shave down to a grade 2.5 instead of a 1.5 if it means an extra 1,500 grafts for example. The problem isn't the donor looking 'moth eaten' per se, but more that the patient won't be able to shave down to a certain grade convincingly because the donor has been thinned out. Skin to scalp-hair color ratio is also quite paramount as is the actual extraction pattern employed by the surgeon. Punch size and graft quantity also apply. Some guys are lucky enough to have over 3,000 grafts extracted via FUE and still can shave to a guard 1 quite convincingly but if you look closely enough and/or compare it to pre-operatie status, you might notice a discrepancy. If you shave down to a zero or 0.5, everything is out in the open and on display. In fact, shaving to a 0.5 MAY show more signs of surgery because the actual hairs(and missing follicles) much more present. That is just an assumption I have, not a scientific fact.

 

Sorry for the wall of text. I would say that the average person can probably get away with a grade 2 shave after 4,000-5,000 FUE. A grade 1 buzz is not a safe bet at this point especially nearly the 5,000 graft mark. but alot of that depends on the skin/hair color ratio, extraction pattern, how much of the donor are was used, punch size etc. Some average guys might get away with it whilst some average guys certainly won't. I would think that guys being able to shave to a true grade one(I'm talking totally undetected) after 5,000 grafts would be in the minority. Some surgeons might push the 'safe zone' a bit more in order to extract more grafts and to avoid thinning out the general donor area. You find some of the aggressive FUE surgeons do this. The drawback there is those grafts might not be immune to miniaturization and may disappear in time as the are not DHT resistant.

[Baldybee2]

Thanks, Mickey, for the great detailed response!

[Mickey85]

Thanks, Mickey, for the great detailed response!

 

Anytime, hope it helped clear things up for you.

[KO]

Agree with all those who recommended against. Your hair is in great shape.

[Mickey85]

Agree with all those who recommended against. Your hair is in great shape.

 

We all have to be careful not to deplete our precious donor supply. Young guys want a Brad Pitt hairline and often say "I won't care if I proceed to bald later in life, I just wanna look good through my 20s/30s" but the truth it they certainly WILL care when they have an absolutely bizarre and un-natural appearance of a fringe of hair in the frontal third with very little behind it. People do not bald that way naturally and people in that situation will have to seek body/beard hair transplantation possibly in conjunction with SMP. T

[MAGNUMpi]

We all have to be careful not to deplete our precious donor supply. Young guys want a Brad Pitt hairline and often say "I won't care if I proceed to bald later in life, I just wanna look good through my 20s/30s" but the truth it they certainly WILL care when they have an absolutely bizarre and un-natural appearance of a fringe of hair in the frontal third with very little behind it. People do not bald that way naturally and people in that situation will have to seek body/beard hair transplantation possibly in conjunction with SMP.

So true. You will care what you like in your 40's, 50's, and 60's. Absolutely. You'll still be alive in the world. Working, being in relationships, etc. And the more I look the more Ive come to realize that many men lose a lot of hair in their 50+60's. So be thoughtful and conservative with your grafts always.

[yeeaah]

Pardon my ignorance but I guess I'm confused. Many people swear by Propecia. So if Propecia really is effective at stopping hairloss why wouldn't I be able to use Propecia for the rest of my life and get the hairline transplant? Sorry for playing Devils advocate but I just want to get educated on this

[Mickey85]

Pardon my ignorance but I guess I'm confused. Many people swear by Propecia. So if Propecia really is effective at stopping hairloss why wouldn't I be able to use Propecia for the rest of my life and get the hairline transplant? Sorry for playing Devils advocate but I just want to get educated on this

 

It is not guaranteed to prevent hairloss. It may not work at all. It may work for 5, 10,15 years and then its effects will diminish. Or it may work for a lifetime. It may work for a lifetime but you will sustain some sexual side effects that you consider are not worth the benefits. Just some hypotheticals... I really really wish it didn't have the potential sexual side effects... That alone turned me right off it even though it only happens in the minority of cases.