Help please

[johnl11]

Hello everyone, i am here to ask you all guys your opinion about what i should do.

Im 24yo, from Portugal, i started losing hair early, and it's truly keeping me from living my life, to the point that i don't even go out anymore, but i will not bother you with the dramatic stuff...

 

 

For years i've been following this forum, and trying to make up my mind about the best doctor to go on a HT with, and still haven't made a choice. Because i only have one chance to go on a HT, since my family is not rich and its a big investment.

This said, i was most inclined to go have my HT in Turkey with Dr Koray Erdogan or Hakan Doganay, but there's much inconclusive results here, and patients that disappear on their result posts, even people that told me that they weren't happy with they HT performed by these docs.

Then, there's one doctor that i think have the best results which is DrLorenzo, but if i did a HT with him i would have to go with much less grafts because i wouldn't have the money for it. But i did an online consultation with Lorenzo and they replied that i wasn't a candidate because my HL was too advanced for my age, and because i was not taking finasteride. Im only on minoxidil, for 5 years now, i stopped taking FIN a few years ago because i had a minor depression, and i had Erectile Dysfunction, not sure if it was because one or another, but i was scared and quit the FIN. Also i'm still on meds, its a very small dosage but im also afraid finasteride could interfere with it.

 

So, i don't know what to do honestly, my life is depending on this, thats the sad truth.

I hope anyone can help me and give me they're honest opinion on what i should do or tell me some other good doctors.

 

I post here some pics of my hair, i wanted to add density the top and cover the temples and hairline. I was advised in something around 2000/3000 grafts.

 

I thank you all in advance

cheers

 

PS: Is there any new treatment or future treatment that is relevant or promising?

[Blake Bloxham]

Hi John,

 

Thank you for sharing. I'm glad you're using the minoxidil. This should help you maintain and stabilize - as it does look like you're heading toward an advanced Norwood pattern. You would probably do quite well with the combination of minoxidil and finasteride. However, this doesn't sound like an option.

 

I would not discount Dr. Lorenzo's advice. He's very knowledgeable and ethical. When he says you are not a suitable candidate, he's trying to spare you from subpar results and a long - and uphill - repair road. Now, this does not mean all is lost. You can always consult with other doctors and obtain a second opinion. However, you MUST consult with trusted, proven physicians. These doctors will provide you with honest advice - as Dr. Lorenzo did - without pushing an unwarranted procedure.

 

Hope this helps! Good luck.

 

PS: I personally do not believe any new commercial treatments will be available for a while.

[johnl11]

Thanks Future_HT_Doc.

I'm really suffering mentally from this and it has to be a solution.

 

Do you think i should give finasteride a try again? Or it wouldn't be worth it?

If i have side effects they stop after i stop taking it right?

[cool525]

1. I'm really suffering mentally from this and it has to be a solution.

2. since my family is not rich and its a big investment.

3. and because i was not taking finasteride

4. i had a minor depression

5. i don't know what to do honestly, my life is depending on this, thats the sad truth

6. Do you think i should give finasteride a try again? Or it wouldn't be worth it?

 

 

John, Future_HT_Doc is right. I'll even more clarify that hair transplant surgery is: a) costly - cosmetic surgery procedure, b) even in the hands of the best doctors, carries unpredictable results, c) any surgery should be a big decision.

 

Think of it, you are willing to bet on surgery outcomes, but you are not wanting to continue Finasteride - in my opinion, safest and effective option. What makes me worried is, you have been depressed due to your hair loss. You should not be. Somehow at your age, EVERYONE feels that hair is the most important thing in life - but give it few years, you will be more mature and realize that in life there are much more important things.

 

You have a limited supply of donor hair, you age is too young, and hair transplant as a procedure is just not there yet. The doctor sales staff, will picture for you their success stories only, but they will not discuss at all how many did not produce hair.

 

Please do try finasteride for next 3-4 years, live healthy / at peace lifestyle, and see a good psychologist - they will open your eyes and let you see decades ahead of you. In my humble opinion, at like 35 age, when you have plenty of money, that you dont care of losing - very important for hair transplant procedure. At that age, you will be much more mature, a failed outcome will not drive you suicidal - you'll just say 'duh - it didn't work, so what', and more importantly good doctors will be able to create a roadmap of procedures for the remaining of your lifespan.

[TakingThePlunge]

John,

 

You've got some excellent advice here. There's no harm in consulting with a few more recommended physicians but they will likely come to the same conclusion that Dr. Lorenzo did.

 

I also suggest trying finasteride again. Perhaps try altering the dose.

 

At this stage, you want to do everything you can to hold onto your remaining hair. You may get some hair growth back as well.

[stinger99]

Looks like nw 5 possibly nw 6 hairloss pattern. I've seen Lorenzo operate on countless higher nw patients with greats results. I think u could be a good candidate but Lorenzo declined u because u are too young. I take myself as an example. I'm 35, nw 5 heading maybe to a six. Had I got a ht at 24 I would have likely wanted a low hairline and crazy density thus wasting tins of grafts and then not have enough left for progressed loss. Now that I'm 35 and a higher nw, I would do a much higher hairline, try to get illusion of coverage, which would be possible. U need to be careful if u go through with a ht and make sure u plan for future loss. Harder to plan at ur age. I think ur hair I'd still decent and I would wait a few more years.

[johnl11]

Hello cool525, i appreciate the touching words, made me feel better. And also for resuming the main aspects.

 

You were right by saying that im willing to take a risk on a HT and not on the finasteride, that got me thinking... the truth is really that any of both options are not guaranteed success, and the stakes are high, tthats why i wanted to pick a doc that had a great success rate, ofc theres always risks, but theres not much i can do.

 

Also, I will give a try on finasteride and stop if i have sides

As for the donor area, i know its limited, but if i want to use it, i want it to be while im still young..

 

If i had a HT now and started using fin, would it be a good solution?

 

 

Im not sure if i am depressed like i was, its just that i think im too young to have to face this problem, its not fair, and i cant deal with it. If i was older im almost sure i wouldnt be feeling like this and i wouldnt care this much...

 

Thanks again cool525.

Cheers

[rev333]

if lorenzo declined you then forget about HT...for now

 

no ethical doc will operate on you with this stage hair loss at your age and no fin

 

your life IS NOT DEPENDING ON THIS

re-read COOL525 x-lent post

continue with the psych and meds

 

other advice:

 

spit in the face of your hair

buzz all your hair OFF!!!

it will be freeing

see if you like it

if you don't it will grow back in a few months

the same amount of time that a HT would take

plus you will have no scars

 

looks like you got a great shaped head to do this

 

then you will be home free

 

other option is a hair system

the ones that are replaced weekly look REAL to the touch

but are $$$

try one

just for fun

you might hate it

but you will be the one in control

not the hair

 

everyone can see you are balding, trying to hide it will only make your mental state worse

 

EMBRACE IT the way it is now with the plan of making it better in the future

 

see it either way (buzzed, wig, or HT after a year or 2 on fin) and it will be

[rev333]

if lorenzo declined you then forget about HT...for now

 

no ethical doc will operate on you with this stage hair loss at your age and no fin

 

your life IS NOT DEPENDING ON THIS

re-read COOL525 x-lent post

continue with the psych and meds

 

other advice:

 

spit in the face of your hair

buzz all your hair OFF!!!

it will be freeing

see if you like it

if you don't it will grow back in a few months

the same amount of time that a HT would take

plus you will have no scars

 

looks like you got a great shaped head to do this

 

then you will be home free

 

other option is a hair system

the ones that are replaced weekly look REAL to the touch

but are $$$

try one

just for fun

you might hate it

but you will be the one in control

not the hair

 

everyone can see you are balding, trying to hide it will only make your mental state worse

 

EMBRACE IT the way it is now with the plan of making it better in the future

 

see it either of these ways (buzzed, system, or HT after a year or 2 on fin) and it will be

[Sethticles]

yeah I tend to agree with rev333, nothing wrong with being tough dude and shaving it all off, you do look like you have a nice shaped head and the braver you are about it then no one will care.

 

Nothing wrong with also waiting another 3 years before thinking again about a HT, reassess then and go for a higher hairline.

 

in the mean time just sort out whats going on in your head, life aint all that bad,

 

take care seth

[johnl11]

Hello my friends, sorry for the delay. I wanna thank you all guys for the support and for giving your advices.

 

I will not put apart the idea of having an HT, but i will first try to face the problem as it is and try to turn it into something not that bad. I will care more for my health and for the life i was not living. I gotta try, because there's people in much worse situations out there and they do it, so i will not back down.

 

im going to try finasteride as i said before and i will see if it works safely, even if i need to alter the doses as David suggested. Maybe if i go on finasteride and i can control the hair loss, perhaps even lorenzo agrees to make me an HT later .

 

Stinger, yes, as for lowering the hairline, that would be wasting grafts on our nw scale, id rather put on some grafts to cover the area where i still have hair for sure.

 

Also, something i havent mentioned, i got my hair buzzed before i took the pictures on that day, i had long hair, combing to the front, it was so fucking dramatic and tormenting, because of the wind etc etc etc. I cant even explain the pain.

So i got sick of it and went to a barber, and i feel better now, even tho im still afraid of the people who saw me before seeing me as i am now :\ But im sure ill get over it..

 

Maybe if i go on finasteride and i can control the hair loss, perhaps even lorenzo agrees to make me an HT later

 

Oh, and as for hair systems i think thats not an option for me honestly, it would be hiding it, and that is something i dont want to go through again. :\

 

Cheers all

[KO]

Yep, it is possible that Dr Lorenzo may consider you a candidate if you've stabilized your loss. That is one goal you should have in mind.

[rev333]

good for you john!

[TakingThePlunge]

Good luck John!

[johnl11]

Guys, which propecia (finasteride) should i go with? Is generic finasteride well advised?

 

Thanks