Age 25 Considering having an FUE HT with Dr. Erdogan, I have a few questions

[appstatefan247]

Hey all,

 

Ive been lurking this forum for quite some time. My hairline started receding when I was in college. It started out on just the right side but now has spread to the crown and the left side and has gotten to the point where I can no longer hide it. I never could sport a buzz cut or shorter hair so losing my hair has been tough especially since it seems like all of my peers have thick heads of hair. This past month I have really started to consider getting an HT. It seems like it could be such a big risk at my age which is what scares me. I got a good job out of school and I don't really have any financial burdens right now at this point in my life so right now I have the funds to afford a procedure like this which is another reason I am leaning towards it.

 

I have had a consult with Dr. Cooley and Dr. Vories. Both docs were very professional and straight forward. This was about a 16 months ago and at that time both recommended between 2000 and 2400 grafts. I decided to wait and see if it got worse thinking that maybe it was ok.

 

Well sure enough it got worse.. A lot worse. I started digging into these forums again and found Dr. Lorenzo and Dr. Koray Erdogan. Both of these Docs have published outstanding results. I have decided if I am going to have it done I am going to go with the absolute best. Now this is not to imply that dr. Cooley and dr. Vories are anything less than top notch. I felt very comfortable with both of them but I was most attracted to the method discussed in Dr. Erdogans videos in YouTube. I don't really want the strip method because I am so young still and may have to shave it if unsuccessful and my hair follicles themselves are rather thin which I read could pose a problem for the neogradt which is used by dr. v. My choice is based on what I feel is best for my particular set of circumstances.

 

I sent in pics to Dr. Lorenzo and he stated that an HT was not indicated by my pictures and that he would be willing to discuss it after I had been on a Finasteride regimen for 12 months. He stated that "due to my aggressive hair loss I would need to stabilize with meds urgently or else the HT would be a disaster"

 

I am an avid gym goer/weight lifter and am not to keen on the idea of tampering with my hormone levels for cosmetic purposes. It just seems sketchy.

 

Last week I ALSO consulted with Dr. Erdogans ASMED clinic. I have been in communication with Sevinc who has been very informative. She replied to my consult form that I was a candidate for the procedure. Based on my pictures they recommended that I would need 5000 grafts over a 2 day session.

 

I wanted to know if I would still be able to shave my head if the HT didn't work out and they assured me that I could still shave my head because scarring was very minimal on my skin tone. My skin does not really scar as it is; even after the worst of cuts so I'm sure I would not have to big of an issue with it.

 

My father is NW 6 and obviously thinks I'm crazy for even considering doing something like this but he has been bald since 23 and can't even remember what it was like to have hair. Plus he wears the look well and I do not.

 

I have attached some pics below, I would like help and honest answers from you all so that I can make an educated decision. Having more hair would definitely better my life, but I would want it to work well. I think I would kick myself forever if I went through with this and it didn't turn out like I had hoped.

 

What expectations should I have with the way my hairline is now?

 

Thanks in advance guys

 

PS i included a pic of my dad so you guys can see where I could be headed

 

-Alex

Edited February 24, 2015 by appstatefan247

[appstatefan247]

Anyone? Is this in the wrong section?

[Wwiizzkkiidd24]

Hi there,

 

Well you certainly have choose a good doctor to go to even though hes not very hands on but that doesnt mean hes clinic doesnt produce good results. But there are many doctors that are hands on through out the procedure. In my books its definately worth doing your research on.

 

5000 grafts seems to be the right amount you would consider to get an overall good coverage with your skin/hair ratio would be in your advantage as well. I think your going towards a nw6 so you might need more in the future if you dont take meds which i see your a bit sceptical(like me)but if you don't mind the bolding look(thinning) you could be happy if not you might need a touch up to compensate loosing your native hair.

[appstatefan247]

Thanks for the reply. I am wondering if you think it is possible for me to get a good result.. I am trying to set my expectations. If a good hair line and vertex coverage is not possible then I may just throw in the towel and accept my fate. The pics make it look way worse than it is. I have hair that is still there when I run my hand over my head, it has just turned so blonde that it is almost see through. I am assuming that means it is about to fall out? Ideally even if I was able to get 5 or 7 more years out of hair I would be ok with shaving it once I am in my 30's which is probably what I will end up doing. But going bald at the start of my career really sucks. That is another reason I am really hoping I don't experience much visible scarring. I don't look terrible with a shaved head. Its just not the look I am ready for at this point in my life. What would you guys do if you were me?

[Wwiizzkkiidd24]

If i was in your shoes i would go for it. 5000 grafts on a complety bold guy does look good but if your not happy with the rusults when all your native hair has gone like you said just shave it off

 

Keeping your native hair for 5-7 years depends on how aggresive your hair loss goes it might take 5-7 years but it could also go well under that estimate you just dont know how your hair loss will progress.

 

With the referance to scaring,if you go down the route of fut then you will have a great big smile on the back and sides if your head if you was to shave it.

Fue you will hardly notice even on a bold guy unless someone inspects the back and sides of your head.

 

Todays hair transplant techniques are pretty advanced from what they used to be with using cutting edge state of the art tools to accomplish minimal scaring and i mean its pretty unnoticeable no days.

[Gram]

To me, density or the appearance there of is more important than coverage persay. With that said, if I had your pattern I would opt for a (very) high hairline with good density. This is just my personal preference. Your other option is full coverage with thin, somewhat see through hair. To achieve both full coverage and good density is pretty unrealistic I think but then again I haven't seen your donor. Some guys also compromise with a good hairline and middle but let their crown go. Would any of these options satisfy you? If so, I'd say go for it. spend some time researching people's results with 4-5k procedures to create some real expectations for yourself then decide.

 

Ps, I am an avid gym guy as well. I'm convinced creatine is pretty toxic for your hair or at least was for me. If you're on it, you might consider discontinuing to help stabilize your pattern in addition to hair meds.

[splitting hairs]

Hi, Dr erdogan is a good surgeon, however you must have a long term plan if you want to maintain a good result for the future.

 

You are destined to be a Norwood 6, by your genetics. If you get an aggressive procedure of 5k grafts and don't take finasteride, the sides may drop in the next 2-3 years and you may not have sufficient donor to maintain a normal appearance. Yes you can shave it off, but you will still have a shadow in an unnatural pattern. Plus FUE leaves dotted scarring.

 

This is a long term thing. Think it through properly and spend 6 months researching (at least).

 

I think you absolutely must be on finasteride if you are going to have a hair transplant, and any ethical surgeon will tell you the same.

 

Good luck

[KO]

. He stated that "due to my aggressive hair loss I would need to stabilize with meds urgently or else the HT would be a disaster"

 

 

Ok I thought this was funny.

[appstatefan247]

I realize it is a lot to read. What I am essentially asking is what are the risk with such an advance FUE procedure that they offer?

 

I mean other than it not working out and wasting your money, I would just have to shave it and be in the same boat I am in now already right?

 

Ive done a bunch of research and I just can't quite put my finger on what exactly the risk are with these high quality FUE Ht.

 

It seems like there is pretty much no risk of an unsightly scar without close examination.. to the point that people are even having the same type of graft extraction performed on parts of their face?!

 

If it is safe enough to do that then what do I have to loose? other than money of course?

 

Could someone please shed some light on this?

 

But I really appreciate all the feedback it really helps because it's a situation you feel like its almost taboo to talk about to anybody which makes it feel like you are having to deal with it in your own little world of psychological trauma.

 

I always had a small recession but really in the last 6 months its almost like someone had been poring round-up on my head, feels like I just woke up one day and suddenly realized I no longer had hair that looked well enough to keep it on my head.. I have to shave it.. surrender to it.. to keep my dignity. Its like it just died off or something. A very f*&ck*d up situation, but I am glad there are resources like this available.

 

 

My father explained as the same as breaking up with a long term GF or losing a loved one. One day that part of your life is just gone and its shocking, traumatic, and hard to understand. I look at my buddies and most of them have thick manes and I can't help but think "why me"? It feels like I used to be the man when I had a nice head of hair, these past few months have been tough not going to lie. Im just in shock still and have not really gone anywhere without a hat. This pic was taken last may so you can see how fast it has accelerated, If I could even get this amount back AND keep it I would be thrilled.

 

 

If I could achieve a result that even gave me somewhat of a nice hairline but yet the appearance of a minor recession I think I would be happy. If I had bad luck I would just shave it and get SMP on the back of my head if there was noticeable scarring. Some Dr. K's result are truly phenomenal which is why it is hard to completely let go of the idea of having an HT with ASMED.

 

http://asmedfue.forumcommunity.net/?t=57356338

 

IF I am to proceed with the HT that is. For now I am going to take you guys advice and give the meds a shot first

 

I went to doctor cooleys office today and got a script of fin. I spoke with some other dude in the waiting room who said he'd been on it for 15 years with no issues so I felt a little better about it. A little goes a long way in a situation where your confidence level feels so vulnerable.

 

But thanks again for all the feed back guys.

 

I have attached a pic of me with a shaved head taken last week, and the other pic with hair was back in may. You can see how far it has progressed. Maybe I'm being vain but it has just been very sudden.

 

Alex

[appstatefan247]

and again for all the typing.

[KO]

I'm interested to see how this turns out. I wish more FUE docs did this approach - create a hairline with temple recession and spread density so the patient can buzz it down.

[wazaam]

I would give the meds a try and see how you respond for a several months before considering pulling the trigger on a HT.

 

As KO suggested it would be wise to take a conservative approach that way you have the abilty to pull off the buzz cut in the future which may be where you land long term. As he said one in your position should consider having the hairline created with some temple recession and that way you can get more coverage out of the 5K grafts which you will need.

 

I would have the donor evaluated by a reputable surgeon to get an idea of how many grafts you have to work with. If the sides drop like your fathers you will need some grafts in the future to fill in those areas so you don't have an odd shadow even when buzzed. SMP may be an option if needed. Donor capacities can vary greatly but I think the rough average tends to be anywhere from 6-8K. This info is important for your long term planning.

 

Also Dr. Vories no longer implements the Neo Graft to extract his grafts. He spent some time with Dr Lorenzo and has adopted some of his protocols which is exciting. He is currently using a Cole punch that is .80 mm on caucasian males based on a recent thread. If travel becomes an issue this may be a viable alternative.

 

Dr Edrogan and his FUE results are about as good as it gets. If you end up in Turkey with Asmed I think you have chosen a fantastic surgeon & clinic. Dr E. seems to be able to maximize donor capacities and several patients have posted that they have been told they can get 8-10K grafts from their donor.

 

Best of luck!

[wazaam]

I would give the meds a try for several months and see how things go before jumping into a HT.

 

KO made a good point and you should consider implementing a very conservative approach especially at your age. I would create a hairline with temple recession so you can get the most coverage out of those 5K grafts.

 

It also would be wise to get your donor evaluated to see how many available grafts you have to work with. If your sides drop like your fathers you may need some future grafts to fill in those areas. If you do buzz cut in the future it would be an odd shadow if the sides dropped much. Most caucasian males average donor capacity is roughly 6-8K FUE grafts.

 

Dr Vories no longer uses the Neo Graft for his extractions. He uses an .8mm Cole punch. He recently spent some time with Dr. Lorenzo and has implemented some of his FUE protocols. He may be one to consider if travel becomes an issue.

 

Dr Edrogan is about as good of an FUE surgeon as there is in my opinion. He seems to be able to maximize the number of grafts he can get using manual punches. This is quite important in your situation. Several patients have been told by Dr E. that they can get as many 8-10K grafts which is impressive given that just a few years ago many stated that only 4-5K FUE grafts could be harvested. This again is an important factor in your case as you will likely need as many grafts long term as you can get from the scalp.

 

Make sure you do your research and have a game plan in place for the long run.

 

Best of Luck!

[appstatefan247]

ya the question is will it be possible. I was thinking if it thinned out, i would get some SMP on the scalp

[ready4Hair]

To me, density or the appearance there of is more important than coverage persay. With that said, if I had your pattern I would opt for a (very) high hairline with good density. This is just my personal preference. Your other option is full coverage with thin, somewhat see through hair. To achieve both full coverage and good density is pretty unrealistic I think but then again I haven't seen your donor. Some guys also compromise with a good hairline and middle but let their crown go. Would any of these options satisfy you? If so, I'd say go for it. spend some time researching people's results with 4-5k procedures to create some real expectations for yourself then decide.

 

Ps, I am an avid gym guy as well. I'm convinced creatine is pretty toxic for your hair or at least was for me. If you're on it, you might consider discontinuing to help stabilize your pattern in addition to hair meds.

 

I think this advice is dead on and often ignored by both patients and Drs. In the quest to look like a full normal head of hair they end up with a thin and unatural hairline. I'd think that building a solid but good looking receding hairline (e.g. Jude Law) wouold be the idea; rebuild the temples to frame the face better (critical!) create a natural looking recession and keep that hairline dense.

[ready4Hair]

Hey Alex we spoke via PM but I hadn't looked at your pictures yet. The good news is you can pull off the shaved look, not everyone can. So it won't hurt your dating changes I don't think. As I mentioned in PM, I think that combined with the recent nature of your hair loss would argue against doing anything right now. See what the loss was all about and how it progresses. Recent loss is often reversible, at least more so than long term loss. I wold get on Finasteride, maybe minox (not such a fan mysel), look into RU55841, get some good shampoos (Revita, Nizoral, Cayenne/Saw Palmetto I can give you a link for), and IMHO (many will disagree) get a decent LLLT Cap (you can buy one or have one made for $1k-$3k which is a fraction of the cost of an HT, many will disagree, they are wrong). Do this for one year. Dr. Erdogan will still be there and you will then a) have a better idea of progression b) have strengthened your native hair and tissue and maybe even resersed some loss. I think Dr. E is great at implanting around existing hairs and could give you a great resut. Your choice are really get an HT young or wait 15-20 years (stabilize loss etc). I don't get the feeling you want to wait until you are an old old man of 43 so I'd put in the time this year to create an hair situation that Dr. E can work with favorably. He is not hard to get an appointment 3 months or more out. Heck you might even just put a hold on May 2016 and start now with Fin/LLLT etc.

 

The nice things about the FUE is you will not have a scar, the down side of the 5k is it will take up most of your donor hair. I'd think though that with a year of strengthening your hair, a 5K FUE from Dr. R with say anohter 2500 left over for touch-ups you'll end up with something you like and can maintain with meds and LLLT. Also I'd say in yuor lifetime there may be advances you can take advantage of. But again the thing is since you have a good head/face if ALL of this goes to pot you can shave and not have a scar to boot.

[Spanker]

My advice is to not have a procedure. At 25, you could end up a nw7 from where you are now. There really isn't a super safe way to plan your procedure at this point unless you are pulling from a 2.5 inch area in the safe zone. Shaving your head after 5k grafts will likely show scarring. Your a good looking kid with a nice head. It's pass for now at least.

[KO]

Dont think you need anywhere near 5k grafts. I think 3k grafts over frontal zone and part of midscalp could set you up nicely.