Young guys, pay attention!

[TC17]

I've mentioned a few times that I'm attending law school, and this summer I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to clerk for a judge. Just yesterday, a 17 year old came before the court accused of armed robbery. His attorney put on quite a show, but more importantly, in his brief he cited amicus briefs by the AMA and the APA that were developed for a supreme court decision a few years ago.

 

I will paraphrase the important parts for the younger patients that may visit this forum. Please keep in mind that these are generalities, and these observations stem from "the results of psychological and biological studies, with the latter showing notable differences in brain structure".

 

1. Those under the age of 23 are less focused on the future, and less likely to appreciate the true costs and benefits of their actions.

2. Those under the age of 23 focus on short term benefits, and they discount future consequences more so than older adults.

3. The prefrontal cortex, which is associated with impulse control, risk assessment, and moral reasoning, is one of the last regions of the brain to develop, often between the ages of 23-25.

4. Those under the age of 23 are risk takers, and they lack the ability to perceive and weigh risks and benefits accurately.

5. Those under the age of 23 focus on "opportunities for gains", rather than "protection against losses."

 

- keep in mind that these are generalizations about a class, and merely because you are a member of that class does not mean that you personally share those characteristics. However, the most interesting part is that the people who do fit within the generalizations, often do not realize that they lack proper risk/benefit analysis, or that they value the present more than the future, etc. I do think it's important though to think LONG and HARD before undergoing any surgery. Also, realize that statistically speaking, if you are younger, you most likely are a "risk taker", even if you don't recognize that in yourself (keep in mind, you probably wouldn't) This is why it's so important that you thoroughly research your doctor, and do not merely seek out the one who will give you what you want now, at the expense of the future.

 

Anyways, I hope this was insightful and further elucidated why the truly honest doctors are so reluctant to cater to the whims of the younger patient.

[Acrobaz]

Fascinating - I'm sure that's true for many.

[swim]

yes very nice.

 

Here for the young HT seekers ,they are such an inspiration

 

How shall the new youngster learn

Of different prefrontal cortex to discern

And how to distinguish, which is which,

When he has the hair transplant itch?

 

Then ,hear me, old experienced sinner

Instructing thus a young beginner.

Consult a veteran??¦ since you find

This powerful impulse to urge your mind.

 

I entered this land unknown

Existing 40 years??¦before you and I were born

Secretive and dark??¦

And I didn't have flash light.

 

People in white uniforms met me

Smiled at me, greeted me, on a chair seated me.

They promised great natural head of hair

And the price they asked was fair

And, they sold me??¦

But never told me

That

Their technicians, who most of transplant create

Did not have any medical certificate.

 

None so ever

 

So, They insert, refine, enlarge, diminish, interline

Tell me I will look more than fine

Whilst my doctor was gone most of the time.

 

So my newbie my dream of course fails

And now I scratch my butchered head and bite my nails.

 

And I appreciate the compassion of this site

That gives me and people like me, a nice wipe.

 

Hear me, old experienced sinner

Once like you beginner

Vanity is a whore of high cost

It charges Misery and life lost.

 

But you bud might have a different fate

This site was for that created.

Look around the forum??¦.all its supplies

And read stories from the so called 'repair guys'.

[Acrobaz]

swim - that was brilliant. Bravo!

[Leeson]

Damn, that was a true to life poem. Excellent!

TC, true dat!

[Tom R.]

I certainly appreciated that poem much more than I did reading about how some cheezy lawyer tried to get his client off the hook. No reflection on you TC17. I enjoyed reading your post as well. Did the judge/jury buy it or not?

[TC17]

No offense taken Tom R, many attorneys that I have come in contact with have been nothing short of repugnant. However, I must defend this attorney in this case because he was doing his job. Even if the client is offensive or unpopular, the client still deserves the best representation his attorney can possibly give. No ruling has been made in this case yet, but based upon today I would say that he is going to get probation and nothing more.

 

More importantly for us though is that the attorney was citing what the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association gave to the US Supreme Court. This was not an attorney making scientific judgments, nor was it some crackpot doctor charging "expert" fees who would say whatever the defense wanted. While I'm sure the statements in the amicus briefs are debatable by physicians, the fact that that is the official position of those organizations is compelling.

 

*also, the poem was AWESOME*

[swim]

The poem is ???mickey mouse???.I could pull poems like this every half an hour reflecting every topic on the forum but I might upset the moderator. Thanks though.I don't want abuse the initial idea of the thread,the poem was complementary on your own already brilliant point TC17

[swim]

.

[the B spot]

Been saying this for some time now---thanks for offering some solid proof TC!

 

Both you and swim are offering some excellent posts and are really fun to read.

 

I'll tell you my maturity took much longer than 23--some would say I have yet to mature at 32

 

Cheers,

Jason

[Bill - Seemiller]

Though I have been told that I was wise for my age in my early twnties, I've aged a lifetime since then.

 

And while their can be cases made for younger patients to being the surgical hair restoration process, proper candidates in my opinion are far and few between.

 

Thanks TC17 and swim for providing some important and interesting points.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Mick from Farjo]

TC17,

This is possibly one of the best posts i have seen in a while and should be hung on the wall of every HT Clinic.

Bill is right the cases are few and far between and thankfully most surgeons see it that way.

 

Mick

[Mr. GQ]

How shall the new youngster learn

Of different prefrontal cortex to discern

And how to distinguish, which is which,

When he has the hair transplant itch?

 

Then ,hear me, old experienced sinner

Instructing thus a young beginner.

Consult a veteran??¦ since you find

This powerful impulse to urge your mind.

 

I entered this land unknown

Existing 40 years??¦before you and I were born

Secretive and dark??¦

And I didn't have flash light.

 

People in white uniforms met me

Smiled at me, greeted me, on a chair seated me.

They promised great natural head of hair

And the price they asked was fair

And, they sold me??¦

But never told me

That

Their technicians, who most of transplant create

Did not have any medical certificate.

 

None so ever

 

So, They insert, refine, enlarge, diminish, interline

Tell me I will look more than fine

Whilst my doctor was gone most of the time.

 

So my newbie my dream of course fails

And now I scratch my butchered head and bite my nails.

 

And I appreciate the compassion of this site

That gives me and people like me, a nice wipe.

 

Hear me, old experienced sinner

Once like you beginner

Vanity is a whore of high cost

It charges Misery and life lost.

 

But you bud might have a different fate

This site was for that created.

Look around the forum??¦.all its supplies

And read stories from the so called 'repair guys'.

brilliant!!!

so what's your story swim? did the poem come from personal experience? did you get butchered? did you get fixed? what's the scoop?

 

cheers!

[swim]

.

[regretht]

I totally agree with this. I think that performing a HT on a patient under the age of 30 is criminal for all kinds of reasons.

[thanatopsis_awry]

Performing a HT on someone 29 is criminal why, exactly?

[Sparky]

I was 22 when I had my HT, near 34 now and regret it, considering I was only just past a NW1 with no miniturisation.

[Slaps]

Originally posted by thanatopsis_awry:

Performing a HT on someone 29 is criminal why, exactly?

 

Many of these clinics are run by criminals, i'm surprised some of these so called Dr's are still alive.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Slaps,

 

What in the world does that mean? What clinics are you referring to and what proof do you have that certain clinics are run by actual criminals?

 

Bill

[Slaps]

In the context of the comment made by regretht, I agree it is imo morally criminal, as in shameful and disgraceful, a valid use of the word and one of its several dictionary definitions. As for whether any clinics are run by criminals in the legal sense, well, the outfit who performed my first HT was run by a man who served time for smashing a glass into a mans face and was later struck off as a Dr for disfiguring patients, so I guess that make him a criminal in both senses.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/new...ed-for-violence.html

[splitting hairs]

Performing A HT on a young guy is, in most cases not a good decision. The ONLY time when I personally feel that a HT is appropriate for a young guy is when his hair loss is more advanced (atleast a NW 3V) and a procedure would involve packing 3000 grafts into the front third. This means the surgery is a one pass procedure - that is, if his hairloss progresses, he will still be left with a natural appearance. He can then decide whether he wants further hair transplants. The guy should also be on Propecia and the new hairline should be reasonably mature.

 

The best example I have seen of this is with Thana.

 

This is my opinion which I have formed from my research. I am actually a NW 3 at 23, with my crown intact. Last year, I was desperate for a HT, but after thorough research on these forums, I decided to put off a transplant for now, so I'm not left with a tuft of hair at each temple.

 

For now, I'm on Propecia, use nanogen fibres when I go out and will probably give PRP a shot. I've decided that when my hairloss progresses I'm off to H&W.

 

I guess TC17 is right - I matured at 23 and made the informed decision.

 

IMO, I think a lot of young guys don't realise that propecia won't work forever - that in fact on average it's effectiveness begins to fade at year 5. This was my misconception.

[Sparky]

Norton did my first HT aswell, still owe him a good kick in the balls and I will deliver that if I ever see him again. He was struck off for non HT related operation though.

[Sparky]

Actually I'd like to get hold of the person that allowed him to go back to medicine and eventually mess my head up.

[thanatopsis_awry]

FWIW, since H+W got mentioned, too...I'm almost positive their stance is that propecia *doesn't* lose its effectiveness, and that since prescribing it since it first came out they haven't encountered such an occurrence. This is what I was told by a recent Hasson patient who asked them this question.