Pics of hair loss

[SJD]

I just wanted to get some opinions. Im 25 years old and I am thinking about getting a hair transplant very soon, im just trying to find out some info from online consultations. I have done the laser therapy and also used minoxidil for a year and wasnt satisfied. Here are some pics.The sides and back of my head were cut with a number 1 guard. Let me know what you think. Thanks

 

 

 

[Balboa]

you look to have fine donor hair from the pic but that may just be the light shininh through. at 25 with your current loss i would highly recomend Finasteride stright away as you will need to be on it before the transplant anyways.

 

Inhousepharmacy have some good offerd on generic finasteride

 

i think also its safe to say your heading for NW6 without a doubt so i would say your best bet is to consult Hasson & Wong as they will get the most out of your donor.

 

STRIP is your only option IMO as Fue yeild could prevent you from getting desired results and you havent got the donor to risk it.

 

But like i said get on Finasteride QUICK

 

Cheers

[dakota3]

SJD,

 

NO HAIR TRANSPLANT!!! Dont make that mistake. You are so young and your hairloss is so advanced that you are destined to be a NW7 or greater. The good thing is that you are 25 and new advancements in hair loss are on the horizen which should benefit you greatly, but until there is solid evidence that these advancements are present you would be doing yourself a diservice by getting a HT. Shave your head, start on minox and finesteride and wait it out. Dont make the mistake so many of us did before you! It seems you have a nicely shaped head so shaving should be your 1ST OPTION right now!!!!

[SJD]

I am completely torn on what to do. I realize that i am destined for future baldness. I want to do something about it now and not wait till its all gone. Im 25 years old and i have a head of hair like a 40 year old. If i shaved my head then i wouldn't see the point in getting a hair transplant, i dont want to shave my head, i want to have hair. Everyone mentions about people's expectations, aren't everyones expectations high when your spending this kind of money to get your hair back?? Not to mention seeing peoples before and after pics and how good they look. In my case, i want it to look like im not thinning or balding anymore and to look my age, now if thats high expectations then whats the point of Hair transplants. I had a o-line consultation and was told that it looks like i have good density and would beable to get 4500 hairs, but a second session would most likely meet my expectations. I really dont know what to do because i want to do this, but i want to make sure its the right decision..

[youngsuccess]

You're understandably confused right now, but that also means that you're open. So before you do anything else, I'd give some serious thought to the option of buzzing down the rest of your head with the #1 guard that's currently being used on the sides/back. The remaining hair on top isn't providing much coverage, so it's not going to drastically alter your appearance.

 

Originally posted by SJD:

In my case, i want it to look like im not thinning or balding anymore and to look my age, now if thats high expectations then whats the point of Hair transplants.

 

I'd skip the online consultations and try to meet with a few recommended doctors. You need as much education as possible right now, and that requires clear, face-to-face communication and a thorough examination of your scalp.

 

Reasonable, goal-specific expectations are the key to proper hair restoration in patients as advanced as yourself. It's going to be virtually impossible to achieve complete, uniform coverage and density throughout. You'd probably have to accept a more conservative (higher) hairline, a thinner crown, and some other compromises for this to realistically work, if you're even a candidate. You're clearly able to function and liver your life normally right now, but a poorly planned transplant resulting in lackluster work can be debilitating to people. Hang in there, man.

[hairthere]

In my case, i want it to look like im not thinning or balding anymore and to look my age, now if thats high expectations then whats the point of Hair transplants.

 

 

SJD, In your case you will likely only be able to achieve what's known as an illusion of density. HTs, especially in high NW cases like yours, will never recreate the same density you once had. Unfortunately until HM (hair multiplication) becomes a reality, HT docs are forced to work with the limited donor hair we have. That's why you have to be careful and really manage your expectations.

 

Now, there are guys who had high NW numbers and were able to get great results. But I bet if you look at those success stories up close you can see some thinning. And I'm sure a lot of styling is necessary in most of those cases.

 

I agree with youngsuccess: go for in-person consults and educate yourself as much as possible. See some HTs in person. Best of luck!

[SJD]

Originally posted by youngsuccess:

You're understandably confused right now, but that also means that you're open. So before you do anything else, I'd give some serious thought to the option of buzzing down the rest of your head with the #1 guard that's currently being used on the sides/back. The remaining hair on top isn't providing much coverage, so it's not going to drastically alter your appearance.

 

I always wear a hat and if i do end up doing my hair i use that hair fiber stuff which works really good and you wouldn't even beable to tell. Thats why i do not buzz the top of my head. Im just sick of using it. I understand that i would have a high hair line if i do the procedure which is fine with me. As long as its not a drastic widows peak. Ive met with a few doc's around my area and have all said the same thing and were really shocked to see how advanced my hair loss is. Ive done shampoos, pills, minoxidil, laser. I haven't done propecia yet though. Im only a few hours away from some of the docs on this website, so maybe i'll set up an in person consultation. Thanks for your thoughts

[Blake Bloxham]

It looks like you have a case of patterned, diffuse loss going on here, and you are heading towards a NW VI pattern. If I were you, I would do some research on this site, and consult with a recommended physician. He/she will probably also want you to start on finasteride soon, and can discuss your options for a transplant or another form of treatment. Good luck!

[phil mascallpen]

Originally posted by SJD:

In my case, i want it to look like im not thinning or balding anymore

 

Barring a highly, highly, highly unusually successful response to finasteride you will never look like you are not thinning or balding.

 

Sorry to be so blunt but any HT clinic who tells you that you can meet your stated goal would be lying to you. And I would hate to see you in a much worse off place than you are now.

 

Dakota3 is right. Do not get an HT.

[HT09]

First, I would highly recommend just shaving your entire head with a #1 or #2. Shaving your back and sides, and then leaving those very few straggling hairs on top really makes you look much worse and older. If you just shaved your head, you would look much younger.

 

As far as an HT goes, if I were you I would only do it on two conditions.

 

1. Go to Hasson and Wong. They are really the only doctors that in my opinion can give a mega session with great results.

 

2. Realize, accept, and be willing to undergo at least two, maybe three procedures. Also, realize that even then your hair will only have the "illusion" of density.

 

These are of course my opinions and Im sure plenty of people will disagree with me.

[dakota3]

I am having a hard time with the fact that any one is suggesting anything but shaving his head. This community is here to support, teach and learn from eachothers successes and mistakes. SJD it WOULD with out a doubt be a mistake for you to have a HT right now. I know this is not what you want to hear but its the truth. You will never have the head of hair you are looking for with todays technologies. However like I said before do to the fact you are so young, you have time on your side and advancements in technology for hair loss is something people are vigerously working on. My intent is not to shoot down anyone elses opinions or your hopes, but to call it as I see it and have seen it before. I truly hope for yours "as well as my" sake something big is just around the corner in hair loss technology. Until then I would stand fast!

[hairthere]

I am having a hard time with the fact that any one is suggesting anything but shaving his head. This community is here to support, teach and learn from eachothers successes and mistakes. SJD it WOULD with out a doubt be a mistake for you to have a HT right now.

 

 

dakota, I don't think anyone here has given SJD inappropriate advice. No one has told him to run right out and get an HT and we all have said he must be realistic about the limitations of modern HTs and what to expect. That being said, I don't think he is necessarily a bad HT candidate. Judging from the picture, his donor hair looks at the very least average. Also with a young guy I think advanced balding works to his favor: he at the very least knows what stage his balding will likely reach.

 

SJD, My main concern with you getting a HT (and not to sound like a broken record) is that you understand you will never have the same density you once did. You definitely sound a bit green when it comes to HTs, so really take your time and get educated. If you are not on propecia you should really give it a shot for at least one year. Guys in their early-mid 20s are known to respond well to it. During that year read this forum as much as possible and consult with as many TOP docs as possible. Trust me, it will put you in a much better position to make a decision about all of this. Also, make sure to see some HTs in person, and look for guys who were high NW numbers. Best of luck!

[Balboa]

I have to agree with him being a bad candidate. personly i think his best option is to shave however like i originaly posted go see H&W and see what they say as they will get the best out of what he has and explain what is possible and what is not. they might even turn arround to him and say they wouldnt advise it. so hey just go see that doc you have nothing to loose and you will get honest advice from that doc. some docs will not be honest and will convince you that everything you expect is possible. be very carefull thats all

[SJD]

I have talked to H&W and they didn't shut me down or anything. They told me what they could do and told me about my expectations and all of that. I have been researching around on this forum for quite awhile now. I just wanted to get other peoples opinions that have been where i am at. Like i said though i haven't been on propecia yet so maybe i'll try that for a year. Ive heard about the Hair cloning and something else that might be on the horizon so who knows. I just dont like the situation im in right now, because you want your hair when your young and active, if i were 40 years old and had the head of hair that i have i dont think i would really care. Anyways thanks for all the advice.

[hairthere]

Not sure why you think he's a bad Ht candidate. We have seen plenty of guys with high NW numbers get really nice results. And his donor hair looks good.

[HT09]

No prob man, thats what these forums are for: Honesty.

 

Seriously though, I would highly recommend shaving your head. Looking at your pics, your hair actually looks awesome on the back and sides. You have hair that really looks great shaved, nice and tight and clean. But then the top looks like the hair of an old man with a sorry attempt at some type of comb over. Especially that pic of the back of your crown, it looks like some sort of a swirly comb over.

 

Trust me dude, shave it down and you will look awesome and much, much younger!

 

However, keep in mind Im not saying dont get an HT. Im just saying in the meantime, take the #1 to it!

[dakota3]

Not sure why you think he's a bad Ht candidate. We have seen plenty of guys with high NW numbers get really nice results. And his donor hair looks good.

 

hairthere,

Did you miss the fact that he is 25 years old? That coupled with the fact that he is already a NW6 is the reason he is not a good candidate. What would you say if SJD came back here 5 years from now having had 7000 grafts done but instead of being bald on top now he just has the "ISLAND EFFECT" ? Would this look natural?

[hairthere]

dakota, Sorry, but I really don't get your rationale at all here. The "island effect" you are reffering to happens when a patient has some native hair, gets a transplant (especially in the crown area), and then the native hair falls out leaving just an island of hair. Age is irrelevant if the patient has hardly any native hair, such as SDJ. He is a "blank canvas" so to speak. If SDJ can get 7000 grafts he will look rather good, imo. Again, he won't have the same density he once had, but 7k grafts would provide him with decent coverage and he wouldn't appear bald anymore.

[SJD]

Originally posted by HT09:

No prob man, thats what these forums are for: Honesty.

 

Seriously though, I would highly recommend shaving your head. Looking at your pics, your hair actually looks awesome on the back and sides. You have hair that really looks great shaved, nice and tight and clean. But then the top looks like the hair of an old man with a sorry attempt at some type of comb over. Especially that pic of the back of your crown, it looks like some sort of a swirly comb over.

 

Trust me dude, shave it down and you will look awesome and much, much younger!

 

However, keep in mind Im not saying dont get an HT. Im just saying in the meantime, take the #1 to it!

 

 

haha thats funny. I dont go anywhere in public without a hat so no-one see's what my hair really looks like. I def dont attempt to comb my hair and go out looking like that. I use some type of fiber that makes it look like i actually have hair. That made me laugh though

[SJD]

Originally posted by hairthere:

dakota, Sorry, but I really don't get your rationale at all here. The "island effect" you are reffering to happens when a patient has some native hair, gets a transplant (especially in the crown area), and then the native hair falls out leaving just an island of hair. Age is irrelevant if the patient has hardly any native hair, such as SDJ. He is a "blank canvas" so to speak. If SDJ can get 7000 grafts he will look rather good, imo. Again, he won't have the same density he once had, but 7k grafts would provide him with decent coverage and he wouldn't appear bald anymore.

 

Yea thats what im kind of nervous about. If i were to do a procedure, i wouldnt want my hair that is barely hanging on to be gone, then have it look weird. I really wanna do something before i hit 30 years old. Im sick of waiting to do something, ive waited 5 years already. Im way to young to have this head of hair and it bothers me. If i was 40 years old thats one thing but when your 25 and you still go out and have alittle fun and meet people, this head of hair doesn't really help you out in the confidence category. I feel like its completely holding me back from doing things, and i dont like that feeling. Im absolutely torn on what to do

[phil mascallpen]

Originally posted by hairthere:

Not sure why you think he's a bad Ht candidate.

 

hairthere the reason I think he is a bad HT candidate is his stated goal: "I want it to look like im not thinning or balding anymore."

 

At 25 he is completely bald on top. He could easily progress to an NW6/7. No HT doctor can give him what he wants. If he said "I just want to look like a guy who has a receded hair line and is pretty thin on top" then I would say okay he has a chance to meet that goal.

 

SJD if you can't seriously lower your expectations you are setting yourself up for a world of hurt if you get an HT.

 

The guys who are saying get on proscar for a year are giving you the best advice. At 25 there is a small chance you could grow back a significant amount of hair. Try that first and then revisit the HT issue. Because if you think losing your hair sucks just wait until you have an unsatisfactory HT to stare at for the rest of your life.

[SJD]

Originally posted by phil mascallpen:

Originally posted by hairthere:

Not sure why you think he's a bad Ht candidate.

 

hairthere the reason I think he is a bad HT candidate is his stated goal: "I want it to look like im not thinning or balding anymore."

 

At 25 he is completely bald on top. He could easily progress to an NW6/7. No HT doctor can give him what he wants. If he said "I just want to look like a guy who has a receded hair line and is pretty thin on top" then I would say okay he has a chance to meet that goal.

 

SJD if you can't seriously lower your expectations you are setting yourself up for a world of hurt if you get an HT.

 

The guys who are saying get on proscar for a year are giving you the best advice. At 25 there is a small chance you could grow back a significant amount of hair. Try that first and then revisit the HT issue. Because if you think losing your hair sucks just wait until you have an unsatisfactory HT to stare at for the rest of your life.

 

Ive stated that i dont care if i have a receding hairline as long as its not really drastic. All i care about is the appearance. I dont want it to LOOK like im balding so bad anymore, isn't that why most people get a HT?? So they dont look like there balding anymore? As long as it looks like im not balding anymore then i would be happy. If im still thin on top but you cant notice it as much i would be happy, theres always a second procedure if need be, plus meds to thicken what i have.

[hairthere]

SJD, Just make certain that you really do feel that way. One of the best ways to do this is to see as many HT patients in person as possible who were high NW numbers. I realize this may take some work on your part, but it will be well worth it. HTs are not something you can just easily reverse once you get one.

[azazelgs]

SJD,

 

Eventhough I'm not as bald as you , I'm 24 NW3 and believe me I completely understand what you're going through. I'm certain that all the guys in this forum are doing their best to support you with their honest opinions, it's impossible to understand for some of them to feel what is like to be bald at that age and how that effects social life. I was excactly like you 3-4 months ago that I have to have the hair that I used to when I was 16 but clearly that is impossible,sorry. First I heard this I became really depressed but some realty u can't escape, right?

 

I agree with most of the guys, do your research very well, get in online (but I strongly suggest face-to face) consultations , but with only top docs that are highly recomended. Being bald is one thing but having a terrible HT is much worse I think. As far as looking your pattern, Hasson&Wong seems to be the best option. Remember, I'm not suggesting to get a HT or not, I'm more like whatever makes you happy kind of guy , but don't forget the consequences of having one.

[SJD]

Originally posted by azazelgs:

SJD,

 

Eventhough I'm not as bald as you.

 

Haha, who is as bald as me at 25 years old? Anyone?? Im headed for Horse Shoe city at 25, not to many 25 year olds that i have seen or known are.

 

I know that i cant have the head of hair that i had when i was 16. To be honest my hair wasn't ever really thick, it wasn't thin but it just wasn't thick. I need my hairline fixed big time to reframe my face, thats mostly what i want. I would love for it to be real dense so you cant really see through it. Is it possible...... not sure i need to go in for some in person consultations to find out like everyone suggested. Im hoping that my hairline can be fixed the way i would like and get some more hairs on my crown, and with propecia it would fill in nicely. Only thing im worried about is if propecia is gonna give me some crazy side effects and i would have to stop taking it. What do you do then?, especially if you have had a HT done, because minoxidil didn't really do anything for me. I dont want my hair around the HT to fall out and me look like a moron. Anyways, i appreciate everyones thoughts thus far.