24 YO AA Male looking for advice on Hair Transplant.

[The1]

Hey everyone I am a 24 year old African American Male interested in a FUE hair transplant. I have a few questions from those of you that have had a hair transplant or consultations with Doctors? I've attached a few pictures if that helps.

 

Questions:

 

1. How do you time when to do the hair transplant? I know I'm not done losing hair but I'm scared of "shock loss" if I receive a transplant now. I would like to rebuild my temple and lower the hair line. Do I need to wait a few years until I lose a lot more hair?

 

2. Typically barbers shape up my hair really straight. Can transplanted hair be shaped up with a trimmer or am I stuck with the masterpiece of the surgeon as my hair line?

 

3. I have a very minor scar on my forehead that healed really well. I wouldn't consider it a keyloid but I did have a scar from trauma there before. Is that a problem? Or since I healed well will it be ok?

 

4. Whats the price you recommend one to pay per graft (FUE)?

 

5. Any great surgeons in the DMV area?

 

6. How many grafts do you think I will need?

Edited January 21, 2017 by The1

[hsrp10]

Welcome to the forum,

 

(1) Are you currently taking any medicines for your hair loss (Propecia, minoxidil etc)?

*Some of these can have lasting side effects so I'm not recommending you jump on them, but at least know what are the options.

 

24 is on the young side and it may be a better idea to wait a bit. However, in the meantime you could have an in person consultation with a hair restoration doctor to evalutae your situation and your donor hair etc.

I think Dr. Lindsey is located in VA for example (he doesn't specialize in FUE but is a respected surgeon)

 

(2) Transplanted hair when it grows in after 3-4 months post-op is your own natural hair, and except for the first few months when it's growing in and you need to be careful, after about 4-5 months you're free to cut it or shave it anyway you like.

 

(3) You will get a more definitive answer during an in person consult with a hair restoration doctor.

 

(4) FUE in N. America is quite expensive and may be around $9-10/graft. If you have it done in Europe it's more affordable and there are more surgeons who specialize in FUE there.

Dr. Bisanga, Dr. Lupanzula would be two elite surgeons I recommend to have online consults with to start out with. There are others as well.

 

(5) For FUE I don't think so. Especially for an affordable price you will have to travel, and as mentioned Europe will give you more options.

In N. America the talented FUE surgeons who are well known are Dr. Shapiro (Minnesota), Dr. Konior (Chicago), Dr. Rahal (Toronto), Dr. Diep (California) and Dr. Vories (N. Carolina). Some of the FUT surgeons such as Dr. Cooley (N. Carolina) also do FUE from time to time.

 

(6) It depends on how aggressive you want to go but I think you're looking at 2,500-3,000 grafts to start with for a somewhat aggressive procedure (if seeking a somewhat natural level of density).

 

good luck

[jcs87]

I hate to say it but I've asked multiple very well respected/established people in the industry for their opinions on Lindsey and neither of them thought favorably of him. Take that for what it's worth though. Check his results out and have a consult if you'd like.

[hsrp10]

Yeah man, but the point I was trying to make is that he should have a consultation with a hair restoration doctor in person.

Unfortunately there aren't many in VA, and I hope you didn't scare him away from doing that.

[The1]

Welcome to the forum,

 

(1) Are you currently taking any medicines for your hair loss (Propecia, minoxidil etc)?

*Some of these can have lasting side effects so I'm not recommending you jump on them, but at least know what are the options.

 

24 is on the young side and it may be a better idea to wait a bit. However, in the meantime you could have an in person consultation with a hair restoration doctor to evalutae your situation and your donor hair etc.

I think Dr. Lindsey is located in VA for example (he doesn't specialize in FUE but is a respected surgeon)

 

(2) Transplanted hair when it grows in after 3-4 months post-op is your own natural hair, and except for the first few months when it's growing in and you need to be careful, after about 4-5 months you're free to cut it or shave it anyway you like.

 

(3) You will get a more definitive answer during an in person consult with a hair restoration doctor.

 

(4) FUE in N. America is quite expensive and may be around $9-10/graft. If you have it done in Europe it's more affordable and there are more surgeons who specialize in FUE there.

Dr. Bisanga, Dr. Lupanzula would be two elite surgeons I recommend to have online consults with to start out with. There are others as well.

 

(5) For FUE I don't think so. Especially for an affordable price you will have to travel, and as mentioned Europe will give you more options.

In N. America the talented FUE surgeons who are well known are Dr. Shapiro (Minnesota), Dr. Konior (Chicago), Dr. Rahal (Toronto), Dr. Diep (California) and Dr. Vories (N. Carolina). Some of the FUT surgeons such as Dr. Cooley (N. Carolina) also do FUE from time to time.

 

(6) It depends on how aggressive you want to go but I think you're looking at 2,500-3,000 grafts to start with for a somewhat aggressive procedure (if seeking a somewhat natural level of density).

 

good luck

 

 

Thanks for the response.

 

1. At this time I am not taking any medicines and do not plan to. How long do you think I should wait?

 

2. Good to know after a few months everything is back to normal.

 

3. Ok

 

4. Thanks for the recommendations. Do you know the price for top European surgeons? How much money would I save say for 2,500 grafts FUE from one of the American top surgeons you listed versus one of the European Top Surgeons Listed.

 

5. Thanks for the recommendations

 

6. Ok thanks

 

 

Thanks for the feedback.

[The1]

I hate to say it but I've asked multiple very well respected/established people in the industry for their opinions on Lindsey and neither of them thought favorably of him. Take that for what it's worth though. Check his results out and have a consult if you'd like.

 

Thanks for the heads up.

 

Yeah man, but the point I was trying to make is that he should have a consultation with a hair restoration doctor in person.

Unfortunately there aren't many in VA, and I hope you didn't scare him away from doing that.

 

No you didn't scare me away lol. I had one consultation with Dr. Diep but it was my first and I feel like I missed the opportunity to ask important questions hence why I decided to ask them .

[hsrp10]

I think at least you should speak in person with a hair restoration physician. That will help you make a better informed decision and get things rolling including mental preparation and education overall about your situation and options.

 

To be honest I don't know which European surgeons currently are the leading experts and specialize in AA hair type, but I'm pretty sure Bisanga (around 5.5 euros/graft) and Dr. Lupanzula (4.5 euros/graft up to 1,000 grafts then 4.0 euro/graft after that) will be able to help you out.

Some recommended European surgeons are even in the lower range of 2.5 (Dr. Erdogan) -3.5 (Dr. Maras) euros/graft.

 

In the US you'll be paying $9-10/graft, so with exchange rates plus even considering airfare plus hotel it still should be a bit cheaper going to Europe.

 

Here is a link to Bisanga's pricing, and their rep is Daniel. Pm me if you need more info. Or PM forum user KO if you need more info on Lupanzula

BHR Hair Transplant Clinic In Brussels, Belgium, FUE, Strip, Repair Surgery, Dr Bisanga

[hsrp10]

Btw what did Dr. Diep recommend?

I think he's $8 a graft right? I know he does do AA hair type but I did see one former patient who was unhappy so I didn't mention him.

[jcs87]

I think at least you should speak in person with a hair restoration physician. That will help you make a better informed decision and get things rolling including mental preparation and education overall about your situation and options.

 

To be honest I don't know which European surgeons currently are the leading experts and specialize in AA hair type, but I'm pretty sure Bisanga (around 5.5 euros/graft) and Dr. Lupanzula (4.5 euros/graft up to 1,000 grafts then 4.0 euro/graft after that) will be able to help you out.

Some recommended European surgeons are even in the lower range of 2.5 (Dr. Erdogan) -3.5 (Dr. Maras) euros/graft.

 

In the US you'll be paying $9-10/graft, so with exchange rates plus even considering airfare plus hotel it still should be a bit cheaper going to Europe.

 

Here is a link to Bisanga's pricing, and their rep is Daniel. Pm me if you need more info. Or PM forum user KO if you need more info on Lupanzula

BHR Hair Transplant Clinic In Brussels, Belgium, FUE, Strip, Repair Surgery, Dr Bisanga

 

I think Bisanga is actually cheaper than that. Here is the link I was given:

 

https://en.bhrclinic.com/faq/cost_and_conditions

 

Weird that they have two different websites with completely different pricing.

 

Feriduni is 4.5EUR per graft

[robc]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

 

I think most people here are going to suggest getting on finasteride, or at least a topical DHT blocker. Otherwise getting a HT makes no sense as you will just loose hair behind what was transplanted.

 

I know Vories in SC does a lot of AA hair transplants and is about $5.00 per unit. AA hair in normally less dense than Caucasian hair so good news is you won't need as many grafts for coverage typically.

 

With AA hair, the better doctors will test grafts to make sure that the curl of the hair within the dermis can be extracted successfully. I would ask about this when talking to various doctors.

Hope this helps...

[jcs87]

I've had surgery with Dr Lindsey and represent him. He is one of the very good guys in the industry and certainly worth a 1:1 consultation with in my experienced opinion.

 

JCS - can you kindly inform us who these respected / established people in the industry are ?

 

Regards

Spex

 

I was asking for honest opinions of various doctors that I had on my short list. Due to the intertwined nature of this industry people were hesitant to speak openly about other doctors.

 

As such the conversations were taking place with the understanding that any comments would be held in confidence so I am not going to break that trust.

 

I will say though that this wasn't just a case of people saying "my doctor is the best/this one doctor is the best, every other doctor is garbage." If that had been the case I obviously would've taken any opinions with a giant grain of salt. The comments were more along the lines of "of the 7 or 8 docs you are considering I am very impressed with 5 and not so much with the remaining 2 or 3."

 

Everyone can of course form their own opinions and I'm not sitting here telling the OP what he can/can't do. After all, I'm just another random guy on the internet. I'm just sharing the info that I've gathered since I am currently in heavy research mode and I initially found it difficult to find people that will speak candidly.

[jcs87]

Convenient..

 

You are anonymous poster and you have been on a here matter of days.

 

No more need be said.

 

Oh really? Well we will leave the rest of the people that read this thread to make that decision. You are a representative of Dr Lindsey's - by definition you are biased.

 

So I will let the other members of this forum decide who has a vested interest in promoting a specific doctor.

 

And for that matter, in the same conversations with the same people they thought highly of Feriduni and Feller who just happen to be other doctors that you represent. So you're obviously trying to imply that I'm acting in bad faith but why would I have good things to say about some docs you happen to rep and bad things about another?

 

Just because someone doesn't have great things to say about a particular doctor doesn't mean they are automatically a shill for someone else.

 

Grow up.

[jcs87]

Ok.

 

You mention Dr Feller and Dr Feriduni now and not previously along side your original comment . . Spin it how you feel best.

 

FYI - I chose to try protect Dr Lindsey here because of your comments, that we will simply have to believe. I just find the way you did it very disingenuous.

 

You're saying I'm "spinning it"?? These attempts to discredit me are becoming more and more fanciful.

 

Lets review the timeline and context on how this convo has taken place:

 

1. OP posts a thread asking for advice and very clearly states that he is interested in doctors in the DMV (which for anyone that is not from this area means Washington DC or the surrounding areas). See here:

 

Hey everyone I am a 24 year old African American Male interested in a FUE hair transplant. I have a few questions from those of you that have had a hair transplant or consultations with Doctors?

 

Questions:

 

5. Any great surgeons in the DMV area?

 

 

 

2. Another forum member responds and says Dr Lindsey (this makes sense since I believe Dr Lindsey is the only coalition doctor in the DMV)

 

3. I post a comment saying that in my research and conversations with well established members of the community I hadn't heard particularly good things about Dr Lindsey

 

4. You ask me to disclose who was the source of that info (which to be honest I think is a perfectly fair thing to ask)

 

5. I respond and say that I am not at liberty to disclose that info because people were speaking freely with the understanding that the conversations was held in confidence (given the fact that most of these doctors know each other, people see each other at conferences, etc. I can understand this desire)

 

I also make a point of saying that my "sources" had great things to say about a number of doctors, just not Dr Lindsey.

6. You attack me and imply that I am a fraud

 

7. I challenge you on that ridiculous assertion and state that it's not as if my "sources" were just bad mouthing all the other doctors, and that they in fact had good things to say about other docs you happen to represent.

 

8. You say I'm trying to spin things

 

So riddle me this Spex:

 

1. The OP has said he's looking for doctors in Washington DC. Why in the world would I mention a doctor in New York or Belgium when we're talking about DC doctors?

 

2. The only reason I'm even bringing Feller or Feriduni into this conversation is because you're accusing me of being a fraud. That isn't spin, it's a logical counter-point to your baseless accusations. There was no logical reason for me to bring them up earlier in the conversation.

 

3. Yes, I am a relatively new member to the forums (although I have been lurking for months). You (or anyone else) is free to go through my posting history and see if it looks like I have some sort of nefarious agenda, am trying to promote a particular doctor, or am unfairly targeting a specific doctor.

 

This is the first and only comment I have made about Dr Lindsey and it only came in response to someone bringing him up. It's not as if I started a new over the top thread titled "Dr Lindsey is the worst hair surgeon ever!!" (and for the record, I don't think Dr Lindsey is terrible - this was just used for illustrative purposes)

 

If you do your research on me all you will find is that I am a normal guy trying to educate myself and find the best hair surgeon for my circumstances. I'd love to see you actually do your homework and prove otherwise instead of slinging lazy and unsubstantiated accusations in some sort of effort to "defend" your doctor.

 

As such an established member of this community you should really hold yourself to a higher standard.

[Dr. William Lindsey]

Spex, Don't sweat it. I hope despite the poster's comment that anyone reading the topic who is local and would like my opinion on their situation feel free to visit me for a consultation. And there are few cases harder than a black guy FUE case with scarring issues....likely I'd pass on that one and the interested party should think TWICE before jumping to something that sounds too good.

 

To all: I certainly don't profess to making everyone happy...but we do make lots of people happy and very few cosmetic doctors are as blunt about expectation management as me.

 

Here are a few examples. And have a good weekend!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr William Lindsey

[The1]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

 

I think most people here are going to suggest getting on finasteride, or at least a topical DHT blocker. Otherwise getting a HT makes no sense as you will just loose hair behind what was transplanted.

 

I know Vories in SC does a lot of AA hair transplants and is about $5.00 per unit. AA hair in normally less dense than Caucasian hair so good news is you won't need as many grafts for coverage typically.

 

With AA hair, the better doctors will test grafts to make sure that the curl of the hair within the dermis can be extracted successfully. I would ask about this when talking to various doctors.

Hope this helps...

 

Thanks for the info and recommending that question.

 

I think at least you should speak in person with a hair restoration physician. That will help you make a better informed decision and get things rolling including mental preparation and education overall about your situation and options.

 

To be honest I don't know which European surgeons currently are the leading experts and specialize in AA hair type, but I'm pretty sure Bisanga (around 5.5 euros/graft) and Dr. Lupanzula (4.5 euros/graft up to 1,000 grafts then 4.0 euro/graft after that) will be able to help you out.

Some recommended European surgeons are even in the lower range of 2.5 (Dr. Erdogan) -3.5 (Dr. Maras) euros/graft.

 

In the US you'll be paying $9-10/graft, so with exchange rates plus even considering airfare plus hotel it still should be a bit cheaper going to Europe.

 

Here is a link to Bisanga's pricing, and their rep is Daniel. Pm me if you need more info. Or PM forum user KO if you need more info on Lupanzula

BHR Hair Transplant Clinic In Brussels, Belgium, FUE, Strip, Repair Surgery, Dr Bisanga

 

thanks for the info

 

Btw what did Dr. Diep recommend?

I think he's $8 a graft right? I know he does do AA hair type but I did see one former patient who was unhappy so I didn't mention him.

 

It was pretty expensive but I like his body of work. Numbers may be off but I think around 1200 grafts was 13k and then a 2000+ grafts was about 18k. But the body of work on AA guys was the best I've seen.

 

I think Bisanga is actually cheaper than that. Here is the link I was given:

 

https://en.bhrclinic.com/faq/cost_and_conditions

 

Weird that they have two different websites with completely different pricing.

 

Feriduni is 4.5EUR per graft

 

Thanks for the info.

[Melvin- Admin]

1. How do you time when to do the hair transplant? I know I'm not done losing hair but I'm scared of "shock loss" if I receive a transplant now. I would like to rebuild my temple and lower the hair line. Do I need to wait a few years until I lose a lot more hair?

You are only 24 its a guarantee that you will lose more hair, I would suggest taking some preventive measures looking in to finasteride and minoxidil to help preserve what you have.

 

2. Typically barbers shape up my hair really straight. Can transplanted hair be shaped up with a trimmer or am I stuck with the masterpiece of the surgeon as my hair line?

Yes transplanted hair can be edged up, however the hairline design needs to be done in a way that matches your ethnicity, typically Caucasian men do not have the same hairline as men of African descent, African hairlines are typically straighter and more compact, if the surgeon designs the hairline well then you should be able to get edged up nicely.

 

3. I have a very minor scar on my forehead that healed really well. I wouldn't consider it a keyloid but I did have a scar from trauma there before. Is that a problem? Or since I healed well will it be ok?

I think you should ask the doctor that you are going to consult with, I think keloid scarring is not that common, but definitely worth discussing with the doctor.

 

4. Whats the price you recommend one to pay per graft (FUE)?

 

This all depends on where you go, if you want to stay with in the United States, anywhere from $7-10 per graft, it will be cheaper to go abroad to Turkey or India where you could pay as low as $1-2 per graft but proceed with caution.

 

5. Any great surgeons in the DMV area?

Instead of thinking who is a great doctor in my area, I think you should be asking yourself who is the best doctor for my hair, African hair is a specialty, from the hairline design to the graft extraction, make sure who ever you choose has a proven track record of performing transplants on African American hair.

 

6. How many grafts do you think I will need?

This depends on how low you want to lower your hairline, at 24 I think it would be a mistake to lower your hairline far down, I think perhaps bringing the temples in and reinforcing the front with around 2,300,2,500 grafts would suffice.

 

The goal should be to give you a natural looking hairline, having a widows peak is not commonly seen amongst African American men so filling in the temple corners and temple peaks will frame your face nicely, but I would not lower it.

[milo12]

 

The goal should be to give you a natural looking hairline, .[/b]

 

Hello, HTsoon,

 

I saw the images on your thread and the progress you made with your transplant. There I read you had FUE done. Even though you decided on FUE do you think FUT is better? There is some talk that FUT is better regarding follicular survivability where hairs have a better chance to grow under FUT than under FUE. What do you think?

 

Around what percentage of follicles survive more under FUT than FUE based on what you researched or experienced?

 

Is it safer in general to get FUT?

 

Is it also true that FUT is considered outdated technology and should not be considered given advances in FUE?

[hsrp10]

Hello, HTsoon,

 

I saw the images on your thread and the progress you made with your transplant. There I read you had FUE done. Even though you decided on FUE do you think FUT is better? There is some talk that FUT is better regarding follicular survivability where hairs have a better chance to grow under FUT than under FUE. What do you think?

 

Around what percentage of follicles survive more under FUT than FUE based on what you researched or experienced?

 

Is it safer in general to get FUT?

 

Is it also true that FUT is considered outdated technology and should not be considered given advances in FUE?

 

Milo / SMS7000 / Taurisrisen,

 

What the hell does that have to do with helping the original poster a 24 YO AA male looking for a FUE procedure?

 

You pop up on every thread asking your own self-centered questions without adding one word of productive comments or support to the OP over and over again.

It's not only annoying but it's counter productive to the efforts of members trying to help people here.

 

Start your own thread, post your own pics and stop highjacking every thread on HRN with your own agenda.

Or we could start your own sub forum here if you'd like, maybe you'd get more attention that way.

[milo12]

Milo / SMS7000 / Taurisrisen,

 

What the hell does that have to do with helping the original poster a 24 YO AA male looking for a FUE procedure?

 

.

 

Stop trolling and insulting others. It is not our fault what you are going through. You got a lot of anger and negativity. I am reporting you now.

[Melvin- Admin]

Hello, HTsoon,

 

I saw the images on your thread and the progress you made with your transplant. There I read you had FUE done. Even though you decided on FUE do you think FUT is better? There is some talk that FUT is better regarding follicular survivability where hairs have a better chance to grow under FUT than under FUE. What do you think?

 

Around what percentage of follicles survive more under FUT than FUE based on what you researched or experienced?

 

Is it safer in general to get FUT?

 

Is it also true that FUT is considered outdated technology and should not be considered given advances in FUE?

 

Milo please create a separate thread if you have questions to be fair to the OP. Frankly, I think asking separate questions on another members thread is disruptive and detracts from the original questions posed.