Would you get a HT if you can still style your hair properly?

[bennyt89]

I'm a NW2.5 on the path to a NW3 from the looks of things, been researching hair transplants on and off for years, trying to ascertain whether its the right time for me to get one. (I've been on Fin for almost 7 years)

 

However I can still style my hair with blowdryer + hairspray, to the point where I look like a NW2 or on a good day NW1. The hair still looks thick and the way I style it now I've never had any comments about going bald. I have to spend about 10-15 min manipulating it a bit to make it look just right, but generally it's fine after that. Obviously it doesn't look that great if it gets wet or windy but I've been living like that for years so I'm kind of used to it.

 

If I don't style it and just leave it flat again I can just move a few things around and I look OK. However when I wake up in the morning or straight after a shower it looks horrible.

 

In a case such as this is it too early for a HT? Or should I wait until it get's to the point where I can no longer get away with styling it to make it look acceptable?

[Lyubo93]

I think it all depends of you.I know one guy, who didn't have hairloss, but he did HT, cause he thought, that he have a big forehead.

I am NW 2 or 3, I am not sure, but I have a lot of hair still, and many of my friends and my family tell me that I don't need HT at this stage and I can spend my money for many other things, but for my satisfaction I want to do HT.

If you feel comfortable now, you don't need HT.

[Spring15]

I was in the same boat as you, NW2.5 going on 3. Took the plunge and decided to get one. 2.5 months post OP now. I'm glad I did it. Get it done then if you need another one a few years down the line so be it. Or new treatments available by then.

[mattj]

With patients who want to restore their temples and hairline - which is the majority of hair transplant patients - the main factor is the desire to re-gain those lost options for styling their hair. Only you know if your hair loss has reached that point where the styling options have vanished.

[bennyt89]

With patients who want to restore their temples and hairline - which is the majority of hair transplant patients - the main factor is the desire to re-gain those lost options for styling their hair. Only you know if your hair loss has reached that point where the styling options have vanished.

 

That's interesting insight about majority of patients just having temple loss, I always assumed it would be the NW4's. and above. Anyway...

 

My hair's always been a big part of my identity, I would love to be able to mess around with different styles and whatnot. But I am restricted to just 1 style basically, albeit one I am fairly satisfied with (When my hair decides to sit right).

 

Good food for thought anyway, thanks.

[Dolph1969]

With patients who want to restore their temples and hairline - which is the majority of hair transplant patients - the main factor is the desire to re-gain those lost options for styling their hair. Only you know if your hair loss has reached that point where the styling options have vanished.

 

Totally agree. You can do s....t all with that island of hair in the middle, once you hit norwood 3. The framing of your face and style options, takes years off your face.

[jimbrann]

OP your situation sounds similar to mine, except I wasn't taking fin or any other preventive measures. This was about 2-3 years ago. I've been on fin for 15 months now and my frontal vertex has thinned making my hair harder to style, hence I'm considering a HT by the end of this year.

[mattj]

That's interesting insight about majority of patients just having temple loss, I always assumed it would be the NW4's. and above. Anyway...

 

My hair's always been a big part of my identity, I would love to be able to mess around with different styles and whatnot. But I am restricted to just 1 style basically, albeit one I am fairly satisfied with (When my hair decides to sit right).

 

Good food for thought anyway, thanks.

 

I'm not saying that the majority of patients only have temple loss. What I mean is, the majority of patients have a hairloss pattern that includes frontal recession and closing the temples is so very important when it comes to increasing styling options.

[Djlazerblue]

Hold off, problem is if your hair loss is minimal and you have a transplant you could lose a lot of your native hair behind the transplanted hair, permenently

[jimbrann]

Hold off, problem is if your hair loss is minimal and you have a transplant you could lose a lot of your native hair behind the transplanted hair, permenently

 

Can anybody confirm how common this is?

[Mikey1970]

It is a definite risk no doubt, especially if you go with anyone less than a top notch surgeon or an unethical one!

 

That said if you are approaching Norwood 3 and are aged 30+, in the right hands you are likely to benefit significantly from a procedure.

[Spidey]

It is really up to you. If you look at my link, I was only a NW 2 and could style my hair in a way that no one could tell my hairline was receding. The rest of my hair was really thick and still is. Looking back though, if I could do it all over again, I would not have gotten a HT. I look pretty good with a buzzed head and I think I could have hidden my hairloss well into my 40s.

 

Don't get me wrong, I am very happy with the results of my HT, and the reason why I got it was to be able to style my hair however I want, which I can. The thing I regret is really thinking it through in terms of whether I would get further HTs if required later down the road. At this point in my life, I do not think I would want to keep playing catch up. I don't like the idea of losing more donor hair. I can buzz the back of my head at a number 1, and the FUE marks aren't visible, and i want to keep it that way. In the future, if I continue to recede, I plan on doing laser hair removal on my transplanted area and just buzz my hair down to a number 1 all around. I am almost 2 years post op and my hair is still hanging in there without obvious signs of recession behind my transplanted hair, but who knows what nature has in store for me in the upcoming years.

 

My only concern with my plan to buzz my head is that the recipient area is still pinkish after I take a shower. I have read that scars can take up to two years to fully mature, but am not sure if this is a permanent thing or something that will eventually disappear over time. If it doesn't fade away over time, it will be concerning, and I am hoping there are topical creams or lasers that could fix that as well.

 

Sorry for the long post, but IMO after having gone through a HT (a very successful one), I personally would not get one unless you were at least a NW 3. This way, even if you slowly lost your native hair, it wouldn't look that bad. For me, I only had my corners done and if I further lose hair, it will start to look really bad. If you plan on multiple HT to catch up for the rest of your life, that is something you will have to think about when deciding on your HT. For me, I am one and done.

[Speegs]

Styling is the prime motivation for most HT patients.

[abkal]

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[Djlazerblue]

It is really up to you. If you look at my link, I was only a NW 2 and could style my hair in a way that no one could tell my hairline was receding. The rest of my hair was really thick and still is. Looking back though, if I could do it all over again, I would not have gotten a HT. I look pretty good with a buzzed head and I think I could have hidden my hairloss well into my 40s.

 

Don't get me wrong, I am very happy with the results of my HT, and the reason why I got it was to be able to style my hair however I want, which I can. The thing I regret is really thinking it through in terms of whether I would get further HTs if required later down the road. At this point in my life, I do not think I would want to keep playing catch up. I don't like the idea of losing more donor hair. I can buzz the back of my head at a number 1, and the FUE marks aren't visible, and i want to keep it that way. In the future, if I continue to recede, I plan on doing laser hair removal on my transplanted area and just buzz my hair down to a number 1 all around. I am almost 2 years post op and my hair is still hanging in there without obvious signs of recession behind my transplanted hair, but who knows what nature has in store for me in the upcoming years.

 

My only concern with my plan to buzz my head is that the recipient area is still pinkish after I take a shower. I have read that scars can take up to two years to fully mature, but am not sure if this is a permanent thing or something that will eventually disappear over time. If it doesn't fade away over time, it will be concerning, and I am hoping there are topical creams or lasers that could fix that as well.

 

Sorry for the long post, but IMO after having gone through a HT (a very successful one), I personally would not get one unless you were at least a NW 3. This way, even if you slowly lost your native hair, it wouldn't look that bad. For me, I only had my corners done and if I further lose hair, it will start to look really bad. If you plan on multiple HT to catch up for the rest of your life, that is something you will have to think about when deciding on your HT. For me, I am one and done.

 

This is really good advice