Senior Member Panamera13 Posted February 8, 2018 Senior Member Share Posted February 8, 2018 Dear Forum Members, Have been reading this forum for quite some time but posting for the first time. Have been taking Finastride and applying Rogaine (intermittently) but just started taking this seriously since the hair loss is at a stage where there's not much left I'm in houston and I know Dr. Arocha is one of the better surgeons; will schedule some time with him later this month but wanted to take feedback from you guys. I really want a solution to this hair problem and worried about surgery. At one time I was thinking about just non-surgical options. Am I a good candidate for FUE since I really don't want a scar at the back of my head. See pics. Any other recommendations in houston? My scalp is Itchy and I use clobex that the dermatologist recommended; my hair is also turning grey....all bad that can happen exists on my scalp. I use Nioxin shampoo; cold pressed coconut oil, Argan oil and what not..no luck on the itch. Is HT worth it with all these issues? My friend got a hair piece from Hairclub recently (he was completely bald) and it looks pretty good...the issue is he has to go twice a month to hairclub and pay 400 bucks for "maintenance". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Shera Posted February 8, 2018 Senior Member Share Posted February 8, 2018 Am I a good candidate for FUE since I really don't want a scar at the back of my head. You have quite a large area to cover there, as for being a candidate for FUE, it's almost impossible to tell without seeing what your donor area at the back of your head looks like, so please provide some clear pics of this area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Panamera13 Posted February 8, 2018 Author Senior Member Share Posted February 8, 2018 You have quite a large area to cover there, as for being a candidate for FUE, it's almost impossible to tell without seeing what your donor area at the back of your head looks like, so please provide some clear pics of this area. Thx for the reply. Pic from back attached. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Shera Posted February 8, 2018 Senior Member Share Posted February 8, 2018 Hi Panamera, My personal opinion is that firstly you still have some hair that should respond to Finasteride use. It should thicken around the crown area somewhat but I think you are too far gone to rely on medications alone. I think you have a reasonable donor area and if you decide to go down the FUE path then I would recommend you go for a 2 procedure approach. In the first procedure I think your donor area could give you up to 3500 grafts without over harvesting thus risking scarring/damage to existing precious grafts. These 3500 grafts can be used to rebuild your hairline and your mid scalp with the possibility of a light sprinkle across the crown area. You do have the option of adding beard/chest grafts into the mix. If all goes well, upto a year down the line you should be in a position where your face is nicely framed by your new hairline and you do not appear to be balding at first sight as you walk into any room. This is the illusion you should aim for. Seeing where you came from you may be happy with this new look and decide to move on. Alternatively you may wish to go for a second procedure to increase the density across your previously implanted area and address your thinning crown area. In this second procedure you will be able to harvest maybe a little over half the grafts you used for the first procedure. Totaling over 5000 grafts for the 2 procedures you should be able to carry off the illusion of a full head of hair everywhere you go. Obviously bright lights will expose that you do not have the hair of an 18 year old but hey, we all have to live with that! You do have the added option of SMP, the tattooing of the scalp in order to further enhance the illusion of a full set of hair alongside your implanted grafts. So in reality, you do have options other than a hairpiece. You do need to manage your expectations, there are no guarantees in any surgery. Whether its worth it or not is a personal matter for you. I think it really depends on your strength of character and how much baldness effects your life. It does seem like a long long road but in reality it can be an enlightening experience that for many just flies by. Also, you are a candidate for FUT, I'll leave it to the FUT gurus to explain your options there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Speegs Posted February 9, 2018 Senior Member Share Posted February 9, 2018 I would not recommend FUE on a candidate with as advanced of hair loss as you have, your donor will be better-maximized by FUT at this juncture. FUE is best for smaller cases, touch-ups, scar repair, or if FUT is impossible for a patient for physiological reasons such as poor scalp laxity. All surgery creates scarring, be it FUE or FUT, and short of buzzing your head most FUT patients hide their scars well. Don't be afraid to travel, I live in Austin and went to Portland, it was well worth it. Hair loss patient and transplant veteran. Once a Norwood 3A. Received 2,700 grafts with coalition doctor on 8/13/2010 Received 2,380 grafts with Dr. Steven Gabel on 9/30/2011 Received 1,820 grafts with Dr. Steven Gabel on 7/28/2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member razzy Posted February 9, 2018 Senior Member Share Posted February 9, 2018 I agree with a lot of what Shera as mentioned. edit: and speegs above too In my opinion, you should go with FUT first to maximize your grafts. If you go to a top doc the scar is really minimal and not noticeable at a certain hair length. If you go FUE you will need multiple procedures guaranteed to achieve the result you desire as your hair loss seems extensive. There is host of other reasons why you shouldn't do FUE first as described already by the guys. I wouldn't limit yourself to just your local area for a HT. Go for the best. Honestly, to determine if you're a candidate I would do a consult with a top notch surgeon as they would be able provide guidance and a plan to go forward. HT#1 - Dr. Rahal (Jan 2012) - 4700 grafts HT#2 - Dr. Rahal (Jan 2014) - 1800 grafts HT#3 - Dr. Konior (Jan 2018) - 1200 grafts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Panamera13 Posted February 9, 2018 Author Senior Member Share Posted February 9, 2018 Thx for all the great comments and info. I'm ok to travel anywhere in US or to Rahal in Canada or even to India. Couple of years ago when I came to know about this forum, SMP (Shapiro) was the go to clinic, not sure if that's still the case. I'm in houston and looks like Dr. Arocha has good reviews here. My worry is the scar with FUT; whenever I see pics of the scar on the back, I think staying bald is better. I keep my hair short on the back and sides, will I need another surgery to "fix" the scar? Also, based on the pics, what do you guys think - Am I a Norwood 5, 6 or 7? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Steeeve Posted February 9, 2018 Valued Contributor Share Posted February 9, 2018 Schedule a consultation with Arocha, though. Go look at his website and YouTube page if you haven’t already. His work is top notch. I don’t know how long you’ve been on fin but you should give that a strong go for at least a year to see how your hair reacts to it. I agree that you’d be best served going for an FUT or two to manage your donor in the best possible way. You can always throw some grafts via FUE and smp into that scar. You could probably cut your hair down to a 3 or 4 on the back of your head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member razzy Posted February 9, 2018 Senior Member Share Posted February 9, 2018 You won't see the scar at a #3 or #4 clip guard. By the way, Dr. Arocha is excellent too. Always forget about him for some reason! HT#1 - Dr. Rahal (Jan 2012) - 4700 grafts HT#2 - Dr. Rahal (Jan 2014) - 1800 grafts HT#3 - Dr. Konior (Jan 2018) - 1200 grafts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Panamera13 Posted February 12, 2018 Author Senior Member Share Posted February 12, 2018 Thx for the replies. I have scheduled an appt with Dr Arocha so let's see how it goes. How do you guys manage the post-op if the doctor is in a different city? Is it possible to get HT done elsewhere and post-op in the city of residence? Has anyone done it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Shera Posted February 12, 2018 Senior Member Share Posted February 12, 2018 Thx for the replies. Is it possible to get HT done elsewhere and post-op in the city of residence? Has anyone done it? Never mind city, there are thousands of patients who have done their HTs halfway across the world. You should be fine doing you own post op care as all patients do. It's not an issue, your clinic should advise you accordingly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Panamera13 Posted February 13, 2018 Author Senior Member Share Posted February 13, 2018 Thx again. From my research so far (and let's see what the doc says later this week); cost is around 6-7 USD per graft. So far 5000 we're looking at 30,000 USD. I'm letting that thought sink in. It's a big undertaking and adding travel cost will further increase the cost. Let's see how this journey goes but I really would like to avoid the scar. Dr Bhatti is India just does FUE and i looked his website and he does FUE for norwood 5, 6 as well. Looks like I need to consult with a few docs. I might call up Rahal as well when he's in NY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Shera Posted February 13, 2018 Senior Member Share Posted February 13, 2018 Thx again. From my research so far (and let's see what the doc says later this week); cost is around 6-7 USD per graft. So far 5000 we're looking at 30,000 USD. I'm letting that thought sink in. It's a big undertaking and adding travel cost will further increase the cost. Let's see how this journey goes but I really would like to avoid the scar. Dr Bhatti is India just does FUE and i looked his website and he does FUE for norwood 5, 6 as well. Looks like I need to consult with a few docs. I might call up Rahal as well when he's in NY. Two trips all in to see Dr Bhatti will cost you way less than half of your total figure there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member home1212 Posted February 13, 2018 Senior Member Share Posted February 13, 2018 Thx again. From my research so far (and let's see what the doc says later this week); cost is around 6-7 USD per graft. So far 5000 we're looking at 30,000 USD. I'm letting that thought sink in. It's a big undertaking and adding travel cost will further increase the cost. Let's see how this journey goes but I really would like to avoid the scar. Dr Bhatti is India just does FUE and i looked his website and he does FUE for norwood 5, 6 as well. Looks like I need to consult with a few docs. I might call up Rahal as well when he's in NY. I'd also have a consultation with Hasson & Wong if I needed a mega-session as you do. They also do FUE now, however unsure if they can max a single FUE session at 2 or 3k grafts, absolutely more if its a mega FUT session. I just saw an advertisement that they're consulting in NY in March sometime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Panamera13 Posted February 15, 2018 Author Senior Member Share Posted February 15, 2018 In this second procedure you will be able to harvest maybe a little over half the grafts you used for the first procedure. Shera - Quick clarification. maybe this is a dumb question so work with me Are you saying the grafts used in first procedure can be placed elsewhere (moving location?) or can they be "Duplicated" i.e. placed at the current location and a part/copy is moved to another location. Does hair grow back when taken out with FUE or FUT in the location where it was taken out from or is it a permanent move ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Shera Posted February 16, 2018 Senior Member Share Posted February 16, 2018 Shera - Quick clarification. maybe this is a dumb question so work with me Are you saying the grafts used in first procedure can be placed elsewhere (moving location?) or can they be "Duplicated" i.e. placed at the current location and a part/copy is moved to another location. Does hair grow back when taken out with FUE or FUT in the location where it was taken out from or is it a permanent move ? Sorry, what I meant was that you can get approximately a little over half of the grafts you got in the first procedure. Once a graft is out, then its out, gone! no duplication. Therefore the grafts used in the first procedure are gone (relocated to your implantation area). The grafts taken in the second procedure are different grafts which have never been removed. It's important for some Docs not to go gung-ho and take too many in a single procedure for a variety of reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Panamera13 Posted April 20, 2018 Author Senior Member Share Posted April 20, 2018 I have been on Finastride for 2 months now...looks like shedding less. I want to be on it for another 6-9 months before considering HT. I'm using tea tree oil and massage it twice a day. I also ordered something called "Grogenix Scalp Elixir" for 47 dollars yesterday...let's see how that goes. It comes from UK so will take like 3 weeks. Anyway - Feedback from the members on this forum - Am I a Norwood 5 or 6 or even worse. That would help me getting better understanding of results from docs who have done that level of HT. One Pic with Light and one in natural environment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Melvin- Admin Posted April 20, 2018 Administrators Share Posted April 20, 2018 Based on the pictures you’re a diffused Norwood 6, Your hair looks better now that it’s shorter more uniformed. Definitely allow finasteride at least 6 months to work, the good news is you still have a lot of hair just really miniaturized. Keep us updated on your progress and wait first before pulling the trigger on a surgery. I’m a paid admin for Hair Transplant Network. I do not receive any compensation from any clinic. My comments are not medical advice. Check out my final hair transplant and topical dutasteride journey: View my thread Topical dutasteride journey Melvin- Managing Publisher and Forum Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q&A Blog. Follow our Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and YouTube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member super64 Posted April 28, 2018 Regular Member Share Posted April 28, 2018 I am curious what really the difference between FUT and FUE is in terms of graft numbers. I have been told to have a great donor area with dense hair. I am currently probably a NW 3 Vertex. It's not horrible yet but I fear it will be eventually. I really don't want to get a FUT scar because I'm worried about having to completely shave one day. However if it means to have a lot more grafts available I'd reconsider. I do think right now I'm at the top end of the grafts scale with a good donor area. But if I go completely bald I may need every graft I can get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member mattj Posted April 30, 2018 Senior Member Share Posted April 30, 2018 I am curious what really the difference between FUT and FUE is in terms of graft numbers. I have been told to have a great donor area with dense hair. I am currently probably a NW 3 Vertex. It's not horrible yet but I fear it will be eventually. I really don't want to get a FUT scar because I'm worried about having to completely shave one day. However if it means to have a lot more grafts available I'd reconsider. I do think right now I'm at the top end of the grafts scale with a good donor area. But if I go completely bald I may need every graft I can get. FUT will normally get more grafts in one go. The maximum number of grafts would be through a combination of both procedure types. I am a patient and representative of Dr Rahal. My FUE Procedure With Dr Rahal - Awesome Hairline Result I can be contacted for advice: matt@rahalhairline.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Panamera13 Posted May 7, 2018 Author Senior Member Share Posted May 7, 2018 (edited) Almost 3 month update of using 1 mg Finastride and also using scalp elixir. I also bought a dermaroller (haven't used yet) and will buy the magical laser hat also soon LOL. My hair loss has stopped but the whole point is to "regrow". I should've started taking Fin earlier maybe 3-4 yrs ago. I want to make sure if and when I go for an HT - I've done all the pre-work in terms of controlling hair loss as well as protect my donor hair. attached two pics - one from Feb and one from today. Not sure if I see any regrowth (First pic in light, second one not so much) but with Fin it takes 6 months anyway..right? Edited May 7, 2018 by Panamera13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Shera Posted May 7, 2018 Senior Member Share Posted May 7, 2018 Hello again Panemera Looking carefully at your pictures I would say you are responding well to Finasteride. I can see an obvious improvement. You have gone from an obvious balding scalp to what appears to be a heavily diffused scalp. This all bodes well for the months ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Melvin- Admin Posted May 7, 2018 Administrators Share Posted May 7, 2018 Wow you’re responding extremely well to finasteride, wait a full 12 months before deciding upon surgery. I haven’t personally seen anyone regrow that much hair with finasteride. I’m a paid admin for Hair Transplant Network. I do not receive any compensation from any clinic. My comments are not medical advice. Check out my final hair transplant and topical dutasteride journey: View my thread Topical dutasteride journey Melvin- Managing Publisher and Forum Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q&A Blog. Follow our Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and YouTube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Panamera13 Posted May 7, 2018 Author Senior Member Share Posted May 7, 2018 Thx Shera and Melvin. I feel bad for "misleading" with one pic in light and the other one in a rather darker place. See the new pic attached that's in fair amount of natural light. I'll continue on this path - Fin + Scalp massage (bought scalp elixir last week, before that tea tree oil) + Magical Laser Cap (I've completely stopped rogaine since my scalp was too itchy and it never did anything for me anyway). Melvin's results are amazing with a Norwood 6..Let's see where I end up. I'll keep everyone posted. I'm not hurrying on HT surgery for atleast 9 months so I give a full year to Fin before going for HT. Another thing I read here is - people with diffused hair loss can get into shock loss by HT. I read one post recently where Rahal's rep advised against HT to one person with diffused pattern. (But Melvin's pics bring back hope) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Sean Posted May 8, 2018 Senior Member Share Posted May 8, 2018 Non surgical options at this point is probably the safest decision you are making. Looking at your coverage area and donor, you do not want to run into issues. If you do, you'll waste money and donor and cause damage to your recipient sites if things fail. Non surgical is the best way to go unless you are sure for certain a few more hairs will change you completely and if you feel surgery will absolutely transform you. I hope things turn out well for you, but be careful. Best of luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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