very important question to young lads

[azazelgs]

hi everyone,

 

I really dont know if its right place to put this post , sorry if i'm doing something wrong.

 

I'm 23 and NW 3, possibly heading through 5-6(thinning all over, except for the crown, it's relatively more resistant in family genes). I've been on this site for like a year now and it really stopped me for doing something stupid to go somewhere to bucher me and my valuable grafts, i can't thank enough to every one of you for this.

 

The thing is , i constantly think about Ht all the time that it really effects my whole life. I constantly look at my reflection to whether i need one ( i definetely do !), i can't work and i'm in a really serious depression about this, become agoraphobic because of my loss.

 

The thing is I have many concerns about ht. From my family , I knew I was gonna loose hair eventually but didnt expect that early. If I'm gonna have a ht at this age, I really want the best result i can get but in later ages i really wanna grow old normally (in my opinion , a "baby" hairline would look so unnatural in 40's 50's.). Also i want the option to cut my hair short so i'm really puzzled about the scar. One of my biggest concerns is that i really don't like the idea of "illusion of denstity", i give importance to being dense no matter what nw scale is. Addingly i'm really nervous to open these plans to my father since i don't have any money to afford but thank god my family is financially fine. Also , i live in Turkey and honestly i've never seen any results that satisfy me in here.So travelling to H&W, Rahal or Feller would be a looong trip for me.

 

So I'm asking to the people who is young as me who had ht or not , doesn't matter; ( also anyone older are highly welcomed )

 

1- Is it really worth it do have a ht?

2- Are you happy with the results?

3-Most importantly , any concerns for the future??

4- If I'm gonna do it, i will really appreciate for a hairline little better than Tom Ford(google him everyone) I know it's high and temples are a bit open but I believe with a strong(very strong) density , I could live my life like that.

 

I'd really appreciate any thoughts because i'm desperate since i don't have anyone else to talk about my depression and concerns.

[BigBill1234]

I had a HT when I was 22. I rushed into it with an unknown doc who gave we a fairly wide scar with 3's in my hairline. I have continued to bald and am going to need a 2nd HT in the near future. Luckily my hairline was put very high and I don't have any completely bald people in my family. I would say if you go to a reputable doc who thinks he could do good for you... go for it. Just be conservative.

[azazelgs]

thanks bill,

as i said my plan is to have a mature hairline like Tom Ford but have a great density so if I'm gonna have a mature hairline I don't think I'll be conservative. I'm pretty confident with my crown since all of male members of my family didn't loose the crown before their 40's. I have a cousin who was NW 4 at the time he was 21 and now he's 41 and thinning in the crown just occured couple of years ago.

 

 

Any other young ones who had or hadn't have a ht any opinions?

[jbbreese]

dude I feel you on thinking about it all the time, if I lived in Turkey, i'd go to Dr. Keser. Check out some of his results. If your goals are Tom Ford i think you'll be fine

[youngsuccess]

Azazelgs,

 

A hairline design similar to Tom Ford's would be considered extremely conservative:

 

 

If you think you'd be satisfied with that kind of placement, you stand a better chance at achieving stronger density behind it. In that sense, your expectations sound relatively reasonable.

 

I had my first transplant at 24, which left me with multi-hair grafts in the hairline area. Thankfully, the original work wasn't too devastating, and I've since been repaired.

 

I don't usually like to generalize, but my advice would be to wait until you're at least capable of financing/paying for the procedure yourself before you start considering hair transplantation; this is a symbol of maturity. I know you're depressed, but you've got to get out there and be able to function. This may also change your perspective on things.

 

The three clinics you mentioned are all excellent choices when the time is right. You might start by requesting a virtual consultation to get some initial feedback.

 

Best,

 

Anthony (youngsuccess)

[johnboy]

Hey im 25 and had my first ht at 24, id speak to your family about it, if its gettin you down that much then im sure they will help you out,

 

im happy with ym progress so far, however my goals are different to yours, my aim is to have a relatively good natural hairline to frame my face because ill be lookin to shave my hair to grade 2 in a couple of years maybe and not really lookin for thick density in the middle section of my scalp just enough coverage.ive been takin fin 1.25 per day and(for the last 10 months and that has defo helped stabilise the loss, also my crown appears way thicker than it did.

 

I was also feelin down like you, i was a hermit for pretty much a whole (valuabe)year,so as i said id speak to your family about it, Keep your chin up mate

[azazelgs]

johnboy, thank you very much for your words, i also started taking propecia 4 months ago so i'm pretty confident about my crown.

 

jon breese, before i found this forum i was heard of Dr. Keser "localy" and his fine work.I believe he is the best in Turkey, eventhough Dr. Kulahci is recommended on this site as far as i heard and seen, there are some very poor results occured and some complaints with their approaches. So yes, I have Dr. Keser in my mind but the very first thing i learned from this site is the financials and travel would be the least of concerns so I'll continue my research.

 

 

If you think you'd be satisfied with that kind of placement, you stand a better chance at achieving stronger density behind it. In that sense, your expectations sound relatively reasonable.

 

 

thank you very much youngsuccess for your encouraging words. When I first started researching about a ht, i was looking for the dream of having the hairline when i was 17 but now i see that it's impossible so i'm pretty realistic(learned from this forum,thanks!) I usually wear my hair short so having a hairline "slightly"(same style,maybe lower) better than Tom Ford will make me more than happy.The thing I choose that sort of hairline is eventhough it can be considered as Nw3,it's think and dense,looking pretty solid. I really don't like the term "illusion of density", I wanna have a strong , mature hair with high density. Also since im 24, i must think about my older ages.But if my doc(whichever i choose)tell me that i have super density and laxity in donor, I'd probably go lower but now I'm being realistic. I added a photo below, what you guys think about that sort of hairline?(i know he's suffering pretty bad from his loss nowadays!)

 

 

[youngsuccess]

Azazelgs,

 

Jude Law is an interesting case because he's had deep temporal recession for as long as I can remember, but was also able to retain a juvenile-like widow's peak. With creative styling, he was able to pretty much hide his hair loss for years. I think it's finally caught up with him.

 

Dropping the hairline that low in the front could be a problem if your primary goal is density, but many patients greatly benefit from a subtle widow's peak even if their corners are left open.

 

Best,

 

Anthony (youngsuccess)

[Bill - Seemiller]

azazelgs,

 

Honestly, if you don't like the idea that hair transplant surgery can't provide you with a full, dense head of hair, then hair transplantation isn't for you. For men and women with significant hair loss, obtaining a head of hair like you had in your glory days is out of the question.

 

I also don't feel that FUE is the right procedure for you if you are heading toward a level 5 or 6 on the Norwood scale. The one thing I like about Dr. Keser (since you mentioned him) from what I've learned by interviewing him is that he will only perform FUE on patients up to a level 3 or 4 assuming they have excellent donor hair density. This is because Dr. Keser knows that patients with extensive baldness are typically better suited for strip.

 

I wouldn't rule out Dr. Kulahci as a choice of surgeon in Turkey. The "complaints" of poor growth you are referring to are from patients who had surgery with another physician at Transmed. There is one member currently concerned about the experience he had with another doctor after a miscommunication on surgical expectations between he and Dr. Kulahci. If anything, miscommunication is the only real concern about Dr. Kulahci specifically that I've seen on this forum, which unfortunately, can happen from time to time.

 

Given your age and that you only just started taking Propecia 4 months ago, I would give it time to see if you are a good responder to Propecia. You may also want to consider adding Rogaine foam to your regimen.

 

I also see no harm in consulting with leading hair transplant clinics to discuss a long term hair restoration plan. However, I'd be real cautious about proceeding with hair transplant surgery at this young age with unrealistic expectations.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[azazelgs]

thank you Bill for your answer, i guess i misintepret myself.

 

 

Honestly, if you don't like the idea that hair transplant surgery can't provide you with a full, dense head of hair, then hair transplantation isn't for you. For men and women with significant hair loss, obtaining a head of hair like you had in your glory days is out of the question.

 

As in the previous post, i mentioned that im very well aware of that. What I ment was i'd prefer much more denser hair with a hairline like Tom Ford rather than distributing to end up nw1 or 2. Since I have a great confidence on my crown based on family patterns, I'm really planning on having a denser hair with higher hairline,I also put a photo of Jude Law that can give you some opinion.

 

You're very right about Dr.Kulahci, what I meant was her clinic Transmed. I know the doctor ( i really don't know if i should say his name) and every single one that had a procedure had nothing but complaints.

 

Thank you again for your posts.

 

Some young lads please speak up and share your opinions please

[EpilepticSceptic]

I dunno, but I've seen quite a few top doc hairlines that look as thick and dense as Jude Law in that photo. But these were all cases that were not yet beyond NW4.

 

I'm a NW3.5v and 41 years old now with very stabilized loss, and I would hope to get a hairline as nice looking as Jude Law in that photo after spending $15,000- $20,000. Like the OP I'd rather be a very solid NW3 than a thin and wispy NW2.

 

I guess you were mostly referring to NW5 to NW7 patients that should not expect a denser hairline ? Or younger guys who will likely head to advanced Norwoods ?

[azazelgs]

youngsuccess,

 

I know Jude Law case seems a bit complicated but i just posted this picture in order to create an idea what I want to accomplish with my procedure. I really hate very deep temporal recession and no loss at the "narrow" front. So my goal is to have a mature hairline , a bit temporal recession but not too seperate from the front and get a great density as much as possible. Tom Ford's case really interest me because eventhough it's obvious that he doesn't have a complete head of hair, it still looks very good (lets confess he's a good looking man also ) and the part he has hair seems to have a good density.

 

English is not my native language so maybe i may not be able to express myself clearly but i hope you understand what i mean.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Some young lads please speak up and share your opinions please

 

Are you calling me old Azazelgs? :-P

 

I guess I am a bit older than you...but I did have my first hair transplant when I was 27 years old. 4 hair transplants and 9600 grafts, I'm 33 with a much thicker head of hair.

 

Thanks for the clarification above. I don't think it would be out of the question for you to at least consult with a few leading physicians that impress you the most. Discussing a long term hair restoration plan that incorporates medical and surgical treatments will help you develop realistic expectations and an effective strategy for moving forward.

 

That said, be careful not to be too hasty and jump into the surgical chair immediately. Some clinics out there will be glad to get you into surgery just to get your money without any discussion of what's really in your best interest.

 

All the Best,

 

Bill

[azazelgs]

I guess you were mostly referring to NW5 to NW7 patients that should not expect a denser hairline ? Or younger guys who will likely head to advanced Norwoods ?

 

Labrat69, I'm referring to the younger guys who are advancing to NW6-7. I myself am one of them and really curious about what is the "best of the best" result i can get. That's why i picked myself Tom Ford's example since he has a thick and natural hairline eventhough it's obvious he's nw3.

[hairlust]

who's TOm Ford??!!

[MikeTheDane]

Azazel

 

You've already been given excellent advice so far, so I guess I'll just chime in with my personal findings.

 

I've had 2 HT's and about to receive a 3rd (final)

 

I got those at 21, 22 and for the last one I'll be 23. This makes me one of the most aggressive on these boards, and many people have shook their head.

 

I started balding a few months after I turned 18. It affected me deeply, as I had never seen anyone at my age losing their hair (and so rapidly). My hair looked just like jude laws here

 

 

I got my first HT at a local clinic for 1600 grafts, and the result left something to be desired. I wasn't butchered by any means, but it was clear that if I wanted to get to the bottom of my hairloss, I needed to travel.

 

My 2nd was with a coalition doctor for 2750 grafts, with a much better result. However, as my problem was not isolated to just my hairline, I wasn't able to achieve acceptable density there. Also, while my crown had responded well to propecia and my hairloss had virtually stopped, it never fully regrew.

 

My next HT is going to be with dr. Mohmand (no offense against devroye, but I can't afford him once more) and the plan is hopefully to reach 2500 grafts with 1500 to the hairline and temple points, and the final 1000 to the crown. That should keep it at bay for the next 5 years(I hope).

And there's no guarantee I wont turn into a NW7.

 

If that happens, and I(we) run out of hair there are still some options.

 

1) Shave down, accept the scar

2) To shave down and fue to scar

3) Conceal the scar

4) Tattoo the scar

5) Laser everything off

6) Wait for hair multiplication

 

None of the sollutions are perfect and some of them are downright 'last resort'. But those are the terms I've accepted. They also apply to you, so think carefully. Are you willing to gamble?

 

 

I can't tell you what to do though. But know that if you choose to do it, you're practically commiting yourself to go all the way.

 

On a more philosophical note, the more hair I have, the more I stop caring about it. I guess the saying that only proves that you crave what you can't have. But once you get it, you feel sort of silly to have felt the way you did about it.

 

Feel free to PM me any questions or considerations.

[Maxxy]

If that happens, and I(we) run out of hair there are still some options.

 

1) Shave down, accept the scar

2) To shave down and fue to scar

3) Conceal the scar

4) Tattoo the scar

5) Laser everything off

6) Wait for hair multiplication

 

Hey MikeTheDane,

 

I'm just curious, would you never consider redistributing a percentage of the transplanted hair using FUE?

[MikeTheDane]

Only if i ran out completely, which isn't likely since most people have like 1000-2000 FUE grafts left once you exhaust your strip donor.

 

So as long as there's donor, use donor imo.

 

But sure, as a last resort if for whatever reason it became relevant, I probably would.

[Maxxy]

Yeah, I meant in the event that you had used every possible graft in your donor in earlier stages of loss and then became a NW7. That is a planned escape route should I become a high NW case; I would get every graft possible from the donor, then redistribute my previous work thereby having coverage (albeit thinner than ideal).

 

My theory, flawed as it may be, and this is just an example... say if you used 7000 grafts to treat a NW3 then later become a NW7 - why can't these grafts from the NW3 be redistributed over the NW7? Again, it isn't ideal but to me it seems a better option than lasering previous work, etc. Of course a test area would be needed first.

[MikeTheDane]

Yeah. It can work. It's not ideal, but if it's your only option.

 

It's going to be expensive though.

 

And 7k is a lot of grafts to spend as a NW3 though.

[Maxxy]

And 7k is a lot of grafts to spend as a NW3 though.

 

Of course, I wasn't speaking of an actual case - I just used that as an example.

[MikeTheDane]

I know you were, my point was just that if anyone spent that many grafts that way, they had been very naive and had things coming for them.

 

Anyway, I haven't heard of any big cases where this has been done.