Transplanted hair losing density after HT done 7 years ago

[Addendum]

Hi, I’ve just joined here.

I was a Norwood 6 and had a hair transplant 7 years ago. 

I was pleased with the result, and though I didn’t have enough hairs transplanted to cover the crown of my head, the front part of my head was fairly well covered. I would have had another HT later to add more density but couldn’t afford it.

In the past few weeks, I’ve noticed that the density of the transplanted hair has diminished, and I can see through to my scalp. I’m hoping that this is due to the telogen phase of the hair cycle rather than the transplanted hairs beginning to fall out permanently. I read that the telogen phase comes every 6 or 7 years so one is due for me around now.

In the past 5 months (until I discovered the hair loss) I had been using dry shampoo and also volumizing mouse on my hair, and maybe this has something to do with the hair loss.

Also I have been drinking whey protein shakes each day for about 8 months, and maybe this is also is connected to the hair loss. I read that whey protein can have negative affects on hair growth.

I don’t think the hair loss is due to seasonal shedding, as I haven’t noticed any such shedding to a great extent—just a few stray hairs now and then in the sink.

The current lack of density problem looks as if it could be more serious. I hope not.

I’d be grateful for any advice.

[Gasthoerer]

Why are there never pics in this threads?

[Greg_Swanson]

1 hour ago, Addendum said:

Hi, I’ve just joined here.

I was a Norwood 6 and had a hair transplant 7 years ago. 

I was pleased with the result, and though I didn’t have enough hairs transplanted to cover the crown of my head, the front part of my head was fairly well covered. I would have had another HT later to add more density but couldn’t afford it.

In the past few weeks, I’ve noticed that the density of the transplanted hair has diminished, and I can see through to my scalp. I’m hoping that this is due to the telogen phase of the hair cycle rather than the transplanted hairs beginning to fall out permanently. I read that the telogen phase comes every 6 or 7 years so one is due for me around now.

In the past 5 months (until I discovered the hair loss) I had been using dry shampoo and also volumizing mouse on my hair, and maybe this has something to do with the hair loss.

Also I have been drinking whey protein shakes each day for about 8 months, and maybe this is also is connected to the hair loss. I read that whey protein can have negative affects on hair growth.

I don’t think the hair loss is due to seasonal shedding, as I haven’t noticed any such shedding to a great extent—just a few stray hairs now and then in the sink.

The current lack of density problem looks as if it could be more serious. I hope not.

I’d be grateful for any advice.

Hey mate,

How does the rest of your donor look? And was it a FUT, or FUE procedure? 

 

[Addendum]

Hi, the donor is still very thick. It was a FUT procedure.

[Greg_Swanson]

44 minutes ago, Addendum said:

Hi, the donor is still very thick. It was a FUT procedure.

Well those are good signs. FUT is easier to remain within the safe zone, and if your donor hair is okay, I doubt it's due to the donor hair miniaturizing.

I assume the area it was transplanted into was completely bald, which eliminates native hairs falling out.

I suppose those two factors could trigger some loss/a shed - I have also read that regarding protein, but I have not actually researched legitimate studies.

Maybe a visit to a dermatologist would be beneficial? 

[Addendum]

Thanks. 

I'll contact the HT surgeon who did it to see if he has any idea what caused it.

A long shot cause is that it could be due to a niacinamide (also known as nicotinamide) supplement I've been taking for about a year. I found out just today that it might increase DHT. See this article called “Best DHT Supplements”. It lists some DHT supplements, and niacinamide is included in the list:
 
https://athleticmusc...ht-supplements/

I can't find a definite link between it and DHT though. I've spent hours looking for such a link in a few other hair loss forums but so far haven't found any. 

[Curious]

Why do you take niacinamide?

[harry_potter1]

I would advice you to see a dermatologist, think that is even more important than going back to your surgeon 

[Addendum]

10 hours ago, Curious said:

Why do you take niacinamide?

It's a good anti-aging supplement.

I don't think it could be contributing to my lack of density after all, as any DHT increase it causes would be unlikely to affect transplanted hairs that are taken from the DHT-resistant donar area.

[Addendum]

8 hours ago, harry_potter1 said:

I would advice you to see a dermatologist, think that is even more important than going back to your surgeon 

I'd rather see the surgeon first. It's too much hassle at this stage to see a dermatologist and have to explain my hair history to them. Seeing my surgeon is quicker, and who better to see than the person who worked on your hair?

[Curious]

Any increase in DHT puts hair at risk.  If you started taking niacinamide and then months later you noticed that you've lost hair, that's a good reason to stop taking it.

[Addendum]

Surely, though, an increase in DHT would only put at risk hair that is not in the DHT resistant donor area — i.e. the sides and back of the head. That’s why those areas never go bald in the first place despite the body being naturally having DHT it it anyway. I can’t really see how an increase in DHT can affect this area.

I’m not a scientist, though, and there might be good scientific reasons why you are right. Are there any that you can mention here?

[Curious]

It depends on how far you are destined to go genetically without an anti-DHT med.  Are you someone who is on his way to a NW7 or worse?

[elduterino]

use minox it will help

[harry_potter1]

13 hours ago, Addendum said:

I'd rather see the surgeon first. It's too much hassle at this stage to see a dermatologist and have to explain my hair history to them. Seeing my surgeon is quicker, and who better to see than the person who worked on your hair?

A dermatologist. 

Because after 7 years, it is more likely it has more to do with your hair not your  surgery,. And that is the job of dermatologist.

A surgeon job is to do the surgery, a dermatologist job is to take care of your hair and see all the medical factors.

Sure, there is a lot of common areas in their work (in fact, many of the FUE only surgeons are actually dermatologists)  and there is a good chance that many clinic has a dermatologist in its team, but I won't take the risk and will ask a specialist immediately

Not sure how it is hassle to ask a specialist and provide him with your history, but whatever suits you 

[Addendum]

11 hours ago, Curious said:

It depends on how far you are destined to go genetically without an anti-DHT med.  Are you someone who is on his way to a NW7 or worse?

The chances are that genetically I have reached my peak hair loss, as I am in my late 50s and my donor area is still thick.

[Addendum]

7 hours ago, harry_potter1 said:

A dermatologist. 

Because after 7 years, it is more likely it has more to do with your hair not your  surgery,. And that is the job of dermatologist.

A surgeon job is to do the surgery, a dermatologist job is to take care of your hair and see all the medical factors.

Sure, there is a lot of common areas in their work (in fact, many of the FUE only surgeons are actually dermatologists)  and there is a good chance that many clinic has a dermatologist in its team, but I won't take the risk and will ask a specialist immediately

Not sure how it is hassle to ask a specialist and provide him with your history, but whatever suits you 

You could be right but I need my surgeon to tell me if I am going through the telogen stage or not. And as he knows how many grafts were transplanted, and has post op photos, he is in a better position at this stage than a dermatologist is to tell me this. I'm not ruling out a dermatologist. I may need to see one eventually. But the chances are that if my surgeon says it is not telogen related, I'll just accept that, for me, my hair transplant wasn't successful in the long term due to my scalp skin biology. It would be a waste of time seeing a dermatologist in that case -- what could they do to correct the situation? Very little I imagine.

Edited May 24, 2019 by Addendum