Hi everyone! New here, and considering FUE - do you think I'm a candidate?

[happyandsad]

Hi everyone!

I'm a 29-year-old male who has been experiencing some hair line recession and hair thinning over the past few years.  When I tell people I'm considering a transplant, they usually say "your hair isn't even that bad!!" and maybe they are right.  However, if you look at the first picture I attached and the pictures from how I currently look, you can clearly see a difference and I certainly notice it myself.  I am ok with getting old, wrinkly, gaining weight, etc but I need my hair! LOL

Anyway, I've been considering going to Istanbul for a transplant, as they have a very reputable clinic where I can get this done for $2,000 USD and that includes hotel stay and transportation to/from the airport, hotel and clinic.

The first picture is of me about 8 years ago (age 21) and the other pictures were taken last week and today.  The red shirt shows me with my hair grown out and no product in it.  Blue shirt is me at work, taken today with gel in my hair (sorry, did the best I could with selfies lol).

Let me know your thoughts, any feedback is greatly appreciated!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LaserCap]

Hit the front and middle, keep your current hairline and get on meds to help you retain the native hair you do have which is/will contribute to the overall density.  (Propecia, Rogaine, Laser and PRP). 2400-3000 grafts with the majority concentrated in the frontal area and blending to the area right behind the front.  Give it a year and reassess.

You are doing a good job styling your hair. Most people will not notice.  If they look at you from upstairs, different story.  Right now you can add Toppik to the mix and will buy you some time.  Getting on meds should be your first priority.

 

[Melvin- Admin]

Lasercap has given you great advice. That said, you are a candidate for surgery, but you need to focus on the hairline first. Forget about the crown. You are a perfect candidate for hair loss concealers. In fact, you could probably get away with using concealers for a few years before you really need a hair transplant. I just created a tutorial yesterday on how to use hair loss concealers on the hairline. Definitely give it a try before you consider surgery. Remember surgery is permanent and should not be taken lightly.

 

 

[Cahustler]

Questions for you guys thinking about getting HT and on meds. My question is , for me at least, I would like to stop meds and the solution is HT. If you are on meds, while it will grow hairs, then you get a HT and stop the meds, then the hairs that was grown will fall out? If you have no meds then you will know exactly where the bald spots are? Does this make sense?

 

unless you are committed being on meds for life? By the way I’m one of those that experienced side effects and it wasn’t fun, while I had hair I would not been able to score. It was to the point where V meds couldn’t help either. I stopped it cold turkey  and few months later I’m back in action

[LaserCap]

If the donor was unlimited, I would agree with you.  Unfortunately this area is finite and quite limited.  There is typically not enough donor in the area to allow for a full set of hair, particularly when dealing with an advanced pattern.  So it is very important to keep as much as you can of the native hair.  

So you get on meds and they help you retain.  You get a transplant and you look great.  You get off the meds and you resume losing the native hair, (the transplants will remain).  You will need to do procedures as you continue to lose - until eventually you have no more donor.

Getting on and off meds is not a good idea.  You are just wasting time and money.  If they work stay on them.

If you've shown the propensity to lose, you will continue losing.  And once the hair is gone, it will never return. So if you are destined to be a class 7 and want to wait until you've lost everything, it will be too late for meds as they will do nothing at that time.  Meds are only helpful when the hair has not left the building.

If you experienced side effects with Propecia, you may want to add Rogaine and laser therapy.  All modalities work in different ways and are thus synergistic.  

I would encourage you to do meds for a good year.  Take photos. If you experience retention and maybe even enhancement, you may then consider other options.

[1978matt]

A work colleague of mine went to Turkey.  $3000 for "5000 graphs".  10 months on I'd say about 2000 grew and that is being optimistic.

I will say he was a solid NW5.5 with not the greatest donor area.  He told me he was in a room with one doctor and 7 other patients, being worked on by some young techs.

Don't do it man.

[happyandsad]

Thanks for the input everyone, much appreciated!

As far as finasteride goes, no, I am not on it but I haven't heard good things about the side effects and I am pretty sensitive to medication.  I take a few other meds for mental health related issues, so not sure if that would be good for me...

As far as the transplants in Turkey go, I know that there are some sketchy ones but I've done my research and I found one that I believe to be legitimate (in Istanbul).  My barber also said some people he is friendly with have gone and had it done with great results. The clinic I found does blood tests prior and everything.  Here is the response I received from them after I sent them the pictures they required for the doctor to review, and I've also posted a link to their Instagram page, website and some YouTube videos below.  Let me know what you think:

Quote

 

Hi Antony,

 

Thank you for the pictures. I showed them to the doctors and he informed me that the density on your donor area is in average condition.

You have recesssion on temples and small gaps on midscalp and the crown. 

 

We estimate we can extract around 3000 follicles from your donor area. For estimated graft number we will create a new hairline and fill 

with high density follicular units and from mid scalp to crown area according to remaining grafts we try to increase overall density.

 

Best regards,

 

 

 

 

https://www.instagram.com/smilehairclinic/

https://www.smilehairclinic.com/en

 

 

 

Edited October 15, 2019 by happyandsad

[CosmoKramer]

Hi

IMO, you do look like a good candidate for an HT, your donor looks good, and I agree with the opinions to mainly stick to concentrating rebuilding and filling in your hairline/frontal 1/3rd and midscalp. That’s probably going to require around 3,500 grafts.

As for the clinic you’ve listed, they seem to be a popular low-cost one on social media that seems similar to Cinik, Cosmedica etc...and to be honest their hairlines look unnatural to me from results I’ve seen.

P.S. If you are taking meds for mental heath I would definitely avoid Finasteride, not worth the risk, I’m fairly healthy not on any medications but when I was on Finasteride it definitely altered my mood and clouded my mind and made me feel lethargic.

Edited October 16, 2019 by CosmoKramer