A thought

[CaptainO]

Every time I am sitting in bed and look at my pillow, I notice how much hair falls out. I was thumbing thru my hair last night and then counted hairs and it was 25.

 

After this, I got curious as to how many hairs to lose per day was average. I came up with about 100 per day via google searches.

 

After meeting with my doctor, 1200 grafts was recommended. Since then I've lost a lot more hair. I would guess that I would get no less than 1500 grafts, possibly more since I had my consult back in November. If I were to get 1500 grafts, one could guestimate that it would be about 3000 hairs.

 

Would it be safe to say after full regrowth, I would look similar to what I looked like a year ago?

[Bill - Seemiller]

CaptainO,

 

I don't think anyone will be able to tell you with the minimal information you've provided whether or not 1200 grafts will make your hair look like it did a year ago. I'd say it would at least be similar if you lost approximately 2400 hairs from the areas that are going to be transplanted.

 

Adding hair to balding areas will certainly help improve the appearance of thinning and maybe even bring you back a class or two on the Norwood scale of hair loss.

 

1200 grafts isn't a lot of hair. Just be sure you understand what can be realistically accomplished with 1200 grafts. If your hair loss is minimal, this may be a large enough session to show improvement, especially if densely packed in a smaller area of baldness.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

Did your doctor recommend Propecia? It sounds like you are losing hair more rapidly than the average of 50-100 hairs per day. The average number of hairs per follicular unit is 2.2 hairs. So if you did receive 1500 grafts, it is safe to say you would be getting around 3000 hairs. If you proceed with the transplant, but continue to lose hair during the year you are waiting for the transplants to grow or if you have any permanent shock loss you still might not look similar to a year ago. On the other hand, if you are taking preventative measures and the hair loss slows down while the transplants are growing in you could look better than a year ago.

[CaptainO]

the hair loss definetely has not stopped. I took propecia from 22-27 and stopped due to ED. I still don't have 100% of my stamina back. I can't take propecia so it will most likely be rogaine. I posted my pictures about a month or so ago and I've lost considerable amounts of hair on my temple regions since then. I've been off propecia for 2.5 year now and its really starting to come out. I am certain I will do the procedure, I'm just not sure when. Due to the fact that I will continue to lose more hair.

[imissthebarber]

Dude you've got to look at the long-term picture not just whether you will look in 12 months like you did 12 months ago. In 12 years will you be able to afford mentally and financially yet another HT to keep up with the continued hairloss which seems all but certain given your bad reaction to propecia? 12 years after that what are you going to do when the donor has run out and the hair hasn't stopped?

 

I'm sure we all wish we look like we did when we were younger but it ain't gonna happen. Even for those who are totally happy with their HT other features will change.

 

I hear what you're saying believe me, it's just there are no easy fixes.

[Dr. Michael Beehner]

Captain O,

If you are obviously thinning when you look in the mirror and can pretty easily see your scalp through your hair, then you are right in that you are on a "progressive loss" curve, BUT, you should realize that the long full hairs you see on the brush or shower floor are NOT lost hairs, but rather are full length and full diameter hairs, which we term "terminal hairs." Such a hair will always be replaced by another hair when the follicle comes out of its telogen "slumber" of 3-4 months. That hair may come back strong just as the one you found on the shower floor, OR it may come back in the next anagen cycle slightly miniaturized (smaller, "wispier" diameter and limited length it will grow), and then the next cycle it will be even wispier and shorter, until it falls out for the last time as a short, thin hair you can barely see.

Part of the problem with your calculations is that you usually are missing around 50% of your hair mass by the time you realize you might be losing your hair and it appears thin in the mirror.

As was already pointed out to you, a consultation with an experienced hair surgeon is your best bet, and you might want to update that visit in light of what you reported.

Mike Beehner, M.D.