Crown Procedure - is this a good time

[a]

So - I’m getting a ton of conflicting info. I’m 37, have been on Rogain and Propecia for 15 years. The loss has more or less stabilized. Is now the time (given my state of loss) for a crown procedure? I already had 2 successful FUTs in my hairline, and I feel like I’m rolling the dice with having a third. It was bothering me, but now I’m questioning it might cause more harm than good. Aside from Rogain and Propecia, what other options show I use to maintain or possibly improve my crown situation.

[Gatsby]

3 hours ago, a said:

So - I’m getting a ton of conflicting info. I’m 37, have been on Rogain and Propecia for 15 years. The loss has more or less stabilized. Is now the time (given my state of loss) for a crown procedure? I already had 2 successful FUTs in my hairline, and I feel like I’m rolling the dice with having a third. It was bothering me, but now I’m questioning it might cause more harm than good. Aside from Rogain and Propecia, what other options show I use to maintain or possibly improve my crown situation.

It sounds like meds have been very successful for you @a. It's hard to tell from that picture but your hair looks very full and I imagine you would have a great donor supply to fill in the crown if that's what you are seeking. If the donor area is too tight then you could always go down the FUE path. I wish you all the best whichever way you decide.

[TommyLucchese]

Based on your age and how good the rest of your hair looks, I think it's a good time to start consulting with doctors about it

[Britanium]

You have very good and dense hair everywhere else, so either another FUT or FUE.

I agree with the above comments. Time to get consulting! 

[ciaus]

I agree with others, if you've already addressed your front hairline and your happy with it, everything else but that spot in the center of your crown looks pretty thick from that camera angle, so it looks like the meds have stabilized everything else. Makes we wonder if you had started the finasteride even earlier if at least some of that crown spot could have been saved too, it looks really bare.

 

Maybe too bare to get much benefit from concealers like dermmatch and toppik, but you may want to still give them a try if you haven't already. Maybe with the right hair length and some fancy combing with hairspray or styling gel you can give that spot the appearance of more density now.

The forum moderator made this topic below on dermmatch, he has thinning in the crown over a wider area than you, but he still has a little hair there too. Check out the topic link below, he posts a video showing how he applies it from start to finish.

 

[a]

5 minutes ago, ciaus said:

I agree with others, if you've already addressed your front hairline and your happy with it, everything else but that spot in the center of your crown looks pretty thick from that camera angle, so it looks like the meds have stabilized everything else. Makes we wonder if you had started the finasteride even earlier if at least some of that crown spot could have been saved too, it looks really bare.

 

Maybe too bare to get much benefit from concealers like dermmatch and toppik, but you may want to still give them a try if you haven't already. Maybe with the right hair length and some fancy combing with hairspray or styling gel you can give that spot the appearance of more density now.

The forum moderator made this topic below on dermmatch, he has thinning in the crown over a wider area than you, but he still has a little hair there too. Check out the topic link below, he posts a video showing how he applies it from start to finish.

 

Thanks. Never tried that. My concern is the hole growing after or there being heavy shock loss this time around. That was pretty unpleasant last time

[a]

Thanks everyone for the input! TBH I’m just really worried about the hole growing and requiring another one. Also, shock loss on the crown sounds terrifying. Has anyone had any experience with shock loss for an operation there?

[ciaus]

the more existing hair you have in the area where you are putting the transplanted hair, the more likely you are to have shockloss. Your bald spot is pretty sharply bordered by much denser areas so its certainly possible you could have some around the edges of that bald spot.

But that's something else that those concealers -dermmatch and toppik fibers, can help with. They can give you that additional appearance of thickness while you recover from the shockloss. You should play around with them a little, have them on hand, would help to give you some piece of mind at least in case you need them.

[Britanium]

X2 FUT and x3 FUE and added to my crown each time. No shock loss thankfully. 
 

[a]

I also have concerns about scarring in the donor area (I’d go with FUE) and the area around it continuing to bald. I’m just don’t want to be in a position when I’m constantly having to go back in to cover it

[ciaus]

6 minutes ago, a said:

I also have concerns about scarring in the donor area (I’d go with FUE) and the area around it continuing to bald. I’m just don’t want to be in a position when I’m constantly having to go back in to cover it

Its always a risk, and its why the crown area is usually addressed last. If you've haven't already, keep a record with annual/occasional pictures of your crown so you have something objective to go by -not good trying to evaluate and make decisions based on memory when its something that gives you anxiety like this, the mind can play tricks on you.

Maybe try out the concealers and if they give you a decent appearance of density for now, give it a few more years and use your pictures to see if the spot grows much. The later you wait the more data you and the doctor will have to make good decisions on.

[a]

I’ve been tracking for a while. I mean it’s there and I’ve been doing research, but it’s not something that’s particularly bothersome. It’s easy enough to conceal through styling. The only reason I looked into it now was due to quarantine. I feel like it’s (hopefully) a once in a lifetime chance to pull off something like this with no one noticing. I’m just afraid I’ll rush into it now and creat a larger problem (more scarring, heavy shock loss, etc.).  The crown seems easy to fix, but after researching, it’s actually MORE complicated than the hairline. 

[yesplease]

I agree that it seems like a reasonable time to address the crown if it is bothering you, especially considering you’ve been on propecia long term and presumably are tolerating it.

 

any chance you could share pics and info on your hairline procedures? 

[a]

It’s also like, do I want to deal with the recovery and all too? FUE isn’t nearly as non-disruptive as they claim. You still have to deal with shaving down the donor area, shock loss, and additional scars. It’s not entirely non-scarring no matter what they say. So you have to consider that you could get minimal gain for such a small area, but risk additional scars that could disrupt your current styling approach. I’m just wondering why not hold off and wait for something different to come along.

[Briguy]

I personally would go ahead with it since you already have great hair and have already fixed your hairline. I just had my 3rd surgery to fill in my crown 1000 fue grafts. Your crown looks like it wouldn't require that many grafts. For me it was an easy recovery because no work done in the front. The only downside is the full shave of the donor and having my fut scar showing while my donor grows back. All the best whatever you decide.

[a]

Thanks everyone for the input. I decided it’s best to hold on on anything at the moment

[TommyLucchese]

No harm in being cautious.