Norwood Stage 7, fighting back

[BaldinginDubai]

Hello Everybody,

I am a 38 year young Indian male, who has lived abroad most of his life (primarily in the Middle East) and am currently residing in Dubai. I have a family history of male pattern baldness, specifically with all the males in my fathers side while my mothers side has enviable hair. I have always had thin hair, the hair fall started almost 4 years back but 2020 has been the worst. 
 

I meet with a few doctors to understand options and will continue to meet a few more over the next few weeks with the end objective of a hair transplant. 
 

What has been the common message from most clinics:

1) You are at stage 7, but still have strands of hair.

2) Donor area is very limited so will have to do 2 sessions atleast. Starting with the hairline and later focusing on the crown.

 

Where the messaging has been different:

1) 2 Drs (1 in Dubai and another in Turkey) recommended that I start medication to limit hair fall before proceeding with a HT.

 

2) 2 clinics in Turkey advised I can start the first transplant with approx 4000 grafts immediately and the crown with 1500 grafts after a year.
 

Based on the recommendations, I have started/will start the following.

1) Low Level Laser Treatment: Purchased the iRestore professional and have been using for 2 weeks now.

2) Priorin N tablets, 2 times a day and have been using for 2 weeks now.

3) Follics FR 12, recommended 2 times a day for application on the scalp. Expecting delivery of the product by next week.

 

As a next step I intend to start the above 3 steps until the hair fall stabilizes and in the interim meet with a few HT specialists. My preference will be to do the procedure in Dubai where I am based but if that is not an option then open to flying to Turkey or India.

Would be great to hear your feedback on this approach.

[Gatsby]

I'm not a doctor. But I would forget about the treatments you mentioned and speak with your doctor about taking finasteride. I'm surprised the surgeons you spoke with never mentioned this. For some it can have side effects. But the reason I mention finasteride is that it can strengthen your donor area and your crown. Also I would look at surgeons recommended on this site and Eugenix is one clinic that are experts in high Norwood cases. Also would you consider using your beard grafts as an added donor supply? Eugenix seems to have mastered this technique. Again these are just my opinions and I am not medically qualified. Finally what are your goals? Do you want total coverage, just reframing of the face, etc? Keep researching and all the best.

[bald-and-bearded]

If you don't want to take oral Finasteride you can try topical. It's not known if it's effective or if the side effects profile is any better but worth a try I think. Someone posted in a different thread that Eugenix (who @Gatsby mentioned) suggested some topical Finasteride product which you may be able to access if you are from India.

Otherwise, without your hair loss stabilised I don't think should do a hair transplant. What worries me the most are the thin sides. You will likely be left with a thin band of NW7 hair naturally which is too hard to distribute on top and on the lateral humps. If you have very good beard hair and body hair that might be a ray of hope, but even those hair are not guaranteed to survive as you grow older.

[JohnnyR]

I am not a fan of this phrase but it is appropriate here: "Just shave it, Bro"

you should have started fighting hair loss 10-20 years ago. 

Edited April 11, 2021 by JohnnyR

[Gasthoerer]

I agree with the other posters:

- Think about FIN and maybe minox (oral?) and re-evaluate in 1 year

- Please do not have a transplant now with a hairmill type clinic - this could ruin your entire life. Balding is horrible, but balding and having scars and unnatural hair is much (!) worse. 

Your top is almost gone, your sides are weak and the crown is going way down, it is very likely that you do not have 4000+1500 grafts available. Maybe not even 4000. 

Final comment: You type of hair loss reacts typically positively to FIN but also there is a severe risk associated with it. As there is still a hairline, some clinics will rebuilt this hairline just because it is your natural one. But this hairline would be WAY to aggressive considering your overall loss. 

[BaldinginDubai]

17 minutes ago, JohnnyR said:

I am not a fan of this phrase but it is appropriate here: "Just shave it, Bro"

you should have started fighting hair loss 10-20 years ago. 

Honestly after all the conversations, I am leaning towards shaving it off 

[Britanium]

20 minutes ago, BaldinginDubai said:

Honestly after all the conversations, I am leaning towards shaving it off 

It’s definitely worth a try ! Maybe SMP ? 

[Gatsby]

It’s definitely worth shaving your head. You may be surprised how much you like it. It will always grow back if you change your mind. 
Other great advice will start to chime in (such as John’s) from other members. But remember once you are ‘cut’ you can never go back to looking ‘natural’ again after surgery. I have many scars to tell the tail from what a bad hair transplant can result in. All the best. 

[Future Hair Doc]

I suggest the following:

Finasteride and minoxidil for about 1 year and save up money to go to a reputable clinic. You will likely require BHT from your beard and body and there are some great surgeons who specialize in this. Feel free to privately message me if you have any other questions, etc. 

[Aftermath]

Fin and minox, biotin and MSM, micro needling once a week 1.5mm (including donor region) and re-assess in 1 year IMO 

Edited April 11, 2021 by Aftermath

[ciaus]

I agree with some others that have suggested shaving your head. That's a pretty steep dip in the back and alot of thinness on the sides. Finasteride will slow the DHT onslaught, but I wouldn't count on that doing much more than buying you some time. And the other therapies mentioned are usually much less effective.

One of your pics indicate you may have a decent beard. Instead of trying to move that to your scalp let it grow out to help frame your face. A shaved head with a nice beard can be a great look.  And if you have some patches in your beard or its not as thick as you'd like, go look up 'minoxidil beard' on youtube, it can help with that.

If you do try the hair transplant route and it doesn't work out, you're going to have to deal with hiding the scars, either long linear scars or little dot scars all over. I'd at least try shaving it and growing out your beard to see if its something you like.

Edited April 11, 2021 by ciaus

[bald-and-bearded]

@BaldinginDubaidid you try oral Finasteride before? If not, why not? If yes, how was your experience?

[BaldinginDubai]

7 hours ago, bald-and-bearded said:

@BaldinginDubaidid you try oral Finasteride before? If not, why not? If yes, how was your experience?

I did try Finasteride and it didn’t work for me as there were some side effects in the bed room. Definetly not going down that path again, I’ll be starting the tropical application Follics FR12 which has Minoxidil and Finasteride.

[BaldinginDubai]

11 hours ago, Gatsby said:

It’s definitely worth shaving your head. You may be surprised how much you like it. It will always grow back if you change your mind. 
Other great advice will start to chime in (such as John’s) from other members. But remember once you are ‘cut’ you can never go back to looking ‘natural’ again after surgery. I have many scars to tell the tail from what a bad hair transplant can result in. All the best. 

Thanks, can I shave my head and still continue with the laser treatment, medication and tropical application? Reason I ask is while I don’t mind waiting a year, I would rather be shaved and look clean than patches of hair the way it is now.

[Gatsby]

23 minutes ago, BaldinginDubai said:

Thanks, can I shave my head and still continue with the laser treatment, medication and tropical application? Reason I ask is while I don’t mind waiting a year, I would rather be shaved and look clean than patches of hair the way it is now.

Well that’s exactly what I’m doing while waiting for international travel from Australia to commence. 

[RandoBrando517]

Have you considered smp?

[BaldinginDubai]

3 minutes ago, RandoBrando517 said:

Have you considered smp?

Heard about it for the first time on the post, been researching quite a bit on it. My challenge is finding someone who can do a decent job in Dubai 

[AB2000]

With such a poor donor you will be limiting your choices if you stick to Dubai.  A norwood 7 is hard to build back from and can easily go very bad if you choose the wrong doctor.  If you can't find someone with the right background it might be better to do no hair transplant.

[bald-and-bearded]

 

3 hours ago, BaldinginDubai said:

I did try Finasteride and it didn’t work for me as there were some side effects in the bed room. Definetly not going down that path again, I’ll be starting the tropical application Follics FR12 which has Minoxidil and Finasteride.

Okay, thank you for the info. You can give topical a shot if you like. Some say it works with lesser side effects.

[RandoBrando517]

On 4/11/2021 at 7:54 PM, BaldinginDubai said:

Heard about it for the first time on the post, been researching quite a bit on it. My challenge is finding someone who can do a decent job in Dubai 

I think I saw on IG that Dr. Bansal will be in Dubai. Probably best to travel. Only place id go to is Eugenix with your hair loss.

[DrTBarghouthi]

Thanks for posting. I would definitely commence strict maintenance with finasteride and minoxidil if possible and reassess the situation later. Do not jump into surgery yet until we see how your response to proper maintenance is. 

[Gatsby]

Have an in person consultation with Eugenix in Dubai. It doesn't get much better than that! All the best!

[deeznuts]

Is that really a NW7? I'm nowhere close to a NW7 but from what I've heard, as long as the lateral humps are intact, you're not a NW7. And NW7s hit NW7 very early in life as well.

Not that I'm all that knowledgeable cause I'm not close to a NW7 so I've never researched it

[Al - Moderator]

15 hours ago, deeznuts said:

Is that really a NW7? I'm nowhere close to a NW7 but from what I've heard, as long as the lateral humps are intact, you're not a NW7. And NW7s hit NW7 very early in life as well.

 

He is balding far down the back of his head which puts him more into the NW 7 category even though he still has some side hair.