Seeking advice about Hair Transplant quote

[S_G]

Hello all,

I'm a 29M looking into the possibility of a hair transplant.

 

History:

Since I was around 20, I've been slowly losing hair in a diffuse pattern all through the top of my scalp, while my hairline has essentially not changed (apart from loss in density at the same rate as the rest of my head).

Imgur album link to show the extent of hair loss (all taken recently): https://imgur.com/a/I0HW5hV

I've obviously arranged it to make the loss as clear as possible, but actually if I style it properly it looks alright (albeit I have to be wary of a strong gust of wind!)

I went to my GP at 21, who diagnosed me with AGA, and recommend minoxidil (and frustratingly scared me off Finasteride), which I took used for 6 years without much noticeable effect.

As my hair loss got worse, I did some more research and eventually got on Finasteride. I've been on Finasteride since March 2020, so a year, and have not experienced any side effects. In that time my hair has either not changed or possibly slightly improved. I'm a bit bitter about the GP who basically put me in this position due to his misinformation, but there's nothing I can do about it now now.

 

Currently:

I'm based in the UK and have so far have had one consultation with Dr Raghu Reddy, who confirmed AGA and indicated that I have a fairly strong donor area, and that I would be suitable for a hair transplant.

He gave me the option between 1000-1200 grafts (for around 3500 hairs), and 2000-2500 grafts (7000 hairs).

While I'm obviously not looking to throw money away, I'm lucky in that the cost is not an issue for me.

 

My questions are:

Do the above number of grafts seem reasonable, and is there any reason to go for the lower number?

Is there a special requirement for transplanting into areas of diffuse loss?

Are there any other surgeons I should be looking to meet with? (I would be happy to travel to Europe for a HT) Or does the fact that my hairline is intact mean I can be a bit less worried about a surgeons artistic ability/skill?

Is there anything else I should be aware of?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

[Kharmacoma]

You need a very skilled doctor to go through your current hair without damaging them. Be EXTRA careful to which doctor you go otherwise you may end up with less hair. Although your pictures are not clear I would see you need around 2500-3000grafts to fix your hairline and fill in the gaps within you hair.

Are you on finasteride? I believe it could really help in your case.

Edited May 7, 2021 by Kharmacoma

[Melvin- Admin]

If you’re in Europe Reddy is definitely at the top of the food chain. But also take a look at Arshad, Bisanga, De Freitas, Feriduni, etc. 

Feel free to submit virtual consultations to our recommendations below

https://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/Consult-a-Physician/hair-transplant-surgeons.asp?sr=HRN-MOB

[giegnosiganoe]

I can deeply relate to your experience. I was scared/shunned away from finasteride by a dermatologist when I was in my early 20s, which resulted in wasting years of valuable time. Finally got on fin a few years later, now 2 years total, and like you I've mostly experienced maintenance. I was extremely bitter towards the dermatologist but over time came to accept the position I'm in. Ended up getting a hair transplant a few months ago after doing a fair bit of research, and am pretty optimistic about my future outlook.

Where did Dr. Reddy want to implant the grafts? Is the 1000 vs 2000 just a matter of density, or would he focus on more impactful areas like the front if limited to 1000 grafts?

Which areas of loss are bothering you the most?

Many people claim that implanting near weak native hair has a high risk of causing permanent shock loss, so it can be seen as higher risk than implanting on a completely bald area. You should ask the clinics about this.

Dr. Reddy did an Instagram Q&A with the forum recently which I really enjoyed, you should check it out.

There are tons of reputable surgeons in Europe. I would recommend going through a bunch of recent patient threads.