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Considering a HT and weighing up my options (32, UK)


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Hi everyone,

    I've been steadily losing hair since I was around 26 (I'm 32 now) and I'm weighing up my options. I'm currently toying with the idea of getting a hair transplant and then starting finasteride afterwards to help with the native hair. Looking at my pictures does this seem like a viable option, and if so, what would you estimate at a graft count? I should mention that I've never taken finasteride or minoxidil, only biotin, niacin, zinc and iron for just under a year with pretty much no results. Any input/advice would be most appreciated.

Thanks for your time and I hope you're all doing well.

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You seem to be heading for at least NW5, however you have good hair characteristics for coverage, and a seemingly decent beard to squeeze out any extra grafts if needs be one day to help take you that extra mile. 
 

What is your family history of loss ?

 

Dedicate a few hours a day reading these board and find cases similar to your own position - hair loss wise, age wise, hair type wise etc - so you can educate yourself further as to the pro’s and cons. 

As it currently stands, I would probably opt for a two stage approach , and start with 2000-2500 grafts to focus on rebuilding your hairline and reach into the mid scalp a bit - then re-assess down the line as to where you are and what to do. 
 

Read up on all medications you may begin, and make sure to consult with a doctor who works in the relevant field of medicine. 
 

 

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I would consult with some of the forum’s recommended list:

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

What I will say is that your donor area looks pretty amazing to me. Curly hair such as yours usually gives some good coverage ! With regards to Fin/Minox this should be discussed with your own GP and it’s going to be mentioned by some clinics during consultation. 

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You really should be on meds before a HT to make sure you're comfortable sticking to them long term as you've actually lost quite a bit more hair than it first seems just by looking at you.

You seem to be a NW4 going into the pattern of a 5, but your curly hair gives coverage that hides things. My point is that you're destined for more loss as you're already thinning in this pattern, so if you go ahead now and don't end up using meds it's definitely going to continue on and you'll be in a less than ideal position chasing future loss and maybe running out of donor. 

in total for your hair right now, at least 4000 grafts for a nice look will be needed, but your curly hair will help with coverage and you won't need as many grafts which is good.

 

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If your happy to travel then you should look at some of the European options. In the Uk we are not exactly blessed with too many clinics worth considering.

Dr Arshad, Dr Reddy, Dr Ball and Dr Farjo are the only names even worth a look here. However looking further afield will get you some world class options. 

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31 minutes ago, Curious25 said:

You seem to be heading for at least NW5, however you have good hair characteristics for coverage, and a seemingly decent beard to squeeze out any extra grafts if needs be one day to help take you that extra mile. 
 

What is your family history of loss ?

 

Dedicate a few hours a day reading these board and find cases similar to your own position - hair loss wise, age wise, hair type wise etc - so you can educate yourself further as to the pro’s and cons. 

As it currently stands, I would probably opt for a two stage approach , and start with 2000-2500 grafts to focus on rebuilding your hairline and reach into the mid scalp a bit - then re-assess down the line as to where you are and what to do. 
 

Read up on all medications you may begin, and make sure to consult with a doctor who works in the relevant field of medicine. 
 

 

Thanks for your reply. My father is NW6 and my older brother is at a similar stage but has a shaved head. As for my grandfather on my mother's side, as he passed away when I was young, I don't recollect much about his hair but from what photos i've seen, it looks like his hair was quite weak in the crown and somewhat similar to my own.

I'll take time to do more research on similar cases and medications. Thanks.

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30 minutes ago, JohnAC71 said:

I would consult with some of the forum’s recommended list:

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

What I will say is that your donor area looks pretty amazing to me. Curly hair such as yours usually gives some good coverage ! With regards to Fin/Minox this should be discussed with your own GP and it’s going to be mentioned by some clinics during consultation. 

Thanks for getting back to me. I'll definitely get in touch with some of the recommended physicians from that list. 

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32 minutes ago, JDEE0 said:

You really should be on meds before a HT to make sure you're comfortable sticking to them long term as you've actually lost quite a bit more hair than it first seems just by looking at you.

You seem to be a NW4 going into the pattern of a 5, but your curly hair gives coverage that hides things. My point is that you're destined for more loss as you're already thinning in this pattern, so if you go ahead now and don't end up using meds it's definitely going to continue on and you'll be in a less than ideal position chasing future loss and maybe running out of donor. 

in total for your hair right now, at least 4000 grafts for a nice look will be needed, but your curly hair will help with coverage and you won't need as many grafts which is good.

 

Thanks for your reply. I agree with you, I've definitely lost more hair than it appears on first inspection. You would therefore recommend starting a course of meds asap?

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If you've shown the propensity to lose, this will continue.  That's a fact.  A medical regimen is a must if you want to increase density with transplants.  The color of your hair is lighter which allows for less contrast and ultimately a fuller set of hair.  The curl also provides more lateral coverage.  Visually your donor also looks good but visiting with a doctor so he can evaluate you is key.  What goals you do have? What are you trying to accomplish?

Patient Consultant for Dr. Arocha at Arocha Hair Restoration. 

I am not a medical professional and my comments should not be taken as medical advice. All opinions and views shared are my own. 

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3 minutes ago, LaserCaps said:

If you've shown the propensity to lose, this will continue.  That's a fact.  A medical regimen is a must if you want to increase density with transplants.  The color of your hair is lighter which allows for less contrast and ultimately a fuller set of hair.  The curl also provides more lateral coverage.  Visually your donor also looks good but visiting with a doctor so he can evaluate you is key.  What goals you do have? What are you trying to accomplish?

Thanks for your reply. I would say that I'd like to fill in the 'U' shape from the hairline and strengthen the crown also. I've always had my hair somewhat around the length it is now so i'm apprehensive to shave it down to see what it would look like if I was to go in the opposite direction.

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There is a tendency in this industry to always give more value to the frontal area, particularly during the first procedure.  Two things.  You can never make mistakes by addressing the front.  It is the area you see when you look at yourself in the mirror and it's the area people see when they interact with you.  Understanding that the donor area is finite, (and limited), make sure you are content with the results up front and then move farther back.  If you start working your crown, and then continue loosing hair, you'll end up with an island.  Since this is an abnormal looking patter, you'll have not choice but to chase the pattern and waste more grafts. Eventually you'll run out of donor and get stuck in a difficult situation.  The medical regiment becomes crucial.  Once you confirm it is working, you can then move forward with the crown understanding that you need to stay on the meds long term, (forever).  

Patient Consultant for Dr. Arocha at Arocha Hair Restoration. 

I am not a medical professional and my comments should not be taken as medical advice. All opinions and views shared are my own. 

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