Aggressive hair loss at a young age. Am I a candidate for a hair transplant?

[greydog]

I'm 24 years old, have been buzzing my hair for the past 3 years but the past year has been bad. I was on Finasteride for a year when I was 19-20 but I stopped taking it when I decided to start shaving my head. Yes I regret that decision.

I have just started taking Finasteride, Oral and Topical minoxidil everyday plus Dermarolling and Topical Dutasteride once per week. If these drugs can set back the past 3 years I will be very happy, I had so much more hair back then.

I am a diffuse thinner, I also believe I have retrograde alopecia and maybe DUPA. I still have vellus hairs everywhere on top of my head, including the hairline. I can feel the texture though it looks bald in the pics, I'm hoping for those to turn terminal with treatment.

I would like to get SMP but I would like real hair more, am I a candidate for a hair transplant? I have quite a full beard too. If not I'll just go with SMP and hopefully be happy with it. I'd also like the 3D effect of SMP with some remaining hairs to make it look more realistic.

The pictures aren't the greatest but hopefully you can see what I'm dealing with. Thanks.

 

[greydog]

Here's what my hair was like in 2018, just 3 years ago. It wasn't great but a hell of a lot better than what I've got now. I regret my decisions completely, I feel like such a fool.

[digi23]

1 hour ago, greydog said:

I'm 24 years old, have been buzzing my hair for the past 3 years but the past year has been bad. I was on Finasteride for a year when I was 19-20 but I stopped taking it when I decided to start shaving my head. Yes I regret that decision.

I have just started taking Finasteride, Oral and Topical minoxidil everyday plus Dermarolling and Topical Dutasteride once per week. If these drugs can set back the past 3 years I will be very happy, I had so much more hair back then.

I am a diffuse thinner, I also believe I have retrograde alopecia and maybe DUPA. I still have vellus hairs everywhere on top of my head, including the hairline. I can feel the texture though it looks bald in the pics, I'm hoping for those to turn terminal with treatment.

I would like to get SMP but I would like real hair more, am I a candidate for a hair transplant? I have quite a full beard too. If not I'll just go with SMP and hopefully be happy with it. I'd also like the 3D effect of SMP with some remaining hairs to make it look more realistic.

The pictures aren't the greatest but hopefully you can see what I'm dealing with. Thanks.

 

Not the best photos but looking at these I will say that you should move on and accept baldness. You are looking to be Norwood 6-7. There is a chance to reverse this baldness as can be seen from some here on the forum, but I am not a fan myself to take the gamble, because normally it needs too many grafts and its often you dont have enough and end up with a bald crown. You are fortunate to have a good beard, which not everyone has. 

Edited November 21, 2021 by digi23

[Britanium]

SMP is most likely going to be a better option than a hair transplant. With such aggressive loss already you are going to struggle to get decent coverage. But it would be good to see a pic of your beard and your hair when it’s grown out. Let’s see how the med regime your on works out, if you manage to stabilise then great !  
With such a amount of loss before 24, the possible DUPA + retrograde you also mention then any hair transplant imo would be ill advised. Sorry but the SMP is most likely going to be the best option for you. 

Edited November 21, 2021 by JC71

[Berba11]

4 hours ago, greydog said:

I have just started taking Finasteride, Oral and Topical minoxidil everyday plus Dermarolling and Topical Dutasteride once per week.

Personally I'd save your money, the hassle and the potential side effects. Keeping up the regimen for the next few decades sounds like a right pain in the arse. It won't be cheap, either!

You're looking pretty much like a NW7 at 24. With some retrograde alopecia already your donor will be less that what it would be ordinarily. Retrograde isn't typically an issue - I have a bit, too - but you haven't got much up top to cling onto so the amount of coverage required is vast.

My own advice regarding SMP is to avoid. Not because it can't look good, but just from a personal point of view it's a HT or nothing. I take the view that if I can't restore my hair, some naff imitation shading (that could fail to work well or require touch ups etc) isn't going to really do enough heavy lifting. I'd rather just let things be as they are. That's just my own view though - there will be plenty of people who like SMP and would have a very different take.

[TommyLucchese]

Consult with Eugenix or one of the other highly killed beard transplant experts, but don't get your hopes up.

SMP would be a good fall back but if so you should be honest with people about it because for fair skinned people it has its limitations in my opinion, plus if someone touches your scalp all they feel is skin and no buzzed hair