Do I need an HT?

[AVI1214]

Hello everyone,

Like most of you here, I'm obsessed with my hair and I'm scared of going bald. I need some advice on if I have to get an HT done or not at this stage?

Relatively, I have a decent volume of hair as of today. However, my hairline has receded and I also see some thinning in my crown area. I've been asking my friends and family if I need to get an HT done. So far the feedback has been mixed. Some say if it is something that is bothering me and makes me happy after getting it done, then yes. On the other hand, some say that I have better hair than many of my age and that I can wait and see a couple of years before going under the knife. Personally, I feel I should get it done before it is too late. One of the major reasons for this is that I don't want to make my HT procedure look obvious to everyone.

I'm 40 years old and have been using Finasteride for 7 years now. I'm attaching photos of my hair that were taken when it was wet. Please review and advise.

Thanks in advance.

 

 

[Britanium]

I reckon about 1500-2000 grafts could give you back a very good hairline. Have you got any Drs/clinics in mind ? As your stabilised on Fin i think your in a really good position to go ahead. 

[AVI1214]

Thanks @JC71for your prompt response.

Yes, I’ve reached out to a few clinics in Istanbul. ASMED, Vera, Resul and Bicer. Except Bicer, all other 3 clinics responded quickly and gave me the details within a day or 2. They all came up with pretty much similar graft count, around 2500 grafts.

After much research, I zeroed in on Dr. Resul Yaman. He had a good balance of experience, results and affordability. Here’s what they’ve suggested me to get done.

[Britanium]

Yup I would say Dr Bicer and Dr Yaman, in that order. Not Vera, and ASMED is a risk these days, only the top option will have Dr Erdogan involved (channel opening) and then for the cost you could get a better Euro option.

Edited January 9, 2022 by JC71

[Britanium]

Have you also considered Dr Demirsoy, Dr Turan/Gur ? 

[AVI1214]

Just now, JC71 said:

Yup I would say Dr Bicer and Dr Yaman, in that order. Not Vera, and ASMED is a risk these days, only the top option will have Dr Erdogan involved (channel opening) and then for the cost you could a better Euro option.

I tried Dr Bicer’s office and they are very slow in responding. And when they do it is after me asking them multiple times for an update. I was talking to someone named Özen.

 

[Britanium]

1 minute ago, AVI1214 said:

I tried Dr Bicer’s office and they are very slow in responding. And when they do it is after me asking them multiple times for an update. I was talking to someone named Özen.

 

I know they are super busy, but yes it can be frustrating in getting responses. It’s worth pursuing though. How was communicating with Dr Yamans office ? I know they have gone through some changes recently.

[AVI1214]

2 minutes ago, JC71 said:

I know they are super busy, but yes it can be frustrating in getting responses. It’s worth pursuing though. How was communicating with Dr Yamans office ? I know they have gone through some changes recently.

I’m still pursuing Dr Bicer.

Dr. Yaman’s was super responsive. I was talking to someone named Doga. Very professional and responsive any time of the day. Answered all my questions patiently. Also gave me advice on Visa, travel etc. Felt above and beyond.

[Britanium]

Just now, AVI1214 said:

I’m still pursuing Dr Bicer.

Dr. Yaman’s was super responsive. I was talking to someone named Doga. Very professional and responsive any time of the day. Answered all my questions patiently. Also gave me advice on Visa, travel etc. Felt above and beyond.

That’s good to hear, I know Dr Yamans prices seem too good to be true but we have absolutely no reason to think he’s still not a really good option.

[AVI1214]

4 minutes ago, JC71 said:

That’s good to hear, I know Dr Yamans prices seem too good to be true but we have absolutely no reason to think he’s still not a really good option.

My inclination towards Dr. Resul is primarily because of the results he has been getting off late. Low Price was a bonus though. I’m okay to spend a little more for a better doctor. This is mainly to reduce the risk of a bad procedure and nothing against any particular doctor. Every doc has their fair share of mishaps I guess. I just pray that the doc wakes up on the right side of the bed on the day of my surgery 😀

[Britanium]

Just now, AVI1214 said:

My inclination towards Dr. Resul is primarily because of the results he has been getting off late. Low Price was a bonus though. I’m okay to spend a little more for a better doctor. This is mainly to reduce the risk of a bad procedure and nothing against any particular doctor. Every doc has their fair share of mishaps I guess. I just pray that the doc wakes up on the right side of the bed on the day of my surgery 😀

You have nailed it, over the years I have seen every single Dr/Clinic have differing results from time to time. Dr Yaman had a few, and a couple of poorly managed donor areas. He has since improved and it’s no longer a issue. The techs that are trained for extraction are very good these days. He only does 2/3 max per day and I have always thought he does very good work. To stay on the recommended list when others have crashed and burned says it all really. 

[NARMAK]

Firstly, great job on keeping that much hair OP at 40. You also have done a good job committing to Finasteride for 7 years so it just goes to show how amazingly well it's helped you hang on compared to if you probably never did 

Regarding the images with grafts. 2000 grafts is definitely on the higher side but i have a feeling its because the clinic wants to establish a solid frontal hairline and the crown is a black hole so they probably want to be a bit more conservative and try to establish enough coverage to not make it look thinning when dry. 

Overall, as said above, Turkey has some good places but by the time you factor in price, there's options all over the world. Personally i would say Eugenix etc. also show up on the radar on a budget option. 

[gillenator]

A diffused thinning pattern in the crown is almost always risky especially with shock loss…but when the individual has been experiencing good efficiency with finasteride, that risk can potentially be more manageable…still, if it were me, I would keep the graft count in the crown conservative.

At 40 years old, you have good hair volume and having been on finasteride for 7 years successfully are very good factors…I think 2,000 for the frontal zone strengthening the hairline will look awesome and it appears your donor is well suited for those numbers…you appear to be a good candidate for this plan and my premonition is that you will be very happy with the final result “if you choose the right surgeon with a proven track record”….just don’t get side-tracked about pricing…focus on the track record of the surgeon because “it’s results that matter!”

And please keep us in the loop with pics post-op and as your procedure fully matures…best wishes!

[Melvin- Admin]

Do you have enough hair loss to warrant a hair transplant? Yes, but no one needs an HT. Now, I would rather see the grafts focused in the front first. The crown can be risky a lot of miniaturized hair there, don’t want shock loss. Are you on meds? 

[AVI1214]

9 minutes ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

Do you have enough hair loss to warrant a hair transplant? Yes, but no one needs an HT. Now, I would rather see the grafts focused in the front first. The crown can be risky a lot of miniaturized hair there, don’t want shock loss. Are you on meds? 

Agree, it's more of a WANT than a NEED. But personally when it comes to Hair, I draw a very thin line. 🙂

Meds: Yes. Finasteride for 7 years and counting. I also take Biotin and Multivitamin supplements. 

[Melvin- Admin]

9 minutes ago, AVI1214 said:

Agree, it's more of a WANT than a NEED. But personally when it comes to Hair, I draw a very thin line. 🙂

Meds: Yes. Finasteride for 7 years and counting. I also take Biotin and Multivitamin supplements. 

I would try oral minoxidil and micro needling before an HT. Focus on the hairline.

[AVI1214]

3 hours ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

I would try oral minoxidil and micro needling before an HT. Focus on the hairline.

Thanks. I will give this a shot.

Do you know if I can use both Oral and Topical Minoxidil together? Also, do you think I should now switch to Dutasteride instead of Finasteride? 

[NARMAK]

11 minutes ago, AVI1214 said:

Thanks. I will give this a shot.

Do you know if I can use both Oral and Topical Minoxidil together? Also, do you think I should now switch to Dutasteride instead of Finasteride? 

I wouldn't personally recommend using both topical and oral Minoxidil. In fact, i would advise sticking to topical Minoxidil due to less chance of side affects and it being more concentrated on your scalp. The other benefit is that you won't likely suffer from Trichosis and grow loads of unwanted body hair etc. which has happened in some people. 

You also have proven boost in clinical studies where people use Microneedling and Minoxidil together for even better results. So on the day you Microneedle, you don't need to use Minoxidil either but maybe you could apply in the morning if you do 2x a day. I think it is probably best to go with a Derma pen rather than a Microneedle roller. It is probably a bit more consistent with depth, angles and not dragging around the skin as much. 

Personally i probably could benefit from that but I have decided no Minoxidil or Microneedling will ever restore my temple points. In your case, you could try switch to Dutasteride and see if it can help. 

It according to studies blocks around 10% more scalp DHT but it almost tanks your entire body DHT. I personally use it and have done for 7 months plus. I didn't start with Finasteride which is what most people say you should use. It took me maybe a couple months to to adjust. So i had minor side affects and then my body got used to it and i think there's still been a change i noticed but nothing in terms of what i can't live with for the potential hair saving benefits. 

[WildBlueberry]

11 hours ago, AVI1214 said:

I’m still pursuing Dr Bicer.

Dr. Yaman’s was super responsive. I was talking to someone named Doga. Very professional and responsive any time of the day. Answered all my questions patiently. Also gave me advice on Visa, travel etc. Felt above and beyond.

Personally I’d stay away from clinics that have techs doing big parts of the surgery like extractions or clinics doing more than one patient a day 

[WildBlueberry]

1 hour ago, AVI1214 said:

Thanks. I will give this a shot.

Do you know if I can use both Oral and Topical Minoxidil together? Also, do you think I should now switch to Dutasteride instead of Finasteride? 

Has finasteride stopped the loss over the years or has it continued?

[TEXAN35]

I think 2000-2200 grafts to the hairline will do wonders for you. Mine was slightly worse than yours in late thirties and I got only around 1400 but very conservative placement. I dont think you need to touch crown right now.  . There are other options you can use for crown as mentioned before Minox, Finasteride, oral DUT etc or concealers do work great. I would suggest that when building hairline have it done for a good depth from front and be conservative. If you can get 2-3 inch covered from front you will be good for many years.

[AVI1214]

54 minutes ago, WildBlueberry said:

Has finasteride stopped the loss over the years or has it continued?

It most certainly did stop the loss. I keep looking at some photos from the time I started using it and I see my hairline and volume is almost intact.

[Britanium]

Just now, AVI1214 said:

It most certainly did stop the loss. I keep looking at some photos from the time I started using it and I see my hairline and volume is almost intact.

That’s really good 👍🏽 You halted it early doors 🤛

[Melvin- Admin]

2 hours ago, AVI1214 said:

Thanks. I will give this a shot.

Do you know if I can use both Oral and Topical Minoxidil together? Also, do you think I should now switch to Dutasteride instead of Finasteride? 

I would add topical dutasteride 1x per week but keep finasteride.

[AVI1214]

2 hours ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

I would add topical dutasteride 1x per week but keep finasteride.

Never knew there was a topical version of Dutasteride. 

Edited January 10, 2022 by AVI1214