Is Donor Area Good?

[Baldingat22]

I am 22 donor area has always looked that way. I have that tangle back there don’t know if cowlick or balding but I do have Norwood 3 esque hairline. Is my donor area decent like would I be able to get a ton of grafts back there if it stayed the same? I do take fin every day. How would you describe the hair back there thin or coarse one doctor online asked me and I feel think at my hairline so assumed same throughout.

Edited March 14, 2023 by Hans - Webmaster
Removed images for privacy reasons

[Melvin- Admin]

At 22 you’ve only just begun your hair loss journey. It may look good at 22 but change drastically by 30. Are you on fin?

[Baldingat22]

2 hours ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

At 22 you’ve only just begun your hair loss journey. It may look good at 22 but change drastically by 30. Are you on fin?

Yes. I am on fin and thinking about oral minox. I guess I was just wondering if this is what it looked like in 10 year(probably won’t) but hypoethocally speaking would I have a ton of donor grafts to give?

[gillenator]

That’s very difficult to predict…it is imperative to have the donor region microscopically examined prior to when you are considering having a procedure done.

[NARMAK]

16 hours ago, Baldingat22 said:

Yes. I am on fin and thinking about oral minox. I guess I was just wondering if this is what it looked like in 10 year(probably won’t) but hypoethocally speaking would I have a ton of donor grafts to give?

You're at a young age and being Norwood 3 at 22 isn't looking good. If you got to maybe late 20s, early 30s and can show no further progression over that time, a reputable clinic may be willing to help with a HT. 

Restorative treatment is 100% what you should focus on right now to halt the progression if possible and regain what you can. 

[Baldingat22]

8 minutes ago, NARMAK said:

You're at a young age and being Norwood 3 at 22 isn't looking good. If you got to maybe late 20s, early 30s and can show no further progression over that time, a reputable clinic may be willing to help with a HT. 

Restorative treatment is 100% what you should focus on right now to halt the progression if possible and regain what you can. 

Mainly stay in fin will it keep it the same?

[LaserCaps]

Difficult to say, particularly when we only have a photo of the donor area.  Can you provide photos of your entire head? Is there family history of hair loss? Are you experiencing shedding? How did you notice the thinning originally? Try to get into an in-person evaluation with a doctor.

Who put you on the medication? What did they say?

[NARMAK]

29 minutes ago, Baldingat22 said:

Mainly stay in fin will it keep it the same?

Fin is no guarantee for anybody but let me put it this way, if you have no side affects and take 1mg/day, you will be stopping your potential hair loss as much as possible. 

Compare that to if you did nothing and how much worse and quicker you might lose hair. For some, the unfortunate reality is that they're non responders or their hair loss is so DHT sensitive it just doesn't appear to make a difference. Those people are usually on an extreme. Just like hyper responders to medications. 

I say, stick yourself in an average group, with low average expectations for results and see what happens. Save up money and do your research so that when/if you got for a HT, you make the best choice. Not one where you feel limited on a budget. 

[Rahal Hair Transplant]

Baldingat22,

I may be misunderstanding you however, it sounds like you are referring to the crown (the area in the back of the recipient area prone to male pattern baldness) as the “donor area“. The donor area is the area on the sides and back of the scalp where hair is taken during surgical hair restoration and then implanted into the recipient area which is typically the top of the scalp anywhere from the hairline to the crown.

The picture you presented shows your crown and doesn’t provide a good view of the donor area. However, the minimal view of the donor area that I can see looks fine enough for hair transplant surgery eventually if and when you become a candidate.

Frankly, you are only 22 with minimal hair loss if any as it’s unclear based on the picture whether or not the crown is showing any thinning. It could just be the natural whorl that makes it appear like there’s thinning when there isn’t.

Presenting some better pictures could help but if you said the area has always been this way, then it’s likely that you are not experiencing any hair loss at this point.

But I certainly wouldn’t consider hair transplant surgery at this point. Assuming that there is any signs of thinning at all, you may be a good candidate for Propecia/finasteride.  But make sure to speak to a doctor about potential side effects and whether or not he or she thinks you are a good candidate. You could also consider trying minoxidil.

I suggest consulting a dermatologist or trichologist who can evaluate your scalp under magnification and look for signs of miniaturization.  Then, you will know more as to whether or not you’re experiencing male pattern baldness and If committing to hair loss medication  

Best wishes,

Rahal Hair Transplant

Edited January 20, 2022 by Rahal Hair Transplant

[Baldingat22]

Hello. Thank you all. I agree and most ethical doctors(besides the ones who have no care and are not really certified) have told me to wait until 25 at least. I think like all of us have it sucks though because all my friends were blessed with amazing hairlines. I do of course plan to wait but I’d really like to have a good hairline in my 20s and then when I’m 30-40 maybe I’ll be married and I won’t be trying to keep up with peers. Idk just my thought. Either way I wear my hair like a fade on the sides and leave the top(because of the hairline) my hairline has always been jagged like this but started looking similar to this around 3 years ago and just has not changed a ton. I haven’t notice further recession on fin. Family history my mom’s dad went bald at 22. My dad has hair of wool almost and even in his mid 60s he only had recession around the hairline. My dad’s dad had probably Norwood 1 until his death in his 80s. There is a lot of variables at play and of course if I get my moms dad hair I will be bald in the next year, s my moms side has thin hair and dad has thick. Either way these are some photos. I definitely will bald further but the back and sides I have not noticed a ton of anything yet the hairline is the main worry. Again thank you all for responding I love this community!

Edited March 14, 2023 by Hans - Webmaster
Removed images for privacy reasons

[NARMAK]

I didn't recede as much on the frontal hairline, so i can't speak for that. But my temple points were basically gone by 17/18 from what i recall. That's imo also really bad because losing them, aged me. 

I looked around too at people without hairloss in their 20s "living their best life(!)" as you assume, but i hand on heart think i will care about my hair as much in my 40s and 50s as i do now, but i still feel like i can hopefully enjoy my hair in my 30s with a HT like i would have liked to in my 20s.

Also, don't forget that most men as they age seem to give up on themselves. Looking after yourself is a big thing imo, because you never know what curveball you'll get. There's guys in their 20s, 30s etc. that let themselves go, don't worry about their hair anymore during a long term relationship and at some point, if it fails and they have to start looking again in the singles market. Good luck when you put a load of weight on, lost a significant amount of hair and are older. 

Stay looking good guys! Whatever your age.

Edited March 14, 2023 by Hans - Webmaster
Removed quoted images for privacy reasons

[Baldingat22]

3 hours ago, NARMAK said:

I didn't recede as much on the frontal hairline, so i can't speak for that. But my temple points were basically gone by 17/18 from what i recall. That's imo also really bad because losing them, aged me. 

I looked around too at people without hairloss in their 20s "living their best life(!)" as you assume, but i hand on heart think i will care about my hair as much in my 40s and 50s as i do now, but i still feel like i can hopefully enjoy my hair in my 30s with a HT like i would have liked to in my 20s.

Also, don't forget that most men as they age seem to give up on themselves. Looking after yourself is a big thing imo, because you never know what curveball you'll get. There's guys in their 20s, 30s etc. that let themselves go, don't worry about their hair anymore during a long term relationship and at some point, if it fails and they have to start looking again in the singles market. Good luck when you put a load of weight on, lost a significant amount of hair and are older. 

Stay looking good guys! Whatever your age.

I agree I mean I will always care about hair. I mean if I am 90 in a rest home I doubt I’ll care but in my 40s I hope to be married so if it goes then I would be sad of course but not as sad as at 25 when I’m trying to find someone. Of course ideally I want the HT to last forever and my hair to not further recess and I know in person is the only way to gauge this but I just wondered if my back stays like this at let’s say 27(thinking I stay on fin and maybe incorporate oral minox) what there be enough hair based off the picture that even if i was to go bald I could still donate?

[NARMAK]

19 minutes ago, Baldingat22 said:

I agree I mean I will always care about hair. I mean if I am 90 in a rest home I doubt I’ll care but in my 40s I hope to be married so if it goes then I would be sad of course but not as sad as at 25 when I’m trying to find someone. Of course ideally I want the HT to last forever and my hair to not further recess and I know in person is the only way to gauge this but I just wondered if my back stays like this at let’s say 27(thinking I stay on fin and maybe incorporate oral minox) what there be enough hair based off the picture that even if i was to go bald I could still donate?

Do what you can now, save up and cross that bridge when you come to it. 

Hell, if they get clone hair in the next decade, your HT could be a fancy dream lol. 

Staying realistic though, it's just a matter of time and patience. Manage as best as you can. Hair is only as big a problem as we make it, and above all, nobody should ever let it define them. 

There's too many "Blackpill/Redpill" nonsense out there. You should improve yourself all around as a person and your 20s generally shape the person you grow to become. Mould a good person. 

Billions of people. Billions of problems. Hair loss is just one we focus on and make that mole hill into a mountain. 

[Baldingat22]

1 hour ago, NARMAK said:

Do what you can now, save up and cross that bridge when you come to it. 

Hell, if they get clone hair in the next decade, your HT could be a fancy dream lol. 

Staying realistic though, it's just a matter of time and patience. Manage as best as you can. Hair is only as big a problem as we make it, and above all, nobody should ever let it define them. 

There's too many "Blackpill/Redpill" nonsense out there. You should improve yourself all around as a person and your 20s generally shape the person you grow to become. Mould a good person. 

Billions of people. Billions of problems. Hair loss is just one we focus on and make that mole hill into a mountain. 

Thanks for this it means a lot. So don’t even consider touching it until later? Just focus on fin now?

[NARMAK]

30 minutes ago, Baldingat22 said:

Thanks for this it means a lot. So don’t even consider touching it until later? Just focus on fin now?

Honestly, only you can decide 2hen the "right" time is but a reputable clinic usually won't touch you till like minimum 25+. I can look back at maybe from when i was 21 till 31 and feel incredibly fortunate i started medication because i think i got to a point where i was at that point of where things would head into a negative direction if i didn't start medication when i did. 

However, i wish i could go back knowing what i know and start earlier at 21 on Finasteride etc. and probably would have been in an even better situation potentially. I don't feel like there's been a lot of "lost ground" per se, it's been really gradual/slow for me, because i guess i was quite conscious of it from a younger age, but i wish i didn't listen to the BS around Finasteride etc. about the overblown side affects. 

Stay on Finasteride, possibly look into Minoxodil for just the frontal areas and Microneedling. Microneedling is probably a good route to promote bloodflow all around the scalp. I think i'm gonna try getting a Derma Pen for that purpose soon as i mentioned elsewhere. 

Minoxodil is a hassle topically to apply, and looks like maybe oral minoxodil is getting popular due to this and being easier to stick with. Personally it's not widely available here in the UK but i think i'd give a low dose a try now. I was scared of the sides like Trichosis etc. but you can always laser it off i've realised. 

[Baldingat22]

50 minutes ago, NARMAK said:

Honestly, only you can decide 2hen the "right" time is but a reputable clinic usually won't touch you till like minimum 25+. I can look back at maybe from when i was 21 till 31 and feel incredibly fortunate i started medication because i think i got to a point where i was at that point of where things would head into a negative direction if i didn't start medication when i did. 

However, i wish i could go back knowing what i know and start earlier at 21 on Finasteride etc. and probably would have been in an even better situation potentially. I don't feel like there's been a lot of "lost ground" per se, it's been really gradual/slow for me, because i guess i was quite conscious of it from a younger age, but i wish i didn't listen to the BS around Finasteride etc. about the overblown side affects. 

Stay on Finasteride, possibly look into Minoxodil for just the frontal areas and Microneedling. Microneedling is probably a good route to promote bloodflow all around the scalp. I think i'm gonna try getting a Derma Pen for that purpose soon as i mentioned elsewhere. 

Minoxodil is a hassle topically to apply, and looks like maybe oral minoxodil is getting popular due to this and being easier to stick with. Personally it's not widely available here in the UK but i think i'd give a low dose a try now. I was scared of the sides like Trichosis etc. but you can always laser it off i've realised. 

So since I started on fin around 21 you think if that is all I do and maybe incorporate microneedling I will keep it similar by 31?

[NARMAK]

6 hours ago, Baldingat22 said:

So since I started on fin around 21 you think if that is all I do and maybe incorporate microneedling I will keep it similar by 31?

Nobody can tell you honestly how it will look, bur staying on 1mg/day Finasteride will give you the best chance to stay as close as possible. 

DHT sensitivity can change over time in people. That's why their hair initially is fine on Finasteride but they can still experience more hair loss later on. The 20s are probably the more aggressive years and then it slows down in 30s and more as you age. Usually 50s is when it's probably settled more or less fully, but as a guy in your 20s & 30s, you probably will have a more sensitive time because that's "prime" years of youth before we decline and also the years we tend to hit into long term relationships etc. and settle down. 

Just do whatever you safely and reasonably can. Hit the gym, work on your career and stick to Finasteride/Microneedling/Minoxidil and style your hair in a way that makes you feel comfortable. 

Man, i know people say it. I literally don't know where the hell the last 10 years of my life went. They whizzed by. At the time, i thought it would take forever.