I am new and I need some guidance

[Vann]

Hello,

I have been browsing this forum for quite some time (last 7-8 months). I will say it is primarily to find some hair restoration solutions. I have been taking Finasteride 1 mg  since I was in my early 20's for about 4ish years then started taking Dutasteride 0.5 mg the last 2 year from my stop of finasteride. I learned about dutasteride from this forum (awhile back before i started to read this the way i do now) and about people talking about its side effects. I would say it has helped to mitigate some hair loss. But overall, i still shed quite a bit. Especially when i shower i see a lot of hair that comes out. Ordinarily I have come to accept my hair loss. However, due to recent family health issues I have started to seek alternative options. I see a lot of people here talk about hair transplants. So i started looking up youtube videos, reviews, some consultations with doctors in my area. The thing is I do not trust the doctors in my area since some don't do the transplant themselves. I asked some dermatologists who said we have options such as prp, laser, etc. but when i asked about other options they did not give me any choices since they could not sell me that service directly.

But a little bit about why I want to do any kind of hair transplant or some other alternative is because my mother passed away from aggressive cancer and when she went through chemo it caused her to lose her hair. She was very pressed about it and so i shaved my head along with her. We literally have the same face and when my hair grew in it was really noticeable that I was losing my hair. It looked a lot like my mothers hair and patterns of hair loss she experienced due to the drugs she was taking. However, mine grew back and she unfortunately did not survive long enough to see that. But I look in the mirror and i get this painful reminder of losing her since i cant stop seeing her face. I thought I would get over this but its been 2 years and I want to change the perception I have towards my hair and the way I perceive it.

I have tried to get consultations with plastic surgeons in the area that do some hair transplants but they charge up to $300 and that really isnt much help just to hear someone who would probably tell me I need this and try to sell me a service. It would definitely help to hear from their perspective but paying $300 for a review I feel would be bias towards their own profit kind of puts me off on it.

I have read a lot of reviews about people doing transplants the in US, Canada, but i have seen a lot of people going to Turkey because of the affordable costs relative to other countries. I have spent months looking into proper procedures and honestly its still hard to decide. If I could honestly afford it I would possibly choose a clinic in NY seeing a lot of their results with hair types similar to mine but I think that is way out of my price range to even consider.

I would like to ask anyone who was in a position similar to myself would you consider traveling to Turkey to get a procedure done? Who you would consider (no hairmills please Ive looked extensively into Turkish clinics and doctors)? If not Turkey what doctor would you consider is worth the price? I will say that my budget I can spend is a little close to $7k but in terms of results (grafts) in the states it does not get you much (as far as I have seen for my case of hairloss). Basically, any experience you can give me and what you believe I should research into.

I want to note that this isnt something I am willing to jump into right away. I am just trying to start with as much information as possible.

I have posted some attachments of my current hair (I think that because my hair is starting to curl in it is covering some of the less dense areas)

 

[JoeMan]

Pictures of your donor area and crown would be helpful. Dr. Biçer in Turkey might be an option. It's free to reach out to several clinics and get an estimate so get a few. I would also consider some European options as well since your budget isn't too far off. Most good Dr's seem booked for a year out, so you'll have time to save some more if thats the route you choose. Definitely don't let cost be the sole deciding factor. 

 

Good luck!

[Vann]

Thank you very much for that advice. I have reached out to some clinics in turkey and gotten some opinions that I think are way too much (in terms of grafts). So I have tried to stay away from those places.

I am waiting to hear back from a few I have messaged. I will look some EU doctors. Do you have any particular ones that standout that I would need to definitely take a look at? 
 

Additionally, I have added a picture of my  donor area. Price isn’t my driving factor in getting this but it is also the reason why I am able to do this in the first place. So it is something I try to take into consideration.

[JoeMan]

Somewhere on here is a list with prices that I can never seem to locate but I'm sure someone will point you to it. Dr. Ferreira and Pinto in Portugal, Dr De Freitas in Spain, Eugenix in India, Dr Biçer in Turkey and a few others I'm sure people will mention if you search around here. 

[JDEE0]

 

[Melvin- Admin]

The pros, you have excellent hair characteristics, thick, coarse hair. You also have a small degree of hair loss. The con, you have diffuse hair loss, which means you most definitely have to shave your head, if you decide to get a procedure done.

Our forum has compiled a list of surgeons that we have approved as a collective. I suggest using our list as a starting point for research, submit as many consultations as possible to get a general consensus.

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

[Vann]

1 hour ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

The pros, you have excellent hair characteristics, thick, coarse hair. You also have a small degree of hair loss. The con, you have diffuse hair loss, which means you most definitely have to shave your head, if you decide to get a procedure done.

Our forum has compiled a list of surgeons that we have approved as a collective. I suggest using our list as a starting point for research, submit as many consultations as possible to get a general consensus.

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

 

2 hours ago, JDEE0 said:

 

This is awesome, thanks for helping me find a good start.

[mmokin]

8 hours ago, Vann said:

Hello,

I have been browsing this forum for quite some time (last 7-8 months). I will say it is primarily to find some hair restoration solutions. I have been taking Finasteride 1 mg  since I was in my early 20's for about 4ish years then started taking Dutasteride 0.5 mg the last 2 year from my stop of finasteride. I learned about dutasteride from this forum (awhile back before i started to read this the way i do now) and about people talking about its side effects. I would say it has helped to mitigate some hair loss. But overall, i still shed quite a bit. Especially when i shower i see a lot of hair that comes out. Ordinarily I have come to accept my hair loss. However, due to recent family health issues I have started to seek alternative options. I see a lot of people here talk about hair transplants. So i started looking up youtube videos, reviews, some consultations with doctors in my area. The thing is I do not trust the doctors in my area since some don't do the transplant themselves. I asked some dermatologists who said we have options such as prp, laser, etc. but when i asked about other options they did not give me any choices since they could not sell me that service directly.

But a little bit about why I want to do any kind of hair transplant or some other alternative is because my mother passed away from aggressive cancer and when she went through chemo it caused her to lose her hair. She was very pressed about it and so i shaved my head along with her. We literally have the same face and when my hair grew in it was really noticeable that I was losing my hair. It looked a lot like my mothers hair and patterns of hair loss she experienced due to the drugs she was taking. However, mine grew back and she unfortunately did not survive long enough to see that. But I look in the mirror and i get this painful reminder of losing her since i cant stop seeing her face. I thought I would get over this but its been 2 years and I want to change the perception I have towards my hair and the way I perceive it.

I have tried to get consultations with plastic surgeons in the area that do some hair transplants but they charge up to $300 and that really isnt much help just to hear someone who would probably tell me I need this and try to sell me a service. It would definitely help to hear from their perspective but paying $300 for a review I feel would be bias towards their own profit kind of puts me off on it.

I have read a lot of reviews about people doing transplants the in US, Canada, but i have seen a lot of people going to Turkey because of the affordable costs relative to other countries. I have spent months looking into proper procedures and honestly its still hard to decide. If I could honestly afford it I would possibly choose a clinic in NY seeing a lot of their results with hair types similar to mine but I think that is way out of my price range to even consider.

I would like to ask anyone who was in a position similar to myself would you consider traveling to Turkey to get a procedure done? Who you would consider (no hairmills please Ive looked extensively into Turkish clinics and doctors)? If not Turkey what doctor would you consider is worth the price? I will say that my budget I can spend is a little close to $7k but in terms of results (grafts) in the states it does not get you much (as far as I have seen for my case of hairloss). Basically, any experience you can give me and what you believe I should research into.

I want to note that this isnt something I am willing to jump into right away. I am just trying to start with as much information as possible.

I have posted some attachments of my current hair (I think that because my hair is starting to curl in it is covering some of the less dense areas)

 

i wouldnt risk a transplant if your a diffues thinner, have you seen ufc fighter paulo costa's hair transplant somehow he looks worse i think the trauma from surgery made him lose more hair faster, this could be your case as well but i cant say if maybe he went to a bad clinic but unlikely since he's a pro fighter.

not to discourage you, but just to let you be aware of the possible risks

[mmokin]

i would go for smp since you have a lot of hair already to add visual density to the midscalp and only transplant into the hairline but thats just me, i havent seen a diffuse thinner benefit much from a HT tbh 

[NARMAK]

Very sorry for your loss OP. A mother can and is an irreplaceable figure to many. 

I think the psychological aspects of her loss are still affecting you and you need time or therapy to disassociate your hair loss with her situation somewhat 

You also have thinning in your frontal/midscalp areas. I would say since you been on Finasteride and bow Dutasteride, it's probably best you switch to adding Minoxodil and Microneedling with a derma pen into your routine.

The focus can then be on your frontal hairline and your temple points look receded too, so if you wish to address this. You need a truly talented place that knows what they're doing. 

[Vann]

11 hours ago, mmokin said:

i would go for smp since you have a lot of hair already to add visual density to the midscalp and only transplant into the hairline but thats just me, i havent seen a diffuse thinner benefit much from a HT tbh 

 

11 hours ago, mmokin said:

i wouldnt risk a transplant if your a diffues thinner, have you seen ufc fighter paulo costa's hair transplant somehow he looks worse i think the trauma from surgery made him lose more hair faster, this could be your case as well but i cant say if maybe he went to a bad clinic but unlikely since he's a pro fighter.

not to discourage you, but just to let you be aware of the possible risks

I have looked up diffused thinning and results based off my type of hair. I think Paulo is a good example but i am not sure if he was on any medication. I have noticed that some of my hairs have started to get back to a healthier strand than I previously saw when i switched to Dutasteride. Needless to say i think shock loss is always a possibility and something to consider. There are numerous outcomes to any type of procedure that anyone should consider which is why it is good to note and consider these as potential risks. However, i do not know if i would go for like 3-4k procedures in one go to prevent these types of risks. Ill have to keep looking up more types of risks to get a better understanding.

As far as SMP I never really considered it an option. 

[Vann]

7 hours ago, NARMAK said:

Very sorry for your loss OP. A mother can and is an irreplaceable figure to many. 

I think the psychological aspects of her loss are still affecting you and you need time or therapy to disassociate your hair loss with her situation somewhat 

You also have thinning in your frontal/midscalp areas. I would say since you been on Finasteride and bow Dutasteride, it's probably best you switch to adding Minoxodil and Microneedling with a derma pen into your routine.

The focus can then be on your frontal hairline and your temple points look receded too, so if you wish to address this. You need a truly talented place that knows what they're doing. 

I definitely agree, this is still psychological but then i would still consider people getting a hair transplant for confidence, insecurity, or personal reasons the same. I am not sure if it is a coping mechanism or way for them to heal. I know what it means to me personally. Its something that I feel I first accepted (losing my hair) but when I met mortality, I wanted to change that. It wasnt a decision I am making lightly since this would potentially be a permanent procedure or maybe ill need another if I want it to be perfect.

I have tried minoxidil for almost a year when i first started to lose hair (years ago) I did not like the way it had dried my scalp. I suppose once I get those consultations I will begin after I hear what those doctors have to say. However, I considered micro needling, prp, laser, and other treatments but those are very costly (upwards to 3-4k a year) so I wanted to take a more permanent route since I don't think i would be able to keep up with those costs yearly.

In terms of talented places could you elaborate on what I should look for in particular? I have a few questions that I ask such as # of patients/week/month, tool they use- whether its the WAW, diameter of tool (0.7mm-0.9 etc), number of grafts they think i should consider, how many of those grafts they think I should put (1-4 grafts per punch in which area), and a lot of others that I am blanking on but those type of questions would help if you have any.

[NARMAK]

1 hour ago, Vann said:

I definitely agree, this is still psychological but then i would still consider people getting a hair transplant for confidence, insecurity, or personal reasons the same. I am not sure if it is a coping mechanism or way for them to heal. I know what it means to me personally. Its something that I feel I first accepted (losing my hair) but when I met mortality, I wanted to change that. It wasnt a decision I am making lightly since this would potentially be a permanent procedure or maybe ill need another if I want it to be perfect.

I have tried minoxidil for almost a year when i first started to lose hair (years ago) I did not like the way it had dried my scalp. I suppose once I get those consultations I will begin after I hear what those doctors have to say. However, I considered micro needling, prp, laser, and other treatments but those are very costly (upwards to 3-4k a year) so I wanted to take a more permanent route since I don't think i would be able to keep up with those costs yearly.

In terms of talented places could you elaborate on what I should look for in particular? I have a few questions that I ask such as # of patients/week/month, tool they use- whether its the WAW, diameter of tool (0.7mm-0.9 etc), number of grafts they think i should consider, how many of those grafts they think I should put (1-4 grafts per punch in which area), and a lot of others that I am blanking on but those type of questions would help if you have any.

By talented, i meant the recommended list of clinics and doctors for example listed here on the forum who have shown a track record of results and consistency. 

Microneedling is probably the cheapest option in terms of something that is proven to work. You could probably even get a cheap enough deal on a Derma Pen whereas PRP etc. does run thousands and the benefits for the price are something you have to weigh up. 

A hair transplants only a "permanent" solution in the sense that the hair is taken from the back of the head, typically considered resistant to DHT and put on the front, but if you don't have medication or something in place, it could lead to a 2nd or 3rd hair transplant being needed. So donor management is very important. Also another reason to choose the right place. 

There are various reasons for sure people choose to go for a hair transplant and those you listed are probably most definitely among them, however, i think connecting hair loss to mortality isn't healthy. Especially if you for example got a hair transplant and then had further hair loss down the line that's part of male pattern baldness. You're also not that old and it's difficult without a trichologist checking you whether maybe, it's also a combination of stress causing your hairloss, an imbalance of hormones etc. 

Hair loss is multi-factorial and attacking it requires you to know what's causing yours. For example, i used to get an inflamed itchy scalp and loads of dry skin and dandruff build up, but since starting Nizoral and now adding T-gel, as well as regularly moisturising more, it's helped a lot. I think it just helped areas too that might have shed because of that too. So it's not just that i necessarily had a good response with Dutasteride alone for example. 

Microneedling is also a more recent promoted treatment that helps give results that imo are a little more permanent or at least stick arounf significantly longer than say hair you keeping with Finasteride and Minoxidil. 

You said you didn't like the way it dried your scalp etc. and that's definitely a reason why a lot of people probably stop using it, because it seems like a chore. That's why oral minoxodil probably is gaining traction but it's not widely available. 

You definitely shouldn't rush to get a hair transplant. Most reputable clinics will also be looking at your age as a warning sign because if its affecting you a fair bit in your early 20s even with medication, they'll be afraid about what that might end up looking like in 10 years even. 

[Vann]

Just an update. I have reached out to quite a few clinics. A few have given me a doctors feedback but the ones that have given me feedback have told me. To get about 2-3.5k grafts depending on the density which will be evaluated during an in person visit, to not do anything but continue medical therapy, put 2.8k grafts and lower the hairline, and another to check for density in person and determine the number of grafts in person.

 

overall the reviews are mixed but only 2 doctors told me to not do anything given my age and diffused thinning. They told me to just keep doing the medicinal approach that I am taking. Which honestly is not what I want to hear but it might be what I need to hear. 
 

Hearing a review for 2-3.5k grafts or lowering my hairline kind of puts me off with those reviews since that isn’t exactly the best for my long term. And I believe that may be too many grafts for the amount of loss I have. I am not too sure it really depends on my density which i don’t know how to calculate by looking at a photo. (Or even on my scalp with my eyes) 

 

I have reviewed what a lot of people have said and commented on this post or on other forums. I think I am too picky in how I want my results and I believe that means I may need to take a step back from a hair transplant. I have bought a derma roller and will include that in my daily/weekly routine and give it some time to see the results. I will also continue to look up other consultations and try to get better opinions. I think the length of my hair currently is masking some of the thinness so I can see why some of the doctors tell me to not do anything and I can also see from the other perspective to get some density added in. As to the amount of grafts it’s pretty inconsistent and I think I’ll need more consultations to evaluate what is appropriate for my loss currently.

Edited January 27, 2022 by Vann
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