Female HT with Dr Wesley

[Rolo]

OMG you are right, they said it should be 1mg!!!  I cannot believe i have taken 2.5 so many months.   I will skip tonight and buy 1mg tomorrow.   Thank you SO MUCH!!!! 

[HappyMan2021]

32 minutes ago, Rolo said:

OMG you are right, they said it should be 1mg!!!  I cannot believe i have taken 2.5 so many months.   I will skip tonight and buy 1mg tomorrow.   Thank you SO MUCH!!!! 

maybe you should go to the doctor and get your blood and hormone levels checked to be on the safe side. kind of whack to be doing a mini-overdose on Fin for months on end. 

[Rolo]

Yes i will do that.  Any suggestion what i should test for?   Maybe i just go off it now completely.  

Edited June 25, 2022 by Rolo

[New_Barnet_Please]

No problem, glad to help. I would definitely take a pause and do a bit more research into if you want to take it, as it’s a drug which can have side effects and is generally not recommended for women - absolutely 100% not for women that could get pregnant due to severe side effects in that area. If you’re of an age where that’s not a concern for you I don’t know if the advice changes but this is a powerful drug that effects hormones in the body so I’d advise getting a second medical opinion if it’s a good idea to take it as woman and think about it carefully. 

[Al - Moderator]

In the few small studies done in post menopausal women, it seems that 1mg of finasteride per day did not show any improvement, however 2.5mg to 5mg did show some improvements in some women, so women who want to try finasteride should probably take 2.5mg. That seems to be what you read somewhere. However even on higher doses I don't think there is very much improvement anyway and it may not be worth it.

 

[Rolo]

I am post menopausal and yes thats what i had read.  However in general i am anti medications and had only planned to continue this a few months longer but i think i will stop completely now.   I only wanted to take it past the 'shock loss' stage.   But it did seem to work because i wasnt losing lots of hair (til now anyway).  Thanks everyone!

[Rolo]

Well I am at 4.5 months now, I am very happy with the temple areas but am worried about the front center, the latter was my primary preoccupation from the start.  As I follow "Washington DC" and his concerns, I feel possibly mine may end up the same, or rather sparse in that area.   Like him, I feel in general the front is better than it was pre-surgery however in some lights, primarily direct sunlight hitting the area, I can clearly see through to the scalp.   I know it's early but am raising the same concerns; I hope it doesn't require a second surgery, I am too old to go through that again.........

 

 

Edited July 13, 2022 by Rolo
Would like to delete this

[Rolo]

Well, I wrote the dr concerned about my center front, and they write that the temple areas many times grow faster than the rest of scalp, so it's early at 4.5 months to be worried about scarcity in front, and that I should start seeing growth mid scalp at around 6 months or so, increasing and getting denser by the week/month.    At any rate, I cannot do anything except wait it out and hope ......

[Melvin- Admin]

4.5 months is the beginning of the growth stage. It is 12 months for a reason. Please keep us updated on your progress. 

[Rolo]

I am now 9 months and not happy with the results. I think if it were to improve it would have by now.  The front is what bothered me from the start and why i did this in march.  The temples have filled in but the growth very strange, fuzzy almost like carpet hair and it hasnt grown much, its not like the rest of my hair.  
i live outside the country and was in ny in october and asked to stop in.  There was much resistence because he wont see anyone before 12 months but i feel as i live outside the country they should understand that.  They finally received me and took images but the dr came out to the reception area for only about 2 minutes saying basically he wont make a determination before one year.  I cannot see myself going thru this again, i am in my 70s.  

[ray35]

I'm new to this thread but it looks like there has been progress... hard to tell how much density was there but this looks better to my eye,  I suspect by March you may be feeling quite a better.

[Rolo]

Its interesting but early on i actually felt there was a really good improvement but it then reverted.    Like wash dc i think it is better than it was pre surgery because the temples have filled in albeit with strange fuzzy hair.  But the center front is still a problem, i dont anticipate much change at this point.  I will have to think if i do second op and even with dr Wesley.  

[Melvin- Admin]

I believe there’s some definite improvement. It’s not perfect, but I can understand why he would like to wait to see how the hairs mature and thicken.

[Tiger2050]

On 12/7/2022 at 8:21 PM, Rolo said:

I am now 9 months and not happy with the results. I think if it were to improve it would have by now.  The front is what bothered me from the start and why i did this in march.  The temples have filled in but the growth very strange, fuzzy almost like carpet hair and it hasnt grown much, its not like the rest of my hair.  
i live outside the country and was in ny in october and asked to stop in.  There was much resistence because he wont see anyone before 12 months but i feel as i live outside the country they should understand that.  They finally received me and took images but the dr came out to the reception area for only about 2 minutes saying basically he wont make a determination before one year.  I cannot see myself going thru this again, i am in my 70s.  

Sorry to hear you’re not happy with the result. It’s unlikely the density is going to improve after month 9. If you do consider a second surgery, I recommend reaching out to Dr. Nadimi or Dr. Konior and discussing the option of doing FUE over FUT. FUE has a much easier recovery compared to FUT. The patient care with Konior/Nadimi is excellent, both of them respond to messages directly and would not dismiss your density concerns at month 9. A 2 minute consultation is very unprofessional. Also consider trying hair loss concealers like toppik if you don’t want to go though a second surgery.

Edited December 9, 2022 by Tiger2050

[Rolo]

Thanks v much. I had thought about those drs in chicago, in that i really dont like my results.  I wont want to consider Toppik, i went thru the surgery so as not have to use that.  I live out of the usa so its not so easy to travel.  But i wonder if those drs give zoom or photo consults.   At any rate i will wait another couple months but i am certain it wont improve.  In fact in august at 5 month i wrote i was concerned and they said at 6 month it starts showing results, each month improving so obviously now at 9 month it hasnt improved.   And i see there is at least one other who had the same situation as i do.  

[Rolo]

Ok, I am at 10.5 months and it obviously did not work.  The temple areas have filled in but the hair has not grown long and the hair is quite fuzzy, I have coarse hair but it never was like this before so I don't know why it is growing in like this.  It is the front area most disturbing; I was in a beach area recently and under certain lights I noticed how empty my scalp was, it seemed worse or at least the same as when I went in pre-surgery.  I notice under lighting and how I part hair it changes, but that photo doesn't lie either, so I am very upset.   Especially at my age to have to repeat it.   I did send photos in and the Dr said he would do a second procedure with around 200 grafts but I am nervous wondering why it did not take the first time.   As I live at a distance and outside the US I have to see how I plan this.  I don't know if I should get another opinion.

[Al - Moderator]

The frizzy, kinky hairs will probably soften and straighten over the next 6 months or so. It can take 18 months for the softness to go back to normal. 
 

[Rolo]

Yes this is the least of my concerns, my primary always has been the center front.  

[shiba1985]

Are you willing to shave the area you want density in to get a dense transplant. I always feel that it is hard to get great results with non shave cause your vision is impaired and you maybe causing collateral damage while transplanting. To get great cosmetic results, sacrifice of shaving the recipient area should strong be considered. 
 

I didn’t read,  but have you had a biopsy? You are in the age group where it is not uncommon for hair loss diseases such as frontal fibrosing alopecia to show up. If your cause is not androgenetic alopecia, the transplant can fail.  
 

How are your eyebrows? 

 

Edited January 11, 2023 by shiba1985

[Rolo]

I had a test done on that area prior to the surgery and frontal fibrosis was ruled out, the report said female pattern hair loss.  My eyebrows have thinned but i still have brows.  I dont know about shaving to be honest.  At any rate i have to discuss first w the dr prior to doing anything.  Most distressing. 

[HappyMan2021]

15 minutes ago, Rolo said:

I had a test done on that area prior to the surgery and frontal fibrosis was ruled out, the report said female pattern hair loss.  My eyebrows have thinned but i still have brows.  I dont know about shaving to be honest.  At any rate i have to discuss first w the dr prior to doing anything.  Most distressing. 

I agree full shaving is the way to go. If you truly care about getting the most optimal result possible, you must full shave. Partial shaving is just a cheap marketing ploy to attract a wider audience to hair transplants. 

@Rolo where do you live? I know one of your complaints is that you are not in the US and you'd have to travel here again. If you are in Europe I see no reason why you couldn't just go to a European doctor. Generally speaking, Europe is much better for hair transplants in the first place. 

[Rolo]

I am not in europe but regardless prefer to first consult with dr to see the problem.  I may get another opinion however.  I dont think i could shave my head though.  

[Melvin- Admin]

The frizziness should subside. I’m sorry to hear you’re not satisfied. I don’t think much will change at this point, except the texture of your hair. What areas are your main concern? It’s hard to tell from the pictures. 

[Rolo]

Hi Melvin, my really primary concern has always been the center front where can see my scalp.  After the surgery, immediately I had expressed concerns with the Dr and his staff I did not feel enough grafts had been placed in that area, I believe I even mentioned that here.   At any rate, I knew I had no choice but to wait out the one year; however increasingly it appeared that this area was not improving.   I was in NY at the 7.5 month period and seen briefly by the Dr but he was adamant that he could not make an opinion until 12 month had passed.   Well I am in 10.5 month and it obvious it will not change in 6 weeks.  I emailed the office because I plan to be in NY in a couple weeks and the Dr has agreed to see me and in fact at the one year date to do a revision.   However, I want to speak with him, it is important to find out the reason it didn't take (aside from my feeling not enough grafts were placed in that area, the concentration being the temples).    It's discouraging for sure, I am older and had only planned a one time deal, I had postponed doing this for years and finally took up the nerve last March), but it bothers me so much that I would agree to a repeat but I need some assurances I suppose.   Thank you!

[Rolo]

So i am at one week short of 11 months.  I had posted photos about one month ago and was devastated by the front center of my hair and sent photos to the Dr.  I came to NY last week and the Dr agreed to see me.  He felt that in the one month that my hair had improved, i dont know if it is the light or what, i dont know how can improve so much in one month, however i attach the images here and appreciate opinions. 
However that he felt that it was improved, and in many respects it was from the pre-op photos he showed to me, he recognized what bothered me, the density in the center front, saying he had concentrated on the temple areas.  He offered to do a 200 graft FUE to just fill in behind the center front hairline in a V pattern, i asked if could be 300-400 and he said no.  
He said could schedule it possibly in April, which would be my 13 month mark. 
i was/am concerned after seeing Washington DC results.  I appreciate any comments.  My photos to follow.