Am I too young for HT surgery?

[SoSoz]

Story: Experiencing balding since like 17, could see hair on my school books. Now Im 23(in august 24), tried shaving my head but it looks like disaster and many people has told me that. I can't longer live with hair like this so I need to do something about it. I don't smoke nor drink. I've tried minoxidil before but it made my scalp really itchy and flaky, like insane dandruff. Haven't used finasteride. I have literally bald spots on front of my head so I wont be even able to recover this with medication and I don't have motivation to use finasteride if I don't have hair in my front, also doctors said it's better to not use meds before surgery evaluation. I was contacting some doctors/clinics and they said they are willing to perform the surgery on me. Only HLC refused because of my age. My budget is 1.5eur per graft at max. Can someone give me advice what to do?

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by SoSoz

[HappyMan2021]

Yes you are too young and your hairloss is really aggressive for your age to boot. 

1) Get on Fin asap

2) Find a good haircut style or buzz cut that suits you

3) Forget about hairloss and don't let it affect you

4) In 3-4 years come back if you are still interested and begin your HT journey again

 

Who knows, in that time you might really like a buzzed look - or not care about hair as much as you do now - and you wont even want a HT. 

[Rahal Hair Transplant]

SoSoz,

While age is certainly a factor for doctors considering whether or not a patient is a candidate for hair restoration surgery, it’s certainly not the only factor and obviously not the most important one.

Believe me, I was pretty young when I started losing my hair also and was quite stressed and upset when it started happening. As it got worse, I became depressed and I knew I wanted to do something about it.  So I understand exactly how you feel. It’s a good thing that you found this discussion forum, which is a great place for getting genuine and honest information about the best hair restoration treatments and doctors   

For starters, I would definitely strongly consider getting on finasteride.  In fact, finasteride typically works the best at thickening thinning hair in men with diffuse thinning patterns, which you appear to have.  So in my opinion, I would consider getting on it for a good year to see how it works for you. Hopefully, at the very least it will slow down or even stop the progression of male pattern baldness and if you are lucky, it will thicken your thinning hair and it will make the appearance of your overall hair much thicker looking.

Keep in mind of course that finasteride does come with the potential for side effects and though rare, some men do experience them. That said, side effects do typically stop in the majority of men if they stop using the medication.  Of course, any benefit from the medication will also cease if finasteride is stopped.

Hopefully you’ll be a good responder to finasteride and after one year of treatment, you can proceed with hair transplant surgery.

I will tell you straight up, hair restoration is a marathon, not a sprint. I know how emotional it can be to lose your hair and I’m sure you would like a quick fix. But if you’re going to get it done right and are looking to restore a youthful looking appearance for the long term, it’s far better to follow a solid long-term hair restoration plan then to jump in the chair with the first doctor willing to operate on your head.

Best wishes,

Rahal Hair Transplant

Edited March 31, 2022 by Rahal Hair Transplant

[SoSoz]

But there are many people saying that you should not be on medication before hair transplant, also I can't restore my frontal hairline with finasteride since there is no hair at all, it looks terrible. Would it not be better to get a surgery with like 2000 grafts to restore my hairline and jump on finasteride,minoxidil,ketoconazole shampo and once a year PRP? 

[MAIZE1694]

1 hour ago, SoSoz said:

Story: Experiencing balding since like 17, could see hair on my school books. Now Im 23(in august 24), tried shaving my head but it looks like disaster and many people has told me that. I can't longer live with hair like this so I need to do something about it. I don't smoke nor drink. I've tried minoxidil before but it made my scalp really itchy and flaky, like insane dandruff. Haven't used finasteride. I have literally bald spots on front of my head so I wont be even able to recover this with medication and I don't have motivation to use finasteride if I don't have hair in my front, also doctors said it's better to not use meds before surgery evaluation. I was contacting some doctors/clinics and they said they are willing to perform the surgery on me. Only HLC refused because of my age. My budget is 1.5eur per graft at max. Can someone give me advice what to do?

Preserving as much hair as possible is the name of the game. You still have plenty left to lose, and if it goes i'm sure you're gonna feel that much worse about your appearance. Get on fin and stay on it. Generic form is 1mg, get a pill cutter and start out at .5mg for a few weeks until you feel safe to go to 1mg. Plenty of guys stay on .5mg effectively still.

I wish I knew about fin at 24.

Get on fin.

[Rahal Hair Transplant]

SoSoz,

Who said said that you shouldn’t be on finasteride prior to her transplantation? I can’t imagine anybody on this discussion forum suggesting that.

Rahal Hair Transplant

Edited March 31, 2022 by Rahal Hair Transplant

[SoSoz]

1 minute ago, MAIZE1694 said:

Preserving as much hair as possible is the name of the game. You still have plenty left to lose, and if it goes i'm sure you're gonna feel that much worse about your appearance. Get on fin and stay on it. Generic form is 1mg, get a pill cutter and start out at .5mg for a few weeks until you feel safe to go to 1mg. Plenty of guys stay on .5mg effectively still.

I wish I knew about fin at 24.

Get on fin.

What about 0.2mg? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10495374/ This studdy suggest that 0.2mg/0.5mg dose is as effective as 1mg dosage?

[Rahal Hair Transplant]

SoSoz,

Yes you are right, it is quite unlikely that finasteride will regrow hair in completely bald areas such as the frontal hairline area that is receding. And while you could undergo hair transplantation now and restore a youthful looking hairline, you need to remember that hair transplant surgery is about supply and demand. You have limited donor hair and your hair loss is advancing quite aggressively.

The truth is, if you lose all of the hair on top of your scalp which I predict you very well might, you won’t have enough hair to re-create a youthful looking hairline and provide enough coverage and density in other areas of the scalp.

So whether you undergo hair transplant surgery now or later, I suggest re-creating a conservative looking hairline and not one that’s overly aggressive and low.

Rahal Hair Transplant

[MAIZE1694]

1 minute ago, SoSoz said:

What about 0.2mg? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10495374/ This studdy suggest that 0.2mg/0.5mg dose is as effective as 1mg dosage?

If you can tolerate 1mg I would stay on that. Hell if you can tolerate dutasteride I would stick with that. I've never tried it yet however.

1mg only inhibits about 40% of dht in the scalp. 

[Mike10]

The answer to your question is yes. Have you considered shaving. If you can live with it, it is always better than going the long bumpy journey of HTs

Edited April 1, 2022 by Mike10

[SoSoz]

5 hours ago, Mike10 said:

The answer to your question is yes. Have you considered shaving. If you can live with it, it is always better than going the long bumpy journey of HTs

Yes I've shaved completely bald, on the pictures below its like first week of growth. As I said looks terrible on me and I wont accept myself with that look

[SoSoz]

11 hours ago, Rahal Hair Transplant said:

SoSoz,

Yes you are right, it is quite unlikely that finasteride will regrow hair in completely bald areas such as the frontal hairline area that is receding. And while you could undergo hair transplantation now and restore a youthful looking hairline, you need to remember that hair transplant surgery is about supply and demand. You have limited donor hair and your hair loss is advancing quite aggressively.

The truth is, if you lose all of the hair on top of your scalp which I predict you very well might, you won’t have enough hair to re-create a youthful looking hairline and provide enough coverage and density in other areas of the scalp.

So whether you undergo hair transplant surgery now or later, I suggest re-creating a conservative looking hairline and not one that’s overly aggressive and low.

Rahal Hair Transplant

What about a FUT procedure about 2000 grafts? Would this allow me to save grafts for future FUE procedures? I was thinking about Machine gun kelly case, he had done FUT procedure at 23-24 years of age. Now he's 31 and still keeps his hair full. Also I have a doctor near me which is ABHRS and ISHRS certified that specializes in FUT procedures and I was thinking in contacting him.

Edited April 1, 2022 by SoSoz

[Eugenix Hair Sciences]

13 hours ago, SoSoz said:

Story: Experiencing balding since like 17, could see hair on my school books. Now Im 23(in august 24), tried shaving my head but it looks like disaster and many people has told me that. I can't longer live with hair like this so I need to do something about it. I don't smoke nor drink. I've tried minoxidil before but it made my scalp really itchy and flaky, like insane dandruff. Haven't used finasteride. I have literally bald spots on front of my head so I wont be even able to recover this with medication and I don't have motivation to use finasteride if I don't have hair in my front, also doctors said it's better to not use meds before surgery evaluation. I was contacting some doctors/clinics and they said they are willing to perform the surgery on me. Only HLC refused because of my age. My budget is 1.5eur per graft at max. Can someone give me advice what to do?

 

 

 

You are eligible for a transplant in accordance to your age. However  Finasteride will be important in your case so that any further progression of baldness. If you do not take finasteride then you will lose more hair in the future and you will inevitably have to go for another transplantation procedure again in the newly emptied areas.

[SoSoz]

1 hour ago, Eugenix Hair Sciences said:

You are eligible for a transplant in accordance to your age. However  Finasteride will be important in your case so that any further progression of baldness. If you do not take finasteride then you will lose more hair in the future and you will inevitably have to go for another transplantation procedure again in the newly emptied areas.

Can topical finasteride be taken into consideration or theres not enough studies for long-term health safety? I know it might sound weird but I have problem with swallowing pills

[Britanium]

2 hours ago, SoSoz said:

Also I have a doctor near me which is ABHRS and ISHRS certified that specializes in FUT procedures and I was thinking in contacting him.

ABHRS/ISHRS is not a guarantee that the Drs are doing good work, Who is the one close to you? Some of the names on the list and truly horrible. 
I agree with the above that you should consider Fin, at best it will ensure you don’t have any further loss. As you’re already showing loss at a aggressive rate, it’s most likely it will continue, seek advice from your own Dr/Gp and/or a dermatologist. A long term plan is needed here, if you was to start Fin and review your situation in 12 months time you would be in a much stronger position for a hair transplant. Also consider that a lot of clinics will have a waiting list for at least 6-12 months, beware of those that can “fit you in” straight away. 
Also think about having a FUT procedure, it basically rules out any particularly short hair cuts. On the other hand it can be a way of maximising your donor area, personally I wish I never had mine… depends on who is doing the procedure.
So much to think about before taking any action, take your time here, research and conus it with as many decent/ethical/elite Drs/Clinics as possible. 

[SoSoz]

1 minute ago, J.A.C said:

ABHRS/ISHRS is not a guarantee that the Drs are doing good work, Who is the one close to you? Some of the names on the list and truly horrible. 
I agree with the above that you should consider Fin, at best it will ensure you don’t have any further loss. As you’re already showing loss at a aggressive rate, it’s most likely it will continue, seek advice from your own Dr/Gp and/or a dermatologist. A long term plan is needed here, if you was to start Fin and review your situation in 12 months time you would be in a much stronger position for a hair transplant. Also consider that a lot of clinics will have a waiting list for at least 6-12 months, beware of those that can “fit you in” straight away. 
Also think about having a FUT procedure, it basically rules out any particularly short hair cuts. On the other hand it can be a way of maximising your donor area, personally I wish I never had mine… depends on who is doing the procedure.
So much to think about before taking any action, take your time here, research and conus it with as many decent/ethical/elite Drs/Clinics as possible. 

Dr Marwan Saifi 

[Britanium]

Who are the clinics/Drs you have already considered/consulted with? Thanks 🙏 

[Britanium]

3 minutes ago, SoSoz said:

Dr Marwan Saifi 

Dr Saifi is good, have you seen @Rossybopcase/blog .?

@Keith2091was another recent one…

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by J.A.C

[Bandit90]

Feel your situation, I started loosing my hair at 17 to. I would certainly stress the following points. 

1. Get on finasteride and stableize the hair loss. Being aged 23 you still have potential to lose more (once stabilised the surgeon will know exactly what they have to work with) 

2. Educate your self, get a realistic expectation of what can be achieved with a HT. i

3. Reach out to a reputable surgeon. One who has a proven track record of restoring higher norwoods and those of a younger age. 

I can't stress enough the need to get on fin! It will help thicken up and save what you have left, and what has been lost can be dealt with via a HT. Also stay away from FUT surgery (or at very least educate yourself on the implications of the surgery i.e large linear scaring). 

Providing you get on fin and stabilise the hair loss, your age shouldn't really be an issue for a transplant. In the meantime, reach out to a recommended doctor on this forum. 

[SoSoz]

3 minutes ago, Bandit90 said:

Feel your situation, I started loosing my hair at 17 to. I would certainly stress the following points. 

1. Get on finasteride and stableize the hair loss. Being aged 23 you still have potential to lose more (once stabilised the surgeon will know exactly what they have to work with) 

2. Educate your self, get a realistic expectation of what can be achieved with a HT. i

3. Reach out to a reputable surgeon. One who has a proven track record of restoring higher norwoods and those of a younger age. 

I can't stress enough the need to get on fin! It will help thicken up and save what you have left, and what has been lost can be dealt with via a HT. Also stay away from FUT surgery (or at very least educate yourself on the implications of the surgery i.e large linear scaring). 

Providing you get on fin and stabilise the hair loss, your age shouldn't really be an issue for a transplant. In the meantime, reach out to a recommended doctor on this forum. 

Well doesn't FUE leave scars as well? Short haircut will look as bad as FUT since there will be a lot of dots. Also FUT could potentially allow me to save more grafts for future. Doctors in USA still say FUT is a gold standard today

[Bandit90]

Just now, SoSoz said:

Well doesn't FUE leave scars as well? Short haircut will look as bad as FUT since there will be a lot of dots. Also FUT could potentially allow me to save more grafts for future. Doctors in USA still say FUT is a gold standard today

There has been a paradigm shift in recent years, with surgeons utilising beard hair in higher norwoords, to get much more coverage via FUE. 

FUE does leave scaring but it's minimal so you can wear your hair much shorter. With FUT you would have to leave it long on the back to cover the scar. 

Please can you share the source where you have got that FUT is the gold standard? I categorically disagree with this, with recent advancements in FUE how can this even be true?   

[Britanium]

Used to be the gold standard, not the case these days. It’s pretty much only US Drs that are doing FUT procedures still. But I do agree it’s a option to maximise grafts. I have had both FUT & FUE and the scarring is of course evident for both, but it is possible to shave down shorter with FUE. FUT scarring can be obvious, at best it can end up a pencil like, at worst it ends up stretched. 
Some of the best with FUT are H&W, Hattingen & Bloxham. 

[Bandit90]

26 minutes ago, J.A.C said:

Used to be the gold standard, not the case these days. It’s pretty much only US Drs that are doing FUT procedures still. But I do agree it’s a option to maximise grafts. I have had both FUT & FUE and the scarring is of course evident for both, but it is possible to shave down shorter with FUE. FUT scarring can be obvious, at best it can end up a pencil like, at worst it ends up stretched. 
Some of the best with FUT are H&W, Hattingen & Bloxham. 

Good explanation! From my own personal experience, being a Norwood 7 with reverse thinning (Norwood 8 if there was such a thing lol) I am still able to get full coverage by just using scalp and beard hair with FUE. Appreciate everyone is different, but if you can give up a bit of the beard then to me FUT is an unnecessary approach for graft maxing.  

In Melvin's recent interview with Dr Hasson if I recall correctly,  he mentioned he has only preformed 3 FUT procedures in the past 18 months, so even their focus is on FUE now. 

Edited April 1, 2022 by Bandit90

[Britanium]

1 minute ago, Bandit90 said:

Good explanation! From my own personal experience, being a Norwood 7 with reverse thinning (Norwood 8 if there was such a thing lol) I am still able to get full coverage by just using scalp and beard hair with FUE. Appreciate everyone is different, but if you can give up a bit of the beard then to me FUT is an unnecessary approach for graft maxing.  

In Melvin's recent interview with Dr Hasson if I recall correctly,  he mentioned he has only preformed 3 FUT procedures in the past 18 months, so even their focus is on FUE now. 

 Exactly this, if I was starting again I would not have a FUT, the last chart I saw was a further reducing year on year with FUTs. It’s very common for higher Norwoods to Have a excellent Beard, and it’s now a very viable/reliable source. And yes even the US clinics are mostly switching to doing more and more FUE these days. 

[Eugenix Hair Sciences]

2 hours ago, SoSoz said:

Can topical finasteride be taken into consideration or theres not enough studies for long-term health safety? I know it might sound weird but I have problem with swallowing pills

You can use topical finasteride. That would still be helpful and better than not using Finasteride at all.