New member questions about potential transplant

[Mike24]

Hi everyone, I am a new member to the forum and I wanted to pose some questions to those on here with experience in the HT world. I am 25 years old and currently at an Norwood 6 or 7 I believe. I am thinking about going for a hair transplant to Dr. Bicer in Turkey as getting it done in the states is prohibitively expensive. I was told by Dr. Bicer’s team that an FUE would be recommended for my case and not an FUT. It is unclear to me the reason why that is, especially because I had a consultation with a Dr. Scott Biden in CT a couple of years back who suggested a conservative FUT treatment of under 3000 grafts. If anyone could share their own opinion on this to clarify why one would be preferred over the other I would really appreciate it. I also wanted to know what you guys think of my donor area from the attached pictures. I’m not really sure what makes a strong donor area, but the hair in the back of my head does not seem to me to be balding at all but I’m not sure if that’s all that goes into determining the quality of the donor area. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thank you! 

[Britanium]

You do have a large area to cover, it’s going to take at least 2 procedures (probably more) to get coverage. It’s entirely you’re choice to go FUT or FUE, it’s long been debated that it’s possible to get more grafts by starting out with FUTs. But these days plenty of Drs/Clinics are achieving good results just with FUE and then using Beard grafts to supplement. It seems you do have a good beard which is quite common in the higher Norwood levels. 
I guess you have not been on any med regime ? Some Drs/Clinics may recommend it to help strengthen/improve your existing hair. 
FUTs are just not being performed like they used to be, infact it’s mostly US clinics that are still doing them. Still a option though if you don’t mind the linear scar. 
We see @Eugenix Hair Sciences, Dr Bisanga, @FUECLINIC(Dr Mwamba) ,@Dr. Felipe Pittella, @DrTBarghouthi, Dr Zarev, HDC @Doron Harati, Hattingen, Dr Bicer and H&W regularly presenting some very nice higher Norwood cases. Look through the forum results and see for yourself. Consult with many ! And research lots ! Depending on your goals you could end up with perfectly acceptable coverage. 

Edited May 2, 2022 by J.A.C

[DrTBarghouthi]

Thank for the mention @jacand glad to help anytime!

[Britanium]

Just now, DrTBarghouthi said:

Thank for the mention @jacand glad to help anytime!

My tag is @J.A.C…. 😂👍🏽

[HappyMan2021]

you have very aggressive hair loss. If I were you I would seriously ponder if the arduous HT journey is worth the reward. Once you hop on the train there is no going back. 

Edited May 2, 2022 by HappyMan2021

[DrTBarghouthi]

46 minutes ago, Mike24 said:

Hi everyone, I am a new member to the forum and I wanted to pose some questions to those on here with experience in the HT world. I am 25 years old and currently at an Norwood 6 or 7 I believe. I am thinking about going for a hair transplant to Dr. Bicer in Turkey as getting it done in the states is prohibitively expensive. I was told by Dr. Bicer’s team that an FUE would be recommended for my case and not an FUT. It is unclear to me the reason why that is, especially because I had a consultation with a Dr. Scott Biden in CT a couple of years back who suggested a conservative FUT treatment of under 3000 grafts. If anyone could share their own opinion on this to clarify why one would be preferred over the other I would really appreciate it. I also wanted to know what you guys think of my donor area from the attached pictures. I’m not really sure what makes a strong donor area, but the hair in the back of my head does not seem to me to be balding at all but I’m not sure if that’s all that goes into determining the quality of the donor area. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thank you! 

I guess it is important to know if you are on and medical treatment for hair or if you are at least willing to be on one? Makes it important to know what the best way forward is. 

[Britanium]

Yeh it’s very true what @HappyMan2021is saying, If you’re hell bent on getting a hair transplant(s) it’s definitely worth some serious thought… Being young I totally understand why you would. Not all of us suit the shaved head look, maybe you have tried it already? Regardless if you was to choose FUT/FUE it will be a long journey, and you may not get the result you’re looking for. But on the other hand, choose well and give yourself the best chance by choosing the Dr/Clinic carefully.

Edited May 2, 2022 by J.A.C

[Mike24]

Wow, thank you all for responding so quick. @HappyMan2021 I definitely hear what your saying and I do appreciate that warning. For me I’m not looking for full coverage with an HT and I don’t see myself going for multiple procedures. I mainly just want to improve the front hairline area just so the hair loss isn’t so striking. I’ve seen some results on the forum who started from a similar place as me and while it doesn’t look like they have a full head of hair post ht, it definitely lessens the appearance of the baldness. Here’s an example of that and this guy actually went to Dr. Bicer. 

 

[Mike24]

2 minutes ago, DrTBarghouthi said:

I guess it is important to know if you are on and medical treatment for hair or if you are at least willing to be on one? Makes it important to know what the best way forward is. 

Hi, I’ve been on a minoxidil 15 percent formula which I put on nightly and I think it has slowed down the hair loss somewhat but I started much too late with it. 

[Britanium]

With your realistic expectations I think you will be fine ! Did Dr Bicer mention the use of Fin ? 

[DrTBarghouthi]

5 minutes ago, Mike24 said:

Hi, I’ve been on a minoxidil 15 percent formula which I put on nightly and I think it has slowed down the hair loss somewhat but I started much too late with it. 

Thanks @Mike24

That’s good to know. I think considering finasteride at least 3 times a week can also help you given your age. Certainly reasonable expectations will more likely help you achieve a satisfying outcome. Probably 3500 grafts is what is needed in your case I would say.

[Mike24]

56 minutes ago, DrTBarghouthi said:

Thanks @Mike24

That’s good to know. I think considering finasteride at least 3 times a week can also help you given your age. Certainly reasonable expectations will more likely help you achieve a satisfying outcome. Probably 3500 grafts is what is needed in your case I would say.

Thank you for the feedback Dr. 3500 is about what I’ve heard from other surgeons as well. In terms of finasteride, I had a prescription but decided not to go for it because of possible side effects. Was wondering if I could ask you what you think about doing a FUE vs an FUT in my case for what I am trying to achieve. Also, what country is your practice in and what are your prices if you don't mind me asking? 

[MrClean58]

Hey bro, I was the OP you linked. I would definitely recommend going through it. It changed my life and I’m still pretty bald in the back of my head. It is sometimes annoying that half my head is still bald, but:

1. You can use Toppik or hair fibers to cover it completely if it bothers you that much until you get a 2nd transplant.

2. The hairline is the most important part to get covered because it seriously makes you look a lot younger and I don’t feel that self conscious about my crown being so bald.

It was a big boost to my self confidence for the 1st year, but now if I shaved it all off and lost a little more weight I think I’d be just as confident bald. 
 

p.s. I was rejected by multiple top rated Turkey clinics for poor donor area and Dr. Bicer made the most of what I had. I’ll probably go back for round 2 in a year.

[Mike24]

1 hour ago, MrClean58 said:

Hey bro, I was the OP you linked. I would definitely recommend going through it. It changed my life and I’m still pretty bald in the back of my head. It is sometimes annoying that half my head is still bald, but:

1. You can use Toppik or hair fibers to cover it completely if it bothers you that much until you get a 2nd transplant.

2. The hairline is the most important part to get covered because it seriously makes you look a lot younger and I don’t feel that self conscious about my crown being so bald.

It was a big boost to my self confidence for the 1st year, but now if I shaved it all off and lost a little more weight I think I’d be just as confident bald. 
 

p.s. I was rejected by multiple top rated Turkey clinics for poor donor area and Dr. Bicer made the most of what I had. I’ll probably go back for round 2 in a year.

Dude that's amazing, a really amazing transformation. I think we have a pretty similar pattern of hair loss and your result is exactly the type of thing I hope to achieve. Dr. Bicer is really on the top of my list right now but I still have more research to do. Also, she has no openings for about another year so I would definitely be open to using another surgeon if it made sense.  As you said, I think the hairline is really the main factor for me as it really does make a huge difference. 

[ML488]

Kudos to you for doing some research first and yes that thread with Bicer is a great comparison thread for someone like yourself. If you are just willing to focus on the hairline and frontal third with 3k grafts I think that is a reasonable appraoch. Since your donor isn't the thickest, I personally wouldn't be crazy about an FUT given the chance that the scar may be visible at some points. Just my two cents.

[NARMAK]

OP, are you on any medication at all? 

I would strongly urge you to start Finasteride and in your case i think you seriously should consider addinf Minoxodil and Microneedling once per week at 1mm to 1.5mm. 

You also look like you have retrograde alopecia and right now, if you responded well to medication and hair restoration efforts that way, it would put you into a significantly better position. Right now your donor isn't the best and you would have a large area to cover. If the medication works, then over half the work could be done that way and then you could aim to save up and go with a reputable hair transplant clinic who can manage your donor well. 

If you want, there's apparently a waiting list for some doctors, so you could benefit from getting on that whilst you take the medication and save up. 

[Mike24]

8 minutes ago, NARMAK said:

OP, are you on any medication at all? 

I would strongly urge you to start Finasteride and in your case i think you seriously should consider addinf Minoxodil and Microneedling once per week at 1mm to 1.5mm. 

You also look like you have retrograde alopecia and right now, if you responded well to medication and hair restoration efforts that way, it would put you into a significantly better position. Right now your donor isn't the best and you would have a large area to cover. If the medication works, then over half the work could be done that way and then you could aim to save up and go with a reputable hair transplant clinic who can manage your donor well. 

If you want, there's apparently a waiting list for some doctors, so you could benefit from getting on that whilst you take the medication and save up. 

Hey thanks for the reply. I am using a 15 mg strength minoxidil solution nightly but I started to late to really save my hair. I’m not really willing to do finasteride because of possible side effects that I don’t want to take a chance on. Before you mentioned it, I had never heard of retrograde alopecia, but after googling around it kind of does look like that. Does that form of alopecia also progress to continue getting worse and worse or is this likely it? 

[Mike24]

24 minutes ago, ML488 said:

Kudos to you for doing some research first and yes that thread with Bicer is a great comparison thread for someone like yourself. If you are just willing to focus on the hairline and frontal third with 3k grafts I think that is a reasonable appraoch. Since your donor isn't the thickest, I personally wouldn't be crazy about an FUT given the chance that the scar may be visible at some points. Just my two cents.

Thanks so much. That’s a really good point about an FUT with my donor area not being very thick. Definitely something to consider. 

[MrClean58]

56 minutes ago, Mike24 said:

Dude that's amazing, a really amazing transformation. I think we have a pretty similar pattern of hair loss and your result is exactly the type of thing I hope to achieve. Dr. Bicer is really on the top of my list right now but I still have more research to do. Also, she has no openings for about another year so I would definitely be open to using another surgeon if it made sense.  As you said, I think the hairline is really the main factor for me as it really does make a huge difference. 

Thanks man! And Wow! She really blew up in popularity since I last saw her. Yeah bro, do your research. That’s the most important step. So many people were telling me to just go down to Mexico or a hair mill in Turkey ASAP but I stuck to my guns and looked up doctors for months. There’s so many people I know in the states that went to an unaccredited doctor that left them with scars or infections. My advice, go with someone reputable by 3rd party organizations, who only operates once a day, and arrive a couple days early in Turkey to do in person consultations. Dr. Bicer wasn’t even my first pick when I went to her office, but her genuine (somewhat motherly) care for how my hair turned out really won me over. 

[Melvin- Admin]

I would suggest to get on medication for at least 6 months before getting a hair transplant. 

[Mike24]

1 minute ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

I would suggest to get on medication for at least 6 months before getting a hair transplant. 

I am already on minoxidil but finasteride pill is a no go for me. I did just see that there is a finasteride topical spray and I’m going to look into that. Do you know of anyone who has seen good results with the finasteride spray? 

[Melvin- Admin]

1 hour ago, Mike24 said:

I am already on minoxidil but finasteride pill is a no go for me. I did just see that there is a finasteride topical spray and I’m going to look into that. Do you know of anyone who has seen good results with the finasteride spray? 

The topical form is just as good. Try Xyonhealth. 

[Mike24]

2 minutes ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

The topical form is just as good. Try Xyonhealth. 

Awesome, I’ll definitely check it out . Thanks! 

[Euphoria]

2 hours ago, Mike24 said:

I am already on minoxidil but finasteride pill is a no go for me. I did just see that there is a finasteride topical spray and I’m going to look into that. Do you know of anyone who has seen good results with the finasteride spray? 

You can use 0.2-0.5mg fin every other day. I have been using it like this for a year now.

[NARMAK]

6 hours ago, Mike24 said:

Hey thanks for the reply. I am using a 15 mg strength minoxidil solution nightly but I started to late to really save my hair. I’m not really willing to do finasteride because of possible side effects that I don’t want to take a chance on. Before you mentioned it, I had never heard of retrograde alopecia, but after googling around it kind of does look like that. Does that form of alopecia also progress to continue getting worse and worse or is this likely it? 

Fair enough. Only you can decide what you are and not willing to use. Personally didn't take Finasteride or in my case now Dutasteride for over 10 years because of possible side affects but when i finally did, i realised its usually safe enough for the vast majority and serious side affects are uncommon but that's not to say you won't experience mild sides which in my personal experience were within a range i could live with such as a slightly lower libido. 

The vast majority of people who do experience side affects they have also recover fully after stopping use. Usually its a good idea to do a blood test to check you don't have any underlying problems too imo before starting. 

I would personally say to you if you can start, it will help and it helps in the donor area too. If you don't want to, then just add Microneedling once a week at 1mm or 1.5mm with a derma pen.

Regarding retrograde alopecia, it's hard to say how it could progress. For some, it's a really lighter looking thing that stays there for years and generally they will not be able to use those hairs and it could progress. Its also difficult to basically say whether they're areas like the back of the neck which can move upwards too into the donor.