Eugenix is where I should go, right? (26, NW 5/6)

[general-etwan]

Eugenix responded to my initial photos submission and gave me the following estimate:

Norwood VI diagnosis
5200 total grafts; 3700 from scalp donor area + 1500 from beard
Predict that remaining areas will improve with continued finasteride and minoxidil use.

My first reaction is that that total is less than I expected. I will have a phone consultation next where we discuss more details.

For anyone who has experience with beard grafts: where is the beard hair most likely to used on the head? In what location(s)?

However, I'd also like to share an image of someone else who is a few years younger than me and also is experiencing MPB but only uses minoxidil and nothing else. He has not had a HT. His current hairline is what I would be completely satisfied with having after my HT, so I think it's very doable. I'm not demanding an amazing hairline. I just want hair on top that can be grown to some length and styled and frame my face better. If I could get to his look after my HT, that would make me happy:

 

[Britanium]

We’re they proposing that as a two day procedure? 

[general-etwan]

9 minutes ago, J.A.C said:

We’re they proposing that as a two day procedure? 

Didn't say. I assume all one procedure since the total only ended up being 5200. But when I have a phone call I'm going to find out more and ask if we can go up to 6000 or if it's not necessary.

Edited May 7, 2022 by general-etwan

[general-etwan]

Okay, so I did a full extensive pictures and phone consultation with Amandeep Singh at Eugenix and shared my preferences and wishes, which include a single procedure and aggressive extraction of donor hair.

Their final proposed plan recommended by senior doctors is 6500 total grafts for "full coverage" (4500-4700 from scalp, ~2000 from beard). It would be a 2-day procedure. I would choose the exclusive package which would put me at $12k for the whole procedure. They were able to schedule me as early as June (next month), but I requested August or September to allow me to get everything planned properly including the finances. They want an initial payment of about $260 to book a date and secure a procedure.

I have a few questions for those who may be able to help:

1. Should I be worried about the taking of beard hair? He shared pictures of patients' beard extractions with me and even a guy who had 2,000 grafts taken from his beard didn't look too terrible post-procedure, but I feel like 2,000 is a lot. I also plan on joining a career in the future where I will be required to shave daily, though...so is that more of a good thing or a bad thing? Will I be able to shave daily and normally without having noticeable scarring? How about growing a beard out...will it really suffer from 2,000 grafts lost?

2. Finances...for those who paid outright with the total cost saved pre-procedure, that is easy, but does anyone have experiencing with either personal loans or some other type of financing for just part of the total cost? I'll have all of the money coming in and able to be put toward this over the next 9-15 months, but I can't guarantee it'll all be available by the date of the procedure if I do it in August. How does paying for this exactly work? Do you pay the total on the date of the procedure, and what methods are accepted?'

3. I am really looking to make a decision soon but also want to take a week to make sure I'm making a good decision and not missing out on any other clinics that could be better and/or more affordable. If anyone has any last-minute feelings that I'm missing out on some other better place, let me know.

 

Edited May 9, 2022 by general-etwan

[MAIZE1694]

Respectively, lets see what the donor looks like.

[general-etwan]

12 minutes ago, MAIZE1694 said:

Respectively, lets see what the donor looks like.

You're talking about beard, right? Beard has always been strong and thick especially when growing it out. I was blessed with face and body hair...not scalp lol. I guess if I'm going to commit to a HT, I am okay giving up some beard hair...as long as it doesn't create noticeable scarring because I may be required to shave daily in the future.

Edit: Eugenix also made clear the beard hair is only used in the crown area at the back of the head; which is the least important part for me to restore. It is never used at the front of the head.

Edited May 9, 2022 by general-etwan

[MAIZE1694]

19 minutes ago, general-etwan said:

You're talking about beard, right? 

My mistake, I didn't see your donor in the first post.

I'm not sure your donor can handle 3700 grafts without looking see-through/over harvested.

Eugenix are always ambitious with their approach and I will likely have my procedure with this clinic, but I just don't see 3700 grafts with your donor and a homogenous/natural looking appearance when all is said and done.

Just my 0.02 cents!

[general-etwan]

17 minutes ago, MAIZE1694 said:

My mistake, I didn't see your donor in the first post.

I'm not sure your donor can handle 3700 grafts without looking see-through/over harvested.

Eugenix are always ambitious with their approach and I will likely have my procedure with this clinic, but I just don't see 3700 grafts with your donor and a homogenous/natural looking appearance when all is said and done.

Just my 0.02 cents!

All good. Well, I did send them many more and closer-up pictures than I shared here, so they have the full evaluation. I also told them I want to be aggressive as possible with the donor area. I don't mind that it would look depleted to a degree. In fact, this is a question I keep asking in my head, as I don't understand why it seems like the majority of high NW transplants do not sufficiently result in uniform density across the entire head (from my observation). It seems that in most cases the back and sides of the head remain thicker and more dense than the entire top, and I personally disagree with this. The goal for me is to completely eliminate the ring pattern on my head. Uniform density across the entire head is preferable because it doesn't draw attention to any one particular area of the head. Personally, my donor area becoming more transparent is not a concern of mine. I am okay with that happening and I don't quite understand why so many people start out as implying that that's a problem. Hair on the top of the head is far more important for attractiveness and overall aesthetic in life than hair on the sides and back of the head. Just my opinion but it's the one I'm probably going to proceed with no matter what journey I end up going on.

Edited May 9, 2022 by general-etwan

[Eugenix Hair Sciences]

Wish you the best for your hair journey. Your transplant is going to be wonderful. We have had the opportunity to transplant multiple cases similar to yours. If you have any doubts or questions then please feel comfortable to speak to the doctors over a video call or call anytime you wish to. It would be lovely to have you on board with us. 🙏🙏🙏

[MAIZE1694]

1 hour ago, general-etwan said:

All good. Well, I did send them many more and closer-up pictures than I shared here, so they have the full evaluation. I also told them I want to be aggressive as possible with the donor area. I don't mind that it would look depleted to a degree. In fact, this is a question I keep asking in my head, as I don't understand why it seems like the majority of high NW transplants do not sufficiently result in uniform density across the entire head (from my observation). It seems that in most cases the back and sides of the head remain thicker and more dense than the entire top, and I personally disagree with this. The goal for me is to completely eliminate the ring pattern on my head. Uniform density across the entire head is preferable because it doesn't draw attention to any one particular area of the head. Personally, my donor area becoming more transparent is not a concern of mine. I am okay with that happening and I don't quite understand why so many people start out as implying that that's a problem. Hair on the top of the head is far more important for attractiveness and overall aesthetic in life than hair on the sides and back of the head. Just my opinion but it's the one I'm probably going to proceed with no matter what journey I end up going on.

There will be nothing aesthetic about a patchy donor. Achieving uniform density will be next to impossible with a completely bald vertex and below average donor (nw 6-7).

Nonetheless, I wish you nothing but a successful outcome! You will be in good hands with Eugenix. 👍

[general-etwan]

On 5/9/2022 at 2:00 AM, MAIZE1694 said:

There will be nothing aesthetic about a patchy donor. Achieving uniform density will be next to impossible with a completely bald vertex and below average donor (nw 6-7).

Nonetheless, I wish you nothing but a successful outcome! You will be in good hands with Eugenix. 👍

If the donor area is planned to be worn to no length, or shaved very short, a “patchy” area shouldn’t be a concern. It shouldn’t be patchy at all ideally. It should be more uniformly thinned out. Achieving uniform density can’t be impossible because it’s precise mathematics. However many remaining grafts there are on the head, you take those and distribute them all across the head so that there is uniform density. This math is real whether you have 10000 grafts, 5000 grafts, or 50 grafts. You might be trying to say that at a certain point, distributing everything uniformly across the head would result in such transparent hair that it would look horrible. And that’s fair. At that point a hair transplant probably shouldn’t be performed. 

Edited May 10, 2022 by general-etwan

[general-etwan]

Bumping this thread here because I am on the verge of pulling the trigger and going with Eugenix hopefully in September. Finasteride regrowth has continued to be strong and hair is regrowing all over my scalp including at the very front of the hairline. But, obviously, that density is never going to be anywhere close to original density again just from finasteride alone.

I would like some advising on which package to commit to. Unfortunately, times are tough and money is indeed a huge factor for me. But, I'm prepared to spend a large amount of my own current worth on this, because at age 26 I feel like I haven't even truly begun to live the life I want to live yet, and the hair issue which started in my teens has absolutely been a primary factor in that suffering. I don't even want to ask anyone for help; not even family...and I'm not planning on it, but if worst comes to worst and I need to ask for a small amount to help get me to the total cost, I may have to do so.

The lowest package (procedure led and done by trained doctors + implantation done by senior trained technicians) would be $0.96 USD X 6,500 grafts = $6,240 + 18% tax = $7,363 + $2,000 travel costs = $9,363 total

The Exclusive Package (next level up) (procedure led and done by senior doctors + implantation done by senior trained technicians) plus complementary 2-3 nights hotel stay and airport pickup/drop-off would be $1.54 USD X 6,500 grafts = $10,010 + 18% tax = $11,800 + $2000 travel costs = $13,800 total

I just feel that the complementary stay and pickup/drop-off plus the procedure being led by senior doctors is probably worth it, and in the grand scheme of life a few more thousand will be miniscule. 

I'm ready to go ahead and book this. I just would appreciate any last minute advice. I'm also a bit apprehensive about up to 2,000 beard grafts being taken and want to ensure there won't be severe scarring from that. Appreciate anyone's weighing in very much. I'm ready to get this going and hopefully change my life. I'm a young, healthy, guy supposed to be in my prime and it's time to do this hair fix. I don't need hair to be perfect. I just need them to redistribute a significant amount to the top of my scalp to frame my face more properly so I can have confidence showing myself to the world.

I did see this video, however, from Dr. Sethi in which he is brutally honest about the density achievable: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6un_3i0CC8

35-40 grafts / sq cm is apparently "very good" but still nowhere near original hair density. However, for me, I truly think the most important thing is eliminating the MPB pattern on my scalp by spreading out the grafts more uniformly. I really do think that will solve most of my self-dread about my head.

Edited June 14, 2022 by general-etwan

[general-etwan]

@MazAB If you wouldn't mind passing along some final words of advice or approval for scheduling with Eugenix, I'd greatly appreciate it. I keep hearing great things and I see the amazing work they can do, and I'm ready to get this done myself after several months of planning. The next step is to schedule and send over the initial deposit

[MazAB]

14 minutes ago, general-etwan said:

@MazAB If you wouldn't mind passing along some final words of advice or approval for scheduling with Eugenix, I'd greatly appreciate it. I keep hearing great things and I see the amazing work they can do, and I'm ready to get this done myself after several months of planning. The next step is to schedule and send over the initial deposit

@general-etwan would love to help. Definitely private message me when you have a chance.