[Norwood 5-ish/38] Advice on transplant after 2 consultations

[mphoenix]

Hi all,
I'm 38, and stopped Rogaine when the pandemic started and drastically shed over the next year or two to what you see in the pictures. I don't want to be on Finasteride (low T currently) or Minoxidil (messed my skin up due to using too much), and wanted to evaluate hair transplant options now that I have my hairline for my age.

I had a consultation with Dr. Voorhies in SC and Dr. Cooley in Charlotte. Their recommendations:

Dr. Voorhies:
* 2 day FUE: 3000 grafts in mid-scalp, frontal, hairline, and 2000 grafts in crown.

Dr. Cooley:
* 1 day FUT: 2500 grafts to front 2/3rds of my scalp and 500 grafts in crown

Dr Cooley recommended FUT as I don't plan to shave my head, better chance of a take than a FUE surgery. Will match the current hairline. They recommended the normal Finasteride (light dose), oral minoxdil, etc. But I'm ok if I do lose more hair eventually and have to have a follow up surgery. I'll do all the non minoxidil/finasteride treatments though.

I'm leaning towards Dr. Cooley. Money isn't really a factor and I'd gladly pay more/travel for the best transplant results I can get (that is, in case there is another doctor I should be considering).

Does anyone have any recommendations for which direction I should go?

 

 

[LaserCaps]

15 minutes ago, mphoenix said:

Hi all,
I'm 38, and stopped Rogaine when the pandemic started and drastically shed over the next year or two to what you see in the pictures. I don't want to be on Finasteride (low T currently) or Minoxidil (messed my skin up due to using too much), and wanted to evaluate hair transplant options now that I have my hairline for my age.

I had a consultation with Dr. Voorhies in SC and Dr. Cooley in Charlotte. Their recommendations:

Dr. Voorhies:
* 2 day FUE: 3000 grafts in mid-scalp, frontal, hairline, and 2000 grafts in crown.

Dr. Cooley:
* 1 day FUT: 2500 grafts to front 2/3rds of my scalp and 500 grafts in crown

Dr Cooley recommended FUT as I don't plan to shave my head, better chance of a take than a FUE surgery. Will match the current hairline. They recommended the normal Finasteride (light dose), oral minoxdil, etc. But I'm ok if I do lose more hair eventually and have to have a follow up surgery. I'll do all the non minoxidil/finasteride treatments though.

I'm leaning towards Dr. Cooley. Money isn't really a factor and I'd gladly pay more/travel for the best transplant results I can get (that is, in case there is another doctor I should be considering).

Does anyone have any recommendations for which direction I should go?

 

 

Wow, let's take it step by step,

Hi all,
I'm 38, and stopped Rogaine when the pandemic started and drastically shed over the next year or two to what you see in the pictures.  (YOU LOST WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE LOST HAD YOU NOT BEEN ON THE MEDICATION. SO WE CAN ASSUME THE MED WAS HELPING YOU WITH RETENTION. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO RECONSIDER AND GET BACK ON IT).

I don't want to be on Finasteride (low T currently), (THERE IS ACTUALLY MORE TESTOSTERONE UNDER THE MED THAN WITHOUT. NOT SURE IF I UNDERSTAND YOUR COMMENT). ADDITIONALLY, IF YOU HAVE LOW TESTOSTERONE AND LATER DECIDE TO GET SHOTS TO NORMALIZE, YOU'LL NEED A DHT BLOCKER TO MINIMIZE DHT WHICH IS AN IRRITANT TO THE FOLLICLE).

or Minoxidil (messed my skin up due to using too much) (THE MEDICATION IS SYSTEMIC,  PUT IT ON ANY ONE PLACE AND THE SKIN WILL ABSORB THE MEDICATION AND HAVE A UNIVERSAL EFFECT THROUGHT THE ENTIRE PATTERN.  WERE YOU USING THE FOAM OR LIQUID?

, and wanted to evaluate hair transplant options now that I have my hairline for my age.

I had a consultation with Dr. Voorhies in SC and Dr. Cooley in Charlotte. Their recommendations:

Dr. Voorhies:
* 2 day FUE: 3000 grafts in mid-scalp, frontal, hairline, and 2000 grafts in crown.

Dr. Cooley:
* 1 day FUT: 2500 grafts to front 2/3rds of my scalp and 500 grafts in crown

IF YOU ARE TRYING TO AVOID MEDICAL THERAPIES, DID YOU LET THESE DOCTORS KNOW THAT? FUNNY THEY WOULD RECOMMEND TRANSPLANTS TO THE CROWN IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO RETAIN.  CONSIDER, AND THINK OF THE CROWN AS A CIRCLE.  YOU FILL THE CIRCLE WITH HAIR AND THEN, BECAUSE YOU'VE SHOWN THE PROPENSITY TO LOSE - YOU WILL CONTINUE LOSING.  NOW YOU ARE LEFT WITH A TARGET, AN ISLAND WORTH OF HAIR AND NOTHING AROUND IT.  

Dr Cooley recommended FUT as I don't plan to shave my head, better chance of a take than a FUE surgery. Will match the current hairline. They recommended the normal Finasteride (light dose), oral minoxdil, etc. But I'm ok if I do lose more hair eventually and have to have a follow up surgery. I'll do all the non minoxidil/finasteride treatments though.  (KEEP IN MIND THE DONOR IS FINITE AND LIMITED.  THERE IS TYPICALLY NOT ENOUGH HAIR TO ALLOW FOR A FULL SET OF HAIR IN THE FRONT, MID-SCALP AND BACK)

IF YOU DO KEEP YOUR HAIR ON THE LENGTHIER SIDE, AGREE - EXHAUST FUT AND THEN MOVE TO FUE.  YOU'LL HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR ENTIRE DONOR AREA.

I'm leaning towards Dr. Cooley. Money isn't really a factor and I'd gladly pay more/travel for the best transplant results I can get (that is, in case there is another doctor I should be considering).

Does anyone have any recommendations for which direction I should go?

GET ON THE MEDS.  DO ALL OF THEM (PROPECIA, ROGAINE, PRP AND LASER). GIVE THEM A YEAR.  TRANSPLANT THE FRONT AND FORGET THE CROWN.  ONCE HAPPY WITH THE RESULTS IN THE FRONT - AND CONFIRM THE MEDS ARE WORKING, YOU CAN THEN WORK FARTHER BACK INTO THE PATTERN.  

[DrMunibAhmad]

 

You will need minimum of 6000 grafts to cover the whole scalp. 

I would do a 2 step approach. 2 procedures with 10 months in between. Both FUE. 1st focus on front and midscalp. Then let the donor heal. Then when the donor is healed you can choose the beste grafts for the crown.

Imo if you would do it in 2 days consecutively, you would have to harvest from areas that don't contain the best graft for the crown. 

 

 

[mphoenix]

2 hours ago, LaserCaps said:

Wow, let's take it step by step,

Hi all,
I'm 38, and stopped Rogaine when the pandemic started and drastically shed over the next year or two to what you see in the pictures.  (YOU LOST WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE LOST HAD YOU NOT BEEN ON THE MEDICATION. SO WE CAN ASSUME THE MED WAS HELPING YOU WITH RETENTION. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO RECONSIDER AND GET BACK ON IT).

I had a massive amount more hair before it, so it definitely was. I had just gotten to the point I was using 5ML twice a day (kept gradually adding more as I saw other areas to cover. Before it didn't really look like very noticeable hair loss (some, but not much). However, it messed up my skin and I have deep deep smile lines and crowes feet which I've had since age 27 (was on it for 3 years at that point). 

I don't want to be on Finasteride (low T currently), (THERE IS ACTUALLY MORE TESTOSTERONE UNDER THE MED THAN WITHOUT. NOT SURE IF I UNDERSTAND YOUR COMMENT). ADDITIONALLY, IF YOU HAVE LOW TESTOSTERONE AND LATER DECIDE TO GET SHOTS TO NORMALIZE, YOU'LL NEED A DHT BLOCKER TO MINIMIZE DHT WHICH IS AN IRRITANT TO THE FOLLICLE).

I did recently learn that - but since I'm 38 and already had a bad side effect from the minox, was hoping to stay off meds, but knowing I may need additional transplants in the future.

or Minoxidil (messed my skin up due to using too much) (THE MEDICATION IS SYSTEMIC,  PUT IT ON ANY ONE PLACE AND THE SKIN WILL ABSORB THE MEDICATION AND HAVE A UNIVERSAL EFFECT THROUGHT THE ENTIRE PATTERN.  WERE YOU USING THE FOAM OR LIQUID?

, and wanted to evaluate hair transplant options now that I have my hairline for my age.

I had a consultation with Dr. Voorhies in SC and Dr. Cooley in Charlotte. Their recommendations:

Dr. Voorhies:
* 2 day FUE: 3000 grafts in mid-scalp, frontal, hairline, and 2000 grafts in crown.

Dr. Cooley:
* 1 day FUT: 2500 grafts to front 2/3rds of my scalp and 500 grafts in crown

IF YOU ARE TRYING TO AVOID MEDICAL THERAPIES, DID YOU LET THESE DOCTORS KNOW THAT? FUNNY THEY WOULD RECOMMEND TRANSPLANTS TO THE CROWN IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO RETAIN.  CONSIDER, AND THINK OF THE CROWN AS A CIRCLE.  YOU FILL THE CIRCLE WITH HAIR AND THEN, BECAUSE YOU'VE SHOWN THE PROPENSITY TO LOSE - YOU WILL CONTINUE LOSING.  NOW YOU ARE LEFT WITH A TARGET, AN ISLAND WORTH OF HAIR AND NOTHING AROUND IT.  

Thank you, I did. Had an hour long consultation with Dr. Cooley's assistant and definitley recommended the big three, and they weren't going to do full restoration of the crown, but a lot of it. I'm ok if I do have to have a follow-on transplant in a few years though.

2 hours ago, LaserCaps said:

Dr Cooley recommended FUT as I don't plan to shave my head, better chance of a take than a FUE surgery. Will match the current hairline. They recommended the normal Finasteride (light dose), oral minoxdil, etc. But I'm ok if I do lose more hair eventually and have to have a follow up surgery. I'll do all the non minoxidil/finasteride treatments though.  (KEEP IN MIND THE DONOR IS FINITE AND LIMITED.  THERE IS TYPICALLY NOT ENOUGH HAIR TO ALLOW FOR A FULL SET OF HAIR IN THE FRONT, MID-SCALP AND BACK)

IF YOU DO KEEP YOUR HAIR ON THE LENGTHIER SIDE, AGREE - EXHAUST FUT AND THEN MOVE TO FUE.  YOU'LL HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR ENTIRE DONOR AREA.

I'm leaning towards Dr. Cooley. Money isn't really a factor and I'd gladly pay more/travel for the best transplant results I can get (that is, in case there is another doctor I should be considering).

Does anyone have any recommendations for which direction I should go?

GET ON THE MEDS.  DO ALL OF THEM (PROPECIA, ROGAINE, PRP AND LASER). GIVE THEM A YEAR.  TRANSPLANT THE FRONT AND FORGET THE CROWN.  ONCE HAPPY WITH THE RESULTS IN THE FRONT - AND CONFIRM THE MEDS ARE WORKING, YOU CAN THEN WORK FARTHER BACK INTO THE PATTERN.  

Thank you again! Are there any other doctors you would recommend I should do a consultation with if I'm ok paying more?

[Eugenix Hair Sciences]

11 hours ago, mphoenix said:

Hi all,
I'm 38, and stopped Rogaine when the pandemic started and drastically shed over the next year or two to what you see in the pictures. I don't want to be on Finasteride (low T currently) or Minoxidil (messed my skin up due to using too much), and wanted to evaluate hair transplant options now that I have my hairline for my age.

I had a consultation with Dr. Voorhies in SC and Dr. Cooley in Charlotte. Their recommendations:

Dr. Voorhies:
* 2 day FUE: 3000 grafts in mid-scalp, frontal, hairline, and 2000 grafts in crown.

Dr. Cooley:
* 1 day FUT: 2500 grafts to front 2/3rds of my scalp and 500 grafts in crown

Dr Cooley recommended FUT as I don't plan to shave my head, better chance of a take than a FUE surgery. Will match the current hairline. They recommended the normal Finasteride (light dose), oral minoxdil, etc. But I'm ok if I do lose more hair eventually and have to have a follow up surgery. I'll do all the non minoxidil/finasteride treatments though.

I'm leaning towards Dr. Cooley. Money isn't really a factor and I'd gladly pay more/travel for the best transplant results I can get (that is, in case there is another doctor I should be considering).

Does anyone have any recommendations for which direction I should go?

 

 

You will require two sessions for your transplantation procedure. The frontal zone and the latter half. The sessions can be done within a period of two days. You can also give donor grafts from your beard along with your scalp donor. 

We would highly encourage you to take finasteride as your baldness will progress and you will lose more hair. This will cause new areas to be empty. Taking finasteride can help prevent the progression of baldness any further.

[LaserCaps]

On 5/13/2022 at 4:37 PM, mphoenix said:

Thank you again! Are there any other doctors you would recommend I should do a consultation with if I'm ok paying more?

Dr. Arocha