Considering a HT - advice appreciated

[MaximumMM]

Hi there,

Thank you everyone for the great forum and resource.

I'm a 36 yo male currently in the early stages of deciding whether or not a HT is for me.

I have had progressive mpb since age 18 or so, but always covered it up. It got too bad last year and I shaved it off, and quickly got smp, which I'm pretty happy with overall.

However, I have recently become unsure whether I want to spend the rest of my life with smp, and whether I'm willing to go through a HT.

My goals are to restore the hairline and mid-scalp to the appearance of a full head of hair along the lines of the SMP hairline, and probably later the crown.

I'm not sure how good a candidate I am. I've attached pictures of my grown out hair before, and shaven pre-smp, as well as now. I would estimate I'm a Norwood 5 I guess (is this right?).

I've been advised by one clinic that I'd need 4.5k grafts for the hairline and mid-scalp.

My budget is around €5k tops for now. My research has only really turned up Dr Turan in Turkey at that budget. His work seems really good. HLC are too expensive, and being based in the UK I'm not prepared to travel much further afield. 

So my questions are:

Are there any other good clinics in Turkey or Europe at that price range for that number of grafts?

Does anyone have any opinions on the suitability of my donor area based on those (admittedly not great and not totally up to date) pictures?

Any idea how a transplant affects existing SMP?

Any other thoughts are welcome! Thank you 🙏✌️

 

 

 

Edited July 13, 2022 by MaximumMM

[davidn]

You're in a good position. You donor looks solid, you have a good age, but you need an in-person evaluation from an experienced doctor. Hair loss is progressive. You should at least consider medication. You said you are happy with smp. Hair transplants are risky, are only an illusion of density, lead to scars and are not guaranteed. But if done right on the right candidate they are amazing. One thing tho, you should, if necessary, save money for the surgeon you like based on results. Everyone is on a budget, but its sort of a unique situation. You have a very limited amount of hair in your donor region which should be used up very wisely. Think about it, you invest in yourself, why not do it excellent. You might lack money, but you can save money. As @Melvin- Moderatorusually says "you're balding for decades, what is a year in the grand scheme?", which is especially true in your case because you are already satisfied  right now, so there is zero time pressure. All the best!

Edited July 12, 2022 by davidn

[MaximumMM]

12 minutes ago, davidn said:

You're in a good position. You donor looks solid, you have a good age, but you need an in-person evaluation from an experienced doctor. Hair loss is progressive. You should at least consider medication. You said you are happy with smp. Hair transplants are risky, are only an illusion of density, lead to scars and are not guaranteed. But if done right on the right candidate they are amazing. One thing tho, you should save money for a good surgeon. Everyone is on a budget, but its sort of a unique situation. You have a very limited amount of hair in your donor Region which should be used up very wisely. Think about it, you invest in yourself, why not do it excellent. You might lack money, but you can save money. @Melvin- Moderatorusually says you're balding for decades, what is a year? Which is especially true in your case because you are already satisfied y right now, so there is zero time pressure. All the best!

Thanks for the advice mate, duly noted.

On the price issue, it's that Dr Turan would cost around 4/5k for the first op (then more for a second obviously). 

The next level up in Turkey seems to be HLC, which would be around triple that according to my research. And then double that for a second. I e. 25k or more.

That's a huge difference. And even more to go to a top European clinic, that's money I just don't have.

Dr Turan has really good reviews, legitimacy and results from what I can see, so I'm struggling to see a reason to go with a more expensive option.

Am I missing something?

For me it's not just what I can afford - I *could* afford 15k. But the equation of whether I could justify that considering what else it could go towards (family) changes quite strongly when I get to those amounts.

Edited July 12, 2022 by MaximumMM

[davidn]

17 minutes ago, MaximumMM said:

Thanks for the advice mate, duly noted.

On the price issue, it's that Dr Turan would cost around 4/5k for the first op (then more for a second obviously). 

The next level up in Turkey seems to be HLC, which would be around triple that according to my research. And then double that for a second. I e. 25k or more.

That's a huge difference. And even more to go to a top European clinic, that's money I just don't have.

Dr Turan has really good reviews, legitimacy and results from what I can see, so I'm struggling to see a reason to go with a more expensive option.

Am I missing something?

For me it's not just what I can afford - I *could* afford 15k. But the equation of whether I could justify that considering what else it could go towards (family) changes quite strongly when I get to those amounts.

Makes sense. Sorry I was a bit too quick and I absolutely don't wanna dismiss the other responsibilities you have in life, which are obviously far more important. To be blunt, I am not familiar with this docs work, but if I recall correctly, he has a good reputation and is even forum recommended. I wish you best luck in your hair journey if you go for it and with the family obviously!

 

 

[GoliGoliGoli]

33 minutes ago, MaximumMM said:

Thanks for the advice mate, duly noted.

On the price issue, it's that Dr Turan would cost around 4/5k for the first op (then more for a second obviously). 

The next level up in Turkey seems to be HLC, which would be around triple that according to my research. And then double that for a second. I e. 25k or more.

That's a huge difference. And even more to go to a top European clinic, that's money I just don't have.

Dr Turan has really good reviews, legitimacy and results from what I can see, so I'm struggling to see a reason to go with a more expensive option.

Am I missing something?

For me it's not just what I can afford - I *could* afford 15k. But the equation of whether I could justify that considering what else it could go towards (family) changes quite strongly when I get to those amounts.

You remind me a lot of myself. I have no interest in going on Fin, and even have slight reservations about topical Min. I am also price conscience because I know I will likely need 2 if not eventually 3 HT's. Yes I could afford Hasson and Wong, but is the cost benefit really worth it compared to a reputable Doc in Mexico or Turkey? You can only decide for yourself. 

People here will often say "DO NOT CONSIDER PRICE IN DECIDING YOUR DOCTOR OR IF YOU WANT A HT" but honestly I find that a bit extreme. There are a select few number of great Doc's in places like Mexico and Turkey who are a fraction of the cost of European or American doctors.  

[GoliGoliGoli]

Also, some people actually get great results from hair mills. I'm not saying I advise going to a hair mill BY ANY means. But it does happen. That said I know nothing about the doctor you're asking about, but suggest you use the search function of this website to research more. I would not rely on any research outside of this forum. 

[THE TRUTH]

6 minutes ago, GoliGoliGoli said:

You remind me a lot of myself. I have no interest in going on Fin, and even have slight reservations about topical Min. I am also price conscience because I know I will likely need 2 if not eventually 3 HT's. Yes I could afford Hasson and Wong, but is the cost benefit really worth it compared to a reputable Doc in Mexico or Turkey? You can only decide for yourself. 

People here will often say "DO NOT CONSIDER PRICE IN DECIDING YOUR DOCTOR OR IF YOU WANT A HT" but honestly I find that a bit extreme. There are a select few number of great Doc's in places like Mexico and Turkey who are a fraction of the cost of European or American doctors.  

I agree with your statement. 

Most US surgeons are ridiculously expensive when it comes to pricing but let's face it:  they are crap... (except a few ones of course) 

If you go to a US surgeon chances are you'll spend around 15k to 20k $ for what ?  An average result at best...

On the other hand, Turkey is very cheap but 99% of clinics are hairmills and you're  basically playing russian roulette with your donor.  You can become of the very few lucky ones for example and get an excellent result for 2000-3000€  but you can also get totally destroyed for the rest of your life with almost no possibility of repair. So it's like taking big risks when playing poker. You got very little chance of making a huge amount of money but at the same time you may lose it all...

Again, I came to the conclusion that Spain/Portugal/Belgium is sort of in the right middle. Not too cheap not crazy expensive. 

Still expensive but affordable  

They have the best quality surgeons in the world (for FUE). 

[MaximumMM]

15 minutes ago, GoliGoliGoli said:

Also, some people actually get great results from hair mills. I'm not saying I advise going to a hair mill BY ANY means. But it does happen. That said I know nothing about the doctor you're asking about, but suggest you use the search function of this website to research more. I would not rely on any research outside of this forum. 

Thanks for the response. Dr Turan has indeed been recommended by this forum.

[MaximumMM]

10 hours ago, Ali took over said:

I agree with your statement. 

Most US surgeons are ridiculously expensive when it comes to pricing but let's face it:  they are crap... (except a few ones of course) 

If you go to a US surgeon chances are you'll spend around 15k to 20k $ for what ?  An average result at best...

On the other hand, Turkey is very cheap but 99% of clinics are hairmills and you're  basically playing russian roulette with your donor.  You can become of the very few lucky ones for example and get an excellent result for 2000-3000€  but you can also get totally destroyed for the rest of your life with almost no possibility of repair. So it's like taking big risks when playing poker. You got very little chance of making a huge amount of money but at the same time you may lose it all...

Again, I came to the conclusion that Spain/Portugal/Belgium is sort of in the right middle. Not too cheap not crazy expensive. 

Still expensive but affordable  

They have the best quality surgeons in the world (for FUE). 

Thanks the response.

I certainly wouldn't go to a hair mill, but Fuecapilar seems legit.

Do you know what price ranges in Spain/Portugal are? 

[Mike10]

Have you consulted a reputable physician? I guess the issue is you not being on Fin, at 36 you are still relatively young and your hair loss is quite agressive

[MaximumMM]

6 hours ago, Mike10 said:

Have you consulted a reputable physician? I guess the issue is you not being on Fin, at 36 you are still relatively young and your hair loss is quite agressive

No, I haven't. I have had steady hereditary hair loss for many years, so I'm not sure what a physician would be able to tell me that I don't already know.

I did take Finasteride previously but my libido was badly affected so I'm pretty reluctant to consider that. I suppose I should probably look into other meds though.

Edited July 13, 2022 by MaximumMM

[Mike10]

9 hours ago, MaximumMM said:

No, I haven't. I have had steady hereditary hair loss for many years, so I'm not sure what a physician would be able to tell me that I don't already know.

I did take Finasteride previously but my libido was badly affected so I'm pretty reluctant to consider that. I suppose I should probably look into other meds though.

Absolutely I think you should consult a reputable HT Dr and discuss it if you really want to do a HT

Edited July 14, 2022 by Mike10

[Gatsby]

I’ve had a transplant over SMP and as long as your SMP hairline is behind the transplanted hairline it’s fine. It also will add shadow and the illusion of more density. However remember MPB is progressive over the lifespan. Starting out researching by a budget and geography is never a good idea. You are better off saving up and waiting longer. This is for life and you will be looking at the results forever. All the best!

[MaximumMM]

39 minutes ago, Gatsby said:

I’ve had a transplant over SMP and as long as your SMP hairline is behind the transplanted hairline it’s fine. It also will add shadow and the illusion of more density. However remember MPB is progressive over the lifespan. Starting out researching by a budget and geography is never a good idea. You are better off saving up and waiting longer. This is for life and you will be looking at the results forever. All the best!

Thanks for that. Did you let your hair grow out immediately after the transplant or keep shaving it as per SMP in the short term? 

[Eugenix Hair Sciences]

Greetings of the day,

You're in a good condition. You donor area looks good, age is a good factor. SMP and hair transplants are inarguable two of the most effective and long-lasting treatments. What many people don’t realize is that both treatments can be used together. The best fit for you is to consult with a experienced and skill surgeon.  

You can also share the latest pictures for evaluation and if you would like to schedule a one-on-one information session with Dr. Arika Bansal, who will provide you a honest feedback. Please send me a PM and I can setup a VC session for you.

 

Best Wishes, 

Eugenix Hair Science  

[Gatsby]

3 hours ago, MaximumMM said:

Thanks for that. Did you let your hair grow out immediately after the transplant or keep shaving it as per SMP in the short term? 

I had SMP for six years. Nearly six months ago I had the hair transplant and I will just keep growing my hair. I won’t be going back to shaving my head again. Hope that helps. All the best!

[THE TRUTH]

6 hours ago, Gatsby said:

I had SMP for six years. Nearly six months ago I had the hair transplant and I will just keep growing my hair. I won’t be going back to shaving my head again. Hope that helps. All the best!

How long did your SMP last before fading away bro ?

[Fue3361]

That’s a very tight budget.  I don’t know how much they charge, but maybe Nader or HMR in Mexico are close to what you’re able to pay?

[Gatsby]

1 hour ago, Botch me baby said:

How long did your SMP last before fading away bro ?

It’s still there. I went to who I consider the best in the world (big call I accept). 

[THE TRUTH]

3 minutes ago, Gatsby said:

It’s still there. I went to who I consider the best in the world (big call I accept). 

Milena Lardi ? ProHairClinic Belgium ?

[Gatsby]

Caitlin James.

[MaximumMM]

9 hours ago, Gatsby said:

I had SMP for six years. Nearly six months ago I had the hair transplant and I will just keep growing my hair. I won’t be going back to shaving my head again. Hope that helps. All the best!

Thanks. Yes, I wouldn't want to shave it again afterwards, I was more considering it as a short term option during the 'ugly duckling' phase. I'm not sure if shaving it constantly would negatively affect the growth though. It's probably a dumb idea to be fair.

[MaximumMM]

2 hours ago, Fue3361 said:

That’s a very tight budget.  I don’t know how much they charge, but maybe Nader or HMR in Mexico are close to what you’re able to pay?

It's all relative I suppose. 5k for the first transplant - like I say Fuecapilar is about that but I'll check those others out as well, cheers.

[Kerma M]

On 7/12/2022 at 2:21 PM, GoliGoliGoli said:

 

People here will often say "DO NOT CONSIDER PRICE IN DECIDING YOUR DOCTOR OR IF YOU WANT A HT" but honestly I find that a bit extreme. There are a select few number of great Doc's in places like Mexico and Turkey who are a fraction of the cost of European or American doctors.  

I agree 100%! Price is a huge factor and even people say save for 2 or 3 years and go to top notch doctor isn’t always justified! As OP mentioned there are a lot other family/personal responsibilities that come into the pic! Very few people would be willing to spend $ 20-30k USD or more for HT! 
I think for OP would an affordable surgeon do a good job and you would look better than how it looks now? My simple answer is most likely yes!
Your donor density seems great and your baldness isn’t extreme! With good and affordable surgeon you should have a good result! 
I find it relatively lacking here is affordable surgeon recommendation!

Edited July 14, 2022 by Kerma M

[GoliGoliGoli]

36 minutes ago, Kerma M said:

I agree 100%! Price is a huge factor and even people say save for 2 or 3 years and go to top notch doctor isn’t always justified! As OP mentioned there are a lot other family/personal responsibilities that come into the pic! Very few people would be willing to spend $ 20-30k USD or more for HT! 
I think for OP would an affordable surgeon do a good job and you would look better than how it looks now? My simple answer is most likely yes!
Your donor density seems great and your baldness isn’t extreme! With good and affordable surgeon you should have a good result! 
I find it relatively lacking here is affordable surgeon recommendation!

And as much as I obviously agree with you, their is also a good reason why the vet's on this forum say that. Because even if I think its a bit hyperbolic, that last thing you want to do is jump into a HT with a surgeon just because of their price or proximity to you. So it's a good rule of thumb because their are so many frauds and hairmills out there, but if you're willing to do your research and take your time I do think it's slightly hyperbolic.