Advice before HT - with photos

[TomKkat]

Hello guys,

I would really appreciate any feedback from you. I want to do hair transplant in very near future and I am now looking at my older photos and comparing them to newer and recent ones. The reason for this - I am 40+ years old, I am taking only Minox, never tried Finasteride, I fear side effects. That being said, I am not sure if I am not in danger of losing more ground in future and ruin any transplant results. I want to go for one of the best clinics according to my research, but this being such huge step with no return possible, I am reluctant in the last minute.

I think my hairloss is not progressing much severely  but honestly I think if Minox is doing anything now, it is just slowing down the progression of AGA. Like with so many others, first couple of years were great with Minox, but now it is just habit to put something on my head.

Also, any comment about beard to hair procedure would be welcomed - I read here couple of remarks that the pain is quite intense - I have a beard and plan to use some grafts from there to preserve my donor.

Can you take a look? Any comment appreciated. The photos are of various quality, were not taken with intention of combining them together now. All the single pictures are from now.

Thank you!

[Zoomster]

Hi ..I think you’re very similar to my situation starting off in Dec 2019 ..if not even a little better ..you’ve similar “ tennis ball “ straight shooting hair like myself ..similar pattern and donor also

1 . At least try finasteride 

2 . Give Eugenix a shout ..

I’m living proof among thousands of others of what can be done for a guy in your shoes …I was in exactly the same pair as you .

Good luck 

[Doron Harati]

You seem around NW5, maybe you'll be NW6, need to do more detailed diagnose, but you seem suitable candidate for HTs, maybe you'll need 2 procedures to preserve your donor, for 40+ years old your condition looks stable, beard may be used after checking the donor.

[WhereIsMyMind]

Its on the verge of still doable, but this doesn't mean its plug and play. Be mindful its a very difficult case. Diffusse NW6, donor doesn't look amazing. Nothing that can't be done though.

It means commitment, money, and several proccedures (and medication).

If you are fully determined to go that road, like many others in this forum, it might be the best decision of your life.

[ray35]

Definitely try fin... been on 1mg for years all good. If you have sides drop it but the vast a majority of folks are fine with it.

Just do your HT research and land at the right clinic if that means travel so be it. This is a great forum with loads of helpful folks here. 

At a glance that donor looks stable and in good shape, so that'll be good. 

[TomKkat]

11 hours ago, WhereIsMyMind said:

Its on the verge of still doable, but this doesn't mean its plug and play. Be mindful its a very difficult case. Diffusse NW6, donor doesn't look amazing. Nothing that can't be done though.

It means commitment, money, and several proccedures (and medication).

If you are fully determined to go that road, like many others in this forum, it might be the best decision of your life.

Thank you for your reply. I am really reluctant to go Fin way because of hormone altering is not the way I wanna go. Do you think based on my timeline I will be able to get away with long-lasting results being on Minox only? I can see the deterioration in my donor when I place lictures like I did... but strangely the pic from 2020 seems better than 2016 - that being said, the pictures have different lighting, my hair got much more gray and the lenght is definitely not the same. My recent pics are with 6-7mm guard shave.

I would send private message, but I am not allowed to as I registered just couple of days ago.

[TomKkat]

22 hours ago, Zoomster said:

Hi ..I think you’re very similar to my situation starting off in Dec 2019 ..if not even a little better ..you’ve similar “ tennis ball “ straight shooting hair like myself ..similar pattern and donor also

1 . At least try finasteride 

2 . Give Eugenix a shout ..

I’m living proof among thousands of others of what can be done for a guy in your shoes …I was in exactly the same pair as you .

Good luck 

Thanks for commenting. I looked at your threat - amazing journey, man. Congrats to your results and amazing will!

Are you on fin? For years I went in my mind back and forth about it, but never took the plunge. I am losing ground with Minox, I know.

About Eugenix - that is really my only choice anyway, I chose them after quite a deep research, the results look stellar and I need my beard to donate to my hair anyway and they seem very experienced in this.

How big a pain was the procedure in beard? I think I can bear much pain, was in some painful local anasthetics procedures before (4 wisdom teeth pulled out all at once, no problem), but some comments here about pain when administering anesthetics to jaw really cought me by surprise. I would like to know from your personal experience if this particularly was okay, maybe others are overexaggerating?

[Zoomster]

1 hour ago, TomKkat said:

Thanks for commenting. I looked at your threat - amazing journey, man. Congrats to your results and amazing will!

Are you on fin? For years I went in my mind back and forth about it, but never took the plunge. I am losing ground with Minox, I know.

About Eugenix - that is really my only choice anyway, I chose them after quite a deep research, the results look stellar and I need my beard to donate to my hair anyway and they seem very experienced in this.

How big a pain was the procedure in beard? I think I can bear much pain, was in some painful local anasthetics procedures before (4 wisdom teeth pulled out all at once, no problem), but some comments here about pain when administering anesthetics to jaw really cought me by surprise. I would like to know from your personal experience if this particularly was okay, maybe others are overexaggerating?

I’m sure others will back me up on this .the beard v scalp anaesthesia process was virtually no difference pain wise ..still the same level of “ pinch “ when it’s being done .

Not sure why all this “ beard pain “ issue is gaining traction to ge Honest .

I’m on fin 1 mg every ,1.25 mg oral minox morning and evening and about to introduce 0.5 mg Dut one day a week to replace fin on that day ..

im also taking the hair specific vitamins the clinic issue on completion of HT to help encourage growth .think lasts 6 months .

Edited December 4, 2022 by Zoomster

[Zoomster]

1 hour ago, TomKkat said:

Thanks for commenting. I looked at your threat - amazing journey, man. Congrats to your results and amazing will!

Are you on fin? For years I went in my mind back and forth about it, but never took the plunge. I am losing ground with Minox, I know.

About Eugenix - that is really my only choice anyway, I chose them after quite a deep research, the results look stellar and I need my beard to donate to my hair anyway and they seem very experienced in this.

How big a pain was the procedure in beard? I think I can bear much pain, was in some painful local anasthetics procedures before (4 wisdom teeth pulled out all at once, no problem), but some comments here about pain when administering anesthetics to jaw really cought me by surprise. I would like to know from your personal experience if this particularly was okay, maybe others are overexaggerating?

Let me give you some hope @TomKkatas I feel you are at a really similar starting point to me ..particularly the donor ..the pic attached is 7 and a half weeks post my last and most probably final procedure..my scalp has had 9218 grafts extracted ..if you’ve concerns about whether your donor is up to the job ,this pic should help put those concerns to rest …the main difference between us …..finasteride !!! ..

[TomKkat]

8 minutes ago, Zoomster said:

Let me give you some hope @TomKkatas I feel you are at a really similar starting point to me ..particularly the donor ..the pic attached is 7 and a half weeks post my last and most probably final procedure..my scalp has had 9218 grafts extracted ..if you’ve concerns about whether your donor is up to the job ,this pic should help put those concerns to rest …the main difference between us …..finasteride !!! ..

Thank you for your replies. I really appreciate it.

And as you mentioned - Finasteride. I can cope with 2-3 operations, I had been told that most likely I would need 2 anyway. 

I understand that maybe my concerns are too big for this drug, but there was a time I seriously considered Fin and got my blood test for T and some other markers. I had below the normal range estradiol (good news I guess), but mediocre overall T and very very low free T. My DHT was in the range, but if it dropped e.g. 70% because of Fin, I would end up below normal range.

I fear gyno, mood swings, weight issues. I know fear is the worst enemy, but still, I would rather go without fin.

Do you think - I know it is nothing more than personal opinion - that I can get away without adding Finasteride to the mix? When did you add Fin to your regimen btw?

Thank you again for your opinions.

[Zoomster]

@TomKkat..when you’ve the biggest baddest bullet at your disposal in your war against MPB ..why not at least try pulling the trigger ..without at least trying it , in my opinion it’s like fighting the war with one arm behind your back ..again ,Just my humble opinion..

Im sure if I did enough tests I’d find some sort of reason not to commence Fin …a confirmation bias of sorts .