Need Some advice on my hairloss and what to do! 33 year old male

[Jl90]

I am due to have surgery soon and am having second thoughts regarding shockloss and the worry with all of that.

 

I started to notice my hairline maturing at around 21. I usually wear my hair forward so had never really paid much attention to it. I always had very dense thick hair like my mother.

 

Fast forward to age 23 and I decided to try minoxidil on one side of my hairline but it didnt do much. I then decided to try out a 5 alpha reductase inhibitor. Unfortunately I had side effects which really messed me up and led me down a very bad spell of health for many years. At age 26 I saw a Dr in Belgium to analyse my hair. He told me not to bother with a transplant with my loss especially as I was unable to take medication. I was informed I had a very good donor.

 

At age 27 I was on a high dose TRT for a year as my hormones were a bit messed up. I came off and then cycled 4 months worth of DHT prohormones.

 

Fast forward to today age 33 I am due to get married at the end of the year. I really wish it wasn't an issue for me after everything I have been through but I would really like to frame my face better.

Over the years my loss has been slow (touch wood). I do not take any medication and obviously never ever will again.

I had my scalp mapped and analysed:

 

1. Crown seems fine
2. Norwood 2
3. Good healthy donor
4. Measurements for donor 80-95 FU cm2.
5. One surgeon told me I had up to 10,000 grafts available but this seems high?

 

Anyway, I dream of slicking my hair back. I currently wear it forward to hide the recession but wind and swimming pools are my enemy. I want to live and be free and put it all behind me but I am concerned I am to focused on having great hair for my wedding day and am being blinded by that. I am concerned about shock loss of the native hair etc.

 

Any thoughts would be appreciated. 

 

Thanks again

 

Marks on forehead are where my hairline used to be as a teenager. I haven't lost much in the last 7 years, maybe 2mm.

 

[Delta Bravo]

You look great, little bit of hairline lowering and temples will make you look absolutely fantastic. Which clinic you're looking at? 
2-2.5k grafts from your great healthy donor. 

 

 

[davidn]

I think you are a good candidate. I would recommend to look into @FueGenix. A lot of cases with your hair type.

[Jl90]

10 minutes ago, Delta Bravo said:

You look great, little bit of hairline lowering and temples will make you look absolutely fantastic. Which clinic you're looking at? 
2-2.5k grafts from your great healthy donor. 

 

 

Thank you. Means a lot.

 

I have looked at a few well known clinics and I feel encouraged then out of the blue someone will post a bad result or review. Just feels like such a gamble which I guess is the nature of the game.

 

With no medication will I end up looking worse due to permanent shock loss? Or do I just take the risk and live my life. It's a really hard choice! I feel fortunate to have the hair I do. The frustrating thing is if I had never taken the medication in the first place and then had to take loads of hormones I would probably be in a better situation than I am in now. 

 

[davidn]

3 minutes ago, Jl90 said:

Thank you. Means a lot.

 

I have looked at a few well known clinics and I feel encouraged then out of the blue someone will post a bad result or review. Just feels like such a gamble which I guess is the nature of the game.

 

With no medication will I end up looking worse due to permanent shock loss? Or do I just take the risk and live my life. It's a really hard choice! I feel fortunate to have the hair I do. The frustrating thing is if I had never taken the medication in the first place and then had to take loads of hormones I would probably be in a better situation than I am in now. 

 

Did you consider oral Minoxidil? I dont think it is on par with Finasteride, but its probably the next best alternative if you cannot tolerate 5-aris.

 

[mr_peanutbutter]

how is the hairloss in your family

[Jl90]

11 minutes ago, mr_peanutbutter said:

how is the hairloss in your family

Dads hair is very fine. Thinned and receeded in his 20's. Was a norwood 4 at 25. From 50 He has been on large amounts of steroids for a long time due to health issues which has had a negative impact on his hair even more. Now a NW5

His dad had hair loss at the crown. None at the front.

 

Mums dad thinned out a bit on the crown at 50. Minor hair loss at front.

Mums brother age 60 no hair loss at all.

 

 

[Jl90]

36 minutes ago, davidn said:

Did you consider oral Minoxidil? I dont think it is on par with Finasteride, but its probably the next best alternative if you cannot tolerate 5-aris.

 

I forgot to mention that unfortunately I had sides of topical minixodil as well. I was using the higher strength foam.

I do not know why but I am pretty unlucky with that.

 

I just live a really healthy life now, very healthy diet. Drink rarely and do not smoke. It's the best I can do. I also supplement vitamins.

[Delta Bravo]

1 hour ago, Jl90 said:

Thank you. Means a lot.

 

I have looked at a few well known clinics and I feel encouraged then out of the blue someone will post a bad result or review. Just feels like such a gamble which I guess is the nature of the game.

 

With no medication will I end up looking worse due to permanent shock loss? Or do I just take the risk and live my life. It's a really hard choice! I feel fortunate to have the hair I do. The frustrating thing is if I had never taken the medication in the first place and then had to take loads of hormones I would probably be in a better situation than I am in now. 

 

Not to worry, some of the clinics are well known for your types of cases like Feriduni, Eugenix, Binsanga, and ASMED 

[Curious25]

If your hair looks like that at 33 after being on DHT prohormones and running TRT - I’d hedge a bet that if you do have a donor capacity of 10,000 available grafts, you’ll likely be able to manage your hair loss with continual transplants as and when required. 
 

Just be emotionally and financially prepared for it. 

[Johnny129]

1 hour ago, Delta Bravo said:

Not to worry, some of the clinics are well known for your types of cases like Feriduni, Eugenix, Binsanga, and ASMED 

Id take Asmed out of that list. 

[Mike10]

Hi I would estimate between 1500-2000 grafts? Did you receive and estimate?

It is not clear what concerns you most: Is it that you will need continous surgeries or that you may not have enough donor hair for those surgeries?Because on the first point, it is clear that you will have continous surgeries as hair loss os a life long progression. So you are taking a long term commitment. On the second point, you may very well have enough donor hair for those surgeries given you age, family history and hair loss pattern

I have always been of the belief that for this type of case, the best age is beginning of 40s and not 30s, liek myself now. Because at that moment there you have even more certaintly and need less surgeries.

 

 

[Mike10]

3 hours ago, Johnny129 said:

Id take Asmed out of that list. 

why?

[Jl90]

5 minutes ago, Mike10 said:

Hi I would estimate between 1500-2000 grafts? Did you receive and estimate?

It is not clear what concerns you most: Is it that you will need continous surgeries or that you may not have enough donor hair for those surgeries?Because on the first point, it is clear that you will have continous surgeries as hair loss os a life long progression. So you are taking a long term commitment. On the second point, you may very well have enough donor hair for those surgeries given you age, family history and hair loss pattern

I have always been of the belief that for this type of case, the best age is beginning of 40s and not 30s, liek myself now. Because at that moment there you have even more certaintly and need less surgeries.

 

 

I got estimated 2200-2400 which I feel is a bit too much.

 

My main goal is to go into old age with a mature hairline that frames my face well. If I lose hair on the crown so be it. Id preferably like that not to happen obviously but mainly it would be nice to have hair on the front. I just hate how my face is not framed at the moment.

 

I am aware of more surgeries down the line. My main worry was due to not being on medication, how will my native hair fair with surgery? I do not want to end up worse than I am now and regret it. At the same time I really want to stop my need to keep checking my hairline and imagining a better one in its place all the time. It is having an effect on my mental health and relationships around me. I guess people can relate to that.

The reason I have left it until 33 is because I knew when I went down the hormone route there would be a negative effect on my hair. I wanted to wait for a few years after to see how it would progress. It has not changed too much.

 

 

 

 

[Johnny129]

28 minutes ago, Mike10 said:

why?

From what Ive read they're not as reputable as they were several years ago with quality having declined and now running more like a hair mill

[Mike10]

1 hour ago, Jl90 said:

I got estimated 2200-2400 which I feel is a bit too much.

 

My main goal is to go into old age with a mature hairline that frames my face well. If I lose hair on the crown so be it. Id preferably like that not to happen obviously but mainly it would be nice to have hair on the front. I just hate how my face is not framed at the moment.

 

I am aware of more surgeries down the line. My main worry was due to not being on medication, how will my native hair fair with surgery? I do not want to end up worse than I am now and regret it. At the same time I really want to stop my need to keep checking my hairline and imagining a better one in its place all the time. It is having an effect on my mental health and relationships around me. I guess people can relate to that.

The reason I have left it until 33 is because I knew when I went down the hormone route there would be a negative effect on my hair. I wanted to wait for a few years after to see how it would progress. It has not changed too much.

 

 

 

 

you are concerned about temporary or permanent shockloss? I would say in your case shockloss is probably of a lesser concern. Because you are over 30 with good hair otherwise and transplanting into blank areas. If you go to a reputable surgeon who is used to operate theses case without propecia.Some degree of temporary shockloss is likely to occur of course.

while I can undertand your desire for the HT, at the end it is also a risks/benefit decision. Your hair looks still good and if you were 5-10 years from now you would not probably even consider a HT. It is your call

 

 

 

Edited January 17, 2023 by Mike10

[Mike10]

54 minutes ago, Johnny129 said:

From what Ive read they're not as reputable as they were several years ago with quality having declined and now running more like a hair mill

is not he with Tillman now ?

[botchedguy95]

On 1/17/2023 at 8:21 PM, Mike10 said:

is not he with Tillman now ?

Erdogan pays tillman to promote ASMED because the reputation of the clinic is in the toilet after all the poor results on different forums, a goof clinic does not need to pay a hack like tillman promoting them

OP for your hairtype I would probably only look towards bisanga.

[GoliGoliGoli]

I personally don't think most NW2 guys should be getting HT's. But obviously it's a personal decision so I don't mean to tell you not to either.  If I were you, I would try different hairstyles to hide whatever recession you have as you've already said you like to wear your hair down. I'd get by like this for as long as possible before going in for a HT. 

[Mike10]

7 hours ago, botchedguy95 said:

Erdogan pays tillman to promote ASMED because the reputation of the clinic is in the toilet after all the poor results on different forums, a goof clinic does not need to pay a hack like tillman promoting them

OP for your hairtype I would probably only look towards bisanga.

so you think Tillman is just in it for the money? to me he never seemed like that kind of guy though

[Mike10]

2 hours ago, GoliGoliGoli said:

I personally don't think most NW2 guys should be getting HT's. But obviously it's a personal decision so I don't mean to tell you not to either.  If I were you, I would try different hairstyles to hide whatever recession you have as you've already said you like to wear your hair down. I'd get by like this for as long as possible before going in for a HT. 

because of the shockloss risk?

[GoliGoliGoli]

35 minutes ago, Mike10 said:

because of the shockloss risk?

Not so much that. I just think it's best to wait until you can't live with it anymore before going under the knife. Once you get your first HT you're committed to chasing your baldness as it progresses so it just makes sense to me to get by with styling it until you can't live with it anymore, especially in OP's case where Fin isn't an option. OP has great hair and I think he could style it well to mask the recession

[Mike10]

4 minutes ago, GoliGoliGoli said:

Not so much that. I just think it's best to wait until you can't live with it anymore before going under the knife. Once you get your first HT you're committed to chasing your baldness as it progresses so it just makes sense to me to get by with styling it until you can't live with it anymore, especially in OP's case where Fin isn't an option. OP has great hair and I think he could style it well to mask the recession

I think this is true. But do you think this is also applies in a case when the patient is older. I am NW2 and aleady 41 age? I am happy to hold off on HT no problem , just curious to have your opinion 

[GoliGoliGoli]

10 minutes ago, Mike10 said:

I think this is true. But do you think this is also applies in a case when the patient is older. I am NW2 and aleady 41 age? I am happy to hold off on HT no problem , just curious to have your opinion 

It's certainly less true when the prospective patient is older. There are a TON of factors that go into determining when the right time for a HT is, so what I said should be taken more as a rule of thumb and my personal opinion than any sort of advice. 

[mavigo]

On 1/25/2023 at 11:53 AM, Mike10 said:

so you think Tillman is just in it for the money? to me he never seemed like that kind of guy though

Don't under estimate the power of money. Even on his website he states he only supports a clinic for pay. So his opinions and accolades are basically dung. I've seen him glam up clinics that are really spotty. 

I also find him really annoying.