Anyone sporting a bald spot....

[using this name]

Hey guys......hope all is going well.

 

 

I was wondering.....are there any guys here who are sporting a bald spot in the back while only being concerned with their hairline rather than both areas?

 

It's obvious that the majority are more concerned with the hairline for many a justified reasons, and I just wanted to know, personally, who is comfortable with their "island" of a bald spot and doesn't plan on getting any work done on it, because either thei hairline is something that they deem more worthy and/or they aren't concerned with the back at all, but more with the hairline because of what can be gained by lowering the hairline and maiing it more dense and the likes.

 

If you're uncomfortable answering publically on the boards I understand......mail me and share your thoughts.....

 

You guys be good, rock on, one love.

[using this name]

Hey guys......hope all is going well.

 

 

I was wondering.....are there any guys here who are sporting a bald spot in the back while only being concerned with their hairline rather than both areas?

 

It's obvious that the majority are more concerned with the hairline for many a justified reasons, and I just wanted to know, personally, who is comfortable with their "island" of a bald spot and doesn't plan on getting any work done on it, because either thei hairline is something that they deem more worthy and/or they aren't concerned with the back at all, but more with the hairline because of what can be gained by lowering the hairline and maiing it more dense and the likes.

 

If you're uncomfortable answering publically on the boards I understand......mail me and share your thoughts.....

 

You guys be good, rock on, one love.

[Guest]

if donor hair was unlimited, i would surely get my bald spot filled in. Since I have (had) advanced hairloss, there's just not enough donor supply to get the back completely. I have had about 600 grafts placed back there to get some light coverage, added to the hair I still had and the proscar, it's not completely bare. IMO a thin crown looks 100 times better than a shiny bald crown any day.

[using this name]

Hugh, many thanks for your insight and reply.

 

Boy oh boy.....in your 4 month shots in your gallery....man! You don't even having a thinned out bald spot!!!!! Dude!!!!!!

 

ha!

 

Really, that's nothing compared to what some men are sporting these days, be them irritated by it or not.

 

I can't say that I mind a bald spot either thinning or a fully bald island, but what's key to me...in regards to getting hair work done....is that the bald spot look natural....

 

I agree with your thoughts though....I'm sure every member here would much prefer to have a thin bald spot rathr than a bare island bald spot.

 

It just always seeed to me that many here seemed to be concerned about both, and rightfully so, their hairline as well as their bald spot in back. I only say that because I have friends and family who only feel slighted because of their hairline and don't mind thei bald spot (whatever degree it may be)......and I haven't really read of others like my friends and family here. Where they are more concerned about their hairlne while not having the back make them feel down about themselves.

 

Although on the other hand....if ur concerned about ur hairline...why not be concerned about the other balding area....so I hear what you're saying. But to each his own and I was just trying to see if anyone is just focusing on their hairline rather than their bald/ing spot.

 

 

thanks again, you rock....and certainly your transplant rocks man.

[Kez]

This was an issue for me, as I got to my surgeon as a Norwood 5 more or less. I signed up for 3,500 FUs & I asked him to leave the bald spot so's to make sure I get a good hairline.

 

He didn't comply! He told me he was filling in the bald spot giving me a higher hairline, saying that, in his opinion, it would be a better job, and in any case, my combed-forward "Caesar" hair style would lower the hairline.

 

Shamefully, I suspected him of lining me up for a second job(!), but I have to say, 5 months on, I'm inclined to agree with his judgement. Provided you have sufficient donor hair some kind of coverage on the crown looks better.

 

But if you feel strongly about your hairline, make sure you make it clear to your surgeon.

[Smoothy]

Right on target, it's better to focus on the hairline, frontal core and mid scalp first. Then if you have dense donor, maybe sprinkle a few in the crown-- fewer FU per sq sm in the crown to give it coverage but thinner coverage. And if you comb it back anyway, it will not be notable.

There are a few patients who have a goal of crown work only because they dont anticipate loosing any hairline in the future. Just plan for 20 yr out.

[baldcasanova]

let me ask you guys opinion on this. i recently went to see a doctor, a good dr of high character and skill, and he took some pics of my head (before pics in my "win a free hair transplant" section)

Link to pic, within essay: http://hair-restoration-info.com/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=5696015661&f=955103892&m=496103214

 

then he photoshopped one and showed me what it would look like with 2000 grafts placed in the frontal area only, leaving the back bare. I could get it filled in later i feel. Would you opt for this in your HT or would you do differently?

I hear this is the most natural looking ht, and best way to do it. this would be opting for greater density in the front, while sacrificing overall density of the entire head. personally, my choice is how the picture below portrays.

 

Just looking for outside opinions. and i see so far the consensus is to opt for the front and ignore the crown as well.

 

Thanks in advance..

Cas

[Hair Apparent]

I can only give an opinion for myself.

 

Most definitely, nearly every HT surgeon will recommend filling in the front and the top first and leaving the crown for a second procedure. You are already aware of the advantages of this.

 

I chose not to go that way. During my HT consult, Dr. Cooley also, initially, made the recommendation to fill the front and leave the crown bare. My problem with that was this: even following a successful HT on the front and top, I would be too self-conscious of the bald spot in back.

 

To my point of view, a man whose hair is diffuse but present all over is less noticible as balding; all too often, I have seen people comment on a man who still has a healthy crop of hair in the front and top, but a shiny bare spot in back as "Look, he's going bald!"

 

I stress: this is my opinion and feeling on the matter; you and others certainly might see it differently. There is no "right" or "wrong" on this; it's a matter of personal preference.

 

Dr. Cooley recognised that, too. Once I told him of my preferences, he shifted his "plan of attack" accordingly.

 

Understand, I had to settle for trade-offs. I was a Norwood VI and my HT consisted of 2,600 grafts. And Dr. Cooley spent most of my ten-hour operation on the crown. That meant I had to settle for a less-complete, less-typical hairline. Instead of filling in the hairline in a usual manner, I accepted a "sharper V", something akin to an advanced widow's peak. And no temple work. (Fortunately, being nearly fifty, that's not an unnatural look for my age.)

 

Moreover, the denseness of the transplanted hair will be more diffuse. Lastly, typically, the hair transplanted to the crown takes longer to mature than the hair on the top and front; therefore, it will be longer before I see the final results of my surgery.

 

I understood that these would be necessary compromises, and Dr. Cooley realised that I understood that--an aspect of HT surgery that I cannot overstress. To a great extent, it's a team of patient and doctor. If the patient has reasonable expectations and shows an understanding of what his condition of balding permits and won't permit, then the HT physician will use all of his skill to meet the patient's goals.

 

(It's only been six weeks since my HT. In this early stage, it's difficult to estimate the final result. But based on how much time Dr. Cooley spent on my head [ten hours is much longer than I've seen anyone else describe the length of his operation, and Cooley was there the whole time, except for head calls and one ten-minute diversion] and the distribution of the hair as I saw it right after the operation, before it fell out, I think that the results will be better than I am expecting. [And I am a cynic by nature.])

 

So, the essential answer to the question of whether it's better or not to concentrate on the hairline and top and leave the crown bare is--it's a matter of personal preference and what you are comfortable living with.

 

I also want to add, even if one plans on a follow-up HT--and those of us higher up on the Norwood scale do--one needs to look at it from the perspective of living with the results of the first procedure. Things happen. Financial crises erupt. Jobs can be lost. And someone might find himself living with the results of his first HT longer than he anticipated. So it's best if the results of the first are something one can live with.

 

Bottom line: go with what you are comfortable with.

 

 

Hair Apparent

[HairBeThere]

I think it all comes down to personal preferance.

The best doctors are the once to take into consideration what your goals and expectations are, and what their limitations are.

IF you can choose to have a bald area, then great for you!! Wear it with pride!

 

Others it is more acceptable to have a thinner look than just a bald spot.

 

It really comes down to what is acceptable to you, and what you maybe willing to sacrifice.

[Smoothy]

As others have said-- it's personal perference. My preference is on the conservative side and perfect the hairline/frontal core/mid scalp first. Then work on the crown later depending on donor supply.

One thing to remember/think about-- say your crown baldness is 10 cm now-- you get it filled in-- then in 10 yrs natural hairloss takes your crown loss to 15-20 cm??? Then you have a problem with an "eight ball look" and limited donor. Just keep that in mind and if you choose crown work, do not go very dense your first pass-- I would say 15-20 fu per cm first pass to play it save for future progression. Hopefully your frontal core/midscalp will already be HT at 30-35 fu per cm so it would be nice styling.

[baldcasanova]

gents,

i appreciate your thorough insights.

 

its obvious its a personal preference thing.

just like having an ht

 

just hearing personal rationale behind it sometimes is good, rather than generalizing.

 

cas

[Hair Apparent]

"One thing to remember/think about-- say your crown baldness is 10 cm now-- you get it filled in-- then in 10 yrs natural hairloss takes your crown loss to 15-20 cm??? Then you have a problem with an "eight ball look" and limited donor. Just keep that in mind and if you choose crown work, do not go very dense your first pass-- I would say 15-20 fu per cm first pass to play it save for future progression."

 

An excellent point by Smoothy, and one I should have addressed.

 

In my case, at my age, my baldness has almost certainly stabilised--another point in favour of my decision to fill in my crown. A younger person, however, whose balding still has a course to run, could very well find himself with that "eight-ball" display, should any crown balding advance.

 

Another factor to take into account--and a good catch by Smoothy in bringing it up.

[Robert_]

Cas,

 

You have probably already posted this before, but are you utilizing Finasteride or Minoxidil or both for your crown?

 

-Robert