Long term goals

[JC91]

Hi guys,

What are peoples long term goals with hair transplants. Thinking of having the transplant but just thinking very long term 20-30 years time not sure I still want to be taking meds.

Are people thinking I’ll wait until I’m 50/60 and then just see what happens and shave it off or whatever then?

Interested to see what people have done or are thinking/planning. 

Thanks. 
 

 

[Turkhair]

Hope some new breakthrough cure/treatment like finasteride happens in coming years.

 

 

Edited September 9, 2023 by Turkhair

[JC91]

Let’s hope so! Was thinking I’d rather not be taking meds for 20-30 years. Equally don’t want to have a Ronaldo fringe left only 🤣

[Savemyhairline]

I feel pretty darn safe with finasteride in the long term if I’m being honest. If a new breakthrough cure comes out, that would be great, but I’d want to see a similar level of testing/long term studies done with this new cure as finasteride. Fin has been used by literally millions of men and has been heavily studied for multiple decades. 
 

While FUE scars are not perfect, they are pretty tame if you do decide to shave it all off one day down the line, especially if you leave your hair not shaved down to skin. I hope it doesn’t come to that for me but if I’m like 60 and just don’t want to be bothered by it anymore, it’s an option. I know I know, men care about hair when they are older, believe me I know, my grandpa still cared about his hair when he was almost 90. But men have to accept, even those without MPB, hair will thin as you get older it happens to everyone. So expecting to maintain good density when you’re 75 is unrealistic, unless some new crazy cure comes along.

 

im gonna be 28 years old in 2 months. Im recently single so my hair is objectively important for me, women care about a man’s hair quite a bit, especially the ages that I’d want to date. Now if I’m happily married with kids in 20 years, I’m sure I still will care about my hair, but it won’t be as important assuming my wife actually loves me for me. I just got a densely packed HT for my frontal third, which is by far the most important as it frames your face. Nobody wants a thin crown or midscalp but they don’t frame your face as a hairline does. By the way you worded your question, I’m assuming you are also a younger guy. If you think it’s very likely you’ll want to shave your head down the line, you shouldn’t get a HT. If you think it’s possible you may want to shave your head down the line but you would STRONGLY prefer hair now and for the next couple decades, and are willing to take meds, I’d get an FUE procedure.

 

At the end of the day there’s no flawless course of action. You just gotta decide what is right for you and keep the long term in mind.

[gillenator]

I started taking low dose finasteride 28 years ago shortly after my first HT procedure and after having 4 separate FUHT procedures totaling 7,000 grafts, my visual coverage has remained intact!

[JC91]

Yeah I’ve not really shaved my head before and sure I have a bit of a cone head so I’d rather delay it for as long as possible. More so if I can do something about it. Am mid thirties so trying to time it right before it’s too late and obvious as well. 
 

It’s not something I’ve seen discussed much about where you see yourself in 20 years time after having a HT.

28 years ago is impressive, congrats on maintaining it! 

[Vann]

Hopefully verteporfin makes some ground in scar tissue development that pushes other companies to further research and compete to market... Theres too many for profit industries when it comes to "hair restoration" that it is easier to keep people coming back and milking the cow.

But to answer your question my long term goals are to continue my medication regime and play the hair transplants slow as they are my last option.

[A Fue Good Men]

Long term goal should be to leave some grafts in the bank in case future work needs to be done to address continued loss. Meds help a lot of guys but even when using finasteride/minoxidil it’s possible to continue losing ground over the years, albeit at a slower pace.

 

nothing is guaranteed 

[Gatsby]

On 9/9/2023 at 10:15 PM, JC91 said:

Hi guys,

What are peoples long term goals with hair transplants. Thinking of having the transplant but just thinking very long term 20-30 years time not sure I still want to be taking meds.

Are people thinking I’ll wait until I’m 50/60 and then just see what happens and shave it off or whatever then?

Interested to see what people have done or are thinking/planning. 

Thanks. 
 

 

A hair transplant is a serious commitment. It's not just one procedure. It's something that has to be taken on as a plan over the lifespan. The longer you wait the better able you are to make the best decision. The most important factor in all areas of hair restoration is patience. Your goal should be to have a natural appearance. This doesn't mean a low hair line, super density, full crown, etc. It does need to look as though nothing was ever done. I wouldn't undergo surgery without medication which is also why medication is your first port of call and to give medication a good twelve months to see how you respond. All the best!

[A_4_Archan]

@JC91

Certainly! While the surgery itself is a one-time procedure, it's crucial to understand that the results and maintenance are a long-term commitment for several reasons:

1. Gradual Growth: After a hair transplant, newly transplanted hair doesn't grow immediately. It takes several months for the transplanted follicles to start producing hair, and the growth is gradual.

2. Ongoing Hair Loss: Hair loss can continue in areas surrounding the transplanted hair. This means that over time, you may need additional transplant sessions to address new areas of baldness.

3. Natural Aging Process: Hair transplant doesn't stop the natural aging process or the progression of genetic hair loss. So, as you age, you might experience further hair loss, which may require additional treatments.

4. Maintenance: To maintain the results and ensure that the transplanted hair looks natural, you'll likely need to follow a hair care regimen and possibly use medications or treatments recommended by your surgeon.

5. Realistic Expectations: Having realistic expectations is crucial. A hair transplant can significantly improve your hair's appearance, but it may not fully restore the density or hairline of your youth.

Hence while the surgery itself is a one-time event, the commitment to maintaining and managing the results can be a long-term process.

[gillenator]

On 9/11/2023 at 9:44 PM, Gatsby said:

A hair transplant is a serious commitment. It's not just one procedure. It's something that has to be taken on as a plan over the lifespan. The longer you wait the better able you are to make the best decision. The most important factor in all areas of hair restoration is patience. Your goal should be to have a natural appearance. This doesn't mean a low hair line, super density, full crown, etc. It does need to look as though nothing was ever done. I wouldn't undergo surgery without medication which is also why medication is your first port of call and to give medication a good twelve months to see how you respond. All the best!

Again, great words of wisdom from Gats…it took 4 separate procedures to get me where it felt like I had accomplished my long term goals…and I’m talking in terms of visual appearance.

[JC91]

Lots of great information here, thanks all.

I’m a bit stuck with timing and money so it’s a bit more of now or never for me with moving house and having one more child. Have been on meds for nearly a month and all good so far. The hair loss has been very slow and gradual over 10 years with not much loss over the last 12 months.
 

Realistic expectations is a good point, never going to have that straight teenage hairline again 😭

Certainly is a difficult life decision to make and one you never know until you do it. 

[ScottishGuy21]

I’m 37 and do still worry long term. 

My Dr discussed the potential even on finasteride for further recession so it’s certainly something you need to factor in. Stabilisation of recession now doesn’t mean for eternity . Leave grafts in the tank and air on the side of conservatism if you are relatively young.