Hairline only options for NW7 with limited scalp donor

[Bamboo]

I’ve posted elsewhere about my current condition and options for surgery.

 

I’m NW7 with limited scalp donor as a result of botched procedures in the 80s and 90s. I’ve been told I have about 1300 scalp grafts available. I have an abundance on body hair. 
 

I currently wear a system which is okay but like many system wearers, I’m always conscious of the hairline. One of the options I’m considering is the restoration of a modest but natural looking hairline that I could comb backwards, with the system set behind it. I’m looking for something consistent with my age (59).
 

Any recommendations for surgeons in Europe that are particularly noted for good hairlines? 

[Berba11]

I remember your other recent thread where you included pictures.

Firstly, who told you that you only have 1,300 scalp grafts available? I'm not saying this information was wrong - your donor does look weak - but some doctors are considerably more conservative in terms of what they are willing to extract than others.

Are you going to want to be wearing a wig for the next 25 years? I understand your reluctance to simply buzz down is due to scarring. You could use body hair transplanted into the scarring to help conceal the donor scars.

I think you also have a forehead scar as well?

[Bamboo]

46 minutes ago, Berba11 said:

Are you going to want to be wearing a wig for the next 25 years? 

A system that looks better with a more realistic hairline is one of the options I’m considering, hence the question.

 

There are pros and cons with all options. I want to tease out the hairline only option.

Edited September 10, 2023 by Bamboo

[Berba11]

6 minutes ago, Bamboo said:

A system that looks better with a more realistic hairline is one of the options I’m considering, hence the question.

 

There are pros and cons with all options. I want to tease out the hairline only option.

I think it's a viable option but one that might look a bit ridiculous in later life if you decide to no longer wear the hair system or for whatever reason you're not able to maintain wearing one (nobody knows what sort of health condition we'll be in by our 80's for instance). Pretty much any of the European doctors on the forum's recommended list will be able to give you a nice looking hairline. You won't be short of options.

Can you say who gave you the 1300 graft estimate from your available donor area?

[Turkhair]

Pekiner for hairlines. He’s the best for hairlines. Use whatever remaining grafts you’ve left for hairline. 
 

Your plan isn’t bad. Get a hairline and wear hair system. You can use beard/body hair behind hairline and if it looks good, ditch the hair system. If not you can use it.

The thing about body hair is they are single grafts and short life span so you need a lot and I mean a lot to get coverage and not look thin. For comparison, scalp grafts are 3/4/5 hairs depending on how healthy they are, 1/2s are less in number and only when miniaturised. I just read a thread other day of someone having 5 hair grafts in thousands but his hairloss wasn’t severe to be fair. 

[Bamboo]

 

15 minutes ago, Turkhair said:

Pekiner for hairlines. He’s the best for hairlines. Use whatever remaining grafts you’ve left for hairline. 
 

Your plan isn’t bad. Get a hairline and wear hair system. You can use beard/body hair behind hairline and if it looks good, ditch the hair system. If not you can use it.

Thanks for that. Yes, that was part of my thinking also - that I could replace the system with BHT at some point in the future. The BHT outcome would obviously not be as “full” as the system so perhaps the hairline might need to be more modest to allow for this possibility.

[Bamboo]

2 hours ago, Berba11 said:

I think it's a viable option but one that might look a bit ridiculous in later life if you decide to no longer wear the hair system or for whatever reason you're not able to maintain wearing one (nobody knows what sort of health condition we'll be in by our 80's for instance). Pretty much any of the European doctors on the forum's recommended list will be able to give you a nice looking hairline. You won't be short of options.

Can you say who gave you the 1300 graft estimate from your available donor area?

Thanks. Yes, the older I get, the more I think about how things will be when I’m reach old age. Maintaining a system is not a task I’d be happy to have to assign to someone else.

[Berba11]

1 hour ago, Bamboo said:

 

Thanks for that. Yes, that was part of my thinking also - that I could replace the system with BHT at some point in the future. The BHT outcome would obviously not be as “full” as the system so perhaps the hairline might need to be more modest to allow for this possibility.

You're not going to able to get enough scalp hairs to make body hair viable for an advanced NW7. You need to be able to create a strong foundation with scalp hair and then boost it with body hair. This is why I asked who evaluated your donor at only 1300 grafts? It's an important question, because if the surgeon who gave you that number isn't a specialist at homogeneously depleting donor areas to treat advanced NW6 & 7's then it's possible their estimate is quite low compared to what some of the NW7 specialists might think.

[Bamboo]

14 hours ago, Berba11 said:

You're not going to able to get enough scalp hairs to make body hair viable for an advanced NW7. You need to be able to create a strong foundation with scalp hair and then boost it with body hair. This is why I asked who evaluated your donor at only 1300 grafts? It's an important question, because if the surgeon who gave you that number isn't a specialist at homogeneously depleting donor areas to treat advanced NW6 & 7's then it's possible their estimate is quite low compared to what some of the NW7 specialists might think.

Thanks. I appreciate all that. 
 

But my question on this thread was about surgeons who would be particularly good at soft, modest hairlines.

 

I accept that Eugenix is perhaps the natural route for BHT but the hairlines I’ve seen on their website seem to be quite “full” relative to what I’d be looking for.

[Al - Moderator]

54 minutes ago, Bamboo said:

I accept that Eugenix is perhaps the natural route for BHT but the hairlines I’ve seen on their website seem to be quite “full” relative to what I’d be looking for.

This could possibly be because most people want thick hairlines. You should probably ask them a few questions about doing a hairline that you are thinking of and ask if they have any cases similar. 

[Al - Moderator]

Based on both of your threads and seeing your pictures I think you may be best off trying to get the entire front half filled in with a hair transplant and wearing a hairpiece for just the crown. If you get 1300 scalp grafts as a Dr estimates you have and are able to add 3000 body grafts then I think you could get the front half reasonably filled in with a high hairline. Then use a crown hair piece for a while. In a few years when you are a bit older and get tired of the crown piece you can decide to just ditch the crown piece and live with a bald crown. You’d still have the front half filled in with real hair. 

Edited September 11, 2023 by BeHappy

[Gatsby]

@Bamboo have you had any feedback from surgeons yet? All the best. 

[mr_peanutbutter]

you mean something like this?

 

[Bamboo]

1 hour ago, mr_peanutbutter said:

you mean something like this?

 

Yes something like that. Thanks for sharing.

 

I wouldn’t even want a hairline that dense. Something softer perhaps that’s more age appropriate (I’m 59)

[Bamboo]

6 hours ago, Gatsby said:

@Bamboo have you had any feedback from surgeons yet? All the best. 

Hi @Gatsby

I’ve had one online but I’d much prefer an in-person consultation even if it means travelling. My donor capacity is limited and I think really warrants an examination that would be difficult t perform online. I’ve been burned badly by reps over the years so I’ve become sceptical, by default, about what I’m being told.

[Gatsby]

10 hours ago, Bamboo said:

Hi @Gatsby

I’ve had one online but I’d much prefer an in-person consultation even if it means travelling. My donor capacity is limited and I think really warrants an examination that would be difficult t perform online. I’ve been burned badly by reps over the years so I’ve become sceptical, by default, about what I’m being told.

100%

[Bamboo]

Ideally, I would love a hairline like this. 
 

 

[A_4_Archan]

@Bamboo

You can use scalp donor for hairline and body/beard grafts for mid and crown and than can do smp to create an illusion of density ..you may once consult dr pittela who is doing outstanding work in high nw cases and ask about his opinion and see wht he has to suggest ...

[Bamboo]

On 9/12/2023 at 12:56 PM, A_4_Archan said:

@Bamboo

You can use scalp donor for hairline and body/beard grafts for mid and crown and than can do smp to create an illusion of density ..you may once consult dr pittela who is doing outstanding work in high nw cases and ask about his opinion and see wht he has to suggest ...

Thanks for that.

 

As far as sequencing goes, what about this.

 

1. Get hairline sorted 

2. Get SMP on rest of scalp and ditch the system 

3. Get BHT as much as possible and accept the results as being the best possible outcome.

 

Grateful for any and all views.