Quote from HMR Tijuana with Dr. Cortez - Am I a good candidate?

[naeshair]

Hello friends -

I just received a quote from HMR in Tijuana with Dr. Cortez. I was looking at a date of May 3rd for the procedure as I need a Thursday or Friday. Other top surgeons in Mexico seem to booked out for a very long time. I would like some feedback on the quote I received. I don't have an issue with the cost, but the number of grafts I am questioning and people's feedback on Dr. Cortez. It seems HMR has good reviews, but the more I look into the forums it seems questionable.

If anyone can please provide any feedback I would really appreciate it. I have shaved my head for 5 years now. Just accepted that my hair was no longer good so preferred to let it go. Now at 42 I still can't escape my vanity of what once was I didn't think these FUEs were so great.

I have no male pattern baldness in my family, my father still has a full head of hair at 74, my maternal grandfather died at 97 with a full head of hair. I did use some testosterone and other androgens in my early 20s so I suppose that could have contributed. Below is the response from HMR:

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Thank you for reaching out to us. As a specialized company in Hair Transplant employing the FUE technique (Follicular Unit Extraction), we've carefully assessed your case. To restore your hairline and enhance density in the front, approximately 2200 - 2400 grafts are recommended. 

 

Post-procedure, a personalized medical treatment plan is advised to maintain the health of your native hair.

 

It's worth noting that your donor area appears to have lower density, posing a challenge in achieving optimal coverage. We always strive for the best results and encourage you to thoroughly educate yourself about hair transplantation before proceeding.

 

The cost for the recommended 2400 grafts is $5520 USD

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I have attached my images. I really appreciate any feedback you guys have.

S

[naeshair]

This picture was taken 10 years ago. I would like to restore to something like this, my widow peak area was starting to thin slightly then. With a good procedure could I maintain this for another 5-10 years?

[Melvin- Admin]

Dr. Cortez does good work. Are you on medication?

[naeshair]

No I have never taken anything. I am hesitant to take finasteride as I have heard a lot of side effect stories and that there can be long term consequences.

[Melvin- Admin]

2 hours ago, naeshair said:

No I have never taken anything. I am hesitant to take finasteride as I have heard a lot of side effect stories and that there can be long term consequences.

You shouldn’t consider surgery unless you treat hair loss at the root cause. There’s topical finasteride and dutasteride. They work with less chance of side effects. 

[Gatsby]

@naeshair you have to realize that medication is the first port of call and surgery should be a last resort. If you are able to stabilize your hair loss then that puts you in a great position for surgery. Rarely is surgery a one off experience over the lifespan.

[naeshair]

Thank you I appreciate that feedback. I am pretty new to this. I have been hesitant to explore medications as I don't like take medications that effect my hormones specifically blocking DHT. I don't even like to take aspirin. Ironically I works at a hormone therapy clinic and have heard of bad outcomes as well as colleagues that don't advocate for using anything systemically that blocks DHT, especially as it related to sexual function. Any thoughts? Perhaps a topical compound to consider? What is a reasonable time frame to attempt to stabilize. I apologize if this is introductory.

[naeshair]

5 hours ago, Gatsby said:

@naeshair you have to realize that medication is the first port of call and surgery should be a last resort. If you are able to stabilize your hair loss then that puts you in a great position for surgery. Rarely is surgery a one off experience over the lifespan.

At our clinic we have some patients taking a MINOXIDIL/FINASTERIDE Solution,10/0.1%. It comes in a 50ml bottle. What do you think of this option?

[Gatsby]

I think oral finasteride and oral minoxidil under the care of a good dermatologist is the best approach. I can’t tell people to take medication if it’s against their beliefs (I’m not a doctor). But even if a person was to develop side effects then cease the medication. Topicals can be an option for some who can’t tolerate oral versions. 

[naeshair]

On 2/27/2024 at 3:59 PM, Melvin- Admin said:

You shouldn’t consider surgery unless you treat hair loss at the root cause. There’s topical finasteride and dutasteride. They work with less chance of side effects. 

Thank you, I am pretty new to this. Any guesses on how long it usually takes to stabilize before I should consider surgery?

[Gatsby]

4 hours ago, naeshair said:

Thank you, I am pretty new to this. Any guesses on how long it usually takes to stabilize before I should consider surgery?

Give topical treatment at least six months as a minimum before judging any results (unless you respond early). Really 12 months will show the best results. All the best!

[naeshair]

So I had a consultation with Dr. Sastra at HMR to clear up some questions on medication treatment prior to procedure and received some confusing info. First he said that medication treatment isn't as important at my age (42) as it is for younger guys. He recommended doing the procedure and definitely taking medication after. He said I was a good candidate and agreed with the quote of 2200-2400 grafts. Said my crown is good and restoration of the hair line would be priority and that I could expect good results. 

Then I asked the same question via Whatsapp to Dr. Custodio's people, they said to take medication a minimum of a month prior but the longer the better. This seemed quite vague. No availability in Mexico this year and 2025 at the earliest. 

Still have heard nothing from Dr. Nader and it's been a month. I have reached out at least six times via email and multiple phone calls. This doesn't look like it's going to happen as I'm sure he's booked far in the future.

With HMR I could get in the second week of May. But this also begs the question, if I can get in so soon are they good? Melvin said Dr. Cortez is a good surgeon. They also confirmed he would be doing extraction and implantation personally. With the feedback Dr. Sastra gave me I am confused, either medication isn't that big of a deal, or they are pushing for surgeries and don't care about what is best for the patient.

I also contacted another clinic local in Colorado. They are more expensive at $6 / graft. He is not a hair transplant only surgeon. I sent pics and she gave me the following feedback:

"Thank you for taking the time to send over images. I have reviewed these with Dr. McCracken and while it's difficult to identify the exact number of hair grafts required to address your areas of concern, we're suspecting that you might be looking at somewhere between 1500-2000 grafts."

Also, I have started the minoxidil / finasteride topical treatment I posted previously, the 10/0.1%.

Thank you for any feedback.

Edited March 7 by naeshair

[naeshair]

I can get all these products too. Any thoughts?

[naeshair]

Bump for any feedback gentleman. I decided to do a paid consult with Dr. Custodio in Spain on the 21st. Also HMR still has a procedure date I am considering for May 9th but still not sure I should move forward before taking medication. Getting conflicting information. HMR says not necessary, but definitely after the procedure.

Thanks

[naeshair]

Doesn't look like much is going on with this forum? I have reserved my procedure for May 9th with HMR and Dr. Cortez.