Regular Member Arson Posted January 13, 2006 Regular Member Share Posted January 13, 2006 Been thinning for 5 years. I've posted many times describing my situation. I've been on this board for a long, long time. I've waited 3 long years after talking to Dr. DeYarmen about a transplant. I'm 23. Been on Propecia for 3 years, been on monoxidil even longer. I have a lot of hair, but my hairline, is unnatural looking and ugly. Both temples lose hair, but the right is disturbingly fast and looks horrible against the rest of my thick, black hair. When light shines through it... I'm sure you all know the embarrassing details. I've spent my life wasting away in front of a mirror trying to cover it up and make it match the left side. It feels almost as nerve-racking as those who describe wearing a hairpiece. These pics are from weeks ago. I've been sick and the right side has seen a bit more loss recently. I want something done. I've heard it all "Wait til you're older" etc etc, but I couldn't help notice Brando's hair and transplant. He had his when he was 20. I can't imagine wasting my best years away like this anymore. I'm convinced this should be done, after all my research and listening to you guys. I want something done this summer. With DeYarmen or Dr. Cooley. Advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Arson Posted January 13, 2006 Author Regular Member Share Posted January 13, 2006 Been thinning for 5 years. I've posted many times describing my situation. I've been on this board for a long, long time. I've waited 3 long years after talking to Dr. DeYarmen about a transplant. I'm 23. Been on Propecia for 3 years, been on monoxidil even longer. I have a lot of hair, but my hairline, is unnatural looking and ugly. Both temples lose hair, but the right is disturbingly fast and looks horrible against the rest of my thick, black hair. When light shines through it... I'm sure you all know the embarrassing details. I've spent my life wasting away in front of a mirror trying to cover it up and make it match the left side. It feels almost as nerve-racking as those who describe wearing a hairpiece. These pics are from weeks ago. I've been sick and the right side has seen a bit more loss recently. I want something done. I've heard it all "Wait til you're older" etc etc, but I couldn't help notice Brando's hair and transplant. He had his when he was 20. I can't imagine wasting my best years away like this anymore. I'm convinced this should be done, after all my research and listening to you guys. I want something done this summer. With DeYarmen or Dr. Cooley. Advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member thinkingaboutit Posted January 13, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted January 13, 2006 this may sound flippant, but I think you are worrying too much. THe stress itself may be exacerbating your hair loss. Based on your degree of hair loss, not your age, I think it is too soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member GuitarPlayer Posted January 13, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted January 13, 2006 After looking at your photos, I came to the following conclusion. You have a ton of hair! A lot of guys on here would kill to have as much hair as you. I wouldn't engage in a hair transplant if I were you. You'd be risking shockloss and an unnatural look down the road if you lost the rest of your hair and were just left with your tranplanted temples. I would just stick to the meds for the time being. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Arson Posted January 14, 2006 Author Regular Member Share Posted January 14, 2006 Thanks for the input. However, I have heard this before. Obviously, guys with worse hair conditions would kill to have the hair I do have. But that does not mean my hair has not receded. It also does not mean my hair problem is not obvious, especially the lopsidedness of it. It looks worse than the picture shows, to be honest. The left side is great and I'd like my whole head of hair to stay that way. You speak of a transplant making it look unnatural... Well, look at my hairline. It is already unnatural. The right side isn't just receded, and pushed back. It is as if I have one disease-ridden circular patch of skin on one spot of my head. I just want some equality here, and I'm sure I'm going through with this. If my hair worsens, I can always shave the temple hairs or get another transplant. I don't want a scar or have to deal with major surgeory so I'm thinking FUE for the time being, until I do need a major transplant elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member ron73 Posted January 14, 2006 Regular Member Share Posted January 14, 2006 Hey man, you have to come to the realization that no one (or very few) keep the hairline that tey had when they were 16. It is a natural part of life. We all get older and we all die. Hair transplants are great for those who have lost significant hair (I had 5300 FU) but at your stage in the game - I am going to agree with the other posts. Take propecia and realize that everyone ages a little. If you had a hair transplant now - you are just risking an unnatural look later. I don't think it is worth it at all. Wait a few more years, start propecia tomorrow and see how that works. On the other hand, I know you just want to look your best. But let's face it - most guys do this hair thing because of the women. And I will tell you that most women (even the younger ones) are not going to blink at eye at your hair loss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Arson Posted January 14, 2006 Author Regular Member Share Posted January 14, 2006 The women thing is false. And as I have said in my earlier post, I've been on propecia and rogain for three years or more already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member JohnH Posted January 14, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted January 14, 2006 Arson, you are asking about Dr DeYarman and Dr Cooley. Isn't DeYarman in San Diego CA and Cooley in Charlotte NC? Opposite sides of the country! It sounds like you have already made up your mind to get a procedure. Have you had a consultation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Arson Posted January 14, 2006 Author Regular Member Share Posted January 14, 2006 I was considering DeYarmen, he seems like a very good doctor and he is local. But I couldn't help noticing people's results with Dr. Cooley, and am thinking about flying over there to get it done. I've spoken to DeYarmen before, and emailed Dr. Cooley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member ron73 Posted January 15, 2006 Regular Member Share Posted January 15, 2006 I agree with JohnH - it does sound like you have your decision made on the HT - so just consult the best doctors and best wishes for the hair that you desire. Ultimately it is your decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Arson Posted January 16, 2006 Author Regular Member Share Posted January 16, 2006 Thanks for the advice, all of you, I appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Robert_ Posted January 16, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted January 16, 2006 Arson, Your photos make it look like there is a mass of black hair at the hairline and do not show what may be the extent of your thinning. I'm not asking you to post new photos, I am saying that before I go into the rest of the post, I am giving you the benefit of the doubt when you describe the extent of your loss. Brando's thinning was more severe than yours is at a younger age. Not much, mind you, but I'd wager that if you were both standing side-by-side that his hair line placement post-op would closely match your natural hair line where it is now. What you have seen as extensive thinning is, in reality, not that much at all in the grand scheme of things. It's great that you utilize Propecia and Minoxidil and have no intention of discontinuing either. Am I correct in that you apply minoxidil to the hairline also? 1mg/day may spur some growth if you already plan on continuing it indefinitely. It's good that Dr. Cooley's results have spurred you to look closely at his practice. Not so long ago, many forum members wouldn't have recognized his name when it was mentioned. At the very sight of a name that isn't repeated over and over, some posters automatically inform others that the physician is not good enough and, therefore, they should keep looking. Believe it or not, I read posts like that about Dr. Cooley as early as around a year-and-a-half ago. His reputation is truly representational of his results and the exceptional care that he and his staff exhibit for his patients. It is not built on internet hype and marketing. For this, I am glad because not only is Dr. Cooley one of the most talented physicians whom I have seen results from, but he is easily one of the most dedicated in the field. My own experience with his clinic echoes many others. Now, I went into that rhetoric that made me sound much like a Dr. Cooley "cheerleader" to make a point. I don't want posters to get the impression that he is the doctor to go to just because one is at a young age. Brando was but one case and there were very many factors that had to be assessed before surgery was deemed to be a viable option. This is not to say that you are not a candidate for surgery, I just want to clarify to others that may be perusing this thread that Dr. Cooley is not the physician to go to if/when one is ever turned down for hair restoration surgery by another physician for age/limited loss concerns. It does sound like you have made up your mind to take the next step in going forward with a procedure, or at least putting forth more effort into getting information about one. A couple of questions that I have for you are: - What's your family history of loss? Father, grand-father (mother and father's sides), brothers, cousins, etc.? Has any of the males in your family had a slight recssion into their 20's or even 30's only to have extensive loss after that? It can happen. - What it seems you are looking to do is to "close off" the temporal recession area. While I am not one to automatically dismiss this practice as some others are, I will say that great care and careful planning of the future are needed when this approach is utilized. How far down are you looking to go? Just from the photo you posted, I will say that you have one thing working for you in aces: your hair characteristic. From what I can tell, it looks like it has a fairly thick shaft diameter and is curly - almost coarse. Patients with these hair characteristics can usually expect more dramatic results. One point that is sometimes raised, however, is that the donor area hair, which is usually even coarser than that of the natural hair line hair takes a while to adopt the finer hair line hair characteristics and can be a bit of a pain to get to cooperate. Being that all of your other hair is curly, this may not be an issue to you. Keep us updated on your plans and good luck! -Robert ------------------------------ Check out the results of my surgical hair restoration performed by Dr. Jerry Cooley by visiting my Hair Loss Weblog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member ifloss Posted January 16, 2006 Regular Member Share Posted January 16, 2006 I think you'l be able to find "A" HT surgeon to restore your hairline. The question is should it be done. There's so much knowledge on this forum but peoples opinion may be skewed because you have so much hair. You seem educated and are going about it the right way. Spend a couple of hundred dollars and visit various surgeons to see what they say. By the time you're 33 years old they may be replicating follicles and futures hairloss after a transplant may not be an issue. Talk to an ethical surgeon - Dr. Cooley is one - and see what the risks/benefits/options are. I started at 36 and was probably 10 years late. Good luck. Michael HT 1-13-06 Dr. Cooley 2600 grafts My Hair Loss Weblog My Photo Album Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Arson Posted January 17, 2006 Author Regular Member Share Posted January 17, 2006 To close off that right temple... I'm only trying to go down far enough to match or be somewhat more near my left temple Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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