Someone please help! I'm tried of beating around the bush...

[Duncan McFly]

I'm a young male suffering from male pattern baldness. I am 23. I will be up front about that right away because I am tried of being dismissed by everyone I look to for help simply because of my age. I have been receding/thinning all over for about 2 and a half years now (I first noticed it at 20). As my frontal hairline receded and my temples thinned out I went to all manner of professional, transplant surgeon, cosmetic consultant, etc. and I got the same thing over and over... we can't do anything for you yet. The surgeons didn't want to commit to a low hairline because of the short supply of donor hair, and the cosmetic people keep telling me they can't do anything because their methods are only for men with readily defined baldness. I've had it... I'm desperate. I told the surgeons I was fine with a low hairline and I would just get a system for the top when the time came. But they still didn't want to do it. And I don't understand? There are only cosmetic alternatives for men who are totally or almost bald? What about hair inserts? Anything to fill in thinning areas? Please give me something. I've been on Rogaine and Propecia for a year now and they have done nothing (except that I have been completely incapable of erection since a month after starting the Propecia. No libido either.) So I am 23 and I am going bald, and am completely impotent. Nice huh? And noone seems to have any answers. I can't spend my youth this way. If there are any things to be done for men who want to maintain a low hairline and get a system for the top, or who want to replace thinning hair as it is lost... cosmetic or surgical, I don't care... PLEASE... point me in the right direction. I can't take too much more of this. Eternally grateful to anyone who can help at all...

[Duncan McFly]

I'm a young male suffering from male pattern baldness. I am 23. I will be up front about that right away because I am tried of being dismissed by everyone I look to for help simply because of my age. I have been receding/thinning all over for about 2 and a half years now (I first noticed it at 20). As my frontal hairline receded and my temples thinned out I went to all manner of professional, transplant surgeon, cosmetic consultant, etc. and I got the same thing over and over... we can't do anything for you yet. The surgeons didn't want to commit to a low hairline because of the short supply of donor hair, and the cosmetic people keep telling me they can't do anything because their methods are only for men with readily defined baldness. I've had it... I'm desperate. I told the surgeons I was fine with a low hairline and I would just get a system for the top when the time came. But they still didn't want to do it. And I don't understand? There are only cosmetic alternatives for men who are totally or almost bald? What about hair inserts? Anything to fill in thinning areas? Please give me something. I've been on Rogaine and Propecia for a year now and they have done nothing (except that I have been completely incapable of erection since a month after starting the Propecia. No libido either.) So I am 23 and I am going bald, and am completely impotent. Nice huh? And noone seems to have any answers. I can't spend my youth this way. If there are any things to be done for men who want to maintain a low hairline and get a system for the top, or who want to replace thinning hair as it is lost... cosmetic or surgical, I don't care... PLEASE... point me in the right direction. I can't take too much more of this. Eternally grateful to anyone who can help at all...

[Guest]

Well, you might be able to get a responsible HT depending on the degree of baldness of men in your family. If your father and grandfathers are not past a NW5, then you may be able to reinforce your current hairline. Keep in mind that if you are at most a NW5, you will only have enough transplant hair to get 50% of your density, which is enough to look good, but you'll never have rock star hair. If the "cosmetic consultant" told you they cant do anything, then my guess is you have alot of hair still.

 

Here's my real advice:

 

1) If proscar is making you impotent (and its not hair loss anxiety causing it), then stop taking it. Period. Depression and anxiety can make men impotent too.

 

2) Cut your hair real short on the sides with more length on top. Try shaving your head. You may look good this way.

 

3) Realize that by the time you hit about 27-28, that having thin hair and/or baldness is not as big a deal as it is to adolescents. College kids can be merciless perfectionists and spend too much time looking in the mirror and being cruel to other kids. When your peers are adults the whole thing will matter less.

 

4) Work on other areas of yourself to make yourself attractive and confident. Dont put all your eggs in one basket.

 

I used to enjoy a grgeat deal of "control" when I was young and hid behind good looks. Did some modeling and had no shortage of interest from the opposite sex. But I learned that looks are only a small part of the human experience unless you are really shallow. Nothing wrong with having hair and looking good if you can afford it and if its in the cards, but being less than perfect is no reason to stop living.

[ttaco]

McFly, try the very short/shaved look and see if it works. A lot of guys really do look good with it. Have you tried this already?

 

Regarding getting a hair system: I talked to a guy who has to wear one behind his transplant (he's 33 now) and he says wearing a system should be someone's absolute last resort and that it is a MAJOR pain in the butt. The monthly maintenance is a hassle and also expensive. He said if he could do it all over again he would have done nothing. He's spent a fortune on transplants and systems and it hasn't been worth the $ or hassle.

 

Sharp's correct - in another few years, many of your friends will be thinning too and it won't be such a big deal. If reputable docs are telling you to wait, you should. Sorry it's not what you want to hear.

 

Results of my 1424 FU transplant procedure on 8/16/02 can be viewed at...

http://community.webshots.com/user/ttaco

[Guest]

Forget about the hairsystem idea it basically ruined my 20's! It sucks, it's uncomfortable!

Everyone knows you're wearing it! I wish i never got sucked into it!

 

You should have, if your donor hair is normal, 5000-6000 available fu's for transplantation.

 

Your hairline shouldn't use up more than 1500-2000. My front third when I had my first HT was totally bald. I had 1400 done in the front third and it has given me good coverage because I wear my hair in a Caesar which not everyone here would do but for me it was great!

 

Than like me you are left with 3500 plus fu's for further HT'S. I than had the middle region done by Dr Glenn Charles about 1 year ago using another 1200 fu's and just went 12 days ago to do the crown using another 1500 fu's. That totals 4100.

Dr Charles says I still would have another 1500 in the event of further lossage. Plus I can have the fue if needed as well.

 

You have many options. Stay cool. Chances are you don't look so bad anyway. If I had my choice and could go back I would've shaved it bald. The woman I married believe it or not likes the bald look! I wish I met her thousands of dollars ago!!

[Guest]

I started hair lost about two years ago. I am now 21. I know exactly what you are going through. It is supposed to be the best time of our lives in college, dating, partying, yet this hair thing is bother the heck out of us. It prevents us from having fun and going after the things we want. I had a hair transplant about two months ago. I, too, went to many hair transplant specialists in NYC, and many of them didn't want to perform the transplant right away. However, three specialists did offer to if I really wanted it, which I did of course. The three specialists were: Dr. True, Dr. Rose, and Dr. Law, all three of them have office in NYC. I had my done by Dr. Thomas A. Law because his price was the most modest and he perform majority of the proceedure, unlike some others who have nurses do the planting.