I've Been Told 2500 Grafts - Advice - Current Pics Attached

[nm76]

Hi All,

The last time I posted on this subject the pictures I attached were poor quality. These ones I hope are a bit better. I have taken the pictures in average/normal lighting and in my bathroom with a bright light right above my head.

Since the last time I posted I met with one HT doctor who told me initially I would do with around 2500 grafts. Seeing as its not evident where my baldness will go - also given I am not keen on using propecia or minox - basically the HT will be the only way I will go.

That said, to help others give a more accurate response (if possible), I'll list some details about my hair loss and hair loss in general in my family - I say this because I want to start off with the right number of grafts (rather than waste what I could have used later on).

The characteristics of my hair?

Well I am told the quality is good, not great - I have thin black hair, which contrasts with the colour of my scalp.

I started losing hair at the age of 19, I am now 32. My father 'has' started balding but he is now 62 - his balding started this year - from the crown, most of my loss is from the front - this is the area I am planning on targeting. Other than that my grandad from my mums side would have been a norwood 6? the Julius Caesar type look - but he was like that into his 90's. Also if this helps from my mums side her brothers all ended up with thin hair - none have lost all their hair and they are into their 60's - they have very high hair lines though.

If pictures of me holding my hair back helps let me know and i'll post those.

I apologize for some of the angles - i know they might seem awkward

[nm76]

Hi All,

The last time I posted on this subject the pictures I attached were poor quality. These ones I hope are a bit better. I have taken the pictures in average/normal lighting and in my bathroom with a bright light right above my head.

Since the last time I posted I met with one HT doctor who told me initially I would do with around 2500 grafts. Seeing as its not evident where my baldness will go - also given I am not keen on using propecia or minox - basically the HT will be the only way I will go.

That said, to help others give a more accurate response (if possible), I'll list some details about my hair loss and hair loss in general in my family - I say this because I want to start off with the right number of grafts (rather than waste what I could have used later on).

The characteristics of my hair?

Well I am told the quality is good, not great - I have thin black hair, which contrasts with the colour of my scalp.

I started losing hair at the age of 19, I am now 32. My father 'has' started balding but he is now 62 - his balding started this year - from the crown, most of my loss is from the front - this is the area I am planning on targeting. Other than that my grandad from my mums side would have been a norwood 6? the Julius Caesar type look - but he was like that into his 90's. Also if this helps from my mums side her brothers all ended up with thin hair - none have lost all their hair and they are into their 60's - they have very high hair lines though.

If pictures of me holding my hair back helps let me know and i'll post those.

I apologize for some of the angles - i know they might seem awkward

[nm76]

I'll start with the pics with average lighting, his one is a front shot:

 

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k466/nm76_hair/Avg_Front.gif

 

Here is another with average lighting of the front:

 

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k466/nm76_hair/Avg_Front_2.jpg

 

The two that follow are also in average lighting with an attempt to take pictures of the left and right temple:

 

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k466/nm76_hair/Avg_Left.jpg

 

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k466/nm76_hair/Avg_Right.jpg

 

All pictures below are taken from various angles under bright light:

 

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k466/nm76_hair/bright_Front.jpg

 

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k466/nm76_hair/Bright_Front2.jpg

 

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k466/nm76_hair/Bright-Right.jpg

 

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k466/nm76_hair/Bright_TBack.jpg

 

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k466/nm76_hair/Bright_Top_Back.jpg

 

I tried to get one of my top:

 

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k466/nm76_hair/Bright_Top_Back2.jpg

[nm76]

By the way you might notice from some of the pictures that its a hot day and I was sweating while taking them - gets pretty humid here - so the front of my hair is slightly wet too - but i hope it gives some idea at least. At least the difference between a very bright light and average lighting can to some extent be seen.

[Dr. Timothy Carman]

Yes- Could you upload a shot with your frontal hairline showing (hair pulled back).

[nm76]

Thanks,

Here are three more - all under bright light - hair again slightly wet:

 

Front:

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k466/nm76_hair/DSC00060.jpg

 

Right:

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k466/nm76_hair/DSC00061.jpg

 

Left:

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k466/nm76_hair/DSC00062.jpg

[Arrie]

NM,

You and I have pretty same hairloss pattern, I'm just 10.5 months post op and I got 2,000 grafts that should give you a pretty good idea of what you should expect from a top notch doc if done right. I have a thread under patient photo albums, "Arrie 10.5 months" Good luck. I am ecstatic with my results even though my hair characteristics were to my disadvantage, I am still happier than I have ever been...

[dakota3]

Ya I'd say 2500 grafts would be a great start for you! You still semm to have a fair amount of native hair left so I would get on the Minox and propecia before its to late.

[Smoothy]

2500 would be an improvement and depending on density and donor might be all you need right now. Every patient is different, 1 patient might have 10,000 hairs in 2500 grafts and another might only have 5,000 hairs -- so its hard to tell, but looks like it is a good start!

 

SMOOTHY

Propecia/Rogain

MSM/Saw Palmetto

Nioxin Shampoo

Zrii Daily

[Bill - Seemiller]

mm76,

 

I agree that 2500 grafts would make a nice difference if placed in the frontal third and if you don't lose any more natural hair.

 

Keep in mind however, that if you decide not to use Propecia and Rogaine, your hair loss will continue to progress as genetically programmed. Unfortunately, how much hair loss you will experience is unpredictable.

 

In my opinion, you may want to reconsider hair loss medication which might slow down or stop the further progression of your male pattern baldness.

 

Best wishes on your research,

 

Bill

[nm76]

I'm not too keen on getting on any meds. More so because of the possible side effects. I have enough body hair to need to welcome anymore. I also love getting it up when the hour requires me to do so - well not the hour per se, but anyway I do understand, also, that not everyone will experience these side effects....Here's the thing. I would assume its apparent that my hair loss is a very slow one, no? Considering I still have some native hair and I am 32 now and started losing hair at 18/19. Sure I could lose it all within a year too i suppose, but damn, I guess thats just life (i suppose i'd be thinking differently if it actually happens) but what I am getting at is this. Lets say that my donor area (which I am told is good, but not excellent and is thin hair) can only give me about 6000 grafts.

If i use the 2500 for the frontal area now, that leaves me with 3500 grafts. Now lets say over the years as I continue to bald, would I not have enough to at least cover the areas beyond the frontal part with some degree of density? - I do understand that perhaps I may not be able to have the 100 percent hair density that I want - but having a good frontal and a slightly receding crown and back is ok with me - after all it is the front I think that matters the most. With That said, would the use of the grafts in that manner be the right way to go?

[hatrick]

dude you got to atleast try propecia first. 32 is still young, and its very likely your hair loss will progress further. i felt the side affects of propecia for the first two weeks or so. after that i didn't notice a thing. i feel like how i did before i even started taking it. its already started to work wonders for me, and i'm only on my fourth month of taking it. without it, your hair will look very unnatural in 5-10 years, assuming you get an HT. fairly thick in the front with nothing behind it, thats not what you want. basically, it would make no sense for you to have the procedure if your not going to preserve what you have left. atleast try it for a couple months, if you still feel side affects after that, just get off it and everything will go back to normal.

[nm76]

hatrick I get what you're saying - however I don't know I'm just not too keen on the idea - perhaps I may change my mind - still researching. But you say something that worries me. You say my hair transplant will look unnatural - If I choose to go down that road.

The thing is wouldn't the hair loss pattern you describe be the very same natural pattern that some men experience. That is loss at the crown first. In fact there is this guy at my work place, whose hair is thick on the front, on the sides but he has lost quite a bit at the crown - you can only tell if your standing behind him - other than that his hair looks great. That said wouldn't my hair loss in its current state, be deemed unnatural too? (which is actually the opposite of the example you've given) - where I have hair loss at the front while the back and crown are still okay - well alright maybe my crown is receded a bit.

See, this is what confuses me and what was part of one of my questions. If I plan the HT properly with the numbers I've mentioned, and hair loss does occur on my crown can't I go in for another procedure extract some of that donor hair i have and cover what can be covered to some extent?

[hatrick]

i suppose unnatural was a bad word to use. I also have seen guys who seem to have only lost hair in their crown area, so unnatural was a poor choice. You can indeed go back for another procedure to fix any future loss. however, getting on the meds should prevent you having to do so, saving you time, money, and another scar on the back of your head. i to was concerned about the side affects, but im so happy i decided to get on them. all im saying is its in your best interests to atleast try them out. your surgeon, should you go ahead with your HT, will highly recommend you get on the meds as well. your call though.