As you can see by the pictures, I also have hairloss. I`ve been on regaine and something called Ekstrakt from a clinic in Copenhagen for 2 years. My age is 25 years old, it started when I was around 20`s. The hairloss is still there. I recently started taking propecia (a month ago), now im considering a HT. Some of the surgeons I have consulted are confusing me. Some are saying "go ahead, do a HT. And others are saying, wait some years and get a mature/better hairloss pattern.

Question is now: What do you guys recommend? I`ve been reading this forum since december 2007. There are lots of smart people around. Im a student and I was thinking of doing the HT in Pakistan this summer. Do you recommend it? Or shall I wait for the propecia to work? Thing is, I know that propecia wont work in the front area, is it possible to do a HT in the front and not experience shock loss in the crown area or around the middle? Thanks.

Btw, sorry if I posted this the wrong way. Thanks for answering.

Noelio,

Since you are a student, I'm going to assume you are under 25 years old. IMO, I would wait a year and see if the Propecia will work. Another idea is to check out the drug Proscar, which has the same active ingredient as Propecia but comes in a 5mg. You then have to break the pill and take 1/3 every M-W-F. But, this will be considerably cheaper. For me, it will be $80 for a three-month supply of Proscar.

Also, take a look at Toppik concealer in the meantime. It'll wash out every day so you can take some pics in a year to see if the Proscar / Rogaine regimen is working.

If it was certain you'd never lose anymore hair, or if you were 40 years old, it looks like you'd be an excellent candidate for about 3,000 grafts, imo. But, you would need to be careful at such a young age as you don't to look goofy when you are 40 b/c you have a disfunctional looking hair pattern.

Also, be careful with surgeons as this business is ripe with those with questionable morals. Some clinics, by default, will tell you to go ahead with a transplant.

Don't sacrifice your long-term looks for some short term improvemetns.

How old are you? If under 25 i'd wait! Yes you could benefit from a HT, but if you are under 25 some doctors couldnt accuratlly predict your pattern of hair loss. Now I say 25, but thats not set in stone, It just seems about the age when hair loss for most starts to become more apperant and you can see a pattern starting to set in. Hope that helps

Thanks guys.

Im acctually 25 years old. Hairloss started when I was around 20/22. Thank for the tip regarding proscar, I will start to use that instead since its much cheaper. The temples are really bothering me. The thing I dont understand is the following:

I have talked to about 5 surgeons. 4 of them are saying I should wait If I only want 1 HT. The last one said Im ready for a HT. Lets say I only get a HT in the front area. Around 2000 grafts with FUE method. Will that infect the other hair area part? And yes, lets assume that hairloss is getting slower. With Regaine for almost 2 years and vitamins + propecia now is really slowing the hairloss, but Im still seeing hairs falling down. (Not that much like before)

I see that Drs. Feller and Epstein are online; so maybe they can comment on your situation.....

just stay on propecia for about 8months and see were you are at. With your pattern, FUE is probably not the wisest choice.

also, you will have major shock unless you have stabalized on propecia.

Sometimes I feel I should have not started with regaine and ekstrakt. After starting with that the hair has dissapeared. I tried stop taking it in january 08, but then I experienced some loss and started again in february 08.
Im lost and thinking about this 24/7. A HT will maybe get my front area back atleast.

I think the first shedding you experienced might have been signs that it has actually started working. From what I understand, that is normal.

Send those pics by email to one of the coalition docs listed above and do a phone consultation with him / her. Tell the rep. you want to speak directly with the doctor; and then you will be getting an expert opinion for free.

There are some experts on here to, so get on here daily and keep doing your homework.

I got a transplant at 25 so I can feel your pain. Mine was similar to yours. To be honest, my continued hair loss made the prior transplant have minor results.

If you get to that point, I would think the strip method would be in your best interest. Have you tried Toppik? It's like $30 or so and will last a few months.

Hi Noelio,

I am also a 25 year old student and I had a HT with Dr Rahal last march!

I flew all the way from Portugal to Canada to get my HT with one the worlds top surgeons, insted of going somewere in Europe and having to do a repair job afterwards.

You have to ask yourself a question: If not now then when are you going to have a HT???... When you are 35 married and with children?? Who cares about hair then!!!
If you want great hair NOW is the time to have it, when we are still in our Prime!

Your hairloss looks kinda like mine and it seems they will rebuild the frontal zone like they did to me so count on at least 3000 grafts.

You can check out my results here:http://hair-restoration-info.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2566060861/m/7661030273

I had hair in the front but Dr. Rahal said it was not going to last long so he decided to do the whole frontal area, this way if I got shock loss there would be no problem. I have seen very little shock loss because some of my original frontal hairs were strongh enough to come back

I also went on Propecia but I have trouble with taking a pill everyday for the rest of my life so I stoped it!

If you are like me and dont want to take supplements and drugs for the rest of life, just get off everything you are taking now and go in for and HT drug free.
If you get drug free you will have some major shedding but that is your sistem getting back to normal and you will lose it anyways in the long run so it might as well just let it shed!
After the HT the Doctor will advise you to go on Rogaine for 12 months to help the hairs grow and when you stop using it the effect will not be unnoticable because you have really strong hairs now.

After 12 months you are drug free and with a great set of hair that will last forever and if we get bald in the back in the next 10 years we can just get another HT done or forget about it cause we will be 35 and married by then!

I would advise to get prices from these doctors:

Dr. Rahal, Dr. Feller, Hasson and Wong and Dr. Ron Shapiro.

Ask for student prices and see who gives you the better deal.

Hope I have helped!

Cheers.

Uhhhh............you too will care when you're 35 w/ kids.

Very true Dewayne that is why I am not excluding the chance to undergo a second HT.
But the most important for me is to feel good with myself now, when I am still young and very much in the game.
Self confidence can help not only on a personal level but also on a professional one.

Your 25 and you have alot of hairloss. Go check out a few of the top docs and do something about it. As Tracy Chapman said"...too young to be lookin like that"!

Good luck,
Bruce

quote:

Originally posted by Dewayne:
I think the first shedding you experienced might have been signs that it has actually started working. From what I understand, that is normal.

Send those pics by email to one of the coalition docs listed above and do a phone consultation with him / her. Tell the rep. you want to speak directly with the doctor; and then you will be getting an expert opinion for free.

There are some experts on here to, so get on here daily and keep doing your homework.

I got a transplant at 25 so I can feel your pain. Mine was similar to yours. To be honest, my continued hair loss made the prior transplant have minor results.

If you get to that point, I would think the strip method would be in your best interest. Have you tried Toppik? It's like $30 or so and will last a few months.

Yeah Dewayne, I`ve tried toppik, its all fake, but its magic. Thing is, I dont want the wind to blow away my hair

Portugal25: Thanks for sharing your pictures/thread. Yeah it seems like the same pattern. Im sort of waiting for a decission. HT in Pakistan will be cheap, around 3k$ for 3000 grafts + ticket. I know that I should choose a surgeon which is good. (They are suppose to be good down there) Im just thinking: Isnt it sad to go bald after the HT? Can you wear a hat instead or will it destroy the new implemented grafts?

noelio

many of the posters above are exactly right , stick with the meds , propecia or proscar for atleast 6 months to a year to give any ht a really good foundation to give a good overall cosmetic result , your hairloss needs time to stablized on the meds before even entertaining thoughts of a ht .

Research as much as you can , on as many forums as you can , remember

RESEARCH= TOP DOC = TOP RESULTS

It really is as simple as that my friend , i have posted some pics of my results of just taking meds , throughtout my two years of researching hairloss , I' have seen many good results from diffuse thinners like yourself and I , take a look the link is below , scole down it for the med pics

http://hair-restoration-info.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/7466060861/m/4391074773

good luck
richie

Noelio,

I only went bald after my HT cause they rebuild my entire frontal area and sure it looks uncool now but in another 2 months it will start to grow and it will all have been worth it. I think that for you they might not shave the whole frontal area cause your hair looks strongh in the front.

I was wearing a hat for the first 3 weeks but then I just starting accepting my bald look and stop wearing it.

Just get yourself a proper HT Doctor, imagine if you go bald for 3 months cause of the HT and afterwards you end up with poor results! That would kill me!!

I know I am getting amazing results cause I went with Dr. Rahal I would definatly advise you to choose someone from my list. If you dont there is a chance you will have to choose them anyway to get a repair job (you never know).

Cheers

quote:

Originally posted by Dewayne:
Uhhhh............you too will care when you're 35 w/ kids.

LOL Dewayne

Ditto to being 35 and still concerning

As a matter of fact, at 35 you will be concerned even more Just wait til you get there my friend

I agree one should be concerned at any age but can you imagine if there was this kind of quality HT when you were 25...

If you had a high quality 3500graft HT at the age of 25 changing your entire frontal area maybe you would not be worrying about hair any more when you reached 35 or more cause you have lived a worry free life.

Think about it...

If one is in need of 3000+ grafts at the age of 25 just do it and start living the good life!

Noelio...

I agree with Dewayne on many points.

You will care when you're 35...Im 40 and hanging around girls that are 25-35.

Also...I would wait a bit.
Get on a regular routine of meds and see how and if they stabilize your situation.

As Dewayne mentioned....don't sacrifice long-term looks for the short term.

I for one know that my doc (Dr.Epstein) doesn't love the idea of doing jobs on guys less than 25 years old.

Don't panic or rush into this.
These great Docs aren't going anywhere...and will only improve with time.

Research !

MH