Hey guys... I've read through a bunch of comments, experiences and what not and it's been real educational.

Here is my issue...

I feel the only way I look good is having very little hair on the sides and back. I get a fade when I do to the barber and get a half on the trimmers. Not no guard, a half. So the problem is, I think the scar would show.

Can there be "donors" instead of me? In this sense, I wouldn't be looking for someone that had my exact hair color, type or anything, you know whatever. Must it be my own hair because biologically hair restoration wouldn't work if it was someone elses hair.

Thanks for the input.

Do you have a willing donor?

No. Just wondered if it's possible.

Currently, I take Proscar and I have thin hair on the crown and that's the only place on my head that I would need hair. Unfortunately, I'm also a former cocaine user and would notice after a night of using that I would have less hair on the crown. On Saturday after months of non-use I dabbled with it and the next morning saw less hair on my crown. I'm never doing that again because I can't lose anymore.

So right now, I would just want hair on my crown and am curious to know if FUE might be a better way to go. I have the typical man line with no hair around the temples and wouldn't want hair there anyway now. I've had this look for about 5 years so I'm used to that.

What would you advise?

I read a post before on this before. It has to be your hair only it said. Look on the search engine and you might find it. it was 2-3 months ago.

Im not sure, but it might be hard to find a surgeon who would use someone elses hair, as their is an increased risk of the transplanted grafts not growing. There is also a risk of disease, because blood from your donor's follicles will come into contact with your blood. Obviously, if it's someone you know really well, the latter shouldn't be an issue. however, sometimes people carry a disease and never show symptoms, and therefore do not know they are carriers.

Also, it would be hard to find someone willing to take that scar just to donate hair. i've seen scars that have healed very well, and are hard to notice, even with short hair.

Maybe try some Rogaine along with the Proscar. You might do a strip session and then later FUE to cover the scar.

But, I'm no authority on this. JMO.

Any foreign object placed into your body (ie. someone else's hair / grafts) would be rejected by your body as it would recognize it as foreign. Our body's are amazing things!

Firstly, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone willing to donate a strip of their own scalp. Secondly, it wouldn't work--i think i've read it might with a twin. Thirdly, if you want to shave that close look into fue.

Thanks for all the quick responses.

So let's say that I want just the crown done. I have sufficient hair there provided Proscar works. Additionally, I have apprehensions about Rogaine (Topical/Foam) because of the shedding. I have sufficient hair, but not enough where I would want a shedding and may not be able to survive it. I know. I know. There must be sacrifices and I need to come to grips with that.

Also would the crown need to be shaved for transplant?

Mike in Houston-
Unfortunately, utilizing someone else's hair grafts would present the same medical issues which are addressed when transplanting any organ or tissue from one person to another. Any time an organ or tissue is transplanted into a new recipient, the recipient will begin to make antibodies to the donated tissue. (Hence M&M's comment). These patients are therefore routinely placed on immunosuppression medications to prevent the rejection. There are many risks associated with these meds, not the least of which is a greater susceptibility to infections. Now when we are talking about life saving transplants; e.g., kidney, heart-lung, liver, etc., the benefits outweigh the risks. It would certainly be the case that in hair restoration, in terms of medical ethics, the use of "other than self" donors would create a situation in which the risks far outweigh the benefits. It really isn't an option.
Hope that helps.

Best to you-

Timothy Carman, MD

Thanks Dr. Carman....

But what about the procedure...

1. I just have the classic manline. No hair on temple, decent hair on the vertex, but thin at the crown. I just want more hair on the crown so it looks the same as the rest of the top of my head. I have had the manline for 5 years. Would the crown need to be shaved for the procedure?

2. Considering the way I style my hair, could the graft be taken high enough where the scar would be hidden?

3. Would FUE be a better option because I only need enough hair to blend with the rest of my head at the crown?

4. What would be ballpark figure for either procedure?

Thanks.

Mike-
Regarding the procedure itself;
1. No, it is not necessary to shave the recipient (in your case, the crown) area.
2.There is a fairly well described area where grafts are removed, it is the posterior area and lateral areas of the scalp which, in general, is resistant to the effects of DHT.
3. FUE as a "better" option? FUE extraction, although dispensing with the linear scar that strip donor harvesting creates, has it's downside in that it does not make for the most efficient use of your available donor area; once you have done FUE in a given area, there is no going back to that area for grafts as that would lead to a less than satisfactory density cosmetically. It is hard for me to assess your "need" based on just a verbal description. I could best assist you if you could upload a few photos. This would also help a great deal to give you a "ballpark" on the number of grafts required for the goals you have in mind.
If you need help posting photos, Falceros can assist you.
Best to you-

Sincerely,

Timothy Carman, MD

I'll get some pics up soon.