hi all from ireland
i'm 40 with hairloss of 6 on the norwood scale. have just had a consultation with surgon who has recomended 3 procedures for me. he has pit me on propecia and the first surgery of about 1000-1300 grafts in planed for 12 may.
what would be a realistic outcome for me?
cheers.

I assume you are talkin strip here....

If you are a tru nw6, 1300 graphs will be an utter disappointment....no density and limited coverage.....

By todays standards, 1300 on a nw6 is just, imo, not the right way to go...

If you are a nw6 and have the characteristics ...donor laxity, hair characteristics, donor density...etc, then
I'd look into a mega.....

make sure your expectations are realistic, and from the question you just asked, Id say you need to read and research alot more before makin a comittment to a plant.....

NW6 is alot to cover....Start reading man...youll be gald you did...and dont be afraid to travel....in the states, docs routinely do 3000+ graph procedures....

So, if youre a TRUE mega canidate, do it....if not, go for two of at least 3000-3500...

I used Ron Shapiro for my two surgeries....read my post about him and transplant in general....If I were you, Id send pics to Matt @ Shapiro and Ferkie @ Hasson And Wong....make your decision on who to goto from there...

Beore I did mine, I consulted with tons of docs, from Bosley to nuhart to MHR....lots of others...

There are other top docs, but those two clinics I mentioned will put you on the right path....

1000 - 1300 will only get you a hairline I had 2700 in the front 1/3 only. 1000 - 1300 really isn't worth going through the suffering of a HT for. I think johnnie69's estimate of 3000+ is what you should be going for... (and that would only be for starters) I hope you aren't considering getting a HT in Ireland ?? (I assume it is in Ireland if he recommended 1000 - 1300 on a NW6 - it means he doesn't have the resources or skill required to do a larger session). It sounds like you are about to make a BIG mistake. Cancel that May appointment before you ruin your life and get yourself booked in with one of the top US docs - I had mine done in the US and I'm from Europe. Most guys that get HTs in Europe end up going to the US to have corrective surgery anyway so save yourself the suffering, disappointment and expense. I got mine done in New York (Dr Feller) - flying over to New York is very convenient - especially from Ireland - just one flight and you're there and no more traveling inside the US required. Check the forums, there are plenty of horror stories about UK HTs - lives have been ruined - take this warning seriously before it's too late. US HT technology and surgeon skill/experience is 10 - 15 years ahead of European.

irish homer

You're in your 40's so I'm going to assume you have a fairly loose scalp. You'll probably want to shoot for at *least* 4000 first go, or around that figure. You'll probably need 6000 or more to be happy with the result and look relatively non balding.

Checkout bobman, nictronic, biscuit, etc. to get an idea of what high level norwoods can achieve. I think bobman posts here, not sure about the other two but if you can't find them just give me a PM and I'll direct you to where they are (not sure If i'm allowed to post external links on the forum).

I strongly urge you to not consider travel distance/cost when booking a procedure. Understand that this is a decision you will have to live with for *life* and you need the absolute best doctors (who are mostly in the U.S. and Canada) if you want any hope of achieveing the results of the guys I quoted above).

P.S. I'm from Australia and am planning to travel to the U.S., so don't think it's that something unusual or out of the ordinary. Stay on the board a little longer, educate yourself some more, and then you'll know why it's so fundamentally important and why I get so worked up about directing people to the right places.

Good luck.

These guys are right.....less than 3K grafts on a NW6 is not worth the recovery! Either you don't have the hair or this Surgeon does not have the resources to handle you properly. Send your pics to Epstein in Miami.

many thanks for the info. have sent details to the docs recomended and am intrested in DR feller in NY as the travel would be easier. any thoughts on going there??

have been in consultation with Dr Epstein. sent pics and he puts me at a NW 5. recomends 2500 graphs and am booked in with him for May 12. any ideas on outcome please?

Homer, could you post some pictures please? That will give us an idea of how your 2500 grafts will look. Thanks Buddy ----erin go braugh!

IH,

If your Norwood 5, and want to get the most bang for your buck, most will agree 2500 is a start but I'd guess you'll want about double that depending on the look you're trying to achieve. Several reasons may inhibit a more aggressive session...........density or type of donor hair and scalp laxity would be the two primary ones. You may want to ask if there are reasons he couldn't do more in the first session??

Use this graft calculator to assist you in a hair restoration estimate. I've found it to be a very useful tool. One thing to keep in mind................for the "appearance" of density, most try for 45-55 sq cm coverage...especially in the front. Depending on donor hair availability, most will shoot for 45-55 sq cm in front then taper to 25-35 sq cm toward the crown.

I went to Hasson and Wong for my 2nd HT because I liked their results and they seemed to be the only one out there consistently performing the mega sessions for those who have the proper donor characteristics. I'm not bashing Dr. Epstein(I think he does excellent work) or any of the other excellent surgeons mentioned on this site...........I guess I'm merely pointing out that if you need 5000 grafts or so, and you have the laxity and donor supply (and money ), why do in 2 or 3 sessions what you can possibly achieve in one?

Just a guess but at NW 5 with 2500 your coverage will be thin unless it's dense packed over a small area. What are your goals? Are you wanting total coverage? Are you thinning in the crown and if so do you care? Many things to consider and only you have the answers to the questions because it comes down to personal choice and what you want to achieve.

Like B spot mentioned, it would be helpful to see some pics if you can post them. Good luck with your decision.

thanks for the reply attached photo as requested

Image008.jpg (2 Kb, 58 downloads)

Looks like you were posting your pic as I posted my reply...........it's a pretty small pic and kind of tough to see but if it is as it appears to me your a full NW5 and will need tons more than 2500 grafts if you want any density. From your pic, it appears you have little or no hair all over the top and crown, is this a fair assessment?

If you have the scalp laxity and donor supply you're ripe to get 4000-5000 in one pass and possibly be done. I'd consult with this in mind unless there's something prohibiting you from it.

another pic

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and again

Image009.jpg (3 Kb, 45 downloads)