Im sorry for making 2 posts. I am just very eager to hear alot of responses. This is what my hair looks like.

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn259/thinman123/100_8221.jpg

[quoteOriginally posted by HT55
]You have severe hair loss, VERY severe for 22 years old and I sure wouldn't let anyone from the Dominican work on you as it will most likely just cause you more problems and $$$$$$$$$$$$ a couple years from now[/quote]

I completley agree w/ HT55. You are more likley to hate your procedure from the D.R than you are to love it. PLEASE RECONSIDER!!! If you are gonna do it, do it right man.

im sorry you don't understand why i made that comment. I am young and i am having an HT this Wednesday. Although i am 25 and only a NW2. This kid is 22 years old and it must be devastating to have to deal with this kind of loss. Some of the doctors on this site have performed HT's on teenagers. Everyones situation is different, so who are you to say he's not a candidate? Unless your a doctor with a specialization in hair restoration surgery your opinion carries just as much weight as mine. I will say his situation is difficult but i still believe something can be done for him. Also, as i mentioned before, i would recommend not having the surgery done in the Dominican Republic.

I feel that cases can be made for younger hair loss sufferers having hair transplant surgery, but they MUST be aware of all the risks involved including the need for subsequent hair transplant surgeries. Working with a physician and obtaining a long term hair restoration plan is vital and making good use of a finite donor hair supply is critical.

See Am I Too Young for a Hair Transplant?

Best wishes,

Falc

quote:

Originally posted by hatrick
This kid is 22 years old and it must be devastating to have to deal with this kind of loss. Some of the doctors on this site have performed HT's on teenagers

How much more devestating will it be if he has a bad procedure done? On top of that now he's in debt and has a scar and now cant shave his head! All I'm trying to say is he really needs to reconsider it now, not in the future. And definatley dont do it in the D.R.

Now if he was telling me he was going to H&W or Feller or Alexander than I would feel more comfortable giving him the thumbs up KNOWING for sure he's in good hands!

Thinman123,

This is just my humble opinion and you can take it for what it's worth but there are several issues you should be considering and I'm not sure you've given them serious thought:

Level of hair loss relative to age- Your level of hair loss seems to be advanced for your age from the pics. I could clearly see the shape of your loss going into a norwood 5-6 and it is diffused.

Now I am no doctor but has Dr. Reyes discussed your level of loss and explained what her approach is going to be??? This is CRITICAL for you to understand and for your success.

If she plans on spreading the grafts over the entire scalp you may shock the existing hairs and they may or may not come back. If so, you will not have much of gain/difference. Now if she plans on covering the first half, you may probably need a second session later on to address additional loss (as you will have additional loss in the years to come) The first session will most likely not give you the coverage you want or think you are going to get. You are not totally bald now but are unhappy. Are you going to be satisfied with these results?

Has your doctor spoken to you about any of this???

Has she seriously discussed your current limitations???

Has she discussed yoru level of loss now and what it will be in the future???

From the way you are posting I get the impression that you are rushing a decision without serious thought other than you don't want to be bald and that is not in your best interest. I could be totally off base but you have not posted any info about your consultation other than a non-refundable deposit and I did not read that you've researched what your results may look like or what your expectations are. You could be setting yourself up for some serious disappointments.

I'm not saying going for a procedure at your age/level of loss is wrong- I'm saying going for a procedure at your age/level of loss without fully reviewing your options and potential outcomes is wrong.

Consider what you are doing now before you have a procedure. Have several consultations with other docs to get a better understanding before you commit. Otherwise you may just be posting back here in another year about how unhappy you are and how you wished you listened to the folks here who gave you sound advise.

HIGA
2400 Grafts with Dr. Epstein 11/8/06
Nizoral 3X/week
Rogaine foam 2x/day

I have had serveral consultations with different offices. I went to "Hair Club" about 7 months ago. They said i had tons of hair left and that the procedure could be done. They told me that it could be done in 2 sessions. However, it would cost 11,250 $ for the first session and X amount of dollars for the second (that is for the crown). However, they did not mention anything about age. I asked if i was too young and they said, age was not a factor in my case. Now, i am a college student..i dont have that kind of money. I did some more research and found out that my cousin had this procedure done in Domincan Republic with Dr.Reyes. He said he turned out great (he is also an NW6), but he is 42 yrs old. In my family baldness is common. Our levels of hairloss are all NW6. I look at my other cousins and uncles, and they are all bald NW6 at 35 yrs old maximum. In my case, it easy to see where i am going to end up. Its no secret that i will be a NW6 sooner or later. Therefore, my question is Why cant I treat the problem as if i was already an NW6. I doubt i will get any balder than this. Its very obvious to see where i am going to end up. I was reading an article where about age and HT's. Now, in my opinion or from what i found out was the risks of having a HT at a young age was that at a young age, one can not tell the level of baldness he will end up. However, in my case its dfferent.
In regards to speaking with Dr.Alba Reyes, i have spoken to her assistant on the phone. I asked her what they had in mind. She said they will pretend that none of the thinning hair exists on top of my head and continue with the procedure.

By the way..She said shes going to do it in one megasession...This is the back of my head...Do i have a good donor area or not?

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn259/thinman123/100_8228.jpg

quote:

I doubt i will get any balder than this.

You can never know!

Thin,

You come here looking for suggestions and opinions yet it sounds to me you dont like the opinions you are getting so you keep digging deeper hoping to get a differant answer. My answer will not sway, but I'm not a doctor so who am I you ask? Well I am one of those people who rushed my decision and had a procedure done, and I've regreted it since the 1st day! And I was 28! Forget about age right now! You are advanced in your hair loss and maybe could benefit from a HT, but You are taking a HUGE chance having this procedure in the D.R. And for what because it's cheaper? That is rediculous! If you do go ahead w/ this I truly hope you prove us wrong, but if you dont you cant say no-one has tried to help guide you in the right direction! GOOD LUCK!

WAY TOO YOUNG!!!!! I got mine at 23 and now 31 I wish I wouldnt have. Nothing against the doctor but after losing more hair I was at the point of either spending more money or doing something else. Now I have decided to shave my head and be happy in my own skin. But rather than just having a shaved head, I have to explaiin to people that as a young man I was not confident and very insecure and I went for a procedure! Take a look!!!

100_4475.JPG (21 Kb, 123 downloads)

different angle

100_4474.JPG (24 Kb, 95 downloads)

And to respond to the age thing. Knowing where the hairloss is going isnt the real issue. The real issue is at 30 being bald may not matter to you. I am now 31 have beautiful wife and two adorable kids. I could really care less about hair but more supplying my kids with college money, paying my mortgage and things like that. Trust me at 22 I know it feels like a huge monkey on your back but it wont always feel that way. Put the money down on a boat or harley, shave your head and the babes will come!!!

I'm no doc but you seem to have thick donor hair but I don't think there is a real way of gauging your laxity via a pic.

Ok it sounds like you've received some feedback via consultations. I still think you should speak with a couple of coalition doctors if for nothing else, to get a good perspective on your situation. I think you can't go wrong with second and third opinions.

Now not sure what Dr. Reyes meant by pretending none of the thinning hair exists. Did she mean that she plans on transplanting all over the scalp (front/mid area) and is she less concerned with existing hair falling out? Keep in mind that as she transplants around existing hair, the native that are there now will eventually be lost, leaving you with a thinner look once they do. That's where the second session comes in.

If you've taken that into consideration and are ok with the fact that you will need a second procedure to add density then maybe you will be satisfied providing you have good growth with Dr. Reyes.

My opinion, I'd consult with a coaltion doc because of their records of success but if you are aware of all the aspects and issues and are ok with the possible outcomes that you can resonably expect, then maybe you are informed enough to have reasonable expectations. And if so, you may be very satisfied with your results.

Again, my goal would be to be as informed and aware of the facts surounding my particular case as possible. If you go forward with yoru decision I wish you lots of success. Don't forget to post your experience and progress on this site as it will be a great help to many.

quote:

doubt i will get any balder than this

Thinman,

Given your age and thinning hair on top, you will most likely lose the rest of your natural hair without medical intervention (Propecia and maybe even Rogaine).

In my opinon, consider using these two nonsurgical treatments first for at least a year and see how they work for you. Then reconsider surgery.

It appears that you have a lot more research to do.

Best wishes,

Falc

quote:

Originally posted by Falceros:

quote:

doubt i will get any balder than this

Thinman,

Given your age and thinning hair on top, you will most likely lose the rest of your natural hair without medical intervention (Propecia and maybe even Rogaine).

In my opinon, consider using these two nonsurgical treatments first for at least a year and see how they work for you. Then reconsider surgery.

It appears that you have a lot more research to do.

Best wishes,

Falc

That's as honest and sincere a feedback anybody would provide.

Here is a before and after just so you can see. The first two pics show the hair line and side veiw.

http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll254/louierah/?acti...current=100_4445.jpg

http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll254/louierah/?acti...current=100_4450.jpg

http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll254/louierah/?acti...current=100_4458.jpg

http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll254/louierah/?acti...current=100_4477.jpg

Loui,
How many grafts did you do? You look much better shaved. The thing is, i cant pull off that look. My face does not fit that look. I cut my hair to a size #3 and it looked awful on me.

I just got off the phone with the Dr. She told me exactly how the procedure would take place. She said they will shave the thinning hair and act like it was not there. She said, again, that my age was not a factor because they already know the pattern i will bald into. Futhermore, she stated that she had patients that were 45 years old with almost the same hair as me. The earlier, the better she stated. In regards to the shockloss issue, she pointed out that it was mostly common in females and that her clinic never had an issue with shockloss in males.
In adddition, she said she had patients as young as 19 going in there.

quote:

In regards to the shockloss issue, she pointed out that it was mostly common in females and that her clinic never had an issue with shockloss in males.
In adddition, she said she had patients as young as 19 going in there

I hate to go against what a doctor says, but this is just not true thinman! Shock loss can happen to anyone. It's unpredictable. W/ diffuse thinner's it's almost a gaurantee. It's the skill of the surgeon that will determine how much there will be, but there will be some!

Haha You forget Forrest run.
Ht55 are you serious about a buck a graft
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