Hi everybody,

I'm 24 and really want a hair transplant to fill in my receding hairline. However, I'll very likely still be in school for a few years and therefore won't be able to afford any other HT's in the near future (the first one would deplete my savings). I've been on finasteride for 3 months now. I'm really scared of the possibility of my hairline receding further, creating an awkward gap between my natural and my transplanted hair. Are there any estimates (or do any of you guys have personal experiences with this) about how many years you have before you might need a second HT? Like, what would be the average and what would be the worst case scenario (with finasteride).

Thanks

It just depends on the rate at which each INDIVIDUAL balds.
some people on meds maintain their hair for a long, long time.

I could understand your concern, especially since you are in school and as you say probably won't be able to afford another ht for a few years,
BUT
all good docs are not going to create a definite LINE between transplanted hairs and native hairs. On the contrary, they will weight most of the grafts at your hair line, yet still work there way back into some of your native hair in the event that you lose more in the future; so it will not look as you suggest/fear.

Are you thinning beyond your hair line, or is it just an isolated area your experiencing hair loss?

Thanks for your reply! I'm thinning a little bit behind the tuft (as I believe it's called). I would eventually, without finasteride, probably look like Letterman, but I'm hoping that finasteride will stop or has already stopped the thinning (or that it has stopped on its own and won't progress thanks to the finasteride), since that's the "anterior mid-scalp" that finasteride is supposed to work for, right? I was told that hair shouldn't be transplanted into that region because it's still thick enough and too thick to transplant efficiently without damaging existing hair.
Btw, do you know whether there are any pictures anywhere online of what it looks like when your hair recedes further after a hairline transplant?
I found this book on google that said you should always work the hairline into the sides of the head, but at least 2cm behind the most forward point, but one surgeon I talked to said that he'd just work it into the hair on top... I don't know which one's supposed to be better.

hey,
Im not sure how exactly to respond to you with respect to photos of what a "receded ht" would look like;
BUT
all good docs today would do the ht such that it would NOT look strange/bizarre should you have additional thinning.
Don't get me wrong: if you only have hair transplanted in the front third of your head
AND
you end up completelly bald on top later, then you will need additional work.
But, a good doc is not going to make a def. *line* where he stops the transplanted hair to native hair.
On contrary, he will extend more hair back into and within your native hair..
Here's an example of a young guy with minimal hair line work:
http://hassonandwong.com/patient_gallery/photo_viewer.p...ansplant_type=normal
more hair line work:
http://hassonandwong.com/patient_gallery/photo_viewer.p...type=normal&nwScale=

http://www.hairlosshelp.com/websites/Arnold/

bump

mankind,

Welcome to our forum.

Because hair loss is progressive and unpredictable, nobody will be able to tell you exactly how much additional hair loss you will experience.

Often times hair transplant patients will need subsequent procedures in order to achieve their hair restoration goals. Therefore, it IS a financial commitment and I do not recommend undergoing the first surgery unless you are prepared for the possibility of more.

If you are not already, I'd encourage you to consider Propecia and Rogaine which are the two best non surgical hair loss drugs available to fight against future hair loss. It might even help regrow hair.

I hope this helps.

Falc

Hi Falc,

Thanks for your reply. I am prepared to have more procedures in the future, the problem is that it will take a couple of years until I will be able to pay for them.
As I said, I am already on Propecia (=finasteride). Basically I would like to know what my odds are that it would take at least 5 or so years before I would have to have a second hair transplant, assuming that the first one will be enough to make me completely happy with the way I look right now (which, if properly done, it would).

mankind,

It's hard to know. If Propecia is working for you to stabilize your hair loss, it's quite possible that you will never (or won't for a long time) need a second hair transplant assuming the first one meets your goals AND you remain on the Propecia.

Falc