In Need of Opinion - Wait for HM or get a HT? Please give me some suggestions

Hair Transplant
1

Hey Guys,

Looking for a realistic timeline and opinion here…

I’m 25 years old, been balding/receding since I was 17. I would say I have a pretty large donor area - High side walls, and in back. The top is getting pretty thin, maybe a 3V on the Norwood scale, but thinning all over. I like to fill in my hair with toppik, which works suprisingly well on top, but I don;t have a lot of hair in front now, and I would like to have my forehead more covered. It’s pretty much not at all.

So, my questions are: Should I wait for HM, or get a good HT now along the way? Intercytex says a HT will not affect my HM, and they seem to even be saying it might be necessary alongside with the procedure at first. Is this for sure? What kinds of results can I expect? Some of the photos in this forum look really good. I live in the Chicago area, any HT docs you can recommend? I like the results I’m seeing from Dr. Armani here, is he a good one to go with? Any others? And what kind of HT should I be looking into if I went that route?

Advice requested… thanks guys.

2

I have to type a response once again. My opinion is to do more research because you are in the beginning stages of your research based on your response.

I was asking simply why did you pick Armani at this point? Do you like his hairlines?

3

Thanks for getting back to me. I saw some good looking results from Armani, on people with probably the same degrees of hairloss as me. It seems he is open to creating the hairline you are looking for, which I do like about him. I would personally want a more “flat” hairline, although probably not completely.

Sorry to have you repost, but I didn’t see my original message, so I re-did it. So, yes to your question. What can you recommend to me? I’m looking for a good hairline, enough density to cover my forehead, like i said in my original post, and enough for overall coverage such that one can’t tell I am balding. I find toppik to be very useful on covering the scalp, but not the forehead.

I don’t know how this forum thinks, but in the HM forum people seem to believe I am better off waiting for that technology. What do you believe, how knowledgable are you about HTs, and any other comments? Thank you

» I have to type a response once again. My opinion is to do more research
» because you are in the beginning stages of your research based on your
» response.
»
» I was asking simply why did you pick Armani at this point? Do you like
» his hairlines?

4

I think you should try to shop around to different doctors. Are you on meds?

Also, you need to wary of someone doing any old hairline you wish to have. Having a straight hairline transplant is one thing… but having a doctor transplant a low hairline just because you want to have it AND knowing you are going to lose more hair to a NW 6/7 is dangerous.

Listen, a friend of mine who posts here uses toppik. He says it is great. ANother friend of mine says that if you make the HT leap, then be prepared to either get a great transplant or a see through transplant that folks will look at you funny. What he was trying to say is that the pictures you see displayed by doctors on their websites or the pictures you see here from doctor representatives are the cream of the crop. About 1% of what really goes on in the HT industry.

I have to say from being on the inside of the industry he is right. I hardly ever posted any bad pictures. So you need to continue your research bro. Ok?

5

I think you’re right, and this is definately something I’m not going to jump into in the next few months… So, there will be plenty to time to think about it. I’m not on meds, but I should get on them this month-- Thinking durasteride, probably should start applying rogaine every night also.

As far as photos, I’ve got to think that someone on these forums who went to a doc and posted their own pictures is an accurate representation of his work. No? Especially when numerous people have from the same doc. I’m not considering pictures on docs websites for the exact reasons you are talking about. So, working in the industry, who is the best?

» I think you should try to shop around to different doctors. Are you on
» meds?
»
» Also, you need to wary of someone doing any old hairline you wish to have.
» Having a straight hairline transplant is one thing… but having a doctor
» transplant a low hairline just because you want to have it AND knowing you
» are going to lose more hair to a NW 6/7 is dangerous.
»
» Listen, a friend of mine who posts here uses toppik. He says it is great.
» ANother friend of mine says that if you make the HT leap, then be prepared
» to either get a great transplant or a see through transplant that folks
» will look at you funny. What he was trying to say is that the pictures
» you see displayed by doctors on their websites or the pictures you see
» here from doctor representatives are the cream of the crop. About 1% of
» what really goes on in the HT industry.
»
» I have to say from being on the inside of the industry he is right. I
» hardly ever posted any bad pictures. So you need to continue your
» research bro. Ok?

6

Why dutasteride bro? Why not try finasteride for at least three months. IMO but you need to speak with a doctor of course, you should start off with Propecia 1mg Q daily for six months. You should IMO take pictures now and then in 3 and 6 months to see if you have changes. Meanwhile continuing your research. Dutasteride seems to have more side effects and for good reason it blocks 2 receptors for DHT.

7

» Why dutasteride bro? Why not try finasteride for at least three months.
» IMO but you need to speak with a doctor of course, you should start off
» with Propecia 1mg Q daily for six months. You should IMO take pictures now
» and then in 3 and 6 months to see if you have changes. Meanwhile
» continuing your research. Dutasteride seems to have more side effects and
» for good reason it blocks 2 receptors for DHT.

Who is best. No one doctor is the best. They all would like to think they are. I take that back. The majority would like to think of themselves as the best. What type of surgery are you thinking about bro? FUE or strip. A combo FUE/Strip?

8

Durasteride becuase the results seemed to beat finasteride pretty well from studies I’ve seen in the past. But, as you say, the side effects might take me off it pretty quick. Know anyone who has used it?

Strip would be out of the question for me. From what I understand it should be an obsolete procedure. If I did get anything It’s gotta be FUE. Make sense?

I saw you posted over in the HM forum too, I really want to wait for that technology, so I’m keeping an eye on it. Intercytex’s report next week hopefully fills us in on a little more of whats going on over there.

» » Why dutasteride bro? Why not try finasteride for at least three months.
»
» » IMO but you need to speak with a doctor of course, you should start off
» » with Propecia 1mg Q daily for six months. You should IMO take pictures
» now
» » and then in 3 and 6 months to see if you have changes. Meanwhile
» » continuing your research. Dutasteride seems to have more side effects
» and
» » for good reason it blocks 2 receptors for DHT.
»
» Who is best. No one doctor is the best. They all would like to think
» they are. I take that back. The majority would like to think of
» themselves as the best. What type of surgery are you thinking about bro?
» FUE or strip. A combo FUE/Strip?

9

By all means bro wait if you can. I can’t wait for HM. Then all of these money selfish clinics will go away. Now having said that be aware of FUE also. Please understand that while this can be a good option… now that it has been out there since 2002/3, it isn’t the necessarily the best option if you don’t get to the doctors that do it best. And if you now get a slew of emails from clinics just because you derived interest in FUE… those are not the ones that are thinking of your best interest.

Now about finasteride/dutasteride… Listen… you have never tried either no? Then this means your body is not used to any type of DHT receptor blocker. So it is better IMO to start with finasteride. Finasteride has the best affinity of blocking the receptor responsible for hairloss. There is documentation that if you have been on finasteride for sometime… and it wanes… which means it does not hold you after a while… then switching to dutasteride may help you… HOWEVER… the plateauing effect or waning of propecia/finasteride is rare and seems to occur in those rare instances after 7 or more years.

What the hell did I just say? Start with finasteride… wait six months. Then if there is no effect then MAYBE switch to dutasteride.

10

If you can wait, you should wait. Besides, it sounds like your hair loss is fairly extensive already for a 25 y.o. It might even get worse before it stabilizes. This would be the wrong time to get a hair transplant, it would be like chasing a moving target.

That said, I am not a doctor, these are just my opinions anyway.

Do you have any pics of the thinning areas and the donor site? If you want, email me the pics at hairsite@aol.com and I can get different doctors (including Armani) review your case and let you know if you are a good candidate.

11

Believe me, try finasteride or Propecia first. Dutas is overkill. I had a massive shed while on Dutas, not worth it.

In my opinion, try Dutas only if finasteride does nothing for you.

12

Wow hairsite… I am going to write that down… 4 people I know shedded on Dutasteride.

Peter, here are the words of a veteran poster as well as a guy who has gone through the worst of the worst in HT.

The question to his answer was:

“Does Hair transplantation work?”

topcat611

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 12:52 pm
Post subject:

It’s a crap shoot, although the technology is getting better. It also depends on the extent of your hairloss, along with the future of your hair loss. In most cases it will give you thin see through coverage, and hopefully will not appear to be a transplant to the average person.

It could also be the biggest mistake of your life, causing you nothing but heartache and pain. HT doctors are in the business of selling hair transplants. The pictures and patients you see, will be the cream of the crop, representing less then 1% of the actual patients.

If you think people are looking at your bald or thinning head now, just wait until you get a transplant. The subtle loss of eye contact to your head when having a conversation is extremely uncomfortable. One of the hardest things to duplicate is a natural looking hairline.

If you are not completely bald, here is a suggestion. Take some mascara, and really thicken up your hairline. Now go about your everyday activities interacting with people. If you can handle the stares, you are probably ready to take the leap. Don’t take this exercise lightly, you need to actually do it.

I wish the first doctor that operated on me would have been this honest Also you will probably need to keep every hair in place in order to pull it off. So no swimming, convertibles, standing out in a strong wind, etc. Do you have a problem using hair spray? Do you like giving your money to doctors? Do you like never-ending projects?

Make sure you are completly informed, before you make any decisions, don’t be a sucker.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/htrepair1/album?.dir=5f0dre2

13

Ok Peter here is what you do,go out and find a guy that is very very bald i mean the type of guy that if he used every hair he has got on the back and sides it would not even start to cover his bald area, they want be very hard to spot,and then ask yourself what would have happen if the guy would of had a H.T. at a young age,and then ask yourself what if you are going to be just like that guy as far as your hairloss pattern,and then you will have your answer as to where you should wait or not.Listen when you lay down on that table remember that is your head not theirs and if you come away looking like a freak you will be the one who loses sleep not them,i should know because ive lost a lot.Good luck to you in what ever you decide,im just trying to help,

14

Peter, you wanna hair transplant? here, take alook at this,

http://www.hairsite.com/hair-loss/forum_entry.php?id=12109&page=0&category=2&order=last_answer

HM is worth the wait !

15

Wow guys, thanks for the replies and useful information. Well, after this I guess you guys are right, and HT is not the best solution at this point in time. Question, eventually HM or a real solution is going to evolve, that is a near certainty, the timing of course is not. Is the real problem with a FUE HT at this point the lack of donor area? Or is it that the results look funny? The question is if the results look funny, but not becuase of lack of donor area, how will HM be any better anyways?

I really can’t imagine myself wearing a toupe, but what are the results like with this? For example, getting a 3/4 inch or so HT at the hairline, and putting a toupe behind it. How would that workout?

16

Now that is also an option. They call them hair additions, hair systems, or wigs. There is a great deal of technological advancement in this area also but cost and maintenance can be a factor. Look at John Travolta. He is a NW 6/7 but he changes his hair every other day. He uses a hair system.

There are many options for you to research at this point. You are clearly at the beginning stages of reading, so please continue to read read read.

Start with the meds (although meds. aren’t perfect and must be taken everyday), take pictures… then read.

17

Thanks hairtech -

I’m going to jump on finasteride like you suggested and take some pictures. See on the results in 6 months.

In the meantime, what do you know about wigs? There are ads all over this website for ferrell, which claims to be the best and most customized. How do these actually look in person? And, if that were the route to go, would it be best to get a HT in front of that? Theoretically, it sounds like a great option, but I don’t know how I could get used to a wig glued on my head. Thats got to be uncomfortable. Thoughts?

18

Hairsite, Sending you an email right now with pics. Thank you

19

» There is a great deal of technological advancement in this area

When it comes to non-surgical HAIR REPLACEMENT, there is NO technological advancement in the past 10 years. You basically choose from two types, premade factory units or high end custom made units, and then everything in-between.

The technology is still the same all these years.

Peter25, given your age and the extent of your hair loss as per your description, I do not think you want non-surgical hair replacement. First off, you need to shave a good portion of your existing hair in order for the adhesives to leverage on your scalp. If you go for the high end products, the lace front will need to be replaced every year or so, and on top of that regular maintenance such as hair addition and re-color etc can be quite overwhelming. I can go on and on, and don’t even get me started on the EMOTIONAL BURDEN associated with wearing a hairpiece, that alone deserves a chapter by itself…but in summary, hair replacement can work very well for a selected group of individuals, normally it works better for older people with extensive baldness and who live in colder climate. I don’t think hair system is right for you.

Feel free to ask any questions.

20

David you are wrong. Not that I believe in hair systems. I am just basing what I know on my research which you are clearly not doing yourself:-) (not being dis-respectful to you). I read Dr. Harris’s book as well as look at a few articles. And there are advancements in some areas. But again I am not completely thinking that this is the best solution and you yourself should say that while YOU don’t like it, that it is still an option. Maybe I am wrong but this is what I know.

Now in my own reading I have found out that there are several types of hair systems. The way they “glue” them down is in different ways. There are snaps, sutured to the scalp or lacing or different glues or adhesives, all sorts of ways to do this. I don’t know what way is best. I am a hair detective in that I can spot a wig or HT a thousand yards away. And I have to say that there are a few systems out there that are phenomenal. Just don’t get sucked into the most expensive ones. I really don’t know what is the best.