I know that’s an impossible question but I’m hoping to get some advice from experienced folks. I’m in my mid-30s and am very close to pulling the trigger on a transplant. I’ve used Minoxidil for nearly a decade and Finpecia for about 5 years, although I stopped the latter about 6 months ago because of side effects. Overall, I have pretty thick hair but my hairline has receded to a point where I feel self-conscious…I’ve worn my hair forward most of my adult life and now I almost feel like I have a comb-over even though it’s not intentional. I don’t like how I look with short/shaved hair.
I would be opting for FUE of around 1500 grafts, most likely with SMG. I’m hoping I can do it without shaving my whole head since my forward hairstyle would naturally conceal the operation. The main area of concern is the sides. I actually don’t care to bring down the front hairline that much, I just feel like the side recession has widened my forehead too much.
My hesitation comes from worrying that I will end up looking worse/unnatural and that I will need to keep going back for more surgeries every few years just to fill in further recession. My hope is that the sides can’t recede that much more (or at least I haven’t seen that) so it should be a fairly permanent improvement.
Here are a few pics with SMG’s proposed hairline. Thoughts?
[quote][postedby]Originally Posted by hs123[/postedby]
I know that’s an impossible question but I’m hoping to get some advice from experienced folks. I’m in my mid-30s and am very close to pulling the trigger on a transplant. I’ve used Minoxidil for nearly a decade and Finpecia for about 5 years, although I stopped the latter about 6 months ago because of side effects. Overall, I have pretty thick hair but my hairline has receded to a point where I feel self-conscious…I’ve worn my hair forward most of my adult life and now I almost feel like I have a comb-over even though it’s not intentional. I don’t like how I look with short/shaved hair.
I would be opting for FUE of around 1500 grafts, most likely with SMG. I’m hoping I can do it without shaving my whole head since my forward hairstyle would naturally conceal the operation. The main area of concern is the sides. I actually don’t care to bring down the front hairline that much, I just feel like the side recession has widened my forehead too much.
My hesitation comes from worrying that I will end up looking worse/unnatural and that I will need to keep going back for more surgeries every few years just to fill in further recession. My hope is that the sides can’t recede that much more (or at least I haven’t seen that) so it should be a fairly permanent improvement.
[/quote]
Your hair looks a lot better than many guys in their thirties.
What is your mother’s father’s hair like? How about your father? How about your mother and father’s brothers? It’s important to get an idea of where your hair could go before getting a hair transplant. HairCheck is a great tool we use to measure miniaturization. We offer HairCheck at N/C and keep the results on file. If you decide to try some hair loss meds, you can come back in a few years and we’ll compare the hair mass density numbers.
A natural result is extremely important. There are still some docs doing poor work in 2013/2014.
The contents of my posts are my opinions and not medical advice
Please feel free to call or email me with any questions. Ask for Chuck
Your hair actually looks good for a man in his 30s so don’t rush this decision. Wait until you turn 40 years old and revisit the question then. Who knows, there may be a big breakthrough in the next few years that will solve your problem without the need for surgery.
The reason I advise extreme caution is that it doesn’t matter how good your hair transplant is - you will worry about whether other people can detect it. Especially if your remaining hair continues to thin (which it will) leaving a weird ‘rim of more dense hair’ around your forehead.
You don’t want to be plagued with this constant worry during the prime years of your life.
Put your hair transplant decision off for a few more years. You all thank yourself for it.
Pluck out some hair shafts from different areas of your head. Compare the thickness under a magnifying glass.
The “donor area” hairs are the thickest on your head. Everything from there downhill is the MPB process. You should be able to get an idea of where you are thinning and how rapidly.
Realistically, if you don’t have severe MPB in the family, and if you don’t have much miniaturization (like less than 30%) in an area by 35yo, then you are pretty friggin’ unlikely to lose that hair in the next couple decades, if ever.
People say “Look at (insert male celebrity), he had great hair when he was younger and now he’s bald!” How do they know that celebrity’s earlier “great hair” wasn’t showing signs of miniaturization all along? Take a harder look at their past, the thinning probably was showing earlier if anyone had been really looking for it.
It’s like with money, spending money at a rapid rate is not the same thing as showing signs of being broke. You might spend money rapidly when you still have a lot of it, and then later be very frugal when you are near broke. When you showed visible signs of money problems was not the time when you were losing it most rapidly. There are exceptions to everything but MPB seldom ramps up at a fast rate after being slow up until 35yo. The VISIBLE APPEARANCE OF LOSS may rapidly increase at a later time but that’s not the same thing.
Thanks for the responses. It’s funny how there are strong opinions in both directions…kind of like what’s going on in my brain.
Regarding my ancestors’ hair loss, I don’t have info on my mother’s side, but my dad has essentially the same pattern as me, just an inch or two farther receded in the front. Everything that remains is pretty think. No bald spot in the back. His dad was completely bald but that seemed to set in at an early age and my dad doesn’t look like he’s headed in that direction at all unless it suddenly starts accelerating at age 60.
I do worry about having a rim of hair in the front as that part recedes, but what do you think about the possibility of only transplanting to the sides rather than the front hairline? I haven’t seen anyone with really significant side recession so it doesn’t seem likely I would end up with islands of hair on the sides.
True, your hair looks great for this age, you can have a great results but what will happen down the road is unknown, you will continue to loose more hair on top and then get more hair transplant to accomplish the coverage. it depends how much you want it. i am sure most people will be fine with the way your hair is in this age and wait for more defined hair loss but again it depends how much it bothers you and effecting your social life and self-esteem.
Yes, I would like to know what their justification is too.
SMG - if they are responsible - should have politely but firmly told you to go away and to not even consider a transplant for the time being. You really do not need one.
The contact at SMG did say he didn’t think I needed a transplant when we spoke on the phone but showed me what would be doable based on my preferences. I know I don’t have severe hair loss yet and I’m still undecided but I feel like there’s some benefit to doing it early so it’s not as noticeable.
[quote][postedby]Originally Posted by hairdar[/postedby]
If you have surgery now and end up with a densely packed island of hair at the front I think you’d regret it. [/quote] 100% agree.
If you go with a reputable clinic and have a good plan worked out than of course you are a candidate for a HT.
Personally, at this stage of the HT game, I am of the opinion that any HT that involves a strip scar is a mistake. And choosing the wrong clinic for FUE is also a mistake (not all FUE clinics are created equal)
You can be a great candidate for a HT and still get it all wrong if you don’t do your homework. Good luck!
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