34, Had A Consultation With Dr Lupanzula, Just A Few Questions With Pics

[RB15]

Hello everyone

I'm a 34 year old male from the UK, i have suffered slow hairloss from the age of around 21 at the temples and crown. Been on Minoxidil for 4 years which caused decent crown thickening or regrowth, and Finasteride for 3 years which thickened fhe crown even more to the point it is only slightly visible.

My receding hairline seems to have been halted or is very slow on the finasteride, but i'm at a point now and have been for many years where i have limited hairstyle options at the front, and have had the same complex forward combed hairstyle using concealer and hair straighteners to decieve people i'm a norwood 1 for years.

The hair loss and hairstyle i'm shackled to is really getting to me now because it takes me 1 hour to do it every morning and i'm always late getting anywhere because of it, the rest of my hair is very thick so i basically do that thing where you grow the fringe then cut it across in a straight line to make it appear a NW1, then i use straighteners 2-3cm's behind to spike it up, it really looks ridiculous and i have been mocked over it for years, but convinced myself i'd take people thinking i've got a s**t hairstyle over balding any day of the week.

But seen as though i have stabalised the loss and have still got alot of hair left, i have been considering a hair transplant to be able to finally spike or brush my hair up at the front.

I have been reading and researching for years on these forums, and have always thought of visiting Belgium for the hair transplant, Erdogan in Turkey would prob be my first choice but i have a fear of flying so that's out the window, i have considered ******** and Feriduni in the past but have been very impressed with Lupanzula in the last 6 months or so.

I had a consultation with him last week and found him and his assistant Eva very friendly and knowledgable, he wasn't pushy either which i liked, my dad (who was with me) actually asked the Dr if he thought i needed the procedure which he said he didn't but that he understands the concerns and needs patients have.

Dr Lupanzula said i have a very high density in my donor zone, then drew a proposed hairline which i will post below, i have to admit i wasn't 100% satisfied with the hairline, i thought it was rounded up too much in the corners and could have been straighter and lower, yet the Dr assured me by taking measurements of my forehead, nose, and chin that this would achieve the most natural looking result.

Here are my hair stats and pics -

Number of grafts - 1700 - 1800

Donor area - Very good density - 120 / 120 / 90

He didn't provide my donor capacity which i can always e-mail them for.

Here are the pics -







So i have a few questions...

1) what do you think of the proposed hairline? I have maybe been appreciating Erdogan's too much hoping to have one like he performs. Would i be able to persuede Dr Lupanzula to go slightly lower at the corners?

2) Given i can get by everyday (with alot of stress) looking like a NW1 is it worth having the procedure and going through the pain, the waiting, and the inevitable game of catch up i might have to play with more surgeries down the line?

3) given there is alot of hype over new treatments in the next 3-5 years should i wait it out for these (Brotzu, Tsuji etc) ?

4) is it worth risking shock loss?

P.s. Here is a pic of me rocking the fake NW1 hairstyle on a night out...



Thank you.

 

[JeanLucBB]

I would just ask Lupanzula to slightly lower the corners. Considering your age, donor and losses that shouldn't be an issue. None of the treatment options that are on the horizon promise to grow back a dense hairline, I don't think it's worth waiting.

Shock loss is really only an issue if you are transplanting substantially into diffused areas. You won't get shockloss in the bald areas you are looking to fix.

 

[RB15]

Cheers JeanLuc, i've been following your progress with Dr Erdogan, hope all goes well!

Dr Lupanzula actually asked me to first draw the hairline i wanted on my head, which i did, then he proceeded to get his tape measure out and said where i wanted it would not look natural enough, even though many of his videos show results with a lower straight hairline, so i kinda did already asked him in a roundabout way.

Was just wondering if he would conceed a little and meet me in the middle, i guess i could always e-mail and ask him.

Cheers

 

[spring15]

You fit the bill for a great transplant candidate. Hairline looks fine from Lupanzula. You're 34 you don't need that chav looking teen hairline in your last pic.

 

[sunchyme1]

 

[Tano1]

You're a good candidate for a hair transplant; especially since you said your hair looks stable and you were told you had good density.

I wouldn't jump the gun just yet though because your hair looks great and can probably hold out a couple more months just to listen to what these companies have to say about their progress with hair loss at the World Hair Congress. If they don't announce any significant improvement then it's up to you if you want to go through with it.


1. You would need 2 passes regardless of your density if transplanting into a bald area. I'm sure you will have an acceptable result with 1 procedure (assuming you chose a good surgeon) but it may still have some slight thin areas around the transplanted site. Plan for 2 procedures.

2. You honestly don't need it. You can rock that hair for years by the looks of it. If you do decide to get a hair transplant though please go with FUE. Definitely minimal, hardly noticeable scarring again, with a good surgeon.

Be aware of the risks first and be prepared for it emotionally and financially should you need to go to plan B. Congratz on the great hair you already have!

 

[RB15]

Hey fellas!

Sorry i totally missed the replies even though i come here everyday!

Hairhope4ever - thanks for the detailed reply (if you aren't a shill that is) one if the biggest stresses in my life is getting ready for work or a night out, it's embarrassing that i take longer than my girlfriend because of my hair, i also have OCD hence the need for it to look perfect, although i believe a solid hairline from fue would eliminate alot of that OCD as brushing or blowdrying it up would not take too long and i believe it would genuinely change my life, as i'm always late and thus in a bad mood with myself because of it.

Tano - thanks for the compliment on my hair, and i know there are lots of people alot worse off than me on here, but i believe if i didnt lurk the forums since 2006 and know what i know about treatments - i would be in a much worse state than i am now, and of course like most people who start finasteride i wish i had started it years earlier.

Yes Dr Lupanzula said i have one of the thickest donor area densities thay he has seen, and i do know i would be a good candidate given all the factors in play, but there is something stopping me from pulling the trigger and i think part of it is everything that's bubbling up in the new treatments section, so holding off until the conference may be a good idea.

Also, because i can get through life at the moment with a good looking head of hair i wonder if i'm crazy to go through such an emotional rollercoaster of a procedure with the time off, hiding the redness from people, ugly duckling phase etc..

The NW1 hairstyle i do looks good in pics but if you saw me in person it looks a bit ridiculous with the front bit spiked up 2-3 cm behind the fake hairline, the problem i have is that i have been styling it in this way for years, so most people i know probably think im a NW1 with some sort of mental disorder when it comes to my styling decisions, i have basically shackled myself to the NW1 hairstyle because if i were to grow it out and brush it back - everyone would think i have literally receded overnight.

I'm gonna think about it a bit longer.

Thanks again

 

[topcat]

If you feel you have OCD then you are not a good candidate for a hair transplant. Surgical hair restoration comes with some compromises and that includes it not looking like the God given hair you were born with. Hair transplantation can very often look a little off and many find they have to finesse it in order for it to look right. This finessing part does not work well if you have OCD. It could easily become hours of work.


In the past we have seen doctors take on patients that were probably not good candidates maybe the same issue slight OCD. All that was needed was to ask the right questions and if a patient is looking for perfection then they have to be ruled out. But what sometimes happens is the money becomes too good and the end result is an unhappy patient. When the patient complains then the patient is attacked as not being reasonable when that could have been easily assessed then avoided pre hair transplant. The onus is always on the doctor/clinic and there are no exceptions. They have the knowledge and experience as they deal with it on a daily basis.


You might want to take some more time and you have to absolutely see at least a dozen hair transplants in person with at least 50% being NW6 restorations. Gives you a better idea of the limitations.


Having dense donor can be a blessing or a curse. Dense thick hair doesn’t always look natural in the hairline so if the wrong hairs are used it creates huge issues. Take your time cosmetic surgery can be a blessing but very often a huge mistake.


Hollywood has it’s share. For example Jeremy Piven usually does the slight comb forward with his hair transplant and you will find that to often be the case with many others. Sometimes the hairs just don’t look right so styling in a way to conceal is usually the choice. Can you live with that type of result? He also might be using concealer which is sometimes needed with hair transplant depending on the situation. People in general don't like to talk about these issues but as a consumer advocate I feel the need to bring them up and pass it on.

 

[MrHulley]

Jeremy Piven wears a wig in just about everything he's been in for the past ten years.

 

[topcat]

Jeremy Piven wears a wig in just about everything he's been in for the past ten years.

Sure that's possible I wouldn't know. I don't watch television and don't recall seeing him in a movie.

 

[MrHulley]

Yes that is a strip scar so yes he's had a hair transplant but he still wears a wig in almost everything he's in, including the last shot you shared in that same post.

 

[topcat]

Yes that is a strip scar so yes he's had a hair transplant but he still wears a wig in almost everything he's in, including the last shot you shared in that same post.

Okay I will have to disagree with you. Looks like a hair transplant with too much concealer which when not applied correctly appears to look fake. Just my opinion though. Plenty of actors look like they are wearing wigs when it's just a hair transplant with too much concealer.

I guess they are okay with it. Getting back to the original poster I don't think it works well for those that have OCD and this is why he should wait and give hair transplantation some more thought. The original poster needs to explain his feelings about OCD with the doctor.

Steven had the concealer right in the last picture. He colored the scalp while keeping it off the hair strands so it maintains the highlights. Jeremy probably just needs someone to show him how to apply it. Maybe I will try to get in touch with him. I have about 25 years of experience in that area alone.

Jeremy's hair is flat in the second picture. Dead give away that's it's concealer and not a wig. A wig has highligts concealer when applied to the hair strand itself does not.

 

[MrHulley]

Concealer? Yes.And a shitty job of it.

Wig? Yes. Why? Because his hair isn't this wavy normally and you don' see the hairline.

Wig

Shitloads of concealer but his real hairline shape.

Wig. If you go to the original link and click on the image it will blow up and you can see the lace attached to his forehead. http://cdn.collider.com/wp-content/uploads/mr-selfridge-jeremy-piven-1.jpg

Having 25 years of experience is great but if you don't know what you're talking about it means your experience is useless.

 

[topcat]

Okay as I wrote I disagree but regardless the point is the original poster should not consider a hair transplant because he is OCD. Plenty of hair transplant patients are now wearing excess concealer or a wig. The procedure is very, very, very limited. For most if they are lucky that means 5000 fu available with FUE. When losing 20,000 that represents 25% restoration including those that are transplanted and will be subsequently lost over time as they too are not dht resistant. We are now talking about 20% coverage.

20% coverage equals comb over with concealer or wig if not planned appropriately. Meaning high hairline and foregoing the crown. This applies to most not all but most that will experience major hair loss long term.

One can easily review the results of ethical doctors like Bernstein or Woods for example and most young guys would say those are comb over results. This is because they don't understand the numbers long term nor do they understand the limitations.

If one decides to move forward with a procedure they need to understand the limitations and if you feel you have OCD you are not a good candidate.

 

[JeanLucBB]

Concealer? Yes.And a shitty job of it.
View attachment 58545

Wig? Yes. Why? Because his hair isn't this wavy normally and you don' see the hairline.
View attachment 58546

Wig
View attachment 58547

Shitloads of concealer but his real hairline shape.
View attachment 58548

Wig. If you go to the original link and click on the image it will blow up and you can see the lace attached to his forehead. http://cdn.collider.com/wp-content/uploads/mr-selfridge-jeremy-piven-1.jpg

View attachment 58549

Having 25 years of experience is great but if you don't know what you're talking about it means your experience is useless.

I don't think any of what you posted confirms either way. That photo is too low resolution when blown up to know you're looking at lace.

Also are you seriously saying it's a wig because his real hairline isn't wavy? They have such things as hair stylists in Hollywood.

 

[topcat]

Many of these threads you read on the various forums are created with the intention of creating buzz for the reader we just don’t know which ones are genuine and which ones are created with marketing intent.


I had a consult with Dr. Joe Blow and he said this and that and before you know it we are constantly hearing about Dr. Joe Blow. Now Dr. Joe Blow is doing 7000 graft procedures with the promise of more left in the donor bank and young guys love to hear that so they make a mental note. The more they read the forums the more mental notes they make they just don’t know that much of it is made up and this is why observation over years is necessary if one is going to depend on this less than ideal information as one’s research. If you are not careful you can fall into a trap. Yes it's marketing fraud where the doctors know what is going on.


The last patient that was in my house was able to get his money back fully for his ill advised procedure once it was revealed that he was speaking to me. Then that doctor was removed from one of these paid to be on lists. They wanted to know more about me……………I wonder why…………..then the marketers promised the young man that felt like his donor was raped possibilities of finding him a job because they knew how to work him and find out what his needs were so they made the necessary promises. It’s all a game and if you don’t understand how it’s played do not have a hair transplant. The game is played because the procedure is very limited and most don’t have the skill to perform it.

The marketers that work the forums are mostly con men working a fraud. Yes they seem like really nice guys doing good things.................what did you expect?

 

[MrHulley]

I don't think any of what you posted confirms either way. That photo is too low resolution when blown up to know you're looking at lace.

Also are you seriously saying it's a wig because his real hairline isn't wavy? They have such things as hair stylists in Hollywood.

No, I'm saying it's a wig because you can't see his hairline and his hair overall on the top is wavy, but it's not on the sides. The one where I provided the link that enlarges if you click the image shows up very clearly for me but I'm also a bit sensitive to these things because I've researched wigs for myself, a LOT so maybe it just isn't easy to spot for others. I can spot them a mile away.

 

[MrHulley]

Many of these threads you read on the various forums are created with the intention of creating buzz for the reader we just don’t know which ones are genuine and which ones are created with marketing intent.


I had a consult with Dr. Joe Blow and he said this and that and before you know it we are constantly hearing about Dr. Joe Blow. Now Dr. Joe Blow is doing 7000 graft procedures with the promise of more left in the donor bank and young guys love to hear that so they make a mental note. The more they read the forums the more mental notes they make they just don’t know that much of it is made up and this is why observation over years is necessary if one is going to depend on this less than ideal information as one’s research. If you are not careful you can fall into a trap. Yes it's marketing fraud where the doctors know what is going on.


The last patient that was in my house was able to get his money back fully for his ill advised procedure once it was revealed that he was speaking to me. Then that doctor was removed from one of these paid to be on lists. They wanted to know more about me……………I wonder why…………..then the marketers promised the young man that felt like his donor was raped possibilities of finding him a job because they knew how to work him and find out what his needs were so they made the necessary promises. It’s all a game and if you don’t understand how it’s played do not have a hair transplant. The game is played because the procedure is very limited and most don’t have the skill to perform it.

The marketers that work the forums are mostly con men working a fraud. Yes they seem like really nice guys doing good things.................what did you expect?

I don't even know what you're talking about with doctor Joe blow and having patients in your home. Who are you and why would someone get a refund because they talked to you? You said you have 25 years experience but with what? What services do you offer?

 

[topcat]

You said you have 25 years experience but with what? What services do you offer?

Not for you to worry about. Go on with your day and ignore my replies and postings it's meant for readers only and not so much for posters sorry for the confusion

 

[MrHulley]

Not for you to worry about. Go on with your day and ignore my replies and postings it's meant for readers only and not so much for posters sorry for the confusion

If you offer a service I'd like to know about it and you said you have people in your home and you got someone a refund. Why is this for readers only and not for someone asking about it? For f***'s sake, why the mystery? Who are you and what do you do? Is there a website that has more about you?