I want a hair transplant but I'm not sure. Please advise ( pics )

[DannySulli1989]

First of all, I am not an ideal hair transplant candidate. I've researched hair loss for a long time. In fact.. I am hardly a candidate. You can judge based on the pictures. Ultimately.. though is not a hair transplant a relative procedure? It's a cosmetic procedure, right? There are people who are bald and perfectly happy vica versa.

I am a 23 year old male with minimal hair loss. I am seeking a hair transplant to revitalize the frontal hairline that I use to have a few years ago. I've already had a reputable doctor say that I would need around 1000 grafts to achieve what I want but the real questions are -- how much risk am I taking in the long run?

I've used minoxidil everywhere for the last six months.
I just started Propecia and plan to use it indefinitely.
I use a hairloss vitamin and DS Lab Revita hairloss shampoo

My theoretical perspective is use propecia for a long time to prevent further hair loss and then do an early hair transplant and kind of hope I don't lose any more hair and thus not require any further hair transplant's.

It's obviously a costly procedure.. and I have to weigh the risks.

That fact is that.. I can get a hair transplant done and really if you have the money you can get it done but is it in my best interest in the long run even if I stay on Propecia forever? Or am I playing with fire so much as to possibly burn myself forever? ( By doing an early hair transplant )

I just want opinions honestly.

What would you do if you were me and wanted the hair you use to have and in were in my position?

I'm attaching two pictures. Not the greatest.. or most professional, however, that is irrelevant.

One picture shows the thickness, density that I use to have in my hair and the second shows the obvious decling/receding hairline.

Here are the two pictures. Thank you for any advice/support you may offer. I really do need some honest opinions. I'm afraid of the possible consequences in the long run if I do decide to go through with a hair transplant but maybe I shouldn't be so afraid.

 

[DannySulli1989]

Well the name of the doctor is irrelevant but I understand your points to some degree. What I don't understand.. is how chasing your juvenile hairline is unethical? I don't know what to say to that. If we could ALL have our juvenile hairline why would we NOT take it?


If propecia further halts/stops my hair loss wouldn't that make an early hair transplant successful? While the possibility of needing a future hair transplant would still be there if Propecia shows promising results in slowing/halting hairloss then we can conclude an early hair transplant could be effective.

I plan on giving Propecia six months before I try anything because of course if there is still hairloss/recession then an early hair transplant is obviously out of the question. Propecia is the main variable that should determine whether or not an early hair transplant can work.. in my case restore my juvenile hairline back.

Again I reiterate.. what makes wanting your juvenile hair back unethical? That statement really baffles me.

Maybe I don't need 1000 grafts.. maybe I can just do 500 and save most of my donor hair. It's a risk but isn't there risk involved in just about everything we do? There is no guarantee in life in anything and if we take certain risks we are responsible for the outcome negative or positive but it's up to to assess whether the risk it worth it or not.

In my case.. if Propecia is effective then there is a large incentive to take the risk and do an early hair transplant.

 

[DannySulli1989]

When you are referring to Armani patients are you talking about Armani Exchange male models? They have transplants done on them at young ages? I didn't know that.. that's quite interesting.. I'd be inclined to want to learn more about it. The doctor is a top doctor, however, I stressed in my e-mail that I was aware of the long term risks and the possibilities of needing future transplants. How much can a top surgeon hold you against your own will and desire? Can every top surgeon turn down a patient who is inclined to want something different than what the doctor thinks is for the best? There is an ultimate ethical question that a doctor must face. If a certain person wants a procedure done and knows the consequences, why should the doctor be held responsible or take blame? The doctor should be the one that advises you what should be in your best interest, however, what is in your best interest is relative to your opinion based on the facts you are given. You may think the benefit out weighs the risk in the given circumstances. In that case, you would opt for the transplant and why should a doctor turn you down?

I would say that, if you had very irrational supporting evidence, on why you disagree on what is for your best interest in contrast to the doctors opinion, then the doctor should be obliged to turn you down. If you have a rational opinion and supporting evidence that you feel the benefit out weighs the risk then I don't think the doctor should turn you down.

In my case.

If I stay on Propecia six months and see a complete halt in hair loss I can make a logical premise in my argument for a early hair transplant and say this.

1) Propecia stops my hair loss.
2) A hair transplant restores my already lost hair.
3) a hair transplant is permanent
4) Therefor if I want to restore and keep ALL of my hair I must use propecia and have a hair transplant.

Of course.. propecia will not work for everyone and results vary.

Now I see your point on why it is unethical. I agree with you. This is where assessing the risk comes into play. If I am to transplant this early on my hairline, and later recede in areas that I can't cover with donor hair, well then the conclusion is I have permanently destroyed my hair. In other words, I have cosmetically created a disaster.

My balding pattern has not been identified and the doctor would use FUE I presume.

In any given case.. I don't think I could opt for more than 500 grafts. I don't think it would be necessary to cram 1000 grafts in such a small area. I just want to add back SOME density. I don't need my juvenile hairline back but I would like to add some density.. and a hair transplant can do just that.

So i'll give propecia six months minimum before I do anything. Thanks for your reply/opinion Ben. It does help a lot to listen to other peoples opinions, advice and get a different perspective.

 

[DannySulli1989]

Wow I just checked out his website.. all of his patients have like perfect hair transplants almost. How the hell does he do this and this is unlike any other hair transplant doctors before/after photos?? Is there some certain technique he is using or what am I missing?? Some of these guys have better hairlines than me and I use to have a FULL head of hair.

 

[Man in Space]

i dont think you understand the implications of getting a hair transplant, research it for a year or so and see how you feel. Ben is very knowledgeable on the hair transplant front, you dont appear to be as clued up as he is. Take your time, hair transplants arent going anywhere so whats the rush?

Take your time and research. Your hair is great, yes it could be 'perfect'in the short term with a hair transplant but in the long run you may live to regret it. That you ask questions like 'who wouldnt want to get perfect hair' etc suggests you dont understand what you would be getting yourself in to.

Do your research, listen to intelligent posters like ben and see if you still feel the same in a couple of years

 

[DannySulli1989]

And your a jackass. Great reply. Thank you for your useless not wanted opinion. Go screw off. I am interested in people who want to offer honest opinions critical or not but not a low one liner post "your an idiot." If your so intelligent why not offer your superior knowledge?

 

[Man in Space]

I edited my post because it was ignorant but i didnt mean to be as offensive as it seemed. I merely meant you have a great head of hair, you absolutely should not even be thinking about a hair transplant now.

 

[DannySulli1989]

Of course.. I should do a lot more research. a hair transplant is a permanent procedure.. and there is no rush you are right. In any case.. even if I do not rush a hair transplant and propecia is not effective on halting my hairless well then a hair transplant is only possible in the foreseeable future. There is no need to jump the band wagon and do a hair transplant and I've been advised by several people to stay on propecia at least six months minimum to see if my hair loss halts or not. At this point.. I do not feel as inclined as previously to have a hair transplant, however, if Propecia proves successful well I may opt for it in the future within a year or who knows maybe two years.
All it takes is greed and one hair transplant in the short run to jack up your future, so I do acknowledge that and definitely am highly considering it before I make a final decision. I am surely putting a lot more thought into this before I make a decision.

And I was listening to Ben btw.. in his previous post he said that he agreed that I had a compelling argument, so I don't quite understand your point there. From what he said, I assume he was implying that he somewhat agreed with what I was saying..

In any case.. it is a matter of time now. Time is the ultimate key and judge on whether I proceed or not. Propecia is not a saving grace for everyone who uses it.. there is a chance it may not work at all for me in which a hair transplant would be irrelevant until much later in the future.

Thanks for your opinion in any case. Appreciate the honesty.

 

[Man in Space]

Im not sure if you are familiar with other websites such as hair restoration network or hair loss help, the bald truth etc but these websites have tonnes of information on regarding hair transplants and are good places to do your research and ask lots of questions (as well as here of course)

The thing with a hair transplant is you dont know how your hair loss is going to proceed and also you dont know if you are going to suddenly get sides from meds etc. If you are on meds and get your hairline addressed, I dont think anyones debating that it would look great, but it is very risky. Your loss might progress much more than you thought and suddenly you have a row of grafts at the front as the rest becomes detached from it. Of course you can fill in behind it but if you were to lose a lot you may not have enough grafts to cover the rest of your head.

hair transplant's are much better utilised when you have alreay lost much more hair and you are a fair bit older. This takes away a lot of the risk. To start with, your hair loss pattern will be more established, secondly placing hair at the front when you still have hair left can induce shockloss of that hair at the front which in some cases wil be permenent, this is negated if you have already lost hair.

When you sign up to a hair transplant you are signing up to meds for life and committing to a lifetime of probably having to have follow up surgeries as well. The younger you are, the lower you place and more you pack out your hairline, the more trouble you may be causing for the future. Thats not to say it will go wrong, just that before you go ahead, make sure you are fully aware of the risks, you currently have an enviable head of hair. If you were to get a hair transplant you would be taking a risk and jeopardising your looks in the future to try and attain perfection today. Whatever you decide, all the best