Norwood 5 A

[Y3K]

Hello,

I am debating getting FUE. I am a white, male in my 30s. I am currently a Norwood 3 vertex and I imagine in the next 12 months (maybe 18 if I am lucky) I would become a Norwood IV before finishing as a Norwood 5 A but with the little "tuft" at the front. I started to lose it from the crown first and then it receded from the front and then recently on top. My hair is very thick at the sides and a little curly so it means on top, where I am losing it, when it is normal length and dry it looks ok. However, if it is wet or I am under a strong light, the thinness shows.

The medication, such as finasteride and medoxicil, all seem to have side effects which make me cautious about using them. Increased chance of prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction for finasteride and aging, wrinkles, reduced skin elasticity and dark circles for the latter. Neither are ideal.

I was wondering two things:

1) Has anybody (or does anybody know of anybody) just left it until they get to a Norwood V A (as far as the latter stages are concerned, this by far seems the best one) and then get FUE thus avoiding the need to use medoxicil? If there is no risk of the hair receding further then there would be no need to take medication. I also do not care too much about the crown as I can't see that part, so it would mean less area to cover with the surgery.

2) How happy have you been with the results from the FUE (even if you didn't wait until it was all gone before having it done)? I ask because all the articles I have found on the topic online areall written by, naturally, hair surgeons with a speciality in FUE. Hardly going to be an impartial article then is it?

Thanks

Y3K

 

[Pequod]

It's a big mistake to let your hair go just so you can get a hair transplant, I hope that isn't what you are saying. As far as medications go the only ones to stop hair loss are finasteride and dutasteride, the others are not proven (yes, i know what Minoxidil does and i would not take it expecting to keep a head of hair if family history shows otherwise).

If you absolutely don't want to take medications and your family history ends at 5A then you can get a frontal hair transplant with great donor hair and I think get very good results. If you are wrong though and it progresses further you will need a followup procedure later obviously.

 

[shookwun]

hair transplants work, but don't expect miracles.


The hair will be see through under the right lighting, and angle, but provide coverage and give the illusion of a full head of hair.

 

[Y3K]

Thanks for the replies.

So it would be how my hair is now then? Hahaha

I really am against using the medication. Besides which, I've read it loses its efficacy over time so it wouldn't be a long-term solution anyway. I might trial the Min for 6 months and see what effects it has, if any. Why do you think it isn't a long-term solution?

Thanks again

 

[arfy]

The "permanent donor area" isn't always permanent. If you are high on the Norwood scale, it's possible that you will experience hair loss in the "safe" donor zone as well.

I agree with the other answers in this thread.

 

[Stephen788]

No point getting a transplant if you don't intent to take meds.