• Welcome to Hair loss Experiences hair loss forum.

    Free impartial hair loss advice, hair transplant advice, hair loss medications and hair loss news.
    You can contact us directly at [email protected] if you experience any problems.

Starting Out - looking for advice.

N

Neelix21

member
Hi!

I’ve just joined this forum having been a passive reader over the last few years. Recently I’ve been exploring a hair transplant and I’m sure like everyone it brings more questions than answers!

A little about me: I’m 34, from the UK and I started losing at my hairline when I was 17. This was confirmed by my local Dr as MBP in the usual matter of fact way - I didn’t even realise you could have hairloss so young at the time so it was pretty upsetting to hear.

My hairline continued to recede and crown thinned a little but at 21 I started finasteride and minoxidil (although I wasn’t religious about the minoxidil). I think I seen some regrowth but over time my hairline receded more and in more recent years my crown has thinned. There’s no way to know for sure but I think the finasteride at least slowed my hairloss. In 2022 I started on oral minoxidil - it could have just been paying more attention to it but this seemed to thin out my crown way more. I’ve continued with it though.

Last year I decided to have some consultations and started on Dudasteride to stabilise at the recommendation of the Doctor. One year on the Doctor believes the hairloss has stabilised with some minor growth in the crown. I’m just over 12 months with this - I probably take it 4/5 times a week. I’m not sure if I should wait 18 months for the full result?

I may give it some more time to be sure, as I don’t want to go down the HT route for the medication to then stop working down the line but I’m now back to considering a HT.

This forum has been a great help but I do have some specific questions that I’m hoping to get advice on:

  • it seems very difficult to choose a surgeon. I’ve done some research and I see the same names popping up in various places but everyone seems to have a favourite or in some cases a negative story. Is there a point where most reputable and ethical surgeons would achieve the same result? I.e. it’s much of a muchness once you’re over a minimum bar? I think I could spend a lifetime researching.
  • Are there any good resources for understanding hairline design? I can look at some hair transplant photos and would say the outcome isn’t good but I can’t yet tell the difference between good and great. For example I’ve read that having “rows” in the hairline would lead to a poor result. I want to try be as educated as I can to have a good discussion with the surgeons.
  • Is it still possible to have a buzzcut at sides (and hopefully not required on top but if loss continued and it was the last resort) after an FUE transplant?
  • I am happy to travel to Europe or anywhere in the UK if I find the right fit, of course I don’t want to pay over the odds and want good value like everyone I’m sure but I’m willing to save and take time to get the right result. From reading these forums and others there’s a suggestion that better quality can be had in Europe - or perhaps the same quality for a better price?

I have had two consultations so far. One I found to be too pushy with sales offering a discount to rush into it, a lot of follow up messages and emails, and didn’t quote by graft. The other was very professional, advised trying to stabilise with medication and checking back in one year, which I have done.

Finally some current info. I would guess I am a NW3 with thinning on the crown too. My frontal area seems ok so far and I think has thickened up with treatment. I have fine, straight dark hair and I am Caucasian . As I understand it those things might work against me. My dad was a NW5, and uncles similar on the paternal side. Various degrees of hairloss on the maternal side too but not as severe. Grandparents were lucky chaps with full heads of hair well into old age! The doctor advised around 3200 grafts to complete the hairline and crown area. Advising that I have a donor area of around 5500-600 depending on if I want to be able to have a shorter haircut on the donor area.

Sorry that’s a long post!

Thank you. :)
 
I

Im new here

member
Have you got any photos? Blue your eyes if you need but photos would help people be able to help you
 
N

Neelix21

member
Hi,
Yes good point. I’ve attached a photo of my hairline (with a possible design) and crown - the right hand photo being after 12 months of dut. ( hopefully with a little improvement but hard to say!)
IMG_6359.jpeg
Front view.jpeg
 
I

Im new here

member
Thanks for the photos you look about a Norwood 3V.

The front especially the middle seems strong and with meds should stay that way. You will need something like the line drawn but I would make sure they make it a little more symetrical than they have on the photo as where they have drawn it your right side would go higher than your left and hairline might look lopsided.

Depending on how high your native hair is from your eyebrows I would recommend the new hairline being as tight to your native forelock as possible. This will help with the illusion of density and also mean you use less grafts.

The crown is unpredictable. You’ll need enough to cover it but don’t go for it very dense as you might need the grafts later. No point having a thick crown and not being able to cover the mid scalp if it goes.

The fact your on meds is good and further loss should be much reduced but better to keep what grafts you can back

As far as the shavings after a transplant goes it all depends on your scarring. Some people scar better than others but in all honesty any surgery you are going to be able to tell so I wouldn’t recommend shaving. It’s just the extent to how easy it stands out is what is the difference between people. If the scars on other parts of your body are easily noticeable then this will be
 
Top