Seeking for honest opinions, should I do it?

[fred970]

I already posted this on ***, but I want to gather as much opinions as possible from people who don't beat around the bush when it comes to hair loss, we all know here it's ugly and we hate it. But my case might be different.

I have a hair transplant scheduled in a few months and all things considered, I really wonder if I should do it. I mean, it's a lot of money (2 x 5000 €) for not much of difference for me. I'm scared of the scarring (it would FUE though, but still, white dots). I've been losing my hair diffusely and quite aggressively in a diffuse only pattern (no receding at all) since I was 17. I'm now 24 with a few hundred hairs left in the NW5 area.

Here's what I look like now, well the first one is from 2013, the second 2012 and the last one 2011:

I just, I don't know, I'm 190 cm (6" 3'), blue eyes (it seems to be a plus when you're bald), in shape, girls still tell me I'm quite good looking despite of my NW5. I slept with two different girls only this week. Social life is great, my friends are great. People don't seem to treat me differently because I'm bald. The only hurdles I've encountered are some drunks in bars insulting me for being bald, or people in public places talking about hair loss behind my back because they saw me. Clearly, I think I shouldn't be going for a transplant for those futilities.

I'm worried about my well-being here. Would not getting a HT now impact my life in a bad way? Would getting it be beneficial in any way?

Based on my pictures and what I said, what's your honest opinion about this? Should I do it? Should I cancel it? Thank you in advance for your replies.

[35YrsAfter]

I already posted this on ***, but I want to gather as much opinions as possible from people who don't beat around the bush when it comes to hair loss, we all know here it's ugly and we hate it. But my case might be different.

I have a hair transplant scheduled in a few months and all things considered, I really wonder if I should do it. I mean, it's a lot of money (2 x 5000 €) for not much of difference for me. I'm scared of the scarring (it would FUE though, but still, white dots). I've been losing my hair diffusely and quite aggressively in a diffuse only pattern (no receding at all) since I was 17. I'm now 24 with a few hundred hairs left in the NW5 area.

Here's what I look like now, well the first one is from 2013, the second 2012 and the last one 2011:

I just, I don't know, I'm 190 cm (6" 3'), blue eyes (it seems to be a plus when you're bald), in shape, girls still tell me I'm quite good looking despite of my NW5. I slept with two different girls only this week. Social life is great, my friends are great. People don't seem to treat me differently because I'm bald. The only hurdles I've encountered are some drunks in bars insulting me for being bald, or people in public places talking about hair loss behind my back because they saw me. Clearly, I think I shouldn't be going for a transplant for those futilities.

I'm worried about my well-being here. Would not getting a HT now impact my life in a bad way? Would getting it be beneficial in any way?

Based on my pictures and what I said, what's your honest opinion about this? Should I do it? Should I cancel it? Thank you in advance for your replies.

Which doctor did you schedule with?
If you are concerned with white dotting, do a small test session first and ask the doctor what size punch is necessary to safely score your grafts. The brand name extracellular matrix product, ACell is only for sale to physicians in the United States the last time I checked. Other brands of extracellular matrix are available outside the US. Extracellular matrix improves healing and can reduce the appearance of white dotting. The following is from the ACell Website and read the last sentence:

Characteristics of UBM

UBM contains a collection of collagens and proteins arranged in a three-dimensional structure not currently available in synthetic materials and has been demonstrated to:

Maintain an intact epithelial basement membrane
Contain numerous collagens
Contain laminin
Contain numerous growth factors
Display antimicrobial activity
Contain glycosaminoglycans (GAGs)
Incorporate completely

UBM appears to fundamentally change the healing response by providing signals to the host immune system that stimulate an adaptive or accommodative response, conducive for wound healing and three-dimensional growth of various cell types. UBM has been shown to:

Recruit progenitor cells
Demonstrate chemotactic and mitogenic activities
Constructively remodel site-specific tissues where scarring would be expected


35YrsAfter also posts as CITNews and works at Dr. Cole's office
forhair.com
Cole Hair Transplant
1045 Powers Place
Alpharetta, Georgia 30009
Phone 678-566-1011
email 35YrsAfter at chuck@forhair.com
I am not a doctor and the content of my posts are my opinions, not medical advice.
Please feel free to call or email me with any questions. Ask for Chuck

[fred970]

Dr. De Reys in Belgium. I hadn't thought of that, thanks for the idea.

[PayDay]

You seem to be living a full life and you look very good without much hair. I think it would be a mistake at this point. You have a very strong face that works well without hair. You're one of the lucky few so enjoy it.

Why risk possible complications when you look good already and have no problem attracting women and having a great social life?

[Widowmaker]

I'm not sure a 24yo NW5 would benefit long term from a transplant...although, I'm no expert. It seems at that age, it will continue to progress and you might find yourself in a endless loop of surgeries. Maybe it'd be wise to see how well you stabilize on meds?

That being said, I think you look pretty good even without hair. Hair or none, I think you look a lot better than most guys your age. If the end game is attractiveness towards women, your hair is just one of many factors. Whatever you decide, the important thing is to keep a positive attitude. Women are more attracted to that than hair.

[PaddyBateman]

You're a good looking chap, and the shaved look does work well with you. You have quite Scandinavian features, which works for you. It's good to see that it hasn't affected your life.

I imagine you are on your way to NW7 by the time you are 30, and if you're not on Propecia, the hair transplant really might not do much for you.

How about SMP?

[Morbo]

Seriously man, you look good. Definitely got the Millow-thing going on. I'd almost wager you look better without than with hair. If I were you I'd do nothing. It's good money wasted.

[Buster]

I think you look good bald. My opinion is that you should save the money, and who knows what else will come along in the future.

[redy]

Wait until better treatments come out, you seriously don't need hair from the looks of it.

In my opinion, you still have nice facial features and head shape - bald works because your facial structure balances itself out. I would strongly suggest you stick with that - for all you know you could make it worse and I doubt having some weird thin looking hair that a lot of dudes end up with after hair transplant that are that far along would look good.

I can assure you that one of the main reasons that baldness isn't keeping you from attracting girls is because you look well-kept. Some stubble everywhere, but nothing looks like you don't care about it. You look like you care. A bad hair transplant would leave you looking like you didn't care that your hair was going to shit and probably make you worse off.

But, do whatever would make you the happiest.

But, I do hope I look that good if my treatment can't keep my hair on my head.

[Dan26]

You don't need it. Your hair will not look good grown out down the road based on the amount of grafts you are getting combined with your forecasted hair loss.

If you want to create a stronger hairline to frame your face nicer and continue shaving your head, perhaps it could benefit you slightly.

[fred970]

SMP might still be a safer option for me, I've been turned in Belgium for it though. Maybe I should try to go to Milena Lardi in Milan to see if it's possible.

Anyway, thank you all for your replies. It's quite unanimous, even for my friends and relatives, they suggest me not to do it.

[Notcoolanymore]

Yeah dude, I am going to pile on and say you pull off the bald look pretty damn good. I am not just saying that because I am a member of the balding brotherhood. As far as the drunks at the bar giving you shit, eff them. Take it as a compliment. You must have been looking like a damn stud if all they had to pick on you with was your hair. Who the hell goes to a bar to hate on dudes anyway...losers do.

[macster]

Make sure you are on rogaine/propecia, or if you don't want to take propecia, at least use the rogaine. You may be able to hold onto what you have for the next decade or so just with medication and heck, maybe even just with rogaine alone. Since you cut your hair short, you scalp will do a good job at absorbing all the rogaine and it won't get wasted getting stuck on your hair.

Getting cut is a big commitment and an expensive one. Maybe just the rogaine by itself will do the job.

Best of luck,

Macster

[fred970]

I forgot to mention that I've been on rogaine for more than 4 years now, the hairs that are left are probably there thanks to it. Propecia is forbidden for me since I've had gynecomastia surgery a year ago.

Thank you!

[35YrsAfter]

I forgot to mention that I've been on rogaine for more than 4 years now, the hairs that are left are probably there thanks to it. Propecia is forbidden for me since I've had gynecomastia surgery a year ago.

Thank you!

Yesterday, we had a patient in who has significant hair loss on both sides of his family. At 40, he has only very minor thinning on top. He has had around 4,000 grafts placed on the front and top of his head over the years beginning in 2004. I think in his case he got the good hair gene because normally, high Norwoods on your mother and father's side create a situation where there simply isn't enough donor hair to cover the balding areas. I spoke with our patient in the surgery room and he gave me a detailed summary of his hair maintenance regimen. In his case, I think his excellent hair is more genetic good fortune than regimen. It certainly doesn't hurt to experiment with safe treatments to see what could be effective though. I have found personally that when I promote good blood circulation with Rogaine, massage, and scalp exercises, my hair grows noticeably thicker. Our patient told me that he alternates shampoos. For instance he will use Hair Cycle for a week, switch to Nioxin for a week, then use Nizoral for one day. He told me that he uses Rogaine mixed with Propecia and Avodart topically. I asked Dr. Cole about that today and he doesn't believe it is absorbed through the skin to the degree that it could be effective. It doesn't hurt to try different safe treatments. What isn't that effective for one man will work for another.

35YrsAfter also posts as CITNews and works at Dr. Cole's office
forhair.com
Cole Hair Transplant
1045 Powers Place
Alpharetta, Georgia 30009
Phone 678-566-1011
email 35YrsAfter at chuck@forhair.com
I am not a doctor and the content of my posts are my opinions, not medical advice.
Please feel free to call or email me with any questions. Ask for Chuck