1 year recap HT scheduled for Jan Please see pics to make sure I am a good candidate

[boldat25]

Hey all,

I posted here this time last year about getting an HT. I posted pictures and you guys told me to wait a year to see how my loss has progressed to determine if I was stable enough to get an HT. I am supposed to receive 4500 grafts FUE on Jan 14-15 which I scheduled this time last year. During this 1 year waiting period I decided to shave what hair I had left off and wear the bald look for 1 year before making my choice (also the recommendation of the members of this forum) Well I've been bald for 1 year now and I can honestly say its not that bad, but I would rather have hair. I am posting pics from this time last year and pictures that I've taken yesterday. I have taken the fin 1 day per week which I believe has pretty much stabilized my loss. I have seen some really great results on the forums this past year from people that have similar types of hair loss as I do.

With that being said I would like to know If you guys think it is safe for me to get an HT now and if I would benefit from it. I am 26 years old now and I would like to find a new job next year. I feel like looking more my age will benefit my confidence and appearance when the time comes to start interviewing.

these were taken yesterday








and these were taken between jan and march of last year

[DAVE52]

" During this 1 year waiting period I decided to shave what hair I had left off and wear the bald look for 1 year before making my choice (also the recommendation of the members of this forum) Well I've been bald for 1 year now and I can honestly say its not that bad, but I would rather have hair. "

LOts of people in your shoes would love to go back and do what you did and say " it's not that bad " and then they would never have gone through with it .

You know what it's like with the shaven look .

Are you prepared for possibly going back for another HT , the scar(s) , density not being what you expected it to be , poor groeth , poor hairline etc etc

[arfy]

I think it's a false assumption that many guys make - that a hair transplant will add to your confidence. If you feel self-conscious about your hair loss, IMO it's likely that you might also feel self conscious about your hair transplant (will my hair looking like crap in the wind and the rain, does anybody notice that it's a hair transplant, etc). Also, for most people, having a transplant is not going to increase your ability to get a job.

Looking at your head, you have a diffuse pattern of hair loss, which is not ideal. The ideal candidate has a distinct pattern of hair loss in the front, with a stable crown. You can certainly get a HT without being an ideal candidate, but your results will not be as impressive as guys who have better characteristics. When you need grafts "all over" that is a minus, because there's usually not nearly enough donor hair to cover a very large area.

On the positive side, you say that your hair loss has stabilized via medication, which is good news. This is important to help guard against 'shock fallout' (the surgery can cause existing "at risk" hairs to fall out, and many times those hairs do not return.) Shock loss can be devastating if it's permanent.

"Well I've been bald for 1 year now and I can honestly say its not that bad, but I would rather have hair."

Of course. Pretty much everybody would prefer to have great hair. The question is whether the pros outweigh the cons, or whether you can continue to postpone a transplant while thinking it over and learning more about the procedure. IMO, the best path is no surgery at all, however I realize that not everybody has this view. If you can avoid getting a transplant, it's a victory IMO.

However, I see that you are scheduled for surgery in about 2-3 weeks. Not enough time to get your deposit back (and if you paid in full, the clinic might very well keep a large percentage of your money anyway, if you cancel). So I wonder what the point of this thread is, if you're already scheduled for a procedure? I also wonder if you realize that basically nobody is "one and done" and that you will almost certainly need additional procedures in the future, to address areas that the first procedure couldn't completely address.

In any case, I wish you luck, I and hope this surgery turns out well.

[pkipling]

I think it's a false assumption that many guys make - that a hair transplant will add to your confidence. If you feel self-conscious about your hair loss, IMO it's likely that you might also feel self conscious about your hair transplant (will my hair looking like crap in the wind and the rain, does anybody notice that it's a hair transplant, etc). Also, for most people, having a transplant is not going to increase your ability to get a job.

I just want to point out that if a hair transplant is done right, there's no reason anyone should ever suspect that you've had one (save for a potentially exposed strip scar due to a bad haircut). Also, a hair transplant isn't like other "solutions" such as toppik or hair pieces, so being out in the wind and rain should be of no concern.

I agree with you about weighing the pros and cons. Unfortunately, hair transplants may not be for everyone.

To the OP, I just want to make sure that you have reasonable expectations going into this. As long as you are fully aware of what you're getting into and the type of results you'll be likely to attain, I think you'll be fine. Most of the trouble guys run into with hair transplants come from a) not choosing a top level surgeon to do their work, and b) having unreasonable expectations that would leave any man in the world feeling depressed and defeated with the outcome.

Diffused cases are more challenging, but under the right hands and with the right game plan, positive results are definitely possible.

One more thing - Not sure of the specific policy of your surgeon, but cancelling even 2 weeks out shouldn't be an issue. An ethical surgeon would never want you to feel forced into doing something you're having cold feet about, and 2 weeks is usually enough time to fill that spot with someone on the waiting list. I'm not saying you should cancel/reschedule, but I would call the office and find out about their policy just in case. (I called the office many times the weeks leading up to my surgery. The office should be more than willing to help walk you through any concerns you may have.)

I am a patient advocate for Dr. Parsa Mohebi in Los Angeles, CA. My opinions/comments are my own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Dr. Mohebi and his staff.

[boldat25]

I think it's a false assumption that many guys make - that a hair transplant will add to your confidence. If you feel self-conscious about your hair loss, IMO it's likely that you might also feel self conscious about your hair transplant (will my hair looking like crap in the wind and the rain, does anybody notice that it's a hair transplant, etc). Also, for most people, having a transplant is not going to increase your ability to get a job.

Looking at your head, you have a diffuse pattern of hair loss, which is not ideal. The ideal candidate has a distinct pattern of hair loss in the front, with a stable crown. You can certainly get a HT without being an ideal candidate, but your results will not be as impressive as guys who have better characteristics. When you need grafts "all over" that is a minus, because there's usually not nearly enough donor hair to cover a very large area.

On the positive side, you say that your hair loss has stabilized via medication, which is good news. This is important to help guard against 'shock fallout' (the surgery can cause existing "at risk" hairs to fall out, and many times those hairs do not return.) Shock loss can be devastating if it's permanent.



Of course. Pretty much everybody would prefer to have great hair. The question is whether the pros outweigh the cons, or whether you can continue to postpone a transplant while thinking it over and learning more about the procedure. IMO, the best path is no surgery at all, however I realize that not everybody has this view. If you can avoid getting a transplant, it's a victory IMO.

However, I see that you are scheduled for surgery in about 2-3 weeks. Not enough time to get your deposit back (and if you paid in full, the clinic might very well keep a large percentage of your money anyway, if you cancel). So I wonder what the point of this thread is, if you're already scheduled for a procedure? I also wonder if you realize that basically nobody is "one and done" and that you will almost certainly need additional procedures in the future, to address areas that the first procedure couldn't completely address.

In any case, I wish you luck, I and hope this surgery turns out well.

Wow thanks I really appreciate this perspective. The point of this thread is to basically fulfill due diligence and cover all bases. I could cancel and give up my deposit but if I am not a good candidate then all I've lost is a couple thousand bucks. The main thing is no matter how much I research I feel like I can't get enough info about how I will look and I think that's because there's no way to honestly know. I'm trying to set my expectations prior. After looking at my pictures, what type of results should I expect?

I have spent the last couple months looking at before and after photos and every time info I get excited. If this procedure is a success like some of the photos I have seen on this site I know it will change my life.

[DAVE52]

you said it

. If this procedure is a success like some of the photos I have seen on this site I know it will change my life.

[arfy]

After looking at my pictures, what type of results should I expect?

Hard to say for sure. Lets assume you picked a good doctor, are a good healer (don't smoke) and so on. Lets assume the doctor does everything right (doesn't waste donor hair, the angle and placement of the grafts is good, etc). If you can keep any of the remaining original hair in the balding zone post-surgery, that will be a big plus. That might be hard, and beyond anyone's control. But keeping that hair would be a huge help, because every little bit helps.

On the definitely positive side, you still have "high sides" which is great. Hopefully you can keep those indefinitely, with meds.

The caliber of your hair will be an issue - coarse hair covers better than fine hair.

Not sure what else to say, except best of luck to you.