Transplant without meds

[forpsych]

Minoxidil caused a rash, both with foam and drops. Not willing to take any chances with Propecia. I'm in my 50's and any decrease in libido or sexual functioning is not worth it. I'm not a 22 year old who can manage a slight loss.

So, is it worth getting a transplant if I can't take meds to keep what I have?

[arfy]

Post pics, your question is extremely hard to answer without knowing the extent of your hair loss. Is it happening very gradually over a long period of time, or has hair loss occurred rapidly? The only good answer based on the info you gave is "it depends".

You should understand that there's a limited amount of donor supply, for the vast majority of guys it's not nearly enough to address an entire scalp. For most people, preventing (or drastically slowing) the progression is an important step. Also, surgery can accelerate the rate of hair loss, particularly with hairs that are already weakened.

There is a topical Finasteride available now, which should have much less systemic side effects than oral. You might consider trying that. Maybe your scalp will tolerate that better than Minoxidil. Do a Google search if you're interested (it's not widely available).

[BaldingEagle]

Minoxidil caused a rash, both with foam and drops. Not willing to take any chances with Propecia. I'm in my 50's and any decrease in libido or sexual functioning is not worth it. I'm not a 22 year old who can manage a slight loss.

So, is it worth getting a transplant if I can't take meds to keep what I have?

Probably if you get an top tier doctor to plan out a long term plan.

I can see it working out at 50 plus.

It's a huge no no to get a transplant without meds under 35 though.

[AlexieJ]

I actually do not get your question. But I will answer it in a way I understood it. To make things clear if you will undergo a transplant or you already did, I'm sure that your doctor will not allow you to not follow his prescription. Anyone here can enlighten us?

[Driver]

IMHO, you do not need meds after transplant if you already have advanced hair loss i.e. you have lost most of what you are gonna lose and meds will not do much for you at this point. I think that meds may make a more meaningful difference post HT for younger males or males with earlier hair loss. Many people do not use any meds or take some combo of the big 3 after HT, so none of this stuff is written in stone.