Hair transplant for male with seborrheic dermatitis Questions

[CanadianGuy]

First of all everyone I would like to say hello as I have just joined and this is my first post. I have read the forums for a long while and I want to say thanks for all the information and knowing that others out there from around the world have been (or currently are) going through the struggles keeps me positive and motivated. Here is a little about me and would love to get your valuable thoughts and expertise from experience and research. Kindly excuse if it happens to be a little long, I figure more information is better.

I am a 34 year old male from Toronto, Canada and have a history of facial rosacea and since my mid 20's have had scalp seborrheic dermatitis which sucks. Essentially scalp SebDerm dries the scalp and produces chunks of scalp that ends up taking out grafts of hair and my hair thinning and hair loss started around the same time. With warm climates my facial redness and SebDerm is reduced tremendously but since I live in Canada the dry winters are brutal on it. I use DermaSmoothe 2-3 weeks when I got to bed with a shower cap (embarrassing when with a girl) and I use Stieprox 2-3 times a week. The problem is how dry my hair/scalp is when I go outside into the real world

After having such thick and luscious hair like David Beckham I have found myself over the last few years fearful of even looking in my rear view mirror while driving to avoid seeing how fast my hairline is going, using a blow dryer for volume, and just general frustration with the natural process of losing my once brilliant hair.

I'm also someone who has started to love working out with weights, light weights like 15-30lbs, not bodybuilding to get huge; just to cut weight and look great again. I have noticed a significant difference when I workout as the hair seems to fall out faster, likely due to increased testosterone yet I really don't want to give up the gym as I have a strong and fit body.

Back in October I tried Proscar 5MG cut into four pieces per pill and noticed a horrible side effect within two weeks of testicular shrinkage along with reduced libido and erection quality that thank goodness went back to normal after I stopped taking it. I have used Minoxidil foam however I found shedding on my crown as a result.

Q1 - I'd like to know if anyone here has suffered from SebDerm on the scalp with hairloss on the temples and crown and also if anyone has suffered the same side effects from utilizing Proscar. I am super hesitant to try Propecia for fear of any possible permanent sexual problems.

Q2 - Can you recommend a great shampoo and possible something else to leave on the scalp or hair after showering to keep it moist?

Q3 - Lastly, I am considering going for an FUE hair transplant in a year or so with a possible destination being Turkey due to a lower cost (compared to here in Canada and the US) and the perception that it offers a good percentage of high quality surgeons and facilities. Is the reputation of Turkey overblown? What would say would be an average price to get let's say 3000 grafts with a recognized surgeon? I believe I am a Norwood 3V now.

Q4 - Has anyone here ever had a hair transplant while having a scalp condition such as SebDerm?

Q5 - Is taking Propecia or Proscar mandatory after getting an FUE?

Thank you for anybody taking their valuable time to read this and assist with any of questions. I look forward to learning and one day contributing as well to what is a great forum. Thanks again.

[JeanlucBergman]

First of all everyone I would like to say hello as I have just joined and this is my first post. I have read the forums for a long while and I want to say thanks for all the information and knowing that others out there from around the world have been (or currently are) going through the struggles keeps me positive and motivated. Here is a little about me and would love to get your valuable thoughts and expertise from experience and research. Kindly excuse if it happens to be a little long, I figure more information is better.

I am a 34 year old male from Toronto, Canada and have a history of facial rosacea and since my mid 20's have had scalp seborrheic dermatitis which sucks. Essentially scalp SebDerm dries the scalp and produces chunks of scalp that ends up taking out grafts of hair and my hair thinning and hair loss started around the same time. With warm climates my facial redness and SebDerm is reduced tremendously but since I live in Canada the dry winters are brutal on it. I use DermaSmoothe 2-3 weeks when I got to bed with a shower cap (embarrassing when with a girl) and I use Stieprox 2-3 times a week. The problem is how dry my hair/scalp is when I go outside into the real world

After having such thick and luscious hair like David Beckham I have found myself over the last few years fearful of even looking in my rear view mirror while driving to avoid seeing how fast my hairline is going, using a blow dryer for volume, and just general frustration with the natural process of losing my once brilliant hair.

I'm also someone who has started to love working out with weights, light weights like 15-30lbs, not bodybuilding to get huge; just to cut weight and look great again. I have noticed a significant difference when I workout as the hair seems to fall out faster, likely due to increased testosterone yet I really don't want to give up the gym as I have a strong and fit body.

Back in October I tried Proscar 5MG cut into four pieces per pill and noticed a horrible side effect within two weeks of testicular shrinkage along with reduced libido and erection quality that thank goodness went back to normal after I stopped taking it. I have used Minoxidil foam however I found shedding on my crown as a result.

Q1 - I'd like to know if anyone here has suffered from SebDerm on the scalp with hairloss on the temples and crown and also if anyone has suffered the same side effects from utilizing Proscar. I am super hesitant to try Propecia for fear of any possible permanent sexual problems.

Q2 - Can you recommend a great shampoo and possible something else to leave on the scalp or hair after showering to keep it moist?

Q3 - Lastly, I am considering going for an FUE hair transplant in a year or so with a possible destination being Turkey due to a lower cost (compared to here in Canada and the US) and the perception that it offers a good percentage of high quality surgeons and facilities. Is the reputation of Turkey overblown? What would say would be an average price to get let's say 3000 grafts with a recognized surgeon? I believe I am a Norwood 3V now.

Q4 - Has anyone here ever had a hair transplant while having a scalp condition such as SebDerm?

Q5 - Is taking Propecia or Proscar mandatory after getting an FUE?

Thank you for anybody taking their valuable time to read this and assist with any of questions. I look forward to learning and one day contributing as well to what is a great forum. Thanks again.

Shave your head a month before the transplant and the sebDerm will clear up. That's all I can say. I've had the same problem and there was no shampoo, no conditioner and no product that would fix it except shaving my head. Also don't itch it when it gets itchy.

Also how do you KNOW your testicles shrunk? I haven't actually LOOKED at my testicles in 6 months, been on fin for a while and just checked then and they look fine. Try propecia and cut it into quarters of 0.25 mg.

No the reputation of Turkey is not overblown. Civas and Erdogan in particular are the best value surgeons in the world with success rate to price ratio. Most people would say do a strip FUT procedure before an FUE as it allows for most utilisation of grafts, but for a decent FUT surgeon it's twice the price of a Turkish FUE. Also I wouldn't risk the scar no matter what, as even the best doctors often screw a patient over badly with one.

If you are a NW 3V your vertex probably isn't enough of a problem to bother with any grafts there. Do you have pictures? 3000 would be more than enough for the frontal area. Hit up nizoral shampoo, 0.25mg of propecia and a better minox with azelaic acid like lipogaine to help the crown.

[Driver]

A few points to help you out:
1) You can have a HT if you have seborrheic dermatitis (SD). Many have done this before you.
2) You want you SD as well controlled as possible before surgery. Call your HT doc and see what they suggest you use. They may give you a steroid containing shampoo or other agents. IMHO, short of steroids nothing works better than coal tar preparations which are available everywhere and very inexpensive.
3) After HT you MUST keep your SD under control, so you may need to change your shampoo regimen long term.
4) If your SD is significant you should see a dermatologist about it as over the counter stuff, in some people, just does not cut it and you may need prescription medication.

[JoeTillman]

Shave your head a month before the transplant and the sebDerm will clear up. That's all I can say. I've had the same problem and there was no shampoo, no conditioner and no product that would fix it except shaving my head. Also don't itch it when it gets itchy.

Also how do you KNOW your testicles shrunk? I haven't actually LOOKED at my testicles in 6 months, been on fin for a while and just checked then and they look fine. Try propecia and cut it into quarters of 0.25 mg.

No the reputation of Turkey is not overblown. Civas and Erdogan in particular are the best value surgeons in the world with success rate to price ratio. Most people would say do a strip FUT procedure before an FUE as it allows for most utilisation of grafts, but for a decent FUT surgeon it's twice the price of a Turkish FUE. Also I wouldn't risk the scar no matter what, as even the best doctors often screw a patient over badly with one.

If you are a NW 3V your vertex probably isn't enough of a problem to bother with any grafts there. Do you have pictures? 3000 would be more than enough for the frontal area. Hit up nizoral shampoo, 0.25mg of propecia and a better minox with azelaic acid like lipogaine to help the crown.

With all due respect, you have no idea what you're talking about with regards to these two points.

1. The reputation of Turkey
2. The success rate of the clinics you mentioned.

To the reputation of Turkey, it is EXTREMELY overblown. Over 500 clinics, in one country, of only 75 million people and most of them are offering sub one euro per graft pricing, with 4000 grafts "possible" in one session (and I don't mean split between two days). Almost all of them are in a production line facility with ten to twenty patients being worked on, each day, by technicians that have zero formal medical training. Many many patients are being sold the dream of a low cost/high quality result in an all inclusive package. "We'll give you the VIP treatment". "Luxury car service, five star hotel" etc. This low cost "Turkish model" is attracting people faster than they can educate themselves so for this reason, among others, the overall standard of care and quality of final results, as well as expectations, have plummeted. There are some very good clinics in Turkey, but you can't say that the reputation of the country is warranted because two or three clinics do good work.

To the success rates you mentioned, you have know idea of what the real success rates are of any clinic. You don't know how many patients have complained, you don't know how many patients have settled for a refund and you don't know how many have signed on the dotted line to keep quiet. This is in general regarding any clinic but I can guarantee you one thing, every single clinic in the world has their own share of unhappy patients, for whatever reason. That is a fact.

Most clinics in Turkey are less like IAHRS clinics and more like this one...

[BARUBARY]

Yeah. I would never go to Turkey. Good job on the videos sir

[JoeTillman]

Yeah. I would never go to Turkey. Good job on the videos sir

Thank you. To be clear, there are some very good clinics there. My point was about the generalized comments that are inaccurate.

[BARUBARY]

I understand. I was just saying me personally I would never go to Turkey for a HT. It's stressful enough going through the process.

[CanadianGuy]

First of all gents, thank you very much for your input and experience. It is very refreshing to actually share this with others.

1 - As for the question posed to me about using Proscar and testicular shrinkage. My friend, a man knows his parts and I can say without a shadow of a doubt that it was the usage of the drug and the size difference was staggering. Scared the hell out of me. I am hoping to see if I cut a 1mg Propecia into a .5 and take that 3x's a week as opposed to the 1.25 daily Proscar if that would negate the side effects.

2 - Thanks Driver for the tips on the SebDerm and HT, much appreciated. An incredibly strange thing happened when I was 26. I had used Head and Shoulders extra strength and was in the shower when an emergency hit and I had to run out of the shower and I left it in for a few hours (yes, crazy I know). The next day is when my hair started falling out and my scalp was NEVER as moisturized again. My dermatologist laughed at me when I told him and considering he is viewed as one of Canada's top dermatologists who was little old me to question him right?

3 - Joe, great to see a fellow Canadian on here who is super passionate about the subject and helping people. Good on ya mate. I read a lot of your website. Now, I have to be honest I have no interest in getting an FUT due to the scar. But how many grafts from the back and sides can actually be taken strictly for FUE usage in a typical male? I mean, I figure I will have to go for at least one surgery and more likely than not, two. But you have done an incredible 4 surgeries. I reckon having done this and worked with Dr Wong out in BC you'd be able to share some sound advice on that.

4 - Lastly, gents how would you rate Thailand, Colombia, Brazil, and Mexico in terms of lower than Canada/US/UK costs and quality of HT's? I simply cannot afford the surgery in any of these countries and I travel frequently for work to those four nations and would greatly value your opinions on this question. Perhaps I should make a separate thread for it?

[thehatman]

Hi buddy! I been suffering from seborrheic dermatitis for around 15 years. After many years of trying everything and allot of research on the web i found what worked for me. Today i have zero problem with flakiness and itchy burning thick buildup, haven't had any problem in years!! what i did was:
1. Completely stop the intake of gluten food and gluten drinks (beer and whiskey . No soy-souse on your Chinese food and no more pasta or bread.
I know it's a lifestyle but it's not as bad as scalp seborrheic problems, and there is allot of gluten free products, including gluten free beer, pasta, pizza and so on.

Another thing i did was stop using Nizoral shampoo or Ketokonazole shampoo with high content of SLS sulfates, the sulfates are so high they dry out the scalp and the hair, stripping it from all the natural oil that is good for the hair and scalp + those shampoos made my hair look like shit.
I been using Head and shoulders 2 in one for a while now and its the best and cheapest shampoo i ever used and my scalp feel relaxed and clean + my hair becomes shiny and fluffy.

Q4- I have had a hair transplant, but no problem sins my SD is completely gone.
Q5- I think you should take prprecia or as i do Finastride 5 mg and cut them in to 4 = 1,25 mg a day. No sexual sides!!

Hope you are willing to try this out! let me know if you do.