This makes me a really bad candidate for HT, right?

[Gubter_87]

Jack21; Read it and I really do feel for you. Although I think we´sometimes judge ourselves a bit too hard, for one I think the rug looks perfectly good.
And if you really do want to get rid of it and crop your hair short I think you should getting a scalp pigmentation, at least over the scar. Check out www.*************.com - the work they do on some peoples scars are amazing - they virtually make them dissapear.

If you don't like it - worst case you can have it removed (they have a cream that removes it, although some bruising seems to be invovled) and you'll be back in your rug in no time. But if it's realy bothering you that much then give it some real consideration.

[Gubter_87]

I have no clue why that sit comes up censored but the adress is www. his hair clinic . com

And actually, judging by your pictures - you look like an ideal candidate. Not only could it make the scar undetectable, but you could also fill in the entire top of your scalp for a fuller look, and as long as you do it wher you still have hair you could probably be ok with a buzz cut.

[Jack21]

wow!

Wow! Thanks, man! People mentioned this to me before, but I had never actually seen the gallery. I hope that they have a clinic in the US. Otherwise I may need to plan a trip to the UK.

I have no clue why that sit comes up censored but the adress is www. his hair clinic . com

And actually, judging by your pictures - you look like an ideal candidate. Not only could it make the scar undetectable, but you could also fill in the entire top of your scalp for a fuller look, and as long as you do it wher you still have hair you could probably be ok with a buzz cut.

[PayDay]

I personally know two people who have had hair transplants and both are really happy. One guy had it done by Dr. Bernstein here in New York and the other went to Dr. Law. Neither of them want to shave their head and they both tell me that their life was improved. I myself have not pulled the trigger, but I will when I think the time is right. I know it comes down to expectations and knowing everything you need to know before doing it. Anytime you have surgery you are going to be left with a scar, if that's not for you and you intend of shaving your head some day then don’t have a hair transplant.

[Jack21]

Go ahead then. Who am I to stop you?

I personally know two people who have had hair transplants and both are really happy. One guy had it done by Dr. Bernstein here in New York and the other went to Dr. Law. Neither of them want to shave their head and they both tell me that their life was improved. I myself have not pulled the trigger, but I will when I think the time is right. I know it comes down to expectations and knowing everything you need to know before doing it. Anytime you have surgery you are going to be left with a scar, if that's not for you and you intend of shaving your head some day then don’t have a hair transplant.

[PayDay]

Jack21, I can certainly see why you might be unhappy since you now feel that you are stuck, but it someone understands about hair transplants then they will be aware of the downsides like not being a able to shave their head or the chance of losing more hair over time. If a person knows this and does not expect to get all of their hair back and is ok with a mature look, then why not? Everyone will experience things differently. I've personally seen very good hair transplant, so from my perspective I could live with that.

[Jack21]

It is all about REASONABLE expectations. I absolutely deluded myself into believing that I had reasonable expectations i.e. that I would NOT get full coverage on top, that I would NOT look like I did 5 years before, that I would continue to lose hair on top. I was using concealers at the time which were doing an amazing job, and I figured that after the transplant I would just have a little more hair to work with and that WAS the case for a while. It WAS wonderful (aside from the fact that I had to grow my hair a little longer on the sides and back to conceal the donor area scar). For 3 years after the HT I was happy as a clam. I had the appearance of a thick, full head of hair. My gf had not problem with it. It just meant her not being able to run her fingers through my hair. Here is how thick it looked in '07



and another



Obviously I was pleased, but then gradually, gradually my own hair began to get thinner and thinner and thinner. By last year it was taking me a couple of hours to paint my scalp with couvre and then sprinkle the toppik over it and do all the clean up and touch up that was necessary. It was becoming itchier and itchier, more and more uncomfortable. Because it took so long I was only doing it once a week and then only once every 2 weeks. Finally by last October my head was more paint and powder than hair - even with all the transplanted hair. Without the concealers my hair was very, very thin and there was a bald spot in the back. I looked awful. My brother, sister, father, sister in law all said "Jack, you've got to just buzz your hair".So I buzzed it all. I thought it looked much better and everyone in my family agreed. I believed it until I got to work the next day and was greeted by such a salvo of gasps, laughs, insults, and whispers that I was about to quit right then and there and never come back. Now I am stuck wearing a toupee which restricts my lifestyle unbelievably. I hate it and want to tear it off every day, but I am ever mindful of the reaction I got last year. Quite frankly when I look at pictures that physicians post as their "masterpieces of hair transplant" I still think that the men look lousy.

Jack21, I can certainly see why you might be
unhappy since you now feel that you are stuck, but it someone understands about hair transplants then they will be aware of the downsides like not being a able to shave their head or the chance of losing more hair over time. If a person knows this and does not expect to get all of their hair back and is ok with a mature look, then why not? Everyone will experience things differently. I've personally seen very good hair transplant, so from my perspective I could live with that.

[PayDay]

I do see your point but the pictures that are posted are what hair transplants look like. If you don't think they look good, then why go through with a hair transplant? I think they look great for what they are. With your physique and the way you look with short hair, why not just get the scar fixed and move on if you can? You still look good! You said you had three good years with the transplant, are you taking Propecia?

[Jack21]

What you see in the pictures is hair with lots of toppik fibers in it. A few sprinkles of that stuff is like 10,000 grafts. I wish I had pictures of my hair at that time w/o the toppik. It looked NOTHING close to thick or full or anything close. If you have enough hair to support the fibers (they have to cling to something) it is like a minor miracle. When you don't have enough the fibers just slide right off your head. That what was happening by last year. Even with the transplanted hair there was simply not enough hair for the fibers to adhere to. I did have a good couple of years after the transplant, but I was using the concealers before the transplant as well. That is why it was so shocking when the toppik no longer stuck. For years I had looked at myself in the mirror and seen what appeared to be a full head of hair but was not. It was like losing almost all my hair in one fell swoop. Look, I am not you, and you are not me. I can't make a decision for you. I just know that almost every single guy I "talk" to on the stupid hair piece forum had a HT before they resorted to the rug. We all cry and moan about our decision to have the procedure. If you are sensitive about hair loss and it bothers you (which I am sure it must) you don't want to end up in the same boat as us. I am not saying that it will happen. I am just saying that it happened to me and I know many, many guys who are now miserable b/c of having had it done.

I was taking propecia for years - until I finally stopped when the battle was essentially lost and I did not have enough hair left to support concealers.

I do see your point but the pictures that are posted are what hair transplants look like. If you don't think they look good, then why go through with a hair transplant? I think they look great for what they are. With your physique and the way you look with short hair, why not just get the scar fixed and move on if you can? You still look good! You said you had three good years with the transplant, are you taking Propecia?

[mkamph]

jack 21,

how long did you take propecia?

[Jack21]

I took it for 4 years. It may have slowed the balding, but certainly didn't halt it

jack 21,

how long did you take propecia?

[mkamph]

i've got to say i empathize with you regarding the people you work with. corporate america is a mean culture.

have you considered going back on propecia and having the scar corrected? i believe dr jerry cooley is using acell with matristem on patients like yourself. that, in combination with an fue procedure into the scar may eradicate any evidence of prior work. he's supposed to present his findings in october with respect to acell and matristem.

[Jack21]

I have considered/am considering at least seeing someone about scar correction. As for the propecia - I really don't see the point as I am dead set on shaving my head. The corporate world will either have to eventually get used to it or I will have to find employment in another sector.

i've got to say i empathize with you regarding the people you work with. corporate america is a mean culture.

have you considered going back on propecia and having the scar corrected? i believe dr jerry cooley is using acell with matristem on patients like yourself. that, in combination with an fue procedure into the scar may eradicate any evidence of prior work. he's supposed to present his findings in october with respect to acell and matristem.

[Jack21]

scalp pigmentation

Gubter,

I have done a lot of research into what you suggested i.e. scalp pigmentation therapy (really just scalp tattoing) and have found a good place in the U.S. I think. I will continue to research this. Do you have any idea of the costs involved? I have been unable to ascertain this.

I have no clue why that sit comes up censored but the adress is www. his hair clinic . com

And actually, judging by your pictures - you look like an ideal candidate. Not only could it make the scar undetectable, but you could also fill in the entire top of your scalp for a fuller look, and as long as you do it wher you still have hair you could probably be ok with a buzz cut.

[Gubter_87]

Hey man!

Think long and hard before you get it done... The reason I recommended HIS was because they have a way of reversing the treatment, so if you're not satisfied with how it looks - at the end of the day there is a way of reversing it. This is not always the situation, and you don't want to do something that might make you feel worse later.

Make sure you read up about the company and definately meet a couple of past clients in the flesh to see what it looks like.

sorry I don't know about the costs...