HT Question

[GD1]

Hi,

I'm almost 40 and have been steadily losing my hair since my early 20s.

On the norwood score, I'd say that I'm borderline V to VI.

I don't want to take Propecia because of the side effects associated with it, and have tried Minoxidil a long time ago that didn't have any affect on my hair loss.

After seeing several UK celebrities have successful work done, I am now seriously considering the same option.

I've been reading that it's better to do for more density by having the hairline further up, which I'd actually prefer (in keeping with my age!) and I'm fortunate that my hair shaft itself is quite thick.

I am very concerned about the HT though, because I clearly will lose a lot more hair as I slowly converge towards "the full monk" cut, in which case I am wondering how people manage this situation.

Is it is a case that I will continually have to have the HT topped up every couple of years and will the transplanted hair also fall out over time as well?

As a guide, I typically have my hair cut as a grade 3, but am happy for it to be slightly longer if required.

In order to have some hair (ie. cover the bald patch and thicken up the remaining section across the top of my head), roughly how many hairs would I need to have moved (assuming FUE, not strip) and is it something that you'd recommend?

Or, do you have to take Propecia realistically for the HT to be sustainable going forward?

I have a budget of ideally closer to £10,000, but if it needs to go up to £30,000, then I could stretch to that.

Thanks,
GD1

[GD1]

Sorry for the floating head shot, but this gives you an idea of what I've got to work with - not a lot!

[Dutch_Dude]

if your donor is good, you can do lots! you can recover your entire hairline and frontal part and implant little hair on the crown. the front is cosmetically much more important. from what i've seen, the work of feriduni in Belgium is very good, but there are lots of clinics who do good work, i'm sure other people on here could give oyu more tips!

[Follicle Death Row]

As the technology stands right now you should seriously consider strip. Hasson and Wong could maybe give you 5,000 and then one year later another 4,000. Two surgeries with them and you'd be sorted for live. You could always add some density down the line with Aderans or this autocloning plucking think. I think FUE could only get you 6,000 spread out over 3 surgeries. They're just what I think is possible for most. Others will argue that you can go to 7,000 or 8,000 with FUE but I'm not so sure. FUT & FUE could bring you to maybe 10,500 over 3 sessions. If you have the money this might be possible.

It's unlikely that it will be one and done though.

[Dutch_Dude]

what about megasessions? and why is it that with FUT you can get more hairs than with FUE? FUE is less invasive...

[Follicle Death Row]

what about megasessions? and why is it that with FUT you can get more hairs than with FUE? FUE is less invasive...

If you've seen the row of marbles analogy it kind of makes sense why. Of course if you think you can thin a donor by 50% (I believe 30% is more realistic) then you can get a comparable number. For those that want as much hair as possible, and who doesn't, it's best to go FUT first and then tap into FUE for an additional 1,500 to 2,000.

I suppose we have almost 20,000 DHT resistant follicles and strip can get you close to half of that nowadays. If you believe you can thin your donor by 50% then you should consider FUE. I'm headed towards norwood 6 myself and I refuse to do strip but I don't think I can get enough by FUE either so I don't feel HT is a good idea for myself. A lot of things to weigh up. I'm of the opinion that FUT alone can give 9,000 whereas FUE can give 6,000.

[Follicle Death Row]

With that being said there is merit in the argument that in theory shouldn't we be able to take 50% from a donor without looking thin, especially due to the grain of the hair and how they shingle over one another in the donor. It's just damn hard in practice to pick out every second follicle and leave it looking uniform when grown out. It is true though that FUE is catching up with FUT. I also believe yield from FUE is catching up with FUT purely down to experience. Feriduni or Feller would be the guys to consider for FUE.

[Dutch_Dude]

hmm...but it''s still the same number of follicles, right? so why does the technique still matter? also...with a strip you can't keep your hair short...also, if oyu get FUE from all over...so from above your ears, right above your neck...it should be able to get you the same amount as FUT...doesn't it?

[Dutch_Dude]

also, you could still have 6.000 grafts done...that should get enough coverage at the front and mid scalp...the crown will maybe left not completely finished but that's less important than the front.

[Follicle Death Row]

also, you could still have 6.000 grafts done...that should get enough coverage at the front and mid scalp...the crown will maybe left not completely finished but that's less important than the front.

Well yes this is the thing, the bloody black hole that is the crown. The graft graveyard. I suppose it depends on the goal. I probably won't do either but if I had to, I reckon 6,000 FUE and ignore the crown would be better.

[Follicle Death Row]

hmm...but it''s still the same number of follicles, right? so why does the technique still matter? also...with a strip you can't keep your hair short...also, if oyu get FUE from all over...so from above your ears, right above your neck...it should be able to get you the same amount as FUT...doesn't it?

Yeah if you go to 50% thinning of the donor. Might be possible for some. Still not sure on the yield from FUE. I suppose it shouldn't be drastically lower in the hands of top FUE docs like Feller or Feriduni if you're a good candidate.

[GD1]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I take it that FUT means strip?

I must say that the strip technique really worries me because I do want to keep my hair shorter, preferably grade 3 (but not shorter) and the strip looks really obvious (unless it is then covered by FUE, I suppose).

Does anyone have a link to pictures of someone with 6,000 and 10,000 grafts please, who had a similar starting position to myself? I am trying to get a view as to how much coverage this would get. Failing that, a rough estimation of hair density per square inch would be most helpful.

As for the front coverage, I know what you are saying, but I am comfortable with how I look from the front (and the current amount of hair, ie not much!), it's the bald patch and thinning on top that causes me the most amount of anxiety.

And finally, does anyone please have an estimation as to how much this volume of surgery typically cost, I'm guessing it's going to be closer to the top end of my budget?

Thanks.

[Dutch_Dude]

you can see examples of strip on the hasson and wong website...dr. rahal also does some pretty good work. for FUE i would go to feriduni's website. if the crown is more cosematically important voor you, then i guess you can go for the crown and the top of the head...most people prefer a restoration of the hairline though, because you can always transplant the crown thinly and then use toppik or something...there is one guy on the hasson and wong website who had like more than 10.000 grafts and he looks pretty good...