Another one of these: How many grafts?

[jas714]

Just wanting to get some experienced people's estimates. I have sent my pictures and information for an online consultation from Dr. Glenn Charles. I am awaiting reply, but in the meantime I thought I could get some other looks.

Background info: I'm a 22 year old male. As the picture shows, I am headed towards a NW3 pattern. My dad has this same pattern. His hair loss onset at the same age (around 17), to the same pattern, progressed at the same rate as mine (very slow - all miniaturization seemed to start at once) and has stayed that way since he was 24 or 25 (around 20 years) with no further balding. Nobody in my family is a crown balder, but my maternal grandfather has a similar "receding hairline", though his NW3 is much more pronounced as he has a different skull structure from mine and my dad's. I've tried propecia, got the brain fog, and decided it just wasn't worth it considering it doesn't show much effectiveness on the temple region.

I have a naturally low hairline. In the middle it is about 2 inches above my eyebrows, and at the very top of the temple recession it is about 3.5 inches above my eyebrows. At this point I'm still able to grow my hair long; I even wear it combed back and the recession is barely noticeable if at all.

I've attached a picture of my hairline and a picture of the back of my head down to the nape. The hairline isn't done miniaturizing yet, but you can see the M shape that's developing if you look closely. Just wondering if any vets out there might have a ballpark idea of what I'm looking at in grafts. Anything up to a NW2 end result is fine with me as long as the density is good and I'm able to have my hair at a variety of lengths without all the excessive management.

Thanks.

[mattj]

It's tough to say for sure but it looks like you might have some thinning in the very front.
As for how many grafts, I think it's probably too early to think about surgical restoration as you haven't lost enough hair.

[win200]

We'd need better pics, and one that doesn't show your head tipped down; from that angle, it doesn't look like your hairline is receding at all (or barely receding). Dr. Charles is excellent, and I certainly wouldn't contradict what he tells you, but think very, very carefully about getting a HT at a young age with minor recession. I know it's tempting to have a really low hairline, but you don't know how much loss you're looking at in the future. My general feeling is that it's best for guys younger than 28 or so to wait a few years, get on meds, and then think about putting the trigger. This is especially a concern for you because Propecia isn't compatible with your system, so if your loss accelerates, you won't have much you can do to combat it.

[drybone]

Hey Jas.

I am impressed with your knowledge regarding your situation. You seem well grounded, informed and astute.

I was in the same boat as you were. My dad and both granddads had hair until they died in their 80s. My dad is in his 60s now with most of his hair.

Its hard to get a read on where your hairline is headed .I for one believe its with either grandfather. Mine turns out to catch my mothers dad, who was receded noticeably, but not in the crown and never went bald.

So here I am at 46 with the same receded hairline as my grand dad. . I would not recommend medication for you because I do not believe your hair loss is going to become an issue for you until you are 40 and no amount of propecia or rogaine will keep your 25 year old hair until you are 40 . Nature doesn't work that way.

Medication is for men who are going NW 5 6 or 7 by age 30. The idea is to try to hang on to as much as they can as long as possible. From the photos you have shown and your description of the men in your family, you do not need medication.

So save yourself a pile of cash and enjoy your life. When you are 40, then see about a hair transplant to recover what has receded.

[jas714]

Thanks to everybody for the replies.

As I said, the pictures do mask the recession more than what it actually is. It is minimal, compared to NW4+, of which I am very grateful.

It might be helpful to attach a couple of pictures of my Dad's hairline/hair. The first post details more about his hairline and its relation to my thinning, but to sum it up - his recession started and progressed at the same time/rates as mine before stabilizing around 25 and staying the same until the present day (he is now 43)

Looking at what you guys said, surgery at my age might definitely be jumping the gun. It would be the only present option though, as Propecia caused me brain fog and doesn't work well for the hair loss I have.

I don't want my juvenile hairline for the rest of my life, but I am going to college for Operational Meteorology, so a *proportionate* hairline is what I'm after, as cosmetics sadly do affect livelihood in this field.

I have attached two pictures. The first is a picture of my dad in his late twenties with a military cut that reveals the hairline pretty well. The second picture is him this year (well over 10 years later), with hair a bit longer. The recession hasn't really progressed at all; very little if any.
My hairline stops miniaturizing at the same places his hairline is located, so I feel for now it's a pretty effective estimate to where I'm headed. I know this isn't always the case, but his genetics show up very strongly in me in all other areas (body and face shape, size, posture, gait, all that good stuff), so I feel pretty confident that my hairline will follow suit as it has already started to.

Thanks for all the input! I know that younger guys like me are often scoffed at on these forums, not only because we tend to freak out at the first signs of recession, but because my personal hair loss is so minimal. I still value any insight!

[drybone]

You really are great to talk to . Thanks for the pics of your dad.

I am no doctor so I would take these photos to a dermatologist and show him or her your hairline. See what they think.

I say you keep your hair and scalp healthy, and talk to us if you have some drastic shedding or when you are 40 or so.

[jas714]

1000 grafts!

Dr. Charles wrote me back today and quoted me at 1000 grafts to the hairline and frontal areas, keeping in mind I would want a hairline that looks natural as I age. He also said from the looks of the pictures that I have "very good donor hair".

Now my decision is whether to do FUT or FUE. I think I'm going to make a separate topic to see what people's thoughts are.