Finally out of denial stage - Need Advice!

[chambo]

Situation:
I'm 33 yrs old and I've been slowly losing hair since I was in my 20's.
I have general hair loss over the entire top of my head with concentrated hair loss around the Vertex-Stage 3 and Anterior-Stage 2.
(Father was Stage 7 by the age of 28)
My hair loss has accelerated the past year, which has not helped my confidence when I go out to meet people.
Not sure if exercising contributed to it, but I shedded about 20lbs in 6 months, currently trying to lose about 10 more lbs to reach my goal weight.

Treatment History:
Rogaine - Dedicated user for past 6 months
I used on and off for the past 4 years, doesn't seem to really help, but when I stop, the hair falls out faster. Never saw much of a difference, but I continue for my mental sanity's sake.

Propecia - Just started this week.
I tried it 5 years ago for a day or two, but stopped b/c I didn't feel good after taking it. Could have been me over-reacting.
But desperate times call for desperate measures, so I'm dedicated to it now.

DermMatch - Just started using DermMatch.
Seems to hide the spot pretty well. Gives me more confidence, but I'm in fear that someone will find out.

Other Products - I tried other products to no avail. Currently using some polarity device that sends current through scalp after applying their topical formula on my head. I feel my scalp activated, but I'm pretty skeptical of it, but my mom purchased it for me so I figure I'll use it until I run out of the solution. Her friends swear by it and had visible hair growth.

Questions:
1) Rogaine vs. Dr.Lee's products
I read that his products are like Minoxidyl plus other things to increase the efficacy? Such as Retin A? Can someone verify their own experiences? I'm willing to go with a stronger topical product if it works.

2) Propecia's efficacy and dependency
a) About when do most people see some regrowth, if at any?

b) Will I have to take it for the rest of my life? Even if I get FUE done?

3) FUE Surgery
a) Is this the top surgical procedure out there?

b) If FUE surgery is the best, then what is the costs of FUE Surgery?
I see prices that range from like $2000 to $10,000 for 2000 grafts.
I'm guessing I'll need probably at least 2 surgeries as my hair continues to shed.

c) Will I have to continue taking medications (Propecia) if I get FUE done?

d) How long to see the results of the surgery?

Conclusion
I'm 33, starting a new career, single and trying to meet women...
My visible hair loss is killing my confidence.
not sure I can afford to wait and see if the Propecia will bring back my hair.
DermMatch can hide it in the meantime.

Ideally, I don't want to have to take any internal medication permanently.
If it's not too expensive, I'm wondering if I should just go the distance and get the surgery done now.

I'd appreciate to hear people's thoughts on my questions and also whether they just went straight to surgery or tried everything else first.

[fuzzy]

Damn buddy,

you certainly are organized in this post
I can give you my personal experience if you'd like and my personal opinion and where I am now.

I am 28 right now, have been losing hair since 21 (albeit a bit more slowy for the first 2 years).


Questions:
1) Rogaine vs. Dr.Lee's products
I read that his products are like Minoxidyl plus other things to increase the efficacy? Such as Retin A? Can someone verify their own experiences? I'm willing to go with a stronger topical product if it works.

I have tried minoxidil and plan on getting on it once again as I saw a visible change (though slight--probably about 5%-10%) in hair coverage within the first 8 months, but it was tedious and the solution at that time was not greasy as many describe it on here, but instead more like very diluted maple syrup in water. This, of course means that when it dried, it made my hair look like i used it as a napkin after eating sweets.
I know nothing of Dr. Lee's products, but a search on scholar.google.com will give you peer reviewed studies on the efficacy of minoxidyl and other additives to the mixture...I believe I actually read one that said something about Retin A helping in absorption or something.
Regardless, I have no clue on the Dr. Lee stuff

2) Propecia's efficacy and dependency
a) About when do most people see some regrowth, if at any?
Personally, I saw regrowth beginning after about 5 months with finasteride, with some of this even being at the front of my scalp!

b) Will I have to take it for the rest of my life? Even if I get FUE done?
There are a great many technologies out there that are emerging in the field of genetic research. I am not able to see into the future, but I believe it is almost stupid to think that hair cloning will NOT be made available in some fashion within the next 10 years. Until then, depending on a great few factors, a HT might be right or wrong for you. If I were you, though, I would meet with a few docs and talk it over--get their opinion, then form your own

3) FUE Surgery
a) Is this the top surgical procedure out there?
I had a strip procedure done because I researched the positives and negatives and thought that for now the strip procedure would be the best option for me, but from what I noticed many docs differ in their opinions on this one. I believe the answer to that q will be dependent upon your future goals and the reality of donor availability and projected future loss. Being 5 years older than I, the doc will likely say that your hair line is a bit more stable and predictable than they said mine was

b) If FUE surgery is the best, then what is the costs of FUE Surgery?
I see prices that range from like $2000 to $10,000 for 2000 grafts.
I'm guessing I'll need probably at least 2 surgeries as my hair continues to shed.

What I was quoted for FUE was approximately 75% more than what I paid for my strip procedure

c) Will I have to continue taking medications (Propecia) if I get FUE done?

My doc recommended I begin a regimen of Propecia and Minox for the rest of my days, but Propecia gave me sexual side effects (softer erections, lower libido, and scariest was a tapioca-like substance in my semen...which cannot be good for my good boys, so I am thinking currently of cutting the propecia dosage in half, taking a bit more minox, saw palmetto and waiting for cloning or something of that caliber to arrive on the scene

d) How long to see the results of the surgery?
Well well well...my friend if you want to follow me through my journey feel free to check my profile pics periodically and see how everything looks. If there is a vantage point you wish to see (say, closeups, or the donor scar site and so on) please let me know and I'll try to hook it up or we can hook up on messenger or something so you can see. As of right now I am on day 6 post-op so you can follow my next 4mo-1yr to see how things progress.


Hope this helps bro. but hey...you mentioned you use dermamatch...do you think it really works? Is it very noticeable? I am going to have to cover up shock loss from this procedure until the new hairs start moving in so I am curious to see what products will be best given my hair loss pattern.