Why are we so adverse to FUE?

[Paul73]

1) Sorry, but I'm not going to do a HT "on the cheap" - I don't trust medicine outside the US, and I don't trust HT surgeons outside the IAHRS. A decent, conservative HT under those requirements will cost $10k.
2) I have a hard time believing that violating the scalp 1000+ times, transcending viable terminal hairs, and causing scarring won't interfere with pharma-based topical protocols. Fibrous tissue doesn't grow hair, so how could future protocols grow hair in scars?
3) I totally agree, and that's why I say that if you are a NW4 and want hair in the next five years and haven't grown hair on what is currently available, your only options are an HT or a hairpiece. If I weren't a NW2-3 right now, but a NW4 or above, I'd get an HT.
4) Finally, in addition to the drawbacks I've already listed, here's another: An HT is not a final solution. It will not give you a full head of hair. It will give you coverage, but you will be very limited in the way you can style your hair, and in most cases, it won't look great. Better than being bald? Absolutely. But an HT, in most cases (yes, I know there are some great examples of HTs, but those are the exception, not the rule), you're not going to look like a normal, NW1-2 person. Given that outcome, I don't think the risks are worth it for NW3s or less. I'd rather wait a year or two to see if we can expect anything new in the next 3-5 years, than roll the dice on a surgery.

2- I have asked it to some doctors and they said that it wouldn´t be a problem since the scaring is superficial. According to them, a HT doesn´t inactivate native hair folicles. There´s an audio interview here at TBT where Dr Ziering (from HISTOGEN) says to Spencer that people who had HTs would benefit from Histogen without problems.

[Occulus]

@Occulus
1.Again : expensive? no matter if u have the wallet. Btw Here in Belgium you find very good surgeons <$4 who launched their own business and do the work themselves and don't have to pay tons of assistants, so their can afford low prices.
2. The same way there is absolutely no reason to think HT will interfere.. I remember watching Replicel video (japanese version) and at the end of it they were talking about drugs could be a problem, I don't know if this has been updated..)
3. You never know with MPB sometimes it goes incredibly fast. By the time new treatment comes out you could have gained 2 norwoods
4.We hope, as we have always do

1) Sorry, but I'm not going to do a HT "on the cheap" - I don't trust medicine outside the US, and I don't trust HT surgeons outside the IAHRS. A decent, conservative HT under those requirements will cost $10k.
2) I have a hard time believing that violating the scalp 1000+ times, transcending viable terminal hairs, and causing scarring won't interfere with pharma-based topical protocols. Fibrous tissue doesn't grow hair, so how could future protocols grow hair in scars?
3) I totally agree, and that's why I say that if you are a NW4 and want hair in the next five years and haven't grown hair on what is currently available, your only options are an HT or a hairpiece. If I weren't a NW2-3 right now, but a NW4 or above, I'd get an HT.
4) Finally, in addition to the drawbacks I've already listed, here's another: An HT is not a final solution. It will not give you a full head of hair. It will give you coverage, but you will be very limited in the way you can style your hair, and in most cases, it won't look great. Better than being bald? Absolutely. But an HT, in most cases (yes, I know there are some great examples of HTs, but those are the exception, not the rule), you're not going to look like a normal, NW1-2 person. Given that outcome, I don't think the risks are worth it for NW3s or less. I'd rather wait a year or two to see if we can expect anything new in the next 3-5 years, than roll the dice on a surgery.

[pilipili]

@Occulus
1.Again : expensive? no matter if u have the wallet. Btw Here in Belgium you find very good surgeons <$4 who launched their own business and do the work themselves and don't have to pay tons of assistants, so their can afford low prices.
2. The same way there is absolutely no reason to think HT will interfere.. I remember watching Replicel video (japanese version) and at the end of it they were talking about drugs could be a problem, I don't know if this has been updated..)
3. You never know with MPB sometimes it goes incredibly fast. By the time new treatment comes out you could have gained 2 norwoods
4.We hope, as we have always do

[fred970]

fred970, did you notice any loss since you have reached the time when your HT effect is full (all your transplanted hair regrowed)? Or your hair just stay the same?

Pretty much all my grafts grew, or 95% of them at least. Well, I went from a slick NW5 to a NW5 with a thin NW6 area.

[rambo007]

fred970, did you notice any loss since you have reached the time when your HT effect is full (all your transplanted hair regrowed)? Or your hair just stay the same?

[fred970]

All of your here are better candidates than I was. Had my first FUE at 24 as a full-blown NW5 and I will have to get my second one at 27 to cover the rest of my now NW6 area.

It was that plan of action or stay grandpa bald with no possibility to shave the horseshoe (skinny + pale + shaved = chemo patient) in my mid-twenties. No thanks.

It depends on the the individual. In my opinion NW4's to NW6's should get hair transplants because well, there's nothing else anyway. But NW3 = NW2 = NW1 in the eyes of the general population.

As a NW3, you're still "one of them". Once you become NW4, you enter bald territory. At that point, either you remain bald, or you get a FUE megasession.

Hair pieces are not a viable option, especially for young guys.

[Hemo]

As others have said, price, risk of a botched surgery, potential rejection of hairs, etc.

My biggest concern is actually the speed in which I'm balding. The perfect candidate for a HT has slow progression of MPB - mine is fairly aggressive and I'd likely need another major procedure in 5 years. Last time I took fin, I reacted terribly, but am going to try micr-odosing soon. If that works then I'll consider a HT as there's no point without maintaining.

[awdtnr91]

I constantly go back and forth. I am in sales and am most concerned with recovery. The implant sites being apparent for a month after the surgey worries me. If i could go in pay 10 grand with no visual evidence of surgery, id be 100% in

[Hicks]

Even a HT is a years wait. Even Fin you'll wait a year for results. So say HSC grows hair. Just the treatment would be thousands and a years wait to see results. If you're lucky it'll be 3-4 years out for results. I can beat this drum to death but fin and HT is the standard for the next 5 years easy. My life has gotten way better after my HT. I'm still diffused and I do need another pass to clean up the hairline but I'm looking at donor management sense I'm diffused.

Just need to break away from these forums. What a curse that is to break!

[Swooping]

I'm not really. Have had a HT myself. Turned out awesome.

My only concern is maintenance now pretty much, no more regrowth .

I concur with you. No treatment is going to challenge hair transplants in terms of growth (from the current pipeline treatments).

Time is an important aspect of life, no sense to wait forever.

[Dimoxynil]

I don't have the guts

[Occulus]

@Occulus
1.HT : Expensive ? There are very good and honest surgeons at « cheaper » prices. if you(=all) have the wallet why would you hesitate. If you choose a good surgeon, he could make a « defensive » transplant regarding the possible evolution. I don't talk about the ridiculous 5000 HT with low hairlines done on guys in their mid 20s.
2.The drugs(non approved for the most) you are currently taking to maintain your hair might also interfere with futur protocoles.
3. « there are too many promising treatments coming out in the next three to five years to risk a surgery. » Maybe, maybe not...
4. Btw SM could give you new hair..
5. Maybe, maybe not...

1. A good IAHRS surgeon is going to charge >$8 graft. Even a conservative transplant at around 1000 grafts is going to cost close to $10,000, depending on who does it. No way would I go to some surgeon in Turkey or Mexico - sorry, it's US/Canadian IAHRS surgeons or nothing.
2. There is absolutely no reason to think that, and no credible researcher has suggested that, no has any of the many studies of the Big Three. All drugs have half-lives, and once they're out of your system, it's gone. A sight different than a physical alteration of your scalp that results in fibrous tissue in the very place you hope to grow hair.
3. Fair enough, and if none of the current crop of contenders makes it to stage III trials, then I would be much more open to an HT. But we should know within two years if anything makes it to phase III.
4. I sure hope so, as could bimotoprost, Histogen, refined PRP, Follica, and a few others.

[pilipili]

@Occulus
1.HT : Expensive ? There are very good and honest surgeons at « cheaper » prices. if you(=all) have the wallet why would you hesitate. If you choose a good surgeon, he could make a « defensive » transplant regarding the possible evolution. I don't talk about the ridiculous 5000 HT with low hairlines done on guys in their mid 20s.
2.The drugs(non approved for the most) you are currently taking to maintain your hair might also interfere with futur protocoles.
3. « there are too many promising treatments coming out in the next three to five years to risk a surgery. » Maybe, maybe not...
4. Btw SM could give you new hair..
5. Maybe, maybe not...

[allTheGoodNamesAreTaken]

Can't be bothered writing too much here but if Histogen aren't bullshitting about results and timelines then combining that with FUE seems like a great solution for almost everyone.

[NeedHairASAP]

If you're positive you'll die an nw2.5... then you can get fue

Otherwise, if you're destine for nw4+ you really can't swing one fue... you need at least 3 or 4 and even then you may not make it out.

On top of that, even the best results cant compare to natural hair.

FUE is good, but not a viable solution for the majority of people (who are destined for nw4 or worse)... and even for those who it is viable, the results can be lackluster.