15 y/o girl, questions on hair transplant. (PICS)

[EGrace]

Hi everyone, I'm 15 and from Illinois. I was born with a small bald patch on the left side of my head, near my forehead. My aunt has one in the exact same spot, in the same shape. I am extremely self conscious about this and I would really like to look into procedures and whatnot to get it covered...
If my hair is styled correctly, I can cover it and no one notices, but if my hair moves at all, I can feel it is exposed.
This is my hair, of course styled to cover it.


I would really like to change my hair style and be able to pull my bangs back, but I just can't with this bald patch.

Here are some pictures of it...




I have no idea where to go from here. Does anyone have suggestions? :/

[[mcr]]

You have very nice hair. That little patch is not a big deal. There are great doctors here I'm sure some of them will chime in.

I have seen hair transplants on girls under 18 (not very common, but it is possible). I predict that's what the docs will recommend.

We understand how distressing hair issues can be. Don't worry though, you've come to the right place. I'm sure you will find a good doctor and get this taken care of.

[smileyface19]

Everyone's self conscious about something... you're pretty though, I'm sure you'll be fine whichever path you choose. Looks like a small fue procedure (800 grafts or so) to me in (probably) one session. I don't think you ought to waste your time with minoxidil right now (because you'll have to use it forever or your hair will fall out!), but if you can wait, the research I've read suggests holding off until Histogen's HSC comes out and avoid having to undergo surgery if you can, while in a vulnerable state of mind, and easily misled. There are some good interviews archived on this home page if I'm not mistaken with the CEO of Histogen, which gives you a pretty good understanding of what this stuff is ("****tail of [stem cell] growth factors") and how it can be used to treat children, women and men who suffer from hair loss. The first year trials were very successful, proving that the growth factors re-activate the dormant hair follicles and even creates new ones where it is injected, and this procedure is minimally invasive and is potentially a one time injection only.

Hair loss probably seems like such a big deal because you're a young girl in high school, you're told to be perfect, but no one is perfect. In my opinion, if you strongly feel that there is no other way around getting the surgery done, meaning that you're life is over without it, then I think you're probably a candidate for this procedure. But also from the perspective of a young person going through the same thing, I'd do the research and hold off on any kind of surgery until I was positive that it was the right move to make now, in ten years, or in 25. Have some compassion for us guys though now too, who are picked on at parties for losing their hair.

[EGrace]

What is "Histogen's HSC?"
The one thing that confuses me on which path to take.. is the fact that I'm not LOSING hair. This spot has been there my whole life. There is no hair follicle there in the first place... I don't know if it's even an environment where hair can grow... But sometimes, 2 TINY hairs grow out of the middle and then never grow longer than the length of an eyelash.

[KeepTheHair]

HSC is a modern advancement in hair science.

It is not available yet. They are still doing clinical trials, but they look very promising. Your best option right now is to either use Rogaine, or to maybe get a transplant.

With rogaine you will have to use it forever if it works for you. A transplant can be costly.

I am pretty sure rogaine can make that area smaller. But it would be a task to apply it everyday.

Everyone on a baldness forum will tell you your hair looks great, which it does. But if it bothers you and you want to do something about it, best of luck.

[heresjohnny]

You are a very beautiful young lady with great hair! I dont know how any guy could get past your smile or eyes!
But if it really bothers you so... Many of the IAHRS doctors on this site do online consultations. Get input from several of them. Write down any and all questions you have about it. See where you stand, take your time, and research to weight out the good and bad aspects if any of what your really looking for against what you have. =)

[Plum]

You are very pretty! But I completely understand how you feel about your small bald patch. It can make styling, and dealing with the windy weather very difficult!

I would definitely consult with a hair transplant physician to see what could be done for you. The doctor could let you know if there is enough vascularity in area to know whether or not a transplant is a possibility. Make sure you go to someone reputable and who is a member of the IAHRS. As was mentioned, many hair transplant physicians do online consultations so you could send them your pictures and inquire about your options. There's really nothing to lose.

I have to say that in the right hands, a hair transplant can do wonders for your self esteem. I'm female and have always had a high forehead with recessed fronto-temporal areas that I have always been self-conscious about so I never pulled my hair back (much like you). I have had two transplants (the last one was three weeks ago), and I am confident that I will be very satisfied with my end result in several months time.

Good luck and let us know how things go!

[level]

If it bothers you, you should address it with a repituable doc. You have a minor spot that could be taken care of in hours. Instead of letting it bother you, do something about it. There's great information on this site, which can help you determine who's a good doc and who's not. Most people in here wish they had the small problem you have. If I were you, considering the small area that's affected, I would take care of it. You are very young and your condition seems to be concentrated in one spot. You're obviously self-consious about it so don't let it consume you. Histogen can be available in a couple of years or never make it to the market. There's no need for you to sit around for 5 years, feeling bad about your situation, when there are solutions that can help solve your specific case. Good luck!

[mattj]

In a way you are luckier than us guys who are experiencing progressive hairloss which we have to factor into our transplant decision making. With a small procedure of 500 grafts or so, you'll have that covered. I think the results I've seen on females are always very good. Soft and natural looking.

[EGrace]

Thank you for the advice, everyone! I would much rather get it done sooner than later. My 16th birthday is coming up, and I was really hoping to get the patch covered before school starts in August...
I just really don't know how to find a reliable doctor around my area :x I don't feel google is a great place to look.

[KeepTheHair]

Use the website: www.iahrs.com to find a doctor recommended by Spencer Kobren the founder of the American Hair Loss Association.(don't confuse it with ishrs.com, that is different). Hair transplantation should not be done with a doctor not on that list. It is a procedure that requires a lot of skill. Any doctor can claim to do it but as you can see only a few doctors that are screened are on the list. Only some do the surgery with high standards.

[EGrace]

Thank you for that site!! All the locations for IL are super close to me!

[Winston]

The best place to start is www.iahrs.org or you can find a list on IAHRS members on this site. You’ll probably want to find a hair transplant surgeon who specialized in FUE since you have such a small spot to be treated.
I’m glad you found this community to do your research. Good luck!

[CIT_Girl]

Whether transplanted hair will grow depends on the cause of bald patch. The success of any hair restoration procedure depends on the donor and recipient site influence. If the recipient side adversely influences the grafts, then you would not get growth. If the recipient site has no influence, then donor dominance will allow the grafts to grow. It sounds like you may have something called "triangular alopecia", which is luckily responsive to transplants.

It would definitely be a good idea, as others have mentioned, to consult with an IAHRS physician in your area. Good luck with whatever you decide to do- you're a beautiful girl no matter what!