Laser Treatment -vs- Hair Transplant

[Dav7]

I went to a hair restoration clinic today to have them look at my hair, and give a few quotes about hair transplant costs. However, the man I was talking to reckoned I didn't need a hair transplant as I was not advanced enough in my hair loss (e.g. a Norwood 6 or 7) in order to justify a hair transplant. However he recommended the laser treatment route at a cost of €6,000. He said there were three treatment options - a €6000 option for 4 months, a €8000 option for 6 months and a €10,000 option for 12 months, but he said that the 4 months of treatment would be sufficient for me. He also guessed that I was about a Norwood 2.5,

Does laser hair treatment really work - or are hair transplants still better? Also, are there any countries such as Turkey etc. where such a treatment could be done a lot more cheaply? I know that Turkey is way less expensive for hair transplants. If you know of any cheap laser hair treatment options and clinics anywhere, could you post links. Thanks.

I'll note that this company also does hair transplants as well and charge about the same, if not a bit more for hair transplants than for laser treatment, so it is not as if they are trying to con me into having laser treatment as opposed to a HP.

[Tracy C]

Does laser hair treatment really work - or are hair transplants still better?

LLLT does improve the hair that you have - but it does not work for everyone and it is no match for a good quality hair transplant performed by a gifted surgeon. The salesman is correct that you are not a good candidate for hair transplant surgery if you are only a Norwood 2.5. Based on discussions I have had with many men and women who have tried LLLt, I am reasonably sure that women respond better to LLLT than men. If I were you, there is no way I would pay for LLLT treatments from a clinic.

[bruce42]

Does laser hair treatment really work - or are hair transplants still better? .

LLLT is a scam. There is no evidence suggesting it will improve your hair in any manner.

[itsmyhairs]

It's an utter scam, how the **** don't people realise this by now, are people just that ****ing stupid?

How can shining some light on your head make any difference?

And $4000? HOLY **** ***** ********** ************************

Get a HT, use Minox, try fin if you've researched it.

Don't waste money on that laser shit.

[Dav7]

The salesman is correct that you are not a good candidate for hair transplant surgery if you are only a Norwood 2.5.

I'm not sure what you mean by only a Norwood 2.5..........isn't Norwood 2 defined as balding - whereas a Norwood 1 is a regular hairline?

Also I'm not sure why I wouldn't be a good candidate - because I have plenty of thick hair at the back, can't that simply be transplanted on the front?

If I were you, there is no way I would pay for LLLT treatments from a clinic.[/QUOTE]

I see. Would it just be from LLLT from clinics you'd avoid - or would you avoid LLLT full stop?

[Dav7]

Tracy is irrational and stupid as ****.

LLLT is NOT proven in ANY measure. DO NOT DO ANY LASER TREATMENTS!

And NW2.5 is fine for a HT. Saying otherwise is total shit. The only time a HT is NOT an option is if you haven't halted your hair loss.

Now, to stop your hair loss you simply need minoxidil, a shampoo for ketoconazole in it (Nizoral), and the most important one, finasteride 1-1.25mg daily.

The fact you went to a clinic is proof enough that you don't know anything about hair loss. I suggest you spend some time on this forum and the Internet researching. You'll find that hair loss meds are extremely cheap and effective - unlike that laser shit.

Did you just suggest that hair loss meds are as good as a hair transplant? I'm confused here, thanks.

[Dav7]

Also are there any meds and shampoo together that can both stop and regrow hair? Or is a HT really the only option?

Thanks

[Tracy C]

I see. Would it just be from LLLT from clinics you'd avoid - or would you avoid LLLT full stop?

I am saying there is no way I would pay those prices for laser treatment, especially if I were a man. Unlike the previous posters, I know first hand that LLLT does in fact improve the hair that you have. I also know that it does not work for everyone - and I believe it works better for women than it does for men. Laser treatment is not a scam but it does not work for everyone - and the treatments are not worth the prices you stated.

Did you just suggest that hair loss meds are as good as a hair transplant? I'm confused here, thanks.

Usually, meds are not as good as a good quality hair transplant performed by a gifted surgeon. It depends on how far along you are on the Norwood scale. At only a Norwood 2.5, you are not a good candidate for hair transplant surgery - but you should be able to arrest and stabalize your hair loss loss with meds.

[Dav7]

Did you even read what I posted?

...

I went back over it there, and believe I get the gist of what you are saying now, sorry about that.

@Tracy. Thank you for your advice, but can you please do two things for me, (a) stop referring to as a Norwood 2.5 as been "only", and (b) insisting that a hair transplant is not necessary. While a N 2.5 may that seem that bad, I actually have a fair amount of receding in the temporal areas, and an emerging bald patch (although still covered by a little bit of hair here and there) developing at the back) - so it is certainly not just a mature hairline I am dealing with.

Cheers

[UK_]

I am saying there is no way I would pay those prices for laser treatment, especially if I were a man. Unlike the previous posters, I know first hand that LLLT does in fact improve the hair that you have. I also know that it does not work for everyone - and I believe it works better for women than it does for men. Laser treatment is not a scam but it does not work for everyone - and the treatments are not worth the prices you stated.





Usually, meds are not as good as a good quality hair transplant performed by a gifted surgeon. It depends on how far along you are on the Norwood scale. At only a Norwood 2.5, you are not a good candidate for hair transplant surgery - but you should be able to arrest and stabalize your hair loss loss with meds.

ROLF

10char

[Tracy C]

Highlander, you need to stop constantly dragging me into the mud. There is absolutely no legitimate reason for you to get so dang aggressive. I said nothing that would confuse the OP. There was no legitimate reason for you to respond to me like that. If anyone injected any confusion in the dialog it was you.

Concerning laser, you do not use it - and you never have. I do use it - and I have for several years. You have absolutely no experience with it at all - and you are completely closed minded about it. I have years of experience with it now. Since you do not use it and you have no experience with it, you are not qualified to advise anyone one way or another about it. Since I do use it, and I have for several years, and I am actively talking to others who are using it, I am far more qualified to offer reasonable advice about it than you are. The OP asked for advise about it. He deserves reasonable advice from someone who actually has experience with it - not the closed minded advice of someone who has never even tried it.

[Tracy C]

Did you even read what I posted?

The crap you write is not worth the time it takes to read it.

[Tracy C]

@Tracy. Thank you for your advice, but can you please do two things for me, (a) stop referring to as a Norwood 2.5 as been "only", and (b) insisting that a hair transplant is not necessary.

(a) It would be very difficult for me to stop using the word "only" when talking about someone who is less than a Norwood 3 - but I will try.

(b) Most ethical hair restoration doctors agree that hair transplant surgery is not appropriate for a male who is less than a Nowrood 3 and will refuse to do the surgery. There are exceptions but very few. There are darn good reasons for that. Find yourself an ethical hair restoration doctor and have a talk with them about it. From an ethical standpoint, I have to agree with the doctors. It's not that I am "insisting" anything. I simply agree with an ethical approach to hair transplant surgery.

[baldy1990]

Oh, right. I forgot that your use of a blatant scam product in uncontrolled conditions with literally no sound methodology or sample group is "sound". I forgot too that apparently reading the scientific literature that PROVES it doesn't work is invalid because I haven't gone out and spent thousands of dollars on a a bullshit product that doesn't work and has never been proven to.

You're a joke.

If it worked for Tracy how can you be so sure?

[Dav7]

(a) It would be very difficult for me to stop using the word "only" when talking about someone who is less than a Norwood 3 - but I will try.

(b) Most ethical hair restoration doctors agree that hair transplant surgery is not appropriate for a male who is less than a Nowrood 3 and will refuse to do the surgery. There are exceptions but very few. There are darn good reasons for that. Find yourself an ethical hair restoration doctor and have a talk with them about it. From an ethical standpoint, I have to agree with the doctors. It's not that I am "insisting" anything. I simply agree with an ethical approach to hair transplant surgery.

But can't I just get a hair transplant sometime now for my Norwood 2.5, and use medications etc. to hopefully prevent any further loss - and if the MPB does progress any further, I could simply get another one? I really don't give a damn about money, when I graduate I'm even expecting a good job, am good with money - and even have plans of investing in stocks, shares, property etc. So money has absolutely nothing to do with it, even it means getting another hair transplant or two down the line.

MPB is destroying my confidence - and despite what any specialist may say, MPB (even if in some individuals) below a Norwood 3 is in fact noticeable. I can see myself, my friends can see it, and worst of all - women can see it. Not only is MPB destroying my confidence, but I have gone from women thinking I'm cutish and dateable, toward been a virtual outcast for 99% of the time. And I've also shaved my head, while for the first day or two, I was a bit confused as to whether or not I would take to it, I now hate it - and feel like a completely different person, and even worse than how I was feeling about this before.

Again, I don't care if I have to get another transplant or two down the line - money is a secondary issue, with the exception of now that I'm trying desperately to find a clinic with reasonably cheap procedures given that I haven't graduated yet - but in the future when I do have money, it will always take a backseat to ridding myself of this horrible MPB.