Am I repairable?

[topcat]

I would like any and all comments on what you would do in my shoes. I have been around the forums for about 10 years. I am considering having some fue done with any available head donor, mainly on the sides near the top. I am also considering testing body and beard hair. I do have a fue doctor in mind, but he is not in the USA. Here is a link to my pictures. Thank you.
http://hairtransplantrepair.blogspot.com/

[Mike Beehner, M.D.]

Topcat,
Whew! What a history! That may be the most multi-faceted approach to hair loss in one man's life I ever heard about. The miracle of it all is that the Prothick makes you look half decent in the top and front views you gave. There are a number of impressions I have that I would pass along to you.
My first word of caution is to make sure you don't have thousands of grafts placed in your next session, regardless of how they are harvested - FUE from the scalp, or body hair FUE. I am dead certain that the blood supply to the areas you want filled in is compromised to some extent, and overwhelming it with recipient holes and grafts is not going to help a high percentage of the grafts placed to grow. I have seen many cases like yours who did go to someone who did place 2000 grafts or so in an area like that and the growth was dismal, which means the donor hair was wasted. You probably need this done over three smaller sessions with the planting density kept lower than what you probably want. The scalp lift for starters I am sure thinned your scalp appreciably. The hair you circle with the two side blue circles is most certainly hair that would normally be down the side of your head, were it not for it being lifted up on top with the scalp lift.
I think your idea of using FUE to take some of those two side blue-circled areas is a good one, as long as you don't thin it down too much. I find that chest hair is a good body hair source, but you have to remember that the anagen phase (growth cycle) of most body hair is fairly short compared to the scalp and the telogen phase (rest phase, in which there is no hair growing) is much longer. Thus, these hairs often are only "part time workers." Beard hair is very coarse, and if the hair on top is fine in nature, then the beard hairs can look like a pig in a poke and stand out. Your chest hair doesn't look as thick as you would ideally like, but if some of them are 1 1/2 inches long or so, then that certainly should be tried. I personally am not too excited about the use of arm or leg hair for transplanting. I don't think it makes enough of a visual contribution and the growth/rest cycle ratio is not a good one for its being present much of the time.
Lastly, I don't think it is realistic, given all of the above and the already thinned-out look of your donor area, to expect that you will get to a point where you are free of using camouflage. I think a more realistic goal for you would be to have more of your own hair on top, so that it contributes more to the mix along with the ProThick, and will help the Prothick do a better job and give you an overall better look. I just don't think you have enough parts to add up to put enough hair on top to not use it.
I certainly don't mean to be casting a discouraging note, but these are my honest thoughts, given your history and the pictures you provided. I must say I admire your determination. Of course, that's what got you into trouble in earlier years, but hopefully at this stage in your life it will be your salvation if you find yourself in the right hands. I wish you the best.
Mike Beehner, M.D.

[topcat]

Dr. Beehner, thank you for taking the time to offer me a detailed reply. I agree with you 100%. My expectations are to be able to better use Prothik by adding some additional hair to the top. I also agree on proceeding very slow with fue, to see what kind of yield I can get from a small session.

If I can get some bodyhair or beard hair to grow as a donor source, I think things could be improved. But then again, I don't want scars all over my body.

Another reason for smaller sessions is that I need to see it, before I believe it.

My family hair loss pattern is very high on the sides and back. So I'm fairly certain the hair I have left is very safe to use. In fact, I probably lost a good portion of viable donor hair because of past surgeries.

I get along very well in my daily life. I never wear a hat, and I work closely with the public. I also have some very critical co-workers and they don't have a clue.

I lead a normal life, and my hobbies include public speaking through a local club. I don't let this crap get me down, but I'm always looking for a way towards improvment.

[topcat]

I also tend to believe that the blood supply in the receipent area is good. My first procedure with Puig gave me horrific 5mm plugs. The growth was close to 100% and they stood out like a sore thumb on my slightly thinning 20 something hairline. I would have to comb my hair forward to hide it. I could never understand why a doctor would do this to me. I have learned a very valuable lesson from my experience. I have learned to take much better care of my health. Anyone that needs to use the service of a doctor is taking a huge risk. Doctors have there place but it is not in maintaining one's health.

I have never had any of those 5mm plugs excised. Yet as I had more procedures in the same area, those giant plugs thinned out. I believe that I had a tremedous amount of hairs transected by doctors that were learning along the way.

[Lee]

Hey Topcat, thanks for sharing your story........

I too have had several procedures starting with the infamous plugs way back in 1979. I've really never been pleased with the results especially with the scaring "back there", but I felt I had to continue or else. I've always been kinda of a health nut, so I do appreciate your comments on overall health. Looking at your photographs, I can tell you are no stranger to the weight room. I suppose going bald prodded me to excell in other areas and I think I'm better off for it in the long run.

Everytime I look in the mirror I can tell I had a transplant, but I'm amazed how few "laymen" recognize it. I guess I'm part of an exclusive, elite group that have transplant radar (lol). I pretty much buzz the recepient site now and cut the sides and back as short as I can without exposing the donor scars. I am kinda of excited about the trends in hair replication tattoos and I may explore that avenue for my scar coverage. Perhaps that may help you as well........

Take care my friend,

Lee

[topcat]

Lee, thanks for the support.

I tend to look at the bright side. I see so many people around me being vicimized by doctors on a daily basis. They have Cancer, Heart disease, etc. They fall into a vicous trap of prescription medicine and surgery. They just don't realize it.