What is so bad about FUT transplants

[Tracy C]

Not true.

It is true. Please read what I said before you reply and make note of the fact that I said MOST. The words MOST and ALL do not mean the same thing. If you are not going to read what I write, do not reply to what I said. There are special circumstances. This person may have been one of those. If not, Dr. Rahal made a very unethical decision to do this that will haunt this patient later in his life - and Dr. Rahal knows that.

It is time for you stop beating up on me and do some real home work. Call each and every doctor on the IAHRS list and ask each and every one of them if they will do it. Then give me the names of each and every doctor who says they will do it - and why they will agree to do it. Post those names and their justifications for doing so here in this thread. Get to work and leave me alone until you are done. Do not respond to a single thing I post and don't say a single word to me until you are done.

[Tracy C]

I see, but I don't understand why it is unethical?

Generally, the risks of the surgery outweighs the perceived benefit - and it is often a pointless waste of valuable donor hair that will likely be needed later in life as the patients' hair loss progresses through it's natural course. There are special circumstances though. A male who is transgendered is just one example of special circumstances. Males who are transgendered and decide to transition often get themselves castrated. Since castration completely halts the natural progression of hereditary hair loss, the concern for preserving donor capacity for future procedures is eliminated.

Another special circumstance would be a patient who responds exceptionally well to Propecia and completely halts the natural progression of his hereditary hair loss as a result of that exceptional response. A more conservative doctor will likely still refuse to restore a Norwood 1 for such a patient though.

Another special circumstance would be a patient with severe body dismorphic disorder who is willing to accept the possibility of running out of donor hair as his hereditary hair loss progresses. The doctor weighs these realities very heavily before agreeing to restore a Norwood 1 hair line for the patient. Ultimately, the decision is with the patient at that time - and it is usually a very bad decision that will haunt him for the rest of his life.

[Dav7]

Generally, the risks of the surgery outweighs the perceived benefit - and it is often a pointless waste of valuable donor hair that will likely be needed later in life as the patients' hair loss progresses through it's natural course. There are special circumstances though. A male who is transgendered is just one example of special circumstances. Males who are transgendered and decide to transition often get themselves castrated. Since castration completely halts the natural progression of hereditary hair loss, the concern for preserving donor capacity for future procedures is eliminated.

Another special circumstance would be a patient who responds exceptionally well to Propecia and completely halts the natural progression of his hereditary hair loss as a result of that exceptional response. A more conservative doctor will likely still refuse to restore a Norwood 1 for such a patient though.

Another special circumstance would be a patient with severe body dismorphic disorder who is willing to accept the possibility of running out of donor hair as his hereditary hair loss progresses. The doctor weighs these realities very heavily before agreeing to restore a Norwood 1 hair line for the patient. Ultimately, the decision is with the patient at that time - and it is usually a very bad decision that will haunt him for the rest of his life.

Ok, but how long does it take to know whether or not propecia has halted a person's hair loss? Also, aren't breakthroughs been made in regards to grafting facial and body hair onto transplant patients so that in future HP's won't be limited to the donor area, and that getting a NW1 transplant would therefore be less risky?

[drybone]

Ok, but how long does it take to know whether or not propecia has halted a person's hair loss? Also, aren't breakthroughs been made in regards to grafting facial and body hair onto transplant patients so that in future HP's won't be limited to the donor area, and that getting a NW1 transplant would therefore be less risky?

I understand where you are coming from dude. I started losing my front hairline when I was 20.

I would have traded my left nut to have it back , but what if I went Norwood 6 or 7 bald by age 35 or 40? We dont have enough hair grafts to possibly cover that. On average, we have about 7000 grafts from our scalp. To get the maximum benefit, I would recommend a FUT as they can harvest them all and have a 99% regrowth .

As for body hair, you are right. Once they perfect the FUE to extract body hair and attain at least 90% regrowth, then a whole world opens up for almost anyone going bald. However, sometimes the body hair simply wont regrow after being moved. Scalp hair always regrows no matter where you place it.

We are not here to try to take any rights away from you or rain on your parade. We are just telling you our experience and what we know. If you want a norwood 1 hairline, and find a doctor willing to do it, then if you are 18 or older, you have the right to make that decision for yourself.

Let us know how it goes

[Dav7]

I would have traded my left nut to have it back , but what if I went Norwood 6 or 7 bald by age 35 or 40? We dont have enough hair grafts to possibly cover that. On average, we have about 7000 grafts from our scalp. To get the maximum benefit, I would recommend a FUT as they can harvest them all and have a 99% regrowth .

Really, so FUT transplants are actually better in the long run than FUE transplants? Also, what do you mean by regrowth - is it regrowth in hair, or regrowth in the donor region? Also, just out of mild curiosity, if what you are saying is true, then why are FUE operations on average 2-3 times more expensive than FUT operations given what you've just stated?

Thanks.

[drybone]

Really, so FUT transplants are actually better in the long run than FUE transplants? Also, what do you mean by regrowth - is it regrowth in hair, or regrowth in the donor region? Also, just out of mild curiosity, if what you are saying is true, then why are FUE operations on average 2-3 times more expensive than FUT operations given what you've just stated?

Thanks.

Where are you getting this information from? Can you put up the source for this?

[Tracy C]

Ok, but how long does it take to know whether or not propecia has halted a person's hair loss?

You need to ask the doctors that one. The makers of Propecia state that it takes a full year to determine if the medicine is able to arrest your hair loss.

Also, aren't breakthroughs been made...

No ethical doctor is going to gamble on a maybe. Many of us are confident that better treatments will come - but the really good doctors are not going to design a restoration plan for you that relies on things that are not yet a certainty.

Facial and body hair transplants are for worst case scenarios. They do not look good and they certainly do not look anything close to natural. Any doctor who does such a procedure just to give a man a Norwood 1 hair line is an unethical hack that should have their license to practice medicine revoked.

[yeahyeahyeah]

It is true. Please read what I said before you reply and make note of the fact that I said MOST. The words MOST and ALL do not mean the same thing. If you are not going to read what I write, do not reply to what I said. There are special circumstances. This person may have been one of those. If not, Dr. Rahal made a very unethical decision to do this that will haunt this patient later in his life - and Dr. Rahal knows that.

It is time for you stop beating up on me and do some real home work. Call each and every doctor on the IAHRS list and ask each and every one of them if they will do it. Then give me the names of each and every doctor who says they will do it - and why they will agree to do it. Post those names and their justifications for doing so here in this thread. Get to work and leave me alone until you are done. Do not respond to a single thing I post and don't say a single word to me until you are done.

Well dr ferundi, hasson and Wong were all willing to restore my hair to a NW1


.....soooooo

[aim4hair]

if you have nw6 and nw7 in your family, then it would be crazy to go for FUT as you are still young and medicines might just stop working for you or you might just end up quitting them because of sides. a smiley face scar on the back of your head is the worst thing you can have if your hair loss progress to nw6/nw7 regardless how thin the scar is.

[chrisdav]

Dav7,

Every individual is unique and a large number of variables need to be taken into consideration when deciding not just on a short to medium term plan but also longer term plan for hair loss.

Different clinics have different approaches and outlooks towards hair loss & hair restoration.

The easiest thing you could do is to post some pictures up.

[Artista]

Im glad that this thread has been started. I have a couple of personal friends that have had FUT HTs by doctors whom are qualified, experienced, respected AND ethical.
Ive seen up close how NATURAL a good HT looks. I agree with Tracy, unless the patient is of a special circumstance , trying to bring your hair down to a NW1 is very risky. No matter what age or NW scale you are. Not unless you do have a crystal ball and KNOW for certain what your hair will be like in the future.
HTs are not CURES of course. They are surgical treatments to provide IMPROVEMENTS to your ailing pate.

[PatientlyWaiting]

Not true.

http://www.rahalhairtransplant.com/

Look at rahal's poster boy with his hair pushed up.

That is a NW1.

Wouldn't surprise if he was just one of those NW2 guys with great hair already pre-HT. I see a lot of those in the results section of this site. They have ridiculously nice hair and minimal loss to begin with.

[PatientlyWaiting]

Where are you getting this information from? Can you put up the source for this?

They are pretty significantly expensive.

I think on average FUT's are $4, and FUE's are $8, while i've seen FUE's for $11. That is indeed 2 times more expensive than FUT. If you get, let's say 2500 FUT grafts at $4, that would be $10k, while 2500 FUE at $8 would be $20k. Huge difference.

The source: Just look through the "costs" section of most IAHRS doctor's pages.

[drybone]

They are pretty significantly expensive.

I think on average FUT's are $4, and FUE's are $8, while i've seen FUE's for $11. That is indeed 2 times more expensive than FUT. If you get, let's say 2500 FUT grafts at $4, that would be $10k, while 2500 FUE at $8 would be $20k. Huge difference.

The source: Just look through the "costs" section of most IAHRS doctor's pages.

Mine was a FUT and was $3 per graft. I would never pay anyone $8 a graft . Even if they could guarantee me 99% body/ beard hair results.

My scar is still fairly fresh but unless its buzz 2 you cant see the line. It looks like someone drew a line with a pencil..

[Dav7]

Ok, can the people here please describe to me what a "mature hairline" is, because I have always associated a mature hairline with the NW1 type of hairline. Is a mature hairline a NW1 or a NW1.5 or a NW2? To be honest, I wouldn't mind having a "mature hairline" as a result of a transplant. Even though I am 27 years of age, I have a baby face and would easily pass for a teenager were it not for MPB, so I wouldn't mind a mature hairline given that I would look even more babyish and like a teenager with a juvenile hairline. So what is the definition of a "mature hairline", is it a NW1, a NW1.5 or a NW.2? Thanks for all help. I just want a normal hairline for my age, but looking like a teen - the last thing I want at 27 years of age is a hairline that would make me look like some Justin Bieber replica, given that been a baby face would give off that impression of been even younger than I already am.

I just want an appropriate Norwood scale for my age and hairline without MPB, to give me some dignity and masculinity. I am a Norwood 2.5, so what Norwood should I be aiming for with a HP? Again, I want a normal hairline for my age (27), but I don't want the whole teenage, immature juvenile hairline look - so what should I am be aiming for on the Norwood scale? Once again, I have always associated the mature hairline with a NW1, so that is why I am partially panicking here.