20 year old considering small HT

[BaldingYoung]

Hi guys,

I'm looking for some opinions on my current hair loss situation…

I'm 20 years old and have been receding for around 2 years now. I’ve always had a high hairline which makes matters it even worse when it starts getting higher! I started Propecia around 1 1/2 years ago which I was prescribed from my GP. I was taking 0.5mg daily for the first year to reduce the chance of any unwanted side effects but I later increased the dosage to 1mg daily as I was still slowly but surely receding.

I’ve been researching this forum and other forums like this for a few years now and I’ve come to the conclusion that I would like to go ahead with a small HT when I’m 21 (4 months away). I’ve chosen to travel to Belgium as it seems to be the HT capital with highly recommended surgeons, unlike here in the UK.

I had an online consultation with Dr Jean Devroye and he advised that I would need around 1200-1500 grafts by FUE to cover the temples but he would need to examine me in person for a more precise diagnostic. I then had an online consultation with Dr Feriduni and he recommended 800 grafts by FUE to reconstruct the temple areas.

I’m swaying towards Dr Feriduni as I feel 1200-1500 grafts is a bit much as I’m currently a Norwood II. I’m well aware a HT will not stop future hair loss so I would like to keep as much donor hair as possible for future HTs, if need be. I’ve done quite a bit of research on Dr Feriduni and I’m yet to find anyone that has a bad word to say about him or the work he carries out. He also has a few cases of younger patients that he has done FUE on and they all look amazing.

Do you guys agree that 800 grafts is a more realistic estimate as I’m more than likely going to require more HT’s to catch up with my hair loss? Or should I still consider Dr Devroye?

Any recommendations and success stories on either surgeons will be much appreciated!

Thanks

Ps - i'll upload some pics of my hair as soon as I can

[chrisdav]

It is difficult to pass comment without pictures.

I can understand how recession added to a higher hairline can make you feel unhappy.

In general, I would say not to have surgery that young, but I know there are always exceptions.

[Aames]

I would wait until you stabilize your loss with meds and hold the same Norwood for 5 years or so before you consider surgery. You risk losing non-transplanted hair otherwise, which will look ridiculous.

[mmmcoffee]

20 is just too young man. I'm 23 and in a similar situation I'd give anything to be able to fill in my hairline but its just not smart at a young age. If fin isn't stopping your loss then you likely have a more aggressive balding gene and given youll continue to go bald you'll end up with two patches of hair on your hairline and nothing behind it

[jman91]

As a general rule 21 is too young so i really wouldnt go for surgery yet if i were you. However like OP said without pictures its harder to tell.

As for your choice to travel to Belgium, i would suggest looking into the IAHRS list of doctors as they are some of the best skilled and most ethical surgeons which have earnt their way onto the list.

Im also your age and know the feeling and temptation to just get surgery because if I had surgery now i would likely see i great result. However as i am so young and my loss is relatively aggressive (as it started at 17 yrs old) i know that this is too risky because in a few years a great result can end up looking worse than if you had no surgery altogether! have you ever seen someone who has progressed past their surgery (it looks hideous!).

Give it a few years, there are so many technologies converging on a cure that it really would probably be better to hold off an be patient. The thing is you are lucky you're so young because you still have plenty of years left to put off surgery and still be able to live your life with a full head of hair. Spencer mentioned a few weeks ago that within a years time there will be new scarless ht technology coming out so at least wait for that if you cant wait for regeneration technology!

[jman91]

Upload photos, otherwise we can't make a fair judgement.

As for a HT, age is irrelevant as long as you have stabilised. Since you haven't stabilised then you could be making a very bad decision by choosing to get a HT. Wait out a bit longer on fin to see what happens, and consider keto, minox, duta etc.

no, even if your hair has stabilised it may be temporary. Its well known that even someone who isnt on any meds is likely to see their progression spontaneously stabilise even for a couple of years and then carry on aggressively progressing. 21 is just too young, unfortunately majority of people (myself included) who start mpb early will be contending with extensive loss

[jman91]

Could you give me an example where someone's hair stabilised for years on end at a young age without meds? g.

My dad for example, progressed from a NW2 to a NW4 from 25 to 30 and then held NW4 until he was 40. Now he is in his 50's and a NW7 this was before minox or fin so completely untreated progression.

My hair stabalised before i got in fin i was a NW2 at 17 and started fin at 20 and my hair was still NW2


Its common knowledge that people go through sheds and then stabalised periods. Do not get me wrong, I am not saying everyone for goes through 10-20 years of spontaneous stabilisation but its quite common to have a few years of no progression followed by a periods of shedding and progression.

[FearTheLoss]

What jman is saying is very true, mpb is different for everyone though. Some people progress through the nw and stop at a nw3 at age 25 and never lose anymore...it's all about your genetic predisposition.

[aim4hair]

If you feel like you need an HT then go for it, why should you waste your prime waiting ? Just plan it carefully by either waiting until you stabilize your hair loss, or go for a scarless procedure where you can always have the chance to shave and move on if your hair loss progress and you don't want to fight it any more...

[Buster]

My dad for example, progressed from a NW2 to a NW4 from 25 to 30 and then held NW4 until he was 40. Now he is in his 50's and a NW7 this was before minox or fin so completely untreated progression.

This is what happened to me too. When I was about eighteen my hair receeded to a norwood 2 and stayed that way until the age of 35 when I noticed my crown thinning. I'm 37 now and have been on Fin for just over a year.

[Shan]

You should at least wait until your mid 20 s for hair loss to stabilise, if anything research FDA approved meds