two different consultations

[joely]

Folks,

Earlier this year i went to visit two seperate iarhs doctors for a transplant both reputable doctors with lots of good reviews online/ the first i saw in march said i was a borderline candidate for his strip procedure but didnt recommend it, then last week went to see the other who said i was the perfect candidate for fue and would get good results, im confused now, any one can offer me any basdvice on why two different opinions would be greatly appreciated

[baldymcgee]

Can you share any other information? How many graft counts did they each recommend? What made you a "borderline" candidate? (is it area of loss? donor characteristics?) What's your predicted, eventual loss pattern?

[35YrsAfter]

Please post your age, family history of hair loss and several good clear photos. That is the only way we can provide any useful feedback. Did either doctor take photos and do a HairCheck? If so, ask them for the photos. You will have to sign a release.

[gillenator]

Folks,

Earlier this year i went to visit two seperate iarhs doctors for a transplant both reputable doctors with lots of good reviews online/ the first i saw in march said i was a borderline candidate for his strip procedure but didnt recommend it, then last week went to see the other who said i was the perfect candidate for fue and would get good results, im confused now, any one can offer me any basdvice on why two different opinions would be greatly appreciated

Difficult to give comment without photos. Can you put some up? You can always block your facial features.

[joely]

Dad and older brother are nw7, first doc told me I had the potential for nw6, I currently have nw2 hairline and then rest is slowly thinking into nw6 but halted with fin. Hairvwas counted at 60\60/60 at one consultation and just checked with one bof those cameras they put to your head into your hair at the other! Not very technical and do not even no where to begin uploading pictures here could email them if some one could help.

Was told i have retrograde alopecia and would not have enough dinor hair for future loss from the first, then six months later the second told me i would need three hundred hairs for a strong hair line and less than that to cover the rest if i wanted it twelve months down the line.

Would it help if i named the doctors¿

Thanks for replys so far

[gillenator]

joely,

That was some important additional info you provided. If your father and brother are both class 7s, then chances are, that's your ultimate potential as well. However, you are on finasteride and possibly they never used it.

The concerning comment was that one of the doctors noted retro-alopecia which is thinning hair loss from the nape area moving upwards into the donor zone. The implication is that your donor zone may not be considered a "safe zone" for harvesting grafts. In other words, some of your donor or even possibly the entire zone may be receptive to DHT and not considered terminal hair to use in transplantation.

This is part of the purpose in using the high powered scope to not only examine your density but also to note any signs of miniaturization and diffusion. It is possible that your lateral humps or parietal zone may be DHT resistant but that hair should only be considered as terminal after close microscopic examination/comparison and then subsequently should only be harvested using FUE extractions IMHO.

And three hundred hairs or even three hundred grafts won't make much of a visual impact considering the volume of work that you would potentially need.

I would get some more opinions and ask each doctor what they think of your retro-alopecia situation and if they would even consider doing a procedure on you regardless of the size.

[35YrsAfter]

joely,

The concerning comment was that one of the doctors noted retro-alopecia which is thinning hair loss from the nape area moving upwards into the donor zone. The implication is that your donor zone may not be considered a "safe zone" for harvesting grafts. In other words, some of your donor or even possibly the entire zone may be receptive to DHT and not considered terminal hair to use in transplantation.

I have this to a degree and it truly sucks. It seems to have stabilized for the last 10 years. I once had a home-run donor supply. This was in my 20s-mid 30s.

35YrsAfter also posts as CITNews and works at Dr. Cole's office
Cole Hair Transplant
Atlanta, GA
Phone 678-566-1011

[joely]

The second doc didn't mention anything about retro and said I am the perfect candidate for fue, which is confusing , fin has completely stopped my loss and regrown a fraction.

Just dont know what to do for the best im not stupid enough to go rushing into it im in my mid twenties now. But im fed up of waiting nsix minths for seeing how each new treatment worjs out

But my brother and dad never used any hair loss products they are not fussed in the sliggtest by hair loss.

Both docs have good reviews online and are iahrs approved which makes it hard to decide on what to go with because i do need to do something

[gillenator]

joely,

Although you are experiencing a great efficiency from finasteride, none of the hairloss meds completely stop the progression. MPB is progressive in nature and is unpredictable as to when it accelerates and subsides. Finasteride and dutasteride inhibit DHT but do not stop the formation of it from testosterone.

But as you stated, you are the one using this medicinal option so that is definitely a plus for you.

One other thing. The method of harvesting the hair whether strip or FUE has no relativeness as far as the "permanency" of the hair being harvested. The hair in the donor zones are either DHT resistant or not. So no matter how the grafts are harvested, the issue for you is, "are my grafts going to survive over the long term or will they too be lost to DHT"?

In addition, finasteride is clinically proven for efficiency in the mid-scalp and crown. Most of us need restoration in the frontal third zone so finasteride does not prove effective in that zone. And this is why most guys who respond well to low dose finasteride, continue to see progression of loss in the frontal zone.

[gillenator]

Chuck,

I noticed a definite decrease in density throughout my scalp post chemotherapy but part of that could be attributable to aging as well.

My father retained a full head of hair until about age 60. I started to notice a decrease in overall density for the next several decades. He is 84 now and very generalized thinning but still has a strong white hairline. Imagine that.

My older brother (59) just sent me a photo and he still has a super thick strong head of hair from front-to-back. My younger brother (56) is a thinning in density but still has a good hairline and no crown loss.

I would have ended up a Norwood 6 eventually had I done nothing. 6900 grafts to date.

Hairloss was from my mother's side and even my mom had advanced loss evidenced in the Ludwig pattern of generalized thinning throughout her scalp.

Very hit and miss in my family. Several of my nephews have MPB.