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Great question Rizaan. A lot of different factors go into being a good candidate for a HT and unfortunately, it's not as easy as some people seem to think it is. Here are some of the things you need to take into consideration when looking into whether or not a hair transplant is right for you:
1) Genetics/Projected hair loss: How predisposed are you to losing your hair, and to what extent? How prominent is it in your family? One thing that is helpful is that surgeons can check the miniaturization levels of your hair and get a tentative "roadmap" of sorts to project where you may be heading with your hair loss. This will help determine how conservative or aggressive the surgeon can be with your hairline/overall placement, or if it's even a good idea to do at all.
2) Age: How young were you when you first started losing your hair? How fast is it advancing? As a general rule, a person who starts losing their hair at 20 needs to be a lot more cautious than someone who starts losing their hair at 40, for example.
3) Donor Supply/Hair Type: How thick is your hair and do you have enough density to be able to get the coverage you need? How is your hair type? Is it fine or coarse? Is is straight, wavy, or curly? These all factored in to how big of a challenge your procedure will be, and something you need to take into account when choosing a surgeon.
4) Finances: Hair transplants are expensive! Not only that, but most people won't need just one hair transplant. They'll most likely need a second one and often a third or a fourth. Is this something you're financially ready for? Not only that, but is this something you want to spend the rest of your life tackling? It's not only a financial commitment, but a time commitment as well. It's often something you'll have to deal with for the rest of your life. And if you do need multiple hair transplants, do you have enough donor hair to make this work? If not, are you willing to try beard hair/body hair? Do you even have beard and body hair to use? It's also very important to note that while there are "cheap/affordable" options out there, you don't want to bargain shop for a hair transplant. Yes, there are fantastic doctors oversees that are more affordable than those in the US, UK, and Canada - but in general, you don't want to make a decision based solely on price.
5) Expectations: This is key to having a positive experience. The fact of the matter is, Hair Transplants aren't a magical cure. No matter how good a surgeon is, there are limits to what we can achieve. It's called science. Not everyone will be able to achieve a Brad Pitt hairline/density, and to pretend otherwise is dishonest and cruel. If one can't properly manage their expectations and accept the reality of their own circumstances, then you shouldn't move forward with a HT. You'll only end up more distressed and miserable in the long run.
6) Response/Willingness re: medication: Being willing to take Propecia is big factor, and a decision each man needs to make for himself. If you have very severe hair loss and aren't willing to take Propecia, then you may need to be more conservative with your approach to a HT than someone who will take the drug. Also, see how you respond to it. Do you have side effects? Is it something you want to take for the rest of your life? These are things to think about.
7) Risks: Like it or not, every single medical procedure on this planet comes with risks. Results are not guaranteed. Yes, you can greatly increase your odds of a positive outcome by doing solid research and choosing a surgeon with a proven, consistent track record. But even the best surgeons in the world have less than stellar cases. This isn't just with hair transplants, but any medical procedure you have done ever. To think otherwise is naive. Is this something you feel comfortable with?
So as you can see, this isn't an easy, black and white issue. Pursuing a hair transplant should be taken very seriously and given lots of consideration. And what the original poster was pointing out is that for many men, a very reasonable/logical conclusion for them is that they're happier not going through all of this. For me, based on my genetics, family history, age, donor supply, etc., I felt like I was a good candidate and decided to go through with it. Were/are there risks involved? Absolutely. But I went for it, and I'm glad I did. Am I out of the woods? Not by a long shot. I'm in this for the long haul, as is anyone else that goes down this road and you need to make sure you're okay with that.
As for what Jean Luc is saying, "Without hair, you are inevitably a lesser human," and whatnot? Maybe it's because I'm a little older and have been through some shit in my life, but that's such BS. I guess what this ultimately comes down to is different philosophy on life. If someone subscribes to that mentality, then by all means, suffer and feel insignificant and worthless until you get the hair that you want. Personally, I don't think that's healthy. And frankly? Sometimes it's NOT POSSIBLE. Yes, getting a successful HT can do wonders for your confidence. But it's not necessary. And frankly? Sometimes it's just NOT POSSIBLE. I know plenty of highly successful bald men who are funny and charming and popular and happy with beautiful wives and lives that most men would be jealous of. That's a fact. Not a myth.
Rizaan, I hope all of this makes sense and gives you a clearer picture. I don't know your situation or circumstances, but I do know that whatever they are, being happy is a choice we can all make right this second.... Wishing you nothing but the best no matter what part of the journey you're on.
__________________
I am a patient advocate for Dr. Parsa Mohebi in Los Angeles, CA. My views/opinions are my own and don't necessarily reflect the opinions of Dr. Mohebi and his staff.
1) Genetics/Projected hair loss: How predisposed are you to losing your hair, and to what extent? How prominent is it in your family? One thing that is helpful is that surgeons can check the miniaturization levels of your hair and get a tentative "roadmap" of sorts to project where you may be heading with your hair loss. This will help determine how conservative or aggressive the surgeon can be with your hairline/overall placement, or if it's even a good idea to do at all.
2) Age: How young were you when you first started losing your hair? How fast is it advancing? As a general rule, a person who starts losing their hair at 20 needs to be a lot more cautious than someone who starts losing their hair at 40, for example.
3) Donor Supply/Hair Type: How thick is your hair and do you have enough density to be able to get the coverage you need? How is your hair type? Is it fine or coarse? Is is straight, wavy, or curly? These all factored in to how big of a challenge your procedure will be, and something you need to take into account when choosing a surgeon.
4) Finances: Hair transplants are expensive! Not only that, but most people won't need just one hair transplant. They'll most likely need a second one and often a third or a fourth. Is this something you're financially ready for? Not only that, but is this something you want to spend the rest of your life tackling? It's not only a financial commitment, but a time commitment as well. It's often something you'll have to deal with for the rest of your life. And if you do need multiple hair transplants, do you have enough donor hair to make this work? If not, are you willing to try beard hair/body hair? Do you even have beard and body hair to use? It's also very important to note that while there are "cheap/affordable" options out there, you don't want to bargain shop for a hair transplant. Yes, there are fantastic doctors oversees that are more affordable than those in the US, UK, and Canada - but in general, you don't want to make a decision based solely on price.
5) Expectations: This is key to having a positive experience. The fact of the matter is, Hair Transplants aren't a magical cure. No matter how good a surgeon is, there are limits to what we can achieve. It's called science. Not everyone will be able to achieve a Brad Pitt hairline/density, and to pretend otherwise is dishonest and cruel. If one can't properly manage their expectations and accept the reality of their own circumstances, then you shouldn't move forward with a HT. You'll only end up more distressed and miserable in the long run.
6) Response/Willingness re: medication: Being willing to take Propecia is big factor, and a decision each man needs to make for himself. If you have very severe hair loss and aren't willing to take Propecia, then you may need to be more conservative with your approach to a HT than someone who will take the drug. Also, see how you respond to it. Do you have side effects? Is it something you want to take for the rest of your life? These are things to think about.
7) Risks: Like it or not, every single medical procedure on this planet comes with risks. Results are not guaranteed. Yes, you can greatly increase your odds of a positive outcome by doing solid research and choosing a surgeon with a proven, consistent track record. But even the best surgeons in the world have less than stellar cases. This isn't just with hair transplants, but any medical procedure you have done ever. To think otherwise is naive. Is this something you feel comfortable with?
So as you can see, this isn't an easy, black and white issue. Pursuing a hair transplant should be taken very seriously and given lots of consideration. And what the original poster was pointing out is that for many men, a very reasonable/logical conclusion for them is that they're happier not going through all of this. For me, based on my genetics, family history, age, donor supply, etc., I felt like I was a good candidate and decided to go through with it. Were/are there risks involved? Absolutely. But I went for it, and I'm glad I did. Am I out of the woods? Not by a long shot. I'm in this for the long haul, as is anyone else that goes down this road and you need to make sure you're okay with that.
As for what Jean Luc is saying, "Without hair, you are inevitably a lesser human," and whatnot? Maybe it's because I'm a little older and have been through some shit in my life, but that's such BS. I guess what this ultimately comes down to is different philosophy on life. If someone subscribes to that mentality, then by all means, suffer and feel insignificant and worthless until you get the hair that you want. Personally, I don't think that's healthy. And frankly? Sometimes it's NOT POSSIBLE. Yes, getting a successful HT can do wonders for your confidence. But it's not necessary. And frankly? Sometimes it's just NOT POSSIBLE. I know plenty of highly successful bald men who are funny and charming and popular and happy with beautiful wives and lives that most men would be jealous of. That's a fact. Not a myth.
Rizaan, I hope all of this makes sense and gives you a clearer picture. I don't know your situation or circumstances, but I do know that whatever they are, being happy is a choice we can all make right this second.... Wishing you nothing but the best no matter what part of the journey you're on.
__________________
I am a patient advocate for Dr. Parsa Mohebi in Los Angeles, CA. My views/opinions are my own and don't necessarily reflect the opinions of Dr. Mohebi and his staff.
So let's say you are in your 20's and your hit by hairloss. And throughout your 20s you see your peers getting all the action from the ladies and basically living the life you want. Then what are your options? Try and make the best of it or don't ultimately everyone comes to terms with the reality of their situation sooner or later!
But the point of THIS WEBSITE here...is to offer transparent, honest information first and foremost. This man here is offering his subjective experience which will be UNIQUE and DIFFERENT from everybody else.
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