Newbie, 40, excited and overwhelmed

[Dnaz]

Hey all!

A client of mine came in for a massage recently. "Nice haircut," I said, referring to his new buzz cut. He told me he'd just gotten back from Medellín, Colombia, where they'd shaved his head and performed FUE for a fraction of what it costs here in the states. He looked thrilled - and good, at least in the relatively dark room - and I was intrigued.

I made a very soft decision to get a consultation at Bosley then fly to Thailand, get a procedure done, then spend a month there on vacation. Of course that was a daydream and I'm not sure what I'll end up doing. Right now I'm doing lots of research, which is exciting and scary and I want to learn so much more.

I went to Bosley for the free consult. Based on what I've read here, they are decidedly not my best option of where to actually get a procedure done. But I did come away with info: I don't have enough hairs to do an FUE, but they recommend an FUT with roughly 3,000 hairs (or is it grafts?).

Hasson & Wong sound very reputable. I also still wonder if going abroad is a good idea. Saving money is great -- although my head is worth more than money.

Assuming going abroad is a decent idea, how do places compare? I know Turkey is popular but I don't want to go there. I'm in love with Thailand and would love to spend a month there and am reading about any surgeons they have who might be good. Any advice with that? I've read several relevant posts but they were pretty dated.

And of course I wonder things like this: clearly my hair will continue to thin with time. If I'm a 5 on the hair loss scale and I get a procedure done, what will it look like in 5, 10, 20 years? Long term photos online seem hard to find.

If I want to shave my head later, just how bad is the FUT scar?

And if I'm opposed to taking Propecia, how will my situation fare with just Rogaine? What are your experiences with those?

Any thoughts on Fo Ti? Saw Palmetto? Collagen?

I can probably answer a few of these by continued digging through the forums, and I'll do that in time. But feel free to answer anything.

Thanks, interested in your insights. And cheers.