Am I a right Candidate For HT? Help!!

**Winston** · 08-21-2010, 09:26 AM

Welcome to the forum rajasec.

There are many factors involved in being a good candidate for hair transplant surgery and one of the biggest factors is understanding what can and can not be achieved. Since you have a limited supply of hair that can be transplanted you are correct in thinking that you do not want to deplete all of your donor to fill in the crown. You have to have realistic expectations and learn everything you can about hair transplantation, including possible complications before you proceed with a surgery. You should contact one of the IAHRS surgeons on this site http://www.baldtruthtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1495 to see if you make a good candidate or surgery, but take your time and try to check your emotions at the door so you can make a decision based on facts. Since you are on Propecia, don't just think results come in the form of new growth, Propecia really works best at slowing further hair loss, which can really benefit you if you do decide to have a transplant.

**NateDog** · 08-22-2010, 03:08 AM

You look like you are heading towards a norwood 6 pattern possible 7

Stay on the Propecia no matter what you do to save or slow the hair loss as Winston said. Or if you want to try get some Avodart (Dusteride) its a more powerful hair loss medication but the sides are more evident and the half life is much greater then Propecia

In terms of transplant absolutely I agree with Winston. Biggest thing is to breathe and try and get your emotions under control. You must NOT have a HT if you are desperate to have your hair back. You have to research and talk to a number of Surgeons who are ethical and are willing to give you realistic answers. You also need to try and find other guys with your hair type and type of loss and how many grafts and their results. You need to understand limitations in your donor laxity and how many grafts to the fact that you will be looking at tens of thousands of dollars to maximise your return on investment of hair. You need to understand the master plan you set for yourself... Even try products like Toppik to help thicken your hair and give you some self esteem also look into out of the box things like drinking green tea and Saw Palmetto and Nettle root. The internet is full of crazy scams also so be careful. Ultimately as we all are different you need to find a regime you are happy with that works for you plus remember this is a life committment

**garageland** · 08-22-2010, 07:51 AM

You have been offered some very good advice here already, what is for sure is that you don't want panic to make you do something you regret, research, research and then research some more, you only have limited donor and you need to use it wisely and not make mistakes that need to be corrected in the future.

What looks likely is that you are headed for a norwood 6, thankfully you got on propecia now and it will hopefully halt your loss any further, if you are lucky you might get some regrowth but don't bank on this.My advise is to wait six months and see how you react to propecia, in that time you can do your research.

Are you a candidate? You would need to show some pictures of your donor hair, and get a feel for what your expectations are before that can be answered.

All the best

**morelocks** · 08-22-2010, 04:36 PM

No one has asked this guy the most important question

What is your age rajesec?

**rajasec** · 08-22-2010, 08:10 PM

@moreLocks - Iam 27 years old and from India.

Thanks for all your suggestions. I'll continue to stay on Prop/Minox and will see where it takes me in another 6 months. Meanwhile I met a local Doctor recently and he suggested that I need 2500 grafts to cover my crown and the density would be around 30-40%. He also felt that my Donor area is quite healthy and he could transplant more hair ( another 3000 on the front/Middle) 6 months later.

But based on the comments in the Forum, I would prefer to wait for another 6 months to see if my aggressive MPB subsides(I think Iam Norwood V) before going to HT.

**morelocks** · 08-24-2010, 04:01 PM

27 is too young mate. I'm just typing this from my iPhone so can't post properly but read all the forums and u will know it the wrong thing to do. I however started my journey at the age of 27 as well and have been back another 3 times in 2.5 years. Hair looks good but I'm messed up inside with all the shit iv had to go through

**mkamph** · 08-24-2010, 05:09 PM

morelocks,

you've had 3 transplants in 2.5 years? the reason i ask is that i'm thinking of getting some work done by feller. i'm 33, almost 34, been on meds for 10 years and have held steady, but i am hesitant to take the plunge when i hear comments such as yours.

what's your story?

**Don'tDoIt** · 08-24-2010, 07:14 PM

Originally posted by morelocks

27 is too young mate. I'm just typing this from my iPhone so can't post properly but read all the forums and u will know it the wrong thing to do. I however started my journey at the age of 27 as well and have been back another 3 times in 2.5 years. Hair looks good but I'm messed up inside with all the shit iv had to go through

morelocks, please let me also request that you tell us more about your transplants. There is not enough cautionary information on these forums to tell people to think carefully before taking the plunge.

As my username suggests, I am against hair transplants, having had a bad transplant. Please tell us how it happened that you had three transplants in 2.5 years. You must be a strong person to go through all of that.

**NateDog** · 08-25-2010, 03:33 PM

Have you tried shaving your hair you look like you could pull it off plus imagine the money you will save. But if you do decide to go the route of transplant

We talk about research but lets define what I think research involves

1. Are you emotionally ready...

2. Are you financially ready (I think high norwoods need to be prepared for six thousand grafts atleast and a really high hairline) - Put away twenty to thirty thousand dollars

3. Look at pictures and if possible try and meet other patients but this is important you MUST look at other guys with your or close to your type of hair characteristics and what is achievable. If you are Chinese or Indian no point in my opinion looking at Caucasian hair transplants its different. If you can meet with other Indian patients do so in person so you can really get a true representation of what is possible. This is hugely important I think alot of guys go in thinking they are the next Jotronic and are extremely disappointed when they do not understand the fact that with their hair types that was never ever possible. This is expectation and each person is different

4. Picking a Surgeon. It is like a partnership you need to trust this person to the enth degree. You need to ask them about your expectations and what is possible now and in the future. Always think worse case and what if and so in your case norwood seven so if you had x grafts use them wisely and will you be happy now and twenty years from now with that sprinkling of hair (remember not everyone has good donor later in life so what if it thins and your scar shows through can you handle this). You need to ask about possible density based on your skull shape plus your hair type and what can be achieved based on you and you alone and not anyone else. Ask about the health of your donor and how many grafts they can harvest safely and how many you will have in reserve for the future. Ask about the quality of your hair and most importantly donor density and how coarse is your hair. Does it have a wave. I believe if you have fine hair and a high norwood forget about a transplant it never looks good and you are better off short clip shave. Be smart about it also sacrafice the hairline and go higher for a slightly better density

5. Meds. Do not pin your hopes on future technology. The meds you take today will not stop working just our bodies are finely tuned and over time they learn to adapt to drugs

6. One day and probably many years away down the track you will no longer think of hair as the be all and end all of your life

Phew what a rant. I could talk forever about expectation. I am 33 years old and had 1200 grafts to date and my scar is about 9cm. I am very hesitant going in for another procedure as I can still get away with the smaller scar shaving but the advice I said above is my own thinking in what I need to do. I am Chinese so my hair type is medium straight black (not quite sure see something I should of asked the Surgeon I was stupid). What result can I get if I were to go to a norwood 6 like my Grandfather... If I committed to another 6000 grafts which is what I am told I have left atleast. What if my donor thins and my scars show through. I know I am quite willing to do a majorly high hairline to create a denser look even if its slightly but I am also thinking. But in saying this can I really create a nice high thick enough look and will I be happy if I was a norwood 6 with the hair on top... That is the twenty thousand dollar question

**morelocks** · 08-30-2010, 08:31 PM

The guys here have given u some brilliant advice.

Mkamph- if this is your very very first surgery then you might be alright. Do you have a family and kids already? My worry is how much hair I would lose if I was to go of propecia when trying for kids, I reckon hair loss would catch up with me in a month without the meds and thats always a worry

Don't do it, my story can be read on hairsite and my username is newstart

Have taken a bit of time out of forums, my hairtransplanst and my journey over the last few years is something I find quite hard to talk about but I do think we have a duty to educate others who are at least fortunate enough to have found these forums and ask us for advice

Rajasec - I started my ht journey at the age of 27, and I live in fear about it every day. My loss at 27 was only my temples and no where near as bad as urs, bottom line mate is you can't get it done. If you have $100,000 put aside, no problem taking 3 months off work at least every 18 months for the next 20 years and loads of beard hair you can use in the crown u may stand a chance to get a very avaerage looking head of hair. If you really really can't see sense then go and speak to dr Arvind in ndelhi and see what he says. You can mention the things I and other forum readers have said in this post

Good luck

**AntiHairTransplanter** · 08-30-2010, 08:39 PM

Originally posted by rajasec

This is my first post in this Forum. Personally I have found this forum very helpful, friendly and informative. I have lost all my hair in the crown area and Iam quite desperate to get it back through HT.

But the dilemma is that I have also lost hair on the front too (Please see profile pictures at (attached) and I don't want to deplete my donor by transplanting all the hair back in the crown. I have been in propecia/Minox for last 2 months and hoping it would help me regrow hair on the back.
Iam not sure about the results so far and decided to wait for another 3 months atleast to see any visible growth.

I feel that my self esteem is little bit on the lower side now and wanted to do something quickly to get some hair (both on the frontal and back) and confidence back. Am I right candidate for HT or is to too late to do anything to my crown? :-( Iam looking forward to the suggestions. Have a great day.

My find bald friend, please look over some of my posts. Feel free to contact me and we can talk.

**mkamph** · 08-30-2010, 08:47 PM

morelocks,

this would be my first surgery. i don't have kids, but i've heard you don't have to go off meds if you are trying to have kids....not sure i want any anyway.

i'm also waiting to hear what dr jerry cooley's results have been with acell. i guess he's going to present them in october.

**NateDog** · 08-31-2010, 12:51 AM

mkamph

I agree with others you might be ok

End of the day we all take a punt. I often wonder how a Surgeon decides to do a mega session on some guys when they do not have 10k donor grafts available and are younger then 40 so who knows how much hair loss they will have regardless of family history... Even guys over 40 who knows.

Anyways look at worse case photos and how many grafts and your type of hair (if you can meet people similar to you that will be good also) and think about if you hit 40 and for example are normally a norwood 6 and whether you will be happy with x number of grafts (see the transplant photos and pick out guys who might have your worse case loss and your hair type and colour and possible texture). Are you happy with this and if you are I say go for it because this will be generally worse case...

Most guys with crown loss will have to deal with it as they always like to transplant to the front first and move back so if you can go for a higher hairline I say its worth it to get the density as far back as you can

And remember think hard because you get a 30cm scar happy smile on your back head there aint no shaving anymore so if you like wearing your hair short you wont be able to as longer hair covers more ground so you will need to wear the hair a little longer

My scar is 9cm

I wish they had a program to show you if you were a norwood 6 and had x grafts what you would look like that would be great to determine expectation

**dgman21** · 09-01-2010, 09:43 PM

Morelocks,
Do you happen to have pics of before and after the HT surgery because I am 31 and really thinking of going for it..

Am I a right Candidate For HT? Help!!

Am I a right Candidate For HT? Help!!

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