I'm Norwood 6 - is it foolish to go for HT if I may one day be Norwood 7?

[prodigy]

I've been having a very interesting discussion with the fantastic Gillenator and I'm having a predicament that i'd like to open up to discussion. I'm a Norwood 6 and I really want HT but there is a chance i'll go to Norwood 7 which will means big gaps appearing between the HT and the dropping sides.

I'm in my early 40s and its not by any means certain my sides will drop any more. Both my brothers are Norwood 6, one is 4 years older than me. My father is a Norwood 7 but he went to that stage when he was 22 but both my grandfathers had good head of hair before they passed on.

i've been on the Minoxidil / Azelaic acid mix for over 6 years and on the Finasteride for about 2 and although i've lost hair since i started, i think its slowed down.

After discussions with Gillenator I'm thinking of around 3000 grafts up top and saving another 3000 for a later date - perhaps if I shift from Norwood 6 to 7. I'd really love to hear from anyone who may have been in a similar position though and have attached a picture.

many thanks

P[IMG][/IMG]

[prodigy]

I've met 3 of the worlds best surgeons, each one independently said i have a good donor area and good skin laxity.

[Dutch_Dude]

i seriously think you can get really good results with what you have...

[Winston]

Judging from your photos you look like the perfect candidate for a hair transplant. Since you are in your early forties I would say that your pattern is stable.

[RichardDawkins]

i think or assume that your head is small in mass so to speak. Therefore you got an advantage here. you can get a pretty good result. And honestly i wont say you are NW6 at all

[Dutch_Dude]

with the right doctor it may even be possible to get a full head of hair back, since your hair is very thick and your pattern is stable.

[tedwuji]

I've been having a very interesting discussion with the fantastic Gillenator and I'm having a predicament that i'd like to open up to discussion. I'm a Norwood 6 and I really want HT but there is a chance i'll go to Norwood 7 which will means big gaps appearing between the HT and the dropping sides.

I'm in my early 40s and its not by any means certain my sides will drop any more. Both my brothers are Norwood 6, one is 4 years older than me. My father is a Norwood 7 but he went to that stage when he was 22 but both my grandfathers had good head of hair before they passed on.

i've been on the Minoxidil / Azelaic acid mix for over 6 years and on the Finasteride for about 2 and although i've lost hair since i started, i think its slowed down.

After discussions with Gillenator I'm thinking of around 3000 grafts up top and saving another 3000 for a later date - perhaps if I shift from Norwood 6 to 7. I'd really love to hear from anyone who may have been in a similar position though and have attached a picture.

many thanks

P[IMG][/IMG]

People here are making semi-reasonable suggestions.

But for me (this is my own opinion, not professional advice) at a Norwood 6 contemplating a potential 7, I wouldnt even take an anti-angrogen pharmaceutical anymore.

I would just shave my head and go on. As a 40-year old man it would be age appropriate to be bald, which is worth noting.

I am 32 and 5-years stabilized with Finasteride at a Norwood 2.5 and if that were not the case id completely abandon ship instead of fighting an uphill battle.

Everyone will have their own opinion on this, and I believe they are entitled to it.

[HTsoon]

People here are making semi-reasonable suggestions.

But for me (this is my own opinion, not professional advice) at a Norwood 6 contemplating a potential 7, I wouldnt even take an anti-angrogen pharmaceutical anymore.

I would just shave my head and go on. As a 40-year old man it would be age appropriate to be bald, which is worth noting.

I am 32 and 5-years stabilized with Finasteride at a Norwood 2.5 and if that were not the case id completely abandon ship instead of fighting an uphill battle.

Everyone will have their own opinion on this, and I believe they are entitled to it.

I agree taking finasteride and or any 5AR inhibitor as a norwood 6 has higher risk with less reward, even if the chance of getting PFS is 0.2% would that be worth it to save a couple of miniaturized hairs on your bald head? absolutely not. However, I will say this everyones goals and expectations are different, your goal may be to have a teenage head of hair, whilst a norwood 6 simply wants to be less bald, also you mentioned shaving your head, if a norwood 6 were to get FUE and get a hairline done and SMP to the FUE scars and shave his head this would significantly improve his look then just shaving his head.

[Driver]

Yes NW6 can totally have a good response, but you should concentrate on the front and top with a mature hairline. Do not worry about the back much as it will suck up grafts. Be realistic and you can look great.

[tedwuji]

Yes NW6 can totally have a good response, but you should concentrate on the front and top with a mature hairline. Do not worry about the back much as it will suck up grafts. Be realistic and you can look great.

This choice in treatment path would be reasonable assuming you are comfortable with the bald spot in the vertex with no option to buzz.

The intact hairline with isolated crown loss does occur in nature but is less common as the hairline is typically first to go, as depicted in the Norwood medical diagram.