New here - advice & thoughts please

[25 going on 65]

Wow, I've heard good things about Nanogen but the idea that it would continue working for someone beyond a NW4 blows my mind. Seems like a really impressive product.
Anyway, I'm sorry to hear about your story, but you're in good company here. Most of us have felt the same loss of self-confidence and the same depressing thoughts because of hair loss.

If you're really a NW6, I imagine the success of a transplant would be pretty limited, as others here have mentioned. I've seen maybe a handful of cases where NW6 guys get decent results because they have a ton of donor hair. I would definitely get more than just one doctor's opinion though. And to be honest, not taking any meds to stop further loss may increase the risk of a transplant looking worse down the road.

Tracy's idea of a hair replacement system is worth considering, but I know it could be awkward to be around family and friends with a suddenly full head of hair and having to deal with all the questions. But the cosmetic results can't be beat if you go for quality.
Seeing how you look with a real short shave is also worth considering, but I'm guessing you don't like that look if you're here. For what it's worth, it seems to look best on bigger more athletic guys, which sounds like you.

If you upload some pictures of your scalp we might be able to give a better opinion (censor out your face).
One other thought: I do not understand why you couldn't use a concealer on transplanted hair, unless they meant just during the healing process.

On a final, optimistic note, there is a new generation of hair loss treatments in the works that could start coming out in the next 5 years. They may include stem cell therapies, which in theory could lead to a good cosmetic result even for a NW6-7. So whatever solution you find for the short-term, it won't necessarily be the final result you have to live with for the rest of your life.