Recommend treatment / Doc? (with pics)

[Stolli]

Heya everybody! I am 25....hairloss started around 18...this is where im at now (see pics below)...Im pretty new to all this hairloss stuff but decided that its time to fix the problem. I went and saw Dr. Paul McAndrews in Los Angeles...he quoted me 1800 grafts @ $9 a graft = 16k O.O....slightly over my price range.

can anybody recommend me a good doctor either in Los Angeles or St. Louis (i spend half the year in St louis) that doesnt charge so much (it is my understanding that typically the price is 4-5$ a graft?)?

Or any other solutuions for my type of hairloss

Any help, suggestions, opinions greatly appretiated

[deep84]

Hey Stolli
What specific procedure were you given a quote for? Are you looking to have a FUE or FUT procedure? Hasson and Wong in Vancouver are considered to be two of the better docs in the industry and I believe charge $5 a graft for the first 2000 and $3 a graft thereafter. If time permits, it would be worth going out there for a consultation.
Are you currently on a Finasteride regimen?

[Stolli]

I -think- it was FUE but im not 100% certian - I have just recently started taking Fin + rogain ...I am currently in law school and cant really take the time to travel to vancouver its really gotta be either in california or st. louis:/

[chrisis]

If you're not prepared to travel yet, then you're not prepared for surgery. Location should not limit you. This is a decision that you will live with for the rest of your life.

My advice: slow down, research, and adjust your priorities. Location should be near the bottom.

[deep84]

I -think- it was FUE but im not 100% certian - I have just recently started taking Fin + rogain ...I am currently in law school and cant really take the time to travel to vancouver its really gotta be either in california or st. louis:/

I want to emphasize how important it is for you to be patient, do research, and really know the pros and cons of not only getting a hair transplant, but also among the different procedures. I had my first procedure (FUE) done about 4 years ago at the age of 24. I wasn't very educated on the industry, the procedure, the doctors. Sadly enough, and all too common, the whole process turned out to be a very bad experience for me. It left me with a hole in my wallet, a procedure that yielded only about 25% growth, and neglect from a very selfish and unethical doctor. I am now considering going FUT for my second procedure and only as of recent have started taking finasteride as it was never recommended, let alone even mentioned to me by my doctor 4 years ago. You are taking a step in the right direction by being on a fin and rogaine regimen. With your scale of hairloss and the fact that you are considering a hair transplant, it is very important that you give fin a try. I can't really recommend a specific doctor to you in the area but I can tell you that it's very much worth getting a few opinions. Get a general idea of donor density, what each doctor recommends as far as the hair line goes, and of course dealing with your future hairloss and non transplanted areas. Although price is a huge factor in all of this, don't let it be the most important when it comes to such a permanent and visibly lifelong procedure. Use this forum to your advantage and do as much research as you can before you make a concrete decision.

Good Luck

[Tracy C]

Hi Stolli,

You have a lot of loss. Depending on what your expectations are, it could take more than a few large sessions to get you where you want to be. It would be in your best interest to spend the next couple of years treating it with the two FDA approved medications to make sure you can arrest further loss and possibly grow some of what you've lost back.

If you haven't already done so, it would be a good idea to change out your regular shampoo and conditioner for sulfate free shampoo and conditioner. It would also be a good idea to wash your hair with Nizoral A-D shampoo once or twice per week, but not more often than that.

[Stolli]

Thanks for the replys guys! I am still doing research and plan to be well versed in all of this prior to surgery. Although i know location should not constrict me...i dont have a choice in this matter...

[Tracy C]

I am still doing research and plan to be well versed in all of this prior to surgery.

I'm glad to hear that. Make sure you learn how to tell the difference between BS and actual legitimate information. There is a lot of BS to fight through, especially on the internet. You are doing the right thing by postponing surgery until you are completely comfortable with your decision.

[Stolli]

are there any particular resources you would recommend to learn more?

Also, i ran into "the coalition of independent hair restoration physicians" on the hair transplant network. Are these all reliable doctors? Is this a credible source for good recommendations?

[Delphi]

are there any particular resources you would recommend to learn more?

Also, i ran into "the coalition of independent hair restoration physicians" on the hair transplant network. Are these all reliable doctors? Is this a credible source for good recommendations?

I had a very bad experience on the hair transplant network. Basically it’s a hair transplant sales site and they sell hair loss products also. Since it purely a sales site you should not trust the posters on there. Most of them are shills or they work for the site. There job is to generate leads for these doctors, so telling you not to have surgery or to wait is not well received on that site. You will see a lot of IAHRS members who advertise on that site so many of the doctors are good, but if they are not in the IAHRS you should stay clear!. There have been reports that when you join you’ll get PMs trying to sell you surgery if you ask certain questions so be careful. That is an extremely unethical website so listen to the people here with experience and do your own leg work.

[Tracy C]

are there any particular resources you would recommend to learn more?

Your two best resources are the American Hair Loss Association (AHLA) and the International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons (IAHRS). These are non-profit patient advocacy organizations. The Bald Truth is part of both.

http://www.americanhairloss.org/

http://www.iahrs.org/

[greatjob!]

I had a very bad experience on the hair transplant network. Basically it’s a hair transplant sales site and they sell hair loss products also. Since it purely a sales site you should not trust the posters on there. Most of them are shills or they work for the site. There job is to generate leads for these doctors, so telling you not to have surgery or to wait is not well received on that site. You will see a lot of IAHRS members who advertise on that site so many of the doctors are good, but if they are not in the IAHRS you should stay clear!. There have been reports that when you join you’ll get PMs trying to sell you surgery if you ask certain questions so be careful. That is an extremely unethical website so listen to the people here with experience and do your own leg work.

While I agree that it is kind of shady that that site makes money selling products and the doctors are paying to be part of the site, I have to say that the doctors that are members of that website are the cream of the crop. There are far more butchers that are members of the IAHRS than are members of that site. I personally would only trust my head to a handful of seurgons and none of them are in California. If you can drop the money on the procedure, and can allow the proper amount of time to recover there is no reason that you can't travel. My short list in no paticular order would be Rahal, Hasson & Wong, the Shapiro bros, Feller, possibly a few others i'm forgetting. If you're going to get a hair transplant you might as well get it done by the best doctors in the field. Cost is pretty much the same across the board and they all offer travel reimbursement. Also imo you are going to need more than 1800 grafts to be happy with your results. Even if you don't go to one of the doctors I mentioned, I believe they all do online consultations and I would recommend you at least get their perfessional opinions. The more information you have the better your end results will be.

[Tracy C]

Also imo you are going to need more than 1800 grafts to be happy with your results.

Though I do not know what the OP's expectations are, I have to agree. 1,800 grafts is not going to do much at all for a person with his degree of loss.

[Stolli]

thanks for the responses guys! that number came from Dr. McAndrews....

[Tracy C]

thanks for the responses guys! that number came from Dr. McAndrews....

That may be the most the doctor will do in one session for one set price. Remember FUE is a lot more expensive than FUT.

1,800 grafts can do a lot for some guys who have less loss than you, but for someone with as much loss as you have, one session of 1,800 grafts is not going to make much difference. If you respond well to the medications and grow some hair back, 1,800 grafts might get you closer to where you want to be.

Take the time to try to grow back as much as you can if you can and make sure you are clear on your expectations.