I’m Mostly Bald In the Front — Am I Still at Risk of Shock Loss?

Dear Dr Rassman

Recently you replied to a young man who had a transplant with you that:

“More importantly, having surgery too early may actually accelerate hair loss and you may end up with negative (worse off) results”

Were you referring to shock loss? I am 26, and also considering FUE surgery, but in the front of my head where it is actually bald now. I was told that I am not in much risk of shock loss because of this, and that transplanted hairs will not be in between existing ones. Would you agree?

I dont want to make my hair loss worse, is there a chance of this even though I will not be going near my existing hair (which is actually quite full). Thank you for your time.

Any 26 year old is at risk for shock hair loss after transplantation. Propecia (finasteride 1mg) is your best protection against it. What you already lost may be permanent, but the remaining hairs and all of the miniaturized hairs that are still present could be lost. What did the mapping of your scalp for miniaturization show? That will define the hairs at risk. Even in areas where your ‘eye’ says it is full, there still might have 50% miniaturization in which these miniaturized hairs could fall out. You need to know the answer to mapping question for a fully informed patient.