My Hair Doctor Told Me To Wait For Transplant

Hi Dr. Rassman,

I’m a 22 year old male. In the last two years I’ve noticed more hair falling out in the shower and if I run my hands through my hair, as well as a decrease in volume and more visible scalp. Although others haven’t said the same, I feel like I know my hair pretty well. I have mild temporal and frontal recession, a widow’s peak that was never there before, but most worryingly I noticed that individual hairs falling out are much thinner.

I saw a transplant/hair loss doctor and he took global photographs, but told me I have to wait. He said my small recession is just called ‘sculpting’ and that looking at my head you can’t see any pattern of loss.

My question: Why do I have to wait until its clear I’m losing my hair visibly to take action? My father has lost some of his hair (class III?), my mother has pretty severe hair loss, and one of my uncles as well (father’s side).

You always refer to miniturization, and I understand this process, but the doctor made no mention of mapping it in my case. Does every good hair doctor map for miniaturization? Is it right to pursue in my case?

What should I do?

Please respond, my hair is my confidence!

Thanks and all the best

Good measurements are the heart and soul of good science. That is why I map out the scalp in all of my patients. I generally do not like to transplant a 22 year old, but if you are in the early balding process you do need your scalp mapped out for miniaturization to understand what is happening to you. The science of measurement (metrics) is the back bone to diagnosis in your case. Where are you now with regard to miniaturization and where will you be in a year? If your hair is miniaturizing, why are not not taking Propecia? You need to have some good solid measurements to define where you are and where you are going. Then, with those good measurements over time, it will be easy to answer your questions. Please remember that what you do now will impact you for the rest of your life, so timing is critical.