If you count the number of hairs in this follicular unit, you can see 4 hairs exiting at the skin edge, but the anagen hair just starting to grow has not reached the skin yet so there are at least 5 hairs in this follicular unit. This is why it is so important to use a high powered microscope to evaluate the ‘grafts’ when a hair transplant is done. We don’t want to waste any hairs, regardless of how small they appear because these tiny hairs will eventually grow up and be a full ‘terminal hairs’.
This man had early growth all within 3 months using microneedling with a dermaroller, finasteride and minoxidil. Give it more time and better results will almost certainly occur.
Two things should be evident when you look at this photo. (1) the scar from the hair transplant (easily taken care of with scalp micropigmentation, see here: https://scalpmicropigmentation.com/gallery/scar-covering/#!https://scalpmicropigmentation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/scalp_micropigmentation-new_hair_institute-146-scalp_scars.jpg and (2) the Island of Hair surrounded by the balding that occurred after he had his hair transplant (easily fixed with another hair transplant). The surgeon and the patient didn’t recognize that he was going to develop a Class 7 pattern at the time of his original hair transplant. I hope that the patient was aware that hair loss is progressive and that this progression is a real risk for this type of hair transplant in advanced pattern balding men. Fortunately, it looks like he has enough hair to fix this problem.
Biofibers, a type of artificial hair that is inserted deep into the scalp, causes long term infections that are common. These have been banned in most countries in the world. I hope that this reaches people who are considering this type of treatment and learn from this post not to do it.
This is the second time I have seen this type of SMP done on the head and I suspect that maybe these men actually want to look like this. This is not in my playbook.
I have been taking minoxidil 5% on my hairline for 1 year and I wanted to ask you if you think that adding finasteride will help grow more hair?
Adding finasteride will only add potentially more benefit. What you already got from minoxidil over one year is remarkable and unusual.
Very nice results from just using minoxidil plus microneedling. The corner hairline was the focus and the arrow shows his starting point
M/18 – I´ve been experiencing hairloss(receding hairline) since I was 16. I wanted to know if it’s possible to obtain finasteride without a prescription via some website. And if it is, can you link me to some legit and reputable ones?
A good doctor adds value like if you have side effects, can follow your progress with tests like the HAIRCHECK test ( https://baldingblog.com/haircheck-test-how-it-is-done-video/ ) so you will know if you are getting better or not.
Wasn’t sure if this was discussed at all. I know everyone’s response to treatment is different so let’s speak hypothetically here. In this scenario this hypothetical person will be one of the people who will have regrowth on finasteride. This will be the same person in 2 timelines.
Timeline 1: A man is balding for 10 years, sees he is now a Norwood 4 and decides to take finasteride.
Timeline 2: A man is balding for 5 years, sees he is now a Norwood 2 vertex and decides to take finasteride.
Would he take twice as long (or significantly longer) to see any regrowth in timeline 1 vs timeline 2? Or would he see the regrowth happening in the same amount of time in both timelines?
The timelines you are suggesting is not what we generally see. Your age and your genetics often determines the rate of change in your balding pattern and your response to medications.
I’ve been on Fin for 2 years, Rogaine for 6 years, and dermarolling for the past 4 months. Also been using Nizoral shampoo for like 3 years. Talked with 3 different reputable hair transplant doctors and they all said I am too young (24 yrs old) for transplant and that my hairloss seems pretty aggressive. I have diffuse hairloss and was told that my donor reserves are somewhat limited. With the current pattern I will probably end up as NW6/7. I feel like Fin/Rogaine had slowed it down a bit but it seems to be less effective then it use to be and my hairloss is starting to accelerate again. I’ve been thinking about doing PRP now. Any other things worth trying assuming money is not an issue? One of the hair transplant doctors recommended I switch from Rogaine foam to liquid since it absorbs slightly better. I’ve been on it for a couple weeks now and have had major dandruff. Hoping it will clear in a couple weeks otherwise I will switch back to foam.
P.S. I’m not looking for a surgeon to say yes. I talked with some of the best surgeons in the game, and they all said no, so i’m going to take their word for it. I will not go to some shady place to have a hair transplant.
I wrote a paper a bit over a year ago suggesting that when combining FUE (of FUT) with Scalp Micropigmentation, almost anyone can have a hair transplant (https://newhair.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Combining_Follicular_Unit_Extraction_and_Scalp.98621.pdf). A try to teach here that everyone needs a Personalized Master Plan for their hair loss and that includes a hair transplant when appropriate. Although I tend to delay hair transplants on 24 year old men, to at least 25 or 26, if the balding pattern is clearly evident, I have often transplanted someone of your age provided that the man is (1) mature, (2) realistic, (3) has realistic expectations which I help set and (4) they have the financial means to complete what they started.
Hair direction after any hair transplant (FUE or FUT) is controlled by the surgeon. Sometimes the surgeon doesn’t put the graft in the correct position and when that happens the hair grows as he planted it (wrongly if he put them in that way). I see this more commonly that one would think because not all doctors who do hair transplants really understand this very simple process.
I’m 31 years old. Last year people really started to notice my hair loss… I recently discovered FUE. I expect my hairline to further recede as I age. What age should I wait to – if I should wait – to start to seriously consider FUE (or similar measures)?
Hair transplants come in two flavors (1) FUE where the surgeon uses a punch like instrument to remove single follicular units ‘one at a time’ ( https://baldingblog.com/class-23-patient-just-5-days-after-fue-procedure-with-photos/ ), this is the surgery I pioneered worldwide, and (2) the strip surgery (often called FUT) where the surgeon removes a strip of scalp and they sews it closed. Both cause scarring, the FUE causes very small punctate scars and the strip surgery causes linear scars (usually just a fine line but sometimes these will stretch). You should ask yuour surgeon to allow you to meet some of their patients (we hold open house events monthly where former patients come in to discuss their experience and show off their work). At 31, you can do either type of hair transplant, just find a good surgeon. We offer Reddit readers 5% off plus we offer travel reimbursement programs for out-of-town patients.
I currently have a full head of hair, but have noticed that my hairline continues to recede into a widow’s peak. I’m becoming increasingly self-conscious of this and recently bought rogaine to see if that will help. Has anyone here used rogaine for a similar problem and did it work? I read the warnings on the Rogaine box and it made me a little hesitant to use the product since my hair loss isn’t on the crown of my head nor do I understand why I’m losing hair (other than the fact that my maternal grandfather was bald).
The appearance of a widows peak indicates that your hairline has only receded about half way to a mature hairline. I wrote the book on this here: https://newhair.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/phenotype-article-published.pdf Send me your photos if you like to info@newhair.com.
I’m on finasteride, but if he’s a Norwood 7 then I will never be able to get my hair back via a hair transplant so I would need something better then a hair transplant.
I keep focusing on the Personalized Master Plan which is geared to keep hair on your head no matter what. That can happen with almost anyone, but you have to get a good, reliable, honest doctor who you can trust to build the plan for you. There have been very few men that I could not achieve this goal with.