Do you know why some docs like Hasson/Wong/Rahal say they can do a 3500-4000 graft FUT procedure and charge per graft, while others say they’ll they’ll just take out a strip and transplant however many grafts they get, charging a flat rate and say that they can usually only get 2000 or so grafts in a single FUT session (assuming a second FUT session). There seem to be two camps of doctors: one aggressive, charging per graft and indicating a large number extracted from a strip, while others conservative, charging a flat rate and indicating they will probably only be able to get about 2000 at most depending on laxity.

I can’t speak for other doctors and why they do what they do. I have always charged per graft because that reflected the amount of work, the size of the staff needed and the value to the patient. Also, by estimating grafts yield, I can tell the patient what to expect and also address the donor supply that remains which can then be calculated into a Master Plan for the future balding of that surgery patient. I am big on long term strategic planning and that includes what future costs might be for my patients as the balding progresses.

It is impossible to know which of the three modalities produced such a nice reversal which seemed to have happened almost immediately after it started to get this hair length. It appears that the miniaturization reversed.

Do fin or min+fin work well for diffused thinners? Also please give advice on regimens that have worked for you if you’re a diffused thinner. I am 18 years old.

Diffuse thinning has many causes. You need a good examination by a hair doctor that understands hair loss and hair thinning.   If it is part of the genetic hair loss that you inherited, then finasteride and minoxidil are the staples of treatment.

 

I’ve noticed that my dad has had the same semi-receded hair line for like the last 15 years. It has only slightly thinned out on the top since.

We are born with a patterned hair loss (inherited from family) that we will reach and then stabilize. That is most likely why your dad’s patterned hair loss is stable. Let’s stay that he had a Norwood 4A pattern genetically programmed, that means he, most likely, will never progress further to a Norwood Class 6 or 7 pattern.

Have your patients reported to you that their life improved was improved from getting a hair transplant (E.g. Confidence, more time etc)?  I’m thinking about getting it done and I’m really worried about the first day travelling home.

Almost all of my hair transplant patient regret not doing it earlier. The average age for a hair transplant in my practice is mid-thirties. The older the man is, the more they regret not getting a hair transplant and living with balding. Almost 100% tell me hair transplants were a life changing process. I started doing large session transplants in 1991 with follicular units back then. I never did a ‘plug’ surgery

One pictures shows it all. This man is a good responder to minoxidil.

Hello doctor, I was wondering if you could help me with a conundrum I’m thinking about: I see some people start taking fin for a solid 6 months to a year, see if hair loss stabilizes, and then are advising people to take min. My derm prescribed me a compounded fin / min topical , and I’m a little worried about taking fin/ min together in case I stop just the min, and want to continue taking the fin. Would it be wise in any instance to insist on taking both at once, or would taking fin first then waiting for min always be a safe result?

Both may work better in many men (the majority of men respond to oral minoxidil but only 40% will respond to the topical form). These two drugs act differently, so taking them both gives you the best shot at addressing the hair loss