Is it advisable to use a great portion of your donor area to create a really dense fontal area and then wear a hairpiece behind it? It would seem better than a relatively sparce whole head transplant??
If you are willing to continue using a hair piece, then this is an excellent way to go. I have done this many times so that the people who have ‘obvious’ hair pieces can be closer to completely undetectable.
My family and I need to know an approx. cost because we have a ten month old and we are trying for our 2nd child. Any kind of approx. would be greatly apprecitated. Also, how many treatments/procedures must you have? Thank you.
Generally one or two surgical treatment sessions will get most people where they want to be. The costs will relate to the amount of balding and the amount of work that has to be done. There’s no one-size-fits-all pricing solution. I would have to look at the scalp and hair to make an assessment of suitability for a hair transplant and by reviewing photos or meeting you in person, I can then make such an assessment. If you’d like to send photos (a series of images is best), please use the address on the Contact page.
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Having read a number of postings and messages concerning transplants, the question arose as to what percentage of the transplants actually survive and grow. If, say, 25% of the transplants do not grow, does a typical doctor deal with the situation by trying more transplants? Or is the patient stuck with having paid for something he did not get?
“…in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” – Benjamin Franklin, 1788
Typically, the success or growth rate of a hair transplant surgery should be in the low to mid ninety percentile, although there may be variability with different clinics. Furthermore, the success of a hair transplant surgery is dependent not only on the doctor, but also on the transplant team and technical staff. That is why the reputation of the entire medical group is just as important as the surgeon. If you feel your hair transplant was not within the acceptable range for survival or it did not meet your expectations, you should meet with your surgeon and address your concerns. On the few cases where yields were less than ideal in our hands, we offered additional transplants at no charge to the patients.
I am 33+. I have good hair almost all over my body like my tummy and my legs. but on my arms, wrists, back of hands i dont have much. On the upper parts of the chest i have very spotty hair. My beard is somewhat like a naturally thin goaty line. is there any way, product, exercise i can do to increase this hair problem. this psychological issue has made my life like a hell. my friends make fun of me and i dont have courage to be undressed with any girl.
You might have an unusual genetic pattern of hair loss. Does any member of your family have a similar pattern? It is impossible for me, over the internet, to diagnose your problem. If you are in California, come see me.
As an aside, I have not been aware of anyone doing hand or arm hair transplants.
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Dr. Rassman,
I’ve heard many different opinions regarding the appropriate age to seek out a hair transplant. I’m roughly a Norwood 2 at age 26, and my father is a Norwood 6 (age 62). I came into your LA office last year and had a miniaturization test done. The test showed I had receded at the temples, but the rest of my hair was holding strong. I’ve been using a Propecia/Rogaine combination for 5 years, since the first signs of balding appeared.
I consulted with another doctor who said I was a good candidate for an immediate transplant. He mentioned I should front load the grafts, using 2400 to fill in the temples. I know he’s a reputable doctor, but isn’t it dangerous to use 2400 grafts to fill in the temples (~1.5 inch receded)? I know the miniaturization test showed the rest of my hair is holding strong, but who really knows what the future holds, especially given my genetics.
Is it prudent to wait a little longer to have surgery? Right now, when my hair is grown out long enough, I can spike my hair in front and the recession is barely noticeable. However, I hate the way my hair looks when I first wake up in the morning or after a workout- it clumps in the middle, clearly showing the recessed temples.
My questions is, even with a miniaturization test and a consistent cocktail of hair loss drugs, when can you safely have a transplant without the risk of looking foolish 10-15 years down the road due to the overzealous use of grafts in the early phases of MPB?
Let’s look at it this way — I advised you to take Propecia and said I’d retest you a year later with another miniaturization study. I gave you the consultation at no charge. Another doctor that you met wants to immediately perform 2400 grafts on you after just meeting you. Does that sound strange to you… like maybe that other doctor is more interested in your money and less interested in your long term Master Plan?
I could have certainly told you that you’d need 2400 grafts when I met you last year, but it would not have been fair to you, nor would it have been the honorable thing to do. I would have been taking advantage of you. As you point out, if you lose much more hair and already have 2400 grafts in the front, you do run the risk of possibly looking foolish down the road (maybe a bad Master Plan). You should return for another visit with me so that you can have another miniaturization test and a reassessment of your Master Plan based upon what has changed in you since your last visit. To answer your question, I can’t say with any certainty when a good time for a transplant is without seeing you again. This is one of those questions that simply can’t be answered without an exam.
I hate to see patients taken advantage of, and I’m glad you wrote to inquire about this. This could be a case of a doctor that is preying on your insecurities and wants to line his wallet, rather than look out for your best interests. I always suggest that potential patients do plenty of research so that you know what you’re getting into. Many doctors who ‘claim’ a great reputation, promote that reputation with good PR and lot of dollars in advertising. The only protection you have is to perform good research for yourself.
Does having a vitamin D deficency cause hair loss? I’m a 26 yr. old female and I’ve been going through what the Doctors are calling TE. After all the blood work, my iron levels were just below normal, but the more alarming results were my vitamin D levels. I was wondering if you thought a vitamin D deficency could result in hair loss?
Some researchers believe that vitamin-D regulates the expression of genes. When scientists knocked out those genes in mice, the mice displayed vitamin D deficient symptoms of rickets and hair loss. Correcting vitamin-D makes sense if you believe you are deficient in vitamin-D. Check with your doctor about how to manage the process.
what do you think about the new laser hair restoration therapy? My mom works for a medical laser clinic. What type of laser are they using for hair restoration? What is the name of the laser?
Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) is not used in connection with the actual surgical procedure. There were some doctors that used lasers to actually make the surgical incisions and the results were awful. That practice was stopped quickly for the most part, but not fast enough for me. There are many LLLT systems on the market… too many to mention here.
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Hey Dr. Rassman,
I’m a 23 year-old male, and over the past two years noticed my hair slowly thinning. Initially the problem started on both the sides (a few inches above the sideburns), and then in the last year or so I noticed the top slowly losing density. However, overall my hair is still fairly good, am I hoping to at least salvage it.
A bit of background, my hair has always been pretty thick, and used to grow incredibly fast (1-2.5 inches a month), and in the last 2 years slowed down and the thinning started, however I never noticed hairs falling out. The back is fine, so after extensive reading, I had a feeling it must of been genetic DPA (I see a similar pattern in my older brother), and I’ve just started propecia. I’ve been on propecia for about 2 weeks now, and for the first time I’ve actually spotted shed hairs. Is this a sign I am responding (positively) to the drug?
Also in the last two weeks on propecia, my hair has changed texture. It is now smoother, more flexible bends easier), and feels of better quality (like when I was younger). Is this a normal occurrence? No complaints, just curious.
Is this a normal for propecia?
While this does not occur for everyone, some people report that hair goes into cycling when they start Propecia (finasteride 1mg). If this happens, it will stop at some point over the first couple of months. Hair grows out at a rate of 1/2 inch per month, so if you have been on Propecia for 2 weeks, the most you will see is the bottom 1/4 inch hair change. Just give this some time and you will know what the impact of the drug has on your hair.
It is true that the hair grown on Propecia may be stronger (thicker) and more like your normal hair in the back of your head where there is no impact of balding.
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I see that Provillus’s press release states that they are FDA approved. What is this about?
New “Miracle Cure” Hair Loss Treatment Announces FDA Approval
From HairLossWatch.com, which sells Provillus –
“The Food & Drug Administration does not have an approval process for any nutritional supplements, only prescription medications. All of Provillus’s ingredients voluntarily comply with the FDA’s GRAS safety requirements.”
In short, it contains FDA approved ingredients, but I don’t believe Provillus itself is FDA approved and I can’t find any info on the FDA site about this. The pictures and the claims for Provillus are over the top. I remain skeptical with such claims.
Remember, minoxidil is approved… finasteride is approved. Those are your FDA approved and proven drug treatment options for hair loss. If Provillus has any proven hair regrowth treatment in it, I’d assume like ScalpMed, it contained minoxidil.
More info at Google Answers.
what shampoo would you recommend to someone with male pattern baldness? also, i have been on both propecia (sexual side effects), and rogaine (did not work) and i have read, on your website, that those are the only two hair loss products you would recommend. Are you telling me that, realistically, i have no other options besides going bald or getting a hair transplant? i am only 22 and have been loosing hair at an unreal rate for the past 8 months. I saw a dr., and a dermatologist and they essentially have told me the same things I see on this website. I really need to find something before I’m completely bald.
I understand your problem. First, I might recommend that we look into your loss of libido by getting testosterone levels taken by your doctor. If your testosterone levels are low, it would explain the loss of libido. Then it should be revisited by the doctor who is managing you. Don’t give up yet, but you must realize that this is the internet, not a medical facility where I am your doctor. There’s only so much I can offer at this point. You need a good doctor to manage your situation, in-person.
