I've transitioned years ago, however my hairline is still terrible as you can see.





I'm investigating options to fix it, allowing me to put my hair up properly.

So far I've considered FUT or FUE, both of which I feel could fill in the side temples to some degree. PRP is a farce according to a number of studies. Other growth stimulants are short term ( or rather I believe they are ).

Are there other options worth considering? Regardless of procedure, I'm concerned about scarring as I need to be able to put my hair up from time to time.

I had FUT done to fix my hairline, and I've been very happy with the results.  The only scar is a line on the back of my head, the "donor site," but it's completely invisible with my long hair.  There's no scarring at the recipient area.

There was, however, a period of time after the procedure where it was obvious I'd had it done.  A lot of redness for the first couple weeks.  After that, as everything settled down and the transplanted follicles started to fall out (perfectly normal) it was easy to hide just by hair style.  New hairs started growing in around 3 months post-op, and by 6 months post-op I had no problem tying my hair back.

Make sure you go to someone who specializes in this procedure.  You want to make sure they understand things like proper density, appropriate irregularities in the hairline itself, and the fact that hairs tend to come out of the scalp at certain angles.

I'd guess you're looking at 2k to 4k follicular units, which could run $6k-$10k.

Quote from: Fdsa on August 10, 2017, 02:25:26 AM
I've transitioned years ago, however my hairline is still terrible as you can see.

I'm investigating options to fix it, allowing me to put my hair up properly.

So far I've considered FUT or FUE, both of which I feel could fill in the side temples to some degree. PRP is a farce according to a number of studies. Other growth stimulants are short term ( or rather I believe they are ).

Are there other options worth considering? Regardless of procedure, I'm concerned about scarring as I need to be able to put my hair up from time to time.

Hi,

Where are you located.   Would you travel to get the procedure done?  I've heard the most important thing is to get a  doctor with a very good reputation. 


I'm also curious about this because I would really like to do something with my thin hair on top.

Paige

Yes, I would have to travel to get it done.

And I think that you're right, it is the most important thing to find a competent surgeon. There are many options, from Thailand to India to Turkey to Canada.

What worries me about a transplant is scarring, unnatural appearance, and having to shave the donor area. Also, I like the volume of hair I have. Shifting some about worries me about future age related thinning. It's also tricky to plan time with full time life commitments.

That's why I'm looking for other options. Some miraculous treatment that I've never heard of or such that's able to wake dormant follicles, get them to a point where they can be self sufficient. Of course I know that's unlikely. Even if something similar is likely to come along in the next few years, I'll wait.

Actually there's some conflict about the viability of PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) as a treatment. To follow up, I've been reviewing research into PRP for hair restoration. Some interesting studies:

http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/18/2/408/htm

https://insights.ovid.com/pubmed?pmid=28221183

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27791311

I wonder if the negative studies I found reference to previously were funded by those with vested interests.

Relating to PRP specifically, the first study has shown the importance of PRP preparation. This is potentially a reason behind negative anecdotal consumer reviews.

Given potential promise, I'll keep reading into research on PRP. It might just be the solution I want.

Quote from: Fdsa on August 10, 2017, 06:16:48 PMWhat worries me about a transplant is scarring, unnatural appearance, and having to shave the donor area. Also, I like the volume of hair I have. Shifting some about worries me about future age related thinning. It's also tricky to plan time with full time life commitments.

With FUT (as opposed to FUE) the follicular units are harvested from a strip taken from the back of your head, so no shaving of the donor area is required; the strip is basically cut out.  There's no visible scar, assuming you keep your hair long.  I really can't tell a difference in the volume of my hair back there.  I can't even feel the scar anymore! 

The skill and artistry of the surgeon determines how natural your result will look. When follicles are transplanted at the correct angle and density, and the hairline is given irregularities, it really looks good.  And I haven't noticed any thinning, in either donor or recipient areas.

Time off -- yeah, there's nothing you can do about that. 

I am pessimistic about alternatives, though.  I rue the time I lost waiting for a better solution. 

I wouldn't waste your money with PRP. I tried it 2.5 years ago and it gave me little growth in areas that already had some coverage but it did not grow any new hair in areas where I had lost hair a long time ago (areas where there was only skin). So I didn't get any new growth in the corners which is what I was most interested in. I feel like I wasted my money.

I just had an FUT HT 4 days ago in LA. I'll give my review at the 6 month mark but for now I love my new hairline. Although the hairline is red and I have hair stubble, I can see the shape and I love it. It truly has feminized my face.

The doctor was very professional and competent. The pricing was what I expected for Beverly Hills.

I have read here that if you are not planning on doing any brow/forehead work, the HT may be sufficient to feminize the face.

I had 4000 units of FUE to my crown 18 months ago in Istanbul Turkey,  and I'm very happy with the results. It's still thin on top,  but with a bit of styling looks good enough. Cost was about £2k including flights,  and two nights accommodation. I worked from home for a week after,  then back to work. The big downside of FUE is that they shave your head [emoji853].

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In terms of new technology,  some companies are working on cloning a large number of grafts from just a few samples. They are still a long way (10+ years) from anything near ready for commercialising.

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I had FUT done back in November. 3166 Grafts on my temples. He also brought my hairline lower through transplants, rather than scalp advancement. The surgeon had a difficult time finding the scar during my 6 month checkup. I get a lot of compliments on my hair. He did an amazing job on my temples. I'm still using finasteride for my crown until I can get off T-blockers. Just to ensure that I don't have more DHT develop before SRS.

If follicles are dead, nothing is going to revive them - only transplants can help then. If the follicles are dormant, they may be reactivated sometimes. This is possible up to 10 years after they have minimized. If there are still small fuzzy hair at the site, chances are better. If the loss was unter testosterone influence (or rather DHT), but hormones have changed now, it can be that methods usually considered temporary fixes can be permanent. They are sometimes considered temporary because once the treatment stops, the androgens will again attack the hair and let them fall out again. If those are not there anymore, it may be more permanent. One option that I used for myself and a few others is progesterone. It blocks the formation of the potent androgen DHT from testosterone at the site of the follicles and thus allows them to recover. I am not sure if the systemic application (taking progesterone pills or shots) did the trick, or if it is my twice daily application of progesterone to the temples (I use progesterone gel, others use progesterone oil). However I have regained some hair in that area which was lost some years ago. It has come back mostly as fuzz, not very long, but enough to cover part of the skin there and make it look more dense. I will probably still get some transplants to make it fuller and rounder, but the P already helped a lot. Maybe I should try adding some other growth stimulants to spee dup the process.

I had about 2500 grafts in two separate procedures the last being in November last year so only 9 months. My then surgeon told me that my scalp was a "follicle wasteland". He was totally astonished when he saw me for a follow up a month or two ago. I agree it takes some time to recover and for the scalp to settle back down. It also seems to have stimulated some new natural hair growth as well.



This is where I started

I need to have my hair cut and styled again as it has been 7 months since I have had anything done 

Quote from: ElizabethK on August 20, 2017, 04:59:30 AM
I had about 2500 grafts in two separate procedures the last being in November last year so only 9 months. My then surgeon told me that my scalp was a "follicle wasteland". He was totally astonished when he saw me for a follow up a month or two ago. I agree it takes some time to recover and for the scalp to settle back down. It also seems to have stimulated some new natural hair growth as well.



This is where I started

I need to have my hair cut and styled again as it has been 7 months since I have had anything done

You look amazing! So happy for you. I just had my FUT procedure (1,800 grafts) in the hairline and temple last week.  l will post pics in a few months. If my grafts take as well as yours, I'll be one happy gal!

 I ended up with far more follicles being stimulated into new growth than I could ever have hoped for. My surgeon was really surprised by the result as was I...and very pleasantly.... As far as grafts go I didn't lose any that I know of...I am sure yours will be fine...have they started to erupt on your head yet?

Yes some follicles have begun to erupt. I only lost 1 graft that I noticed at LA Airport (in the women's loo  - as i removed my baseball cap (it wasn't snug and was loose just to cover the corners and any redness in the hairline.

I still sleep with several pillows which helped.

I was walking this morning in NYC on my way to a doctor's appointment and for the first time didn't wear a baseball cap. My natural hair which is very curly covered the crusty area.

My doctor gives different instructions than other doctors. He instructed me to wash my hair everyday with a special shampoo he gave me (only by gently patting/no fingers). I've read of other doctors who ask you to wait until Day 3 to wash your hair.

I am excited about the new growth 6 - 12 months from now!