24 Years Old With Frontal Hair Loss Only, Is a Hair Transplant Right For Me?

I’m 24 years old and have been considering having a hair transplant for the past three years. I have made a few appointments to meet with doctors but I’m not sure who to believe. My first consultation was with Medical Hair Restoration. They told me that I was in fact a very good candidate for a hair transplant and that I would need 1200 grafts placed in my frontal hair line. Then I went to see Dr. Sword and he told me that I would need 800 grafts.

After doing a lot of research on the internet it seems that 800 to 1200 grafts won’t make much of an impact. Just to give you some information about myself, I was assessed as a Norwood II with above average donor hair. I have no thinning anywhere else but my hair line, and I have been taking Propecia since I was 21 with very good results. I just want to tighten up my hair line. I’ve also read that a person with my minimal amount of hair loss should not have a hair transplant since it could make me lose some of the hair that I have. If this is true why would Dr. Sword and the other person recommend that I have surgery. I guess I’m just a bit confused. Thank you for your help in this matter. Read more

Receding Hairline at 22 - Am I a Candidate For a Hair Transplant?

I am 22 years old and I have a receding hairline. My father started thinning in the front in his early 50’s and has a pretty decent head of hear. My mom’s father and brothers only experience a receding hairline and never had any hair loss in the crown area. I have very thick hair but the front has receded, am I a candidate for hair restoration?
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This is an excellent question. Whether to perform a hair transplant on a young man is a very controversial area among hair transplant specialists. My approach to this situation is based on the following considerations:

1. Hair loss when you are young (e.g. early 20’s) can be especially difficult because this is the time of life when you are typically entering the job world and actively dating. Hair loss can have a significant effect on self confidence and self esteem.

2. Hair loss due to male pattern baldness is a life long progressive condition. Any treatment plan has to be based on this fact. Having a strong family history of extensive baldness in one or both sides of the family makes it more likely you will experience the same fate. This makes a hair transplant more risky. Read more

How Young Is Too Young To Have A Hair Transplant?

How young is too young to have a hair transplant? I am currently 20 years old and have lost about 40% of my hair. I just began taking Propecia which seems to be working for me so I was wondering if it were possible for me to have a hair transplant to fill in what I have lost these past 3 years?
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This is a really sensitive topic and a difficult decision to make, with very differing doctor’s opinions. The easiest and most ethical decision for the physician to make is not to treat a young patient at all. However this decision will not relieve the young patient from his suffering due to his early hair loss. In determining whether to treat or not to treat a young patient, it is important to know if he is not traumatized too much by his hair loss. This could possibly manifest in a lack of self-confidence, in social withdrawal or sometimes even in suicidal thoughts. Young men suffering from Alopecia Androgenetica are usually estimated to be much older and are also considered to be less attractive by society. Even professionally, people are judged by their appearances for a large part. Some men can deal easily with their hair loss others cannot and search for an enduring solution. I attempt to offer people who consult me the possibility to feel better about themselves. Of course I would first consider if a medicinal therapy would be an appropriate treatment for the patient. Using a medicinal therapy such as Finasteride (Propecia®) or Minoxidil (Rogaine®) could diminish further hair loss and could buy time for patients with a severe form of MPB. Read more

15 Year Old Son Is Losing His Hair, Need Help - Can He Get a Hair Transplant?

My 15 year old son has been losing hair in the shower and when he combs his hair. He feels his hair is thinning and is worried about it. We are also very concerned because he had surgery on his head when he was an infant which left a very large scar and also left his skill asymmetrical which has always been covered by hair. We are interested in finding a physician to help his hair loss and see if it is possible to have hair transplanted onto his scar. Does it sound like he would be able to have a hair transplant? What could be causing his hair loss at such a young age? Please help we need a Christmas miracle.

Your son’s situation is quite complex and needs to be carefully analyzed. Although he may be an excellent candidate for surgical hair restoration, surgical intervention can lead to a variety of problems later in life if he develops a more extensive balding pattern than what is being predicted at this time.

First off, follicular-unit grafts seem to grow quite well in many scars. Follicular-unit restoration has proven to be a very successful technique for camouflaging the adverse cosmetic appearance of scalp and facial scars. I tend to favor a much more conservative approach when placing grafts in scar tissue. Scar tissue has a significantly reduced blood supply compared to intact skin. A compromised blood supply can adversely affect healing and graft regrowth. Read more