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

Written by Brandon Ross, MD on April 29, 2008

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.
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Without actually evaluating your scalp, I can only speak in generalities with regard to your treatment. First of all, you are young and it sounds like you are doing the right thing by taking Propecia. You definitely want to minimize any further loss.

Medications are highly unlikely to regrow the hair located at or near your hairline. Therefore, your only means to restore that region with live hair is by a hair transplant. Since it sounds like you have gotten your hair loss stabilized with Propecia, I don’t feel like your age should be a
deciding factor on whether or not you pursue surgical hair restoration.

Unfortunately, I can’t make a determination as to whether or not I would recommend such a treatment in your case without a proper evaluation. I can tell you that the range of 800 to 1200 grafts recommended by two different offices is within reason. Some of the variables which could account for this discrepancy are:

1) Differences in the recommended hairline (i.e. one office was going
to lower it a few millimeters further than the other).
2) Differences in how far back the grafts were to be placed.
3) Differences in the relative density of graft placement (i.e. one
office grafts at 30/cm, while the other grafts at 40/cm).
4) Differences in the size of the grafts (i.e. one office does
follicular unit grafts, while the other performs larger grafts).

At this point, I think your best option is to continue gathering information. Seek a 3rd, 4th, or even a 5th opinion. The more information you can gain, the better decision you will be able to make. Good luck!

Brandon Ross, MD
Member, International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons
Member, American Hair Loss Association