Hair transplant diary (ongoing)

Thanks for the update,

Do you know what fu per cm2 your donor was to be considered below average? I ask as my donor was below average too (at 55fu per cm2 at the sides and 70fu per cm2 at the back) my hair is also very thin in calibre so not great donor at all.The Dr managed to get 2983 grafts safely and will be going for another after Christmas where I'll be getting between 2k and 3k,that will be me absolutely maxed out though! Both in terms of grafts and cash 😆

I think it's a good sign that Dr Nel is able to offer FUT as an option (for example no hair mill in Turkey can do this) but I think he loses points for (as far as I can see) not creating a sworl pattern for your crown.

Just to be clear most places dont/can't do this and most people wouldn't notice only ht nerds!

I don't understand how hair transplant surgeons don't have a kind of database with examples of full headed men and how their hair grows/patterns around their head, so they could easily refer to it to be able to know how to achieve more natural results. The temples as well for example, very few surgeons can do them to look natural, even though it should be fairly easy for them to get examples of the directions that the hair should be implanted to achieve a natural appearance. At this stage it's clear that the actual process of transplanting hair is fairly refined for many surgeons, but they really should be cooperating in this regard to refine the actual end results to be natural looking - instead you still have even highly regarded surgeons still seemingly ignorant on how to achieve natural growth patterns

Hi, I've been reading through this thread and considering hair transplant myself. Thanks for all the info its very useful.

I'm a 47 yr old M, mostly thinning on top and around my crown. I like to keep my hair short so FUE would be more suitable than FUT for me.

Can anyone recommend somewhere/someone in Dublin and give me an indication of rough prices and also if you were going abroad where/ who would you go to?

Would you recommend going abroad than using someone in Dublin. based on quality of result rather than cost?

Quality of result is very much more important for me than the cost of procedure.

Thanks

Anyone found it hard to find a place stocking Proscar or am I just unlucky with the pharmacy I enquired with?

I have been getting targeted by adds from them…

Yes, they have high resolution photos on their website but I don't know if these are genuine costumers who directly had the surgery from them in Ireland.

bump... where ye getting Proscar? Local pharmacies don't stock it any longer

OR

What other version of Finasteride are y'all taking?

Interesting how no-one else here is on Fin, are you just using Minoxidil then?

I was in Dr Nel's recently and it appears that Proscar (which is now made by Organon) should be back on the shelves although most pharmacies aren't aware it exists since the new company took over! I think if we get them to check the computer it should pop up in the inventory they can order in now.

I asked him precisely why the Organon version of Proscar is the one he recommends (over other generic Finasteride or even the Proscar with a different-coloured label) and he put it down simply to quality control. He claimed that other manufacturers just don't put in the same quantity of active ingredient per tablet, or perhaps it isn't as evenly distributed throughout so that you may not get the same quantity of ingredient per quarter.

Interesting.. not sure how true that is though, I doubt all the other companies have dire quality control.

Also he told me that 1/8 of a tablet is sufficient rather than 1/4 on Mon, Wed, Fri. He just advises on the 1/4 as it's easier to cut, but all that's required are 1/8ths on Mon, Wed, Fri.

Again this is news to me, but there you go... we can in theory get twice the amount of time per box if you're willing to split the quarter into eighths, and only need to renew the prescription every 18 months.

Why does Dr Nel prescribe Fin/Min for only 8 months? Its a bit of a pain having to go up every 8 months. You'd think once a year would be sufficient?

What's peoples opinion of the fin+minoxidil spray offered by SONS.co.uk and few other places? None of their Irish websites seem to sell it, UK only.

Are you getting Min from Laya? I tried via VHI a few weeks ago and they wouldn't prescribe it to me.

Haven't yet tried.. I'm going to contact them about the Proscar prescription first... I got my Minox renewed at Dr Nel's there last week so that's next year sorted

https://www.careoncall.ie/hair-loss

I think you need to be with Laya.. will try it tomorrow and see (Dr Nel also confirmed to me that this is the same Proscar that he would prescribe). I'll ask if they can throw in Minox too.

Actually I compared the wording with that on webdoctor and it seems to be the same?

https://app.webdoctor.ie/hair-loss

Same €25 price too ... maybe the Laya one is just using the same service

Ah that's one of the side-effects ;)

Seriously though, maybe it's possible to get a standard GP to prescribe if you can show them the previous box?

You could point them to this article

https://www.aad.org/dw/dw-insights-and-inquiries/archive/2022/low-dose-oral-minoxidil-alopecia

Note that no-one actually knows why minoxidil works... another revelatory anecdote I picked up from my recent appointment (and also mentioned in that article)

October? So you've been using Minox for one month? For the majority of Minox users it takes 3-6 months for noticeable results.

Once you reach 9 months and haven't noticed any improvement, then unfortunately, you, like roughly 20-30% of the male population, are a Minoxidil non/low responder and you are wasting your time and money using it.