35 yo, should I do a FUE HT on the crown now or wait? (photos)

Question

I'm 35 and have been thinning in the crown since I was 27. The hairline is pretty decent. I'd like to do a FUE now, but considering my age, I'm worried that I'll end up chasing an evenr increasing crown and will use up all the donor hair, leaving me with an unnatural look in the end. I've decided against medication, so I assume the balding will continue. Would now be a good time for a HT, or should I wait until the balding pattern can be established with more certainty?

Gary Linkov, MD · Answer

Hair loss has many causes, including stress, medications, autoimmune, genetic, trauma, etc. Medical treatments can work and options would include finasteride (propecia), minoxidil (rogaine), PRP (platelet rich plasma), laser light therapy, and vitamins. It is often uncertain which medical therapy will help which patient and so a combination of therapies is typically recommended to maximize benefit. A hair transplant is a surgical option and is appropriate for certain conditions and individuals. 
The goal of a hair transplant is to provide fuller coverage while preserving a natural appearance. An assessment takes into account such factors as the apparent thickness and curl of your donor hairs, the color contrast between your scalp and hair, your hair loss pattern, your age, and many other factors. The state of the art technique is FUE (follicular unit extraction), performed with a hybrid blunt punch that minimizes graft transection while allowing for the use of the smallest possible punches to minimize donor site scarring while maximizing regrowth.
In your situation, getting on some maintenance treatment would be in your best interest. You can also consider PRP treatments to the crown before a hair transplant. If you do proceed to a crown hair transplant, I would recommend 1000 - 1500 FUE grafts to give you more density but to preserve your donor area for potential future procedures.
Gary Linkov, MD
Hair Specialist
Manhattan

Paul P. Daraei, MD - Account Supsended · Answer

Hi There,
FUE hair transplantation is a great option for restoring hair to the scalp. In your case, you have good donor site density and would be a good FUE candidate, particularly because you keep your hair short in the back. Determining whether now is the best time for an FUE is a great question. Although there is no perfect way to predict hair loss, you can estimate hair loss by looking at other male family members. This will give you an idea of where your hair loss will "end up." With that information, I recommend consulting with an experienced hair transplant surgeon. You can then discuss your family hair loss, as well as your current hair loss, to determine if FUEs to the crown only would lead to natural results. If you anticipate that you will keep the frontal hair, then placing grafts in the crown area may be helpful and natural. However, if you feel that you will lose hair in the front, it may be helpful to spread grafts along the frontal area to bolster the hairline, in addition to the crown, for a more natural result.
Hope that helps!

Matt Tahsini, MD · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question, I’m happy to see you are asking questions, it makes it easier to decide once you’re informed. I’m curious as to why you’re against medications, because you’re a good candidate for it. You could also go ahead with the transplant. I suggest seeing a reputable doctor and decide which is the best path for you to take. I wish you the best.Dr. T

Jeff Donovan, MD, PhD · Answer

You’re wise to think about all these things. Wise people are generally the most satisfied with the decisions they make about surgery vs waiting. There is no right or wrong decision - but there is a very high chance you’ll be pretty satisfied long term with a decision to proceed to transplant. But as you have pointed out, you might need small touch ups in the future you are correct. 
You certainly could consider low level laser and see where it takes you in a year or two and reconsider whether or not you want surgery when you reach age 37. You could also consider topical minoxidil or topical finasteride (or both) 2-3 times per week but I understand that you may have given these careful thought already.  
The reality is that if you choose your surgeon appropriately and don’t overdo the crown you’ll have lots of grafts available to touch up if needed. 1500-2000 follicular units now could give reasonable coverage (provided the surgery is successful and survival is high) and you’ll have 2000-4000 + grafts available for the future. That's alot of grafts. The crown can use up grafts quickly so one needs to think about improved coverage rather than matching the high density of your frontal areas. That, in my opinion, would be unwise, and a waste of grafts. 
I would like to re-emphasize though that you are certainly a very very good candidate for minoxidil, laser or topical finasteride with all the vellus hairs that are in your crown. Treatment even a few times per week with minoxidil, laser or topical finasteride certainly could bring about some significant benefits.

Neil Verma, HBSc, MD, FCFP - Account Suspended · Answer

At age 35 it is a good time to proceed with hair restoration surgery for the crown. The crown would require approximately 2500 grafts to repair.

35 yo, should I do a FUE HT on the crown now or wait? (photos)

Answers (7)

Answer: HT or not?

Answer: HT or not?

Answer: Crown Hair loss

Answer: Crown Hair loss

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35 yo, should I do a FUE HT on the crown now or wait? (photos)

Answers (7)

Answer: HT or not?

Answer: HT or not?

Answer: Crown Hair loss

Answer: Crown Hair loss

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about FUE Hair Transplant

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.