1.) What made you decide to have your hair transplanted?
There were many factors which led to my decision to have a hair transplant. My hair loss initially started in the vertex area (the classic bald spot) when I was about 22 years old. My immediate reaction was not to have a hair transplant. I tried almost anything and everything to stop the thinning process and regrow my hair. In retrospect, my lack of consistency with any of the most common methods, primarily the FDA approved methods (Propecia and Rogaine) did not give the results I was looking for. After a few years of frustration, I began to look into a permanent and guaranteed solution. This led to months of research about hair transplants. I was tired of looking older, at least when I wasn’t wearing a hat. I was tired of friends and family jokingly pointing out something that I naturally had no control over. Also, at 25, I was tryingto break into acting and modeling. I was able to hide my hair loss with styling techniques but walked away after two years due to various reasons. My intention is to now return to acting, and I intend on looking better than I ever have and that includes having a full head of hair. So call it vanity or insecurity, but it is honestly what drove me to have the transplant.
2.) What was important to you in choosing a hair transplant clinic?
This is an easy one. I believe there are important questions to ask one’s self when it comes to choosing a transplant clinic. I thought about travel. How close is a quality, dependable clinic to me? I thought about cost. However, I also realize that when it comes to something this important to me, you get what you pay for. This is no time to take the cheapest route. I wanted a clinic which specialized in hair transplants. It had to be ALL they do. I wanted to have the most possible hairs transplanted in one procedure. I wanted results, and natural looking results at that. Lastly, I wanted a clinic where they care as much about my hair loss and potential results as I do.
3.) Did you have any pain or discomfort?
During the procedure, the only discomfort came with initial local anesthetic, which was just a quick pinch. After that, there was absolutely no discomfort during the procedure. I will say that it wasn’t the most comfortable sleeping upright, or slightly reclined, with a travel pillow or towel under my neck for a few days. But it certainly wasn’t intolerable by any stretch of the imagination.
4.) Tell us about the areas that were bothering you.
The area that bothered me the most was my bald spot on the back/top of my head. It seemed as though every time I looked in the mirror, it got bigger. I knew it was getting really bad when I could tilt my head slightly forward and see it on top of my head. Later, a secondary area of concern became my hairline. It was slightly receding, and unevenly at that. One side was receding further back, while the other was receding further up. I never had a low hair line to begin with, but wanted some sense of an even, uniform look across the top of the forehead.
5.) Did you have any comments from friends or family about your hair loss and if so, can you tell the story about that?
I could write a book if I were to tell every story or instance when someone commented or made a corny joke about my hair loss. However, there are a couple of stories which stand out in my mind. A few months before my transplant, after I went in for my consultation at PAI, my wife and I stopped to eat on the way home. I ran into an old friend I used to play basketball with. I hadn’t seen him in about 4 or 5 years. As soon as we were finished catching up, I turned back to my wife. Just a few seconds later, my friend bluntly asked “Man you’re getting a little short on top aren’t you?” I turned back to him, laughed, and made some joke about not getting any younger.
Another story comes from a comment a family member made. Kids are probably the most brutally honest individuals on the planet. My nephew, who completely adores spending time with his uncle was four years old at the time. So this was about a year ago. He was talking to his mom and grandma about how he wants to be like me. This would have been a little moreflattering if it had stopped there. But, continuing on as innocently as he could, he then said “but I still need a circle on my head”. Yes, this was referring to my bald spot. We all got a good laugh, but it hit home pretty hard as well.
6.) Anything else?
Only a small bit of advice to anyone who may be considering a transplant. It has only been a month since my procedure, so I haven’t experienced any regrowth yet. However, I feel very confident about the potential results of the procedure. My advice is to not let anyone else make the decision for you. Most everyone who told me my thinning hair wasn’t a big deal, usually had a full head of hair. If it’s something you decide to do, don’t let anyone try to make you think otherwise on that decision. Do you’re research, go for a visit, and decide. For what it’s worth, I could not be happier with having it done, and with everyone at PAI for all they have done so far.
