I’m 18, male, Indian but living in Saudi Arabia (mentioning this because costs vary a lot between countries) and have curly hair.
Key health issues:
High insulin resistance: HOMA-IR 21, fasting insulin 85 μIU/mL (normal blood sugar). I was prescribed Ozempic for 3 months and have finished 2 months so far.
Overweight: currently 100 kg, down from 113 kg.
I’ve been losing a lot of hair for about 5 years. Two years ago, I did a 6-month course of topical Minoxidil, Finasteride serum, and a keratin supplement.
A few months ago I saw several doctors in Saudi Arabia, but they all just prescribed expensive Minoxidil and shampoos with barely any improvement. Now I’m in India and decided to get more opinions. I ended up seeing two hair transplant surgeons, both pushed me to get a transplant, quoting varying costs and post-transplant procedures, totaling around ₹2.5 lakh (~$2,500 USD). Then I consulted two dermatologists. They said it’s too early for a transplant, prescribed medications (Minoxidil, Finasteride, and a keratin supplement), and then strongly recommended GFC and exosome therapy — 6 sessions each, asking for roughly the same amount as the transplant doctors (₹2.5 lakh / ~$2,500 USD).
The main problem isn’t the cost but the doctors having conflicting advice. It feels like they’re trying to milk my (parents’) bank account dry. Every one of these doctors recommends me to get some procedure that they have their lab for.
I just don’t know if I should follow their advice or if they’re doing this for their monetary gain.