Here's what I would do if I thought I didn't have the $ for hair transplant
1. Get a 2nd job delivering pizza, Starbucks, avg. about $10 an hour (with tips).
2. Trade in a car that I had a note on and drive a 4 cyl. clunker that was paid for. (99 accord, 133k miles, 32mpg)
3. Quit smoking cigarettes/drinking booze (don't do either so easier said than done.)
4. Stop eating out, eat home cooked meals
5. Buy a treadmill, free weights and cancel gym membership (did this, $600 yr. saved)
6. Sell anything I didn't absolutely need on eBay, amazing what ppl will spend on your junk.
7. Get credit card w/ 0 interest for first 12 months, payoff as much as I could, if by 11th month not paid off, do the same thing, switch balance, cancel previous card.
Now to reply to the topic. Not that i'd take advice from a 23 year old to begin with, but I've had 3 hair transplant's, i'm 32, and it has been the best thing I have ever done for myself. To me hair transplant is no different than braces. You go in, your grill is a mess, few years of wires on your choppers, a retainer next few years, result straight teeth. Some people only need braces a year, some need 5, extractions, a permanent retainer, etc... depends on the severity. hair transplant, no different. some need 1, others need 4, but to say it's a losing battle is extremely naive in my opinion. Odds are if you took 1100 at 23, you're going to need more, and you should have waited 3-4 years in the first place.