Hi,

I am based in Bangalore. I fall under the level 2 hair loss category ( receding M shaped hair loss at the front and thinning hair at the crown). My father is bald, he has hair only on the sides and the back of the head, so I knew that it would not be long before I also started losing hair. I am only 23 years old, so its getting on my psyche seeing this. I used to have long hair in college which friends used to say that really looked good on me. The hair loss started as soon as I passed out and got into a job( maybe it was the stress which quickened the process)

On September 19th 2009, I booked an appointment at Dr. Venkat Charmalaya Hospital at Cunningham Road, Bangalore. I was charged a consultation fee of Rs 350. I went to meet the doctor and I am not really sure of what the doctor's name is. I was not sure if the doctor was Mr. Venkatraman Mysore.

The doctor took a look at me and told me what kind of hair loss treatment I was looking for. He said

Doctor: Are you looking for a hair transplant or just retaining your current hair. You have what is described generally as the male pattern baldness.

Me: I am looking at a hair transplant, but after transplant, will the non-transplanted hair fall off?

Doctor: Ok, we charge about Rs 35 per graft and it seems you need around 1300 grafts, so it would cost you around 45000 Rs. After treatment, you would need to keep on taking medication to retain your hair.

Me: hmm..how much will the medication cost me?

Doctor: The medication will cost you around Rs 350-400 per month. I quickly calculated it to be around 4000 - 4500 per month.
Me: Will I need to take the medication for a life time?

Doctor: You would need to take it as long as you wish to retain your hair. Most people take the medication until they get married at which point they stop caring if they have hair or not. ( we both share a laugh, the reply was almost as if many people have asked him, so he had an answer prepared.)

Me: If I choose to go for the operation, when will the operation take place and for how long?

Doctor: We have a waiting period of one month, so if you schedule it now, you can be operated after a month.

Me ( after a few seconds): I will think about it and get back to you.

Doctor: Sure...speak to the receptionist about your decision. Meanwhile, the doctor took my name and gave me a prescription which consisted of Finpecia, Folliperm and a shampoo called Scalpe.

I thought it was a bit of a exaggeration by the doctor to make it seem as if getting operated at that place would have a long waiting period, indirectly meaning to say many people are going for it at their place.

Whole throughout, the doctor had an attitude of "Take It or Leave It, it dont really matter to me". I think I like that attitude because it really conveys a message of being not money-minded. This might even be the doctor's persona itself, I am not really sure.

I have been using the tablets regularly for a month and I cant really say about their results. One thing is sure that I am going for a transplant, I am expecting a price range of around 40-60k, if I am frugal for a couple of months, I think I should have enough money.

Anyway, today 31st October 2009, I am going to meet Dr. Sridhara Reddy at Pioneer Hair Clinic for his opinion as well.

Definitely definitely DO NOT GO THERE.

Do not be a fool and choose a substandard clinic that may either give you terrible scars, lost donor or horrible plugs.

We have so many doctors in the coalition by now, that you are bound to find one if not in your country, your part of the world.

Do not let distance be the deciding factor (been there, done that)

You should probably research on Dr. Mohmand Humayun and Dr. Damkerng Pathomvanich which are based in Pakistan and Thailand respectively.

__________________
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11/04-07 - 800-1600 ish grafts - danish clinic - poor results

12/02-08 - 2764 grafts - Dr. Devroye - good result but needs hairline density

03/12-10 - 1429 grafts - Dr. Mohmand - result pending

Feel free to visit my picture thread

My Hair Transplant Photos - Surgery with Dr. Devroye

Young lads below 25 unite!

I don't know who this doctor is or whether he's any good, but there's nothing contained in your summary of the conversation which raises any red flags. It's good that you're shopping around though. It's vital that you choose a doctor based on reputation rather than convenience.

__________________
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I represent Dr Rahal. I can be contacted for advice and to arrange consultations.

Dr. Rahal is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians

Sleepingphantom, it is perfectly normal for a decent doctor to have a month's (or several months') waiting period. Also, there's nothing wrong with the doctor having an attitude of "Take It or Leave It, it dont really matter to me." Believe me, you should prefer a doctor with this kind of an attitude rather than a desperate "sales-pressure" one.

IMO, you should focus more on the results achieved by the doctor. Ask for detailed pictures of his patients' before/after pictures. Also, ask him if you can meet any of his patients in person.

It is also a good idea to shop around and compare doctors. So it's good you're talking to this other doctor. Do a thorough research, and then decide as to which doctor is most likely to help you reach your goals.

Good luck!

I don't see a red flag either, i might have misread parts of it the first time, but in all honesty we have so many coalition doctors - why gamble?

__________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
11/04-07 - 800-1600 ish grafts - danish clinic - poor results

12/02-08 - 2764 grafts - Dr. Devroye - good result but needs hairline density

03/12-10 - 1429 grafts - Dr. Mohmand - result pending

Feel free to visit my picture thread

My Hair Transplant Photos - Surgery with Dr. Devroye

Young lads below 25 unite!

Not sure what this group of doctors and coalation meant !!

Indian doctors are 100 times better than the other doctors. This is the reason why USA / UK and Saudi has the top known doctors only from India. Its in Indian Blood that they excel in their field and truely skillfull and has humanity to mankind.

If a team of 10 people form a group and make a team all over the world, then it does'nt mean that this group of institutions provide better service and others are substandard.

If a doctor really got a good standard then he can easily handle his own work and excel world over. He would not need a coalation to push him forward by a brand name and do marketting.

In this world of cosmetic surgery and Hair Transplantation, it does'nt a brand name. Brands are used when individuals cannot deliver.

Mr. Manoj Khanna has any Brand ? Dr. Aravind from Hyderabad has no big brand name and doctors from delhi does 10 times good work than USA / Pakistan and Dubai without any brand name. It takes 3 months to get an appointment with those doctors. All these without any brand names

Please do not call the Indian doctors as substandard doctors. May be Dr. Venkat Raman was busy when our friend went there. And moreover Dr. Venkat Raman was doing very good work when he was young. His work was far better than other US doctors in those days.

Dr. Sreedhar Reddy Pothula (Pioneer hair Care) Bangalore - India is like god to some of my friends (including myself). He is a gem and he does toooo good work. He never compromises on the work even though if you offer him 30% extra money. And he too dont have dates now. All his Fridays/Sat and Sundays are booked till Febraury. His classic guest house for HT seekers and the hospital ambience and the imported equipment are truely world class. British / Australian and US citizens wait for HT dates with him. I have seen this personally. Dubai cases are common for him.

Dr. Manoj from Calcutta, its very hard to get an appointment. He does world class work. His dates are totally booked.

One doctor from South India called Aravind is also doing very very good work. He also dont have dates now.

So now tell me. Will the coalations work or the real work of the doctor will speak ( at the end of the day )

Prasad,
What you are saying is all bull!!.You are entitled to the way you think but i dont want anybody from india to get influenced by your talks.No doctor in india except for Dr MAdhu who has been recently recommended on this site is capable enough to carry off a good HT.Dr manoj is a breast implant specialist who does part time hair restoration surgeries.

Prasad,

If you are a patient of a particular doctor and happy with your results, great. But what do you have to gain by insulting this community and the physicians we recommend?

Whereas I can't speak on every physician in India, the physicians carefully reviewed and selected by this community to recommend have proven to meet our high standards and have an outstanding history of producing excellent results.

If you have an experience and photos to share, by all means, do so. But unless you have a legitimate concern or complaint about a particular physician recommended by our community, I advise you to shut your pie hole on things you know nothing about.

Regards,

Bill

__________________
Managing Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog and the Hair Loss Forum and Social Community

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-----

To learn about how I restored my hair, view my my hair loss website.

Remember, true beauty radiates from within, not from the skin.

I am not a medical professional and my words should not be taken as medical advice. All opinions and views shared are my own.

Prasad,

I felt compelled to reply to you again, because after researching your name, I see that you're promoting Dr. Sreedhar all over the forum. I've asked you on this thread whether or not you're just a patient or if you work for him. Since you still appear to be promoting him and now are badmouthing excellent physicians in the process, unless you prove your one of his patients, I'm going to assume you're an employee of his and not a genuine patient.

If you have a legtimate question about how we recommend physicians, feel free to ask. But we don't support posts designed strictly to unfairly malign quality physicians.

Your response is expected.

Bill

__________________
Managing Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog and the Hair Loss Forum and Social Community

Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Subscribe to our Newsletters | How We Recommend Physicians

-----

To learn about how I restored my hair, view my my hair loss website.

Remember, true beauty radiates from within, not from the skin.

I am not a medical professional and my words should not be taken as medical advice. All opinions and views shared are my own.

Respected Mr Bill

"Definitely definitely DO NOT GO THERE.
Do not be a fool and choose a substandard clinic that may either give you terrible scars, lost donor or horrible plugs."

--- by MikeTheDane

The above guy was promoting some Pakistani clinic as a agent and maligning other clinics/doctors. May be they dont like Indian doctors. But we do respect Pakistani doctors as we Indians respect good work ( who-ever does it ). Please share the snaps before promoting anyone.


"Sleepingphantom" made derogatory remarks on Dr. Mysore Venkat which are not good. Every doctor has his attitude but we cannot decide their work by judging their attitude.


"No doctor in india except for Dr MAdhu who has been recently recommended on this site is capable enough to carry off a good HT.Dr manoj is a breast implant specialist who does part time hair restoration surgeries."

--- by HaiRisWhere

This guy is promoting only Dr. Madhu and says that all other doctors are not good at all.

Please do not malign the good works done by Manoj Khanna. For the people who dont know him, let me tell you that he is the main surgeon who implanted hair for most of the indian cricket fraternity. If he does breast implant then it DOESNT MEAN that he should not perform HTs. Bill : Correct me if I am wrong.


All these comments are like agents speaking out. Why you react only "Prasad1980". I have seen some of the very informative literature hosted by him on your site.

I expect a person like you who runs this site so nicely, to be impartial and start looking at the work done by each of the doctor. If you react with such language, we get a feel that this site is also a business portal. Please take your words back and we do respect your dignity.

I have also seen that you are promoting the work from Dr. Madhu. Can you please share the work done by Dr. Madhu so that we also beleive your words and appreciate his work ( if genuine ).

For your information:
I am not an agent. So please reply to my email devraajtheindian@gmail.com , i will reply you back.

I visited Dr Mysore Venkat Raman and am impressed by his work. He has multiple specialities and a good dermitologist.
I visited Dr. Sreedhar clinic and impressed by his work. And he gave few references of his old cases and I met them and I am comfortable.
I also visited Manoj Khanna in January and am very much impressed with his work. I saw his work. Its world class.
My friend is getting his HT with Dr. Aravind from this month. I am yet to check his results
Am particularly impressed by Shewag case. Shewag got good hair. Seems like he got his HT done in Delhi. Can someone give the name of his doctor ?
I have not seen the work of Dr. Madhu yet. Mr Bill , can you provide the snaps of his work as you are promoting him ?.

My company sends me to work onsite in all client locations in India, so I can reach all the good doctors in the next 3 months and make a decision finally. In this way, I am a bit fortunate than you all.

I need a honest feedback from this site so that I can make a decision.


Please guys, we beleive you and take a decision. So please send snaps so that we can beleive you.


Mr. Bill : Thank you very much for bringing up all of us together and share the information. Really appreciate your work. Please dont take my suggestions personally. I hope you will respond to us honestly.

Thanks

DEVRAJ