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Old 10-17-2009, 05:36 AM
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Here is what someone said. I'd like opinions. Thanks

First of all, I regret having HT's in the first place. I was a NW5 pre-HT, and for my hair type and characteristics, HT's were a huge mistake. However, "type and characterisitics" really don't matter much when you are a NW5.

With that being said, I wish that instead of them puting all my grafts up front (like I asked them not to do), that they all would have been put in the crown and vertex. Then my crown and top would look good, and I could grow my hair long, and just comb the hair on top forward.

I have had 3 HT's and most of the grafts went into the hairline, and it blows.

There is not enough density for it not to be "see-through" for my hair type (even if all my donor was used up doing this). In my case, puting a piece behind my "frontal" would look awful, just plain awful...and even more obvious.

Like I said, I regret not forcing my HT surgeons to put all of my grafts in the crown, and vertex (the top), and work their way forward.

Because I was a NW5, I am stuck with the typical "frontal HT with a hole in the back" which looks obvious (and detectable) because no normal balding pattern even remotely resembles the way it it looks.

"Frontal" HT's don't fool anyone...as soon as you turn your head sideways, or when people can see the back of your head, your "frontal" becomes laughable. (Can you say Joe Biden? )

With that being said, what happens if you get HT's to give yourself a complete "frontal" (use all your donor up in the process) and you find out that the piece looks obvious behind "transplanted" hair?

And transplanted hair does not always "blend in" too well with natural hair (let alone fake hair), particularly in the "border" regions - even when the best surgeon in the world does your HT.

Basically my HT's transformed me from a normal bald guy into a weird looking bald guy who has had "something weird" done to his hair.

I strongly urge guys getting HT's to really weigh all of their options and do plenty of research. Otherwise, they could wind up like me...going from "bad" to "worse" as far as hair...and paying major $$$$ for it.

Oh, and having a "strip scar" also blows. I would give anything not to have one from ear to ear. If I didn't have the donor scar, I could (and I most definately would) just shave my head.

I was bald, and I should have just shaved and never looked back. But I chose the wrong path for me...the "HT path."
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Dr. Epstein July 4, 2007
2520 grafts
471 one hair grafts
1540 two hair grafts
505 three hair grafts
5070 Total hair count

Dr. Epstein August 4, 2008
2384 grafts
870 one hair grafts
1150 two hair grafts
364 three and four hair grafts
4262 Total hair count

Dr. Ron Shapiro November 18, 2009
1896 grafts
760 one hair grafts
852 two hair grafts
288 three hair grafts
46 four hair grafts
3362 total hair count

Dr. Ron Shapiro July 1, 2011
1191 grafts
447 one hair grafts
580 two hair grafts
150 three hair grafts
14 four hair grafts
2113 total hair count
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Old 10-17-2009, 06:05 AM
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It's unfortunate that you went through the ordeal that you describe. However, I thank you for your very detailed post. It provides a good balance to the glowing ads on TV and print media.

I have been balding for ~ 20 years. Only now have I started to consider my options and started 5% minoxidil only 1 week ago. My dermatologist suggested Propecia. I have been thinking about hair transplants but after reading your post I decided to continue minoxidil. If that does not work to any significant/noticeable degree (I'll give it a year) I am inclined to just shave the dome.

Again, thanks for the post and good luck finding a satisfactory solution.
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Old 10-17-2009, 06:24 AM
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Thanks Tony Montana-I'm not the one who wrote that nor went through that, it is what someone else went through and I just posted their email. I was looking for opinions as to whether this sounded accurate. I'm not disputing him but some of the things in the email went against what I've read. I want to know as much as I can before making a mistake so I'm looking for the opinions of others in regards to what this guy had to say.
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Dr. Epstein July 4, 2007
2520 grafts
471 one hair grafts
1540 two hair grafts
505 three hair grafts
5070 Total hair count

Dr. Epstein August 4, 2008
2384 grafts
870 one hair grafts
1150 two hair grafts
364 three and four hair grafts
4262 Total hair count

Dr. Ron Shapiro November 18, 2009
1896 grafts
760 one hair grafts
852 two hair grafts
288 three hair grafts
46 four hair grafts
3362 total hair count

Dr. Ron Shapiro July 1, 2011
1191 grafts
447 one hair grafts
580 two hair grafts
150 three hair grafts
14 four hair grafts
2113 total hair count
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Old 10-17-2009, 08:29 AM
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HT's, for all intense purposes, are actually straightforward and simple....you move hair from one place to another....how hard can it be, right? Wrong...angle, placement,density..etc.,etc.,...Those with high NW levels, will never have any true density, they will have coverage, but the rest is just an illusion....Those with minimal loss, who are looking for the "perfect" head of hair, think that they can go into existing native hair, to "thicken" it up a bit...sometimes suffer permanant shock-loss, and end up back where they were before, or worse...it can be a no win situation...I beleive that HT's are only for a select group of people...those who fully understand what can be acomplished, have resonable expectations, good hair characteristics, 35 and over, good donor density,or at least average, can afford it,low skin to hair contrast, etc.,...I think you get the picture...


Just a thought from the peanut gallery..
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Old 10-17-2009, 09:47 AM
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Quote:
Originally posted by Time to do something:
Thanks Tony Montana-I'm not the one who wrote that nor went through that, it is what someone else went through and I just posted their email.
It really came across like you were talking about yourself and your work with Dr Epstein.
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Old 10-17-2009, 10:16 AM
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time,this post is confusing it does lead the reader to believe you are unhappy with YOURhts.have you had any hts yourself.and what exactly are you looking for the ppost is misleading and confusing
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Old 10-17-2009, 10:32 AM
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Well, there is something to be said for covering the crown and combing forward a bit. I've seen this on naturally balding guys and it looks fine. I personally think it looks better than a fully restored hairline with a big bald spot. However most prefer to have their face framed and work from front to back.
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Old 10-17-2009, 12:37 PM
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Kaounis makes a good point. In almost all cases, no amount of HT surgeries from even the best doctors will give someone their original head of hair. At the most, there would be some coverage and some illusion of density. Maybe for a very small percentage of patients, who have had very minimal hairloss, there might be scope for achieving true density, but such cases are rare, and also susceptible to other risks (such as shock loss issues).

IMO, before going for a HT one should have realistic expectations and be aware of the limitations of HT.
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Old 10-17-2009, 12:44 PM
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I don't find this post "misleading or confusing" one bit. I think many guys jump in this hair transplant thing without knowing the possible consequences of this difficult procedure... For myself, I honestly wish I found this site before my first hair transplant. I really do think I would of never went through with it if I knew all the consequences. Guess we can just live and learn!!

Oh one more thing, Dr Epstein is not the only doc with unhappy patients... I know this for certain IMO. Thought I'd point that out for you!!!
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Old 10-17-2009, 01:07 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by mattj:
Quote:
Originally posted by Time to do something:
Thanks Tony Montana-I'm not the one who wrote that nor went through that, it is what someone else went through and I just posted their email.
It really came across like you were talking about yourself and your work with Dr Epstein.
Sorry, that is why I stated at the beginning "Here is what someone said". I guess I should have been more clear.
__________________
NW5
Dr. Epstein July 4, 2007
2520 grafts
471 one hair grafts
1540 two hair grafts
505 three hair grafts
5070 Total hair count

Dr. Epstein August 4, 2008
2384 grafts
870 one hair grafts
1150 two hair grafts
364 three and four hair grafts
4262 Total hair count

Dr. Ron Shapiro November 18, 2009
1896 grafts
760 one hair grafts
852 two hair grafts
288 three hair grafts
46 four hair grafts
3362 total hair count

Dr. Ron Shapiro July 1, 2011
1191 grafts
447 one hair grafts
580 two hair grafts
150 three hair grafts
14 four hair grafts
2113 total hair count
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