Hello Friends,
I am 26 years of age. I started loosing my hair when I was 17 due to typhoid and then there was no looking back , I had progressive hair loss.I tried all types of medication--acupuncture,laser,massage but nothing helped. I wasn't very confident in my college and was scared to go to my native as my relatives made fun of me.
So when I got my first job , I decided to go for a Transplant with all my savings of 6-7 months.
I searched on Net as there was no other way to find a good HT doctor , first name which came was doctor in bangalore (he extensively advertises, I learned it later that all that glitters is no gold), I met him , he said we'll bring your hair line down by 2 inches and will need 1300 grafts at cost of 30 per graft.After HT he said we have put 1700 grafts and charged me 5K more.
I was happy for 45k ill have my hair back.
he did not advice me to take any medication to stop hair fall or anything.
I got my HT done , my exiting hair WAS Not shaved and 2 inch patch was added in front. when my Transplanted hair grew they were look toothbrush bristles , standing erect, , I went to DOC he said this is because they are small , then there was a GAP between transplanted hair and original hair on Left hand side , , Doctor said this is because your hairline has receded after transplant, can any one explain why didn't he consider this while transplanting. the density in front of my head was very bad so I couldn't part my hair in side Nor in middle. .
In 2 years time the gap between transplanted hair original hair was very clear , it is one full line.I was traumatized as I was looking like a Porcupine, I had to keep m hair all in front like Lalu Prasad yadav. everyone was asking me whats wrong with your hair.
Worst past Dr punches wholes to transplant this left small mounds on my head in transplanted area like small pimples , so now I can not even go bald as it looks very odd with front portion with these mounds.
This is after spending 50k on my HT and medication.
I was so traumatized I used to put black color on my head to hide shining white skin between my hair.
Now i went to all doctors to see if I can get this fixed Non surgically , they all said its a very BAD transplant and nothing can be done.
I considered another transplant , I called Dr's office , this gentlemen is now charging 35 per graft. I was like I am not going to be fooled again.
I searched on net and came to (another bad doctor)..met him, he charged 300 for consultation. showed me pics of his operations , said i ll take hair from below ears and stuff, now I already have a scar from previous HT and his doctor wants to make more Scars and make back of my head look like a Criss-Cross.
He even said Ill put some 300 grafts on your crown(back of head). I was like OK, but for some reason I thought I need to do research more this time than to make same BIG mistake I made last time.
He gave me a few names and I met all of them (even though it costed me 1500 more to meet these different docs)

1. When I met him and told him my situation , he told me that If I would have met him when I was 24 to not go for HT at such young age, take medication to stop hair fall and then consider HT.
2.He told he will take skin from back of my head in such a way it will leave only 1 scar, he will take of the previous scar so I am let with only one scar, this Dr never thought of.This was such a relief because Dr had left a heinous scar on back of my head which looked like Barbwire.
3.He convinced me that I should not have any hair on my crown , because he said hair on back of my head is still thinning and with proper usage of finepecia and mintop it can be controlled , moreover if I get few 100 hairs on back when at old age my hair will recede from back it will look like a an island of hair ,very awkward.
4.He said he will shave front of my head put hair in such a way that there is no gap , he will increase density of old transplanted and will transplant even in areas which already have hair for future balding.
5. He said be realistic , hairs will fall one day , I will transplant in such a way that when you are old your transplanted hair look natural.
Now none of the doctors told me these things , they say yes to everything you say. A doctor should give you a realistic view , not just consider his business.
You should ask a lot of questions to your doctor , as many , there should be no doubt in your head.

Friends none of us want to to go for a Transplant in first place , it is not very pleasant and is very expensive. But what can be really worse is a BAD transplant , because that will make you life even worse.So choose your Doctor very very wisely , think of long term effects , so that you don't have to go through the ordeal of Multiple HT.

I am posting my before and after pictures below.

1700 grafts wont be enough if u want to bring down your hairline 2 inches. who is Dr NOBBAY BRIAN?? hair loss for crown and on top of your head, use propecia or any local medicine similar to it and try rogaine or anything similar to it as well.. good luck

I never heard of any of these Doctors, where are you from?

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My Hair Loss Website

ak26, I have not heard of Dr Nobbay before though I have heard Dr Venkatraman mentioned before in these forums. I hope things work out well for you, though a doc recommended on this forum is safest since he has a proven record of great results.

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My Hair Loss Website - Hair Transplant with Dr. Alexander

I had visited Dr Venkataram about 3 months back and found his approach very professional- he specifically advised me not to undergo transplantation as I was, in his opinion too young(22 years) and my stage of baldness was early. He specifically pointed out that , unless drugs are taken to prevent further hairloss, I will end up with problems of receding hairline and leave only grafted hairs in the front.And two to other transplant doctors whom I visited earlierwere only too happy to operate and did not point out all the information given to me by Dr Venkataram .I also found that he had specifically pointed out these problems of early hair transplants in his website. He advised me against surgery despite my repeated requests for surgery
I am glad I visited him .

AK26 Hello
I agree with RajToor to use propecia 1mg and Minoxidil 5% to stop your further hair loss.

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I am patient Advisor Dr to humayun Hair Transplant Institute, Pakistan. All opinions and views shared are my own. Not a medical professional.

All of us should remember one important thing about HT.. No hair transplant will make you look perfectly natural. hairs will and do fall - transplant or no transplant.its nature's rule. I had 3 consultations before i underwent transplant by Dr Venkatram Mysore. One when i was 23. He then told me to not have it and try medicines. the next time i met him was when i turned 26. he told me this time that i have lost enough hair already. hence it was okay to have HT. Now if he wanted he could have just done it 3 years prior.. Money is money, isn't it? He has done an excellent job in my case and i owe all the compliment i have got to his ability. I have accepted that you can never have the perfect looking scalp post HT. but since i grew my hair, never has anyone come close to finding it to be unnatural!

The problem is that there are chances that HT may not satisfy your expectation, which is why you should discuss in detail!

And the bigger the donor area, you may have some small scars. but that's depending on your skin tone and skin area in the scalp - definitely not due to Dr Mysore!

Finally, even now i get courtesy calls from Dr Venkatram Mysore to come and review him! he takes keen interest in my progress and which is why i highly recommend him!!

Anyone interested to see my results can mail me and i will be more than glad to allay any anxiety after showing you my results

From 23years to 26years you had baldness and not sure how many offers (girls/career/recognizion ) you would have lost during that period.

Your receding hair line and baldnes which went severe at the age of 26. By this time all your relative and friends had seen you going bald. People would surely know that you had transplant now because they have seen your higher level of baldness at 26 which is clearly visible.

Ideal advice would be to have a HT whenever you feel like having it. If you can afford it. Minimum HT age is 20 years.

Atleast you should have had atleast one HT at 23 years and cover your baldness and save some grafts for age of 27 or 30 years (if needed). Even you can have 3 HTs also (provided its done properly)

I must say frankly that
WHAT EVER YOUR DOCTOR HAD ADVICED IS NOT CORRECT.
Probably he (your old HT doctor) cannot implant the hair in between the existing hair which other experienced doctors can do (like Dr. Manoj Khanna from Calcutta)
(or)
He cannot expect or forsee your future balding path and implant hair there well in advance.
(or)
He wants you to loose more hair and then come back for HT and take good amount of money.
(or)
He cannot provide a good hair line to you at 23
(or)
He want you to drop down your expectations and come back to him after you loose more hair and in that state you will feel that whatever desity you get now at 26 yrs is thought to be a great HT.

leave all above, my only concern is FROM AGE 23 to 26 YOU ARE BALD AND IF YOU ASK ME A FRANK OPINION THEN I WOULD NOT LIKE TO BE BALD FROM 23 to 26 which would be my golden years. I would NOT like to show my baldness to world for 3 years and then finally get a HT at older age and people know that I got HT.

So, whenever you feel like you are having baldness and want to cover it, either stick to medicines (OR) go for HT.

Also, please ensure that your doctor shave your head and do HT.
HT with full hair is not advisable
I am not a doctor but could easily understand the simple logic that if your head is shaved at bald areas and hair is implanted there then you will not get the shock to your existing hairs. Also the doctor can easily see the gaps in between the hair roots and implant hair correctly.

You will not undergo HT every three / four months. This is a permant solution which could change your life and life-style. So better get your bald areas shaved and get the HT done there. Dont worry you will get back to your great life-style in 6 to 7 months again.

Otherwise as one of the member said in this forum that you will have GAPS GAPS GAPS on your hair after HT which is worse and looks ODD.

G O O D L U C K guys

Mr.AK can you please send the name of that doctor this ID ashwinbalakumar87@gmail.com.. i visited a doctor in bangalore.He is charging 5k to control hair fall and more than that for regrowth. can you please suggest a good hair doctor i already visited 2 doctor.. i dont think they are efficient.iam planning to visit Dr.Nobbay. is he good?

He charged you $30/graft?!?

What the heck?

First, how does a doctor get away with that legally (not to mention ethically) and second if you were savvy enough to find a doctor online, how the heck did you fall for that?

That's one of the craziest things I've heard of.

No offense, but as HT patients we have to take as much responsibility for our HTs as our doctors. Its our body and if we dont treat it with reverence, then we have nothing to complain about. Its pretty obvious that any doctor that would charge $30 per graft would be dangerous, as they have no concern for the well being of any patient.