Hi, I have read all the information here and other boards about both doctors, but some input would still be nice.

I'm 25, NW4ish with a pretty strong hairline and some temple recession, areas 3 and 4 are really bad.

Rahal said he would only do 3000 grafts for now, while Armani said 4000 is fine. Both estimated around 7-8 thousand donor supply. My lineage isn't that bad, mom's side males are fine, dad and one brother have also bad areas 3 and 4 with an ok hairline and temple recession.

Of course, Armani's ethical standards have been called into question almost everywhere online, but it seems to be more for hairline packing, which doesn't apply to me as they agreed my hairline is fine for now.

Both doctors want to put about 1000 grafts in Zone 2 as the middle area of that part is bad. Rahal wants to keep going and stop at the crown pretty much for now and hold off from using any more grafts.

Armani wants to keep going and close off the crown right away.

At this point I'm a little confused to be honest. From the research I've done I don't know if it's really necessary to be as conservative as Rahal wants to be considering my genetics etc.

But also, Armani's team/the whole situation there is pretty annoying, I've felt sales-pitched from the moment going in there, which is just ridiculous considering this is a situation where people are going with open wallets saying in not so many words "please help me now", and the consultants job is simply to sit there be nice and make people comfortable...apparently Armani's consultants think they're selling used cars...anyway, that's just my opinion...

I felt comfortable with Rahal and Adrian. Although I don't know if it's necessary to be that conservative, I want the best possible surgery I can get now considering my donor supply, and think that can be more then 3000.

Also, Armani's clinic is here in Toronto which also makes things easier. I know there are tons of reservations about Armani with hairline etc but again that just doesn't apply to me. If I can get 4000 done now and even have only 3000 left for the future, with the hairline not having been touched and the crown and top filled in then why not. My dad is a NW5 at most and I do not have any genetic propensity for complete baldness where its just the sides and the back.

I made it very clear to both that the only factor I want influencing the extent of my surgery was future consideration. Sure Armani could be being more aggressive for money, but Rahal could also be more conservative for money and spread out over a few surgeries what can reasonably be done in 2. Again, my dad is in his late fifties and he will never go completely bald on top...

I would like to have my mind made up soon however as I do have a booking with Armani somewhat soon. The fact that I don't get to speak to him or see him right away, and who knows where he is at any point in time doesn't sit well with me either, but, Rahal is far from me too so not that much different.

Armani of course is also a little more expensive but also 30 minutes away from me.

I'd say I'm probably leaning more towards Armani now.

What do you guys think?

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My Hair Loss Weblog - Dr. Rahal

Should also mention that Armani's 4000 graft recommendation is at 20-40/cm2.

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My Hair Loss Weblog - Dr. Rahal

Ethics (regarding densepacking and aggressiveness) would be the least of my concerns if I were you; I would be more concerned with who is the most candid, and thus proven, and can virtually guarantee you a world-class result....grafts actually growing included...Results > Ethics ------ Rahal > Armani. IMO, of course.

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*A Follicles Dying Wish To Clinics*

1 top-down, 1 portrait, 1 side-shot, 1 hairline....4 photos. No flash.

Follicles have asked for centuries, in ten languages, as many times so as to confuse a mathematician.

Enough is enough! Give me documentation or give me death!

I'm sure you are aware that Armani is only doing fue now and Rahal is strip. So, obviously two different procedures. Armani's strip work was undoubtedly very good as far as yields and design is concerned. I'm not that confidant in his fue yields even though they stand behind their work. Even though Rahal is further, I feel these guys are more personable than Armani and seem to be doing good work. They are also much cheaper than Armani. They always say don't let distance be a factor

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding but there seems to be an inconsistency in what you're saying.

You're saying results are greater then ethics and so therefore rahal is greater then armani...although...rahal is the more ethical one in general....

Also, I can take then from your comment that you're saying rahal has more proven world class results....does armani not as well?...

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My Hair Loss Weblog - Dr. Rahal

Rahal is not strip, both are FUE...

Right distance shouldn't be much of a factor, but it's slightly considered when assessing post-op factors, in this case neither doc will be "next door" so it's cancelled out.

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My Hair Loss Weblog - Dr. Rahal

Interesting...I've never heard/seen of a Rahal FUE of such a size....

Anyways, I was just saying that results *are* more important than the ethics of a "too bold a hairline" variety; and you should be more concerned with consistency of results, growth being a primary tenent. But ya, I also do believe that Rahal's results AND ethics are generally better than Armani's.

Armani had lots of impressive strip work, and the only real dig into him was that he was hyper-aggressive in working on very young patients, with limited balding, and giving very dense, bold hairlines; he also had some dubious claims. But, his results were quite transparent and you could go to him and know what you were getting (into...ethics included). Since abandoning strip in favor of the more marketable -- and expensive -- FUE, his results....marketing...and general transparency have gone down in quality, while complaints and questioning have risen (regarding growth, bizarre quoting w/ regard to his past strip quotes, e.g.).

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*A Follicles Dying Wish To Clinics*

1 top-down, 1 portrait, 1 side-shot, 1 hairline....4 photos. No flash.

Follicles have asked for centuries, in ten languages, as many times so as to confuse a mathematician.

Enough is enough! Give me documentation or give me death!

I think you might be mistaken, itsabouttime...

Unless something has changed very recently, there are many patients of Dr. Rahal on this forum that have had recent strip procedures.

Also, according to Dr. Rahal's website as of today:

"Follicular unit extraction: Dr Rahal is one of the few physicians worldwide that performs both the strip surgery as well as the recently introduced follicular unit extraction (FUE)."

Right, he does FUE and that is what I discussed with him...? Perhaps I'm missing something here?

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My Hair Loss Weblog - Dr. Rahal

Armani and Rahal have acheived beautiful strip results . Armanis fue sucks in my opinion and Rahal is too new .Ive never seen a fue result from Rahal. You sure he even does it ? Of those two I would choose Rahal and then Rahal again