agentHarley

Also -- was curious about scalp laxity and supposed exercises that help stretch/relax the scalp to yield more grafts. does this technique/method work BETTER than not doing anything at all?

Hey All -- in the interest of helping others who might be searching for information on Robert Bernstein, let me add my recent experiences with him. I consulted him last year around November to get a sense for what he could do with my balding head. He categorized me as a NW6, and I was 33 then. I had started buzzing my head like the basketball players 3 years ago because I hated the density that would be evident when my hair would start growing past 1/4". Dr. Bernstein told me to let it grow much longer so that the donor incision in the back would be better concealed. Frankly, I can't let it grow any longer than 1/4" because I am so disturbed by the appearance. Dr. Bernstein eventually gave in, and told me I could keep my hair any length I wanted but to be warned about the look of the staples and that I would need to wear a bandana for a while. He was really cool, though not a hand-holder. I think maybe I wanted him to be more compassionate, meaning, that he would be understanding of my emotional trauma around the NW6 appearance. Yet, I gather that since he's been practicing for so long, he cannot get too involved in each patient's mental health around their baldness. I ended up feeling even more confident that I was able to get this much attention from THE top surgeon in this field. Needless to say, with my little story, I hope you derive that Dr.Bernstein is a patient and calm person, who also will meet you in the eye and give you honest feedback. In business and in healthcare, this is such a rare trait. His rates are the most expensive in the industry, I think, but then his reputation and his staff all seem to make it worthwhile. I am due for my first HT with Dr. Bernstein in a month, and I trust that my instincts and my research about Dr.Bernstein are correct.

wow fellas -- thanks for the great start on the prep. I LOVE the tip about getting the massage prior to the procedure day. thanatopsis_awry, thanks for that one. Dr. Bernstein did send me a little pdf packet which includes all kinds of warnings against drinking/smoking, but that's common sense somewhat and I also am not a smoker (but was interesting to learn how smoking affects healing). I also though the advice on tying up a project left unfinished is a good idea. I actually gave notice at my current job (which I wanted to do for the past 2 yrs) and am expecting to have 2 whole months off before starting a consulting gig. Never been a baseball cap guy, so i think i'll have to work with the bandanas or go buy a cap. And, probably one of those expandable ones right? Not the fitted ones. And also, question to ya'll about the staples: do they really look freakish if if I have short hair and they are visible? What about at night when sleeping? Are they painful?

Bill -- thanks for your articulate response to BrianH. Although I didn't realize that the Coalition doctors paid fees for this referral, I understand that server hosting and site management incur some money. On some level, one has to make a gut-level decision to surpass the hysteria of bad experiences prior to FUT and trust that all the many people who post their positive results are trying to help those of us in the process leading up to their first HT, or subsequent procedures. I am one month away from my first HT with Dr. Bernstein, and it is unfathomable to me that even this doctor would betray my trust in both the procedure and his reputation. I hope to read more about BrianH's actual experience later in this thread.

Hello All -- after weeks of research on this site, it is time I joined in and shared my experience as well. I'm scheduled for surgery at the end of Feb 2008 with Dr. Bernstein in NY. After researching all the coalition doctors and reading about Bernstein's reputation, I made an appointment to meet him in a consultation. He is indeed very dry, down to earth, and has that cool-collected confidence one sometimes sees in truly professional people. Now that I am a month away from the procedure in which 2,400 grafts are scheduled, what advice do you guys have for me in preparation for the procedure? mental/emotional/physical preparation is important to me prior to this procedure, since I have never really had a surgery of this magnitude. Thanks.

Hello All -- after weeks of research on this site, it is time I joined in and shared my experience as well. I'm scheduled for surgery at the end of Feb 2008 with Dr. Bernstein in NY. After researching all the coalition doctors and reading about Bernstein's reputation, I made an appointment to meet him in a consultation. He is indeed very dry, down to earth, and has that cool-collected confidence one sometimes sees in truly professional people. Now that I am a month away from the procedure in which 2,400 grafts are scheduled, what advice do you guys have for me in preparation for the procedure? mental/emotional/physical preparation is important to me prior to this procedure, since I have never really had a surgery of this magnitude. Thanks.