snakeoil

Please keep us updated on your progress. I'm considering doing the same thing.

Who was your Dr.?

Snake

Take some time to think this whole thing through my friend. You may be headed down a road that has no exit.

I have had multiple transplant procedures over the past 25 years and if I could do it over again...I WOULDN'T!

At the very least, get on Propecia and Rogain to buy some time. Then do your research, including having consultations with "A" team doctors listed on this site.

THERE IS NO TESTING THE WATERS TO SEE IF HAIR TRANSPLANTATION IS RIGHT FOR YOU!!!

Once you have a strip procedure done, you're pretty much committed to hair transplants for as long as your baldness progresses which is the rest of your life. There is no going back, as you will always have a scar across the back of your head and a patch of transplanted hair on the front of your head. Now this may be okay if your baldness does not progress. Use your father's pattern of baldness as how your hair line will look in the future. You're making a life changing decision don't take it lightly.

Scooter...Thanks for your reply. It was actually your "repair" success story that gave me hope and got me going on my own "repair" journey. WOW! Is all I can say about your results. You must feel like a new person.

I asked Dr. Feller about removing the old plugs and repositioning them as Dr. McClellan did for you. Feller was against doing this for two reasons. 1. Survivability of the grafts taken from the old plugs and 2. Creation of more scar tissue from the old plug sites...meaning less blood flow in scar tissue and less chance of FUT survival in the old plug sites.

Therefore he recommended dense packing inbetween and in front of the old plugs. Perhaps others could comment on the different approaches between Dr. McClellan and Dr. Feller. I have to say your results look fantastic!!!

Bill...I stand corrected. Thanks for pointing that out about Dr. Siporin. My education continues...

hairthere...Dr. Feller is at the top of my list so far. Funny thing you should mention Dr. Gabel, as Dr. Feller recommended him along with Dr. Shapiro and Hasson & Wong if I didn't want to travel to NY. I thought Dr. Feller was super cool. He's definitely passionate about his work .

Originally posted by socalguy:

You should go see Doctor Siporin, he is in Los Angeles and I feel he did a great job on me last month. he does not charge a consult fee and he has had HT surgury himself.I went to Bosley and Peterson 17 years ago and this time around everything went great. I see no reason to go out of state when you can stay local.

Thanks for the recommendation on Dr. Siporin. I think it makes sense to at least have a consultation with a local coalition doctor.

Originally posted by wylie:

I plan on flying to NYC myself, and will be going for a consult in Arizona as well, it all boils down to who you think can do the best with what you have left. If a doctor charges for a consultation fee, they are off the short list. There are plenty of others who have the requisite expertise to perform the surgery/repair who dont charge, and it pays to find out where they are (no pun intended).

 

I've seen repairs by Feller that puts him at the top of my list, I can't say I've ever seen any repair work by H&W (but have seen incredible results on virgin scalps) It's worth asking them what % of patients are repair patients. Based on location they are relatively close to you in Vancouver. Dr. Gabel in Portland is also not too far away and might be worth a visit, and Dr. Alexander and Dr. Keene do great work in Arizona.

 

Good luck.

Thanks for the input and doctor recommendations. That's a great question that I will add to my "question arsenal". Have you consulted with Dr. Gabel? Dr. Feller actually recommended Dr. Gabel if I wanted to find a doc. "closer to home". I thought that was pretty cool of Dr. Feller.

Originally posted by Janna:

Again I apologize. It sounds like there are few things I need to take care of at the front office come Monday.

As a businessman, she definitely needs more training. Afterall, she is the first impression for Dr. Shapiro and his office. A good impression was not left with me. I felt like she had something more urgent that she needed to get back to and I was just another "tire kicker" taking up her precious time.

Originally posted by notgoing2gobald:

I would NOT view it as a waste of money even if you don't go with Feller. At the very least you now have one of the worlds best ht doctors first hand opinion after viewing your hair. Even if you elect not to go with him, you can now view all other doctors suggestions against Fellers as a back drop.

 

Just to clarify, Dr. Feller did NOT charge for the consultation. It was Dr. Epstein that had a consult fee.

Good point about viewing other doctors suggestions against Dr. Feller's. Epstein and Feller had two completely different plans of attack in my case.

Originally posted by Bill - Moderator:

Personally I do NOT like the idea of having to pay for a consultation period!

 

Bill

In retrospect, I wouldn't pay for a consultation again. Consultation fee = Scratch doctor off the list.It was expensive enough just getting there, renting a car and paying for tolls and parking. NYC is expensive!

In fairness, the consult fee would be applied to the price of the procedure.

Originally posted by its752:

snakeoil, It takes about 2-3 weeks to get your passport in the mail. Its easy. First, if you don't already know, you can get your ID. photo almost anywhere in town, local post office, drug stores, copycenter locations, on and on. Take your driver's license with you. Secondly, you take the photo to--in my case I just heard from the place I got my photo taken that the local library had applications you fill out and then wait in line for 15 minutes for an interview just so they know for sure your not a terrorist. The lady took my photo and application and said good bye. In a short while I got my passport in the mail, and once I had that I moved on to tell the clinic, they gave me some open surgery dates, I took the one I wanted and when the doc was available. I checked out flight information online, booked and paid for my flight, and then called the clinic back to confirm my arrival date. They had a hotel room reserved for me when I arrived. At the end of the surgery they reimbursed me a good amount for my flight also. I think you said it best, by the way, when you referred to both docs being A++, but just call the clinic directly from their website phone number,and I'm sure they'll you who can deal with the repair work. Good luck and sorry for the last post!!

No worries...Thanks for the info. on the passport procedure. You never know how long things can take when dealing with government entities. But 2-3 weeks is certainly acceptable. Looks like I'll be applying for a new passport on Monday.

Yes my hair line is pluggy from the original plugs that I had when I was 23 (now 47). It's been so long ago that I can barely remember the procedure, but I do remember the Doc using something resembling a Dremel tool to drill out the grafts. Un-friggen-believable. Anyway, Dr. Sword softened the pluggieness of the hairline somewhat, but he didn't put in enough grafts in front of the plugs to add significant camo. Sword also took out the plug scar holes in the donor area when he pulled the strip.

According to Dr. Feller, Sword's work and even the plugs were okay (angled properly) but just outdated technology. Dr. Feller suggested dense packing where Dr. Sword had tried previously to hide the plugs. I asked why he didn't want to take out the plugs and redistribute them. He said that it is difficult for grafts to grow when placed in scar tissue. He also suggested filling in the temples and approximated 2000 grafts.

I've been using Rogain and Propecia for 10 months now. Don't know if it's working, but I plan on staying with the routine.

Originally posted by its752:

snakeoil,

Yes?????

Originally posted by its752:

snakeoil, You do need a passport to go to Canada. I expedited mine by paying an extra fee. Everything I read about H&W was true and then some!

How long did it take to get a passport??

Which Doc is better between Hasson and Wong for repair? Or are they both A++ doctors??

Originally posted by thanatopsis_awry:

Nice list of prospective docs, snakeoil, you are certaintly setting yourself up for a great HT with whomever you choose. It's cool that you aren't placing a premium on location. Being a repair case, I'd be extra-inquisitive towards looking for experience and results in dealing w/ repairs.

 

I'm also curious as to the and what seems to be the standard protocol there w/ consults. Was is just that particular day, perhaps, that they couldn't ensure you a chance of Dr. Shapiro seeing you?

No. The receptionist said that he was "in the office" on the day that we set-up for the consult.

Originally posted by the B spot:

No-- a consultant should do all of the fact finding and discuss your wants and needs.

 

However, at some point the Doc should come in and spend 10-30 mins talking and assessing your situation.

 

For virtual patients this is done either the day before surgery or the morning of.

 

It is only occasionally that extenuating circumstances force a Doc not to be at a consult.

 

At SMG this is the practice and at most top clinics.

 

I do not know who you are talking about, it doesn't mean they are "bad" per se, but just be cautious of you follow through with it.

 

Take Care,

Jason

It was actually Dr. Shapiro's office that could not guarantee me a consultation appointment with Dr. Shapiro, only with the very experienced counselor. I explained my situation of needing repair work and she said that she would note that I wanted to speak directly with the doctor, but still would not guarantee it. Not sure what to do, as Dr. Shapiro was on my short list. That list being: Feller, Epstein, Shapiro and Hasson & Wong.

Originally posted by notgoing2gobald:

no.

 

You didn't find any docs in California you were happy with? I live in California too and Im not too impressed with any of them either.

 

Canada is close and H&W are there. Who did you see in NY?

I consulted with Dr. Feller in his office in Great Neck and Dr. Epstein at his NYC office. I've had old punch grafts performed 25 years ago by Dr. Frankel and Dr. Sandham. Then more recently had the punch grafts filled in by Dr. Sword. All California Doc's. I'm running out of donor so it has to be right this time.

Do you need a passport to travel to Canada? Hasson & Wong are next on my list.

I live in California and so far, have had consultations with 2 coalition doctors in New York. One charged $175 and other was free. I arranged a consult with another doc today and the secretary said that the doc didn't do consults, but they had a staff member that has been doing consults for 18 years and that's who I would be talking to, and maybe the doctor would see me, but couldn't guarantee it. Question is...is it worth it to travel half way across the US to have a consult with a consultant and not be able to talk to the doctor?