Prospicience

HA, ifloss and Pat,

Thank you for your words of encouragement and responses to my posting. Fours days into it and the "itching" has begun but not excessive. It may be physiological but I think I can see less coverage/fall out already. No worries, I know it's to be expected and being a VI, I had very realistic hopes going in.

There's a feeling I never forget - the first look in the mirror the next day with new hair on my head - hell ya, it's really cool. Yep, it will all fall out soon enough but the timing is good for a summer with new hair.

I have my clean up scheduled for the 11th and suture removal on the 18th. I'll return to work on the 17th whether it's "cleared up" or not. Again no worries, the ego and expectations are both in check.

Regards,

Mike

B,

I debated on posting that shot but in the end, I figured people should know what it truly looks like. It's all part of the process and people should go in "eyes wide open".

No sweat, felt no pain whatsoever - actually felt like two pieces of Velcro coming apart while being numb all along.

Just an FYI - my hair is quite long in my before photos as I let it grow it out for the procedure to improve the donor hair and show the "natural growth" for Dr. Cooley. Traditionally, I wear it short using a 1 or 2 guard. Normally, the entire top appears totally bald.

Regards,

Mike

Originally posted by Forum Moderator and Satisfied Patient:

After you have made your photo album,

 

1) Click the "Go" tab located on the toolbar on the upper left part of the screen.

 

2) Some options will appear. Click on "My Space" > "Profile"

 

3) Once there, look over at the top right corner where it says, "View/Edit Complete Profile." Click that. This is where you edit your entire profile.

 

4) For links located on the side, the field you want to use is called, "Custom Member Title."

 

5) Here is the basic HTML to insert to make links:

 

(enter title of link here)

 

It should look like this when you are done (without the *s which I inserted to stop it from making a link here).

 

Hair Transplant Network

 

and the finished product will look like this:

 

Hair Transplant Network

 

6) After you have inserted the html link of your photo album and title into the HTML and pasted that into your profile's "Custom Member Title" field, hit "Submit" at the bottom of your profile page.

 

 

If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask and I'll help you out as much as I can.

 

-Robert

Robert,

I created and posted my new album; however, I do not see the "Custom Member Title" option you mention in step 4 above within my profile after following steps 1-3.

My album shows up in the album section as expected but I still want to add it as a link in my posts. Any other suggestions?

Thank you/Regards,

Mike

3,000 with Dr. Cooley on 01-04-06. Be aware - graphic open, non sewn up donor shot included.

Hey all,

I had my 3,000 graft session with Dr. Cooley yesterday (actually ~3,200) and I can honestly say all the positive press he and his team have received is truly well deserved. It was a long day (7:00 AM ??“ 9:00 PM) and Dr. Cooley was true to his nature the entire time. The man is definitely talented, dedicated, professional and truly genuine. His staff is somewhat "younger" as mentioned by others but they are professional, confident and very well mentored/trained ??“ they work very efficiently as a team.

The session started with some before photos (which I will post shortly) and Dr. Cooley even took the same shots with my personal camera as well. I started off with four 5mg Valium and a couple antibiotics. I was also given a shot in an arm vein that was basically a Valium but it acts quicker and lasts a shorter amount of time. It tides you over until the pills kick in.

I then laid flat on my stomach with my face in a donut like shaped pillow to begin the harvesting procedure. I dozed off more then once during this process and throughout the day as well but I was awake during some of the actual removal. It felt strange ??“ like the back of my head was like Velcro and someone was pulling the two sections apart. No pain whatsoever, simply a "funny" feeling. Because my strip was large, I ended up with ~100 stitches. The section is not visible at all today and "raised up" only slightly. Not bad for an incision running nearly ear to ear. I have a picture of the area post removal and pre-stitching that I may share ??“ not for those with weak stomachs.

Dr. Cooley then began the incisions for the graft placements. It was a long process and he was very patient throughout. As I have mentioned before, I have a high tolerance for discomfort and I am very patient. I took a lunch break and two bathroom breaks only during the 14 hours ??“ no other stops/breaks. I watched a variety of movies throughout the procedure ??“ dozing of every now and then. My goal was to make it as easy as possible for him and his staff.

Both Dr. Cooley and his assistant Brandi (spelling?) placed the grafts. Overall, Dr. Cooley probably placed well over 70+% of them ??“ he also did the entire hairline and other critical areas himself. With the large number of grafts I was getting, there was no way he could have done them all on his own. At times, they were both placing them on opposite sides of my head at the same time. At other times, one or the other would take a quick break while the other continued to work. Brandi has been doing it for over four years and I must admit her technique mirrored Dr. Cooley's. I have absolutely no qualms about her assisting and placing some of the grafts.

Dr. Cooley spent the last thirty minutes or so meticulously placing the last few "touch up" grafts in my new hairline and as general fill in where he deemed necessary. After 14 hours, he was still detailed, dedicated and polite. While he didn't take any post op pictures, he did take a few for me with my camera (again, will post soon). Today, I feel pretty darn good. No itching (yet) and basically just sore and a little "tight" in the donor area. No worries on my part ??“ everything went as expected/researched/planned.

I do not hand out praise and endorsement lightly ??“ I'm an old school kind of guy as my word is my bound. That being said, I would not hesitate at all in recommending Dr. Cooley and his entire team to anyone seeking HT. As many others on this site have said before, he really is that good!

Regards,

Mike

Edit 01/05/06 8:45 PM - I know it's very early on in the process and only time will tell the true expertise and results - but everything to date has been exemplary.

Hey all,

I had my 3,000 graft session with Dr. Cooley yesterday (actually ~3,200) and I can honestly say all the positive press he and his team have received is truly well deserved. It was a long day (7:00 AM ??“ 9:00 PM) and Dr. Cooley was true to his nature the entire time. The man is definitely talented, dedicated, professional and truly genuine. His staff is somewhat "younger" as mentioned by others but they are professional, confident and very well mentored/trained ??“ they work very efficiently as a team.

The session started with some before photos (which I will post shortly) and Dr. Cooley even took the same shots with my personal camera as well. I started off with four 5mg Valium and a couple antibiotics. I was also given a shot in an arm vein that was basically a Valium but it acts quicker and lasts a shorter amount of time. It tides you over until the pills kick in.

I then laid flat on my stomach with my face in a donut like shaped pillow to begin the harvesting procedure. I dozed off more then once during this process and throughout the day as well but I was awake during some of the actual removal. It felt strange ??“ like the back of my head was like Velcro and someone was pulling the two sections apart. No pain whatsoever, simply a "funny" feeling. Because my strip was large, I ended up with ~100 stitches. The section is not visible at all today and "raised up" only slightly. Not bad for an incision running nearly ear to ear. I have a picture of the area post removal and pre-stitching that I may share ??“ not for those with weak stomachs.

Dr. Cooley then began the incisions for the graft placements. It was a long process and he was very patient throughout. As I have mentioned before, I have a high tolerance for discomfort and I am very patient. I took a lunch break and two bathroom breaks only during the 14 hours ??“ no other stops/breaks. I watched a variety of movies throughout the procedure ??“ dozing of every now and then. My goal was to make it as easy as possible for him and his staff.

Both Dr. Cooley and his assistant Brandi (spelling?) placed the grafts. Overall, Dr. Cooley probably placed well over 70+% of them ??“ he also did the entire hairline and other critical areas himself. With the large number of grafts I was getting, there was no way he could have done them all on his own. At times, they were both placing them on opposite sides of my head at the same time. At other times, one or the other would take a quick break while the other continued to work. Brandi has been doing it for over four years and I must admit her technique mirrored Dr. Cooley's. I have absolutely no qualms about her assisting and placing some of the grafts.

Dr. Cooley spent the last thirty minutes or so meticulously placing the last few "touch up" grafts in my new hairline and as general fill in where he deemed necessary. After 14 hours, he was still detailed, dedicated and polite. While he didn't take any post op pictures, he did take a few for me with my camera (again, will post soon). Today, I feel pretty darn good. No itching (yet) and basically just sore and a little "tight" in the donor area. No worries on my part ??“ everything went as expected/researched/planned.

I do not hand out praise and endorsement lightly ??“ I'm an old school kind of guy as my word is my bound. That being said, I would not hesitate at all in recommending Dr. Cooley and his entire team to anyone seeking HT. As many others on this site have said before, he really is that good!

Regards,

Mike

Edit 01/05/06 8:45 PM - I know it's very early on in the process and only time will tell the true expertise and results - but everything to date has been exemplary.

Gettin,

My procedure is two weeks off but with the extensive reading/research I've done, I agree with Beefy 100%. The transplanted hair falls out shortly after the procedure and "sleep" for several months (~3-4). Hang in there bud - the road may appear long but the destination is actually within sight.

Regards,

Mike

Kat,

Thank you for the post op description and post op regime advice. Funny, I would have never guessed you were 46 - more like late 30's or early 40's at the most. Thanks again for letting me stop in mid procedure.

Getting excited - a little over two weeks away. It feels weird letting my hair "grow out" as I usually go for a #1 or #2 buzz all the way around. My ex said it looked better that way and I believed her - ha! Actually, based on my current VI stature, I would agree with her. However, I want to cover the scar as best as possible and show Dr. Cooley more growth and direction in the transplant area.

Based on my experiences with Dr. Cooley and those shared by fellow members such as yourself, I know I'm going with a leader in the field.

Best of luck Kat - I look forward to your album.

Enjoy your holidays (Kat and all fellow members),

Mike

H.A.,

Thank you for sharing your experience with me and helping to put me at ease. I started to think about most of the members here being younger then their late 40's and remembering how long takes for small cuts and bruises to heal now a days for me. I was glad to hear from a fellow 40 something (+) on recovery aspects.

I fully appreciate each procedure is "unique" and the results/recoveries can and will vary. I will have Dr. Cooley's undivided attention for 12+ hours for questioning but I welcome you to stop on by if you like/can. That holds true for any others in the area who are curious about the process and want to see it first hand - assuming Dr. Cooley/Ailene say okay and the timing is right.

Three and one half weeks away ??“ getting very excited.

Regards,

Mike

Hey Kat,

Thank you for allowing me to step in and see you in mid procedure while signing my paperwork; I truly appreciate it. I knew from your posts that you would be there on the day I was going in to sign off on the Capital One paperwork. I also thank Ailene for approaching you to see if it would be okay.

Admittedly, I am very concerned about my recovery time as I am 47 now and my body heals very slowly from basic cuts, bruises etc. I work as a manager in an office environment and wearing a hat is really not an option. I welcome any comments from the 45+ year olds out there who have gone through 3,000 in one session on their recovery time. Also, I am concerned about walking in with "hair" after approximately 15 days off and having it fall out as soon after. Oh well, in the long run it is all VERY good.

Kat - again thank you for sharing your moment - I welcome any of "brethren" to do the same on 1-4-05 while I'm in the chair with Dr. Cooley.

Regards,

Mike

ifloss,

I am new to this site and HT overall but I too am going with Dr. Cooley in January for 3,000. Based on your pictures, we're very similar in our loss. With this first session, I will only recover from my hairline to my ears - leaving the crown as is (bald).

It would require a second session to recover the crown area. As I have stated in other posts, I have not decided if I will ever do a second session. With the amount of loss we share in common, the 2,500 you're getting will not cover the entire loss area with a density amount that would satisfy you.

I am quite sure you be happy with Dr. Cooley's performance - based on my experience to date and comments on this site. Please don't be discouraged by my comments on the amount of coverage; most men with our shared loss end up with two procedures - assuming the donor area can handle it.

Best of luck!

Regards,

Mike

Brav989,

I am scheduled for my first HT in January and 3,000 are running me $10,000. $8,500 was quoted for 2,000, so there was a substantial benefit to going for 1,000 more at only $1,500 in additional cost.

Regards,

Mike

Robert,

As always, thank you for your insight, wisdom, maintenance and mentoring on this site. The information you provided is very enlightening, thank you again.

Regards,

Mike

Kat,

Thanks for the update. I live about 10-15 minutes from Dr. Cooley's office; so traveling to and from is really not issue. I will have someone transport me the day of the procedure though. Not going to take any unnecessary chances driving on that day.

Best of luck!

Regards,

Mike

tntiger,

I'm okay with my timeline as it works out for me vacation wise; I will be off from my office job (can't wear a hat) a total of 15 days including the procedure day and weekends. There are now at least two site members going in before me to see Dr. Cooley.

Unfortunately for me, my credit rating is not the greatest - extensively due to the later years of my marriage and ultimate divorce. I am not in a good position to apply for multiple cards and flip flop balances via transfers. It will buy you some time until the transfer options run out. Be careful though, too many cards open is not a good thing - it was my ultimate downfall.

Being new to this forum and hair loss research I am unfamiliar with Avodart. What is its claim to fame?

With my 3,000, I expect I will be in the chair 12+ hours. Not an issue for me, as I mentioned previously, I have a high tolerance for discomfort and a lot of patience. I will give Dr. Cooley all the rest periods he needs. I beleive the next follow up visit is a week out for clean up as you mentioned.

Best of luck tntiger and keep us posted after the procedure.

Regards,

Mike

Due to the holiday season and staffing level concerns, my procedure will now be in the first week of Jan 2006. As Nashville Kat noted, 2,500-3,000 will be a long day and take its toll on Dr. Cooley and his staff.

I feel compelled to get the biggest bang for my buck now as I am not sure I will be willing or able for that matter, to go for a round two. I have better things to spend my money on raising two sons as a sole custody divorced dad.

I only posted my quote/fees because I was very curious about the costs when I began my research. I appreciate the varying conditions of patients and that fees can vary and change for matter.

Thanks to all for the encouragement and replies.

Regards,

Mike

Gorpy,

The crown may be a consideration in the future once I see how things settle a year or so from now. Also, I want to see how the Propecia affects the loss in that area as well. I neglected to mention in my original post that Dr. Cooley prescribed it and Ailene provided 28 pills free of charge to get me started. Fortunately, I will still have approximately 3,000 left in my donor area if I elect to get a second procedure.

Robert,

As always - thank you for the time and effort you spend moderating this site. When I created my album, I did not expect it to post - please remove it. I was simply trying to create it for future reference and to add to it after my procedure next month. How can I get it to post like yours, in original posts or replies, as a link if a reader so chooses?

Regards,

Mike

I just returned from my initial consultation with Dr. Jerry Cooley in Charlotte NC. While I had to wait an extra half hour past my appointment time (I even arrived 30 minutes prior to the appointment time and completed the two forms in no time at all) it was well worth the wait. Dr. Cooley and Ailene are very polite and professional. I felt comfortable in the waiting room; there were a variety of patients (men, women, and children) awaiting a variety of doctors for varying reasons within the practice. I in no way felt singled out for my "follically challenged" visit.

Ailene leads the way and walks you through the questions and procedure; she is very informative and insightful. After approximately 35-45 minutes of her presentation, overall open discussion and my questions being answered, Ailene summoned Dr. Cooley. He arrived, asked me if I had any questions and then proceeded to review the density of my donor area (fortunately quite dense in my case) and recommend a course of action. Just like Ailene, he suggested 2,000 to cover the frontal area of my type VI (46 year old, very little change over the past 5-7 years) profile. Basically, covering from my ears to a restored frontal hairline. He estimated that my dense donor area could supply 6,000+ overall if need be ??“ the call was totally mine based on personal satisfaction and desired results.

The price was $8,500 for the 2,000 and only another $1,500 to take it up to 3,000. I fully appreciate the drain on Dr. Cooley physically by pushing it to 3,000 ??“ but 1,000 (1/3) more for just $1,500 is too hard to resist. As for me, I have an extreme amount of patience and a very high threshold for pain/inconvenience so I think it's going to be 3,000. Dr. Cooley doesn't offer a finance plan but refers you to Capital One who I contacted in advance and received approval for $10,000 (coincidence ??“ I think not). I will request the 3,000 tomorrow when I confirm the desire to proceed. Currently, he is booked out through late December; he performs on only one patient per day.

More to follow ??“ I am pleased so far.

Robert ??“ (I trust you'll se this) I would like to thank you for this forum and your insight on Dr. Cooley.

Regards,

Mike

Hair Apparent - thank you, I appreciate your insight and Robert's. Good to know there's others out there at my age & stage that have had success in obtaining their personal goals from this. Thank you again, Mike

Robert - thank you for responding. No insight on Dr. Baxa? Thanks again, Mike

Welcome fellow follicley challenged brothers,

I almost made the mistake of going to MHR (thanks to this site I didn't). I have read good things about Jerry Cooley and references to Dr. Baxa (first name = ?).

Can anyone tell me about one, the other or both? Curious about satisfaction, cost (Cooley = no financing & my credit rating is average at best), follow up, etc. I would place myself as 6 or 7 and at 47 years old, I am not expecting a miracle by any means. I wear my hair quite short now and know I need to let it grow out to "hide" scarring. Also, I am willing to take a week off from work to allow the initial healing.

Decision to act has been made, time to weigh out the options and actions. Would truly appreciate feedback.

Thanks,

Mike/Prospicience

Welcome fellow follicley challenged brothers,

I almost made the mistake of going to MHR (thanks to this site I didn't). I have read good things about Jerry Cooley and references to Dr. Baxa (first name = ?).

Can anyone tell me about one, the other or both? Curious about satisfaction, cost (Cooley = no financing & my credit rating is average at best), follow up, etc. I would place myself as 6 or 7 and at 47 years old, I am not expecting a miracle by any means. I wear my hair quite short now and know I need to let it grow out to "hide" scarring. Also, I am willing to take a week off from work to allow the initial healing.

Decision to act has been made, time to weigh out the options and actions. Would truly appreciate feedback.

Thanks,

Mike/Prospicience