southbeacharchi

I think Dr. Konior is averaging 4 HT surgeries a week, and sometimes 5 if he decides to do so.

 

I can confidently say that his wait for consultation and surgery is not because he is doing other plastic surgery. I believe that he rarely does other types of plastics, like do some others on this board like Dr. Lindsey and a few others with surgical backgrounds.

 

While I admitted that I was bias towards him, because I chose him as my doctor. I consider the word "cheerleader" rather derogatory, with the implication that a doctor (and his or her clinic) on this board with "cheerleaders" does not deserve the praise given.

 

While I would admit that there are a few clinics on this board that sometimes get undue praise, Dr. Konior is not one of them.

 

There are other doctors that can give you good or maybe even great results.

 

I do not recommend Dr. Konior because I like Dr. Konior, I recommend him because I like to see people get great results.

 

I would also, like SBA, encourage you to do as much research as possible. Take your time to choose the right doctor for you. You are stuck with the result for life.

 

Let us know how it goes.

Calm down there Spanker. I think you were a little too sensitive on that post. Dr. Konior must mean a GREAT deal to you.

I did not mean "cheerleaders" in a derogatory manner...just used the word to describe people that are very "pro" towards one doctor and seem to speak about it on every post, make-up posts, and sometimes maybe not be playing fully by the rules. I did not necessarily mean it directed at Dr. Konior or you as a patient. It is an overall observation/opinion of mine from browsing around.

Now that that is cleared up, I honestly do not know if Dr. Konior performs other procedures. I have actually heard from several sources he does. If you say there is absolutely no way that he is backed-up due to that, then people can take your word for it, or simply ask....like I suggested. Again, that was not directed right at Dr. Konior, just something to keep in mind and possibly ask about with any doctor. I asked all the doctors I consulted with if they only did HT's. I think it is a pretty standard question.

I want to say that I know Dr. Konior does very good work, and anyone that looks at the results of his patients can see that. He is an excellent HT doctor.

I type out a novel on here....and then it goes silent....lol

Any update chicagobears? Have you met with any of the doctors? Done any further research?

I finally got around to taking my ONE YEAR pics! Sorry, it is about 2 weeks late - I had a lot going on the past two weeks.

I am going to post the pics now, and I will write more later when I can think more about it. I want to make sure I convey my feelings about the whole experience to date accurately and thoroughly.

But....here are the pics. For the first time I believe, I included some close-ups of the hairline and a pic of one of the ways I style it.

P.S. - One update that has some impact on the results is that I stopped taking Propecia about...maybe 3 weeks ago? And started Minoxidil foam about a week ago...so I think I have shed a bit in the crown.

I probably should, and will try, to post this in another forum but to summarize...I stopped the Propecia because I realized how much of a big impact it had on my sex drive and I was having ED problems. Glad to report things are almost back to normal already. I really wonder if the sexual side effects are as rare as the "studies" lead us to believe....but I will save that for the other post.

Ok...now for real...the pics.

Just thought I would put my two cents in, as I live in Chicago and did a LOT of research before eventually deciding to have my transplant done by Dr. Keller.

First and most importantly, I am glad you said you are not making any decision until you meet with both doctors. No matter how many reviews and how many people say one thing about one doctor or another, I think it is extremely important for you to draw your own opinions, ask your own questions, and ultimately make your own decision. Everyone gets different impressions, has different experiences and has their own unique priorities.

That being said, and I have to say this just because I learned along the way, you cannot judge a doctor necessarily by the amount of time it takes to get an appointment or how many cheerleaders they have on a particular site. One huge factor that some overlook is that some doctors have a much longer wait time because they perform other procedures other than hair transplants (one question to ask a doctor when interviewing). Other doctors may also have different personal rules about limiting the number of procedures to improve quality, while others may try to book as many as possible. Also, I am not going to go into it fully, but I think some doctors on here have an odd proportion of positive reviews from "patients" compared to the number of operations they perform...but I digress.

I truly believe that I found a hidden gem when I found Dr. Keller. I knew going into the consultation that there wasn't many reviews on this site about him and I still to this date wonder why (because I have talked to several of his patients and others that speak nothing but the highest about him) that is so.

In the end, refer to what I said prior, research, research, have consults with several doctors, observe how they behave and make your own decision after taking into consideration all of your information as well as, to a degree, what others say about different doctors.....and research - did I mention research? This site is am AMAZING resource and a good foundation for the beginnings of research.

I wouldn't mind answering any questions about any information on HT's or doctors in the area that anyone may have.

Whew...typed a lot more than I had originally planned.

I think you look great. I've been concerned by the large number of graft numbers that are always thrown around and it's nice to see substantial your progress without one of those megasessions.

Thanks gobble! I thought 3000+ was considered a fairly large number...lol.

What constitutes a "large number" or "mega-session" these days?

I really do appreciate the compliment. I missed out on posting my eleven month, but it will be a year in about a week and a half.

So happy and grateful.

I would then get a second opinion, so it can be official, then go back to them and tell them that it is not realistic to have to wait a full year and that you do not want to. You should be able to see SOMEthing by now and that you are not satisfied with their service. They need to fix it, or give you a refund. You have to be assertive with them.

Yeah, I would never goto a doc that wasn't recommended on here (where you can get examples of their work as well as speak directly with patients) nor that I hadn't researched,spoken to previous patients,etc. Did you have consults with more than one doctor?

Have you spoken with this doctor even, to explain your dissatisfaction and/or concerns? If so, what did he/she say?

Looks good. It is easy to forget where you started from. I looked at your pre-ops and you were pretty much completely bald in your frontal 3rd, so you seem to be doing quite well.

Hey Spanker! I hope I didn't sound ungrateful or at all disappointed in my last post, because I am not either at all. I just meant it wasn't the most exciting due to the Nizoral shedding (Now I am actually thinking about switching from that to Minoxidil). But I do understand and completely agree with what you said, and it is good to hear things like that every once in a while. You got me to go back and look at my pre-op pics and I did get all excited again....thanks. And thanks for the compliments.

Best wishes.

Sorry it is a week late...been very busy.

Well, since the surgery this is probably the month I am least excited by. I know as time goes by that is probably natural, but I think the main reason is that I started Nizoral about 3 weeks ago and I think I shed quite a bit because of it. I debated for quite a while whether or not to add that to my routine. I am already taking Finasteride and the shampoo may be overkill but like probably most of you, I am willing to do whatever to not lose any more hair. Hopefully it will grow back...and better.

Also, I am looking forward to the hairs in the minor HT I had two months ago to start growing in and cover up that old teenage scar on the side of my head as well as hopefully thickening up the top a little more.

I also know a couple of the pics are blurry....I need to buy a new camera.

Hope everyone is doing well.

Thank you aaron1234.

As for your question on how I wear my hair in public, I actually wear it according to how I feel when I take off in the morning. I don’t really see why a hairtransplant should limit the way one styles their hair. I just comb it many different ways. Sure, some ways give the impression of more density and coverage than others. But it is nice just to have this option again. You would really have to see my entire face to really see how the placement of my new hairline suits my head perfectly. When I post pictures of my progress, I always try to emphasize more on the refinement of the work rather than anything else. In real life, and this is probably the best part, nobody would ever suspect that I had a hairtransplant. And that I figure is the most important thing.

Hopes this answers your question somewhat.

Kind regards

That is such a GREAT point and one of the best parts of getting a HT - aside of course from the confidence, feelings etc. Being able to do different things and style my hair again. I think for the past, at least 10 years all I ever felt comfortable doing was pushing/combing it forward to cover as much of the receding as possible.

I am like you in the fact that making it look as dense as possible isn't important for me. I style it sometimes in ways that most HT patients/docs would probably frown against, but that is part of the reason I paid for it to be done. Freedom!!!

Great point and your results look really good. Wish you the best and keep spikin and gellin it up.

Does minoxidil and Propecia combined use causes a longer shedding period? Propecia causes upto 3-4 months shedding period but If I use minodil will the shedding period increase.

From my reading and research, I would think it may, MAY, increase the amount of shedding but not increase the duration. As mentioned previously in this thread, the shedding comes from the weaker follicles falling out to make room for the new stronger ones. Along those lines, I would not think that the amount of hairs shed would increase that much combining the two initially. I also know that most doctors say that the combination of the two is the best non-surgical treatment to date.

Southbeach your hair looks great. And it's awesome and reassuring to hear someone being as thrilled as you are. Sometimes you look at pictures and they show a dramatic transformation and yet the words that accompany it are 'happy with the result', 'pleased so far' etc.

 

Everyone and every case is different of course but losing your hair is such a crushing experience, it fkin hurts, so getting it back along with your confidence, looks etc should invoke the same magnitude of emotion.

 

Pleased for you fella. Enjoy the new locks!

Hey Slickers. So sorry about the delay. Started a fairly new job and just can't get used to the hours of commuting. I just come home and crash every day.

Thanks so much for the incredibly nice compliments man. And I can completely relate to what you said. Sometimes I don't know how some people are not more excited. I still remember about the time that i saw my first HT commercial (won't mention names) but after already struggling with self-esteem issues anyway and then just like you said, the crushing of what little was left by knowing my hair was receding in my early 20's, discovering that it was an alternative to a rug glued to my head was truly amazing. But from that point up until recently, it was just a dream and I never thought I could afford it. Probably can't afford it now, but I just got to a point where I personally needed it for me, no matter the cost.

Sorry, enough rambling. I'm really glad that my excitement and my new, changed attitude comes through in my story/posts/experience. I'm not sure of your story, but I definitely wish you the best. Feel free to hit me up if you need anything or have any questions.

Cheers, buddy across the pond.

SouthBeach, in your 9 month post op photos, you look great!

 

In my opinion, I think the finasteride has helped your hair overall. I can tell by comparing your before pics to recent ones. I think it is probably preserving and thickening up some areas and you might be able to notice a texture change in your hair. The hairs do look stronger now overall. How long have you been on it?

Thank-you very much Sean for the compliments and feedback. It is so much harder to notice the effects, if any, of the finasteride versus a HT.

How can you tell that the hairs look stronger? This along with the thickness of the hair follicles that people speak of as far as hair maturation, are the things I want to be able to look for and analyze.

I've been on it for about 10 months. I know it is said to wait at least a year before even beginning to evaluate its effectiveness but....

Thanks again for your input.

I still can't tell if the finasteride is helping at all. Any opinions?

Southbeach

You are looking great at this point!!

Thanks a lot, I appreciate it. And back at you, as I have been following your progress. You are around that point at which I was probably the most excited during the process.

Best of luck with the continued growth for you.

Your native hair grows SO fast. The amount it grew from 2-3 months, looks like an inch or more is crazy. The results look really good also. It's unreal how fast you are progressing - I thought I had growth early, but yours blows mine away. Happy for you.

So, it's been 9 months since my first procedure and 1 month since my second small one.

These are the first pics I have posted since the second procedure. I know I am going to be happy. Just more of a waiting game, again.

It is going to be so great having that old scar (car wreck at age 18) on the side covered up. I think you can see it now on the right side pic because the transplanted hairs fell out. But once they come back, NO MORE scar from that car wreck ...so happy!

I can't believe how much effect the first surgery had on my self-esteem and overall mood. No more having to comb my hair just right, or looking in the mirror every five minutes to make sure it didn't move and show my receding hairline. No more panics going out in the wind. I cannot voice enough for anyone out there contemplating a HT, you don't have to live like that. I think there is so much old, outdated notions about HT. If you do your research, you'll see what work is currently being done. I speak for myself as far as the financial aspect of it, when I say that at the time, could I really have financially afforded it? No. Could I have emotionally afforded to go without it? No. In my mind, I would do whatever it took to make the finances work and I have. Whatever the financial stress was, it was so worth it to know that I will forEVER have hair in the front and NEVER recede again. Again, I can only speak for myself.

I really needed this at the point in my life where I was at. I would do it all over, exactly the same way if I had the chance to go back in time....well, I actually would have done it maybe a few years earlier.

Anyway, take a look. Wish everyone the best.

Thanks orlhair1 !

That is how much I paid however many months ago. And I got over 2000. I don't believe the price changes for less than 2000, but I may be wrong. And no, I was not given any discount.

I am somehow doing my math wrong then I guess. How much did you pay per graft?

$3.80 x 1400 = $5320

According to my calculations, the doctor I went with, recommended on this site, would be right under the 5500 amount, and as you said in the quote, there are ones that are a tiny bit cheaper, which i chose against.

There should be no problem getting an FUT with a good doctor, for under $5500. Without discounts, etc.

Update:

So, I actually had a small additional HT a couple of weeks ago but just haven't had time to even really sit down and write about it.

Since I was so happy with the results of my first HT, I went back to have a scar covered up from a teenage accident. I had a really bad car accident when I was 18, and actually had a large cut on my head and then they had to actually open up my head as well. I've had a scar on the side of my head ever since and I was always self-conscious of it - secondarily of course compared to when I started losing my hair. So, since the top was fixed, I thought I would ask about getting the scar covered. You can see it in most of my pics probably from pre-op to 7 months, depending on how long I had my hair. It is on the right side of my head going vertically from the front of my ear up kind of towards my temple.

I went back to Dr. Keller and asked what he thought and asked about how many grafts it would take. He said it would definitely not be a problem, and that usually grafts can take well in scar tissue of course with variable factors. He also estimated around 200-300 grafts.

Since I had relatively unnoticeable scarring from my first, I opted for FUT. When Dr. Keller harvested the strip, he actually got about 600 (I’ll get the exact numbers) grafts.

He is such a nice person. On such a small procedure, he gave me 300-400 extra grafts and asked where I wanted them. I was happy with the first HT, but I would say that most people that have had thinning/lost hair can agree, I think we always want more! So I said on the top, of course. He went through and strategically placed the remaining grafts.

So, the healing process starts again but on a much smaller scale this time. I could NOT be HAPPIER with the results! The ugly scar that I have been aware of for half my life is completely gone and all the grafts seem to have taken in the scar tissue.....AND I got a free 300-400 for my "triangles" on top of my head.

Life is good.

I appreciate you sharing. Can you be any more specific on the improvement you have shown in past few weeks, being even more than the past 3 months?

I definitely have felt pretty much the same for the past 3-4 months. I'm sure it's just because I see it every day, and now that I have it - many times a day. lol.

Looking pretty damn good to me!

Thanks a lot man! I checked out your pics/website and right back at you! So, you had yours about a month and a half prior to me. Have you noticed your hairs thickening? Were yours whispy and wirey? Mine are getting better....just curious. I'm thinking as it thickens not only will it even look better, but also hoping it helps with that curl.

Best of luck.

I said I wasn't going to be able to take 8 month pics, but I did manage to snap a few the week after. They aren't the best quality - just took them real quick with my phone after I woke up. Next month will be better, and more of them.