LondonHTseeker

Yeah, nevermind about the photo thing, I doubt anyone will be keeping copies. Dr Feller's post at 19 gives the clearest demonstration for me of why my result hasn't come off as I had hoped, and it also gives me hope that the next op will fix it. I'm grateful for the example because it does set me at ease with things a lot more. I may have had quite a few grafts already, but it was a pretty big area to fill over the front of my big old bonce, so given the photographic example at 19, my current result seems within what could be expected so far. I'll also point out that the photos I have put up are the harshest possible. Under less direct lighting and with bit of styling it's nowhere near as noticeable. That's why I've been putting up with it; still, time to fix it now.

Did anyone else save my uncensored pics?

Well, Dr Feller is offering me 1250 grafts in my next surgery, which I have to admit I'm wondering if that would be enough. And hearing all this stuff about measuring the bald area for transplant etc.; to be honest I don't even know if he did that or not, like I've said I'm ignorant about HT's, even after all this time. I've never done the research. Some might say so I got what I deserved, but I think that would be a bit unfair. Surely the idea of a forum like this is to help people get great HT's without needing to become expert in it. It's interesting for me to hear the technical talk in this thread though. Corv, it does seem you have got a better result than me - why, I don't know.

Don't think there's any point in that. If I discovered the photos had been saved by someone and leaked elsewhere I wouldn't be happy, but I think that's unlikely. By the way, at the start of this thread I only mentioned the 2000 grafts of my second HT because I couldn't remember how much had been used in my first HT.

Hi Bill, the second was 2000 grafts.

It's kind of confusing now knowing who to reply to. I should mention that the initial price for a revision quoted by Dr Feller and mentioned by me earlier in this thread has been significantly reduced, which I appreciate. It's really just about me getting the money together now because I'm confident in Dr Feller being able to sort it out, what he has said makes sense. It's funny seeing the photos of me before my HT's, I had lost quite a lot at the front there - more than my brother has...but at least I'm taller than him! So far as the lunatic fringe goes, as Dr Feller mentioned at one point, I'm looking forward to not having to tame my lunatic fringe with gel every day, if I can fix another surgery!

Hi Dr Feller and everyone else. "I don't know why my own patient decided to come onto this website before contacting me and simply asking me what I thought. It is certainly his right to do so, but it's wrong to omit crucial information in the initial write up. I don't think LondonHT made these omissions maliciously as he is just not that type of person if memory serves." It seems news to me that Dr Feller thought a third procedure would be necessary and that it was a condition of the surgery. It might be that I have forgotten it was a pre-condition; I don't think so, but it's certainly possible that I have. (Or perhaps Dr Feller might be remembering this part incorrectly. If he has any record of this term being consented to by me I'd be interested to see it. That's not to say I wouldn't have consented to it, I would - cost permitting.) I have therefore absolutely not knowingly omitted crucial information in my write up, in fact all my posts have been completely frank and open. I have absolutely no reason to be disingenuous about my results or lie and nor would I do so. If I thought that further surgery had been a pre-condition that I had failed to fulfill I would of course have said so here, surely nobody reading my posts can doubt that. Where my experience has needed some clarification, i.e. number of ops I've had, I've made the clarification, and anything I felt I got wrong in a previous post I have openly corrected. I have nothing to hide (except my identity, which I'd rather keep between me and the doctor). I also contacted Dr Feller about my case, and he responded by offering a quarter off the price of repeat surgery (with no mention of repeat surgery being a condition of my last surgery), a couple of weeks before my first post here, so I'm not sure why he suggests I didn't. I'm happy to accept this is a simple mistake on Dr Feller's part, like posting my uncensored photographs apparently was. I'm grateful to Dr Feller for agreeing to my request to go low with my hairline. It's no lower than my original hairline was and, since I'm unlikely to lose much more hair in the future, it's safe. I also have a high forehead so I don't think the low hairline looks too much. Although I'm ignorant of HT technicalities, I'm willing to accept the likelihood that my result is largely a result of my personal physiology. Dr Feller is of course right that there are no large holes or gaps among the grafts, they just need more volume. There are things for me to still say in response to the above posts, which I'll do in another post later. I'll just quickly say that I respect and appreciate the open exchange of views here which have retained a civilized tone.

Can a mod delete Dr Feller's photos please? I don't want my face on the internet regarding this, trying to retain some anonymity. I'll post more in response to the above later.

Hi Bill In response to your questions: 1. I don't have photos of my hair before surgery, I guess I could ask Dr Feller for them. I also didn't take any photos at one year post op, I was trying to forget about it and let the whole result come through. I've been coping with the thin hair at the front by having it a bit longer behind and brushing the hair forward and to the side. 2. My concerns have constantly been there but I was trying to forget about it really because I haven't had the money for a revision, so I pushed it to the back of my mind. It hasn't been a case of me being happy and then not being. I definitely haven't lost any more native hair since the operation. 3. All the grafts were at the front. I have thick hair behind that (including the middle of my head) and that area hasn't thinned at all. Only Dr Feller has pics of my scalp post op. 4. I mentioned my concerns briefly to Spex a few years ago but failed to follow up with photos. It's really only at this point (last few weeks) that I've been trying to get it sorted out, strange as it may seem.

Thanks for the further messages. I definitely haven't lost any more native hair. What is now the area of thin hair at the front was completely bald before the strip surgery, I had no inbetween or thinning areas of hair and the balding hasn't progressed since. My hairline quickly receded at the front in my early to mid twenties then stopped without going further in land so to speak!

I don't actually have any before photos unfortunately. Yes the grafts were all placed at the front, basically where it looks thin. Behind that I have thick hair. I'm discussing it with Dr Feller at the moment, just wondering what peoples' opinions are here. Thanks for the reply.

Am I one of the unlucky few who don't grow very well, or is this a normal result for 2000 grafts into the hairline at the front? Opinions are appreciated. http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/LondonHTseeker/albums/768

bonkerstonker I could be wrong about the 60 percent. In my avatar you get a vague idea of what it's like now - it's fairly good coverage just needs thickening up a bit. I'm pretty ignorant about hair transplants even though I've had two, because I was lucky enough to quickly find Spex and Dr Feller when I needed one a few years ago, so I'm not really in a position to be giving you accurate percentages of how many grafts have survived.

OK, well I apologise if it appears I was smearing his reputation in any way, that wasn't my intention and it's not what he deserves. I agree, my transplant has been pretty successful (and it was probably a bit more significant than "minimal" hairloss at the front, so I probably chose the wrong word there earlier). Anyway, I think this thread has further cemented Dr Feller's reputation ultimately, because it has answered any doubts I was having and I'm happy to make that clear here.

Actually, having now had clarification from Spex by email, it seems that it is indeed protocol for revisions to be charged if the surgeon isn't at fault, as I believe is the case here. That makes sense - hair doctors aren't charities, and have a big team to pay! After all, it's not like I have a bad result, it just needs thickening up a bit. Dr Feller has done good work on me, causing no problems, and has proven himself to be a quality surgeon in my eyes. I'm satisfied everything's fair so far as the options he has given me for revision surgery with him are concerned (actually potentially my third surgery with him because I've had two ops with him - I had a small strip procedure with him first that I didn't bother mentioning at the start of this thread because it was pretty minor.)

I don't know if I'm right about the 60 percent survival rate, that's just a guess, but I know it was packed tight with about 2000 grafts. I don't think Dr Feller is horrified by my result though, that's not the impression I've got.

I don't know what to think now, really. I don't know what is standard revision protocol. I mean I wasn't expecting to have to have or pay for another one... Skinnyshaft, if you don't mind me asking did you pay for your hairline bulking up or get a reduction, or was it free? I don't want anyone to think I'm being disrespectful to Dr Feller here, quite the opposite, I appreciate what he did for me. Like I say, I'm just confused now.

It's not exactly that they didn't grow, but there was only about a 60 percent survival rate. Isn't that just considered a normal loss rate and therefore no fault of the surgeon?

I take all your points about the feasibility of FUE v strip for someone who has a lot of/potential for hair loss. Thing is I don't have that so I'm wondering if I should go with FUE this time instead of strip. I also have a pretty noticeable donor scar to sort out. I'm a bit disappointed in the percentage of my grafts that came through, I'd like the next result to have a higher graft survival ratio. Budget is also a factor for me. So now I'm struggling to know what to do - go back to Dr Feller for a quarter off the price of another strip surgery, but factor in travel costs as well, or maybe check out Dr Farjo on Harley Street. It's all a lot more effort than I ever figured it would be - as someone who was suffering from relatively minimal hair loss to start with and picked a top surgeon - I can only imagine how hard it must be for those with significant hair loss, especially those who get botch jobs.

I've just read about a botch job from this clinic on here so it seems they are risky. I also don't like the way they have no information on the surgeon/s on their site. Rooney may get a good result, and from a new photo I saw of him on holiday yesterday it seems it's looking that way, but they would obviously put serious effort into getting him a good result, as their showpiece. Whether the clinic can now consistently match that result, despite their botch jobs of the past, is the question. It seems they have a lot to prove.

In answer to whether I've lost anymore hair, no I haven't which is why I've been able to go fairly low with the hairline. I'm lucky in that respect - 35 and not lost anymore hair for a few years now. I don't take hair meds either. I'll likely need some work on my crown when I hit my sixties but that's not a big deal.

Thanks for all your replies. It's useful to get feedback on the London clinic, that's what I was hoping for. I guess they seem risky, like an unknown entity if you will. I could well go back to Dr Feller, it's the safe choice and I'm sure it would sort me out.

True, fair point. Website photos are good though.

Hi. I live in London UK and had an HT with Dr Feller in New York 3 years ago. It was about 1500 grafts with a strip surgery, only at the front. It went well. The only problem is I now need it thickening up with about the same amount of grafts again. I'm thinking of the Queen Anne St clinic in London where footballer Rooney recently went, but they are booked til October and I can't even get a quote from them for 1500 grafts. Their website results look very good, as does the Rooney result. Does anyone here know about the prices for about about 1500 grafts from the London clinic, by any chance please? I may go back to Dr Feller though. I've heard the London clinic do a graft surgery other than strip which results in a near 98 percent graft survival. That sounds amazing to me, I lost quite a few in my last surgery that didn't grow. Can anyone tell me anything about this technique please? Cheers