newbie33

Par example, non? http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/181045-dr-hakan-doganay-1700-grafts-7-months-fue-implanter-pen.html

*Trump voice* New B Thirty-three is calling for a total and complete shutdown of fut/fue debates on this forum, until our doctors can figure out... *failing to keep a lid on the insanity* ...WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!

Paul, whatever money you have put aside for a HT, spend it elsewhere. Extend your house. Put it into an index-linked tracker fund. Blow it all on cocaine and prostitutes. Please don't make us go through this again! Mav, a splendid summary. I held my lighter aloft to some of those great hits.

*Exhales deeply onto the inside window of this conversation* *Writes in the condensation 'HELP ME'*

Mick, your results are pretty good considering the chance you took. You must be pleased. Though I can quite see why you wouldn't recommend it.

Indeed, we are all different. We're all individuals... You ever done any Myers-Briggs personality testing? (I'm ENTJ - very strongly T, nearly as strongly J). Gathering information, systematising, making decisions based on data - it's all very comfortable to me. Understanding risks and how things work eliminate worry for me - I would worry much more if I didn't have a clear idea of what to expect (and how near I can get to it - the odds of achieving it, if you like) and what might go wrong. As an example, let me relay my first consultation experience with a HT doctor (Doganay) and a dental surgeon. Me: How often do your procedures end in failure? Doganay: Blank face Me: I mean, how often do you get less growth than you expect? Less than is acceptable, than your patient is happy with? Doganay: Laughs and brushes his hand in the air to suggest it's not a question worth answering Me: Let's say less than half the grafts grow... Doganay: (Might have been his translator, and not him) It's always successful. Me: So you're saying 100% of your operations are successful? Doganay: Maybe one or two in a hundred get less growth... I can be generous and say maybe some of this was a lack of understanding of the question as he doesn't speak great English (which is my point about communication, above). But you can decide for yourselves what to make of that. Same type of conversation with my dental surgeon for placing an implant - in London, but he's Scottish, so the same translation difficulty ;-) Me: Can these procedures fail? Him: Yes. Me: How often? Him: About 5% of the time. They usually do it in the first few days. If that happens we take it out, or it falls out, and we let it heal and try again a few months later. We don't always know why they fail but having it fail once doesn't increase the chances of a second failure. We had more of a discussion about what I'd do it it did fall out and he gave me his mobile number which I was to call. I only proceeded after one of those consultations. Can anyone guess which?

Mav, on that basis, I'd agree with you: Lorenzo and Feruduni do great FUE, speak English and work in developed Western European surgeries. And they are cheaper. So then it's question of how much you are willing to pay not to travel. But a lot, maybe a majority, of people go abroad for cost reasons (not quality). That's ably pointed out in Mick50's follow-up post. And my point is you need to factor in more than just cost and an assumption that everything will be fine and dandy. Mick, genuinely curious how you conclude that thinking about risks makes someone an unsuitable candidate.

In general, it seems your point is you can price risk - hence the business plan. I wouldn't disagree with this, but pricing risk is notoriously difficult and only as good as the information you have and the model you use. On the two points above. You're right many people travel abroad for surgery - and even within a culture people are different. But neither of those things worsen or lessen the risk for you if you go to a surgery which doesn't speak your language. Even if, as you say, the world is flat, the surface area is exactly the same. In your model, it seems you price this miscommunication risk at zero - I wouldn't. On the second point - I said medical standards (which you didn't mention) as well as the medico-legal system. I have a reasonable idea of what medical standards to expect in my country - the UK. Whatever disclaimer you sign does not change the law - you cannot opt out of the law in the UK. The law is well developed around informed consent, capacity, medical negligence etc. I have no idea if this is the case in many countries in which you might get a HT. (And it's not so much the recourse in law I think that's the important part, it's the change in behaviour among doctors that potential legal action creates). I would assume most people wouldn't know and don't bother to look it up in foreign countries. So, again, you seem to price this risk at zero - I wouldn't. And I'm not saying this to argue the specifics, I'm just trying to point out that people should think these things through.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/4a/61/01/4a6101d561e524d083221b62c8dc99ee.jpg

I am not an animal...

Here are some concerns - or at least issues to consider - before jumping on a plane. Poor communication and misunderstanding with doctors and staff if they do not share your native- language. A lack of understanding about medico-legal comeback or standards in said foreign country. The requirement for further return journeys for any follow-ups or repair work should it go wrong (and to be cynical - the potential for the doctor not to give too much concern for a patient he's botched to be able to do anything about it from 5,000 miles away and pursue any action in a country from which he has no legal knowledge, no language or contacts). And of course to a lesser extent the hassle or travelling when you're feeling vulnerable/in pain/woken up in bed in an foreign country realising you've made a horrible mistake (which I'm sure we've all done in some capacity). These things are worth factoring into any decision you make about medical procedures abroad.

Two options, I guess: 1) Try all sorts of fibres, pastes, creams and haircuts, which may very well damage your long-term result at this stage. Or... 2) Make a virtue out of necessity and front the fucker out. Tell the world - out and proud - you've had a hair transplant.

I'm not sure if there is a single post, but there are many views on this. Search for Acell, PRP, vitamins, aloe Vera, biotin, saw palmetto. There's some evidence or theory why some of those might make a difference or speed up healing/growth. My personal view is that there's probably no harm with those things, but not much proven benefit. So if you want to spend and possibly waste money on them, that's up to you (I probably would with some). But I think it's a bit analogous to me buying an Olypmics standard $3000 carbon fibre push bike to shave half a second off my daily ride to work.

As Seth pointed out, blood supply is an issue for new grafts if they are competing for it with native and/or transplanted hairs. But at what level of density that will actually harm the transplanted grafts will probably differ from patient to patient and will likely be only at high density. But in theory, you've got a better bloody supply if the area is totally bald. As with all things, it will be a balance - do you want to be totally bald before having any transplant? (There's pros and cons for waiting - but we all have a different approach to this stuff). As ever, best consult a trusted surgeon who can give you a better idea of what's possible/likely and you can decide for yourself. Though as one of my old tutor's used to say - a medical degree is no substitute for clairvoyance,

Think I've answered a question you may not have asked there!

Transplanted grafts can affect native grafts - that's what shock loss is (you can google that term). Basically, if grafts are transplanted close to/around native grafts, the native grafts may fall out if the trauma is sufficient and/or the native grafts are weak. Hopefully, that is temporary. But if the grafts were on their way out anyway (which is possible seeing as you have MPB), they may not grow back.

Any idea who the surgeon was? I'm looking at you Yiddo specifically if you've spoken to him about it!

Earning lots of money never seems to harm a man's attractiveness!

"Sandy, there' something I've been meaning to tell you. Something real important and personal to me. Something I've hidden for far too long and that you have a right to know if we're to become even more intimate and a build a loving home, family and life together. Sandy - I'm bald." *Pause for reaction* "Now..." *Gets down on one knee* (I know you didn't mean literally before you propose - the idea just made me laugh).

My grandfather, NW1 till he died. The other grandfather, NW4 all the while I knew him. My eldest brother, NW1, though now nearly 50 and he's starting to thin out (I can see it, but doubt anyone else notices). My other brother, bald by the time he was 40. Baldness, she's a cruel, unpredictable mistress... She's a wife, a mother, she's a daughter, she's an errant child etc.

I'm afraid never being totally secure or safe is a symptom of being alive. And there are plenty of worse things that can happen.

Thanks for the answer Blake. I've heard/seen rosacea before. Always thought, as the name suggests, it would appear more red and pronounced than that. Reminds me of the (no doubt unfair) joke about the ease of being dermatologist too: Thirty conditions - only two creams.

Them's the breaks.

I can see why you've gone down that road, but I'm essentially far too lazy to ever try a hair piece. Another question: say you got serious with a girl - at which point would you tell her, or would you let her figure it out for herself? Or would you evade or deny even if she asks outright?

I have a question on that very last point. Do you genuinely believe that absolutely no-one can tell or suspects you wear a system?