John Malloy

John ,

I would not be `satisfied ` with anyone taking legal proceedings against me I find it odd that you would welcome it . Re Dr Feller initiating proceedings , I do not believe this to be the case , rather defending himself and his practice which is understandable .

 

I would urge you to re read your posts its changed from being drugged to having a `valium `, John there is a huge difference !!! , I feel sorry for you as you are not where you want to be but please dont attack this forum or community as its the one place that will probably help you , I think most people on this thread want you to have a great result ! If I was in surgery and you called nine times and the Dr left me for each call I would be pretty pissed ! Look at it from other points of view rather than your own !

As I said earlier it appears like you have an online vendetta ( not just on this site ) but where do you want to be ??? Formulate a plan , fue into the scar or revision I would take a positive direction instead of this one which serves no one least of all yourself

Regards

 

Ej

Ej,

Honestly, I, myself, would have no issue with standing behind what I say. Unfortunately, my wife wants me to let go and move on.

Are my posts taken the wrong way sometimes? definitely. That is why I would rather communicate via in person or through the phone. I think the reason this issue with me and the doc escalated to this point was because of this fact.

Anyway,

DO I THINK THE DOC DRUGGED ME TO SIGN A WAIVER? NO

I want to be clear to the forum. when I said " I would not say he drugged me, but that is exactly what happened to me" I was referring to the fact that while sitting at his desk on the day of the surgery I was given a waiver to sign, and yes I was also given a Valium to relax me before the procedure.

My point is that I was unhappy with being given the waiver after I was given a form saying my deposit was non refundable weeks earlier.

So, for the record I never accussed the doc of drugging me that is why I said" I would'nt call it drugging" I was stateing the fact that the waiver was not given to me until the day of surgery, but the non refunable policy was given to me weeks earlier===that is an undeniable fact. And, I think it is wrong.

As far as my being unhappy with my results, I won't back off of that with the threat of any lawsuit.

I Just want to be 100 percent clear.

And, as far as taking positive action. I have no idea what to do. That is why the scar became such a big issue. Not because I was nit picking but, because after 2 surgeries one with Feller and one previous, and the fact that I was not happy with either, I couldn't imagine going through it a third time. Thus, I just wanted to buzz down. This is why the scar became an issue.

Ej,

If you truly wish me the best, don't even respond to this post. I frankly posted to clear up the drug issue that was misunderstood. As far as anything else I ever posted I don't think it could be misunderstood. I spoke of my experiences and did not want anyone else to walk into a surgery with the expectations that I had (which I think happens alot more than I think) But, I think the best piece of advice, ironically, that I have gotten from this forum is not about fixing my situation, but moving on and dealing with it.

It was for readers like Bill that I posted my same experience time and time again. I think it is obvious from his post what my true intent is and was.

John,

 

I never had a problem with you sharing or documenting your experience and concerns. But when you make it a point to hijack multiple threads and make their topic about you, this shows an obvious agenda to add fuel to the fire and attempt to damage Dr. Feller's reputation. Wouldn't it be far more effective for you to try to resolve your concerns either with Dr. Feller or another surgeon of your choice? If the purpose of your posts aren't to damage Dr. Feller's reputation, why do you continually hijack people's topics to repost the same information and always post the bad without the good?

 

The comment you made in your first post that I asked you to substantiate was:

 

"I would not consider giving someone a Valium before signing paperwork drugging them; however, this is exactly what happened in my experience with Dr. Feller."

 

The above statement insinuates that you were given drugs prior to signing paperwork, which is essentially accusing Dr. Feller of a criminal act. Are you now refuting that this is what you meant? If so, I ask that you remove it from your original post. If not, I'm going to ask you again to substantiate this or I'm removing your post.

 

Bill

Bill,

My point in that post is that while I was given a Valium the day of the surgery, it was not given to me to drug me but to relax me-- That was the point that I was trying to make. If that is taken any other way I apologize, but, the fact that you don't sign the waiver until the day of surgery is a big concern of mine.

As far as trying to contact the doc, I called him from my cell atleast 9 times in a 2 week period, I purposely did that so I have a record.

In reference, to the fact that I only post the bad, I disagree. I've posted numerous times that while the situation in the reciepent area has improved, it is not what I expected. That is why I continiously give people the option to come see the results for themselves. But, the scar is so much worse that it has taken away my option to buzz cut my head without the scar being extremely noticable.

Finally, I admit I do make other threads about me. That is because I can only contribute as to my experiences and opinions of my experiences--that is exactly what protects me from libel and slander. Anything I ever said was my experience from my perception. If I ever was misunderstood, LET ME BE CLEAR, IT WAS NEVER DONE IN A MALICIOUS INTENT TO SLANDER THE DOC, BUT TO SHARE MY HONEST OPINIONS AND EXPERIENCES. that is why I said I would not consider being "drugged" because I feel I share the facts as they happened to me.

Besides, if you honestly thought that anything that I posted was done for any reason than to share my honest experieces with members of this forum, Would you not be as guilty as I for not editing it? You've edited posts previously, haven't you?

Honestly, Bill, I'm going to make one last phone call to the doc to tell him he wins, if he don't want me posting my experience with him, I won't. While I'm quite sure he could ever convince a trier of fact that my posts were "intentionally" malicious, I quite frankly don't have the time or resources to defend such a silly accusation.

John,

 

Time and time again you have shared your experience and dissatisfaction regarding your experience with Dr. Feller. For the longest time, you complained about your actual hairline and results yet the majority of us agree that your results look fantastic. I understand however, that you're not happy with your scar. Yet, despite your dissatisfaction, I don't see any action taken by you to attempt to remedy your situation.

 

Instead, you take every chance you can get to re-post your experience as if you had an agenda to tarnish Dr. Fellers hard earned reputation rather than find support and resolution to your concderns. While all patients are welcome to share their genuine experiences, agenda driven posters become evidence when they flood the forum by posting their dissatisfaction on any topic they feel will cause the most harm to their doctor.

 

You've also now accused Dr. Feller of providing you with drugs before signing the standard release, an accusation you have never made until right now.

 

Like BadLuck, I am going to ask you to provide proof of this allegation of your post on this topic will be deleted. Furthermore, since you seem to have an agenda against Dr. Feller by by re-posting the same complaints instead of being genuinely interested in finding remedy to your concerns, if you can't provide proof of these allegations, I am going to consider suspending your posting privileges. Agenda driven posts designed to harm instead of garner the support and help that you need are strictly prohibited on this forum.

 

This thread will not become a debate about your experience John. I want your next post to backup your claims or your posts on this thread will be deleted.

 

At the end of the day, I wish you all the best in getting your scar fixed and getting on with your life. But in the meantime, it's unfair and malicious of you to to attempt to discredit Dr. Feller every chance you can get and we're not going to allow it on this forum.

 

Best Regards

 

Bill

Bill,

I am extremely satisfied that the Doc is initiating a lawsuit against me. As he should know by now that the truth is an "absoulute defense" to libel and slander. There is nothing I said in any of my posts that is not true.

Bill, while I do agree that I constantly post negative posts about the doc. Wouldn't that make sense if I had a negative experience with him? you have no issue with people such as drrj constantly posting positive results.

I think at the end of the day, you need to ask yourself, why am I unhappy? You said it yourself that communication with the doc is extremely difficult.

As far as the drugging, my point is that giving someone one valium to relax them prior to surgery was not done to alter their thinking-- I agree with that. But, not giving them the waiver form until the day of surgery is my issue there.

Well, I guess all of these issues will come to light in the near future. From your warnings time and time again, I suspect I will not be welcome to post my outcome with the doc on this site. So be it.

As I said numerous times, I am only trying to give people information that I was not privy to before I made the plunge with a HT, I think I'm seeing why?

If your not happy with your results and the post op communication you receive from your doc, then you are bombarded with threats of lawsuits and being silenced on this forum.

If you have not noticed, I've been posting less and less because I have come to the realization that I need to cope with my situation. But, not allowing me to post from time to time about my experience even if I'm being redundant is unfair to posters who may be visiting this site for the first time.

As you know, I've offered people to see the results for themselves time and time again so they can judge for themselves not from pics or bias from you, me, or the doc.

With that said, I have no desire to waste any more of my time here anyway-- my opinion is obviously not welcomed.

My intent has been clear-- I'm not happy with my result from the doc, and yes, I do want people to know that. That is not libel or slander-- get out your law books.

I have found Dr. Feller to be one of the most trustworthy doctors around. You are not going to find too many people on this forum who will believe he drugged you before giving you a waiver to sign.

I would not consider giving someone a Valium before signing paperwork drugging them; however, this is exactly what happened in my experience with Dr. Feller. TO BE PERFECTLY CLEAR, you are not told about the fact that results are not guarenteed until the day of surgery. there is no excuse for that, that is a shameless policy, and I find it hard to believe that it only happened in these two cases.

Anyway, as I've said in the past, if Dr. Feller really only has unhappy patients so rarely, why does he not do more to accomadate them? I can attest that getting in touch with the doc was virtually impossible. He would only respond via e-mail.

In summary, I am extremely unsatisfied with the doc's post op care, and horrified with my scar left from the doc. I really feel this is something he should have fixed at "his expense" not mine. Due to the fact that after he bashed my first surgeon, he left a donor scar that makes my first surgeon's look like Picasso did it.

While he did do a better job with my receipent area, it is still detectable in most lights, and does not look half as good as it does in pics.

Sorry, to his following---hairthere, Spex, Bill, but these are the facts in my case.

I've offered people numerous times to come see the results for themselves in person, but seem to get bashed everytime I do so.

I'M EXTREMELY SORRY FOR YOUR SITUATION, I KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL

Moro,

 

First, I wanted to state that some of these questions are probably best answered during a consultation with your surgeon, and that my opinions do not reflect any sort of medical advice.

 

Having said that:

 

1. In my opinion, state-of-the-art hair transplant surgeons use the trichophythic closure technique for a reason: it minimizes scarring in the donor area. If other techniques (such as the z-plasty closure - as you mentioned) worked more efficiently, these would probably be used instead. However, the idea behind the trichophytic closure is that it allows hairs to grow through the closure and better camouflage the scar. Because of this, I would assume that revising the original scar with a trichophytic closure is optimal.

 

Again, I would definitely consult with one of our recommended hair restoration physicians and review this information with him or her (though I hope the response was helpful).

 

2. Personally, I would see a hair transplant surgeon who performed follicular unit transplantation (FUT) procedures and scar revision frequently.

 

3. There are definitely quite a few scar revision examples on the site. I think inputting relevant terms (ie: scar revision) into the forum search function would probably be the best way to locate and review this information.

 

Please let me know if you have any additional questions or need assistance tracking down some of the revision results.

Hey Moro

I'm extremely sorry for your situation. I've been looking for an answer to conceal my scar also. As far as scar revision, I've had a tricho-closure on my second Ht which was done by Dr. Feller who is suppossed to be one of the best, and the whole left side of my scar is very similar to yours. So, I do not think that I would go that route.

As far as the tattoo, I'm looking for answers on that one myself. After my experience with Ht's I'm very timid to do anything without seeing results, and unfortunately, I've made a few phone calls and this is not as easy as you would thing to see some results.

I've even asked one micropigmentation artist if I could pay for an hour of her time and do a test strip, she declined. So for now, I'm lost. I'm actually thinking of just doing a regular tat over my scar, but I actually have two scars.

In short, I know exactly how you feel, and I'll pray that you find some answers in the near future.

I'm sorry to say, but I am extremely unhappy with my repair from Dr. Feller. While he did make my first ht less noticible in certain lights, it is still obvious in every day situations.

You are more than welcome to come see the results for your self--just pm me and I will contact you. I live in the Philadelphia area.

Also, my scar from my procedure with Dr. Feller is alot worse than my original. This may be due to phisiology, but the fact that I've consulted with other docs that are confident that it can be repaired leaves me skeptical.

Finally, the issue that takes me over the top with Dr. Feller is the way he is "bothered" with my concerns. He met with me for a post op where I sincerely feel his only intent was to take pics that were favorable to him. As I mentioned numerous times before, my ht looks extremely better in pics. Other than that I could not get him on the phone. I've tried atleast 10 times.

I sincerely feel he should have took a little more resposibility for my scar. Either through Fue grafts into it or a scar revision especially since he was so adament that my repair was an "easy fix".

I know I'll be attacked for this post, but so be it. I cannot lie for the sake of being liked by members of this community.

No matter how you look at it, the patient takes all the risk in the procedure. The doc gets paid regardless. Would it not be a more honest system if the Doc took some of the risk? After all he is the professional with the years of experience. If a doc has no idea of how a result will turn out, is he not in the wrong profession?

I understand there are alot of variables, but if cases of scar stretching are rare, maybe they should be priced into the procedure. If they are rare, the premium would be minimal; however, if they are not as rare as put forth by the docs, maybe Ht's are not what they claim.

I just sincerely feel that I was taken advantage of from the Doc. That is my honest opinion. I think he is extremely inconsiderate, but he put on an act when I was in his office.

I've had a repair with Feller, and a first procedure performed by someone else. I can show you my results if your willing to drive an hour and a half to the Philadelphia area. If so, PM me your e mail and we'll make arrangements.

John, Unless your HT looks drastically different in person than it does in those pics, it's really hard to understand why you are so unhappy. From looking at the pre, intra, and post ops, dr. feller did everything right. Could you post pictures that perhaps show how you think your hair really looks (unflattering light, angles, etc?). Because, honestly, until you do, it's going to be hard for you to find folks on here that are sympathetic--there are guys on here that are severely balding and your hair truly looks enviable to me.

Hey hairthere,

To be honest, I'm not looking for sympathy. I just dont want people thinking of a ht to base their decision on pics (especially of mine). When you say unless my hair looks "drastically different", I guess I can't answer that because I don't know your definition of drastic. But, I can say that in pics my hair looks fantastic, but in person, it just does not look right. Does everyone know that I had a ht? probably not, but something just is not right to people that don't understand ht's. If anyone knows anything about ht's, then it is clear that I had one.

I guess the reason that I'm so unhappy is because I started down this path to look a little better, and not to look artificial.

Now, while Dr. Feller did not put me in this position because he did not perform my first ht, I feel that he overpromised with results and his repair was average at best. And, I just feel that my results are being exaggerated in his pics which I feel is very misleading to people that are considering a ht or a ht repair.

Hey if guys like drrj can post about how happy they are with their results time and time again, can't I post that I'm unhappy with my repair?

johnmalloy,

 

i will give you my opinion.

 

Do whatever you want as far as im concerned, im only trying to help to original poster with accurate info. I am also making everyone aware that you, in actual fact were a repair patient prior to going to dr feller and had very poor work performed previously - so bad that grafts had to be removed. A fact you tend to leave out your posts for whatever reason.. And therefore many reader interperit that you were only ever treated by dr feller. I am only making the reader/posters aware this.

 

 

 

Thats a matter of opinion as i have many emails from people asking me about your case and all think you were only ever treated by dr feller due to the tone/ nature of your postings as you rarely mention your pre op condition with dr feller. Had you only ever gone to dr feller i would not have to inform everyone publically or privately, actually i doubt you would be online at all. I would be suprised if dr feller would want to attempt any further surgery on you in light the way you have portrayed him online rather than speaking to him privately.

 

 

 

I am not going to speak for the doc by i imagine compared to where you were pre op with dr feller and where you are now that dr feller does feels its a successful repair case and that he is proud of your results considering what you bought to the table and the pre op state you were in.

 

 

 

 

I disagree. You are completely different to me. You had much worse pre op state with mini/micros below the hairline and clearly had very poor work performed in comparison to me. You had a larger area addressed, have completely different hair characteristics, different physiology no doubt and also due to previous surgery will have unknown scar tissue in your recipient area that will most certainly differ to me and mine. So don't try compare to me or anyone for that matter - we are all unique, especially when it comes to repair.

 

 

 

If you show them all when talking, posting and meeting in person your pre op state then thats a fair way, not otherwise in my opinion. You are only giving people half the story if you dont and as your post portray only went to feller. Had you gone only to dr feller then i wouldn't be posting here and spending large amounts of time informing others you had a very bad surgery prior to seeing him for your repair.

 

 

 

 

Yes i can, i am not compensated for any time spent time on the forums, gosh i wish i was, especially on topics involving yourself. I am compensated for helping uk patients schedule surgery, not time spent on forums. I spend my time on the forums to help educate and was on the forums years prior to any affiliation with dr feller. However try discredit me all you like if thats what your attempting.

 

I genuiely wish you all the best and i hope you seek a reslove for yourself.

 

This is my last post on this topic.

spex,

you are mighty defensive. You say the only fair way to evaluate feller's repair is to show my post op state--- i disagree.

I want people to see the difference between the pictures that you post and my results in person. If my hair looks as good as the pics you and the doc post, you should be paying people's airfare to come see my results. Unfortunately, for me, they don't.

As far as you not getting paid for posting--are you serious? That is like saying wal-mart does not get paid for commercials. It is a mean to an end

regarding feller doing my repair-- yeah, i pretty much assumed that ship sailed when he did not return my phone calls for over a month now. I sincerely believe at this point that the only reason he saw me for a post op was to take his pictures at his preferred angles. Could i be wrong? Maybe, but that is how i sincerely feel at this point.

I'm just extremely angry that i paid the doc over 8,ooo dollars and the only service i get from him is my actual surgery and a 1 hour post- op. Oh well, i guess that's business. AND YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO SAY I SHOULD HAVE DISCUSSED THIS MATTER PRIVATELY WITH THE DOC. I TRIED FOR MONTHS TO LOOK AT THINGS FROM THE DOC'S PERSPECTIVE, BUT AT THIS POINT, I THINK THE WAY THE DOC HANDELED MY CASE WAS DISGUSTING. THAT IS HOW I FEEL.

AS I ALWAYS SAY, MY AGENDA COMING IN TO ALL OF THIS WAS NOT TO BE POSTING ON A HT FORUM, BUT WHILE THE DOC DID NOT DO MY FIRST SURGERY, HE WAS ADAMENT THAT I WAS AN EASY FIX, I WOULD NOT HAVE VENTURED INTO A SECOND PROCEDURE IF I WAS NOT SOLD ON AN EASY REPAIR. WHILE THE DOC'S RECIPENT AREA LOOKS BETTER THAN MY FIRST DOC'S WORK, I'M STILL IN A SITUATION WHERE I LOOK UNNATURAL. DOES IT REALLY MATTER THAT I DON'T LOOK AS UNNATURAL. EITHER WAY, I'M STILL NOT OUT OF THE TUNNEL FROM MY FIRST HT, AND I'M STILL LOOKING FOR OPTION'S SUCH AS BUZZING MY HEAD.

THAT IS WHERE I'M AT.

John,

 

I'm sorry you aren't finding the information on micropigmentation/scar tattooing that you're looking for. I've previously discussed this issue with David (TakingThePlunge), and we had some difficultly tracking down concrete information as well. However, you may want to take a look at some of these previous threads. There could be some good information. I hope this helps!

Thank you!

Hi john

 

I am sure all of us understand how stressed you might be feeling esp. after going through two procedures and not being totally satisfied...but as hair there suggested, a lot of this is subjective and depends on the eyes of an individual..i am in no way suggesting that you are incorrect in your assessment....i know you wanted somebody to come and take a look at your hairline. I am considering a HT and would love to see a patient who had undergone the procedure twice..I live in Maryland and thinkg should not be a big deal to come and meet you..that way, you will also get another third party unbiased opinion!!!Let me know if you are fine with that and i will PM you..

Absoulutely, I actually look forward to it. As I said in the past, I'm not bashing Feller in any way. I'm just stateing my honest opinion of my finished result. Most of my friends share in my assesment. I have a few friends that are receding and not one of then were interested in going the route I went.

Usually if someone sees something that their pleased with and it would suit their needs, they will inquire; however, none of my receding friends have any interest.

200 grafts is a small session so all depends on your requirement (surface area /existing native density)

 

Dr Feller is very well regarded if you run a search on the various work so if you live locally line up a 1-2-1 consult with him to ideally recommend whether or not your eligble for such a small session. Alternatively email him your pics and he will revert back. See various pics info here from Dr Feller and his patients: http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/137508-dr-feller-patient-topic-recent-pics-write-ups.html

 

email: info@fellermedical.com also cc me in if you like : spexhair@hotmail.co.uk

 

FYI John Malloy had a REPAIR session with Dr Feller in order to try resolve his situation (run a search on his pre op pics). He missed that part out for some reason...

 

I had my hairline repaired by Dr Feller and have had my result scrutinsed by 100's guys in person in every condition. NO one has been able to tell its a HT, even a repair HT.

 

Regards

Spex

Spex,

I'm just trying to let someone see the results in person before going through with an unreversable surgery.

I'm not attacking the Doc, as a matter of fact, I'm thinking of getting some FUE's into the scar from the doc,

I'm confused a little though at why you stress repair. Dr. Feller was extremely adament that my hair grew in exactly as he expected, and he thinks it looks great (maybe you need to clear that up with the doc) I however disagree. Once again, I'm not assigning blame. I just think my Ht is obvious.

Also, If your hair is sincerely undetectable after a repair from Dr. Feller, why should'nt my Ht be undetectable after a repair from the doc. My repair entailed a whole lot more grafts than yours. And, I think my starting point was a little better than yours also. But, I'm not here to argue, I'm here to share experiences.

My only goal is to educate people as to what (in Dr. Feller's words) a "decent" Ht looks like in person. My goal is not to deter any one from Feller, but to let them see the actual results of a "decent" Ht. Is that wrong? I wish I saw actual results before I took the plunge.

My only intent is to help someone out in a circumstance that I can relate to. I have no motive other than my honest experiences. I'm not compensated for my time on this forum. Can you say the same?

I think when it comes to the well being of a patient, my intent is a little more altruistic than yours Spex.

Trust me, I wish this forum never crossed my mind, but because I'm constantly uncomfortable with my situation, I tend to come back here time and time again.

I used to keep my hair at about 2 inches...I just had it cut to .5 inches, and it looks better than ever...I plan on going for a cut every 3 weeks or so, I should have done this long ago, I never have to comb, style,blo-dry, never have to use any gels, mouses, don't care about wind...What more could one ask for!

 

 

Just a thought from the peanut gallery....

Do you have any pics? How is your scar? I would love to see what you look like. I'm really hoping I look half decent doing that with a little work on my scar. Did you have strip or FUE?

yes dude..go for it...i personally think that with a HT, smaller you keep the hair, better it will look...have you considered FUE into your bigger scar. Didnt you have the second surgery with Dr. Feller? I am a little surprised that he created a second scar instead of excising the first one..

 

Maybe you can talk to him and see if he can FUE your scars....He has a good reputation for FUE and even though he is expensive, maybe he can give you a break and give a discount or something since you already have done a procedure with him...Good luck and keep us posted..

That is what I'm hoping for. He has been out of his office for the last couple of weeks and I'm waiting to hear from him. I originally wanted to tattoo the scar first, then FUE into it, but I get absoulutely no feedback on the tattoo.

Hi John

 

i remember reading through your post and your 2nd hair transplant with Dr. Feller....It appears that you dont think the hairline looks natural..However, It looks like you still have a decent amount of hair. Have you considered buzzing your hair short...that might negate the effect of an unnatural hairline...that way, you dont even have to worry about the scar that much and you could also get a FUE into the scar...

 

I have seen some pictures of shaved head with a scar and the scar will show..you can look at Bills pictures and you will see how it looks...but end of the day, you gotta feel comfortable..if you think you will be better off and will have peace of mind, then go for it...people will like you for your confidence and not worry about a little scar on the back of your head,...if somebody asks you, he can give a heroic story like you were in the army or something and fighting for your country.chicks will love you for that...good luck

That is what I want to do. I'm sorry when I say shave, I meant buzz; however, I have 2 scars and the second is really noticable at a 4 clip so I nervous about buzzing down to a 2. I'm going to do it next month though anyway. I'll keep you posted.

I'm curious. Did anybody on this forum that were not happy with the results of a Ht just say forget it and shave the head with the scar showing?

If so, Do you have any pics?

I've been requesting info on donor scar tattoos, but nobody on this site appears to have any pics of such, other than links to websites that do the work.

anyone have lunch time fue done with feller 200 fue? what type of results? have some receeding wondering if that can be repaired with only 200fue?

I've had strip with Feller and I'm in the Philadelphia area. If you private message me, you are more than welcome to come see the results for yourself in person.

I would sincerely value an opinion from someone seriously considering a Ht. My friends and I do not think my results are natural looking.

I've said this before, and I'll say it here again: the best HT candidates are older guys (40+) who have faced the reality head-on of being bald/balding for many years already, and who have adjusted to it in public. Many here think the opposite, that once you get older and have adjusted to MPB that your appearence and your hair will not matter anymore. That is about as far from the truth as it could possibly be, and only on HT forums where mostly youngsters hang around do you see this type of false information being propogated.

 

Many of the guys here seeking HTs have never even once exposed their balding in public to their circle of peers, and they live under concealers which also give the "illusion" of a fuller head of hair. They want a HT to try and acheive the head of hair they pull off with concealers, and they want to hide any hint of thinning anywhere on the head because they have never yet dealt with exposing their baldness in public. These type patients will inevtiably IMO be dissapointed with any type of HT, strip or FUE.

 

When you are older and you've spent at least a decade in the MPB pit (exposed in public), then your goals with a HT are VERY different than the younger crowd! Not only do you not expect a "full head of hair", but you DO NOT WANT a full head of hair! You want something that looks NATURAL, that frames your face, and that places you in that "thinning" class of men who are NOT BALD. You know there is no way that you'll be able to maintain the density of a 20 year old's hair, and that if you tried to do this with HTs that you would only look like a FREAK!

 

I've also seen many guys on here say that a HT would be a failure if it still looked "thinning", and that shaving down or just being bald would be a better option. Yet most often this comes from guys who HAVE NOT BEEN IN THE PIT -- not even for a single day! They are armchair philospohers with no experience; they have never been bald (NW4+), they have been obsessively hiding behind concealers, and many have never even attempted to shave their head. So what could they possibly know ? And what validity could their statements possibly have if they have never experienced what they are talking about ?

 

To say that patients like Bobman, Futzyhead, Jotronic, Bill and a plethora of others would have been better off just staying as they were (or shaving their heads) borders on the absurd! Opinions like this have to come from people who have never met patients like this in person to see their results, people who believe the tired rants of dissastisfied patients on HT forums whose expectations were completely ridiculous, almost adolescent.

 

No offense to Malloy, but when I see his hairline from his first surgery it's obvious he wanted to chase a 14 year old boy's hairline with HTs. There's no way in hell a patient who pursues this could ever have been even remotely educated about HTs, and IMO that is completely adolescent. Even if he hadn't received plugs with that first hairline design, as he aged that would have looked completely ridiculous anyway. How many 40 year old men have a hairline that low ? Looking at his pics it is also obvious that he has never really been significantly bald, and therefore he has NO IDEA what it is like to face the public as a bald man. Thus, his level of tolerance is very low and his obsession with perfection is very high. Many here would kill to be able to pull off the look he has right now, yet he feels like the elephant man about it.

 

It makes me think of a beautiful girl who gets one pimple and won't leave the house, and is suicidal about it.

Bill,

I agree with you about the fact that this site is very transparent. I just feel that the docs posting the better results have a louder voice. I'm not saying that this is intentional on your part, but it is just that the docs have paid consultants posting consistently throughout the day. I just want people to know my experience. Trust me, my goal in life is not to be posting hours and hours about the fact that I'm not happy with my Ht, but it does help my frustration if I can help another see my reality. I pray every night to feel normal again.

Es,

I agree with you about the hair line from my first Ht, but I was only taking the doc's advice. I understand that it is my fault for not doing enough research in the first place. And trust me, NOBODY is paying the consequence of that decision like I am. While I appreciate your candor in your post, the one thing I think that you don't understand is that my Ht does not look half as good in person as it does in pics. That is just the way it is. Also, as far as looking for perfection=I disagree. I was looking for improvement. I never was anxious around others in public. I admit I wanted to look better,but I was never anxious. Now, after my Ht's, it is extremely rare that I have a conversation without wondering what the other person is thinking about my hair line or why I always wear a hat. I understand that I'm the one who should have done more research, but I sincerely feel that my punishment far exceeds my mistake. I just like to share my experience so others see all sides of the story. I think I'm extremely fair and honest in my posts.

I had unrealistic expectations, and I admit that, but I also have an unrealistic hair line at this point, and I'm wondering if that could be addressed or if it is just not possible?

As you said in your post, I was never that bad to begin with. So to be looking at a 3rd surgery in 2 years with my starting point should say alot in itself.

The biggest problem with HT`s, is that they are overhyped....Many people don`t understand what the term illusion really means....Every HT patient I ever met, including myself, have unrealistic expectations.....No matter how many times they will say they are happy, deep down inside, they always expected more, better, denser, etc,etc,etc....The only difference with some over others, is that some come to terms with what they have and accept it, while others continue to obsess, and worry about it.....Those are the ones who ``regret`` their decision the most.....Face it guys....Nobody gives a s....t what are hair looks like, it`s all in the head...

 

 

Just a thought from the peanut gallery....

Kaounis,

Thanks for the response. It is kind of what I thought. I guess alot of this is my fault for having unrealistic expectations. But, I'm obviously not the only one which leads me to believe there is still alot of deceit in the HT industry. Regardless, I'm at a crossroad between buzzing my head and letting the scar show, or go through this seemingly endless journey for a third time in 2 years. I just wish the scar was not so bad. I really don't feel like explaining it or getting the "looks" everytime i meet someone new or someone notices it for the first time. But, even if I choose to have a 3rd Ht, I'm not so sure I'll be comfortable with the look. I'm not so far and people on this website think my work looks great, but people in person think my hairline looks "off". So, for now I'm undecisive. I just can't wait until I accept my bad decision and deal with the consequences. But, I think more people should be made aware of the outcomes of hair transplants.

It's now been around 3 years since my hair restoration...3 long hard years some regret and embarrassment. Trying to solve one problem has caused me a larger problem that I can not hide. My Donor scar is still noticeable I have tried many concealers to try and hide the scar but nothing really has worked. I now avoid social situations as much as possible and dread going to work. This is a horrible way to live and causes me constant anxiety.

I think my hair was just too fine and I should have never been considered a candidate for a hair restoration on top of this along the scar line my hair kinda bunches up in places enhancing the scar line making the scar even more noticeable..

I wish I never did this. Anyone else feel this way?

Hey creeping back,

I feel the same exact way. I really don't know what to do at this point. I can't keep hiding under a hat. I'm missing a big part of life just like you, I'm avoiding a ton of social events.

I'm so confused. I've spoken with other docs that said they are confident that they could get my ht to look undetectable (a little thin, but undetectable) in all situations, but Feller feels that I'm already there and that my scar will stretch again regardless. Other docs are confident they can minimize my scar.

I've spoken with close friends and family, and we all agree that you can tell something is just not right with my hairline. Is that the case with all Ht's ? Or, can I get a much more natural looking hair line than Dr. Feller's repair? I thought he was the best in the business. So, basically are any further attempts at a more natural hairline worthless? I really don't know what to do at this point, but I just wanted to let you know that your not the only one in this boat.

John,

 

Dr. Feller is very thorough and I find it hard to believe he didn't discuss his game plan with you before proceeding with surgery, especially something as crucial as scar placement. Are you sure you just don't remember?

 

Bill

Bill,

Honestly, I,m sure it never was. Besides if he told me he had to do another scar, it would not have been an issue because like I reiterated numerous times--after reading of all his accolades on this website, plus the fact he was so confident that I was an "easy fix" I was going with what he recomended regardless.

While it is my fault for putting to much trust in the doctor's skills, I hold no ill will towards the doc. We actually have a cordial relationship in my eyes; however, I'm not going to pretend that I'm happy with my repair, if I'm not. I may even use Feller to FUE the scar, but my expectations are alot lower at this point. Maybe, that will take some pressure off the doc.

But, all in all. The bottom line concerning the scar is this: I took a ht surgery as a whole instead of 2 distinctive parts--donor and recipient. So, with that thinking and the fact my first Ht was bashed, and still is, by the doc, I thought his scar would be better than the first "butcher's" scar. Once again, the decision is my fault. But, the scar is horrible regardless, and the answer to that cannot be as simple as "my physiology did not play along" because it "played along" with my first ht done by a so called novice.

Well, I must admit that after seeing the photos Spex posted it became unequivocally clear to me that Mr. Malloy's first HT was a complete disaster that rendered his chances of ever looking truly natural again to a minimum. IMO the original hairline was placed so low that John either wasn't in his right mind during the phase of the surgeon drawing the hairline, or that he actually approved of something that looks lower than the hairline of a 16 year old boy. I am a strong advocate of HT patient's taking a certain level of responsibilty for what the physician is allowed to do. If he approved of this and was really chasing a teenage hairline, then he qualifies IMO to be in the camp of those HT patients who make the most absurdly foolish decisions in the short term, that result in painfully stressful repercussions for the long term.

 

The goal from the first HT should have been what would look natural for the long term -- 40s, 50s, 60s. The hairline he has now is IMO far too low and far too broad to not cause him a problem in the future as he ages.

 

Also, why could the second strip not be taken from the first scar's location, excising the old scar with it ? Why would a patient allow a second scar if he had the option of only retaining one scar ? Why was that not the option ? It is common knowledge today on this forum (for the educated HT patient) that if strip sugery is done competently and pragmatically on the right patient with the right characteristics, then one should be able to receive 3 passes and still retain one scar.

 

So why did this case have to be different ? Dr. Feller has performed many surgeries to my knowledge where the plan was definitely to retain only one scar. :confused:

That's a good question. I have no idea why the doc did not use the original scar. It was never discussed. Like I mentioned numerous times, after reading the docs reviews on this site combined with the doc's confidence of an easy fix, I thought I would be extremely happy by now.

My only advice for you at this point is to try and focus on the good aspects of your hair transplant. For example, your hair looks good right now and doesn't require any additional grafts. For many repair cases the same cannot be said.

 

Were you given the option of FUE? I'm not attacking Dr. Feller, but if not, then I think that's a failure on his part.

 

I'm also not trying to attack you, but what did you tell Dr. Feller in your consultations? Did you clearly explain your goals to Dr. Feller? What were your expectations going into this whole thing? What were you promised? Is the scar the biggest concern you're having?

Hey TC17,

Thank you for your concern. My hair looks Ok. It really matters on the lighting. In the sun, it is extremely sparse, but in dinner lights, my ht is undetecable which was not the case before my repair. But, my hair definitely looks WAY better in pics.

Answering your question about FUE, Dr Feller definitely mentioned it about breaking the scar up, but it was not mentioned before my repair--most likely 2000 grafts would have been too much for FUE.

My expectations---When I first met Dr Feller my only hope was looking totally natural again. After reading numerous accolades about him, and then his extreme confidence in addressing my matter, I thought this was going to be a piece of cake. That is why I post to this day. It is not to criticize Feller's work at all, but to point out to people, if Feller is as good as it gets and many will make that claim (I'm not saying he is or is not) , then, maybe a ht is not what they are expecting. In definitely was not for me.

Is my scar my biggest issue? That's a tough question because if I felt comfortable with my hairline, I would keep my hair long; however, I can't see going through another strip with no guarentees and be in this same position another year from now. It has already smothered my thoughts for 2 years now. My hope is to either Fue this scar enough so I can buzz to a 2 clip, or get it tattooed-- but I'm not getting any feed back in that area.

But, all in all, the doc gave me a good hour in addressing my concerns at a post op about 2 months ago. Also, we have cordial conversations when we talk. But, none of this erases the fact that my donor is not quite what I expected (this could be my expectations) and I think my scar is horrible. In my recalection,

i think that a pass of 1700-2000 is requured to improve the front and be done..

If I had another 1700 grafts, that would be my 3rd surgery in 2 years. No way. At this point I'm looking for a way to minimize the scar and buzz cut the rest. I can't imagine living again without feeling akward without a hat. I really wish I would have known that it was possible for the scar to be that bad, I would have definitely buzzed down with a small Fue session. I just really did not think that as bad as my first surgeon was that my scar could have looked alot worse from someone who did such a better job in the recip area. That's the crazy thing about these Ht's. Learning from your mistakes is a part of life, but the mistakes you make with a ht are severe in deed.