thincity

I haven't posted here in a long while, and did very little of it. I do read most of the various forums frequently. I have no personal affiliation with Joe, but I did seek his advice on a second opinion. I had a successful procedure with Dr. Ron Shapiro almost three years ago, and it was a repair. My full face photo's are around if you look using this same handle. I have one scar that is bad, in that it is "stacked" which makes it look very large. I was scheduled for a scar revision and some additional work with Dr. Ron in January, but due to health issues had to cancel. I decided to seek another opinion on the scar, as I had time. Joe spent time with me on the phone, and emails offering his opinions. The Doctor that I was considering for the scar issue is not affiliated with Joe, nor did he really recommend him (he is recommended here). The point I'm trying to make is Joe was giving me an unbiased opinion, for FREE, on his time and dime. I have no skin in any of this, I'm just trying to do what is best for me, and Joe helped.

Good Luck Orlhair1, you had a great result in round one! I always hate to say "luck" as you don't need it!, going with SMG it has nothing to do with luck! Looking forward to seeing your new pics!

Hey Kred, The link/result is not mine, but I have seen this one before! Everything looks good in your pics, looks like your donor hair is thick which will give you greater coverage with less grafts. I'm at 11 months today.

Kred2, Congrats on your procedure! As other posters have already written, post transplant is a slow change, and often very frustrating. The end result will make it all worthwhile, just at times the wait sucks!. The DVD that SMG provides post-op is good and I watched it a few times after I returned home. If you encounter any snags, Janna is awesome at emailing right away. I do not have any current pictures (I'm at 11 months this Monday), but on hairlossexperiences.com there are consult pics, post ops (with graft breakdowns) and one month and four month post ops taken at home. Looking forward to seeing your pics.

Hey StaggerLee, The visit to SMG will only be for pictures and evaluation of my scar and old scars, scalp laxity, donor availability. I really don't have a number of grafts in mind, I'll leave that to for Pro's to decide. The financial part is always an issue, but for me, I wouldn't consider anywhere/one else. I hate to spend money on a flight and hotel room just for an evaluation, but only so much can be determined from pictures. I drove to SMG for my in-person consult, was a long eleven hour trip. Unless something changes, I won't be able to do round two until mid-February 2014. I can't tell you how much of a relief it is not to stress about having people stand over me while I'm seated. I used to use toppik and then dermatch about 10-12 years ago, and for a time, it helped hide the plugs, but the last few years (pre SMG) were brutal!

Hi Staggerlee! I'm doing much better.. I returned to work yesterday. I have to meet with my surgeon next week as it appears that a hernia may have developed next to my incision. I had a very large incision and thee laproscopic incisions, so I knew it might be a possibility. Unless something changes, I'm planning on visiting SMG in mid-March, but may press my wife to take pics at the one year mark regardless. Have you made a decision on your repair? I know it's a very tough call, but I can say for me it was well worth it. I have a big "dog and pony show" this weekend for wifes work (tux and all) and for the first time in ten years, I have no fears of someone standing over me and looking down at my crown and seeing the crappy plugs!

Hi Kred, You chose an excellent Doctor and Clinc. I had a 3400+ graft procedure done on 2-14-12 at SMG with Dr. Ron. My pics are not posted here (nor is my story) but is on two other sites. I'm planning on visiting SMG in March for pics and follow-up. I will see if Janna is intrested in posting my pre's and post's here. I was a repair patient, (many mini-graft plugs in the crown had to be punched out) and there is NO scarring anywhere that the punchout's were done. I had pitting from my previous procedures, large pluggy grafts and most if not all at wrong angles. Anytime a patient makes good/great statements about the clinic they went to, they are called "shills" or paid posters, I am neither. I am a statisfied client, thats all. You are lucky to be a virgin scalp in great hands! I know I, and a great many others wish we could have been. Good luck on your procedure, although luck has nothing to do with it...you are in great hands!

I had a perfect 4 point match from my sister for my bone marrow transplant, and I still suffered some degree of rejection (and I was on anti-rejection medications for six months post-transplant).