Michael Vories, MD

We need to keep in mind that the patient is a vulnerable state, and should not be asked to make decisions once the procedure has begun. On the morning of the procedure I explain that if we are short grafts, then the patient is refunded the difference, and we have extra grafts, they are placed without charge.

This is not a before/after. This is simply a patient we performed a two day, 5000 FUE graft case last week. The reason I am presenting this is that this patient previously went to a local plastic surgeon who had just obtained an ARTAS machine, and is marketing heavily here in the Charleston, SC area. During his consultation with the ARTAS clinic, he indicated he wanted coverage both in the crown and frontal area, and was told by the consultant (not the plastic surgeon), that complete coverage could be obtained with 1500 grafts. Looking online afterwards, he realized this was an absurd quote, and ended up coming to us. The point is for prospective patients to do their research before (and after) a consultation because there is some inaccurate information being given out, and just because someone has a machine does not make them qualified to perform the procedure.

Making a patient sign a NDA is absurd.

There is a wide variability in total donor capacity. However, for most patients with no prior procedure with what we consider “good” donor (around 80 follicular units/cm2) we can safely extract between 7000-9000 FUE grafts.

From the photos 3500-4000 grafts seem like overkill. I would estimate from them that 2000 grafts would be plenty to fill in the apex areas and hairline.

This out-of-town patient sent in these photos for his 6 month follow up after receiving 2500 FUE grafts to his frontal forelock and hairline. Grafts were manually harvested with a 0.85 mm sharp punch, and placed with Hans Lion Implanters. All grafts were harvested and placed by Dr. Vories.

In the frontal area we placed grafts at 40 grafts/cm2. In the midscalp and crown this was reduced to 30 grafts/cm2. We use the Cole Instruments sharp punch system for tissue extraction.

This patient came in yesterday for his 6 month follow up after receiving 4000 FUE grafts over a two consecutive day session. 2000 grafts were placed in his crown/midscalp, and the remaining 2000 grafts were placed in his hairline/frontal forelock. Due to stable hair loss pattern he is not taking finasteride. All grafts were harvested and placed by the physician.

This patient came in yesterday for his one year follow up after receiving 2500 FUE grafts to his frontal forelock/hairline. He now is scheduling a second procedure to address his crown/vertex. A 0.85 mm sharp punch was used for extractions, and grafts were placed using Hans Lion Implanters. All grafts were harvested and placed by the physician.

Dr. Lorenzo was the reason I began using Hans Lion Implanter pens for graft placement. I use the Cole Instruments motorized sharp punch system, and a 0.90 mm punch was used for this patient's extractions.

This 62 year old patient came into our clinic this week one year after receiving 2500 FUE grafts to the frontal forelock and hairline. He is scheduled for a second procedure for his crown this year. He is not taking finasteride secondary to stable hair loss.  A 0.85 mm sharp punch was used for harvesting, and Hans Lion Implanter Pens used for graft placement. All grafts harvested and placed by the physician.

This 27 year old patient came in today for his one year follow up after recieving 3000 FUE grafts in a one day procedure. 1000 grafts were placed in his vertex, and the remaining 2000 FUE grafts were placed in the frontal forelock/hairline. All grafts were harvested and placed by the physician, and full frontal images are used with the consent of the patient.

This 29 year old patient came in yesterday for his six month follow up after receiving 2500 FUE grafts into his frontal forelock and hairline. His plan is to return for a similar size procedure later this year to add density to his crown/vertex. All grafts extracted and placed by the physician. Full facial images used with patient's consent. 

This patient had two procedures with us, the first was 3000 FUE grafts into his frontal forelock and hairline in 2016 in our Charlotte clinic, and the second was 4000 FUE grafts in his vertex, midscalp, and frontal forelock in July 2018 in our Charleston clinic. As in all cases, all of the extractions and graft placement was performed by the physician. Photos were sent by the patient, so the angles and lighting are different than the before photos taken in our clinic.

The ABHRS does not accept any surgeon. First, they have to present 250 cases completed (or a completed fellowship), and before/afters of patients. Then they have to pass both and oral and written exam that has been psychometrically tested. It is the only examination of its type dedicated just to hair restoration surgery. 

This patient came into today for his one year follow up after receiving 3000 FUE grafts, 2000 grafts in his vertex, and 1000 grafts in his bilateral apex areas. All grafts harvested and placed by the physician, and full facial images were used with the patient's permission. He is stable on finasteride.

This patient came in yesterday for his one year follow up after receiving 3000 FUE grafts in a one day procedure. 1100 grafts were placed in the vertex, and 1900 grafts were placed in his frontal forelock/hairline. All grafts were harvested and placed by the physician. Full facial images are used with the patient's permission.

This patient came in today for his 6 month follow up after receiving 2000 FUE grafts to his frontal forelock and hairline, with the majority of grafts focused on his apex (corner) areas. All grafts harvested and placed by the physician.

This patient came in this week for his 6 month follow up after receiving 2500 FUE grafts into his frontal forelock/hairline. He is stable on finasteride. Grafts were harvested with a 0.80 mm surrounded punch and placed with Hans Lion Implanters. All grafts were harvested and placed by the physician.

This patient came in for his 6 month follow up after receiving 3500 FUE grafts in a two consecutive day period. The grafts were evenly split between the vertex and and frontal forelock/hairline.  He is stable on finasteride. All grafts harvested and placed by the physician.

This patient came into our clinic today for his 6 month follow up after receiving 1500 FUE grafts in a one day session. The grafts were focused in his apex area, and he is stable on finasteride. A 0.80 mm sharp punch was used for manual extraction, and Hans Lion Implanters were used for placement. All grafts were harvested and placed by. Dr. Vories.

This patient came in today for his 6 month follow-up after receiving 4000 FUE grafts in a two consecutive day session in our Charleston, SC clinic. He is stable on finasteride. 2000 grafts were focused on the midscalp/vertex, and 2000 grafts in his frontal forelock/hairline. Grafts were harvested with a 0.80 sharp punch, and placed with Hans Lion Implanters. All grafts were harvested and placed by Dr. Vories. Full facial images used with patient's consent.

This patient came in for his 6 month follow up this week after receiving 1500 FUE grafts in his frontal forelock/hairline. His hair loss has been stable over the past 5 years without finasteride. 0.80 mm sharp punch used for extraction, and grafts placed with Hans Lion Implanters. Full facial images used with patient's permission. All grafts harvested and placed by Dr. Vories.

We stopped using the NeoGraft machine several years ago due to inconsistent growth related to suction. We found the suction can cause a flash dessication of the grafts, which leads to poor graft survival. I have been using a motorized sharp punch system with manual extraction to eliminate the possibility of dessication, and in doing so have increased graft survival to over 95%. Thanks!

Crown cases can be notoriously difficult. Getting the exit angles and an adequate hair mass is needed. This patient came in for his one year follow up after receiving 2000 FUE grafts into his vertex. Many times with vertex cases there can be a two to three month delay in hair growth compared to hairline cases. When this patient came in for his six month follow up, there was about 40-50% growth, while with most hairline/frontal forelock cases most patients are almost completely grown in at six months. According to the patient, it wasn't until about the nine month post-op mark that he began seeing the final result. All grafts harvested and placed by Dr. Vories.