CuriousJungleGeorge

Does anyone know of any Internet fora that are for cosmetic/plastic surgery (nose, specifically) what this place is for hair transplantation? I'm interested in learning about nasal septoplasty (i.e., for a deviated nasal septum), and might also like some information about rhinoplasty. Ultimately, I'd like to know of some good doctors. Just as the wrong H.T. surgeon can do terrible damage, so, too, can the wrong cosmetic one.

Thank you.

I think there isn't one "standard" by which to go. As Bill said, different people have different physical tendencies, and a surgeon might base the decision on what he feels would most suit a particular patient. Of course, twelve days or eleven can come down to the very practical matter of when you can make it to the office, too.

I believe, if the sutures are removed too soon, you risk inadequate healing, and, if after too long, worse scarring (e.g., "railroad tracks").

Thanks, Dr. Beehner.

Many doctors, it seems, fit patients with a baseball cap to wear home after the procedure. It seems, however, this can adhere to, then pull out, a few grafts, sometimes.

Is it normal for the donor region to feel itchy more than a week post-op.? What's the best way to address the itchiness? (Scratching is probably not.)

Is it normal for the donor region to feel itchy more than a week post-op.? What's the best way to address the itchiness? (Scratching is probably not.)

So, it seems, this study is about re-growth of hair in dormant or miniaturizing follicles rather than about multiplying hair follicles. Is this assessment correct?

I wish this aspect -- pain in the donor site -- were more greatly stressed to people considering under-going this procedure. It can be surprising, I think, to find you can't sleep on your back, with your head resting on a pillow, more than a week after your operation because it just hurts too damned bad.

I feel the estimates here are a bit too conservative. The danger with exertion following this kind of surgery seems to be more to the graft sites than to the donor region; all you're really worrying about with regard to the latter is too much stress, and pain. Four or five days post-op., you ought to be good to start moving around again (this is for the strip-method). If you feel pain or stretching, and you think you're over-doing it, trust yourself: stop. If all feels OK, I don't see the harm. This long after the procedure, your grafts are more or less "set," and perspiring a little oughtn't to knock them around. All this said, if you're concerned about training, I recommend you consult your physician before springing on any of the suggestions posted here.

The growth of your hair should be independent of your decision to or not to have it cut. That said, wearing a cap "all the time" probably isn't a great idea. I think you might be figuring, "I want not to let anyone on, then, one day, go out, get a cut, and spring the new look on them," but my suggestion is, six months after your procedure, you're just keeping yourself in agony by waiting and waiting and waiting. Maybe just go ahead and get the hair-cut, and show off what you shelled out so much cash for.

I think you can sort of "feel" your way to the answer; that is, you'll be able to figure out, yourself, how to behave. That said, I think, about a week post-op., one's routine is no longer greatly restricted by having undergone the procedure. Of course, don't go crazy testing the claim, but you should be OK to come in contact with the graft site after about a week.

If your hair's long enough, the donor sutures probably will be covered (hair-color, of course, too, matters). Redness in the recipient areas will depend very much on your skin tone. It's really very difficult to predict your recovery over the Internet this way -- the time needed varies quite a bit.

Thank you for your post, Dr. Beehner.

Somehow, I'd thought average "natural" density (in a person who's not balding) is 100/sq. cm.

Originally posted by Hoping:

Exactly Hairworthy. People will complain when their expectations are not met or for anything at all. Many people are hard to please. If you expect a full head of hair after a transplant you are bound to be disappointed no matter who did the work.

 

Also, if Epstein has had more than his fair share of complaints lately, I haven't been able to find them in the archives and I've looked. I see one or two guys complaining at best. So I have no idea where grow Grow is coming up with this stuff. Maybe he can prove what he says by giving us the actual names of the posters, making it easier to find them.

 

Finally, unless Epstein did his own transplant, it makes no sense to judge his own work by how happy he is with his transplant itself. Maybe he is very happy because he is in the field and knows what to reasonably have expected given his own situation.

 

That's the problem with this type of medium. It is great because there is now so much transparency. But on the other hand, no telling who the people are who are giving opinions, whether they have some sort of agenda or whether they are just malcontents. Any bozo with a computer can post on a site like this.

Wait, did I miss something? Dr. Epstein performed surgery on himself?

Most skilled doctors seem not to have "switched" to F.U.E., but to have added it to their arsenal, as an option for some patients. If Armani no longer provides any strip procedures, I imagine his reason must be money (F.U.E. runs about twice as much as strip-harvesting). Each method has its advantages and its drawbacks, and say either is "superior" for "every patient" probably is not something any respectable transplant surgeon would do.

About five days from the procedure, exercise is fine, right?

I, too, think there's "plugginess" at the hairline, but that might just be surgeon inability rather than a limitation of bio-fiber. I'd be interested to read a little more about this stuff.

Was an explanation given for why there was such difficulty in communication? I mean, this kind of stuff does happen, and it can be very frustrating, but, I think, once you get that reply, you immediately feel better. Nonetheless, it bites all the way through that you don't.

Let us know how your personal consultation with Dr. True goes.

Body-hair transplantation should be able to help densify parts of the scalp, but, of course, it is not an "alternative" to transplanting hair from the scalp. As well, hair-multiplication sounds wonderful, but not one of us (not one person alive) can make a definite statement as to when it "should be" available -- it's the same prediction we've been hearing since "breakthroughs" began occurring: "maybe about a decade." It's been about a decade since this refrain began being uttered.

Originally posted by hairworthy:

Funny how the reputation of Doctors comes and goes with the wind, how some are flavour of the month and then disappear into the archives of this forum. It's been like that ever since I joined. Every single doctor mentioned here received his share of criticism at one stage or another. Whether it's Dr Hasson or Dr Epstein, I'm still extremely happy with my results and wouldn't hesitate going back to either of them tomorrow. When it comes to HTs, there's no such thing as "one size fits all". No matter how great a Doctor is, he/she's never going to make miracles, and you'll always have guys unhappy with their results who'll blame it all on the Dr. Unsurprisingly, it's always the minority that shouts the loudest, and you don't hear about the large number of satisfied patients who never come back to this forum after their HT, simply because they're pleased with the results and don't feel they need to write here anymore. I think the numbers given by Dr Epstein above speak for themselves. How many happy guys for one unhappy one? 50? 100? I'm certainly one of them. My latest picture is attached.

Hear, hear. Both sides are true: the dissatisfied and the disgruntled typically are louder and more interesting than the seemingly generic voices that just sound "pleased." On the other hand, hearing many such angry voices and concluding, "it's just a small-but-visible minority," also is unwise.

We should keep in mind, as well, that doctor-visibility isn't necessarily correlated with competence. Some are just better at putting themselves out there (e.g., Dr. Feller) than others (e.g., Dr. Beehner), whereas others still have large reputations without having to work very hard, actively, to achieve or maintain them (e.g., Dr. Armani).

Thorough research and personal consultations are the best way to decide who's right for you, but even then, it's surgery, and some "luck" invariably plays a role.

*By the way, I recall someone mentioning "bed-side manner" is irrelevant. I feel it isn't. If nothing else, it shows a surgeon's concern for his patient, which will be important in the event something goes awry (which it can in even the most skilled hands).

Originally posted by Rachmunas4life:

I met with Dr. Epstein a few months back for a consultation. I went through his photo album and saw many stellar results. He told me what he could do with my hair and I felt that I could trust him.

 

He did say that he performs a few surgeries a day but assured me that he doesn't rush his surgeries. I'm still skeptical on this.... I'd prefer being the only case in the day. But to each surgeon their own as long as if they are producing excellent results.

 

Something that bugged me was his patient coordinator told me Dr. E did his transplant and I praised how well it turned out, because he was very happy with the result. But I wasn't really thinking that. I could tell that was a transplanted head if he passed me walking down a street.

Photographs are fine, but if you didn't like the result on a live specimen, consider this might not be the doctor for you. (On the other hand, it could just be your perception of some particular case.)

Many doctors handle a couple of cases on a given day. I think that's fine, as long as he or she is able to handle the load; of course, it'll depend on how large the cases are (three easy 1200s might be acceptable, whereas one very complex 6000 could take up the entire schedule). Keep in mind the lengthy part of the procedure (placing grafts) is usually left to technicians, who typically do handle just a case a day, so not to become too physically and mentally drained.

1500 doesn't sound bad, to me. First, we don't really know the density of your donor area; second, we're not sure what your expectations are. I feel the top of your head doesn't need to be filled in yet, and the front being done with 1500, again, doesn't sound unreasonable. If possible, schedule a consultation with a different doctor, and see what he or she has to say.

If you're real, then I apologize for perhaps seeming harsh, and appreciate your response. I shall try to look at your pictures when they've been posted.

Right, I think that's why there should be incentive to pursue the possibility. In a capitalist economy, if only profitable things are considered, fine (well, maybe, maybe not). With follicle-multiplication, transplant surgeons still do what they do (though less extraction, one imagines), and other people get to come in and charge for the multiplication.

I hear it's normal for transplanted hairs to fall out shortly after the procedure. About how long does this take to happen? It seems they continue to grow for at least a short while immediately after surgery. Are they all supposed to fall out before they start to grow again (to "really" grow)? It takes three or four months from when they fall out for that to happen, right?

Thanks.