First off, please let me start off this review by saying it is long overdue. I can't say anything less than unbelievable, beyond what I had ever expected with my experience with Dr Wesley. And the results that followed.
I honestly can not believe that I have hair, more than when I was 17 and the dramatic feelings in yourself that followed. And lifestyle changes. And forgetting all about Dr Wesley or the fact that I had become so sad and depressed, thinking about my age, feeling bummed every time I combed my hair. Going out on dates and trying to find places there was low lighting... yes, so that she wouldn't look at my shiny crown and focus on me.
And poring over this board for as much information as I can get. I sort of did a disservice by not positing anything as I am sure that many people could have been helped by Dr. Wesley over the past 2 years.
About Me:
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-36 years old
-Medical Doctor
-Started losing hair 16 or 17
-began Propecia and Rogaine at 25
-minor improvement for 2 years (crown and mid-scalp), then stabilization
-continued for 7 years, no real shedding until ex-gf made me stop in Spring 2011
-6 months after stopping- massive shedding for 1 month, levels of hair loss unseen before
-crown/vertex area little to no coverage
-midscalp some coverage if combing hair forward and layer
-front hairline holding, but thinner than before
Prior Consults before Picking Dr. Wesley
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-Hair transplant doc in Mid 30s near Penn, West Side Manhattan
Told I was not a good candidate
Donor area no good
I had a female pattern of hair loss
Weird uncomfortable experience
-Bosley in NJ center
-Seemed okay & fair
-level of expertise, training and research in field had me skeptical
-nice experience
Hair transplant Midtown West Upper 50s
-Very knowledgable & really nice guy
-highly regarded, well respected
-but very expensive
-was really considering him
Why I picked Dr. Wesley
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-Compassionate, patient, understanding
-Intelligent, knowledgable in his field
-Honest. He's definitely honest and non misleading.
-And definitely reads a lot. Research oriented in his field. Which says a lot that he continually wants to know and be providing the most up to date therapy for his patients. It's the same way I feel about how I practice my field of medicine.
Not clock in - make some money - go home (like many others)
I could feel he is very passionate for the work he does and wants to help.
-he also puts grafts in areas of anticipated loss (how awesome is that) so that when hair thins over the years, it still looks natural
-had a magnifying app to show me the difference in hair donor vs crown
crown, fewer hair per follicle and much thinner
helped me understand the process
-doesn't up-charge per graft. One fee. thats it
-scarless surgery donor area (2 years out, I can get a haircut with a 2 on the back of my head)
Surgeries/Procedures performed:
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September 2012 2500+ grafts - mid scalp, and a little crown/vertex
PRP to the frontal areas.
September 2013 ~ 1400 grafts crown
Clinic Experience
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-Office staff is courteous, professional and very friendly
-Seems cliche, but they really respect what your going through, I share the same sentiment that everyone on this board feels, and its remarkable how people like Dr Wesley and staff who do not have alopecia can empathize
-instructions, payment everything done very orderly, informed and convenient
Post op:
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-My first surgery
-followed instructions as best as I could had very minor bleeding redness
-Had it on Friday, went back to work on Monday
-No one noticed, no redness on my head (even just 3 days after)
-Back of my head, I had medium length hair, and the staff did not need to shave to get a graft so looked like nothing happened donor area
-cleaned and scrubbed donor area
-stitches out in 2 weeks
- 1 month after
scabbing, some of the grafts fell out, dried etc
but most remained in
frontal area where PRP was done, small hairs were sprouting
erratic and kind of against the grain of growth, but was happy they showed
I could start appreciating the way he & his technicians (who are amazing) placed
the grafts were really in accordance to the natural movement and hair direction
- 3 months
could see some difference in the mid scalp area, coverage
especially since many of my grafts held, hair was there and it was growing x 3 mos
PRP growth areas in the front started filling in, and appeared more natural
or at least more in line with the original hairline when I started combing them
-6 months
was able to start combing my hair
well I actually needed to because there was so much of it, I couldn't pat it down
-9 months
a whole new batch of hair started busting out
was very itchy at first when they started which is a good thing
prior grafts, strong hairs much longer, coverage very noticeable
-12 months
mid scalp looked very full, coarse, thick hair
was still kind of bothered by my crown
the new hairs were clearly present, though not as robust as the others that held on since surgery
around 15 months the old and 9 month sprouts evened out
Went in for surgery Numero Dos. 9/13 for the crown. 1500+ grafts.
Same post op stuff
Same amazing experience from him and his staff
Same ridiculously insane results
2 years later I have more hair than 17.
Totally different way I comb it.
No one would believe it.
Medication regimen
-Propecia and rogaine post op for 3 months, then stopped because
I'm a bad patient and it already started looking good.
-He advised me to go back on 9 months later to get better results and he was right
transplanted hair started thinking 2 months after, much better coverage
-Post op second surgery propecia and rogaine daily
-Now propecia q3days because 1/2 life of drug, pharmacokinetics etc.
A single dose of finasteride suppresses serum DHT levels for up to 4 days
(from my own understanding/opinion as a physician and so far working great)
Clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of finasteride. - PubMed - NCBI
In short, Dr. Wesley on so many levels is such a good surgeon
He should be your surgeon if you are thinking about it
Or at the very least go to him and get a true, clear understanding about the process
He's the best.
I'm sorry for the late review but honestly 3 months after the first surgery, I forgot that I was a hair loss sufferer. Stopped taking pictures, stopped googling, stopped visiting the board and stopped looking for dark areas of restaurants to sit at on a date.