PrtScrn

I know that the pictures are of awful quality, but you can see what I mean when I say that it's not just the hair, and that it essentially looks like a dried-out graft....

Actually, the blurry focus makes it hard to discern anything. What sort of camera did you use in this day & age that made them that blurry? Dim light?

On this general topic, I've had hairs pull out cleanly with little effort at 10 days post-op FUE, and the tiny bulb indicated that the actual papilla was probably OK (the part that will later regrow a new hair). Shock-loss has also been used to describe those hairs coming out easily while the productive base cells stay intact.

You apparently have all the answers and have apparently answered your own question....feel free to move on:)

I'll resist replying to you again, but not because you've made any real points, having ignored the obvious photos of lossy donor areas twice now. A sure mark of someone who's inventing reality is simplistic one-line replies to detailed questions. Online you have the option of simply ignoring points, but they still exist. In person I'd keep asking you to look at those photos and explain what "EXACTLY" the same before & after means. Get real.

I'm not going to spend big money knowing I'll potentially lose more hair than I'll gain in a cosmetically acceptable way. I think people are wise to proceed with caution unless their hair loss is so debilitating that nothing else could be worse.

Probably not a bad idea to postpone, but I'd get in to see Gable and chat with him anyway. He's honest and engaging, and he'll give you a clear picture of where you stand and the risks/benefits of a transplant. There's no obligation to move forward if you chat with him, and I think it'll help you create a game plan for the next five years. You're lucky to have one of the world's best HT surgeons in your back yard; I'd take advantage of it if I were you.

That would be my next step if other avenues don't stop the loss. I can find no complaints about Dr. G. so far. Dr. F. has a number of 5-star reviews that look questionable, considering that results can take many months. He's only been in official business for about a year. Might be a good doctor but time is proof.

You come off as an incredible douche. Not going to get much help here acting as such.

I'm a douche for siding with logic and evidence? I didn't expect that reaction! If you hadn't used the word "EXACTLY" I'd give you credibility. Those removed hairs took up volume which is now filled by nothing but air. Unless one applies a volumizing agent, the hair will inevitably look thinner or lay flatter in the donor region. It may be acceptable to some but can't look "exactly" the same, especially when close-cropped where the gaps have less to hide them.

You have nothing to say about the photo links I posted. Why is that? It's obviously a lossy process. Even with the FUT (strip) method you risk compromising the hair direction or having a tight scalp, let alone a nasty scar if the healing isn't ideal or you shave your head later. The same concept applies to a forest of trees:

http://www.teagasc.ie/forestry/images/before_after_thin.gif

I think you're in a manic positive state about the potential of hair restoration and have decided to ignore the downsides. The industry milks that sort of thing, which is why I am reconsidering the whole concept.

Not illogical, at all. It was probably a good idea for you to postpone...and you probably should use the time to do some research. If you had, you would know the donor isn't going to look less dense until 50% of the hair is gone. 2,800 from the back and sides of your head isn't even close to that....so yes, it looks EXACTLY the same as before.

Look at these clearings in the "forest." Even fully grown out that's got to be less dense. I am a critical thinker and can't be fooled with anecdotes.

http://www.vinciscalppigmentation.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/fue-scarring.jpg

http://static1.squarespace.com/static/5243dccde4b08fd9e4fc92ef/t/54b935c4e4b06e38ad5dbdde/1421424091475/

http://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/hair_transplant_photos/Dr_Rahal/hair-transplantation-photo-impo-donor-172682_1.jpg (2617 donor sites, similar to yours)

Easy call.....Gabel. I believe he trained under Dr. Konior. Enough said.

 

Cosmetic surgery is not something you chance just to "give a new kid on the block a chance." Be serious. I had FUE 4 months ago....2,800 grafts (so not a small procedure). My donor looks EXACTLY like it did pre-op.....and I mean exactly. I could shave it to a 1 guard and it would still look the same as pre-op.

I find "EXACTLY" to be illogical. I've seen photos of FUE voids and scars. Unless hair magically takes up no space there has to be some density loss. There are about 90k-140k hairs on the typical human head, depending on color and ethnicity. You had maybe 3% of them removed from a significantly smaller area than the whole scalp, making it a larger percentage loss relative to the donor area. If you have before/after photos, let's see them.

Any update on the doctor you chose? Just curious what were the price comparisons between doctors? Hard to believe there is much difference. I found Dr. Gabel to be very reasonable.

I had a limited consultation with Fallon and found him personable and apparently competent, but somehow a little hasty to pluck and tuck. Just a bit on the slick side but not in an untrustworthy way. He may undercut Gabel by 10%-20% depending on the procedure.

I called Gabel's office and talked to a vivacious woman who seemed genuinely enthused about the practice but also a bit of an over-talker. I know he has a good rep. but there always seems to be a sales component. Gabel himself seems hard to reach on purpose or just overly busy. It makes me wonder how many of these decisions are based on fleeting impulses with visions of hot females running their fingers through your fuller head of hair?

After that, I did more research and decided to postpone the whole thing. I keep coming back to the fact that it's a lossy process where you don't get something for nothing. Guys who get 500+ hairs removed from their scalps and relocated elsewhere can't possibly not notice something different from the donor area, be it strip or FUE. Strip aka FUT makes me nervous that hairs might stick out randomly or create a flap in the scar zone. FUE makes me think my hair will be flattened in that location due to loss of bulk. I don't feel right about it but might change my mind later. I don't have serious enough loss to sweat over it now.

I doubt most transplants turn out quite as advertised. Lack of easy recourse for disappointments seems unethical since these are life-altering procedures and come down to fine placements. Artistic skills seem like a must. I read about many guys needing repair work and not trusting the original doctor. If it was a mechanic you might do the same thing, but at least you know it can get fixed at whatever cost. With hair lost from one zone and put in another, I see too much potential for worsening the original look.

A different mental outlook might just tell me it's part of nature. I'm not the sort who'd ever shave his head. Too much effort and it seems insecure in its own right. It takes a certain head shape to pull that off without looking weird. Hair still serves as a natural insulator, even if there's less of it!

But I'm also considering Finasteride in the smallest effective dose. Minoxidil seems too labor intensive and messy.

He just told me that it wouldn't be possible to get close to the density of the rest of my hair with just one session of HT. I usually keep my hair long. So I will wait at least for a year to see the final result. If It turns out to have a natural look I wouldn't bother having another HT.

Good luck with the outcome. I was going to quote some very true Tom Petty lyrics about waiting.

No unfortunately I don't have any pre-op pictures. But I will ask for them when I contact the doctor.

Taking one's own pre-op photos seems like a good defense against malpractice, though this industry is oddly unregulated. I think unsatisfied transplantees should at least get partial if not full refunds. This is major stuff. A common issue seems to be that patients assume doctors aesthetically see the same thing they do, when "taste" may vary unexpectedly. I plan to have everything replicated on paper or screen first.

I went to a clinic in UK as they were cheap, didn't get a good result and everyone knew I'd had an ht. I ended up having to go for a second procedure with a great surgeon to fix mistakes of first clinic, in the end it cost a lot more than if I'd just gone to a great surgeon in first place.

My 2 pence worth, Dr gabel, is awesome. You would be going with a safe bet with a good reputation.

Part of me wants to give the new kid on the block a fair chance (while saving money) though that might be a big gamble. I guess no doctor gets a reputation without a number of years passing and a few guinea pigs. This seems like a field where the skill difference could be stark. This forum seems to mainly acknowledge world famous ones who merit plane trips.I just wonder if time in practice matters as much as inborn artistic skill - and good techs, also.

Does anyone know how long a HT doctor can last if they bungle X percent of cases? Would a mediocre one be history in just a few years? I might wait on my procedure to see if my temple thinning stabilizes, and spend that time researching off and on.

Hi all,

Today is the 9th day after HT. I gently massaged the HT area while taking bath today and most of the scabs are gone. After the massage, I saw many hairs on my fingers . They were mostly just hair and there was nothing attached to them. Just a few of them were attached to scabs. Is it normal to have shedding that early on the 9th day?

 

I`m also very concerned about the density of the new grafts as they look a bit sparsely placed to me. I`m not expecting to have them as dense as the rest of my hair. I just want to have a hairline that will be dense enough to look natural. Do you think the density will be fine?

It looks like the intent could have been to mimic naturally thinner hair in those zones. Did the doctor say something? If you keep your hair that short it might look abrupt but it might blend well with longer growth.

Patience seems to be the key to these recoveries, though I don't know the science behind waiting "6 months" as is often suggested. Is that based on waiting out all possible follicle resting phases?

I am surprised that this subject never seems to come up. Like many others, I am very grey/white at the sides and back of my head, but remain largely dark brown in the front of my head. However, I ensure my hair colour matches as I dye my hair an even dark brown all over. I am about to have my second transplant with Ron Shapiro on Mon July 13. As transplanted hair retains it colour, this means that my hair taken from the back of my head and moved to the front will remain naturally largely white, which will contrast with my largely largely brown hair at the front. This means I would look very odd if and when I stop dying my hair. Basically I'll have rather comical tufts of white hair at the front of my head, which won't match the rest of my frontal hair colour. I am 54 and mean to continue dying my hair for a while yet, but what if I choose to stop in a few years?

 

Why does this subject never come up on this forum? I would have thought it a common concern and a common occurrence. Any thoughts from anyone? I'd love to hear from others who have experienced this issue following a transplant.

I've yet to have any transplants and this came to mind early on. I could see myself as an old man being very annoyed by unnatural coloration. Nature would have hair grafts taken from nearly the same place, but of course that's impossible in practice. The directional changes associated with strip scars also concern me. I'd worry about a tuft sticking out or a flap that can't be combed down. The whole concept is a battle against nature, really.

I see hair transplantation as a painting that can never be made quite perfect, including shades of gray. If there's a mistake it's no simple matter to paint over it because you lose something elsewhere. A good surgeon has to have special instincts and the best ones must have innate drawing or painting talent.

Easy call--go with Gabel. He's one of the top surgeons out there, incredibly ethical, and has a stellar reputation. I've meet him numerous times, and he is among the best. I had a transplant with someone else and agreed to see me gratis when I was concerned about the work. The folks at his clinic are all thorough and professional, and you would be in great hands. Fallon is brand new, and like others have noted, yo have no track record to work from--it would be a complete crapshoot. Go with someone who has one of the best reputations in the business and has been through all the vetting. It's a no-brainer call.

True, no doubt, but the newer doc is less costly, at least for some procedures, and that's significant for me. I'm not getting a major enough procedure to warrant over $3k (ballpark). If anyone tried Fallon long enough ago to post conclusions, please do. I understand a year is adequate for some cases to see full results.

I went with Dr. Gabel last November. I did a lot of research. I don't know about pricing comparisons but..... If you are going to spend money on anything, spend it on something you will have for a lifetime. Dig a little deeper with your doctor research and you probably have your answer. Check out who is recommended by this forum.

My HT is in my signature below. Oh by the way I am extremely happy with my results. He also does FUE and FUT.

Gabel must not make significant mistakes, as he does have a solid rep. Fallon seems competent in consultation but it's hard to find a track record as the practice only began last July. Something about his demeanor seemed a little rushed but I don't have much to compare to and it could have been a busy day. I want someone who's all about the details.

Another concern is that "techs" do most of the actual implanting. If a doctor is good and the techs aren't, it puts you at risk. I've yet to see reviews of techs by name and don't know how often they come and go.

Do yourself a favor read about the 1 million things that can wrong with hair transplants. Understand scar is forever and you'll never be able to cut your hair short to have cool bald haircut. No matter what drugs your on you'll keep losing your hair requiring need for more surgery and more chance you'll need more surgery exponentially increasing risk each time. Don't get a transplant from anyyone. Drs here post the good results the bad ones are misc posts and people hiding from mistake rest of their lives.

 

Yes you may have a good transplant with acceptable scar but likelihood you'll regret it immediately or over time is much greater.

 

Dont do this. Shave your head get a tan work out or get a hairpiece...they actually look real good.

 

Not responding to anyones BS response. Truth is above. Make a good decision stay away.

I get your angst over the whole concept, though in my case it's just the upper forehead and (if my father is a good indicator) I may never reach the point where I'd need/want to shave my head. I am definitely not diving into any procedure after reading a lot of regret rants. This isn't something to do on a wave of positive hype, like falling for an expensive car sales pitch.

I found this site about a year ago and I'm ready to tell my story. I am very appreciative for what I have learned about hair transplants on this site. Geat stuff.

 

I am 25 years old from Vancouver, Washington, and went to medical hair restoration 5 years ago. I talked with Dr Niedbalski and he talked me into a hair transplant. At the time, I had just turned 20 years old. I had severe thinning of the hair at that time. I was using minoxidil. He transplanted around 2200 grafts from my hairline to the top of my head.

 

Now I am left with a gigantic scar in the back of my head, I am now thinner then ever, and the transplants, in my opinion, failed - very poor hair growth. I have thin hair so any that are there are just like wispy things on the top of my head that are doing nothing. I am now using topik everyday to help fill in the spots and hide the scar.

 

Why is Niedbalski terrible - now that I've been reading stories on this site, it is clear that most humane and sensible doctors would not touch a 20 year old with a 10 foot pole. Did they ever tell me to go on Propicia. NO. Also, he spread the hairs out so much that they are doing nothing for any density. Lastly, I called the MHR office last week to figure out what to do next (like I want him to fix my freaking scar) and he is now gone. So I talked to their patient person and he sounds like a complete moron. I don't trust them. They have a new physician who just started. I did some research and he is an emergency room doctor who decided to do hair transplants in Seattle - did the MHR fellowship and now does hair. Dr fallon is his name and I 'm scared to go to him to fix the scar.

 

I am now contacting other physicians to figure out what to do - I will certainly do my due diligence. The bottom line is that Dr Niedbalski did my surgery ($$) and has screwed up my life and for the last 5 years I've suffered because he sucks. Yes, I talked to a consultant initially who also recommended surgery - and I talked to him prior to surgery who recommended surgery - that is why he is 100% responsible for the work he did. While he worked for MHR (they get the worst of the worst) I hold him responsible because he is the one who ultimatly did the hair transplant. Why would he operate on a 20 year old with advanced hair loss? $$ is the answer, ethics - no. I'm a little more savvy now from reading stuff here. Why did he not tell me to wait, put me on propicia, and see what happens. I worry about other people who may now go to him as he is on his own. That is why I tell my story.

 

My advice: stay away from Niedbalski - he is unethical and gets poor results.

I read random negative reviews (with positives for the same doctor) and don't know what to think without both sides of the story. There's not a wide enough sampling to tell what's really going on. The Internet tends to draw negative experiences that inspire reviews, rather than good experiences taken for granted.

Yours is also the only mention of Dr. Fallon on this site, whom I happen to be considering. Were you only put off by his newness or something else? He now has his own practice near Portland. It might be too late for you to see this reply but thanks for any details.

Does anyone have direct experience with Dr. Troy Fallon, who runs a relatively new hair transplant practice in Tigard, OR? He is on my list of best cost/benefit value so far, but I have no hard info. I see only 5-star Yelp reviews and mistrust giddy testimonials. His practice is so new that full outcomes may not be known. One review claimed he was "hands down the best hair restoration doctor nationwide." Based on how many experiences with other doctors? Have any of his patients been through at least 6 months of waiting for regrowth? I understand even a year could be needed, based on staggered follicle growth phases.

Dr. Steven Gabel nearby has a solid reputation but is pricier. Do you always get what you pay for? I can't tell if cost is the best predictor of results. There's also a Dr. Marla Ross who doesn't seem to specialize in hair transplants. This area doesn't have many people in the field. I checked into Bosley but they make me nervous. Might their long legacy create higher odds of complaints? Is is safe to assume that doctors who go it alone have more of a reputation to lose and tend to be better?

Generally speaking: One of my main concerns with FUE (which I lean toward) is that the donor area in back will look flattened. My case is somewhat minor (frontal receding) and may require 500-600 hairs but that still seems like it could alter the "loft" of my hair and create a divot. FUT makes me nervous with skin stretching and a potential scar showing, though you're supposed to get more surviving grafts from it. I keep reading about FUT getting a bad rap just because FUE is newer, and FUT scarring is much less than earlier methods.

Thanks for any details on Dr. Fallon specifically, and this general topic.