chargedup

No shock loss as of yet, just a few pimples (about 5 now) at the hairline. I would hop on a cheap Southwest flight and get it done with Dr. Ross. He's right in your price rang. Hell, less if all your doing is 2,000.

Everything is fine. A few new sprouts, maybe, hard to tell. no shock-loss though, which is nice. I get an occasional zit in or around the hairline (maybe 4 total). Dr. Ross called me the other day just to find out how things were. I told him about the zits/pimples and he said that it was normal.

I don't want to debate it either. I'd like to at least explain... It seems (from what I've read) that some of your picks for docs use staples (instead of a less painful suture job) and make their patients shave a lot of area to make it easier for them to work, when its not necessary, the job can be done all the same and you can try and keep what you already have, looking and feeling better during the falling out and re-growth staging.

I don't know what kind of procedure you want the Strip or FUE, but if you're going Strip, you should take a look at Dr. Ross in San Diego. From what I've been reading on a few of these boards, yes those docs you mentioned above seem to have great reps, but some of those docs you're looking into make me raise an eyebrow as to why they are so highly touted when I read about their techniques and compare them to my experience I recently had. And man I can get with your apprehension, many days before the scheduled appointment I was second guessing everything, I only slept for about two hours the night before, but was wired when I arrived at the office at 6 a.m. One thing that helped was the nurse giving me a valium pill and then the doc gave me a shot in the arm with more of the same, not enough to put me to sleep (a couple of times I nodded off during the whole 10 hour ordeal, but never longer than a half hour or so), but there was no real pain at all... Either from the valium stuff or the way they handle the needles....something did the trick.

Yeah, maybe I should throttle back on how good the experience was, as to not sound phony, but it is all true. It's a new and recent endeavor in my life, and I'm happy about it now. And it's all euphoria now, but maybe 2-3 weeks from now after scabs and hair have fallen out...I'll be whining like a bitch, cursing the doc, and regretting the thought of ever thinking about getting a transplant.

I'm pretty new on all this stuff, FUE vs. Strip, and didn't and still don't, know everything about this whole transplant deal. I didn't mean to come off as claiming anything. I guess people reading our recent transplant experiences now have two good choices on where to go and get great results...whether it be FUE or Strip.

Your results look good. 20K + 3% ??? and pain? I'm feeling more lucky about who I went with every time I read posts like this. I didn't go FUE, but my procedure (3,075) was 60% less than the price you paid and Dr. Ross' office set me up with 24 mos. interest free (I think they can with anyone) and the pain/discomfort was very little. Also, he and his staff could not have been better at what they do, especially in taking care of all my needs and concerns.

I'd put Dr. Brandon Ross in San Diego right at the top of the list. Very pleased with my procedure.

I just don't want to be thrown in the mix here. Although my alias here may be close to that of the above...I have had nothing to with or even ever heard of the doctor mentioned in this topic. I had a great transplant experience and you can read about it here... CHARGEDUP'S PROCEDURE Sorry to here about this hack job, good luck with reversing the damage.

Dr. Brandon Ross should be the doctor at the top of your list. HERE'S MY RECENT PROCEDURE

Yeah, they could have done some more and made it a longer day, but this what I could afford for now, and being on the other side of 40, I'm not looking for the fountain of youth, just to look my age with some hair.

Had sutures removed yesterday. Went really well, very little pain while getting them out. Dr. Ross and his nurse think the healing is looking good. Oh yeah, my total was 3075. Thought I'd give you all my reasons for doing this whole transplant thing... When I'm not wearing a hat, my hair doesn't look too bad when styled and stiffed, but windy or wet and you can see from the pics just how thin it is. Last summer, I was out of the water more than usual due to my embarrassing dome and I thought I'd do something now to hopefully be okay for this summer. Why I went with Dr. Ross? His rep looked good and his price was good. 24 months at 0% interest too. Definitely a straight shooter and not a sales kook. I got the sense from not only him, but his whole staff that they've got this transplant deal wired, and when operating, it would come as second nature to them. After having a bit of down time for a couple of days post-op, and reading more and more on the forums...I don't think I could have made a better choice in a doctor, and it is inspiring me to take the time to post this in hopes to enlighten those who are gonna get a HT, to get it done where I did, because this hair-falling-out thing is shitty and you should have something go your way if you plan to spend the bucks and go through a bit of pain. I'm not gonna put up a link and plug (sorry for the pun) Dr. Ross' biz here. You might think its all fake and I'm somehow getting compensated. No way, no how. If you want to find out about him, he's here on the web. Another thing, I live in San Diego, so I was lucky there, but I've read so much about guys having to travel. San Diego wouldn't sound too bad if I have had to travel for this. Even some of these big name docs...More $$$? Painful staples? And shaving ares, where good hair was growing?... What's that about? I'm sure they tell the patient it makes the operation go smoother, but its obviously not necessary. Is it to have the patient's before and after pics look all that more impressive or dramatic? Maybe those patients are getting compensated? Time will tell for me, but I'm willing to bet I'll get as good or better results, having spent less, with less overall discomfort, than many that I've read about here. I'm just stoked with the choice I made as to where I had my procedure done. Here's my pics... The red lesion is likely to my use of regular Minoxidil. I'll be giving the foam a try in a couple of weeks. I've skipped the incision pic (for now). I had no idea the cut had to be that deep to get to the follicles. If you'd like to see it, PM me. If I get some response and people think that it wouldn't deter others from getting a HT. I'll post it. Here's the stitch job... Sites made... Sites placed... A week later... Stitches out...

Here's some amateur hour photos I took at home, so this is 6th day after procedure... (New, better updated pics in posts below) I'm in no pain whatsoever, in fact I haven't been since day two and it was minimal at that. I dig the fact that Dr. Ross let me keep my hair semi-long. From what I've seen a lot of other doctor's patients have to shave their heads. I'm lucky I went with a doc who does awesome suture jobs. I had no idea how I was gonna be sewed up. And Why the staples from other docs? Because its easy and quick? It's more pain and discomfort from what I've read. And if sutures yield a less noticeable scar too (maybe, I don't know?), it's only a no-brainer to go that way.

I hadn't spent much time on the internet or message boards about hair loss, just some occasional reading and searching for a good doctor. Here's what I went with: I had a transplant done with Dr. Ross just this past Tuesday, Feb. 17th. It went smooth without any complications. The office, lunch, movies, the way he and his staff are down-to-earth and made me feel at home was perfect, his sense of humor is also a big plus. I had over 3,000 put in and it took all day...(10+ hours, probably because they took their time and did a great job). I understand time will be the tell all, but the procedure went way better than what I anticipated. I will keep you all up to date with posts and pics about my progress. This was my first and hopefully last transplant. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but I can't imagine it being any better. My wife who has sewed all her life and is pretty much what you would call a pro seamstress, could not believe what a great stitch job Dr. Ross had done at the donor area (seems like a big one to me). She said it was perfect, almost as a machine had done it. Why other docs are using the quick staple method to leave patients in discomfort/pain is beyond me. I have had no discomfort and went off of any pain meds by the next morning after the op. Oh yeah, I got a call from Dr. Ross the day after the procedure, and he was just checking in to see how I was doing. He was kind enough to give me his cell # in case I needed to speak with him right away....pretty cool. Going to have sutures removed Tuesday Feb. 24th at Dr. Ross' office. He will be giving me a CD with all the pics. I'll post as soon as I can.

Wow...I got this to look forward to. Looks like it'll be tightening the chin strap on the old hat. Hang in there man, from everything I've read lately it's only gonna get better from here.