ThinScalpSF

Hello, I am considering an FUT with Gabel. How are you doing now a few years later? Are you happy with the results?

I am also a considering an FUT with Dr. Gabel. How are you guys doing now? Are you happy with the results?

Thank you to everyone for their thoughtful responses. I will check out Dr. Diep. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, but I am willing to travel for an excellent surgeon. I feel most comfortable in the US, Canada, or maybe Europe. I worry about going to a far away country and then it not working out and having no recourse. I suppose you could demand that a US surgeon do a repeat procedure at a discount (or maybe even free) if it doesn't turn out well. When I started doing research on this topic, I was hoping for one transplant and be done. Based on doctor's opinions and what I'm seeing on this forum, a lot of people get 2 or more transplants. If that may be the case, then many of you are recommending FUT first followed by FUE if needed. I am guessing that FUE might deplete any future FUT strips. But with FUT, you still have all the rest of your hair follicles in the back as donors. Also with FUT, it seems you can get more grafts in a single procedure. The challenge here is getting good advice about graft numbers. How many do I really need to look decent? I am not expecting to look 18 again. I want to avoid future baldness, look natural, look younger, and be able to wear my hair short but not ultra short (I ask the barber to use a 3 on my sides and back). It seems the doctor's incentive is to place as many grafts as possible (more money). While it seems intuitive that more grafts equals better hair, I have seen pictures of people with 2000-2600 grafts that started out similar to me and looked decent afterward. As requested, I have attached some pics so people can give me more customized advice. I am probably a Norwood IV or V. Thank you all again for this excellent help. I don't know where else I would turn to evaluate my options.

I am trying to decide between FUE vs FUT. I want the procedure with the highest chance of success in one operation. I do not wear my hair super short, so a linear scar would be covered. While my initial feeling was favoring FUE (newer procedure, no linear scar), I am now favoring FUT (seems like better harvesting of hair follicles because you can directly visualize them under the microscope). A little background on my case: I have significant hair loss (Norwood IVa or V) in the front and crown, so I am going to need a lot of grafts. I have consulted with 2 hair transplant surgeons in person (Berman and Rosanelli in SF) and 2 online (Hasson and Wong and Jim Harris). Berman only does ARTAS FUE, so he of course recommended it and told me I should NOT get FUT because its old school and barbaric. On the other hand, Rosanelli and Hasson/Wong strongly favored FUT and told me it was because I needed a lot of grafts. They said I could get a higher number of grafts and higher yield with FUT. Once I decide FUE vs FUT, I can then pick the best surgeon. If I go with FUT, I am probably going to go with Rosanelli, Hasson/Wong, or Gabel. I am awaiting consultation with Gabel. If I decide FUE, then I have to keep looking. Thanks.