Tao

Taken, You are lucky to have found this site. You'll gather a lot of valuable information here and make a much more informed choice. No doubt, HTs are just crazy expensive and really nothing I ever thought I could ever afford. Yet, I found a responsible way to do it without going to a bad hair mill or a cheap doc telling me everything I wanted to hear but nothing I really needed to hear. Read this forum for awhile, review results, post questions, and start saving your rubles. You're lucky in that you really do have a nice head of hair right now (many on this site would kill to have your hair) so there's no reason to rush for you. I could have gone cheaper and I maybe could have traveled out of country too but what if something didn't go right? It's not like I could hop on a plane and go back. I chose the best doctor that I could reasonably get to (although really, I could travel most anywhere in the US and Canada). This site essentially pre-screens HT docs for you and narrows down one's search to those you can trust. Then it's up to you to consult with several and make the choice that's most sensible and best for you. Good luck on your journey!

Normalguy, I'd send my pics in to Hasson and Wong and see what they have to say. I'm no expert, but from your pics, it looks like your donor hair is sparse and the amount of coverage you need is large. The math doesn't add up. You could get some up front to frame your face, but when it does grow in, it will just be an isolated strip that probably will look a bit funny and out of place. As others have said, you do have a nice shaped head and you look good with the style you're wearing now so if an HT is not in the cards for you, you're in good shape still.

Very nice! Your curly hair is to your benefit as it appears much fuller than thin straight hair. Congrats!

Taken4Granted, I had a total of 5200 grafts with Dr. Konior and paid $21,900 or a very reasonable $4.21 per graft (all of which the doc himself placed). Konior almost always gives you more grafts than you pay for, so he's really not any more expensive than the other top docs (he put in 2800 grafts the first time and I paid for 2500 and he put in 2400 grafts the second time and I paid for 2000). I'm guessing he knows he can get more at the time he quotes you but is having you pay for the absolute minimum he'll get. Anyway, I was in your boat as well. When I first started looking into HTs years ago, I swore I could only spend $4k tops. Then, after a while, I decided $6k tops if I saved extra long. I waited and saved and things changed financially for me and when I finally committed, I was at $11.9K for the first time, an astronomical amount in my book. Yet, I made a downpayment and had a 0% loan through Carecredit and paid the operation off in a year (foregoing expensive vacations and an expensive car). I'm now paying my second operation off in the same way. Basically for the price of a new car, I have a new lease on life, increased confidence, and the satisfaction of smiling every time I look in the mirror now. Maybe it's just me, but I'll take that trade off any day. I recommend going slow, gathering plenty of information and waiting until you are in a financially responsible position to pull the trigger. Then go with a very good doctor. You'll save money and so much stress and anguish in the long run.

Well, that's some really nice feedback, Taken4Granted. Thanks. When I first started this HT journey, I was highly skeptical as the HT industry just seemed so seedy. Obviously I'm a believer now. It pays to look around and definitely not go the cheap route if you're serious about getting good results. There are some bad docs and clinics out there but there are also some all-stars out there too. This website is a great resource. Good luck on your search and if you do choose Konior, feel free to send me any questions. And tell your GF thanks for me too! : )

No doubt I'm biased because I went to Konior twice and am very happy. He does very clean work, always gives you more grafts than you pay for, is a meticulous perfectionist, and stays for the entire surgery, placing most or all of the grafts himself. Pretty incredible. Another plus for me was that he didn't shave me either time, adding a lot more work and effort on his part but sparing me the ugly duckling stage twice. I know that every doc must have some unsatisfied patients but I have yet to run into one of his. I need to update my website with recent photos showing the result of my second (crown) surgery. I can't believe the difference. Good luck to you in whomever you choose.

Unless you go to Dr. Konior, who places most of the grafts himself. Unusual but very comforting (and with great results).

I'm kinda with Hal on this one. I know that Propecia is a wonder drug for many but I just don't like the idea of messing with my body's chemistry or hormones. Hormones are powerful things. I know DHT screws us when it comes to hair, but our body must need it for some things if it produces it. I'm not a biochemist or doctor but for me, I'd rather not take a drug if I don't have to. Of course, if I was in my 20s and losing my hair, I think I would have a much different mindset. I'm 43 and had my first HT at 41 with my baldness and pattern pretty much set (hell, I lost just about everything up top anyway so there was not much more damage to be done). I have had two HTs and am really happy with the results. Could I have thicker,stronger hair if I took propecia. Probably. But it ain't worth it for me. This just comes down to a personal decision. Do your research, read the pros and cons, assess your situation and then make a choice that makes sense for you.

Old Italian man? Mr. Irish Cop? Too funny.

I had lumps at the ends of my scar on both sides after my first HT. It felt like the doc didn't line up the skin correctly when it was stapled or something like that. I was pretty worried that it would be permanent but told that it would go away in time. And sure enough, both lumps went away after several months of healing.

I had the same thought, matt. Sounded like he was paid to say that. 'Cause it was ridiculous.

Interesting, but not very impressive. The before and after shots were not dramatically different IMO. $130 for two to three weeks worth of medicine? For those results? No thanks.

That's pretty dang nice of Dr. Simmons. I'm with you on that whole illusion thing Megatron. I think patients need to understand that in most instances, illusion is the best you get. I consider my two HTs very successful, but under harsh conditions, clearly the density could be much more. However, going from the reality of a very balding pate' to a pretty damn good illusion of a full head of hair is more than acceptable to me. For most people looking at us, the illusion is reality as they're not intensely scrutinizing my hair like I do. Anyway, congrats to you.

Wow. This thread is probably the best one I've ever read on this forum. I was going to compliment people for being so mature and for the most part, that has been surprisingly true. But alas, it's degraded into lawsuits. That's a shame. No doubt there are good people involved here who all sit in different places and therefore have different perspectives. Dr. Feller no doubt is an outstanding doctor. Badluck is a reasonable, articulate person who had the misfortune of having a failed HT, which given all we go through psychically and mentally, is devastating. I hope all involved here can maturely and calmly continue communicating and work this all out. Having this thread deleted or seeing it degrade into lawsuits is a bit chilling frankly. What I take from this is that HT doctors need to clearly discuss with potential patients the possibility of failure and what steps would be available to the patient should that happen, even if those steps are nothing, you're just screwed (but ideally, more along the lines of what Dr. Feller offers or even better). Let's face it, we come to the doctors usually in a state of desperation and full of hope. The possibility of failure, given the very substantial monetary, physical and emotional costs involved, is not in the forefront of our minds. But as this case shows, the possibility of failure clearly needs to be brought out on the table and discussed well beforehand. Yes, it is the patient's responsibility to fully understand the procedure but it is also the doctor's responsibility to help educate each patient. I believe that most of the quality doctors do a pretty good job of this but clearly there's room for improvement. I feel for you, Badluck and John Malloy. I hope you both eventually find a solution that brings you peace of mind. And I feel for you, Dr. Feller. I know it has to be tough trying to 100% please everyone all the time, an impossible task. I think the way you initially responded, openly and honestly, will protect and enhance your reputation more so than lawsuits.

Dr. Konior in Chicago told me he requires shaving for any procedure over 2500 grafts (preferably anything over 2000) as it will slow the procedure down too much otherwise (and harvested grafts will be out exposed longer, which could degrade yield). My first procedure was supposed to be 2500 but the doc got 2800 and he pulled it off without shaving. My second HT was 2400 grafts and again, no shaving. First HT was a spectacular success. I'm at 5 mos. from my second one and growth is coming along nicely.

I understand what yer saying wb and I understand Dr. Lindsey. I'm just saying that going around looking like bozo the clown with a very red head for several months is a pretty tough road for some. We all can't go and hide for months or have the option of wearing a hat at the office. I was lucky in that I didn't have too. I think in my case, there was not a lot of native hair to work around so it wasn't a big deal. For those with lots of native hair, shaving probably is a necessity for optimal results. And clearly everyone wants optimal results after shelling out so much dough and going through all the inconvenience of a HT.

Hi darren, Congrats on pulling the trigger. I remember how I felt before my first HT. I was highly skeptical about what my ultimate results would be and very nervous I was making a huge mistake shelling out 11 grand. However, my first HT, which restored the front third of my head, was quite a life changer. With my face framed, I looked so much better and a helluva lot younger. And my whole attitude changed. I have increased confidence and though I still feel quite vain about it all, I think it was one of the better decisions I've made in my life. I don't think people should put themselves at financial risk to do this but if you can sacrifice and swing it, what the hell, you only live once. Why not live with more confidence and like what you see in the mirror every morning? Make a HT page and post pics and get feedback so you get support and reassurance on your journey. Congrats, and good luck!

Sasha, I was hoping a Dr. would pipe in and give you some feedback and I see that Dr. Lindsey did so in your other post. Can it take longer than 12 months for hair to grow if you had multiple procedures? I suppose it probably can. But like others have said, at 12 mos., you should see at least 80% of your growth and at least have a good idea of where you're heading with continued thickening. At this point, it sounds like that is definitely not the case with you, which sucks. If at all possible, I'd head back to your physician in person and discuss with him or her your situation. I seriously doubt that in the next 6 mos., you're going to experience an explosion of growth. Really sorry about your situation as I know what we all go through. Hang in there and do the follow up and gather information so you can make an informed next step.

sasha, You need to contact your doctor and show him your results and have a discussion. At 12 mos., you should have plenty of growth with 3,000 grafts. Something appears to be wrong. If you went with a surgeon recommended by this site, you and he/she should be able to assess and come to some agreement about what went wrong, why, and what the next step should be (i.e. another procedure offered by the Dr. at a great discount, etc.).

Thanks James. I need to update my site as the crown is slowly but surely growing in and the front is even thicker now. I wish you the best on your HT journey.

I think the whole HT head shave thing is much easier said than done. I was lucky that for both of my HTs, I did not have to shave and in fact returned to work in 2 weeks both times without anyone ever being able to notice a thing. I was a Norwood 4 or maybe even 5 with some diffuse whispy hairs still hanging onto my scalp. Dr. Konior indicated he pretty much requires shaving for anything over 2500 grafts but he put in 2800 on my first pass (thanks doc!) without shaving and the remaining diffuse hair I had left hid any evidence of my transplant after two weeks. My crown transplant (2400 grafts) was even better as that area is less visible. I had a few crusties up there and a little redness when I came back to work after two weeks but no one could really see it. By three weeks, I was back to pre-HT condition. So I pulled off two HTs with no one ever the wiser (although people are now certainly confused! How in the hell did my hair start growing again? : ) For people who are desperate to keep their HT a secret, and that seems to be the prevailing wish by most, having a semi-shaved head with a nasty smiley scar in the back and a red puffy scalp with funny little stubby hairs growing out (only to then fall out after a few weeks, further adding to one's temporary misery) is a pretty hard hit. For those who can hide for several months, that's obviously the way to go. In that case, yes, clear the path for the doc and then go hide. However, for most, hiding away or wearing a hat for several months is just not an option. You either have to just take a deep breath and get ready for a rough couple of months or get lucky like me and have a situation where you do not need to be shaved down. My two HTs were highly successful, by the way, and have changed my life (I'm 5 mos post-op my second HT and loving it). I'd consult with several recommended physicians and thoroughly discuss the pros and cons of shaving and then make the decision that you can live with. For those who have chosen shaving (or have no choice), I've seen some spectacular results, so clearly the reward can be well worth the initial hit. Good luck on your journeys!

I only told my brother and father (he drove me) when I had my first HT. I was getting pretty bald and felt like crappola and frankly felt a little cheesy getting a HT because I wasn't sure what the results would be and I was gonna be pretty humiliated if I shelled out $10k and looked really bad (thanks to this site, I chose a great doc). Well, the results were nothing short of spectacular for me as far as I was concerned. Having a restored hairline to frame my face made a huge difference in my appearance. Everyone noticed a very positive change but people were just stumped. Most couldn't even pinpoint it to my hair being different - just something was different about me (many thought that I was dying my hair - ha! ya gotta have something to dye to do that!). I was lucky in that my doc did not require me to shave down so after two weeks off work (during which I said I was on vacation) I came back and no one could tell I had done anything. Then over the months, it just started growing in slowly but surely so there wasn't this big sudden dramatic change - just a nice gradual change that everyone I knew experienced with me (of course, I was the only one who knew why things were changing for the better). It was really fun to see the reactions of people around me. They were just stumped. For my second HT, it was a bit harder to explain where I was going for two weeks again. By that time, my thinking had changed a bit. Now I was convinced about how good modern HTs can be so I was less concerned with who knew. Instead of making up bullsh*t lies and worrying about how I was going to keep the second HT secret, I told several friends, co-workers and family members. They were shocked but impressed with my first results. I know some people have talked but I don't care. I've found that most people are more concerned with their own lives and not my hair to really even notice. Now my second HT is growing in very well and if people ask I say hell ya I got some work done. I was damn near bald and I decided to do something about it - like anyone would if they could. Ask any women if she would do something about it if she were going bald. Hell yeah they would - you know they would move mountains to do something! So screw it, the cat's out of the bag and I couldn't give a damn. Yeah, I took control of my life and my happiness and it was one of the best decisions I've made.

Trudappa, You have curly dark hair which usually produces great HT results. I'm betting you'll look great in a few months. Keep us posted. And congrats.

Yes, I am most most grateful for that Epileptic. I'm also grateful that I followed the advice most often given here regarding not letting price dictate your final decision on a doc. I could have gotten two HTs for cheaper, sure. But I couldn't have gotten any better and I probably would have gotten a lot worse (I know I would have). I saved and waited until I was in a position to finance two great HTs from a great recommended doc (Konior) and man, I don't regret that at all. I almost went with a hack to save some money and that would have been a disaster. By the way, when I mentioned in my previous post that I have essentially restored my lost hair, that's really not true. What I have done is restored the illusion of my lost hair. It looks really good but it's definitely nowhere near as dense as my youth. Luckily that illusion thing is good enough!

I can actually understand where Dmale is coming from. When I started this journey, I had been using Rogaine and was told to get on Propecia. Back then (mid 30s), the thought of being on a pill and putting foam on my head everyday for the rest of my life was a bummer and seemed to be such a pain (course, I went on to lose a lot more hair eventually and looking back, it sure doesn't seem like such a big deal anymore, given the trade off - Norwood 2 seems like heaven once you hit Norwood 4 and beyond). I looked at a HT as a way to escape all the fuss (or the seeming fuss) and expense of Rogaine and Propecia. After doing a lot more reading and educating myself, if I had to do it all over again, I'd get on Propecia and stick with the Rogaine. By the time I committed to a HT, i was a Norwood 4 (I was told, although I think I was more like a Norwood 5). I'm in my 40s and my balding pattern was pretty clear so I never did get on Propecia (part of me thinks that the DHT in my body isn't there only to cause me grief and hairloss - my body must need it for other things too). Two HTs later and my head of hair is essentially restored (my crown is growing in right now 4 months out from last HT - it's still early days but if I didn't get any more growth at all from here forward, I'd still be extremely happy and content where I'm at). I actually don't plan on using Propecia or Rogaine, which I think in my case makes sense. I lost all my hair from the front all the way back through my crown and that's all been restored with supposedly DHT resistant hair. My sides and back are thick and don't appear to be in any danger. I'm lucky in that I have thick coarse hair and was able to achieve my goal with my donor hair (approx. 5200 grafts). That said, if I were in my 20s or early 30s, I wouldn't hesitate to get on Propecia and use Rogaine. I'm sure that would have helped me maintain a lot of my native hair and pushed my HT journey way back (and saved me a boatload of money as I spent over $20k to get my hair back). Who knows, maybe I would have only needed one HT instead of two. In any case, my 30s would have been better had I been able to maintain more of my hair. I lost a lot of hair in a pretty short time and that was pretty damn painful. Ya can't get that time back.