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Dr. I’ve been on fin for over 5 years and it’s done well for me. How do I know if and when I should switch to dut? I am 30.

Dr, can I ask why duasteride and not finasteride?

Sorry, I didn’t mean where on your scalp was it performed. I meant where in the world (at what clinic) was it performed?

Where was your HT performed?

I don't know what accounts for why some grafts keep growing and why some don't. It's a good questions. But your theory isn't true from my experience. After my first HT, I had follicles that didn't grow and fell out, but which resulted in hair growth down the line.

Check out Dr Wong's work at H&W. He is renowned for temple and crown work.

Super important insight! I feel like the perception around here is that he's a one-man shop, so this is valuable intel. Goes to show that techs are critical to any successful clinic.

Totally see your point. I think it comes down to if you trust the doctor's judgement to surround themselves with the best team. What I'm simply saying is that if they do, then I don't see how more, capable people in the process isn't always net positive. So I think we are saying the same thing!

Great points! I don't want to get into a protracted back-forth over this question and hijack this thread -- but maybe it would be interesting to have out this debate on a thread of its own, because I do see it come up often. My pushback to your point is that you're jumping to the conclusion "if the doc is involved, it will come out better" without any supporting evidence. Totally agree that if the team (eg doc + techs) is unprofessional and untrained, then the procedure is a game of Russian roulette. However, the same can be said if the doctor is untrained as well. But if the team is well trained, then I would argue that more people is only additive to the process. As one anecdote, I recently had a second surgery at a top clinic and there were 4-5 techs working alongside the doctor. These techs had a combined 50+ years of experience working with this doctor. With regard to your point about economic motives, while I see your point, I also disagree. Yes, more more patients per day = more revenue. However, it also means higher variable costs like real estate and labor (if each patient requires a team of 4-5 techs), so the math isn't as clear. Of course, it all depends how the clinic is set up. Hair mills will try to squeeze the most out of their spaces and techs to reduce these costs. But at top clinics that use techs, and in my experience, the team that was with me did not feel rushed and were assigned to my case for the entire day. At the end of the day, I don't think there's a "best practice" on this question. I think it has to come down to the particular case.

Yes you are certainly right! I’m just sharing how his unusual approach to patient management made me feel as a potential customer, since that is what the OP was discussing as far as outreach. As with yours, most of Konior’s work I’ve seen on this forum is outstanding and it speaks volumes that he has devoted patients like you. I do stand by my thoughts about teamwork though. I will edit my post for clarity - thank you.

This is just my opinion, and it probably won't be popular here (!), but it actually struck me as unprofessional that he didn't have a patient coordinator... or for that matter utilize many technicians. I understand the argument that his hands-on approach can lead to more personalized attention and detail, but another way to look at it is cutting corners or being difficult to work for. I think in a labor intensive surgery like HT, it is important for doctors to surround themselves with a capable team. Specialized teams almost always perform better work than individuals in any field. Having been in the army I analogize it to a military operation. Even the very best combatant is nothing without a supporting team. For that reason, among others, I actually decided against Konior. All that said, many of his results are terrific and emphatically do not appear like a doctor who cuts corners.

It is a large area to fill at high density for 2K grafts. Depending on your goals, you may be happy or you may opt for a second pass. I'm no expert but the work looks fairly clean in the back. The hairline appears a bit too straight for my taste, but that can also be adjusted in the future if you'd like.

Sorry to hear of your struggles man. Good news is that I think what you describe is very doable. I was recently looking into repairs as well and found that in addition to Konior, there is Cooley, Shapiro, and H&W to consider as well. I don't think you can go wrong with any of them! Something important to me was time frame, and some of these docs are scheduled out over a year.

IMHO there's no objective measure of "best" surgeon. It's not as if there's a competition where they compete and get ranked by a panel of judges. 😅 I've noticed there's a mentality on some parts of this forum (and others) where particular doctors and clinics attract a lot of attention and get hyped up as the "best"... But you'll be grasping for straws trying to crown a winner because it comes down to so many factors. Plus, the vast majority of transplant patients do not post their photos on the internet for the world to see - so keep in mind that you have a significant sample bias. What I would say is that you should identify the top 5-10 clinics (some of which are on your list), then base your decision on a number of personal factors like timeframe/availability, cost, proximity, dr's bedside manner, travel restrictions, etc. For my first surgery I did not go to a top clinic, and I kind of regret it now. But if you go to any of the top clinics then I think you'll be set.

Thanks all. @Ryan Rap@BDK081522 I reached out to Konior but he said his surgical fee would not justify the number of grafts needed. While his colleague Dr Nadimi looks promising, I would prefer to go with a surgeon that has a few more "reps" under his or her belt. I would like to find the best hairline FUE surgeon in North America for this issue. So far thanks to help on this forum, I've narrowed it down to: Dr Wong (or Dr Hasson -- for some reason I was paired with Dr Wong when I reached out for a consult) Dr Cooley Dr Shapiro Anyone else I'm missing? Between these docs, are there any discernible differences? I'm ideally looking for greater density and naturalness. Feel free to post here or PM if you have a private opinion. Many thanks!