TheGreatPretender

1 minute ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

In my opinion, yes. I have seen some good work from these two doctors, so nothing against them. But I have seen some of the most mind blowing from De Freitas, he’s up there with Bisanga, at that level.

Well, its always a factor worth considering then especially when coming from someone well informed. I dont know if the likes of Dr Lorenzo and Couto would compete side by side with him in that department. I have seen some great results by these two as well that would compete toe to toe with De Freitas. 

19 hours ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

To be honest, Bisanga and De Freitas are at the very top in Europe. They’re in the champions league, some others mentioned are good, but not at that level yet. 

Would you rate De Freitas ahead of Bruno Pinto/Ferreira?

19 minutes ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

Its not a roulette table when you choose a good clinic. For example, hasson and wong have the same techs for years, their technicians are even better than surgeons according to Dr. Hasson. It’s a career not a gig, unlike the cheap hair mills. It’s the same at Eugenix, Konior, virtually every top clinic. Techs are necessary and paid well, it’s impossible to get 2,000+ grafts without assistance. 

You know I once thought that techs were mostly a bad thing, howeaver after reading the views and opinions of people I started to change my perspective. 

Its not really about the how or the methods, sure we may prefer DHI instead of micromotor, howeaver it is mostly about the consistency about the clinic being able to deliver results. Obviously each clinic will have its different methods. 

I personally am more a fan of DHI since it brings me more reassurance over the doctor's skill, howeaver we all know even someone great at DHI can have a bad day as much as the next techs performing surgerys. So I learned that not to be the first thing to look for. 

Just now, SadMan2021 said:

I work remotely as well, definitely a huge advantage with hair transplant work. And yes in this day and age I don't think anyone cares if you have a hair transplant. Best to be honest.

I dont even turn my camera on in most of my meetings nowdays as I used to in the beggining out of just trying to fit in. Then I realized you dont really need to so long as you do your work. 

Honestly this situation is just like telling someone that you are struggling with doing X, sure you could try to hide it out of fear or shame howeaver odds are that you wouldnt be doing any favour to yourself so its always best to be honest. Especially now since so many people are going out for surgeries, you are just a number in the middle of so many, I doubt there is even that much space for judgment.

14 minutes ago, SadMan2021 said:

I share this sentiment. I honestly dgaf who knows about my HT, coworkers or anyone. But its just hard starting a new job then immediately asking for time off for cosmetic surgery, etc. It makes you come off as a drama queen lol. 

Depending where you work I think it could be appropriate 5 months or so into the new gig. Just work your a** off in the meantime and prove your worth, so that when you do ask for time off your boss will be amenable to the request. 

I personally have had a HT 4 months into a new job, and will be having one this year 8 months into a new job. 

I guess I am lucky then since I work remotely, but I wouldnt mind telling my colleagues that I couldnt turn the camera on for certain 1 to 1 meetings with my senior because I had cosmetic surgery, I guess it would be "fair" in that case lol. 

17 hours ago, Viney said:

At least you're starting with some of the better doctors, albeit it only two.

Being 29 I can relate to you a bit - my initial goal was to have the transplant done before turning 30 but COVID through a spanner in that due to international travel restrictions. I'm also a bit impatient as I'm fairly eager to quit my job and find a new one but I don't want to have my hair procedure while working for a new company because getting the necessary time off work will be difficult and then hiding the transplant during the growth/shedding stages will be even harder. I've realised the 'before 30' goal is silly because I (hopefully) have another 50 years or more to live and an extra 12 months really is not a lot in the whole scheme of things. My head and hair will be visible for the rest of my life so it's important I get this right.

Kind of jealous you've actually been consulted by De Fretias - I've been waiting a few weeks after sending my pictures and details through their online consultation form. I think looking at this forum it's roughly a 2-3 month wait generally. How long did it take you to get a response?

 

I've consulted with a few other recommended doctor's on this site but right now I'm only really considering Dr Basinga (BHR Clinic) and De Freitas. Right now I don't have a lot to assess De Freitas on since I haven't received a consultation or any communications yet but the results I see on this site just seem too good to ignore, there are just so many home run transplant examples, I think I'd be doing myself disservice if I at least didn't get a consultation from him before deciding on my doctor of choice.

 

Agreed with what you said. In my case I have done a lot of diligence when I trully started taking medications and I always wanted to ensure to stay on the safe side of things.

Dont get me wrong they do take a while to respond but I think if you use WhatsApp they can come back to you quickly as they have loads of other requests. 

I have tried contacting Pinto this week but like Ferreira he is also booked out and unavailable for consultations, tough luck. 

10 hours ago, Falconary said:

Thanks mate. I contacted Dr. Pinto's patient coordinator Emilio in June 2021 and the first available date were 19 January, so it was about 7 months. 

That is quite good actually. 7 months is great. 

I have a similar pattern to yours and I have the objective to wear longer hair aswell, might be worth attempting to contact him again. 

It looks fantastic. Pinto is also in my list, will have to contact him soon. 

How good are his waiting lists? 

4 hours ago, JoeMan said:

Take your time with this. If it's Dr. Bruno Ferreira that you want, then why not wait? In the mean time, get consultations from other Dr's as well. I hear Dr. Bruno Pinto is very similar to Dr. Ferreira in that he performs the entire surgery. I'd also consider Dr. Basinga if you have the extra money. His wait list isn't nearly as long as some others. 

I have spared what you would in general for any top rated surgeon, I think Ferreira was my top choice evidently because of Rolandas but also what I have heard from other people in here. Also he is Portuguese and is performing surgeries in Porto which could also leave me an open window in recovering in Lisbon if I need to stay a bit longer since I do own a house in there, another factor that I must consider is that since this isnt the first time I am travelling for a surgery I am planing to take a family member with me during my stay. 

I tried contacting Pinto by submiting a form on his website but havent heard yet, might be worth seeing if I can contact him through WhatsApp. 

12 minutes ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

You’ve been balding for years. So what’s the rush? Researching and consulting slowly will make no difference in the long run, except you’ll have peace of mind knowing you made the right choice.

True, howeaver I think the more days pass, the more desperate I get simply due to the fact I am in my late twenties (27), so I guess part of my wants to get this "sorted" at least before hitting 30. I dont mind the meds as I already made my peace of having to take them for life. 

Now I just have to chose the clinic and make the right decision which I dont know how long will I take. 

2 minutes ago, SadMan2021 said:

the honest truth is you can have an unsatisfactory result with any doctor in the world, even an elite one. But with an elite doc, the chances are high you will be happy. 

Anytime you spend tens of thousands on something there will be at least some buyer's remorse, so expect that feeling no matter who you choose. 

There are seriously only 20 or so peer-vetted docs in the entire planet who consistently deliver great results. As long as you go to one of these doctors, you will have as much reassurance as you can possibly get.

Yeah, saddly well aware of that. I have been fighting Hair Loss enough time to understand that there are no guarantees per say on this field. 

But I guess its like you said, if the person that takes care of my head is a someone well informed and trained it is likely that I will end up happy with my results.

7 minutes ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

Dr. De Freitas is one of the best surgeons in the world, but still, it is best to slow down and research slowly. Do not rush or act on impulse. Take your time and use this community as a resource for research.

I think it is also the age factor coming down on me.

I have been suffering an aggressive form of diffuse thinning since I hit my 20th birthday, so all my twenties have been passed depressing and waking up thinking about this and moaning about it to myself every single day. I have been checking some other clinics that might be worth a shot. 

Bruno Ferreira was someone that I was actually planning to see like I previously mentioned, but he is too busy atm and booked out saddly. 

9 minutes ago, SadMan2021 said:

You will have second thoughts regardless of who you pick. 

Yeah, you might be right. How would you reassure yourself that you picked the best option in the end?

53 minutes ago, SadMan2021 said:

Ideally you should as many consults with good and elite docs as possible. More opinions can only help you make an informed decision. 

That being said, if you only have 1 or 2 consults and they are with elite level docs such as De Freitas, there is no reason you can't stop your search then and there if you really hit it off and truly feel comfortable with his communication and responses. 

The responses sometimes take a while because I have to message them in WhatsApp so I can get them back through mail, howeaver its understandable given the number of queries they have. They seem to have a detailed plan in regards to the intervention and seem to have a clear idea on what they need to do in order to give me the desired results. Ideally my first option would have been Bruno Ferreira, howeaver saddly he isnt available at the moment for any consultations and since I am looking to book something off for the following year, I think Freitas might be the closest thing I get. 

I wanted from the start to avoid hair mils and any other dubious clinics, so my shortlist is only summed up with the best. Actually it was Melvin who pointed him out for me and I am glad I had contact. It seems lots of people got good results from him and the feedback from him has been the best. 

I think I am also afraid of having the so called "second thoughts" after the booking since in any way I will be required to wait a year until I go and have the surgery. 

After having some reesearch with some surgeons I really liked the proposal of De Freitas at this stage with 3000 grafts. Howeaver since this would be my first surgery I feel conflicted about booking it now vs not since I havent consulted many more doctors and dont really know the alternatives. 

I understand that De Freitas is a top rated surgeon but part of me feels that I havent really evaluated all my options so to speak. The problem is that there is a lot of search for him and if I end up wanting to book him in I might be in a long time for waiting since the last time I spoke he already had bookings up till May, which would be the earliest I would be able to see him.

The thing is that I want to make the best decision as possible for my hair transplant and being a NWV with diffuse all over on my top this has been something that has stressed me a lot about. 

Have been on Finasteride for 2 years and Minoxidil with one, some slight improvements but I believe that only with a transplant I will be able to get my desired results, which is getting a longer hairstyle. 

Just searching for some advise on how to avoid rushing into a HT and making sure I can take the best decision as possible regarding my situation.

2 minutes ago, SadMan2021 said:

yea it really shows the negative aspect of this industry and how uneducated and mis-informed patients are, even with millions in the bank. 

Its way too easy for unqualified doctors to promise the moon and hit all the right notes. And if you are uneducated and desperate to fix your balding asap, its very easy to fall victim to all the marketing material. 

One of the reasons why I have been over the fence of undergoing surgery most of the time. If I am going to commit to someone, that person better be a guy who I can 200% trust, else I just wont. Its a big decision, one not to be taken lightly. 

27 minutes ago, Ryan Daniel said:

Most of these rich sports guys end up going to these instagram hair mills that their agent ''researched''.  which is a pity, considering the millions they have, they could get the best work done in the world... like Elon Musk and Gordon Ramsay

This is one of the things that people forget to mention sometimes when saying "if guy X with billions couldnt get it done, how can you"?

Its more proof that even rich people need to do reesearch and ensure the people they chose for surgery are the right ones. 

Just an update, I have contacted Dr Bicer for an evaluation. I was recommended to have 3200 grafts on the first proccedure focusing mostly on two of the frontal thirds with the back being the focus after a few surgeries, she does mention that I might require more than 3800. She also mentioned that she wanted to be gentle on my donor area.

I was also advised a Micromotor FUE in which the doctor extracts the folicles with the help from the nurses after which she performs the incisions on the recipient area alone and in the end the nurses once again make the implantations under her supervision.

I did like the evaluation overall and I liked the fact that she is ethical, howeaver I still rather wait to see what other doctors say.

I may not be thinking correctly but I feel more confortable going in with doctors that make the implantations and incisions alone without the involvement of nurses, howeaver I do understand that each one has their own methods. I also know that the doctor also has the option for Manual FUE but I may not be suitable for it under her vision which is worth consideration. 

Let me know your thoughts, howeaver this was only the first evaluation I had, still waiting for Freitas and hopefully Ferreira once he is available. 

2 hours ago, JC71 said:

He’s definitely worth the wait 👍🏽 That’s not the worst waiting list, but yeh just getting a consultation might take a while. 

True, honestly if its just two months its not too bad and if its possible to scheduele a transplant starting next year I cant say it will be bad either. 

Alexandra mentioned that it may take a few months until he starts accepting new proposals, I will go from there and see where it leads. 

By the way, the transplant seems to be going well, I love the fact that Ferreira seems not just care about the grafts he is pulling when transplanting but also the comfort of the patient trying to avoid even the slightest discomfort. It sits really good on him and I guess its one of the reasons I feel tempted to wait. 

Good to see more stuff from Ferreira, he is also one of the surgeons on my shortlist. 

Best of luck. 

1 minute ago, JC71 said:

This can vary depending on your case, and if your available for cancellations. At least 6 months, and maybe around 12 months. Contact them and find out how busy they are. @De Freitas Clinic

Will do, thanks. 

5 hours ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

Definitely consider Dr. De Freitas in Spain, he’s one of the best in Europe, and he’s Brazilian, so he speaks Portuguese. 
https://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/physician/Spain/Rafael-De-Freitas/693

Thanks Melvin, I heard a lot about Dr Freitas as well and he seems to be a top surgeon. How long are usually waiting lists from him?

5 minutes ago, JC71 said:

If your open to travelling then you could also consider Hattingen as they do both FUT/FUE. Some other considerations could be Dr Bisanga, Dr Mwamba, Dr Feriduni, Dr Zarev, HDC @Doron Harati

Thanks for the help! Certainly some good clinics to "chew my mind" on. 

I am open for travelling of course, though as I said previously, maybe due to my familiarity with Portugal I feel a bit more at ease on doing the proccedure at my own country. Howeaver I feel like its always worth a shot having a chat with other surgeons so I can have a better idea on my own needs.

As we speak I know there are loads of factors that you should have in mind when considering a transplant as I have done some reesearch on them, mostly the angles, the directions alongside other things. I dont know if there are any good articles that would be recommended to have a read so I know what I am getting myself into.

14 minutes ago, JC71 said:

Absolutely Pinto + Ferreira ! However Dr Bicer is a good consideration if you do have a high level of loss. Could you share some pics ? 
And yes it’s worth waiting for a elite Dr, are you open to FUT ? Or is it just FUE your most interested in ? 

Well, I am open for both ends but am thinking more about FUE as I heard that FUT can be a bit more painfull. On the other end it has the advantage of harvesting more folicles which may indeed be a good thing if I am wanting to get more density on the middle. 

I hope I am not sounding like a prick but I am not confortable sharing pictures online and I know its not very convenient but I can give at least some insight on how it is. 

In terms of recession I have something similar to what Rolandas had pre-op (which is what made me consider Ferreira in the first place), but I am a bit more dense then what he was, especially in the front and I even have some folicles in the front of the scalp that are not even in line with the rest of the hair making it look awfull when its grown out, main reason why I need to cut it out constantly, some of these folicles are quite thick too, unfortunately they are very few. 

BTW: I have already contacted DR Ferreira through his assistant Alexandra, I know he is currently busy with a lot of patients but I will be contacted as soon as the consultations become available again.

First of all hello to everyone, I am currently new in the forum,I have passed years reesearching places and everyone pointed this place to be a good start for looking into clinics when searching for an ideal one.

My story:

I am portuguese 27 , currently residing in the UK (mostly exiled due to my hair loss, no not joking saddly) who is currently looking for a good clinic. I saddly lost a great deal of my hair 6 to 7 years ago which is when shedding was at its worst and due to MPB it never came back.
I am a diffuse thinner currently on norwood V (diffuse) with dark hair, I am not entirely bald but my hairs have significantly thinned out resulting in a "see through" of my scalp, temples also receded a bit but I am an odd case in which my thinning hairs still grow long even despite the hair loss. 
Been using Finasteride since 2020 and started Minoxidil last year, I have improved a bit and stabilized so my next step really is starting to search for an ideal clinic that could restore my hairline up to the point where I dont have to think about it everyday. 

I have been keeping contact with a clinic here in the UK and the doctor mentioned that I do have a mixture of DUPA and DPA on the whole top, my sides and my back are very thick howeaver and was optimistic about my chances on pulling a good result with a transplant, he still advised me to be off until I finish being a year on Minoxidil which I will be when March comes. He was basically the first one to advise me to hop into medications before comitting to any transplants while also not rushing in to surgery before measuring the pros and cons of each one. I am willing to take his advise seriously.

Hair Loss has taken a massive toll in my daily life up to the point where I need to start taking action and plan a proper transplant but I need to make sure that I am taking the right decision and do not want to jeopardise things if I need to wait.

Current situation:

Finasteride and Minoxidil have been helping me to keep a peace of mind of at least ensuring myself that things not getting any worser than they are as I have been taking pictures with wet hair everymonth from similar angles to reaccess the situation at the end of each month. So I can say that my hair loss is stable at the moment.

Objectives:

Since my thinning hairs do grow long and quite quick I feel like a long hairstyle would suit me well granting that these would provide me a decent enough coverage. I am looking for a doctor that may be able to work with diffuse thinners and can plant the grafts under the directions necessary to grow the hairs and have the possibility to have the flexibility of styiling on the right, left and middle. 

Shortlisted Doctors:

I have shortlisted three doctors as far as I know from my reesearch with Bruno Ferreira possibly being the one that I am mostly tempted since he speaks my language which is something that keeps me at ease while also having earned a good reputation, I know his waiting list is quite long but to be honest I am willing to wait if it means that he gives me good chances of getting good results. I also heard good things from Bruno Pinto and Bicer from Turkey. 

I am always open to any suggestions that anyone else has. 

I would go with Bicer here, she seems pretty ethical and if these two are your only choises always choose the one who defends your interests before the one who does your wallet. Your hair will thank you on the long run.