bluebird00

Where is the double packing? again, where is the double packing?

For some reason, I am not able to edit my original post.. See the attached letter sent to me by Dr. Bloxham via certified mail, along with a thumb drive containing three images uploaded to this post. In this letter, Dr. Bloxham does not provide any new information and merely echoes his previous reply in this thread, with the remainder of the letter devoted to defending his practice. No specifics about my surgery are provided. These concerns remain outstanding: · Dr. Bloxham has not disclosed the identity of the other doctor who operated on me without my informed consent. · Despite repeated requests, Dr. Bloxham has not transcribed his handwriting on the operating room report. · Dr. Bloxham has not provided a graft breakdown of my surgery (1’s, 2’s, 3’s, 4’s) · Dr. Bloxham has not justified the need for 3 separate strip harvests, especially given his YouTube content explaining that strip harvesting for the required amount of grafts is based on a precise formula. Yet, each harvested strip exposed me to additional surgical risks. · Despite the thinness of my results and the large amount of tissue removed, Dr. Bloxham insists that 2700 grafts were extracted and implanted, which contradicts his statement at the time of surgery that it was 1700. My new donor density measurements also suggest more than 2700 grafts were harvested and are unaccounted for.. · Dr. Bloxham has not explained why my surgery took 11 hours, particularly when his YouTube video titled “How Long Does a Hair Transplant Take” indicates it should only take 4-8 hours. · Dr. Bloxham merely hints at the use of multiple grafts in a channel opening but does not confirm this technique was used in my procedure. · Dr. Bloxham is my doctor, yet is suggesting answers to the outstanding concerns I have with my surgery performed by him be addressed by another doctor. Given the criteria for Ethics & Integrity established for recommendation on this forum, I feel a categorical explanation for each of the concerns is warranted from Dr. Bloxham.

I have received a document and a couple of pictures from Dr. Bloxham via certified mail, but my post update is not quite ready. I thought I would have more time today. Please look out for an update tomorrow after 6 PM EST

Yes, I will post later tonight. Sorry for the delay.

The first strip was harvested from the occipital region and that density measured at 85FU/CM2. The low end area of that strip is 46.4 CM2 (46.4 CM2 * 85FU = 3944FU). This will likely result in me sporting a Rihanna haircut for a while (if I'm lucky). I'll take measurements from my parietal regions and post them here.

I appreciate you addressing my concerns, but I'm still perplexed as to why you questioned my intent. It seemed crude and unnecessary, and I am bewildered by what prompted you to say that. I understand you tried to explain, but it came across as a gut reaction. Perhaps the way it was expressed was poorly worded? If someone as knowledgeable and helpful as you interpreted it that way, it's likely others did too. I appreciate your effort to explain this to me, even if it was a bit clumsy. Is there a way I could phrase my request for feedback to avoid appearing 'tacky' or as if I'm seeking a refund? I know you mean well, given the time and thought you put into your response. I would like to bridge the gap so we can discuss the facts of the case without hostile remarks about my intent. How can we work together on this?

The total area of the 3 strips harvested is between 56 cm² and 61.8 cm². This is derived from the surgery report and transcribed as follows: 1st strip: 29 cm * (1.6-1.8 cm) = 46.4 cm² - 52.2 cm² 2nd strip: 3 cm * 1.6 cm = 4.8 cm² 3rd strip: 3 cm * 1.6 cm = 4.8 cm² I have shaved my donor area just below my FUT scar as shown in this picture, which allows me to perform an accurate count of 85 follicular units in a 1 cm x 1 cm square. I used GIMP, a professional-level photo editor, to perform this count. As I do not have any patchiness in my donor area, we can safely conclude that my donor density is on average 85 FU/cm² throughout. Using simple math, the number of follicular units that were harvested can be easily determined. If there are 85 follicular units per square centimeter, and the total area of the 3 strips harvested is between 56 cm² and 61.8 cm², then the math works out as below: 56 cm² * 85 FU/cm² = 4760 follicular units on the low end, and 61.8 cm² * 85 FU/cm² = 5253 follicular units on the high end. Please let me know if that does not make sense to you. None of the information above is derived from anonymous forum users; it is derived from the surgery report and meticulously counted from the photographic evidence I captured of my donor area using GIMP.

I'm not sure why you keep suggesting I see another doctor, especially since we already have one who knows my case better than anyone else. What information could another doctor provide that Dr. Bloxham can’t? Have you had any contact with him by the way? Are we expecting a response? Just to make sure we are all on the same page, have you had a chance to see the images of my grafts? No problem at all if you haven’t. According to the report, 59 squares, the same size as shown in the attached image, were removed from the back of my head, each containing 85 grafts, totaling 5015 grafts extracted. However, the report indicates that only 2700 grafts were implanted. So, where are the rest of the grafts? Here is a link to a similar case with an operating room report: Scroll down to see the operating room report and the extraction size. 27.7 x 2.1 = The total area is 58.17 square centimeters. In that case, 5000 grafts were extracted, and all were implanted. My extraction area was 59 square centimeters. Why were 5000 grafts extracted from me but only 2700 (or 1700) implanted?

I feel like there's a disconnect in how my words are being interpreted. These are all legitimate concerns of mine. I'm trying to piece together everything to help understand what happened to the grafts that were extracted but never implanted. Reading your reply, which suggests that I am 'just looking for something to complain about,' was genuinely disheartening, especially coming from you. I know you mean well, so how can we work together to bridge this disconnect?

You are asking me to consult with another surgeon, one who would publicly disagree with Dr. Bloxham. This would involve costs (consultation fees) and time, and finding a surgeon willing to publicly criticize and/or disagree with a colleague is highly unlikely. So, what’s the point? Why can’t Dr. Bloxham help me understand what happened? I want him to publicly address all the concerns raised in my initial post. He is more than capable of doing this, yet he has avoided doing so. Please refer to my recent edit, which includes donor density photos suggesting that even more grafts are missing. I have also attached my donor density images to this reply: A total area of 59 cm² was removed from the back of my head, indicating that approximately 5015 grafts were extracted, based on a calculation of 85 FU/cm² × 59 cm². The operating room report states that 2700 grafts were implanted. Assuming this is accurate, then have I incurred a permanent loss of 2315 grafts? If only 1700 grafts were implanted, then have I incurred a permanent loss of 3315 grafts? I'd still like all the other issues addressed, What was my donor density as recorded by Dr. Bloxham? What happened to all of the grafts that were extracted but not implanted? And who was the other doctor that operated on me against my informed consent?

To answer your question, I need two things: First, an explanation for the misconduct surrounding my surgery: Who was the other doctor who operated on me without my consent? Where are the missing grafts? Based on the combined area of the donor strips (59 cm²), I should have had at least 4000 grafts extracted. So, where are they? Why were three strips taken, and why was my surgery extended to 11 hours, which is twice the normal duration? Dr. Bloxham told me at the time of surgery that 1700 grafts were transplanted, as supported by all my photographic evidence. So, why did I have to pay for 2700 grafts? Why is Dr. Bloxham avoiding discussing my case, both in private (he has avoided transcribing his own handwriting in my OR report, which is just bizarre) and now publicly? Second, a full refund. I feel completely violated and used as a training tool by Dr. Bloxham, seemingly for practice by another doctor and likely by other technicians. I can only believe that the misconduct of my surgery is due to this, and thus a full refund is in order.

Yep

Thank you for your input, Melvin. Let's not dismiss the evidence I have presented or the opinions of 'random' users, especially Britanium, a moderator here, who stated, "3 strips taken in one procedure 😳 no, that's far from usual," and "I'm unsure, but I will say I definitely don't think it's 2700 from what I can see." We are no longer in the '70s, where photographic evidence was blurry and limited to Polaroids. I have provided high-resolution photos documenting every stage of my journey, from the day of surgery, clearly showing all the implanted grafts, to the subsequent days, weeks, months, and years, up until January 2024. Given the undeniable visibility and countability of the grafts in these images, it's rational to assert that the actual number of implanted grafts significantly contradicts the claimed 2700. This isn’t just an online speculation, it’s a fact supported by clear, photographic evidence. Furthermore, Dr. Blake Bloxham has not adequately addressed the operating room report and has failed to answer my questions. His lack of participation in this public discussion, and the nature of his replies, come off as empty, insulting, and unprofessional. Edit: Correction: Britanium is a senior member, not a moderator.

Yes.. I believe it was Dr. Powell, though I'm not certain.

Dr. Bloxham, Thank you for responding. However, my main concern, the discrepancy in the number of grafts, remains unaddressed. There is a consensus here that only 1700 grafts were implanted during my procedure, contradicting the reported 2700 grafts. Additionally, I have yet to receive a clear explanation about the operating room report, specifically who the other surgeon operating alongside you was, and what happened to the 1000 grafts that were apparently not implanted. This lack of clarity and direct communication compels me to express my concerns publicly. I must also clarify that I have never been invited to observe a surgery before today, nor do I have any desire to witness one conducted by you. My primary aim is to understand the specifics of my case, which, as it currently stands, is baffling and unresolved. Again, my questions have not been addressed. Could you please respond to the questions in my initial post?