IK

Abstract: HT 16 months ago, great experience, Dr. Epstein brought me back to life!!!! My Background: I started loosing hair at 16!!! Yes it isn't nice to be Norwood VI by age 24. I tried several things before considering an HT. Around when I was aprox 20 yo, I started as many others with Rogaine 2%, and a little bit later switched to Rogaine 5%. Hated the oily feeling of the 5%. Besides that don't ask me why but in some point I was very sad for the hair I already lost, and wasn't really focusing on the hair that in the future I could lost. So I stop applying it. Around 22, began taking a Propecia. Actually, the hair loss stopped, and I even started seeing hair regrowth. I was quit happy. Unfortunately, I started having some health issues, which actually were not related to Propecia, but because the drug was kind of new at the time (1999), I stopped taking it. I only started considering a hair transplant, when I was already Norwood VI, and spend a lot of time VERY depressed. I don't want to heart anyone's feelings, but when a got out at night with my friends, I always felt like their grand dad...Well not quit like that, but people always thought that I was at least 10 year older!!! Actually, this wasn't kind of cool with the girls.....(I know that this may be superficial to some, but hey, this is a hair transplant forum, not a heart transplant forum) Ok, so I went to see two Plastic Surgeons where I live (a country in Central America). Thank god that I already studied a little about HTs. Both of them want it to do the procedure exactly how it SHOLDN'T BEEN DONE. Both of then talked about grafts, not mini nor follicular....but large grafts!!! Every procedure would be of just 600 to 800 grafts!!! So did recommend at least 4 procedures. They also told me that they would start in the first session by creating an aggressive hair line (well in front) and the following session would be just to fill the space...They would charge around $5000 per session, and they would have only 1 assistant. Conclusion: They are using very old techniques either because they haven't updated or maybe even sadder just because it was a good business....The patient would end up paying even more, they procedure would be kind of short, and they wouldn't even need staff to perform it... So as you can see a forgot about the HT for some time. My next step was to shave my head. I you can't beat them, join them...Some people look cool with their head shaved. If it works for you, hey leave it that way and forget about everything else. But in my case instead of feeling like Bruce Willis, I looked more like Darth Vader without the helmet!!! Well, what could I do...as far as I knew, it was my best option... Last year, I had a trip to Miami, started again to read the forums, and came across with an Article written by Dr. Jeffrey Epstein. Called "Hair Transplantation for Men with advanced Degree of Hair Loss". I was impressed, and I agree with every word of the article. Then I researched the web about Dr. Epstein, finding great comments about his work. I wrote him and send him some pictures. At this time my biggest concern was, how would I look better: Either with my Darth Vader shaved hair or with only just one 2400+ procedure. I knew that this kind of procedure is no cheap, so I was just considering having one procedure. I also knew that because of the scar on the head, I could never shave my head again. Well, I decided I would do it, and thankfully there was a cancellation, so they could do the procedure, the next day I arrived to Miami. About the Procedure: The day of the procedure I got to Dr. Epstein office, where he saw me for the first time in person. He analyzed my donor area, and my face form. And decided the best way to go for me. He took some photos, and the surgery began, about an hour after I got to his office. Normally people take a pill to sleep during the procedure, I couldn't because I had to pick someone at the airport after the procedure (yes, I was driving) The procedure was very long, around 6-7 hours I think. The procedure itself involved around 8-10 people around me. Maybe 6-8 people slicing the grafts, Dr Epstein, and 2 more assistants. The whole team was very friendly. I definitely recommend to take the sleeping pill...This was kind of a mega session at the dentist. To stay still for so many hours is exhausting. When I got back to my country, and people asked me about the surgery, the first and in many cases the only question was: How painful was it? Believe me, the pain is a little bit more than the pain involved to going to a dentist....is really not even an issue....Sure the anesthesia shots are painful, but is nothing, compared to the benefits that will be coming. Let's put it this way. If someone can afford an HT, found a good surgeon, and his only drawback is the pain, and because of this he doesn't go ahead, then he really doesn't need the HT..... When the procedure was done, it was unbelievable to see myself on the mirror. At this time instead of grafts I mainly saw crusts. But I was seeing finally something dark on my head!!!! Not just my bold head!!!! It was very exiting. By the way I had 2544 grafts. The First 10 days: As I wrote before, I left the office driving!!! I felt perfectly fine. Didn't have any swelling nor pain. The first night sleep was awful. I'm not used to sleep with my head elevated. So for me was very uncomfortable. The crust took a little bit longer to fall than expected. Actually I wore a cap for about 5 day when I got back to work. So I didn't "reveal" my head for about 2 weeks. Don't be scare, this was my case, because I didn't had any hair to hide the scrubs. At the Doctor's Office, they will give you something that helps to hide the scrubs...but it wouldn't work for me... First 3 months Well opposed to many people, I was hoping for the new hair to FALL FAST, this because, I wanted people to see me how I was before the surgery, and not to notice the big impact. The hair started to grow around 3 month after the procedure. Some people who didn't knew I had a HT, told me: "you've got more head, right?" my answer was "no is the same, the difference is that I used to shave it........." As simple as that, the hair grew completely natural.... Today, 16 month later: Today, no one doubts my hair is natural....Yes I have low density, and yes I still have a large bald spot on the back. But right now I look like someone who is getting bald, instead of someone completely bald!!!! I feel much better this way than shaved. We (humans) are greedy, we always want more. But I had such a big jump forward. I feel alive again. Right now I'm going out a lot more!!! Right now I look my age. Probably look younger than what I used to look 7 years ago....(hey, that may be not much to say at 50's, but 29 compared to 22 there is a big difference...) My self esteem had a big boost. As I wrote before, Dr Epstein, brought me back to life!!!! I'm very happy with the results. This is kind of a clich???© but the only thing I regret is the years I spend before a Hair Transplant. IK

Abstract: HT 16 months ago, great experience, Dr. Epstein brought me back to life!!!! My Background: I started loosing hair at 16!!! Yes it isn't nice to be Norwood VI by age 24. I tried several things before considering an HT. Around when I was aprox 20 yo, I started as many others with Rogaine 2%, and a little bit later switched to Rogaine 5%. Hated the oily feeling of the 5%. Besides that don't ask me why but in some point I was very sad for the hair I already lost, and wasn't really focusing on the hair that in the future I could lost. So I stop applying it. Around 22, began taking a Propecia. Actually, the hair loss stopped, and I even started seeing hair regrowth. I was quit happy. Unfortunately, I started having some health issues, which actually were not related to Propecia, but because the drug was kind of new at the time (1999), I stopped taking it. I only started considering a hair transplant, when I was already Norwood VI, and spend a lot of time VERY depressed. I don't want to heart anyone's feelings, but when a got out at night with my friends, I always felt like their grand dad...Well not quit like that, but people always thought that I was at least 10 year older!!! Actually, this wasn't kind of cool with the girls.....(I know that this may be superficial to some, but hey, this is a hair transplant forum, not a heart transplant forum) Ok, so I went to see two Plastic Surgeons where I live (a country in Central America). Thank god that I already studied a little about HTs. Both of them want it to do the procedure exactly how it SHOLDN'T BEEN DONE. Both of then talked about grafts, not mini nor follicular....but large grafts!!! Every procedure would be of just 600 to 800 grafts!!! So did recommend at least 4 procedures. They also told me that they would start in the first session by creating an aggressive hair line (well in front) and the following session would be just to fill the space...They would charge around $5000 per session, and they would have only 1 assistant. Conclusion: They are using very old techniques either because they haven't updated or maybe even sadder just because it was a good business....The patient would end up paying even more, they procedure would be kind of short, and they wouldn't even need staff to perform it... So as you can see a forgot about the HT for some time. My next step was to shave my head. I you can't beat them, join them...Some people look cool with their head shaved. If it works for you, hey leave it that way and forget about everything else. But in my case instead of feeling like Bruce Willis, I looked more like Darth Vader without the helmet!!! Well, what could I do...as far as I knew, it was my best option... Last year, I had a trip to Miami, started again to read the forums, and came across with an Article written by Dr. Jeffrey Epstein. Called "Hair Transplantation for Men with advanced Degree of Hair Loss". I was impressed, and I agree with every word of the article. Then I researched the web about Dr. Epstein, finding great comments about his work. I wrote him and send him some pictures. At this time my biggest concern was, how would I look better: Either with my Darth Vader shaved hair or with only just one 2400+ procedure. I knew that this kind of procedure is no cheap, so I was just considering having one procedure. I also knew that because of the scar on the head, I could never shave my head again. Well, I decided I would do it, and thankfully there was a cancellation, so they could do the procedure, the next day I arrived to Miami. About the Procedure: The day of the procedure I got to Dr. Epstein office, where he saw me for the first time in person. He analyzed my donor area, and my face form. And decided the best way to go for me. He took some photos, and the surgery began, about an hour after I got to his office. Normally people take a pill to sleep during the procedure, I couldn't because I had to pick someone at the airport after the procedure (yes, I was driving) The procedure was very long, around 6-7 hours I think. The procedure itself involved around 8-10 people around me. Maybe 6-8 people slicing the grafts, Dr Epstein, and 2 more assistants. The whole team was very friendly. I definitely recommend to take the sleeping pill...This was kind of a mega session at the dentist. To stay still for so many hours is exhausting. When I got back to my country, and people asked me about the surgery, the first and in many cases the only question was: How painful was it? Believe me, the pain is a little bit more than the pain involved to going to a dentist....is really not even an issue....Sure the anesthesia shots are painful, but is nothing, compared to the benefits that will be coming. Let's put it this way. If someone can afford an HT, found a good surgeon, and his only drawback is the pain, and because of this he doesn't go ahead, then he really doesn't need the HT..... When the procedure was done, it was unbelievable to see myself on the mirror. At this time instead of grafts I mainly saw crusts. But I was seeing finally something dark on my head!!!! Not just my bold head!!!! It was very exiting. By the way I had 2544 grafts. The First 10 days: As I wrote before, I left the office driving!!! I felt perfectly fine. Didn't have any swelling nor pain. The first night sleep was awful. I'm not used to sleep with my head elevated. So for me was very uncomfortable. The crust took a little bit longer to fall than expected. Actually I wore a cap for about 5 day when I got back to work. So I didn't "reveal" my head for about 2 weeks. Don't be scare, this was my case, because I didn't had any hair to hide the scrubs. At the Doctor's Office, they will give you something that helps to hide the scrubs...but it wouldn't work for me... First 3 months Well opposed to many people, I was hoping for the new hair to FALL FAST, this because, I wanted people to see me how I was before the surgery, and not to notice the big impact. The hair started to grow around 3 month after the procedure. Some people who didn't knew I had a HT, told me: "you've got more head, right?" my answer was "no is the same, the difference is that I used to shave it........." As simple as that, the hair grew completely natural.... Today, 16 month later: Today, no one doubts my hair is natural....Yes I have low density, and yes I still have a large bald spot on the back. But right now I look like someone who is getting bald, instead of someone completely bald!!!! I feel much better this way than shaved. We (humans) are greedy, we always want more. But I had such a big jump forward. I feel alive again. Right now I'm going out a lot more!!! Right now I look my age. Probably look younger than what I used to look 7 years ago....(hey, that may be not much to say at 50's, but 29 compared to 22 there is a big difference...) My self esteem had a big boost. As I wrote before, Dr Epstein, brought me back to life!!!! I'm very happy with the results. This is kind of a clich???© but the only thing I regret is the years I spend before a Hair Transplant. IK