Heliboy

Blake, That was very well summarized !!!

Hairweare, I must agree with you on that point . It is sad that many (including myself) have spent a great deal of their life (both mentally and financially) on initial injury that require further extensive cost and repair. I will tell you this after being butchered by 4 strip physicians back in the late 90's when no FUE was available - it is so nice to have the advances that we have today with FUE for both scalp and strip. For those that have not experienced both to compare - its hard to fully understand overall benefits of each . I will tell you that today I would without hesitation go with a beard / scalp hair hybrid transplant knowing the type of shorter hair style (3/4 legnth on top) that I prefer and looks very good on me. The beard hair is actually much more appropriate for this hair style than scalp hair. My take home point is at least we have options now - although costly they may be. Beard/BHT requires understanding of limitations/expectations .

Wylie, This is a very good synopsis of our events. I can assure you that there are few people in the world that have gone through the hell and scarring I put myself through with strip procedures back in the late 90's. Looking at different perspectives I can see where those who have used mostly scalp hair see only those results as ' normal ' and see beard hair results as something different. It really all comes down to the eye of the beholder. I had to wear a hairpiece for 14 years due to the extensive scarring / damage that I had from multiple strip procedures. My head looked completely destroyed so I had to cover it up. I was able to stop wearing a hairpiece after 14 years because of BHT/Beard Hair. My only option was body/beard hair which was a dream come true (LITERALLY) Again the point that I make is basically knowing the limitations / expectations of BHT/Beard hair . Dr Umar was of the first to have the ambition to begin extracting beard hair . There is certainly artistry to using it because of the physical complex characterisitics beard hair has. I personally feel as in my own case beard hair works wonders if you desire a shorter haircut style. That is simply because of the physical nature of the hair. I will be the first to tell you that we are not all in the same boat when it comes to our experiences. For those of us that required extensive repair our perspective may seem different than others. We all want what works best and fulfills us personally that allows us to live normal lives. I can certainly assure you that I was able to stop hiding from the world and start living.

The results of this individual are nothing less than spectactular and I can tell you as previous NW 5 patient of Dr Umar I know this patient is relieved. I consider myself very knowlegeable of BHT and during follow up visits back to see Dr Umar he ask in most cases to allow your hair to grow out and not cut it if possible to see its full potential so that he can evaluate every aspect of growth. I looked at this patients result and the first thing that came into my mind was he simply needs to have a haircut to shape his hair up nicely. Nothing more. The coverage here is exceptional and what I'm most interested in is the temporal angles which are perfect . When using beard hair there are limitations to legnth of hair. It is what it is. It can get a little frizzy if grown out too long. It isnt used for necessarily legnth - but primarily for filler and density. For my own hair I keep it cut short which is ideal for beard hair in my own case. I was Dr Umar's first large mega-session BHT patient nearly 10 years ago . I was in the early era of early BHT when beard hair was being evaluated for use but not in practice and other BHT (chest/leg/arms) were the primary sources . I was a NW (5) at the time and had to make multiple trips out to Dr Umar's office on the west coast. I remember very well on my 3rd visit back Dr Umar had begun using beard hair as the first primary BHT source. It was life-changing for me because of the significant characteristics that beard hair offered over other BHT sources. Having had hair taken from every location on my body I can tell you it is beneficial especially in large NW cases such as this and my own. The ironic part of all this is I came back on this forum posting my experiences and at the time the most miraculous aspect was the wound healing . You literally could not tell the beard hair extraction sites the next day. When telling my experience every doubter in the world (literally) was on the forum doubting me and saying how it wasn't possible to get these results. That is when I decided years ago that these forums are good for those seeking information but are also filled with those ' thinking what they know offers others benefit' but no idea what they are talking about. What I learned over the years from my BHT / Beard hair transplants: 1) Excellent option for all scars. 2) Provides exceptional coverage with lower graft counts especially in large NW cases. 3) Has limitations to legnth but provides excellent density - do not expect it to look exactly as scalp hair . 4) When knowing these legnth limitations work with a hairstyle that best fits you. If using beard hair as the primary source (>50 %) to cover the Norwood area you will likely need to use a shorter hair cut style (keeping the hair around 1/2 inch in legnth). This limitation is lessened when the beard hair is used as a hybrid and mixed with larger proportions of scalp hair as the primary source and legnth of hair is not an issue. 5) Understanding the limitations/ & expectations of beard hair / BHT is crucial. 6) The biggest issue is that individuals who say BHT is not an appropriate source make undesirable comparisons to scalp hair and trying to make them so . They are not the same and just because they are not does not mean beard hair is not a desirable option for acheiving coverage. I dont visit the forums too much anymore for the primary reason that you have so many arm chair quarterbacks. Those who haven't sat in the chair or laid on the table yet they come on forums with their so called opinions and (expertise) telling people what they should do or what they did was a mistake . For those people who constantly doubted me almost 10 years ago when I posted the first body hair mega sessions- today there are many satisfied patients all over the world that now are relieved of hair loss because of Dr Umar's absolute relentless efforts to make BHT a successs. The problem is on these forums you will always have the doubters and people who have no idea (in real life) what they are talking about . People who want to dig deep to find issues when nothing more than a simple haircut trimming is all that is necessary. There is forum life and there is real life. Thanks to Dr Umar I and many others now live a real life while the forum experts ' try to figure it all out' . It will never change. BHT/Scalp Hair Mega-Sessions

HairGuy, You continue to run/avoid from the question at hand in a case which you make serious accusations. I presented my case for hairline work to show where an actual 5cm hairline is located when you try to make a case that it is inappropriate. When in fact it is not inappropriate. What you think of my result is of no meaning to me whatsoever. I'ved moved on with my life and have put hairloss behind me thanks to Dr Umar's abilities as a surgeon. The fact that he has advanced the use of body/beard hair making it a viable source of donor hair for those that need it like myself is quite remarkable and I'm personally very thankful for it. I dont ' represent' anyone online - I only represent my experience that has allowed me to move on with life. Do you want to know what causes redness - that would be called..................... drum roll please ....................... THE SUN. I suffer from what some would call - WHITE BOY SYNDROME. Yes this syndrome is where you have fair skin and you get out in the sun and it causes sunburn. You seem to have fair skin as well. Do you get out in the sun very often? As you can see from the photo you posted that I keep my hair cut very close and two days before these pictures were taken I had been out on a kayak for about 7 hours paddling on the intracoastal waterway in mid summer. Listen I have nothing to prove to you. You presented your case and you need to be able to answer simple questions. I'm not the one making accusations and presenting my case on a public forum for open review. Now lets get back on topic once again: Why did you not take the opportunity to discuss any concerns on Day 2 prior to your procedure during a ' sedation free period' preop regarding the design / placement of your hairline if there were such grave concerns from your experience on Day 1? And believe me I know that your 'Dr From Georgia' is coaching you with some talking points because it isn't his first time on the forums trying to make a case.

FUE only, I can tell you that I am sure they lose their effect in the evening because I have taken them each time on the 6 separate trips I have been there . They are standard preoperative short acting medications and antibiotics used in ambulatory and outpatient settings. They are chosen depending on the type of procedure and the effect needed to provide the optimal comfort for the patient during the procedure. How do I know these medications are used as standard procedure because I work in a hospital pharmacy and see them everyday. During my own procedures with Dr Umar I actually watched movies or listened to music during the procedure. After the procedure I would go back to the hotel order up some pizza/ or a calzone and watch T.V until time to go to bed for the next day procedure . Everything is quite standard operating procedure and that is why me reading all this is simply bogus . During the evening I would walk along the boardwalk at the marina even with my bandana on that covered my head from the work done that day. It is a very nice location along the beach. I certainly wasnt walking around ' out of my senses'. Absolutely rediculous. Regarding your beard scarring statement- again this is the problem that I have with these forums from people who comment who have no clue what they are talking about. I have had a minimum of 4500 beard hair grafts taken and you couldnt tell a single one extraction site aside from the fact that you no longer have beard hair in that spot . Dr Umar actually makes a concerted effort to remove the beard hair sparsely throughout the entire beard area so that it looks natural when the beard hair is extracted. Again I will continue to wait and see why HairGuy did not approach Dr Umar on Day 2 before his next procedure if there were so many concerns from Day 1.

I am still waiting for a response to see why no questions / concerns seemed to even be mentioned/addressed the following morning on Day 2 when the actual frontal transplant work was to be done per the documented timeline. I'm trying to think through this . So you woke up on the morning for Day 2 work after being 'oversedated' the day prior in pre-op for Day 1 work. So you get ready to go to Dr Umar's office from where you were staying. You seriously had to have looked at both the area worked on from Day 1 - and the hairline newly design area multiple times both after leaving his office the day prior and the morning of Day 2 . So you go to the office non-sedated with a clear mind and say nothing about your concerns prior to the procedure ? not even concerns about being ' oversedated' the previous day. This appears to have been a big issue but you didn't mention it?

HairGuy, Exploring every aspect of your procedure is not a charade when you are the one that brought forth your case to be reviewed. You still didnt address the question. I do not consider understanding each day of your procedure a charade as you presented yourself that you essentially did not have an opportunity to discuss your hairline when in fact according to the timeline you had plenty of time to discuss it when the frontal hairline wasn't even touched until Day 2. The fact remains that your front hairline according to the timeline accounts was not started until Day 2 ( January 11th) Why did you not bring forth any concerns that following morning on Day 2 before the frontal hairline work was initiated when you had the following evening/night (I approximate 10-12 hours from my experiences) of Day 1 work and the following morning to overcome your ' oversedation' and discuss it. From my standpoint Day 2 of your procedure is equally as important as every aspect of Day 1 when you are claiming oversedation and your inability to make decisions during the Day 1 design discussion: and quite honestly because you had the entire evening and night after your procedure to review all aspects of work done on Day 1 and the proposed hairline- why did you not bring up your concerns for the actual hairline location before it began on Day 2 when you had no sedation in you? This is not a charade.

I went back from day 1 and read over the occurences once again . To say things are inconsistent is understated. Based on HairGuy's account I actually tried to put myself through the same enactment. As I mentioned before I started my procedures back in 2005-2006 with Dr Umar and I have flown to California 6 times over the years and been with all of the same processes and procedures as described by HairGuy. Many of my procedures required multiple day visits with some being up to 4-5 days early on when we started. I read through this again after a few days staying away from this thread and I still keep asking myself questions. Aside from all the claims of oversedation and that HairGuy was impaired and couldnt make concious decisions etc about finalizing his hairline location . The impression given here is that he was rushed in - oversedated - a hairline was drawn in that he didnt approve of and 6 months later he was dissatisfied and had to take extreme measures to correct it. Thats kind of the summary I get when I read through it all . The questions I keep asking myself are regards to details during the visit not afterwards with the hair growth phase. He was not there for 1 day only - he was there for 2 days. It appears that on Day 1 the hairline was drawn in as shown in the pics by Dr Umar. The proposed hairline was clearly marked with a dark marker. Now here is a big question that I simply dont understand . Here is the comment made by HairGuy : "He said I was not much of an artist and instructed me to lay my head back, and that is the last thing that I remember, and that was the only time we ever spoke in person. 2350 Grafts were then subsequently placed." Unless I'm reading it wrong according to Dr Umar's timeline the hairline was drawn in on Day 1 during the preop visit and grafts were placed in the frontal area behind the hairline on Day 1 . So during this time according to HairGuys account he was unaware of where the hairline had been drawn. So my question is this and again I base this on my own personal experiences following post-op. When the procedure was finished you eventually had to come out of your sedation. As a pharmacist / a patient who has taken the preop meds / and just using common judgement the peak effect of these preop meds is 3-6 hours . You eventually had to leave the office to go back to where you were staying. I always stayed across the street at the Best Western Suites so that I was within walking distance to the office. But when I got back to my hotel room from the procedure each day I was fully awake I would look at what was done in the mirror. I'm finally getting to my question. So after the procedure was over on Day 1 did you not eventually go back to where you were staying and look at what had been done that day and see where the proposed hairline would be . Since work had been done behind the hairline on Day 1 and assuming the frontal hairline area was still untouched and planned for Day 2 - did you not look at the marked area that night under no sedation and determine if there was any question of its location why didn't you raise a question the following morning on Day 2 prior to the actual final front hairline work being done. This is why I mention the above quote where it states the only time you ever saw Dr Umar in person was during preop on Day 1 when your hairline was being drawn out when you were there for 2 days. Why didnt you mention concerns of the proposed hairline location on Day 2 ? The problem is that you are making some serious accusations and personally for me having gone through this myself I can presume that you were not sedated from the start of Day 1 when you state your judgement was impaired ALL the way through that night until the morning of Day 2 when you were getting prepped again for your second procedure. I suspect there was a 10-12 hour period of time in which you had time to review things before the next mornings procedure. I ask this from a patients perspective : Did you not look at both the transplanted area that night after Day 1 when you were not sedated and review the proposed hairline location that was planned for Day 2? You are leading to believe that you had no time after the hairline design was drawn in on Day1 to review the proposed frontal hairline location with a clear mind and this is what seems to be puzzling since this critical phase of the work was done on Day 2 when you could have spoken to Dr Umar that morning prior to the procedure if there were concerns. Having been there myself this is what puzzles me.

Hairguy, Having been through this process many times at the same office , same meds, processes , forms etc I have tried to walk myself through the process you have stated that you went through on these two days. I keep trying to answer my own questions as to how you didn't know where your hairline was going to be on the day that it was transplanted when it was clearly drawn out for you on the first day as seen in the pics posted by Dr Umar. Again I have been there and done that so this is why I keep finding myself asking questions that aren't clear. My biggest question is this . You finished up your procedure on day 1 which consisted of the hairline being drawn in / and the work had been started in the frontal scalp area behind the new hairline mark and afterwards you went to wherever you were staying that night. I always stayed at the hotel across the street so that I could walk to the office the next morning . Even though you have made mention many times of your sedation problems during your preop workup/design you must have woke up at some point prior to the following days procedure. So when you went home/hotel or wherever you stayed that night and looked at what had been done that day and saw the work that had been done that day and the location of the drawn in hairline - why didnt you ask Dr Umar the next day before the actual hairline transplant started about your concerns with the hairline design. I know as a pharmacist / a patient/ and logically that the peak effect of these meds wear off generally after 10-12 hours after receiving them. I know that from my own experience I went back to my room and looked at my work in the mirror in my hotel room numerous times that night. I guess my question is this : Did you not look that night at the both the transplanted area that was done on Day 1 and the proposed hairline area that had been drawn for Day 2 when you got in or at least prior to the next mornings procedure? You state that you were oversedated when the hairline design work was drawn in and you dont remember approving it - but were you still sedated all night /when you got up the next morning / took a shower etc / and while making your trip back to the office for Day 2 work on the hairline? Again I'm not trying to give you a hard time but honestly having been through this myself there are areas of this that are simply very difficult to understand in terms of your comprehension of what your final hairline design would be on Day 2 and how much input you had in finalizing it when the actual hairline work was to begin on Day 2.

HairGuy I say this in a somewhat spiteful way but you should be ashamed of yourself for this. The hairline Dr Umar gave you is not what even I would call aggressive. He removed your temporal recession which in my opinion is what pronounces hair loss and he gave you a very nice design. I have gone through that same preop procedure at least 20+ times over the last 5-7 years with Dr Umar. I along with many others have sat in the same seat as you in Dr Umar's surgical chair same with the same mirror for pre-op confirmation and all of the remaining preoperative instructions. You have a great looking head of hair in the attached photo which I personally will tell you that I am somewhat jealous of to be able to start with. You have tried in your other pics to look as if you have no hair to work with. For you to be able to start with hair like that and simply not be able to wait another 3-4 months for growth/maturation is simply unbelievable to me. If for any reason after the reasonable time period requested by Dr Umar - if you had any concerns he would have addressed them if he felt that it was needed. Am I saying that as ' a fan '. NO - I'm saying that as a patient. I am a pharmacist as well with a doctorate degree and 16 years of clinical practice in a level 2 trauma center. I know the effects and intents of each of the preop medications and I can tell you furthermore that I have taken those same preop medications on each of my visits to have restoration work done. I can only wish you the best. I will tell you this. You had better be very careful with the guidance of care that you are currently under because he is trying to use you as a marketing tool .He has a history of it but you are simply his next victim. You dont know his history and he has pawned you off making you look VERY VERY poorly. A part of me feels a bit sorry for you to be quite honest. As a veteran of 20 + years trying to get my hair restored and finally getting that acheived by Dr Umar - I can assure you there is very little else you can say on this forum after seeing these pics that you are going to get the sympathy you are looking for. Take care! This is a total waste of everyone's time

HairGuy, Thank you for clarifying the starting point for your marked 5cm area. I was hoping that you would provide your thoughts on dimension analysis for the photo I posted but I did not see where you commented on that. I know that the 5cm hairline has been an issue from the start. I measured my hairline from eyebrow (mid portion) to the starting point of the hairline and it is exactly 5cm at the peak. I can assure you that stating a 5cm hairline is too low is not appropriate Regarding being compensated by anyone I can assure you that I have paid DEARLY for my restoration. I actually took out a 2nd mortgage on my home years back when I began my repair work with Dr Umar for the sole purpose of restoring my hair/head so that I could move on with my life . I knew the cost would be high but I was willing to make that move. And please note that I was actually finally able to pay that 2nd mortgage off last January 2012 when I sold my house and I'm glad thats behind me. I got my hair back and no 2nd mortgage - WIN WIN. Regarding seeing a previous M.D. You have done your homework and I've pretty well documented that over the past 7 years on the forums. But you should have stated M.D's before Dr Umar. The strip damage started in 1997 with those darn plug grafts from Nu-Hart in Pennsylvania, then Elliott & True in Maryland , then Greco in Florida. By that time the strip scars on my head were stretched so severely and the hair looked awful. I then had to wear a hairpiece for 14 years but I did go to an M.D in Georgia (and he may be the very one that asked you to write in this post) to see if I had previous work by Dr Umar. He placed grafts in front of my hairpiece . And yes they grew in well in front of my hairpiece but eventually we had to remove those grafts when my hairline restoration phase began because of the angulation of the hair needed for the hairpiece . I also had white dots from the punch grafts that had to be filled in. (That was discussed in detail on another forum back in 2007- we dont need to go there). I feel sure that is no longer an issue as it was back then. Again I just wish you had let your hair mature but we all have to make our own decisions as to what is best. Thank you again for clarifying the starting point for your 5cm mark in the attached pic. I'm going to attach the pic again for the last time what 5cm from eyebrow looks like grown out. It drastically reduces the forehead exposure along with the closed temples- but again that is my opinion only .

I would like to know from what point the 5cm mark was drawn here on this photo? Allegations have been made by HairGuy that a 5cm hairline is asymmetrical/unnatural and obviously detrimental and in this case has caused him to make drastic measures to reverse even though reversal methods were used in a timespan that was not appropriate to allow full maturation of growth.. For those that answered my question above regarding my hairline dimension (in cm) I will provide the actual dimensions once Hairguy responds with his analysis. And Hairguy you should look at the Georgia Medical Board as mentioned by Atticus above for your M.D.that is encouraging your measures here. You seem to be trying very hard to contact boards of medicine to make complaints - you should probably start by reviewing the medical board review for the M.D that is overseeing your own care.

I'm not going to let this one go so I would like Hairguy to review my photo (or anyone else if Hairguy decides he does not want to reply). When looking at my pic attached what is the dimension of my hairline (in cm) from my eyebrows and the center of my hairline starting point? Since a 5cm hairline has been eluded too as a detrimental hairline I think this is important.

Hairguy, One of the your biggest concerns and issues here is the hairline dimensions ; namely 5cm and the fact that it is ' too low' I have two questions You are using 5cm as your example of too aggressive and too low. 1) In the attached photo of myself can you tell how low my hairline is ? ( Honestly I just went a took out a measuring tape from the sewing room to measure so I know the exact measurements to the lowest point of my hairline). 2) From exactly what point are you using as your starting point to determine 5cm . (example: is the starting point directly above your eyebrows?) I am very curious to know what you think the measurements are of my photo for the hairline?

1978Matt is right. This hairline design is not unfamiliar . I can attest because it is very similar to my own . Again the key points is that it removes the look of recession and frames the face very well especially if you wear your hair short . In Hairguys case he appears to need only filling to enhance the density in needed areas. Much similar to the situation I had when I went for the aggressive hairline. I have attached a photo of my hairline which is the very similar design created by Dr Umar. He lowered my hairline a great deal so that the look would fit my facial features. Dr Umar is very good at creating a design the fits the symmetry of your face and as I mentioned what I personally feel is the most important aspect - (Framing the face). There is nothing I hate worse than seeing recession . Yes I know for those of you who say that's natural- for me it pronounces hair loss. As you can see in my pic the temple points were essentially erased and brought in to form a very nice symmetry. (This attached pic was taken outside in the natural light on a sunny day and that is why I am squinting) Also note that my entire frontal hairline was aggressively lowered to the current location with beard hair and nape hair. I have had to rely mostly on beard and body hair to complete my restoration due to the amount of hair it has taken to repair all of my scars. Behind the hairline I I have a combination of scalp hair/beard/chest/leg/arm hair). As I mentioned it takes patience to sometimes acheive one's overall goal. It doesnt all happen at once.

Hairguy, First I do appreciate you posting the pics and secondly and I mean this very sincerely I am sorry for the loss of your friend. There is no one except those that have gone through the agony of war that can comprehend the devastation it takes on an individual both mentally and physically. I am only speaking as a former patient of Dr Umar that has vast experience with both strip and FUE procedures so please understand I have no intent to try and make accusations toward you. I personally have many years of experience making bad decisions prior to Dr Umar and was fortunate enough to find Dr Umar and his ability to give me my life back mentally and physically. I believe in his abilities as you might expect after such a lifechanging experience. Like yourself I was very depressed and was always forcing myself to accept something that I felt like wasn't me . So when I got my hair back it turned my life around. Now regarding the pics. I must tell you that I do not think removing the grafts is the best approach. I certainly dont think the hairline is too low. It frames your face VERY WELL because you have closed off the temples to retract recession. The hairline that was transplanted is essentially a Norwood 0 with closed temples that do not express recession. Now for me this is similar to what I have as well - and it is a blessing to have closed temples . It is a bit difficult to tell because of the picture quality but your hair appears somewhat thin on top compared to the sides. I would certainly not remove the grafts and use a skin laser. I personally like the look of your hair cut close as is seen in one of your angled pics. I am somewhat biased to this look because I have a military type cut myself where I shave the sides and back with electric clippers and keep the hair on top about 1/2 inch. . This is only my opinion but I will tell you this from what I am seeing. You will continue to have loss in your frontal and vertex areas regardless of what reversal methods you are trying for your hairline because you dont feel it is appropriate. I would concentrate my efforts on blending and transitioning the hair and in the long run you will be very pleased. I feel like from what you have explained you are going backwards. I know that it is difficult sometimes to see beyond what is facing you in the mirror if you dont feel that it is what works for you but I have spent 20+ years of my life having to do it to stay optimistic to reach my goals. I feel like you shouldnt go backwards because in the long run you are going to continue having to look for answers when the rest of your hair begins to fall out. I personally like what I see but you shouldnt give up on finishing it out with the appropriate density if you feel necessary to acheive your desired look. This is simply my opinion based on my personal experiences and observations.

So the question remains? Do you have pictures of the hair grown out up to the point prior to the hair removal? I know this has been asked previously but it is an important question. Secondly I think that it is best to not ignore the comments of Wylie above. As he said I'm sure Hairguy is not aware of the forum history dating years back but there has been a serious history of defamation on the forums from the Georgia doctor that appears since day 1 to have something against Dr Umar. At this point I do believe you need to provide photographic evidence of your so called poor work. As someone who has had a hairline created by Dr Umar that looks completely natural and involved 2500+ grafts your word is not proof especially knowing that your work is now being done by this Georgia doctor . This doctor has done great work himself but unforunately he has left a mark on the forums for years trying to discredit this M.D. I mentioned this in my previous post before and I will again- its ironic that this doctor is now overseeing your care.

I follow the forum briefly these days but haven't commented in quite some time because I myself was able to put my hair loss behind me because of Dr Umar. I began transplants at 19 y/o (23 years ago) back when only strip was available and FUE was only a dream. After many poor decisions and doctors in the late 90's and early 2000's I was left with extensive scarring and improperly placed hair that left me with no choice but to wear a hairpiece which I did for 14 years. When I found out Dr Umar was beginning his work years back using body hair I contacted him and we discussed my case. I was Dr Umar's first mega session I believe and one of the first handful of patients that underwent body hair transplants for repair. Dr Umar is an extremely thorough and very upfront physician. In my case he outlined what he felt would achieve my goals and told me that it would take time / alot of grafts/ and first and foremost PATIENCE to acheive my goals. Over the course of 4 years I flew from the east coast to California on 5 separate occasions to complete various phases of work. I can tell you right now I'm not sure if there are more than a handful of individuals that have been in the surgical chair at Dr Umar's office more than I. Some visits I spent an entire week there when I was getting 4000-5000 grafts. So I know exactly what the routines are / medications and so on . Dr Umar would come in prior to surgery each day and discuss exactly what we would do and his goals. When we got to the hairline restoration he drew it out for my inspection to ensure I was satisfied. It is very discouraging to see that accusations are thrown out against Dr Umar's character and integrity because an individual could not wait 6 months! Seriously. And laser removal? What ? Dr Umar had to extract hundreds of grafts that I had done from previous M.Ds because those M.Ds had misplaced the grafts and he decided to use those same grafts in more useful locations. There were no scars from those grafts being removed. He certainly didnt have to use laser to resurface the extracted areas. I can tell you this. I was involved in the forums extensively from 2005 - 2008 when I was undergoing my procedures. I learned a great deal about individuals that post on the forums as well. You have those who are very sincere in learning about what direction to go and being fulling researched when they are ready to make a decision. You have those that have never had a single graft transplanted offering advice on hair transplants and considering themselves experts. And then you have those that work to demean the character of an M.D simply because they favor another M.D or in some cases M.D's put the posters on the forums for that very purpose. (Yes it happens) I can tell you for a fact that I went to the doctor in Alpharetta that was mentioned in the post along with many other doctors prior to finally getting my life back after Dr Umar did not give up on my difficult situation and he didnt give up on evolving his body hair transplant techniques. Anyone going into a procedure needs to be very upfront about their needs and most importantly be PATIENT enough to work through the impatience which is often difficult. Anxiety and depression do not work well with those who do not cope well with hair loss. Believe me I know. There was a point in my own life in my teens and early 20's that I had to discuss with a psychologist my difficulties at coping with hair loss especially after all the M.Ds prior to Dr Umar had left me with so much scarring that I had to wear a hairpiece. So after 5 M.Ds / anxiety/ depression/ and 14 years of wearing a hairpiece I got my life back because of Dr Umar and it really pisses me off quite honestly to see things like this - ESPECIALLY if it is found out that another M.D has put someone up to smearing the character of Dr Umar. I have seen it happen on the forums many years ago when Dr Umar was making huge strides in the field very quickly. The character assasinations are much of the reason I got away from posting on the forums but I will not sit back and see the same reenactment I used to see all the time happen again . Especially when the same exact M.D is now involved in this patients care that was involved several years ago trying to stir up trouble. Maybe so and maybe not but I see irony. Dr Umar patient Extensive scar repair and restoration over 5 years 18000 + body and scalp hair grafts

I havent chimed in on the forums in quite some time because of the simple fact that I was able to move on from my horrific past experiences with hairloss/scalp trauma due because DR Umar was able to give me my life back with BHT . I can assure you that he is always VERY upfront about any expectations and I speak from a repair patient standpoint that literally never thought I would show my scalp again due to scarring /poor work from previous surgeons many years ago. Dr Umar has advanced the use of body hair to a level that NO ONE really ever believed would be possible only several years ago . When Dr Umar started working on me in Sept 2005 when BHT was starting to show some possiblity of benefit to low scalp donor patients such as myself so many skeptics were out there not believing in BHT use but he continued to work and make body hair serve its purpose for those who need it. I can assure anyone that wants an upfront and HONEST opinion about expectations of their repair with BHT/ or anyone seeking scalp FUE Dr Umar will give you an evaluation that you can rely on. Anyone considering hair transplants especially FUE has to deal with cost issues. I've had over 20,000 grafts by Dr Umar so believe me I KNOW but I enjoy every day the investment I placed in myself and was able to get my life back. I had to take out various loans to make it all happen over the course of several years but its all worth it We all know when it comes to money/finances things can be sensitive but it sounds like Dr Umar and his office tried to resolve the fee issue and the timing issue. From a patient standpoint I can assure you that Dr Umar did not mean for this to happen and can assure you that his patient standards are very high. I do hope that everything has worked out and that you are able to resolve your hair loss issues because living life without the stress of hairloss is priceless. Take care! Heliboy Dr Umar Repair Patient Sept 2005-Sept 2008 (20,000 + grafts) (Living life now with a great looking NW 0 hairline) :-))

I wanted to jump in and make a few comments about my personal experience with BHT since the beginning of my work with Dr Umar in Sept 2005. When I found Dr Umar BHT was in its infancy . At that time beard hair was not being used as a consistent source of available donor which I feel today is the first choice following scalp hair if additional donor source is needed. . Because I have been able to see first hand from almost day one how BHT has advanced and what has been learned I can say that the BHT revolution has evolved tremendously to what we have today. I can only speak from my own personal experience with BHT . I really hate to see the advancements made by Dr Umar so poorly reflectd by a few when so many have been helped by his dedication to the field. Whether they choose to show their work or simply move on and put their hair loss behind them is a personal choice for each . My life was literally in a spiralling downfall due to the severe scarring/poor results I had allowed be done to my scalp over the years My hair loss began when I was around 17 (I'm now 38) . We all know how devastating it is to go through the initial phases of hair loss so everyone can associate with that. My goal at the time while I was in college (back in 1996) was to try and 'stay ahead of my hair loss ' before I lost it all . It didnt work out so well because the strip docs that I kept trying simply kept making my scars wider both mentally and physically. I ended up having to use a hairpiece which I wore for right at 14 years until Dr Umar began his work with BHT. I'm not too proud to say that I shed many tears at times trying to deal with what I had put myself through trying to find answers. Personally I was very fortunate that from the first procedure my BHT growth was exceptional in my opinion.I knew that due to my extensive damage that it would take several trips to see Dr Umar . What I knew from day one and told by Dr Umar in my initial consultation in July 2005 is that it will take a large number of grafts (during that consultation I was told in the area of 15,000 + BHT grafts) due to my extensive scarring/cobblestoning/and overall need for coverage on a Norwood 6 area. I was also told by Dr Umar the result we are trying to achieve is one that will sllow me to provide sufficient coverage for the scarring /get rid of the hairpiece / and will present as light coverage due to the overall characteristics of body hair versus scalp hair. My experience with body hair up to this point . A couple of first thought advantages/disadvantages Advantages: 1)For many an indefiinte donor source due to body hair grafts available 2)Beard hair now available when needed ( I personally perceive beard hair as a seperate category and not necessarily considered Body hair) 3)Extractions without worry of scarring 4)Ability to blend with scalp hair Disadvantages: 1)Large numbers needed in the higher (3,4,5,6,7) Norwood cases 2)Cost depending on specific patient cases/needs As far as what a patients potential outcome will be that is something that should be completely understood before BHT is used . I cant stress this enough. Actual growth of BHT I dont believe is ultimately a limiting factor for most -rather understanding and accepting expectations from it I believe is the biggest dilemna for most .It cant be compared to scalp which is the mistake I see so many do. I do think BHT's role has become alot more understood by those seeking options for their hair loss issues but still unfairly related /compared to scalp results. The learning curve will continue to evolve . I for one am thankful that we are where we are today in the BHT field because I can say that I live in essentially a different world than I did 4 years ago before Dr Umar was able to begin placing my nightmare behind me. We all have different goals in terms of density /look/style etc when it comes to getting our hair back but we all have the same goal of putting it behind us. I truly respect everyone's right to their own beliefs but I dont think that anyone's poor belief in a person/situation should overshadow a tremendous amount of advancement /achievement that has helped many overcome personal barriers .

Bill, I appreciate the compliment on my work thus far.Although body hair is somewhat of a low priority at this point for most I think it is very encouraging for individuals to know what options are available . Body hair is also an excellent option for scars and filling in areas .I have had extensive scar repair using only body hair and hope to be finishing it up in 1 more procedure. Body hair's optimal function is when used with scalp hair and that is very well known. Anytime one can use scalp hair it should be used . But for many of us that is no longer an option due to donor depletion. That is why I had to resort to body hair for my repair work . I routinely shave my chest /abdomen like yourself because I like to be smooth :-) but if you fit the TDI scale 5-7 you definitely have options in the future if needed (doesnt look like you will need to use the body hair ) . www.myhairtransformation.com

Again the information presented offers alot of insight to anyone who is considering BHT. I think that BHT's role has been a bit misunderstood at this point with it being so new. BHT role as 'filler hair ' is crucial for those with limited scalp hair to offer coverage . I would always encourage an individual to have as much scalp hair placed before proceeding with BHT. The two are not one in the same but each offers its own unique benefit. Curious = How much work did you have done ? www.myhairtransformation.com

Pat, I really appreciate you posting this information. It is good to see that the field of BHT is moving forward and studies are being brought forth to prove its worth. From his index I would classify myself as a TDI 5 . Thanks again for posting this . www.myhairtransformation.com

Taz, Congratulations on what will be a great experience for you .For those only familiar with strip procedures BHT is somewhat of a foreign experience to which I can understand. But it works and works well when done by the right M.D.(all M.D's are not equal in this field just as they are not in the strip procedures). When I started my BHT restoration with Dr Umar I too began with 5000 grafts . It is a good amount to see exactly what yield that you will get. You are fortunate that you appear not to have had any previous surgeries in need of repair and you can concentrate soley on your Norwood area . The healing is very quick in the donor areas . My procedure of 1600 leg grafts 13 days ago with Dr Umar is unnoticeable today . Also for the first few days try and keep the top moist as much as possible . This will aid in the scabs falling off . Keep us posted as the months progress. www.myhairtransformation.com