MORE_HAIR

Hey guys. If you look back at ALL my posts starting from day one...I'm not a doctor lover. If anything I'm the guy that thinks doctors having there asses kissed for no reason is Bullshit...they're payed like all of the people in my life that do a service. The MD after their name does not impress me. But some of you guys really gotta chill out a bit. I've had a few pm's and personal calls from patients of a few different docs and they are chuckling at the guys that want to bury Epstein. In my opinion Dr.Epstein did a great job so far on me(even though my the results are pretty early/but great)...but i NEED to see more....but it's early. Techs being drunk...Epstein all of a sudden being a bad Doc....cmon guys....get a grip. My post in relation to Dr.Bernstein/Rassman was basically ignored. Does that mean that maybe Dr.Epstein's staff had a bad day...anything is possible. Don't take this the wrong way my friends who have helped me from the very start...you guys ALL OF YOU..helped me and gave me tons of support...I owe alot to the regulars that even though you guys don't realize it...helped me and are really good people. "Another one bites the dust on this site"....and BS like that.....This site and the people involved I HOPE are sharper then that. If a doc deserves to get buried...I'll tell ya my friends "I'll dig the hole" But at this time...some of you sound like clowns. Let me remind you "I'LL DIG THE HOLE" WAIT !!! Let's be men about his. PS- TTDS...I received your PM...and even though i have no idea who the heck you are personally...only that you're a hair loss pal and confused...and someone who is in pain at the moment....I'm glad you're paying attention with an open mind...you're a better man then me... i'd be going crazy at this point. I'm so happy You PM'd me back and are dealing with this with total class and dignity. I'm glad you read my Dr.Bernstein /Rassman post and are handling this like a true gentleman. I will tell you though....If you have Zero growth for whatever reason at the end of the day...I'm pretty sure Epstein will take care of you and at the end be the best work this forum has ever seen.....lol. I'm not saying anyone at all is betting against you...but people are like cattle...they all follow no matter how negative or positive. Stay in touch pal, MH

Hey guys. I'm curious if any of the other docs would step in here and say if thay had any patients that had a similiar situation (slow growth at nine months)that don't post on this forum....I know that sounds silly...just a thought. Is Epstein the only doc ???? I agree with MRJB... anyone with growth issues at six months has to step back,relax and wait. It's just to early. I think lumping them in with our brother that has little growth at nine months should be re-thought. About the x-factor thing. Interesting that another doc would say there is no X-factor....i would like to learn more about this. If you look back in this thread I posted studies from Dr.Bernstein and Dr Rassman. In that PAGE 88 paragraph i left out exactly that. Quote: "causes for delayed growth have theoretical explanations(published in the literature as H- or X- factors),however this phenomenon is not well understood and is,fortunately ,uncommon" They then go on and mention these rare cases take between 12-24 months to grow and mature. And the patient may need additional work...an unlucky patient. I'm a Dr.Epstein patient but I gotta tell ya I wouldn't defend anything or anyone that's flat out wrong. I got a bit twisted after reading this thread about my own situation and requested my before photos from Epstein's office today...they e-mailed them an hour ago. I realize I'm only in the early stages(4 1/2 months)...but i gotta tell ya...it's a big difference. It took me to look at the old photos to see the difference...hairline is totally re-built. I know my happy story is not going to help our buddy at this moment...but maybe it will. It's hard to believe Dr.Epstein screwed up after 10,000 surgeries (just a guess on that amount :-) I think all of us would really like to know the truth. Is he that unlucky patient that just is going to take alot longer...I wonder....i hope this for him. Have any other docs experienced this before ??? He's what's important here. Hope I didn't put anyone to sleep...lol MH

Kevkristy and Female hair Loss, Have you guys contacted Dr.E ?? Have you gone back to see him ??

PLEASE GROW PLEASE, You're correct about other docs and their results. It's interesting because I've seen results from guys that have received 2200 graphs VS. guys that have received 4200 graphs...and I gotta tell ya...when you compared the two it was tough to see where the 2000+ graphs the second guy received went....just an observation. What counts the most is if the patient is happy. But the most important thing here is taking care of our friend who is hurting and probably pissed and waiting to see what happens. Of course alot of guys are going to jump on the bandwagon and bury the doc....before we really know the deal...it's human nature...kind've funny to watch. Some of these guys were probably singing about this doc...now he's dead....lol. The no growth thing at this point SUCKS...but shooting down the doc before we really know...hurts our brother who's in pain right now...think about it. WAIT !!!!...let's see what happens. MH

Time to do something. I figured I'd jump in here and share something I found. But first...know you're in good hands with this forum and will be helped out no matter what your growth is in the next few months. Any coalition doc HAS to stand by you and do the right thing...if they don't there reputation is at risk. Days of doctors disappearing and not taking your calls are over thanks to the internet. Plus Epstein is a good man. Not that this does you any good but I used Dr.Epstein and I'm a little over four months post-op and all is going as planned. Dr.Epstein is real passionate about his work....he'll be all over this i'm sure. Let me share something I read in Dr.Bernstein and Dr.Rassman's "The Patients Guide To Hair Restoration"...got this out the 6th edition of their writings. Page 88...DELAYED OR RUDUCED GROWTH "Growth cycles vary widely,some patients may experience significantly delayed growth. This can produce substantial anxiety for these patients" "We have seen significant growth between 12-24 months following a hair transplant in a few patients who presented with delayed growth. In the rare case of reduced growth,additional work may be necessary." If you don't know Dr.Bernstein because he's not mentioned much on the forum...he's kind've a guru/scientist type. Ask Bill about his reputation. Hang in there buddy. You're not alone...we all feel for you. This just may turn around and surprise you. Stay strong...you have plenty of options. MH

After thinking about it i really thought 2 inches was a bit much...lol. Even in my case the strip width was far less than an inch. And yes...all the docs I met with "eyeballed it" and all explained how the density differs from back to the laterals. MH

Bill, Pretty interesting on how the #'s add up in relation to strip size/length/donor density. My strip size was just about 30cm/12 inches. My donor density was a bit below Avg.so your numbers add up if my strip width was around an inch. What struck me though was you mean to tell me if the patient that gets the 4500 graphs with avg. density the strip is 2 inches wide...wow !!! That seems pretty wide when you look at a ruler. Great info...don't read alot about this. Thanks, MH

Houston, The subject of shaving can and will go on for ever. Take a look at the results of Dr.Shapiro for example.(By the way he's not the Doc I used). He IS one of the top docs. His work is showcased on the forum on a daily basis. His results are top notch...I'm sure everyone would agree. He doesn't require shaving. Everyone has an opinion...even the docs. Do your homework...and after that...do your homework. MH

If a belief or difference is pointed out among a different race it's not racism. If that difference is used to try to show a certain race is superior...then it is racism. Yes... the "race card" is thrown around today very easily....it's getting old and hurting people that really are victims. MH

Dewayne. It's not that big of a deal. From what i understand...most of the docs techs remove the stitches. One of my docs techs removed my stitches. Funny you should mention the painkillers. I took half a painkiller before having my stitches removed. The tech chuckled when I told her I did...she said it wasn't the worst idea. At the very worst it stings a little. Also...doesn't matter what type of closure...just removing stitches. MH

Don't worry about. I had swelling 3 days post-op. Under my eyes a bit and in front of my ears. It lasted a few days. You don't hear many guys complaining about it...so it can't be that bad. I'm sure you're relieved it's all over. Welcome to the club !!! MH

No problem. I would stick very close to what the docs suggest. Your hair is very short...kinda hard to see current coverage. If you've had past work I'm sure Dr.Epstein has the correct approach for this and future work. Alot of variables like donor density,scalp tightness,and age all weigh in very heavily in all cases. The great thing is you should go on as many consults as you can. This will give you a real good picture of your situation. MH

You are correct. Epstein is real down low and cool. The last thing he does is jump around his office and tell you what you want to hear. I liked that about him. I'm still a bit confused....but some that know me say that's pretty common....lol Where are you on the Norwood scale ?? MH

Dakota3 The last thing I am is a doctor...but I'll tell ya what i feel is correct...some other guys/docs may also jump in here. From what i understand if you have a past donor scar that needs repair....the following procedure can repair it. I will tell you that i'm only 3 1/2 months post-op and my donor scar looks awesome. It's basically pencil line thin and white making it hardly detectable....think what it's going to look like in a year. It's funny how in front of my eyes it went from red to pink to white. It's really to early to give full review of my recipient area...but so far things are growing already and friends of mine have commented on how natural it looks...including my barber. My barber has looked at many past "jobs" and said it's the best scar he's ever seen. I'm curious why don't you want to extend the scar ?? If Dr.Epstein suggests you need 2200 graphs...in my opinion...get them. My scar length went from the top of one ear all the way around to the top of the other. As long as it's in the safe zone...who cares?? Also I'm a little confused. You said this procedure you don't want to extend the scar...but you also said you want to go more aggressive this time. Curious what you mean. MH

Dakota3 Whatever you do....don't rush. I liked Epstein. He was a straight shooter....no BS sales. He's fully booked because he's one of the best...tells you what he thinks...and leaves it up to you to think about. We all have different needs as patients. I just felt Epstein's approach was for me. If you care to share...what did the Docs you visited so far think you need in terms of graph count ect. ?? MH

Mrkneed Forgot to mention...I used Dr.Epstein. Another thought... Alot of the differences with these docs is their approach. Some docs are conservative while others are very aggressive. I went with Dr.Epstein because he was down the middle. I got 2800+ graphs and in my situation I might get away with only one job. My mindset was to get the 2800 and see how I grew...we all grow and heal differently. If I need a second job....so be it. At least if I needed a second job I could "play" with the placement of the graphs to get the exact look I want (hairline/density) If I got on huge job...that's it...you can't add or subtract. Just my opinion and what made me comfortable. Good luck, MH

MrKneed, I'm 3 1/2 months post-op and all is perfect so far. The donor scar is perfect. I can't give you a full answer on growth yet...but its looks great so far. I'm sure the Dr.true guys will give you feedback. Mrjb and Glock08 are results/posts you can look at for Dr.True...pretty awesome. This is the hard part...both these docs in my opinion are top notch. Meet both of them in person....you'll get a better feeling about them this way. Both are in New York...Epstein is also in miami. MH

Carson Daly....RUG

Hold-Hold Hairthere is right on. Feller in my opinion is aggressive and Bernstein to conservative. I went with Dr.Epstein not only because of reputation but also his approach. He was neither to aggressive or to conservative...right down the middle. He's also a straight talker....no BS. Epstein does consults in New York once a month...midtown Manhatten. He does his surgeries in NY and Miami. MH

RACK !!!

Hey guys. Maybe I'm one of those that's a believer that shaving is over-rated because my doc doesn't shave (Dr.Epstein)...so my view could possibly be slanted. I just feel that the Docs that do the big jobs are usually the docs that shave. They have to shave to do 4000+ graph jobs on a daily basis. The last thing i am is a Doctor... and have great respect for ALL the Docs involved. But common sense tells ya...The docs that's are known and make there living doing the monster jobs of course are going to live by the "have to shave" rule. A huge job without shaving would take 16 hours. Not only does my Doc have an awesome reputation and so far has made me very happy...but Dr.Shapiro is also one of the great ones. Both of these Docs don't shave. Happy growing to all MH

Gizmo Glad to hear the news buddy. It's normal to be nervous...we all react and heal differently. It's all uphill from hear...enjoy the ride !!! MH

Just to clarify. In my last post I mentioned I met with four docs "and didn't like one of them at all". That could be taken the wrong way. I met with four Docs and ONE of the four docs I didn't like so much....not all of them...lol. MH

clubhead. I'm glad your setting things straight here. I used Dr.Epstein as my Doc and was pretty surprised what you wrote. I'm sure everyone has a bad day...but it didn't add up. Why would a doc turn away someone that another doc grabbed 8000 graphs from. I was also surprised because I kind've bothered Dr.Epstein on the phone many times and he was not only helpful but suggested another consult if it would ease my mind. Trust me as God is my witness i'm writing this not because I owe Epstein anything. I paid for his services and he came through like a champ. I met four doctors myself and didn't like one of them at all as a matter of fact...this is not important...the work is...i forgot about him and moved on. MH

Agent On the subject of losing hair graphs. Lets say you're the unlucky guy who picked at the recipient site the wrong way and lost 7 graphs. Uhh... that means you lost about 14 hairs...no big deal. We all probably lose 3 hairs everytime we take off a winter sweater...lol. If you're about 2 weeks post-op..the worst is over. Time to chill out...don't worry..and grow !! MH