Mahair

There is No Hairtransplant Board. He may have only taken a weekend course, taken a simple test or merely joined a group. Advertising Board Certified in Hair Transplants is a red flag.Stay here and do ton of research you only have one head and one shot to do it right. I took a look at his site.He is doing mini-micro grafts in small sessions,very old school.Unless your a Sinatra fan keep looking.

Not to mention the follicles that are damaged in the process and never grow.Essentially you would be getting skin grafts instead of hairgrafts.Imagine having permenent shockloss and having it replaced with skin grafts. The multi-bladed knife should be banned for many reasons mainly the higher incidence of neuro-vascular damage it causes.This tool is a time saver and only serves the "doctor" that uses it.The fact that the quacks are *selling* high numbers to compete with real doctors, using antiquated technology, is a recipe for disaster.As far as wastage goes I have a report that sites up to 60%. I have also compiled a list of over 50 verifieable complications associated with mini-micro grafting techniques,not including the sublist of asthetic deficits and judgment errors.I will post it if anyone would like to see it.Any doctor that tells you there are no complications is a criminal.I have one in my sights. I can't wait until he jay-walks so I can run him down.Proverbially speaking of course.

Thanks Pat, for your encouraging words.

heavy kevie, Thanks. I am so glad a reputable doctor was able to turn things around for you.I am creating an advocacy for regulations in the hair transplant industy. Pehaps you can contact your representative to initiate a bill in your state? You can p/m me or e-mail me at Mahair1@verizon.net if you would like to know how.One of the recommendations I am going to make is that this site be reccomended to prospective patients. I am going to check with Pat first, to get his approval.I feel that a forum for patients by patients is a very important tool in the process.

kg007, I thought your Dr. advised you not to because of potential shock etc.Are you looking for someone to tell you what you want to hear?I saw your pics and agree with what she told you.Remember you started with your crown,your young and hairloss is progressive.Your going to need your donor for a rainy day when it comes and it will.Do the math.

I am glad you have done alot of research if Dr.Shapiro is on your short list I think you have done enough.

If you look through the past posts here you will find one Doctor that is mentioned frequently but you will have to travel to see him.

I found this. In Maryland . Grant F. Koher, D.O., License #: No License, Area of Practice: Unspecified (Chapel Hill, NC) Application for Initial Medical License Denied. The Board concluded that the Applicant entered into a Consent Order with the North Carolina Medical Board stipulating that medical services he rendered through business entity constituted unprofessional conduct in the practice of medicine. Date of Action: April 20, 2004 In Ohio- Formal Action(s) 06/09/2004:BOARD ORDER - Medical license suspended for one year, with all but six months stayed; subsequent probationary terms, conditions, and limitations for at least three years established. Based on prior action against doctor's license by North Carolina's medical board, following findings by that board that doctor provided medical services through a corporation via the Internet, and that he prescribed Propecia and Viagra to patients without a physical examination and without any prior physician-patient relationship. Order mailed 7/2/04; Order effective 7/2/04. 08/13/2003:CITATION - BASED ON PRIOR ACTION AGAINST DOCTOR S LICENSE BY NORTH CAROLINA S MEDICAL BOARD, FOLLOWING FINDINGS BY THAT BOARD THAT DOCTOR PROVIDED MEDICAL SERVICES THROUGH A CORPORATION VIA THE INTERNET, AND THAT HE PRESCRIBED PROPECIA AND VIAGRA TO PATIENTS WITHOUT A PHYSICAL EXAMINATION AND WITHOUT ANY PRIOR PHYSICIAN-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP. 8/14/03. There is more in N.Carolina,six pages I can't copy.

It just seems strange that one Dr. is giving realistic expectations and not rushing him while following good protocal(reccomending propecia and a 1 year assessment).While another is giving him a confidence talk about good density and coverage(get him started give realistic expectations later).I feel it is much better for a guy to be given and honest opinion and have it come out better than he expected than to use semantics in regards to good density and coverage, then be dissapointed with the results (*good* to him and *good* to the Dr. may be two different things). I too would be interested in who they where.

It sounds like the second Dr. was being truthful with you while the first was trying to SELL you something.

Arfy has made some excellent points.One thing I would make note of is that it will be hard to police techniques through legislation,but the multi-bladed knife should be banned in addition to wasting/destroying donor hair(I have heard up to 60%) it requires more effort to pass through the soft tissue because of the added resistance therefore it lends to the neuro-vascular damage some suffer from as a result of blind cutting. The additional force and downward pressure needed to drag it across the occipital region which contains very sensitive and important structures that can be permenently damaged.

Here is the address.http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/alert/?alertid=7902066&content_dir=ua_congressorg You will be directed to your local reps.Tell them you would like to see regulations implimented.Refer them to the Minnesota bill and make suggestions on how it can be improved upon.I can't wait until the Massachusetts bill is presented I had alot of input and it is much broader than the MN. bill which is just a baseline first draft.So far these are the only two,but they have only been started within the last few months.I hope at least one person from every state takes the time and effort to do the same.I can guide you on inclusions to your bill if you send me a p/m or e-mail.I would love to be able to name my bill the MAGDALIN RESPONSE so his peers will spit when they hear his name.Good luck and I commend you for taking action.Also I found that after you find out who they are search out thier website and call them directly.I think you will be suprised at how willing they are to help.

As a result of the efforts of a few people that have been damaged by the industry and its lack of regulation there are bills being introduced in order that the general public is spared from the lesser unethical practitioners.A baseline bill has been introduced in Minnesota and a comprehensive bill is being formulated in Massachusetts. Some of the safeguards will include consent forms being presented during the consultation,benefits and limitations of surgery(what a Dr.can and can't promise),elimination of commisioned salesmen,comprehensive standardized information booklet for reveiw,a disclosure of possible complications inclusive of shock loss and need for multiple surgeries and a dermatalogical assessment prior to surgery.These safeguards would not effect legitamate Drs.who are doing state of the art responsible work but will put a serious dent in the quack factor. I encourage anyone who has been mislead , damaged or knows someone who has to call your state rep and refer them to the Minnesota bill(already up)and make suggestion to them on how to improve upon it.They will be interested. I am working with my legislators , they are taking my recommendations very seriously and value the input I am providing them.I will assist anyone at anytime time with their efforts or tribulations. My e-mail is Mahair1@verizon.net and I will support you to the best of my ability.

The serious growth potential part is a joke,right? I did'nt think it took 12 months to learn all the canned responses to a potential customers questions.How do they condense an intense,cutting edge 12-month curriculum into a weekend or two.

It is also unfortunately true that some Drs. will lie about the techniques they are using to make a sale as they know what people want.I asked if microscopes were used and was told yes (they were even shown to my former girlfreind) only to have this revised later to "we do use them but only on fair haired individuals" and that I was just a slow healer. I was told a single blade was used on the donor only to find out after retreiving my medical records that a four blade knife was used (the 4" scar I was worried about was 10").I was shown a tiny micro scalpel (that caused no *shockloss*) for the recipient and the "Dr."actually used a multi-bladed knife to "blend" into my existing hair (to save time).Bottom line is a Quack WILL lie to you.They know how to sell a first rate procedure but they don't practice what they know only sell it.That is why pre-screening from a site like this and referals from other patients is so important.It is not enough to research the procedure as I did some but moreso to research the doctor as there are some dangerous conmen selling the dream and delivering disfigurement and worse.The irony is that my second procedure healed right away.All the while when I was a scarred up balding mess after my first botch job "Dr" Quackdalin was telling me that microscopes were a marketing tool and I was'nt being objective.I think people need to realize that alot of doctors that are in this field are not real doctors in the way they perceive them ,alot have a criminal mentality and "do no harm" is just some words.Noone that has seen my pre-op photos thought I was the great candidate that Dr. Magdalin swooned over or thought that he he had any intention of delivering the great results with no complications he promised even if he had any talent and used the latest technology,I had too much hair to risk.This field of medicine needs regultation bigtime for now sites like this are the only protection the patient (consumer) has.Kudos to to Pat for going into the procedure rooms and verifieing that the latest techniques are being employed and applied as most laypeople may/usually take a doctor on his word.

Here is a list of the medical boards.http://www.cokergroup.com/statemedicalboards.htm

I beleive Grant Koher was once employed by MHR . Sorry keep looking.

Kansas,Dr. Shapiro is an excellent choice to turn it around for you. I sent you a P/M ,its on the toolbar.

Click my user name and you will find it there.I will give you more detailed info.Illinois has a terrible website that is hard to navigate.It is the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation website refer to Physician and you will find it.Be dilligent it is not user freindly. Information found on: ATTILA ARTHUR KATONA MD, 36104823, GLENVIEW, IL Action Discipline Start Date Discipline End Date Description PROBATION 05/17/2002 08/30/2004 Defaulted on Illinois Student Assistance loan. REFUSED RENEW 03/05/2002 05/17/2002 Defaulted on Illinois Student Assistance loan.

On a lighter note.Provided the doctor or techs are not going to bareback you while your sedated or share needles with you at lunchtime I think they are safe.Regardless if there was a stick or incident the test would only be a baseline anyway as pre-hairtransplant parties are usually very hedonistic.Out of interest I wonder how many H/T doctors have had to break the bad news to patients about their Hiv status .I would say its 1 in 10,000 or less.However I do beleive comprehensive bloodwork by a competent physician is prudent for the patient.Another observation I would make after having arguably one of the worst hairtransplants and one of the best.The latter was nearly bloodless.If your H/T is inclined to be a bloodbath and this is a *major* concern you are in the wrong place.The janitor gloves should have tipped me off but it was too late.

An excellent hairtransplant should be undetectable under all conditions period.Nobody should have to do behavior modification around a H/T.That is why you must research the doctor who will be doing it so carefully.Very few can acheive this objective.

My hairtransplant was a bloody mess.To the point of needing direct pressure on my temples for ten minutes at a time to stop the *gysers*of blood as the tech put it(she was wearing platex gloves not latex).Anyway I took the tests prior,I think it was a sales tool ,as a *recent* infection with either takes months to effectively detect , therefore it is ultimately a useless self-serving test.If someone gets cross contaminated during the surgical process an Hiv/hep test should only then be requested as a baseline with a six month follow-up test .Maybe this is the second best sales tool since the video-microscope.If a legitamate Dr. is requesting bloodwork a full cbc and work-up should be done also to protect the patient not the staff.

Kansas,First off report him to the medical board in his state.He is misleading alot of people.Outline the fraud and deception he purveyed on you and his response to your concern.A few more complaints and he may get disiplined.Also there is a class action lawsuit being formed against MHR ,maybe you should get involved.Let me know if you are interested via p/m.Sorry to hear you got taken by these "people" to quote an info-mercial."This is all they do,so their good at it." As far as repair/improvement goes it is very possible with a great doctor.After doing much reasearch here you will be able to make an informed decision on that.Good luck and don't just do nothing about your first experience as the cycle of deceipt will go on otherwise. I just checked his profile. He has been disiplined for not paying back loans and defaulting on his assistance program.

LT,I recieved your p/m you can reply to me there.

I have some experience with this you can private message me,I can give you some guidance.It is tough but it can be done.