Ceasar08

Sameer -- The vast majority of doctors in the world performing hair transplants are either using outdated techniques or are simply not skilled and equipped to perform the procedure properly. The last thing you want to do is go to a doctor who makes your situation worse and causes you to have to search for another doctor to repair your sub par work. There are only a couple of dozen doctors (if that many) in the world who I would trust. Literally, I'm talking about the entire world. Please do not go to an unknown doctor, no matter how persuasive that person may be. You have no idea of how many people have become victims of bad surgeons because they were in a vulnerable position. The truth is that if you want a real quality hair transplant that it going to look good, you are going to have to be willing to travel out of your immediate area. I realize that may not appeal to you, but it is the truth. Do some heavy research and take a look at photos of what have happened to multitudes of people in the hands of transplant "doctors." Also, keep in mind that a doctor can show you very deceptive photos -- lightning can completely camouflage horrible work. You need to evaluate a doctor by seeing the work in person.

Looking good! I didn't see all that much happen until after six months, so you're definitely doing well at this stage. In a few months, it's going to get really exciting.

It's really whoever you prefer. Run a search and look at the results on this site of both doctor's work. Try to find photos of someone who you think has similar characteristics and loss as yourself. They both perform the same state of the art techniques -- you're choosing among the best of the best. I don't think you're going to get an answer in terms of one over the other. It's whoever you feel most comfortable with. I would try to talk to the doctor's themselves or to their reps and see who strikes you as the right fit. I had my transplant with Feller and he's excellent in every way. If I had not gone to Dr. Feller, Dr. Rahal would certainly have been among my top choices.

Yup. Used it for somewhere close to a year. Did nothing for me. Wish I could say different.

sh3w -- Accept my apologies once again. Try not to take it personally, I don't know you and you don't know me. You posted on that thread where there was the guy who posted under different aliases...so I'm sure you were upset by that as well. No one should be acting deceptive, regardless of the doc they're talking about. I'm just trying to protect people exactly like yourself. People who are seeking help for hair loss. I know that an awful lot of people have been terribly hurt by doctors out there. My reaction to you was strictly for that reason. All the best. May your hair continue to grow and look great.

Since this thread seems to be continuing... sh3w -- Many people, including myself, have apologized for questioning riky's validity. I will repeat the same thing to you that many prople on this forum have said to riky: If you had a good experience, I am genuinely happy for you. I do not want anyone to receive anything less than the best possible care. With that out of the way... having nothing to do with you personally, I think we should be fair when it comes to this discussion. There is a thread back on March first, here on this forum, where two testimonials were written about doctor Shapiro under two different accounts, posing under two aliases. Bill immediately caught that they were coming from the same address and called the poster out on it. As a patient yourself, doesn't that trouble you? Can you blame people on here for now being suspicious? Instead of going on and on about your own transplant, don't you have any empathy for the poster who has written about his very different, bad experience? Are you questioning his honesty? If so, how is it any different than people questioning you? Also, if you think that people on here are only open to coalition docs, you are wrong. I have seen quite a few compliments given out recently to some doctors who are not on this site.

Agreed. I don't think you need to worry at 15 days either. Also, I think bleeding is really what's associated with graft loss. It's very normal to obsess a little at this point. You've made the decision, gone through with the surgery, and you are understandably a bit anxious about having a good result. I can tell you from experience though, you have a very long road ahead of you. Try to take your mind off of it as much as possible now. Take care and good luck.

Javy -- Be careful and go easy on the Nizoral. I think Spex has a great post somewhere about how it can actually aggravate things even more in some cases. I have had similar issues since my transplant (dry and flaking scalp) and I do think it is important to find a way to control it. Jotronic actually had a temporary thinning due to dandruff last summer.

And ideally, this is exactly the purpose of having an open forum like this where people can share their experiences. There are clearly two different patients on this thread who have had two entirely different experiences. People can read both accounts now and ultimately make up their own minds.

Going back to your original post, I think this is what may have caused some people here to react. You are certainly entitled to post your personal experience with a doctor and say that it is positive. Stating that what another person experienced is "black propaganda" is a very inflammatory statement that implies another person is lying on here. Perhaps what made a lot of people react is not the fact that you came on here with a testimonial, but that you were actually the one making implicit (or not so implicit) accusations about the honesty of what other people wrote. If you do not want to be questioned, then you should not be questioning others. Whether or not you had a good experience with a doctor has nothing to do with another's patient's experience. It's fair to say, "I had a different experience" but "black propaganda" is something entirely different. Saying that you "disapprove" of another's person's stated experience is condescending and combative. There are posters who have been here for a long time, and it is only natural that people would not take kindly on someone coming on here and writing such things in their very first post. If you are indeed happy with your hair now, you should feel bad that someone else did not have the same positive outcome.

Riky -- Have you started Propecia or minoxidil in the past 4-6 months?

Riky -- The reason people are antagonistic is because not everyone who comes on these forums is completely sincere. And in case you are not aware of it, there are lots of doctors out there who are not operating in the best interests of their patients. There are people on this forum who have made decisions to go to doctors where their lives were altered -- and not for the better.

Riky -- Here's the deal... I have no experience with Dr. L Shapiro -- period. If you say you have had a good experience with him, then I am happy to hear it. I do not want anyone out there to receive sub-par care. There are patients on here who say that they do have first hand experience with Dr. L Shapiro, and that their experience was very different. You should respect them as well. If you feel that others have no reason to question your legitimacy, then understand that no one should question their validity either. Our forum moderator had to kick someone off recently because they were posting testimonials under different aliases with the same ip address. Please forgive a lot of people's skepticism. I offer my apologies to you. I hope your hair looks great -- honestly. In my personal opinion, I feel the safest with the doctors on this forum. Recent posters have sarcastically insulted this forum and its credibility as well. Let's be fair. Please ask any dermatologist you know if a protein shake can grow hair. I am not an MD, see what others have to say. Be well and all the best. If you are someone suffering from hair loss, then I can identify with you. I don't care who did your transplant, I just hope it looks good.

Everyone is giving you good advice. Unfortunately, there is a big leap between quality of doctors. You want to do this right. Research on this site and you'll see what we mean.

If Dr. Shapiro charged you $39.95 for a protein shake to help you with your growth, then that really says all we need to know. That piece of information in itself is enough where people can go ahead and make up their own minds. I also still don't understand how you have "long hair" like your cousin after three and a half months. It's nonsensical. And trust me, it was not a protein shake.

Congratulations. I know you've stated that you've had some less than positive experiences in the past. I'm sure Dr. Feller fixed you up good today, and that you'll be very happy in the months to come.

If you don't mind me asking... how much did these "protein shake" cost you?

I've been checking this board regularly for quite a long time, and I feel very good about Dr. Carman as part of the coalition. I've only seen and heard excellent things, and he seems to have the endorsement of some very well respected people on here.

This is not a "believe it or not" issue, nor is it related to Dr. Shapiro. Hair only first begins to grow three months after a transplant. It is a physiological reality. As a matter of fact, this fact explicitly is stated on Dr. Shapiro's web site. There is absolutely no way you can have a result from ANY doctor after 3 1/2 months.

If you were first steered towards Dr. Shapiro in the middle of February 2009, it is impossible that your transplant has now grown out the way you claim.

My apologies to everyone if my post was antagonistic. I just couldn't let that remark sit there without a response.

I suppose this makes tons of sense. Instead of posting comprehensive photos for the world to see, allowing yourself to be evaluated by your esteemed peers, and offering access to your clinic with complete transparency to a community of educated and conscientious patients... why not just write a fun little jingle instead? Jingles are very "professional" in the medical profession,and they have long been considered the most impressive way of demonstrating a doctor's competency and credibility. A friend of mine needs open heart surgery, and he is desperately trying to determine which doctor out there has the best jingle. I've been helping him. You wouldn't believe how many guys out there have offered to perform surgery on him who have given us the run around when asked if we can hear their jingle. Billo -- let me suggest that we replace all of the blogs and photo galleries on this site with downloadable mp3s. Instead of doctor's using video, the new mark of distinction will be high definition sound recordings. I suppose GnSville has really proven himself to be a convincing and reputable poster. I'm sure that any intelligent person reading his comments will find that his/her writing speaks for itself. I need to cut this short now... I need to go find a new dentist, as I am fed up with my regular one's lack of musical ability.

Perhaps DDD03 has stated it much better than I was able to in my post. I give him enormous credit because he is the one who has a personal investment in this thread, and yet he has shown himself to be very diplomatic. I too will apologize for my harshness. If you really have had a good experience with this doctor, then it is your right to say so. To clarify, the reason why I said your testimonial is of limited value is because it is just one experience. The measure of a transplant surgeon is consistency. I read on the other thread that Dr. Lawrence Shapiro has performed 14,000 procedures. Therefore, it would be rather frightening if he did not have any happy patients at all. The issue here is his percentage of happy patients. Is it eight percent, or ninety eight percent? I cannot answer that question, and in all fairness, you cannot either. The doctors on this site have legions of satisfied patients, and you will hard pressed to find a bad word about them anywhere. If you doubt somebody's legitimacy on here, it is your right to believe whatever you'd like. However, if you are going to cast doubt publicly, you better be able to prove it. Otherwise, you are just making wild accusations. Again, if you had a good experience with Dr. Larry, then I am happy for you and sincerely wish you all the best.

You seem very invested in defending this doctor. If he is being unfairly libeled, then here's what he should do.. Tell Dr. Larry Shapiro that he should contact the people who run this site and present evidence of his work. If he's been performing transplants for years, then he should have hundreds of documented cases. Hopefully, these include top-down shots and shots in decent lighting. It would also be super easy for him to video some patient's heads in the near future and put it up -- nowadays video is as easy as photo. If his work is on par with other excellent doctors, then I'm sure the site administrators here would love to visit his clinic so they can praise and recommend him in good conscience. Once he shows evidence of: a trained team of permanent techs, microscopic dissection, dense packing, mega-seesions, lateral slits, refined follicular units, faint scars, and tons of satisfied patients (not just your extended family) then we will all happily embrace him and send business his way. Patients are allowed to report their experiences without you attempting to silence them. If this doctor is being maligned then let him come forward himself with real evidence to the contrary.