arfy

Shearak Repair work is sort of a "sub-specialty" in the transplant world. Because guys like you (and me) have less leeway, we have to make certain we don't make things even worse by not picking a top surgeon. I am certain that many of the recommended doctors can do a great job on a first-time transplant, and still may not be the best choice for repairs. I'm not saying Dr. Epstein isn't suitable, because I don't know about him. All I'm saying is be extra picky, and do lots of careful research, when it choosing a doctor to do repairs.

Mel To answer your last question, "me"...In case you didn't realize it, Dr. Bernstein is a doctor with NHI. So far he has just done a few graft revisions on me, nothing major. Read the section on "corrective procedures" at the newhair.com website I already pointed out, that will explain it better. You might also do a search on "NHI" or "McLellan", you can find the search function at the top (and bottom) of the web page. Some entries that came up when I tried a search on NHI don't seem to apply to this discussion, but there are many that do. Just read up.

I have only heard second-hand reports on him. They were not good reviews! There is a guy named "Timetested" who has needed to get his previous work from Dr. Leonard fixed by other doctors. I believe Dr. Leonard did two of Timetested's procedures, that were supposedly far from satisfactory. I may have the details wrong, but Timetested has not said anything positive whatsoever about his experiences with Dr. Leonard. Another person recently reported here that Dr. Leonard still uses Minigrafts and Micrografts. If that is true, that means he's about 10 years behind the rest of the pack. Minigrafts are a technique left over from the mid-80's, and they are cosmetically inferior to microscopically-dissected Follicular Unit grafts.

I hesitate to "recommend" anyone too strongly, as I have had bad results, and I can't really endorse hair transplants based on my own experience. However... You can see Dr. McAndrews website here: http://www.hairgrowthdoctor.com/Pages/home.html You can see Dr. McLellan's repair job on a fellow here: http://www.hairlosshelp.com/hair_loss_treatments/hair_transplants/hair_transplant_repair_main.cfm You can also see a documentation of Dr. Woods' repair work there, in the story "Hair Transplant Survivor". If I haven't already mentioned it, you should check out the "corrective procedures" section at www.newhair.com Right now I have been having some corrections done by Dr. Bernstein. It is improving things, but it is slow going. I've already discussed it in depth, so do a search or let me know and I can direct you to those threads. Hair transplants are so much easier, cheaper, and have much better results when you "do it right" from the very beginning. Pick a world-class doctor, or don't do it at all!!!

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Could the little round scars be individually removed, leaving smaller scars? Yes, I believe they can. Of course, it's not a viable solution when there are lots of them. I believe that some doctors have punched those scars out, and sutured the scalp there. I can't tell you how good it works, though. It might not be cosmetically acceptable, I don't know. But I believe it can be an option if you don't have a lot of them. All I'm saying is it is possible, in a limited way.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Also, can anyone recommend if I should wait till I'm significantly balding before going for the HT? Yes, I can definitely recommend waiting until you are at least a Norwood 3. It's not just me who says that. Many doctors advise waiting until you are at least a Norwood 3 before starting in with hair transplants. Until then, you should be using Propecia (and maybe Minoxidil) and hopefully you might never need a hair transplant in the first place. You should use Propecia even if you do decide to get a hair transplant. You don't have enough donor hair to just "replace everything" if you continue to lose hair (which is extremely likely.) Propecia is excellent for slowing or halting hairloss, and lots of good hair transplant clinics are telling their patients to get on it. <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Just wondering why you think I should avoid places like Bosley and Peterson? They surely have some of the most convincing advertisements, but it's confusing since everyone makes the same claims. Actually, the various clinics do NOT make the same claims. Read my previous post regarding "no consultants" "yes microscopes" etc. The clinics I named do NOT use microscopically dissected Follicular Unit grafts. Did you read my post? Try to use your head and see through the advertising hype. Clinics like Bosley and MHR spend millions each year on advertising, because they are interested in quantity not quality. They also pass those expenses on to their patients. Does McDonalds' make the worlds' best hamburger? I could turn your question around, and ask why McDonalds' claim it is the best, then. Their ads are really convincing, too. After all, it is just ground beef on a bun, just like every other burger. What else is there to say? To put it another way, clinics like Bosley, NuHart, Peterson, Sword and MHR use MINIGRAFTS, which if you would take the time to do a little reading, are a technique left over from the mid-80s. (There is currently only one doctor that I am aware of at MHR who actually does use microscopically dissected FU grafts. the rest use a combination of grafts). You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink, I suppose. If you would be happy with a sub-par and generic looking transplant, just ignore everything I've been telling you. I usually hesitate to recommend a specific doctor, I would rather give you some things to look for, that make a doctor or clinic good. that way you can choose who you like, based on an informed opinion. However, in your case, if you are looking for a doctor in the LosAngeles area, you might try Dr. McLellan or Dr. McAndrews. Do yourself a favor, and research the hell out of hair transplants, before you decide to get one. Good luck.

Here's a couple of things to look for... The clinic should use microscopes (not loops) to view the grafts as they dissect them. Ask to see the microscopes. The surgical room should have several (and they shouldn't be covered in cobwebs ) Microscopes can raise the graft yield by something like 20%...! The doctor should only use microscopically-dissected Follicular Unit grafts. They are the most natural looking, and do not need to be hidden by other grafts or "combed over" like Minigrafts do. You should be able to meet patients in person, as you said. You should consult directly with the doctor and not a "consultant" (salesman). The consultant might be useful if you know absolutely nothing about hair transplants. Otherwise, you should spend your time speaking directly to the person who will be operating on you. And by the way, it is illegal for a consultant to do anything more than give general information about hair transplants. It is also illegal to schedule surgery without meeting the doctor who will work on you. You say you don't want a megasession. Anything over 1000 grafts could theoretically be called a megasession, and there are no problems with this amount of grafts. If you don't get at least 1000-1500 grafts, you may not be maximizing the use of your donor area. Every time you take a donor strip out, you are creating a scar, and affecting follicles along that scar line. Let me put it this way... It is more efficient and a better use of donor hair, to get 3 surgeries of 1500 grafts each (4500 total) than to get 9 surgeries of 500 grafts each. Having a fairly big session is the best use of your donor hair. I would start to worry about sessions over, say, 2000 grafts. Some doctors say they can do it safely, other doctors prefer not to go that high. 1500 grafts seems like an average yield that can be taken safely, with minimal risk of problem scarring or problems with graft survival. Like I said, some doctors do bigger sessions and say they don't have any problems. There used to be some criticism about megasessions, saying that graft survival was diminished. That was true of doctors who used larger grafts. But like I recommended, you should use ONLY microscopically dissected FU grafts, which are smaller, and survive megasessions better than bigger grafts. Bigger grafts require more blood flow for healing (I know there has to be a better way to phrase that) than FU grafts do. If I were you, I would look at the list of recommended surgeons on this site, and take some time to visit each clinic's website, and really read each one top to bottom. This will be a great way to find out where the best guys seem to agree or disagree. You will be able to ask your doctor really informed questions the next time you do go for a consultation. Here's some clinics I would avoid, off the top of my head...Bosley, MHR (Medical Hair Restoration), NuHart, Sword, Peterson. Good luck.

Hi Mel Go to www.newhair.com and look for the section on "Corrective Procedures". This is the website for NHI, a clinic that another poster suggested you check out, that has a location in Los Angeles.

Hi Golden If I were you, I would use Propecia and try to maintain as much hair as possible. It doesn't sound like you are bald enough for a hair transplant yet (lucky you). That doesn't mean you won't find a whole bunch of clinics who will be excited about taking your money, whether it's in your best interest or not But even if you do decide to get a HT, you should use Propecia anyway. You need to save as much "natural" hair as possible, to make your HT look okay. There is not enough donor hair to just "replace everything" if you ever become totally bald, so keep that in mind. Donor hair is limited and will not cover a totally bald head. Clinics that use Minigrafts are doing outdated transplants, however they can make more money doing things the old way. They are prioritizing profits instead of the patients' ultimate results. Read this website from top to bottom, which explains the differences in graft sizes, and why Minigrafts are cosmetically inferior to FU grafts. www.shapiromedical.com Again, I don't think you are ready for a HT in the first place, so don't think I am trying to get you to "switch doctors". You do need to learn about grafts if you want to get a good result, and not a hair transplant that needs to be hidden later by a hair piece or a hat. As far as grafting into the crown, most good doctors will not "start" there. Read this carefully, keeping in mind you have a limited amount of donor hair, that will not cover a completely bald head...<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>In general, crown coverage should not be a goal of the first session, but should be addressed after the cosmetically more important front and top have been adequately transplanted. Since the front and top of the scalp are a single cosmetic unit, the transplant may stop after this area has been treated. The patient can then evaluate for himself the adequacy of coverage from the first procedure, and if he desires more fullness or greater density, a second session can be used to supplement the area transplanted in the first. If crown coverage is attempted in the first session, the patient's options will be much more limited, and the ability to produce an aesthetically balanced transplant might be permanently eliminated. An exception would be patients of Norwood Class III Vertex and Class IV, who are generally over the age of 30, have less risk of becoming extensively bald, and have good donor density and scalp laxity. In these situations, transplanting the crown in the first session can provide modest coverage to the area and will serve to camouflage a limited amount of further crown balding. What should be avoided in these patients is the risky practice of repeatedly transplanting hair into the crown to achieve a high degree of density, as this density can often not be supported as the balding progresses (see section Goals for the Second Section ). http://www.newhair.com/medical_publications/Classification.html That is quoted from the NHI website. If you read their website, it can get a little technical at times, but you will learn quite a bit about hair transplants. I recommend you read up before you decide to get one, because there is a chance that if you pick the wrong clinic, doing the wrong procedure, you can get screwed. And by the way, both of the clinics I gave you links for, are recommended by this website. Peterson Medical, however, is not recommended. Minigrafts look pluggy, and I doubt you will find them acceptable. It sounds like you already have "modest coverage" in the crown area, so getting a transplant there will ultimately buy you nothing, especially anything you can't accomplish with Propecia. A transplant can even speed up hair loss in "at risk" areas, so you could end up with less crown hair than what you started with. ("Telogen Effluvium" aka "shock fallout"). Of course, Peterson Medical won't mind, because you'll need to return again and again. [This message was edited by arfy on September 05, 2002 at 10:16 PM.]

What is the name of the clinic? Where is BH? If they don't use microscopes to dissect grafts, and only use Follicular Units (NO minigrafts) then don't go there, you can do much better than that. Transplanting in the crown is typically considered a mistake to be avoided. I suppose there could be exceptions... You will use up a lot of donor hair that you might need for your frontal areas. Did you know that the crown normally has more density than the donor area? Geting grafts in the crown is usually the sign of a bad clinic. Good doctors know that most guys can't spare the grafts.

Get a prescription for Propecia from your doctor. That should prevent you from losing your hair. If I were you, I would look into it. Since you are pretty young, you may have to wait a year or so... no big deal. Just get on it as soon as you can. Other drugs are planned too, so keep your eyes open.

I haven't really heard of any doctors in the UK who seemed to be "amazing". But then again, that is not where I have been looking, as I live in the US. I really think it is crucial to pick somebdy great to do your HT, and not just someone who "seems okay". I think this is especially true when you need repairs. You cannot afford to have some jerk screw it up for a SECOND time. You need a guy who is top-notch, or nothing at all. I can't comment on UK doctors, but if you are willing to travel, I would suggest investigating Dr. Bernstein in New York or McLellan in LosAngeles (for repairs, mind you) or Dr. Woods in Australia. Look into these doctors, and dig up information. I hesitate to direct traffic away from a website (it's bad form) but go to hairlosshelp.com and look up "Hair Transplant Survivor" on the front page, for an account of an amazing repair by Dr. Woods. That website also shows a repair job by Dr. McLellan, as well. Repairs are a real specialty, and even some of the best HT doctors are not suited for it. Good luck.

I had a hair transplant at Cleveland Hair Clinic with Dr. Carlos Puig (now with MHR in Houston). He did an unbelievably crappy job, that you can spot from a block away. I am now spending money getting it repaired, which is expensive, time consuming, and not nearly as good as "doing it right the first time". One thing I have come to learn, is that density is COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT when your transplant looks pluggy. If you look pluggy, you will constantly be worried about the wind, the rain, someone mussing your hair, etc. Only the microscopically-dissected Follicular Unit grafts don't look pluggy..."combo" grafts DO. If you want to learn about why these grafts are considered cosmetically superior, read the articles in the "Research Library" section. Go to the "Find a Great Surgeon" section and look up the website for Dr. Shapiro, and read it. The "combo-graft density issue" is a MYTH> Combo grafts are not denser than FUs, they just have more excess SKIN. But doctors love them, because they are fast and easy to perform, which means they make the most money using "combo grafts". Even though "combo grafts" (also called Minigrafts, Varigrafts, etc) don't look as good as FU grafts, most doctors think they look "good enough", because they are trying to maximize profits, not results.

I have no personal experience with Kabaker, but I understand he is a big advocate of scalp reductions, which I recommend you AVOID, unless you want some scars that make it look like you had some experimental brain surgery or were hit in the head with an axe. I have never heard a single good thing from another patient about Dr. Kabaker.

Dr. Gillespie is recommended by this website. Look in the "Find a Great Surgeon" section. If you are interested in having options, you should meet Dr. Gillespie, and then consider meeting some other doctors. You might want to look around a bit and see who else is out there. If you don't know everything there is to know, you should read up on Hair Transplants first, so you can ask the doctors "informed" questions (instead of spending your time with them explaining the basics to you). Consider the consultation a chance to interview the doctor on the things that concern you. See some patients in person, too... not just the guys working in the office.

In case anybody here lives in a cave, Bosley's license to practice medicine is on probation in 20 states, for breaking the law regarding the way they sell their procedures to new clients. http://www.bosleymedicalviolations.com/ However in July of this year, NEW allegations were filed that may cause Bosley to lose his license in California. For one thing, Bosley uses consultants (illegal in most states) who are breaking the law when they actually prescribe treatment ("you need about 300 grafts here, and 400 grafts there"). That is "the practice of medicine by a non-physician" and is ILLEGAL. A consultant (salesman) is only legally allowed to give "general information" about hair transplants. Another thing Bosley is charged with is when their consultants schedule a surgery for the client, before that client has even been examined by the doctor. That is also illegal! I had hoped that Bosley was cleaning up it's act by hiring Ken Washenik... Apparently there are some deep-rooted problems with their sales tactics. The State of California is actively seeking California patients of Bosley, who have been to Bosley in the last two years, and are unhappy. More information is available on the Bosley Medical Violations website.

Wow, somebody out there who knows who Dick Malmin is. What a poor excuse for a human being Dick is. Can you imagine how wretched you have to be, to have a career based around talking guys into getting a sub-standard hair transplant? Pathetic...!

Chad I am not "anti-hair piece" but please do not go to Hair Club for men, there are better places than that. Whatever you do, don't rush into anything, whwther it is a hair piece, hair transplant, whatever. All this stuff has pros and cons that need to be weighed carefully. Otherwise you can really get screwed. If I were going to get a hairpiece, this is probably the only place i would consider (and even these guys are not magicians): http://www.farrellhair.com/

I just thought you fellows might be interested in this. Some of you guys have been very skeptical about Dr. Woods, and that's fine. Hair transplantation is an area where a healthy amount of skepticism can save your appearance. There is now another surgeon besides Dr. Woods (and Dr. Rassman) who is working on a Woods-like strip-free harvesting method. He is transplanting hair in this manner right now. Not only that, he is a doctor who is already recommended by this website, Dr. Jones in Ontario. Dr. Jones' info from the "Find a Great Surgeon" section here. This has been reported on other websites and Spencer Kobren has also discussed it at length, on the radio. Dr. Jones is in the preliminary stages and is working on getting better and faster with this method. Of course, Dr. Woods has some 12 years of experience with this method, so there is some catching up to do. Still, it is a very encouraging development. It seems like some of you folks who claim Dr. Woods is a fake or his method is "impossible" are in for a bit of a surprise. Also, there was some criticism about Dr. Woods saying "if he is so 'state-of-the-art' why is his website so crummy?" Dr. Woods updated his website a couple of months ago, in case you had an issue with that.

Propecia stops further hair loss in over 80% of the guys who use it. A hair transplant will NOT prevent your remaining "natural" hair from falling out, in the future. You need to maintain that natural hair, if possible. There is not enough donor hair to just "replace everything"...! That's why it is important to use Propecia. You need to maintain as much of your natural hair as possible. For one thing, it will make your grafts look better. Your HT will not prevent that natural hair from falling out, but Propecia usually will.

Dr. Haber may very well be an excellent HT surgeon. My comments do not pertain to him. My point is that patients need to very careful and read between the lines, and probably IGNORE the things that seem like credentials, when it comes to hair transplantation. Many of the things that sound like traditional credentials are a SHAM in this field! Again, this is NOT a reflection on Dr. Haber, just some general information. Any doctor can contribute to a textbook. I would wonder if that is more a sign of "who" you know than "what" you know. It is certainly not always a sign that you are going to get a top-notch hair transplant! Just contributing to a textbook means nothing... what if the chapter was teaching others how to do Flap surgery, for example. That's a horrific procedure that should be avoided! Also, belonging to the ISHRS and even holding an "office" in the ISHRS means nothing, in regards to your results! I point to Dr. Robert T. Leonard, who was a President of the ISHRS, and in my opinion is a career hack, NOT somebody I would trust with my appearance. Many of the WORST hair transplant doctors can proudly point to a list of groups they belong to (and even hold office in)! These kind of credentials Dr. Parsley mentioned are best ignored, in my opinion. Here's some "credentials" that count, in my opinion: <UL TYPE=SQUARE>Does the doctor ONLY use microscopically-dissected follicular unit grafts? How long has he been exclusively using FU grafts? Does the doctor NOT do scalp reductions? Does the doctor typically refuse to transplant on guys under 25, and usually not on guys below Norwood 3? Does the doctor insist his patients are using Propecia if at all possible? Does the doctor allow you to watch a procedure in progress, and meet as many of his patients (in person) as you like (and not just the other guys who work in the office)? Does your doctor do all of the patient consultations himself, instead of hiring a salesman? Does he NOT give you a hard sell? Is he trying to educate you as a patient, instead of just selling you a plastic surgery?

DZ asked "so if ive been off it for a week or so and i go back on it is it like i never was on it? does the 4-6 month initial thing start all over again? has any body ever gone off and back on propecia?" Propecia stays in your bloodstream for several weeks, I believe. That's why taking it every day at "the exact same time" is not important, or why missing a day will not kill you (try not to miss any days, of course). In other words, you should feel free to get back on Propecia, because hopefully the worst is over. It's not like "starting from scratch" for you, DZ. By the way, there are some doctors who say in their experience Propecia doesn't cause shedding (that they have seen).

Anne Please do NOT get any kind of "Flap". Females need to be extra careful regarding hair restoration, because they often are not good candidates for the surgery. Female hair loss seems even more complicated than men's hair loss. Make sure you explore all of your options. Surgery may not be a good option for you. Anne, please be careful. If I were you, I would look at the "Find a Great Doctor" list, and narrow down the list, and get yourself a free consultation with at least one of those doctors, before you decide on getting a surgical procedure.

If you use Propecia, you may never need a hair transplant. Hair transplants do not "prevent baldness" so you should be using Propecia whether you get a hair transplant or not. I am always surprised to hear that guys are willing to have multiple surgeries, but not willing to take a daily medication that will prevent hair loss in the first place.

It is important that we name the doctors who are NOT giving good results. Maybe we can prevent other guys from following in our footsteps. This is not "being negative". It is being POSITIVE. You may have helped someone avoid being damaged by a bad hair transplant in the future, by telling your experiences.