arfy

They just result in much greater risk of pitting and cobblestoning. Read the article "The Logic of Follicular Units" in the Reasearch Library section of this website. It proves mathematically that "Combo grafts" (Minigrafts) do not result in more density, just in less-efficient use of precious donor hair. You can't get any more dense than the natural pattern of FU grafts you have in your donor area (instead of saying "you can't" I should say "there is no need to"). Using that logic there is no need to use anything BUT follicular unit grafts. "Combo grafts" transplant too much excess scalp tissue along with the hair follicles. That is an outdated approach, with inferior results for the majority of patients. The best-looking results come when the scalp surface is disrupted as little as possible. When excess tissue is included along with the hair follicles ("combo grafts") the scalp surface tends to look bumpy and pluggy. By using ONLY microscopically-dissected follicular unit grafts, your grafts will appear to emerge from virgin scalp, and not a tiny "plug". Combo grafts look pluggy, and even if they did provide "more density" (which they do NOT) all the density in the world isn't worth a damn if your hair transplant looks pluggy! Density in your final result is NOT a function of graft size! It's a result of how closely you pack the grafts together. Also, FU grafts are able to be "dense-packed" so theoretically you could get MORE density from dense-packed FU grafts. The excess tissue included in non-FU grafts prevents them from being packed as tightly.

I don't know of Dr. Konior, but I know that there has been a lack of recommended HT surgeons in the Chicago area until recently. So I am curious to learn more about Dr. Konior as well. One place I can tell you to avoid like the plague is the Physicians Hair Transplant Center (PHTC) in Rosemont Illinois. This place was formerly a branch of Cleveland Hair Clinic (one of the worst-ever clinics) and is a "hair mill". All of the doctors associated with this clinic are hacks, and the salesman who lied to me repeatedly (Dick Malmin) still works there. I'm still waiting for my donor scars to "disappear" as Dick promised. He also said my transplant would be "undetectable", and a whole lot of other blatant lies, so he could get a commission off my "sale". Anybody who wants to learn more about these hacks can do so by clicking here. If there were any justice in this world, Dick Malmin would have been run over by a semitrailer by now. Any truck drivers out there, Dick Malmin is the second from the top in the left column: http://www.chicagobody.com/hair/results/ [This message was edited by arfy on August 20, 2002 at 06:58 PM.]

Find a local doctor, maybe a dermatologist. You can do a little research or just pick one out of the phone book who is conveniently located. Call their office and explain that you are a student and you don't have a local doctor, and you want a prescription for Propecia. Then ask if the doctor would be willing to write a prescription. If yes, schedule an appointment. (I say call and ask first, because I have heard there are some doctors out there who are not informed about Propecia). If money is an issue, see if there is a walk-in clinic or a free clinic, or even a doctor or clinic associated with your school. Call and ask if they would be willing to write a prescription. Good luck, hopefully with Propecia you should be able to stop any further loss.

If I remember correctly you are the 21-year old fellow who still has a reasonable amount of hair... You should consider travelling to New York to see Dr. Bernstein. He is considered one of the best HT surgeons in the world. He also does not give guys a hard-sell. If he tells you not to get a HT yet, believe him! I think NHI (the clinic Dr. Bernstein works with) does do seminars and open-houses in the Boston area. See if there is one scheduled for Boston on their website: www.newhair.com You should consider travelling to New York if there is nothing scheduled for Boston. Try calling their 800 number to see if there is one coming up. Be careful.

It's the world's most expensive comb. After using it your hair will be neater and less tangled.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> i'm prety sure that given a few more years, i'll will be in class 6 About 80% of the guys who use propecia can halt their hairloss in their tracks. Don't listen to me. Even the guy who runs this website thinks you should use Propecia and not go for the plastic surgery. Of course, some people just don't listen.<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> i met with MHR a few days ago, and the consultant put me in norwood 6!!! maybe my thinning pattern is like a 6. they sound pretty ok to me. Here's a hint for you... EVERY clinic you visit is going to "seem okay" to you. They're ALL going to seem "really nice" and "caring" and seem like they are real experts at what they do. That doesn't mean they are doing excellent HTs though. And if you settle for anything less than EXCELLENCE you will regret it! As I already said, though, you are too young and not bald enough yet for a HT. Of course, I'm sure you will find a clinic who will be happy to take your money... It always blows my mind that there are some guys who are not willing to take a once-a-day medication for prevention, but would rather let themselves go bald and undergo multiple surgeries instead. It's a crazy world.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> my hair loss is not really noticable yet but starting to be. You are not bald enough for a hair transplant yet. Lucky you! If you are REALLY lucky, you will never reach that point. A hair transplant now could be disasterous for you.<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> i dont really want to take drugs everyday. i want something permanent. i dont really want to wait. Hair transplants do not "prevent baldness". Even if you do decide to get a hair transplant, you would be smart to get on propecia immediately (and maybe Minoxidil). There is simply NOT enough donor hair to cover a completely bald head. In other words, it is crucial that you hang on to as much of your "natural hair" as possible. Whether you get a HT or not, you need to maintain that hair. You can probably accomplish that with Propecia and Minoxidil. There is at least one guy on this website who recommends a HT to every new guy here, no matter how young they are. However, there are a whole bunch of top doctors who have gone on record stating that guys in their twenties are usually not good candidates, unless they are already pretty bald. That doesn't sound like your situation. You sound like someone who should be using Propecia.<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> i'm really worried and it really bothers me alot. Join the club. Everybody who looks at this site feels the same way. The answer is NOT to get all desperate about it, and rush into something.<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>what do you think about MHR (medicalhairrestoration.com)?? I compare them to McDonald's, because of their massive advertising campaigns they have "millions served", however just like there are better hamburgers than what McDonalds sells, you can also do much better than MHR for a HT. <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> really want a transplant!!!... i want something permanent. i dont really want to wait.Dude, right now you totally sound like a lamb headed to the slaughter. You are such a cherry waiting to be picked. Before you decide "really want a transplant!!!" why don't you spend some time learning as much about HT as you possibly can? Maybe you will realize that you are NOT a good candidate yet, and realize that MHR is NOT where you should be spending your money.<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> what do you think i should do??I think you should get on Propecia and forget about HT for a while.

cmarshall88 David had his procedure quite recently, less than a month ago. His grafts are still likely to fall out. Just because his grafts haven't fallen out yet, might not mean anything significant. In fact, you could argue that having them fall out sooner actually means that "permanent" hair will begin to start growing sooner. As of yet, I have not heard anything about when your grafts fall out indicating a good or bad result. Maybe a doctor will chime in if this means anything in the long run?

You might want to consult with Dr. Bernstein in NYC. He is considered one of the best, and is also known for not giving guys a "hard sell". He also has a monthly open house where you can see former patients in person, which is very important. Keep in mind these guys are "best-case-scenarios" and your results will vary. We all have different ideas about what a great result should look like. Also, check if any of those guys at the open house had a similar amount of hair loss as you do, and similar hair characteristics, as you judge their results. I would see Dr. Bernstein personally, in addition to going to an open house. www.newhair.com

3 months is not long enough to give up on Propecia yet. Think of it as a long-term treatment. Even if you do decide to get a hair transplant at some point, you should stay on Propecia before, during and after your hair transplant, because it will usually help you retain your remaining "natural" hair, and that is crucial. The more natural hair you can retain, the better. Hair transplants do not prevent baldness. Also, the supply of donor hair is limited, and will not be enough to cover a completely bald head. It seems like you are just beginning to learn about hair transplants. If I were you I would look at the list of recommended doctors, and read each of their websites from top to bottom. Especially the websites of Dr. Shapiro and Dr. Bernstein. Be careful and think things over carefully. A hair transplant is permanent, and getting one is a big decision, as big a decision as getting married. Except you can't divorce a hair transplant. I see that you are from California. You might try consulting with Dr. McAndrews or New Hair Institute, and see what they say.

The loupes are used when creating the recipient sites and placing the grafts there. This supposedly helps the doctor avoid damaging healthy follicles in the recipient area. Clinics who use loupes (instead of microscopes) when dissecting grafts should be avoided. However, that is a different step in the process.

I agree that this sounds strange... Firebird also posted before, asking about Dr. Pistone. I guess nobody recognized Dr. Pistone's name, because nobody responded. He said that Dr. Pistone would use FUs...then he says "300 in the front and bigger grafts in the back". It makes it sound like Dr. Pistone is one of the doctors trying to use the term "FU" without actually using real FUs. Check it out: http://hairtransplantnetwork.atinfopop.com/4/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=664296335&f=374296335&m=6694011191

Dr Lehr is recommended by this site. If you look in the "find a great surgeon" section, you can get some info on Dr. Lehr, and check out his website.

Y@?X?stg means 'the most in one session". 4500 sounds familiar... Obviously some guys get more than 4500 total grafts, just not in a single session. There are some doctors who like to keep the grafts down to around 1500 per session, because they think there is a possibilty they will grow better when graft numbers are kept under a certain point. They prefer to err on the side of caution. Other docs are confident that sessions larger than that are no problem. "Maximum grafts per session" is an interesting topic, and maybe even a bit controversial. Just because a guy "could" get 4500 grafts in one session, is it actually a good idea?

Dr. Bernstein is a good person to consult with. Remember, you are only going in to talk to him tomorrow, not get a surgery yet. You still have plenty of time to think things over. So don't be nervous. My experience is that Dr. Bernstein does not try to talk anyone into a hair transplant, unlike many other clinics. Dr. Bernstein was recently on the Discovery Channel, on a program about cosmetic surgery. He said guys who are thinning should get on Propecia, and hopefully they will never need a transplant in the first place. The point is that he's willing to lose patients and potential income, in order to give out good advice. I think you can feel safe with him. How educated are you about hair transplants? The more you know about HT, the more in-depth you can get during your consultation. Look at the NHI website from top to bottom: www.newhair.com I think Dr. Bernstein is responsible for a lot of the content of the website, so you can get a good idea of what his philosophies are, by reading the site. Unlike most HT websites, the NHI website puts an emphasis on patient education, rather than "sales". Ask Dr. Bernstein if you can see some patients in person first, if you think you might decide to go ahead and get a HT. Good luck. Take your time and weigh your options carefully. And if Dr. Bernstein gives you advice, I would take it. PS: shaving your head is pretty much never an option after a hair transplant. I'm sure it's been done, but HT create scars. You should assume that the scars will prevent your shaved head from looking good.

Go to Google.com. Do a search on Graftcyte. You will find pages like this: http://www.anagen.net/ngcsin.htm By the way, I'm not certain that the need for GraftCyte is firmly established, in other words maybe not every doctor finds it essential...? Which doctors use GraftCyte after-care? Which ones just recommend GraftCyte shampoo? Check out this interview with Dr. McAndrews (recommended by this website) where he discusses GraftCyte (this is page 4, but the whole interview is good, I suggest reading the whole thing. He addresses the FU vs. Minigraft issue, for example): http://www.regrowth.com/hair_loss_interviews/paul_mcandrews_interview_4.cfm

It might be a "pit", as your description sounds like a description for pitting. You probably need to have someone look at it, to say what it is for sure. Pits can happen sometimes when the grafts are not seated correctly, or if the recipient sites are too big. They are usually associated with Minigrafts, and should not occur with true FU grafts. It's possible that they will "fill in" and level off, although that is wishful thinking. If it is actually truly pitted, they will probably always stay pitted. I would contact your doctor, and ask him what is causing this. There may be a way to correct it. Also, hopefully it is not noticeable to anyone but you. If it is only two grafts, I suspect that may be true.

Nobody here said "hair transplants are evil". I certainly didn't. The truth is there are a lot of HT doctors who do not do first-class work. Why do you think there are only 30 doctors being recommended by this website, out of 3000 HT doctors? It's because the skill level and quality among the doctors varies widely. Not very many HT surgeons could be considered "excellent". You really have to watch your own step, because there is nobody who can protect you. So guys need to protect themselves, by educating themselves about the pros AND the cons of hair transplants... BOTH sides! If you can't handle the truth of that, you have your head in the sand. If you go to a recommended doctor, you'll probably be fine. I don't know of Jerry Cooley's work, and I don't automatically recommend for every single guy to go out and get a HT, as Jebster seems to like doing. What I do say is make sure you get it right the first time. Don't settle for an "okay" one. Minimize the risks with a doctor who is world-class, and know everything you can about HT before you walk through the door. That way, you and the surgeon can have an educated discussion. There are some guys who dumbly believe that statements like mine are "negative", and they get their feelings hurt because they think they have to defend "all" the hair transplants and ALL the doctors from criticism. There is actually absolutely nothing "negative" about what I say. If you listen and read and learn and are able to choose carefully, you will almost certainly have a POSITIVE experience. Words of caution are necessary, to protect the uninformed newbies. That's a fact. That's why this website exists in the first place. I wish I had somebody to tell ME "be careful" before I had my HT! As far as "nasty" comments, Jebster likes to go out of his way to needle me. He's like my snotty little baby sister, who tries to rile me. I'm just needling him back. Good luck.

It sounds like a significant markup being tacked on, by your clinic. Check out the prices for Graftcyte online, for an identical course of treatment, and I bet you will find out this is true. Your doctor is already making plenty of money on your surgery. He should not be gouging you on additional treatments.

Jebster Can you read? I only tell guys not to get a transplant unless they are at least Norwood 3. Look at my posts and you will see that I've said that over and over again, countless times. Your long rant about me supposedly saying HT are only for fully bald men, just shows you are too dumb to follow along and understand what is being said. Talking to you is like talking to a tree stump. A tree stump who plays fast and loose with the truth, who puts words into my mouth, and who has a hissy fit whenever anything negative is said about hair transplants. Lets see your great results and "full head of hair". Put up or shut up. Or better yet, just shut up. You contribute nothing intelligent to this forum. Care to "postulate" why? Hey, how come your guy Joe Greco PHD is not recommended by this site? LOL. Maybe you should start a charity to send Joe Greco to Medical School?

My surgeon is not listed here, Jebster. He is not "X" or "Y". When I had my procedures, I DID "listen to my gut". I also saw a list of impressive credentials. He looked like a great doctor. I got taken by a con man, Carlos Puig of Houston Texas. Take the test, "Chicken Little"! Trust your gut! Don't be bitter if you are wrong! Forgive yourself! Don't blame the industry if you are wrong! Isn't that your advice? Go for it!

This is dedicated to Jebster. He says that the reason that people like me say words of warning about Hair Transplants, is because we are "bitter" because we "didn't research our surgeon enough". So lets discuss the issue of credentials. Here's your chance to show how easy it is to "do your homework". Okay, then. Look at these credentials and vote, to say whether these two doctors look legitimate and trustworthy. Just for argument's sake, lets say both doctors' consultants look great, and they both showed you some really nice looking photos as well. Who is worth your time? Do your homework, and vote on "Dr. X" and "Dr. Y" Which one is a good choice or bad choice? I've taken all information from the doctors' own websites. I've left out any local credentials that might be a giveaway. And it's possible that one or both doctors might do all their own consultations, but since some people claim this isn't an issue, I'm not telling. No more clues! Ready? Research the surgeons, and don't be bitter if you lose! "Dr. X" Dr X is "dedicated" to providing the highest quality results available. Patients travel from all over the US to see him. Dr. X has specialized exclusively in hair restoration surgery since the early 90's. Since that time he has performed over 3,000 procedures. He is one of the first doctors to become board certified by the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery. (ABHRS) He was the Medical Director of a group of 13 clinics. During that time he trained numerous physicians and surgical assistants his methods of hair restoration. Dr.X has also trained doctors from several foriegn countries. Memberships: <UL TYPE=SQUARE>Diplomate-American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery Diplomate-American Board of Emergency Medicine, 1989-1999 International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (member) European Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (member) American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery (Board of Directors) Over 20 different lecures at various international hair transplant conferences Several articles published in "Hair Transplant Forum" _________________________ "Dr. Y" Dr. Y has performed over 30,000 hair transplant procedures. Dr. Y is Board Certified by the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery. Dr. Y ran a training program for Dermatology residents, at a major hospital, in hair restoration surgery. Dr. Y has had articles published in "Dermatologic Surgery" and the "American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery". Dr. Y was the "featured speaker" at an International Hair Transplant conference. Dr. Y has appeared on TV several times, to discuss the finer points of hair transplantation. Memberships: <UL TYPE=SQUARE> American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery (Board certified) American Hair Loss Council (National Medical Director) American Hair Loss Council (Board of Directors) American Medical Association (member) American Academy Of Cosmetic Surgery (Full Fellow) American Society Of Hair Restoration Surgery (Charter Member) International Society Of Hair Restoration Surgery (Active Member) American Society For Dermatologic Surgery (Member) Inter-American Society Of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons (member) ____________________ Okay, one of these doctors might be top-notch, and one of these doctors might be really bad. Or they might BOTH be really good, or both really bad! Who is who? Vote! No Cheating!

This is dedicated to Jebster. He says that the reason that people like me say words of warning about Hair Transplants, is because we are "bitter" because we "didn't research our surgeon enough". So lets discuss the issue of credentials. Here's your chance to show how easy it is to "do your homework". Okay, then. Look at these credentials and vote, to say whether these two doctors look legitimate and trustworthy. Just for argument's sake, lets say both doctors' consultants look great, and they both showed you some really nice looking photos as well. Who is worth your time? Do your homework, and vote on "Dr. X" and "Dr. Y" Which one is a good choice or bad choice? I've taken all information from the doctors' own websites. I've left out any local credentials that might be a giveaway. And it's possible that one or both doctors might do all their own consultations, but since some people claim this isn't an issue, I'm not telling. No more clues! Ready? Research the surgeons, and don't be bitter if you lose! "Dr. X" Dr X is "dedicated" to providing the highest quality results available. Patients travel from all over the US to see him. Dr. X has specialized exclusively in hair restoration surgery since the early 90's. Since that time he has performed over 3,000 procedures. He is one of the first doctors to become board certified by the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery. (ABHRS) He was the Medical Director of a group of 13 clinics. During that time he trained numerous physicians and surgical assistants his methods of hair restoration. Dr.X has also trained doctors from several foriegn countries. Memberships: <UL TYPE=SQUARE>Diplomate-American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery Diplomate-American Board of Emergency Medicine, 1989-1999 International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (member) European Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (member) American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery (Board of Directors) Over 20 different lecures at various international hair transplant conferences Several articles published in "Hair Transplant Forum" _________________________ "Dr. Y" Dr. Y has performed over 30,000 hair transplant procedures. Dr. Y is Board Certified by the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery. Dr. Y ran a training program for Dermatology residents, at a major hospital, in hair restoration surgery. Dr. Y has had articles published in "Dermatologic Surgery" and the "American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery". Dr. Y was the "featured speaker" at an International Hair Transplant conference. Dr. Y has appeared on TV several times, to discuss the finer points of hair transplantation. Memberships: <UL TYPE=SQUARE> American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery (Board certified) American Hair Loss Council (National Medical Director) American Hair Loss Council (Board of Directors) American Medical Association (member) American Academy Of Cosmetic Surgery (Full Fellow) American Society Of Hair Restoration Surgery (Charter Member) International Society Of Hair Restoration Surgery (Active Member) American Society For Dermatologic Surgery (Member) Inter-American Society Of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons (member) ____________________ Okay, one of these doctors might be top-notch, and one of these doctors might be really bad. Or they might BOTH be really good, or both really bad! Who is who? Vote! No Cheating!

Any negative comments or words of warning, now get twisted by you into "they're trashing ALL the hair transplant surgeons!" Ridiculous! You're like Chicken Little, as soon as anything less than positive gets said, "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" You said "Why dash a truly concerned and interested person's hopes by making blanket statements that all HT surgeons are liars or can't be trusted?" You're just making this garbage up, now! You're trying to put words into peoples' mouths, and trying to pin your hysteria on others. I have never EVER said "all HT surgeons are liars". I don't know of anyone in this forum who has! You also said "the lesson is not that you can't get a good HT anywhere!" and "you...broadly brush all clinics and surgeons negatively..." This is complete and utter nonsense. Get ahold of yourself, Jebster! Get a grip! Stop projecting your opinions of me, onto who I actually am! Stop making stuff up! Believe it or not, our goals are the same! I want guys to only get "fantastic-looking results". However you choose to portray anyone who doesn't see things YOUR way as a "fool". You choose to make things antagonistic, by criticizing other people personally, instead of sticking with the issues and staying on topic. If you are so golly gosh-durned ECSTATIC about your hair transplant, why don't you send Pat some "before and after" shots? What looks good to you, might not look so hot to somebody else. Lets see the great results you got from when YOU did YOUR homework.

The words "reputable doctor" are meaningless when it comes to Hair Transplants. Take Dr. Gary Hitzig, for example. He wrote a book on hair loss, has been interviewed on TV many times, has patented his own tools, and is Medical Director of a surgeons' organization (The American Hair Loss Council I believe). He's been doing transplants for like 20 years or more. Sounds pretty impressive, right? What if I told you Gary Hitzig is one of the all-time worst hair transplant doctors, who is currently being sued by something like 80 patients? He was also exposed in the NY Daily News for hiring and training a Brooklyn Sanitation worker (garbage man) to work in his office and perform hair transplant surgery. www.injuryassist.com for information on the lawsuits against Long Island Medical. http://www.nydailynews.com/2000-06-18/News_and_Views/Scandal_Sheet/a-70345.asp for the article "A Hair-Raising Tale of Deception" The field of hair transplantation is absolutely SWAMPED with hacks and crooks, in my opinion. If it wasn't, a website like Hairtransplantnetwork wouldn't really be necessary. All I can suggest you do is look at the list of recommended surgeons here, and use that as a jumping-off point to narrow down your choices. Talent among HT surgeons varies widely. Go to those doctors' web sites, and read every one from top to bottom. Read "the Best Procedure" on the left here. Educate yourself fully, so when you do go consult with a clinic, you will know what questions to ask (and what the answers should be). You can't leave anything to chance, because unfortunately, the world of hair transplants is full of pitfalls and con-men. If you have any doubts, keep asking questions and thinking things over. [This message was edited by arfy on June 06, 2002 at 07:36 PM.]