phoneguy

16inchscar, I agree with Dewayne. Also, surgeons today are using such advanced technology that the transplants are virtually undetectable to the human eye. If the "scars that will be with you the rest of your life" comment is referring to the donor area, a quality surgeon would have closed the area in a way that would have left a very fine scar-line. If the "scars" are referring to the recipent area, well, then, that is just bad work performed by a bad surgeon. The good news is that is doesn't have to stay that way. Several surgeons on this site have done corrective work in addition to performing additional transplants. You may have noticed that Dwayne had about 50 mini graphs removed by Dr. Cooley during his recent procedure. Everyone on this site is here to help individuals like yourself make the best decision for you. It's hard to understand your frustrations, and be in a position to help correct the situation, if needed, without seeing some pics to help make recommendations.

All, Again, referring to Dr. Friedman, I used descriptors like "highly regarded" and "quality job." It wasn't my intention to question his work ethic. That said, anytime someone can have the surgeon do 90% of the grafts themselves, I think most would agree you are getting a very intimate procedure performed by a highly-skilled surgeon. Given the choice, with all other factors equal, I'd much rather have the surgeon perform the graft placement over a skilled technician. It would be interesting to see how Dr. Alexander, Dr. Shapiro, and some of the other elite surgeons on this site handle the graft placement process.

Kaelen, I had two procedures with Dr. Friedman: 1500 grafts in 2002 and 1050 grafts in 2005. Although he did a good job, I really expected better results after two procedures. After recently having my third procedure with Dr. Cooley in Charlotte, NC., I now am in a better position to make some general comparisons. First, Dr. Friedman didn't place ANY of the grafts on either of my procedures; that task was left up to his assistants. Conversely, Dr. Cooley placed about 90% of all the grafts I just had done. That makes me question the overall involvement of Dr. Friedman. Just because someone has 20+ years in the industry doesn't mean he/she has the passion, drive, desire for perfection, etc. My experience with Dr. Cooley far exceeded the actual procedures I received with Dr. Friedman. Obviously, I won't be able to compare the final results from Dr. Cooley's procedure for several months. If I lived in AZ., my pick would be Dr. Alexander. Like others on this site have said, his work is outstanding.

dakota3 and HairDew, I really didn't want to name names in this review, but, since you both asked, I feel obligated. My first two procedures were performed by Dr. Shelley Friedman in Phoenix, AZ. At the time, I lived in Las Cruces, NM. and he was highly regarded. Dr. Friedman did do a quality job but, looking back, I now can compare him to Dr. Cooley and other surgeons on this site. First, Dr. Friedman didn't place ANY of the grafts during either procedure. Compared to Dr. Cooley who placed about 90% of the grafts himself, I feel Dr. Friedman really should have been more actively involved in the entire procedure. Second, just because someone has been in practice for over 20 years doesn't mean they are the best at what they do. I'm not here to bash any surgeon and certainly Dr. Friedman did a nice job. I felt somewhat disappointed by the fact that he led me to believe the second procedure would complete my journey. When I decided to have this third procedure, I really did my homework. I could have went back to Dr. Friedman but I honestly thought I could do better. That said, my total experience with Dr. Cooley far exceeded that of Dr. Friedman. I just feel that surgeons like Dr. Cooley are perfectionist, totally dedicated to each transplant they perform, and base their entire practice on high ethical standards. I can say, I have looked at the work of both Dr. Alexander and Dr. Keene. Both of these surgeons do excellent work. If you are looking for a quality job in the AZ area, I would recommend either of them. From everything I've seen and read, Dr. Alexander and Dr. Keene have the same high quality results I received with Dr. Cooley.

I had 1947 grafts with Dr. Jerry Cooley in Charlotte, NC on 05/08/08. I had two previous procedures performed by a highly-regarded surgeon in Phoenix in 2002 and 2005. I just want to say that Dr. Cooley is in a league all his own. Obviously, there are other great surgeons listed on this site, but there are some intangible things that I believe separate the men from the boys. Without going into great detail, Dr. Cooley is a prefectionist, he graduated magna cum laude from med school, and he performs much of the actual graft placement himself. I wanted to find a surgeon who had these kind of qualities. One other intangible aspect that separates Dr. Cooley from the others is his passion for what he does. This is a guy who wants nothing but the best for each and every patient he sees. I don't normally take the time to express my opinions regarding various services I receive. I felt compelled to make this post for a couple of reasons. One, I truly believe Dr. Cooley and his staff deserve recognition for the great work they do each day. Second, I've now had three hair transplants and have a pretty good understanding of what attributes to look for in a quality surgeon. I want to take this opportunity to let anyone thinking about a hair transplant know that Dr. Cooley is one of the best. Maybe one day, you too can be Cooleyfied. The legend lives on...

I was researching HT doctors and had an interesting response from Dr. Fisher's office in Nashville. When discussing price, I assumed his office would quote the total price based on a "per graft" basis. Instead, they told me their pricing is based on the total number of grafts + a facility fee. For example, the cost of a 1500 graft procedure was $8500 + a $750 facility fee. The total cost for a 1500 graft procedure was $9250, or almost $6.25 per graft. Based on reading some previous messages, I was thinking the cost should be around $4-$5 per graft. My gut feeling is that Dr. Fisher is a little high. Any thoughts?

I was researching HT doctors and had an interesting response from Dr. Fisher's office in Nashville. When discussing price, I assumed his office would quote the total price based on a "per graft" basis. Instead, they told me their pricing is based on the total number of grafts + a facility fee. For example, the cost of a 1500 graft procedure was $8500 + a $750 facility fee. The total cost for a 1500 graft procedure was $9250, or almost $6.25 per graft. Based on reading some previous messages, I was thinking the cost should be around $4-$5 per graft. My gut feeling is that Dr. Fisher is a little high. Any thoughts?