Considering hair transplant surgery...

[SCUSC]

Ok, I think I posted my first post in the wrong area...so I'm going to cut and paste it here.Ok, I admit it...I'm SCARED of getting this done. My hair has been thinning for about 10 years. I guess I'm fortunate because I've never had a rapid hair loss, just VERY slow, but steady hair loss. You can see my scalp when I bend over. I've tried Rogaine and Propecia, but with little results. I even talked to the Hair Club For Men people...but a hairpiece is NOT for me.

 

So, now I'm researching hair transplant surgery. It's AMAZING how many differing opinions there are...and VERY confusing. I even saw a website that said hair transplant surgery never works like the doctors say, and that you'll never get the results that are shown in before and after pics. Then I found this website, and most of what I read makes it sound like it's the ONLY true option. So now I'm completely confused.

 

And I hope I'm not stepping on any toes here, but I've noticed that one or two doctors names are continuosly mentioned here. Is this website and board affiliated with these doctors, and maybe doing some advertising for them? I'm skeptical by nature, so I was just wondering.

 

My BIGGEST fear is having a crappy job done with my hair transplant, then I'm screwed. I would like to get this done without anyone I work with knowing about it. I can take the week after surgery off, but I'm still concerned about this.

 

Ok, I feel like I've rambled...but I wondered if anyone else has had the same worries as I do.

 

Any responses would be greatly appreciated.

[SCUSC]

Ok, I think I posted my first post in the wrong area...so I'm going to cut and paste it here.Ok, I admit it...I'm SCARED of getting this done. My hair has been thinning for about 10 years. I guess I'm fortunate because I've never had a rapid hair loss, just VERY slow, but steady hair loss. You can see my scalp when I bend over. I've tried Rogaine and Propecia, but with little results. I even talked to the Hair Club For Men people...but a hairpiece is NOT for me.

 

So, now I'm researching hair transplant surgery. It's AMAZING how many differing opinions there are...and VERY confusing. I even saw a website that said hair transplant surgery never works like the doctors say, and that you'll never get the results that are shown in before and after pics. Then I found this website, and most of what I read makes it sound like it's the ONLY true option. So now I'm completely confused.

 

And I hope I'm not stepping on any toes here, but I've noticed that one or two doctors names are continuosly mentioned here. Is this website and board affiliated with these doctors, and maybe doing some advertising for them? I'm skeptical by nature, so I was just wondering.

 

My BIGGEST fear is having a crappy job done with my hair transplant, then I'm screwed. I would like to get this done without anyone I work with knowing about it. I can take the week after surgery off, but I'm still concerned about this.

 

Ok, I feel like I've rambled...but I wondered if anyone else has had the same worries as I do.

 

Any responses would be greatly appreciated.

[Monty]

You should be skeptical and do not trust hair transplant doctors. I among many others regret the surgery.

[SCUSC]

Can you be a little specific please? What happened, and why do you regret it? Also, did you use a "reputable" doctor? I'd be curious to see who regrets it and who is thrilled. Your reponse makes me even more nervous.

[arfy]

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.]

[JEBSTER]

Look friend, you are on the right track. By doing your homework and learning all you can...you will be fine! First, don't be confused by those that flat out try and convince you not to continue on your journey. Some of these guys are very bitter because they failed to investigate their HT surgeon enough prior to their surgery. As sad as they may seem...it does not mean that the miracle of Ht technology is not a wonderful thing. What it does mean is that you can learn from their mistakes if you are smart and careful. Use this site to research the latest info and send for 5 or 6 different surgeon's packets and if you want call and talk to some of their patients and by all means go and see them perform a procedure and run you fingers through som transplanted hair. Take you time and get up to speed. Send for Dr. Rassman and Bernsteins marketing package which includes "The Patient's Guide To hair Restoration." Email some Docs and talk to them over the phone and set up some interviews. This process has been accomplished by me and thousands of other regular folks with great success. There are bad HT surgeons out in the world...but there are lots of great ones too! If you are not on Proscar and Minoxidil...get on it, and if you are determined to find the truth and accept it when you do, it will work out just fine!! Good Luck! Jebster(Veteran of 6 Ht procedures and a very happy former Hairless wonder)

[Guest]

You can do this right. Like Jebster says, just take care and take your time. I agree with him--you just have to make yourself do the extra work in order to choose the right doc for you. And while I am only a veteran of two HTs, and I can't ever imagine having six of them, I have to say I admire Jebster for his stamina, persistence, and cheery outlook. But no kidding, his cheery outlook is likely in large part to the positive results that were achieved by he and his surgeon. I believe that because that is what has happened with me. I wouldn't trade back my results for five times the money I spent. I feel very, very good about the way I look compared to the way I did before. I receive compliments every day from friends, family and associates. I am one of those who did not hide the whole ordeal, and it has been nothing but positive in every way. Not one person has laughed, ridiculed, or even kidded me about my vanity. In fact, quite the opposite. And I know they are respectful in part because of the fine results. I owe my doc a huge thank you for the absolutely fine work he has done on my formerly bald top. I may do one more procedure, but I am still waiting for the second to show itself. I am patient and I have no doubts as to its results, the first one having been so incredible. My estimation is perhaps five or six more weeks of waiting and I should be even more estatic. I wish you the best, and I am sure you'll get the best, if you just take care to do it right.

 

Cliff Smith (real name)

[Monty]

"Don't be fooleed by fools"

 

The world must be full of fools because many people have had sub standard hair grafting surgery.

 

"Take you time and get up to speed. Send for Dr. Rassman and Bernsteins marketing package which includes "The Patient's Guide To hair Restoration."

 

I understand Dr. Bernstein is good and Dr. Rassman

is not.

[JEBSTER]

I really don't understand why some folks find it so hard to believe that quality HT procedures are available if one searches with an informed approach! I almost think that inspite of the wealth of knowledge and websites like this that are out in the public domain, some people who have had a personal bad experience simply choose to ignore the advances and the availability of good solid technology! Instead of reading "The Patient's Giude To Hair Restoration", they choose to blindly attack the authors. 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? It simple is not the truth!! I believe that there are far more patient's of good procedures today than ever before. Yes people like Monty have had a bad experience and we all need to learn from them, but the lesson is not that you can't get a good HT anywhere! I know that that is simply hogwash! This site is for people just like the fellow who started this thread... those that are wanting the truth and are sincere when they seek our advice. Why don't we give them the good and the bad surgeons and not just through them into a greater state of confusion than when they started their search! I am grateful to a person who presents sound evidence of a shady surgeon, however, I am not in favor of trashing an individual's reputation based on inuendo or personal animosity toward the industry alone. If you are going to broadly brush all clinics and surgeons negatively, why logon to a site that was created to help folks find the best procedures and the best folks to perform them! Jebster

[arfy]

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.

[JEBSTER]

Arfy, I'm so glad to see that you think it's alright for me to address you again. I thought you said "don't talk to me", but it seems that every post I make you feel threatened by so, lets get to the facts. When Monty says "you can't trust hair transplant doctors" that means in english...they are liars and can't be trusted! I was mentioning Monty in my post and I'm sure you felt the need to jump to his defense, but as usual you don't appreciate a debate about the issues unless it agrees with every thought you put on a thread! Try addressing the issue at hand instead of getting you little worm tristed in a knot! Monty doesn't think anyone should trust a HT surgeon period. Read it for yourself. You on the other hand think Ht are for totally bald men only, which is beyond logical understanding. All good surgeons will tell you that if you are on Proscar and 5% minoxidil and have stopped your fallout, then the best and most productive time to start a HT procedure is when you have hair to work with! Everyone can't be a Norwood 6-7 before they start a HT. Why would you want them to wait until they looked like you did if they can start sooner! I have seen you and Monty discourage (yes that's right discourage) a 34 y.o. male Norwood 4 who had been on proscar for years from having a procedure. I was a 4 at 33 y.o. when I started and if I had not started then and continued with my informed and intelligent game plan, I wouild be a 6 by now. Today at 4.5 months post op from my last 1500 plus FUT, I have a full(yes I said Full)head of hair. Like Docs on this site say, "If you are patient and have realistic goals) you can achieve your goal! Try to look at the BIG PICTURE Arfy, Hair Transplants done the right way with all the assistants of other treatments available(ie., proscar, minoxildil, etc.)are for balding men of all types from N-3 to N-7, including an 18 y.o. who is already as bald as you were when you started your journey! It can be done right and is a good viable option if you are not comfortable with a piece or shaving you head. Thanks for letting me debate you again it's always fun and never personal with me!!!HA! Jebster

[arfy]

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?

[SCUSC]

Sorry...I didn't mean to start a thread that would end up so nasty. I'm just new to all of this...and now more confused than ever. Some say HT's are evil...and some say they changed their lives for the better. I have my first consultation tomorrow, and this doctor IS recommended by this site. I don't want to go to the time and expense of travelling around the country for different consultations...especially is Dr. Cooley is a good one. The problem is...do I trust my judgement, and the judgement of this site? Is that a risk? It's all kinda scarey. But I'm still a RELATIVELY young guy (36), with very thin hair...and if I can do something about it now, then I want to. I still have to attract a mate. (and NO, that's not the real reason I want to do this...it's totally for me)

[arfy]

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.

[SCUSC]

Thanks arfy...I appreciate everyone's comments...both pro and con. I wanna hear everyone's opinions. And I've certainly heard lots.

[JEBSTER]

ARFY, WHY CAN'T I BE THE SNOTTY BIG SISTER???? WITTLE BABY JEBSTER

[Guest]

sounds like there are obviously good stories and bad. i'm still in the middle of deciding what to do regarding my hairloss. rogaine has helped a bit for me, but had loss of drive on the propecia. a buddy of mine had a transplant where they used microscopes. he clearly has more hair now and it looks natural. i'd like to do it too, but don't have a lot of dough

[Larry Leonard]

I hope your consultation on the 11th has answered most of your questions and eased some of your fears about the HT procedure and the results you should expect. The consultation process was originally designed to be an educational experience, not a high pressure sale. The first sign that a transplant surgeon or his consultant aren't looking out for your best interest is the high pressure sale. I have heard other patients refer to these types of offices as used car salesmen. These are the offices you want to avoid like the plague. The decision you will make is a big one, considering the fact that a hair transplant will last for the rest of your life.

 

The first thing you need to understand is that there are some physicians who perform this procedure looking through dollar signs instead of the by the code by which every physician is supposed to practice medicine, "thou shall do no harm". That is not to say there aren't good doctors performing the procedure, you just have to do a little leg work to find a quality surgeon. Here are a few questions you can ask to help in your selection process:

How long has the doctor been doing h/t?

Is he/she board certified by the American Board of Hair Restorative Surgeons?

Is he/she associated with the International Society of Hair Restorative Surgeons?

Does he regularly attend the meetings held all over the world for strictly h/t surgeons and the technicians who support them?

How much experience do his/her technicians have?

What type of magnification does he/she implement for graft disection/placement?

You can usually ask these questions by simply making a phone call. If the answers you receive make you fell comfortable, then schedule a consultation to interview the doctor. Remember, he/she is providing a service for you, not the other way around. You will need to have complete confidence in your choice from day one, other wise your experience will be riddled with concern and aggravation.

Any doctor can move hair from the back of your head (the donor area) to the top or front of your scalp. We have obtained so much knowledge about h/t over the past twenty five years the results only vary from surgeon to surgeon because of the type of procedure they prescribe to. The major difference in h/t surgeons is their ability to perform an artistic transplant. You should begin your search with the thirty physicians listed by this website. Each of these doctors have impecable reputations for patient care and are considered to be leaders of the industry. That is why Pat has selected them. You will be extremely pleased with any one of these doctors.

Good luck with your search for the right h/t surgeon.

 

Larry Leonard

Surgical Hair Staffing Innovations LLC

shsionline.com