Regular Member martineaster Posted January 2, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted January 2, 2007 I am a UK resident looking into hair transplant with Hasson and Wong in Vancouver. Reading previous reviews of this clinic they do seem one of the best North America. Combined with the good Canadian Dollar exchange rate and cheap flights and H and W's accomodation and travel rembursement it does sound very appealing! My main concern is the online consultation and I was just wondering how any international client found this method of consultation? Did it give H and W an accurate perception of your hairloss, the potential graft yield and surgery costs? If I went ahead, would it be suitable it see them in person a day before surgery? How did you find the travelling? Was there any problems encountered at passport control and how easy is it to get to and from the clinic from the airport? Additionally how was the medical aftercare regarding painkillers etc for the trip bakc across the pond? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member martineaster Posted January 2, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted January 2, 2007 I am a UK resident looking into hair transplant with Hasson and Wong in Vancouver. Reading previous reviews of this clinic they do seem one of the best North America. Combined with the good Canadian Dollar exchange rate and cheap flights and H and W's accomodation and travel rembursement it does sound very appealing! My main concern is the online consultation and I was just wondering how any international client found this method of consultation? Did it give H and W an accurate perception of your hairloss, the potential graft yield and surgery costs? If I went ahead, would it be suitable it see them in person a day before surgery? How did you find the travelling? Was there any problems encountered at passport control and how easy is it to get to and from the clinic from the airport? Additionally how was the medical aftercare regarding painkillers etc for the trip bakc across the pond? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member HK500 Posted January 2, 2007 Senior Member Share Posted January 2, 2007 I have not been to H & W but from all the readings and testimonials I would feel 100% confident going there. The questions you have would be best answered by calling the office directly, many US patients fly to Vancouver for their HT's so by running a search you'll find their stories here (all positive) I don't recall someone flying in from the UK though. My Hair Loss Website - Hair Transplant with Dr. Siporin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill - Seemiller Posted January 2, 2007 Share Posted January 2, 2007 martineaster, Welcome to the forums and happy new year to you. Though I'm not from the UK (from PA in the US), I went to visith with Hasson and Wong on Oct 19th, 2006 and had my third surgery done. Though I didn't travel as far as you will if you get your surgery done there, I still traveled over 3000 miles to see them and I believe it was worth it entirely. To answer your questions: I believe their online consultation was very accurate. I was in touch with Joe Tillman (alias JoTronic) regularly and he answered all my questions. Dr. Hasson reviewed my photos and projected that I'd need between 3000-4000 to accomplish what I wanted. It's difficult for any doctor to fully project exactly how many grafts they can get because donor density and laxity isn't always easy to tell from photographs. But Dr. Hasson was right on the money and was able to pull off 3701 grafts which was on the higher end of the estimate (which is what I was hoping for). Surgery costs are standard, whether international or national. The price in US dollars is $4.50 per graft up to 2000 grafts and $2.50 per graft after that, which is very competitive especially considering they are a world class clinic. Traveling is always a pain in the neck because you have to sit in airports all day and coming from the UK, you'll be on a plane much longer than I will. I'm certain Dr. Hasson and/or Dr. Wong would have no problem with you coming into the clinic to visit with them the day before surgery...just talk to them to set it up. I didn't really have any problem with pain....sure there was some aching. I think I took one or two pain killers after the surgery and that was it. The rest of the time I took Tylenol and that did the trick. Feel free to read about my entire experience and see photos by clicking on the link below to my 3rd HT. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member hairbank Posted January 3, 2007 Senior Member Share Posted January 3, 2007 Hello martineaster- I'll share my H & W experience with you......... I consulted with Mike Ferko via the telephone and pics sent online. To his credit, after viewing my pics and asking me questions, he actually guessed how many grafts they would harvest and I believe he was within 100 grafts of the total after it was done. I don't know if he's psychic or what?? In all seriousness, he was really that close, unreal! From my prospective, nothing was misrepresented in the least. I didn't even go in the day before. Merely checked in my Hotel the night before and showed up the next morning at 6am and told them to hit a home run as far as the graft count goes. They were as cost competitive as anyone and did a first rate job all the way around. I didn't have the flight time you'll have, my trip was 4 hours there, 4 hours back. There were no problems for me as I didn't need a passport at that time (I understand that has now been changed) but I don't think it'll be a big deal with the passport. I even chose to take cash since you're not taxed if you pay in cash in Canada. Due to the large sum, I had to advise them I had it with me and go to a different counter, fill out a form then they sent me on my way. I was a little nervous about setting off the metal detector on the way back since I had staples in my noggin' but it didn't go off. Someone here posted earlier that the detector went off on them but they just lifted their hat, said "HT" and they tell you to put the hat back on quickly and get movin' ..............gross!! If I remember right they give you a pill to help you sleep the first night then Tylenol 3 after that. I really had very little discomfort. The staples get a little annoying after awhile, no pain really you're just ready to get them out by day 10............I was cleared to take mine out on day 8 and had my wife do it. Anyway, hope this helps. Let me know if you have other Q's! Hairbank 1st HT 1-18-05 - 1200 FUT's 2nd HT 2-15-06 - 3886 FUT's Dr. Wong 3rd HT 4-24-08 - 2415 FUT's Dr. Wong GRAND TOTAL: 7501 GRAFTS current regimen: 1.25mg finasteride every other day My Hair Loss Weblog Disclaimer: I'm not a Doctor (and have never played one on TV ) and have no medical training. Any information I share here is in an effort to help those who don't like hair loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member martineaster Posted January 3, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted January 3, 2007 Thanks for the info guys - I will probably send my online consultation off in the next couple of days and egerly await their feedback! Another question I forgot to ask is that were you aware of any travel and accomodation reembursement from H and W? Also Vancouver does seem more of a compact city than the likes of New York - what are travel links to H and W like from Vancouver airport? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill - Seemiller Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 They do give travel reimbursement, but believe it or not, I already forget the amount...maybe $400? Travel from the airport is VERY easy. Taxis are lined up everywhere once you go outside. you will most likely be booked at the Granville Island Hotel....very beautiful there. Just tell the taxi where you want to go and he'll/she'll take you there. When you are at the hotel, just tell them about 15 minutes in advance to call you a cab, and hasson and wong will call you a cab when you are at the clinic. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member hairbank Posted January 3, 2007 Senior Member Share Posted January 3, 2007 martin- In my case, H&W paid for 2 nights stay at the Granville Island Hotel then credited me 186 grafts which more than covered my airfare which was less than $400. As Bill mentioned, travel from Airport to Hotel....Hotel to H&W...no problem. A pretty short trip either way, no more than 10 minutes or so. I even had time to stop by the morning after my HT for H&W to clean the grafts before flying home. My original flight was supposed to go out around 10:30am but when I arrived at the airport around 8am the ticket agent said they had one leaving at 8:30am which I easily made. Oh...............forgot to mention I had to drive another 4 hours home after the flight so 8 hours or so total travel time each way. I didn't take any meds for the drive home and it was no big deal. Really it's quite an experience for the positive. Who knows, I may go back and "dense up" in a couple of years!! Hairbank 1st HT 1-18-05 - 1200 FUT's 2nd HT 2-15-06 - 3886 FUT's Dr. Wong 3rd HT 4-24-08 - 2415 FUT's Dr. Wong GRAND TOTAL: 7501 GRAFTS current regimen: 1.25mg finasteride every other day My Hair Loss Weblog Disclaimer: I'm not a Doctor (and have never played one on TV ) and have no medical training. Any information I share here is in an effort to help those who don't like hair loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member GrowPlease Posted January 3, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted January 3, 2007 I must agree with the above posts. My experience with Dr. Hasson has been nothing but positive all around. I feel like everyone must go through the anxiety of "will these staples make the metal detector go off?" Mine did not of course, but as someone who flys a lot, I know that can be quite embarrassing. And of course the granvile island hotel is in a gorgeous location as already mentioned. Its actually walking distance to the H & W clinic. I remember walking there and it only took about 20 minutes. The view is scenic too! Good luck! 0.5 mg Avodart daily since 6/19/06 1950 grafts with Dr. Hasson in the front line 6/19/06. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member martineaster Posted January 3, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted January 3, 2007 Well H and W seems a more appealing option now! I was interested in Dr Feller in New York and I was put off with the travel time from JFK to the hotels in Manhatten and subsequent distance the clinic is away from the Manhatten. I am very much a country boy and I did not enjoy my visit to New York last time. Talk about London being manic - NY is off the scale! I also know from my previous visit to Toronto that the Canadian authorities are a lot more welcoming and flexible than their US counterparts! I guess that is one of the perks of being a Commonwealth country! Thanks for your input and I'll keep you informed of my plans! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill - Seemiller Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 n my case, H&W paid for 2 nights stay at the Granville Island Hotel Oh yes...I forgot to include that. Hasson and Wong do this for all their patients. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member PB Posted January 4, 2007 Senior Member Share Posted January 4, 2007 You should contact Spex, a consultant for Dr Feller, as he is in the UK and can give you a face-to-face consultation. Spex is worth seeing even if you are going to H&W as he can estimate the number of grafts you will need after seeing you in person and you can compare his estimate to H&W's on-line estimate. He's happy to help anybody with hair problems even if they aren't going to Dr Feller and he won't try and put you off H&W. You don't necessarily have to stay in Manhattan for a HT with Dr Feller. Feller Medical is situated in Great Neck, a very quiet town, and there are plenty of hotels there. Great Neck is only half an hour away from the airports. The Andrew hotel in Great Neck allows discount for Feller patients and is only 5 mins away from the clinic. I saw Spex for my consultation in the UK and flew from Europe to NY for my HT with Dr Feller. I flew back 3 days after my HT and by that time I didn't need painkillers and didn't have any problems travelling at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Barca Posted January 13, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted January 13, 2007 martineaster Contact Londonlad (i believe he posts here). if not search for him in other ht forums. He had a mega session from H&W. http://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/blog/home-page.asp?WebID=235 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now