Making a decision about an HT is a nightmare

[no hair sux]

One day I'm confident of what I want to do and the next I'm wondering if this is a big mistake. It's enough to make me pull my remaining hair out.

 

Maybe I read these forums(not just this one) too much, but seeing doctors bickering and accusations of "forum plants" make me worry about what is real and what is manufactured. How did you guys make a decision??

[no hair sux]

One day I'm confident of what I want to do and the next I'm wondering if this is a big mistake. It's enough to make me pull my remaining hair out.

 

Maybe I read these forums(not just this one) too much, but seeing doctors bickering and accusations of "forum plants" make me worry about what is real and what is manufactured. How did you guys make a decision??

[Bill - Seemiller]

no hair sux,

 

There is no set process...but basically, you either need to decide that you want to restore some of your hair and accept the risks that go along with surgery or you decide not to do it. The decision is solely yours, and nobody can help you make up your mind. It wouldn't even be right of me to try to sway you one way or another. There are many who love their decision, there are some that hate it. But the ones that love it, are typically the ones who have gone to doctors who have proven themselves. So I'd say, if you decide to go for it, go to one of the best so you feel confident.

 

Bill

[the B spot]

This is a really good question.....

 

First, do some surface research on docs that you think might fit the criteria YOU need (ie, density, naturalness, session sizes, cost, geography, etc..) without placing ANY emphasis on any specific point. Make a list.

If your like me, that will be about 15-20 docs!!

 

Second, research reputation.

Do this online, look at before and afters, and PM current patients. Speak on the phone with as many patients as you can. Find patients who live nearby and ask to meet them to view their results.

 

Third, narrow your list down, to a top 5-7 Docs that you think can meet or exceed your goals. Begin communication with each clinic by phone, email or go in person. NOTE, I did not say to contact any clinic until you have gathered enough information to comfortable speaking about your situation.

 

Compare and contrast the results of these consults.

 

Here is where you list your Docs like this:

 

Dr X says 2200-2600 grafts 9-10,500 (8 hrs away)

Dr.Y says 2500-3000 grafts 10-11,500 (local)

Dr. Z says 1800-2000 grafts 11,000 (long plane ride)

Etc...

Etc...

This is where you decide what YOU like/dislike about a particular Doc and what means the most to YOU.

 

AFTER you narrow your list down to 1-3 Docs that you feel 100% sure will meet or exceed you wants/needs, then figure geography and cost into the equation.

 

I know that I narrowed my list down to Dr. Ron Shapiro, Dr. Jerry Wong, and Dr. Ray Konier.

Both Dr Shapiro and Wong were hours away, and Dr. Konier was about 45 min from my house. Once I eliminated Dr. Konier from my list, I was left with 2 Docs, each of whom quoted me around the same number of grafts Shapiro 2500+, Wong 3000, possibly more.

 

Once I met with Dr. Shapiro and Matt Zupan in person, I knew I was at the right place for ME.

 

Notice I was choosing between 2 of the best in the world, but that is my experience.

 

You just need to make sure that you are doing what is right for YOU personally, and not what everyone else is doing.

 

However, you will find that the reason 5-6 Docs are always busy is simply because they meet and exceed patient expectations EVERY time.

 

I think at this time, our membership has the benefit of getting REAL, UNBIASED feedback, whereas a few years ago it was difficult to sift through the marketing hype. You guys now have several clear and easy choices to choose from and making a decision to use any Coalition Doc becomes easy at this point.

 

If you get to the point where you just can't decide between 2-3 Docs, PM myself, Bill, Pat, Hairbank, Jotronics, Gorpy, Robert, etc... and I think all of us will spend some time talking on the phone with just about anyone in order to help anyone out. (if I missed anyone, its because I am on meds right now LOL!)

 

Anyway, just relax a bit and PM me if you get too stressed out. I'll come over and whack you on the head with a hammer or something

[hairbank]

no hair-

 

Great thread. Yes, for most, the decision to get a HT is a very difficult one indeed!

 

My comrades haven given you excellent advice. Personally, I'll just mention that if you're as stressed as you appear about this, maybe you're trying to make it happen too quickly?? Slow down, take a deep breath and do the necessary research to get the comfort level you need one way or the other. It's definitely a process.

 

I agree with B spot in that I do believe the guidence we provide here is unbiased and legit.....all the way. The occasional shill is usually quickly exposed, then promptly tarred and feathered .

 

Feel free to PM me if you need anything else.............glad to correspond with you personally or chat by phone.

 

Hang in there!

[rjvw]

No Hair Sux.....Hey, everyone here has gone thru the same emotional roller coaster. Should I or shouldn't I? How will it look? Will anyone notice that I had a HT? Even, will I look worse than before? Or even worse, not natural........For me it was deciding I am not happy with my current hair and I am willing to do something about it. Next it was get educated? Learn as much as possible. Get feedback. Find the best of the best doctors. And then go with your gut feeling. If you do all that then you should be put at ease. There's a reason that these Doctors are paid such large sums of money. They do great work.

[Guest Cousin_It]

No Hair Sux...

 

Basically the best way is read..read..read. There is no shortcut in obtaining the information you are looking for. Use this forum as a launching pad for your search. Take a look at our Hair Transplant Patient Photo Albums, see the type of results obtained by various members. Read what members have to say, good and bad, about doctors and ask a lot of questions. Over a period of time you will begin to get the feel of which way to turn.

 

Your option at this age is probably not even a transplant. Perhaps your hair loss should be addressed through the use of medications. This should be your first choice in the battle of hair loss. Stabilize your condition, perhaps even grow back a portion of what has been lost. After a period of a year or so, if they results do not make you happy, consider a transplant.

 

You really have to take your time in making decisions, especially at your age. Mistakes made now can haunt you as you grow older. We are all here to help you, we have been in your shoes before and can sympathize. So start checking out the info on this site and ask questions, its the only way. Good Luck!

[no hair sux]

As always, thanks for the thoughts, gentlemen. Usually I'm a bit impulsive, but this decision is one that a person could easily regret years later. I've read all of the horror stories and equally read all of the life-changing positives.

 

I've narrowed down my list to a couple of doctors, but HTs just have too many variables compared to any other cosmetic procedure. What if the doctor screws up? What if more hair falls out? Strip? FUE? What if, what if, what if? Sometimes I have to sit back and think to myself....all this fuss over....hair??

 

Regarding age, I'm 35 now. I really don't want to wait until I'm 45 or older. I feel for those guys that lost it all in their teens and 20s. I'm kind of in that in-between stage. Not a HUGE amount of loss, but just enough to make it a constant nagging feeling when I look in the mirror.

 

Thank god for these forums. I don't want to imagine what would have happened should I have had this decision to make 10+ years ago.

 

Again, thanks for the words of encouragement

[Guest Cousin_It]

no hair sux....

 

I am very glad you are taking this process seriously. It can be one of the biggest steps in your life, something you will look back on some day and say either "best thing I ever did" or " boy did I screw up". Take your time and hit it with everything you can before you take the step. Best of luck as always!

[head honcho]

No Hair Sux:

 

I'm pretty new to the forum, so I've just recently looked at your post. First off, you are very much in luck to have found this forum...the advice you are receiving from these guys is priceless. I was your age (35) when I agonized over whether or not to get an HT. That was 14 years ago. At that time, the techniques weren't nearly as good as they are today. I had a combination of scalp reductions and mini/micrografts. Fortunately, I had a very competent surgeon and got a decent result for the time period. The advances that have been made today with FU's and FUE's are amazing. Like the other guys have said, spend time doing your research, and don't get in a hurry. If you do decide to go through with an HT, choose a great surgeon, and you'll likely get a great result.

 

head honcho