What Does it Mean to be ABHRS Board Certified?

[Bill - Seemiller]

Dear forum members,

 

Patients and ethical physicians have and continue to revolutionize the hair transplant industry by demanding only the best results. Whereas this patient driven community provides an opportunity for patients to share and analyze hair transplant results, many ethical physicians work to improve their skills and establish educational standards for state of the art hair transplantation. The American Board of Hair Restoration Surgeons (ABHRS) is the most prominent non-profit organization organized and ran by physicians to attempt to establish these standards.

 

There has been a lot of recent discussion about the ABHRS and what it means to be a "board certified" diplomate.

 

In a private discussion with Dr. Arocha who is recommended on the Hair Transplant Network, he told me about the rigorous testing that he had recently undergone to become a board certified diplomate.

 

A number of members have questioned whether or not the ABHRS exam tests surgical competency in addition to extensive knowledge of hair transplant surgery. According to the below testing requirements, it does appear that surgical results are at least considered in all routes that lead to certification.

 

The various routes and testing requirements for ABHRS certification are below:

 

--------------------

 

EXPERIENCE ROUTE

 

Applicant must document proof of three years of experience in private practice of hair restoration surgeries (an affidavit to this effect will satisfy this requirement);

 

Applicant must submit case logs documenting completion of a minimum of one hundred (100) hair restoration cases underlining the type of hair restoration surgery procedures performed;

 

Applicants for certification must submit fifty (50) documented Operative Reports with applicant noted as primary surgeon of which five (5) are complete and include before and after photos with full case reports that demonstrate satisfactory results. The photos must show the top, side, face and vertex views. One (1) copy of before and after, clearly marked photos of each patient in the five (5) cases selected must be submitted. The photos need to be 4x6 inches or larger and must be submitted on glossy or matte photo paper. Slides and prints on plain paper will not be accepted. Photos must be clearly marked as to how many sessions have been performed and the time since the last session. Before and after photos are expected to be standardized as to viewing angle and proper illumination.

 

Application must submit evidence and completion of sixty (60) CME credit hours over the past three (3) years.

 

FELLOWSHIP ROUTE

 

Applicant must have completed a one (1) year approved fellowship in hair restoration surgery which includes completion of one hundred (100) hair restoration surgery cases as an assistant surgeon in a program recognized by one of the following four (4) societies in Hair Restoration Surgery:

ISHRS - International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery;

ASHRS - American Society of Hair Restoration Surgery;

AAFPRS - American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

 

Applicant must furnish proof of a successful completion of fellowship.

 

Applicant must document proof of one (1) year experience in private practice and hair restoration surgery (an affidavit to this effect will satisfy this agreement).

 

Applicant must submit case logs documenting completion of a minimum of fifty (50) hair restoration cases indicating the type of hair restoration surgery procedures performed during the minimum one (1) year period following successful completion of said hair restoration surgery fellowship.

 

Applicants for certification must submit fifty (50) documented Operative Reports of which five (5) are complete and include before and after photos with full case reports that demonstrate satisfactory results. The photos must show the top, side, face and vertex views. One (1) copy of before and after, clearly marked photos of each patient in the five (5) cases selected must be submitted. The photos need to be 4x6 inches or larger and must be submitted on glossy or matte photo paper. Slides and prints on plain paper will not be accepted. Photos must be clearly marked as to how many sessions have been performed and the time since the last session. Before and after photos are expected to be standardized as to viewing angle and proper illumination.

 

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT ROUTE

 

Applicant must submit a minimum of four hundred (400) case logs as primary surgeon indicating type of hair restoration surgery procedures performed over the course of applicant's career.

 

Applicants for certification must submit fifty (50) documented Operative Reports of which five (5) are complete and include before and after photos with full case reports that demonstrate satisfactory results. The photos must show the top, side, face and vertex views. One (1) copy of before and after, clearly marked photos of each patient in the five (5) cases selected must be submitted. The photos need to be 4x6 inches or larger and must be submitted on glossy or matte photo paper. Slides and prints on plain paper will not be accepted. Photos must be clearly marked as to how many sessions have been performed and the time since the last session. Before and after photos are expected to be standardized as to viewing angle and proper illumination.

 

TESTING

 

Applicants who meet all of the criteria for one (1) of the above referenced routes whose application has been approved by the Credentialing Committee must pay an examination fee of Fifteen Hundred ($1,500.00) US Dollars and successfully complete a written and oral examination covering general knowledge of hair restoration procedures.

 

--------------------

 

Dr. Arocha admits that being a board certified diplomate does not guarantee a surgeon will produce quality results nor does a surgeon have to be a diplomate in order to be an elite surgeon. However, "the ABHRS is simply the gold standard certification available. The guidelines for even being able to sit for the rigorous written and oral examination is significant".

 

Click here for more information about the ABHRS presented by Pat, our online community Publisher.

 

Congratulations to Dr. Arocha for passing this rigorous exam. To see Dr. Arocha's recommendation approval thread with links to impressive patient results, click here.

 

I welcome any other physician who has achieved status of a board certified diplomate of the ABHRS to share their experience on this thread.

 

Onwards and Upwards,

 

Bill

[Dr. Alan Feller]

The ABHRS will have a shadow cast over it as long as it:

 

1.Deceptively uses the word "board" when the word "club" would be more appropriate.

2. It's members get caught falsely advertising their "board certification" as a recognized credential, which it is not.

3. Allows membership of doctors who consistenly produce poor or mediocre work.

4. Allows member who CLAIM to perform follicular unit transplants when in reality they do mini/micrografting.

5. Imply that their members are "elite" because they take a test that has little or nothing to do with hands on techniques.

6. Use a static evaluation system of a few cases per year as representative of a doctors work. Even the very worst HT doctors can produce 5 good photos of cases per year.

 

The main problem with the ABHRS is the mentality that all one need do is pass a test to be considered "elite". That's laugable, but thats exactly what many of it's members claim. If the ABHRS wants to really impress the public with their "desire" to strive for excellence in hair transplantation, then they should post five cases per month on the internet for the world to see. THAT is the ultimate "certification" and one, unfortunately, that MANY ABHRS members shudder at.

 

Most of the very best results of HT posted on the internet today were produced by non-ABHRS doctors. The percentage of ABHRS doctors and their patients who post their results online is also incredbily low. Why is this?

 

The ABHRS should drop the word board from it's name and initiate a policy of posting 5 cases per MONTH on the internet. Then and only then can the public really trust the ability of their members doctors. Wait a moment, this has already been done by the Coalition and IAHRS. And while these two organizations may not be perfect, they are a whole lot more reliable than the sanctioning of a club whose criteria are a "test" and some photos every now and then.

[the B spot]

100 cases over a 3 year period as a prerequisite?

[thanatopsis_awry]

~33 cases displayed each year seems stringent; whether it is excessively so from a doctor/clinic stand point I have no idea, because I have no idea the range of surgeries performed in per year, and also how difficult it is to get permission to post....and I would assume those two variables are critical. But I'd imagine it is entirely doable.

 

From a patient perspective I'd have to say that it would certaintly be favorable; and from the vantage of "how prestigious/discriminating/elite is.." the ABHRS, I think it would certaintly be a boon and lend the organization great credibility.

[Guest]

Bill, you seem to be supporting the ABHRS and it's standards. A big switch from past Hair Transplant Network attitudes. Below is a list of current ABHRS doctors who have been banned, blocked, negatively reviewed, or outright thrown off the Hair Transplant Network by Pat.

 

Do you really feel that the people on this list are, in your words, "... ethical physicians work(ing) to improve their skills and establish educational standards for state of the art hair transplantation." ?

 

If you do support this kind of membership and the organization they represent, why the change of heart? Are Drs. Brandy, Goertz, Hitzig, and Puig to be the next Coalition members?

 

Do you really believe this organization is striving to improve the hair transplant field?

 

 

Dominic A. Brandy

Robert V. Cattani

John P. Cole

James B. DeYarman

Edwin S. Epstein

John Frank

Shelly A. Friedman

Brian Goertz

Gary S. Hitzig

Matt L. Leavitt

Robert T. Leonard, JR.

Victor V. Loria

E. Antonio Mangubat

Marc A. Pomerantz

Carlos J. Puig

Marla Ross

Neil Sadick

Richard C. Shiell

Randall Sword

Craig L. Ziering

Michael W. May

[Pat - Community Publisher]

I certainly support any efforts to set higher standards for physician education and testing in the hair transplant profession. God knows it's long over due.

 

However, I also know that many of the physicians who have passed the ABHRS exams, as Hair Bound has pointed out, would not meet the standards for recommendation on the Hair Transplant Network. In fact, many of them have been rejected or removed over the years from the Network.

 

As Dr. Feller pointed out, many hair transplant physicians do not want to be evaluated publicly by patients and held accountable to standards set by patients. They would rather create their own seal of approval. But unfortunately this is much like the police policing themselves.

 

For example, Dr. Mangubat in Seattle, who was a past President of the ISHRS (International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery), has for years created grafts by mounting dozens of razor blades next to each other and then forcing them into the donor strip to create dozens of 1mm wide chunks of tissue that he calls grafts.

 

He marketed this "Mangubat Wacker" to many hair transplant physicians on the basis that it saved time and the expense of having staff trim the donor tissue into grafts. In my opinion this device would be more accurately called a "Mass Transection Wacker" or "Follicular Genocide Device".

 

Yet Dr. Mangubaut is ABHRS certified. I would like to see his answers to the part of the test related to graft dissection.

 

Dr. Mangubat coincidently has over the years attacked this patient based community privately behind the scenes in an effort to discourage his colleagues from participating. However, recently he seems to have lightened up since even he realizes that patient based discussions can't be banished.

 

I also do agree with Dr. Feller that representing this testing/certification as "board" certification over sells its true legitimacy since it is not actually a board recognized by the AMA.

 

Where I do not agree with Dr. Feller is his assertion that the dues paying club known as the IAHRS (International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons) has any real public accountability.

 

This pseudo non profit group, which was cleverly crafted by the self proclaimed "patient advocate" Spencer Kobren, does not operate in a transparent manner and is not held publicly accountable by a patient based forum like the one.

 

Frankly, this patient based forum community keeps all of us accountable - not just the doctors but me. If a physician does not consistently perform it will typically be public knowledge on this forum in short order. At that point the issue must be investigated and resolved. If the physician is found to not be meeting the standards for Coalition membership ( see Coalition Standards) then they will be promptly suspended. All potential new members and recommended physicians are also presented to this community as a part of their evaluation process. Many of these clinics have also been visited by me, which includes observation of their actual surgery and technique and inspection of their clinics ( see visits to Leading Hair Transplant Clinics ).

 

 

Spencer Kobren and the IAHRS are free from this public accountability since they got rid of their discussion forum. Therefore Spencer Kobren is free to promote his paid members, many of whom would not be able to operate in a transparent and publicly accountable environment like this patient based forum.

 

This lack of public accountability and scrutiny may make some of the IAHRS members and Spencer Kobren comfortable. But in my opinion this profession/industry does not need more logos and slogans to hide behind. It needs real public accountability and transparency.

 

Many of the members of the IAHRS have been rejected from this community and certainly would not be granted membership in the Coalition. Those who know the history of this forum community and who view the IAHRS membership list can attest to this.

 

When all is said and done, logos and mission statements mean nothing if they are not substantiated by consistent and verifiable patient results and public physician accountability. I encourage the members of this forum to continue to expect and demand high standards and results from the physicians recommended on the Hair Transplant Network and from those who publish this community.

 

Onwards and Upwards,

 

Pat

[Dr. Alan Feller]

"Public accountability of doctors" is the key phrase that describes the best way to gauge an HT doctor's abililities.

 

Other things like academic testing also help, but only after a general and consistent consensus of "good" or "acceptable" has been establihed by the public. In the past this was, for the most part, impossbile and the "public" had to rely on the learned opinion of other doctors for valid referrals. But this is, as Pat already mentioned, the police policing the police-a clear conflict of interest that we've all had to live with.

 

Now, however, the internet has made it very easy to publish patient results and for the public to have access to updated information on a REGULAR BASIS. If a doctor and his patients aren't publishing their results, then there is clearly something wrong. If a doctor isn't ENCOURAGING his paitents to post their results, then again, there is clearly something wrong.

 

No matter how much information is published online about a general surgeon or internist, the layman will never be able to form an accurate picture because they lack the training and experience necessary to gauge these doctors abilities.

 

However, ANY layperson can look at a cosmetic result of an HT doctor and ACCURATELY gauge success or failure. After all, the purpose of cosmetic surgery is to satisfy the COMMON eye as well as the professional eye. So in this rare instance, surgery may be more accurately judged by the public rather than professional collegues.

 

Sites like HTN allow the common person to judge, whereas ABHRS ONLY allows the SELF-APPOINTED "professional" to judge.

 

If the ABHRS had a forum in which it's member doctors were compelled to post photos and take criticism from the public and other collegues, then I would apply to take the "test" immediately and hopefully join. But such is not case, and until it is, what's the point of joining?

[Bill - Seemiller]

Great discussion!

 

The purpose of this post was simple, to provide information and encourage open and transparent discussion. I believe this post accomplished its purpose as evidenced by your well thought out responses.

 

Like Pat said, I support any efforts to set higher standards for physician testing and education. I believe the ABHRS is making great efforts (generally speaking) to accomplish this.

 

However, many physicians who are ABHRS certified diplomates are a farcry from meeting our high level of patient driven standards for recommendation which centers around consistent results and public accountability. Hair Bound and Pat named a number of them.

 

Additionally and unfortunately, many physicians misuse their "board certification" in order to promote themselves to patients when most patients don't know what being board certified in hair transplantation really means!

 

The ABHRS is a group of physicians evaluating physicians, but who is going to evaluate the evaluators? This is where YOU come in!

 

As Pat pointed out, the beauty and necessity of this patient driven forum community is public accountability and transparency. This applies both to physicians, and its publishers (Pat and myself).

 

Physicians who can't meet our high level of standards often have a problem with patients creating standards for recommendation, many of which have either been rejected or removed from the Hair Transplant Network based on your feedback.

 

We will press on by recommending only those surgeons who we believe perform state of the art hair transplant techniques and will be publicly accountable for their actions.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Kaelen]

Dr. Feller... I apologize... this is the discussion thread where I got the list of banned or blocked doctors. Someone named Hairbound produced the list as part of this discussion... and Dr. friedman's name is on that list. So now I need to know if Dr. Friedman is banned or blocked... or thrown off... and for what reason. So once again I apologize. Your name was in this discussion a few times... and I must have erroneously made the connection. I suppose I need to contact Patrick... the publisher to get at the truth.

Originally posted by Dr. Alan Feller:

"Public accountability of doctors" is the key phrase that describes the best way to gauge an HT doctor's abililities.

 

Other things like academic testing also help, but only after a general and consistent consensus of "good" or "acceptable" has been establihed by the public. In the past this was, for the most part, impossbile and the "public" had to rely on the learned opinion of other doctors for valid referrals. But this is, as Pat already mentioned, the police policing the police-a clear conflict of interest that we've all had to live with.

 

Now, however, the internet has made it very easy to publish patient results and for the public to have access to updated information on a REGULAR BASIS. If a doctor and his patients aren't publishing their results, then there is clearly something wrong. If a doctor isn't ENCOURAGING his paitents to post their results, then again, there is clearly something wrong.

 

No matter how much information is published online about a general surgeon or internist, the layman will never be able to form an accurate picture because they lack the training and experience necessary to gauge these doctors abilities.

 

However, ANY layperson can look at a cosmetic result of an HT doctor and ACCURATELY gauge success or failure. After all, the purpose of cosmetic surgery is to satisfy the COMMON eye as well as the professional eye. So in this rare instance, surgery may be more accurately judged by the public rather than professional collegues.

 

Sites like HTN allow the common person to judge, whereas ABHRS ONLY allows the SELF-APPOINTED "professional" to judge.

 

If the ABHRS had a forum in which it's member doctors were compelled to post photos and take criticism from the public and other collegues, then I would apply to take the "test" immediately and hopefully join. But such is not case, and until it is, what's the point of joining?

[Kaelen]

Hello Hairbound. I have been looking for any information about Dr. Shelley Friedman in Scottsdale Arizona... and this list you produced is the only information I could find. Is there any additional information you can provide me... about Dr. Friedman... thanks Kaelen

Originally posted by Hair Bound:

Bill, you seem to be supporting the ABHRS and it's standards. A big switch from past Hair Transplant Network attitudes. Below is a list of current ABHRS doctors who have been banned, blocked, negatively reviewed, or outright thrown off the Hair Transplant Network by Pat.

 

Do you really feel that the people on this list are, in your words, "... ethical physicians work(ing) to improve their skills and establish educational standards for state of the art hair transplantation." ?

 

If you do support this kind of membership and the organization they represent, why the change of heart? Are Drs. Brandy, Goertz, Hitzig, and Puig to be the next Coalition members?

 

Do you really believe this organization is striving to improve the hair transplant field?

 

 

Dominic A. Brandy

Robert V. Cattani

John P. Cole

James B. DeYarman

Edwin S. Epstein

John Frank

Shelly A. Friedman

Brian Goertz

Gary S. Hitzig

Matt L. Leavitt

Robert T. Leonard, JR.

Victor V. Loria

E. Antonio Mangubat

Marc A. Pomerantz

Carlos J. Puig

Marla Ross

Neil Sadick

Richard C. Shiell

Randall Sword

Craig L. Ziering

Michael W. May

[Kaelen]

Hi Pat. I'm just trying to get information about Dr. Friedman in Scottsdale. This discussion thread is the only place where I can find his name... and someone named Hairbound has indicated the you have removed... or blocked Dr. Friedman from this site. I'm just trying to find out what is true... and anything positive or negative about Dr. Friedman. I think this site has some great information... and has probably helped many people avoid bad HT's. I'm also starting to understand that the industry seems to have some turf wars... and this is about money and marketing. I just want to get whatever information I can about Dr. Friedman... who has practiced HT's for over 20 years. What can you tell me. If you can't post it on this site... give me a way to contact you privately. Or you should have my personal email... since this is your site. Thanks... Kaelen.

Originally posted by Pat - Publisher of this Community:

I certainly support any efforts to set higher standards for physician education and testing in the hair transplant profession. God knows it's long over due.

 

However, I also know that many of the physicians who have passed the ABHRS exams, as Hair Bound has pointed out, would not meet the standards for recommendation on the Hair Transplant Network. In fact, many of them have been rejected or removed over the years from the Network.

 

As Dr. Feller pointed out, many hair transplant physicians do not want to be evaluated publicly by patients and held accountable to standards set by patients. They would rather create their own seal of approval. But unfortunately this is much like the police policing themselves.

 

For example, Dr. Mangubat in Seattle, who was a past President of the ISHRS (International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery), has for years created grafts by mounting dozens of razor blades next to each other and then forcing them into the donor strip to create dozens of 1mm wide chunks of tissue that he calls grafts.

 

He marketed this "Mangubat Wacker" to many hair transplant physicians on the basis that it saved time and the expense of having staff trim the donor tissue into grafts. In my opinion this device would be more accurately called a "Mass Transection Wacker" or "Follicular Genocide Device".

 

Yet Dr. Mangubaut is ABHRS certified. I would like to see his answers to the part of the test related to graft dissection.

 

Dr. Mangubat coincidently has over the years attacked this patient based community privately behind the scenes in an effort to discourage his colleagues from participating. However, recently he seems to have lightened up since even he realizes that patient based discussions can't be banished.

 

I also do agree with Dr. Feller that representing this testing/certification as "board" certification over sells its true legitimacy since it is not actually a board recognized by the AMA.

 

Where I do not agree with Dr. Feller is his assertion that the dues paying club known as the IAHRS (International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons) has any real public accountability.

 

This pseudo non profit group, which was cleverly crafted by the self proclaimed "patient advocate" Spencer Kobren, does not operate in a transparent manner and is not held publicly accountable by a patient based forum like the one.

 

Frankly, this patient based forum community keeps all of us accountable - not just the doctors but me. If a physician does not consistently perform it will typically be public knowledge on this forum in short order. At that point the issue must be investigated and resolved. If the physician is found to not be meeting the standards for Coalition membership ( see Coalition Standards) then they will be promptly suspended. All potential new members and recommended physicians are also presented to this community as a part of their evaluation process. Many of these clinics have also been visited by me, which includes observation of their actual surgery and technique and inspection of their clinics ( see visits to Leading Hair Transplant Clinics ).

 

 

Spencer Kobren and the IAHRS are free from this public accountability since they got rid of their discussion forum. Therefore Spencer Kobren is free to promote his paid members, many of whom would not be able to operate in a transparent and publicly accountable environment like this patient based forum.

 

This lack of public accountability and scrutiny may make some of the IAHRS members and Spencer Kobren comfortable. But in my opinion this profession/industry does not need more logos and slogans to hide behind. It needs real public accountability and transparency.

 

Many of the members of the IAHRS have been rejected from this community and certainly would not be granted membership in the Coalition. Those who know the history of this forum community and who view the IAHRS membership list can attest to this.

 

When all is said and done, logos and mission statements mean nothing if they are not substantiated by consistent and verifiable patient results and public physician accountability. I encourage the members of this forum to continue to expect and demand high standards and results from the physicians recommended on the Hair Transplant Network and from those who publish this community.

 

Onwards and Upwards,

 

Pat

[Kaelen]

Hi Bill. This is a great discussion... and the only place where Dr. Friedman's name is mentioned on this entire site. So now I'm even more concerned... and looking for the trutht. If some has practiced for over 20 years... there has to be some trail... so input you can give me. Thanks... Kaelen

Originally posted by Bill:

Great discussion!

 

The purpose of this post was simple, to provide information and encourage open and transparent discussion. I believe this post accomplished its purpose as evidenced by your well thought out responses.

 

Like Pat said, I support any efforts to set higher standards for physician testing and education. I believe the ABHRS is making great efforts (generally speaking) to accomplish this.

 

However, many physicians who are ABHRS certified diplomates are a farcry from meeting our high level of patient driven standards for recommendation which centers around consistent results and public accountability. Hair Bound and Pat named a number of them.

 

Additionally and unfortunately, many physicians misuse their "board certification" in order to promote themselves to patients when most patients don't know what being board certified in hair transplantation really means!

 

The ABHRS is a group of physicians evaluating physicians, but who is going to evaluate the evaluators? This is where YOU come in!

 

As Pat pointed out, the beauty and necessity of this patient driven forum community is public accountability and transparency. This applies both to physicians, and its publishers (Pat and myself).

 

Physicians who can't meet our high level of standards often have a problem with patients creating standards for recommendation, many of which have either been rejected or removed from the Hair Transplant Network based on your feedback.

 

We will press on by recommending only those surgeons who we believe perform state of the art hair transplant techniques and will be publicly accountable for their actions.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[arlingsten]

Dr. Tony Mangubat is INCOMPETENT!!!! Aka Dr. E. Antonio Mangubat is INCOMPETENT!!!

 

I am a former patient of Dr. Tony Mangubat ('M')(E. Antonio Mangubat, South Center Cosmetic Surgery, http://www.southcentercosmetic.com ) and whatever you do, DO NOT become M's patient. As I describe below, he is INCOMPETENT!! Before M was his currently advertised 'breast implants, liposuction, tummy tuck' specialist, he was for years a hair transplant doctor. Although my HORRIBLE experience as a hair transplant patient of M may not provide you with direct advice about the procedure you are considering, I urge you to read my story, or at least the articles in the links below before even considering M as your doctor.

 

As a hair transplant doctor, M did a number of 'Brandy-style scalp reductions' surgeries on me (named after Dominic Brandy, http://www.brandymd.com/) that left me SCARRED AND DISFIGURED!!!! D. Brandy was SUED for performing these procedures. Follow these links for news articles with the facts about this:

 

http://community.seattletimes....9960915&slug=2349352

 

http://www.deseretnews.com/art...SH-WITH-THE-LAW.html

 

Also follow this link below and scroll down for proof that Mangubat performed the procedures pioneered by Dominic Brandy:

 

http://regrowth.com/hairloss-c.../whs_1996_review.cfm

 

From the regrowth website: 'a Brandy-style scalp lift with preservation of the occipital neurovascular bundle by Dr. Tony Mangubat, with assistance from Dr. Carlos Puig;'

 

Mangubat claims that the Brandy-scalp reduction procedures were 'the state of the art 15 years ago' when he performed such procedures but then WHY WAS DR. DOMINIC BRANDY SUED AND PAID DAMANGES for performing these procedures in 1996'?!!!! Yes, Brandy was sued in 1996, not 2010, so in the 1990s there procedures were STATE of the SH*T and only the work of TOTALLY INCOMPETENT DOCTORS like MANGUBAT!!!!

 

At any initial consult w/ M, at a minimum, you should ask M:

 

1. Although may not be related to your procedure, ask M if he has he performed scalp reduction surgeries (called 'Brandy scalp reduction procedures' after Dominic Brandy). If he doesn't lie, the answer will be yes, because he has done this procedure on numerous victims, including me.

 

2. Ask him to show you before and after pictures of the 'Brandy' procedures. If he dismisses your request (says that has nothing to do with your procedure) and refuses to show photos, ask yourself why is M refusing to show his own work? Is he hiding something??

 

Although your procedure may be very different, you will get a very good idea of M's HORRIBLE and INCOMPETENT work by seeing these pics. As I've described below, M butchered my scalp and left me with a horrible, thick horseshoe-shaped scar ?? inch from 1 temple to the crown and back to the other temple with no hair growing there. Beware that pics may have hair combed over the scars, and this is nothing less than TOTALLY MISLEADING and a lie b/c it conceals the true result, i.e. SCARS all over the head!

 

With respect to pics, very Important: The before/after photos that some cosmetic surgeons show you are VERY MISLEADING because:

- Some doctors only show their best top 10% patients, and don't show you the average result or, as in my case, the horrible results.

- The photos are typically low resolution, so e.g for hair transplants, they may not clearly show the hairline or may be in low light, thereby concealing the scars and the thin density and unnatural look of the hair transplants.

 

 

Here's the rest of my story:

I was in my 20s when I signed up as M's patient. He suggested that I get 3-4 transplant sessions and 1-2 Scalp reduction surgeries (called 'Brandy' scalp reduction procedures). The worst decision I ever made in my life was to follow M's advice and have these procedures done. M left me SCARRED and DISFIGURED!!!!

 

My result was a horseshoe shaped scar ?? inch thick and 6-8 inches long on each side from each temple to the crown!!!! I've had to undergo numerous reconstructive surgeries, spending over $20K, to reduce the scars.

 

 

As I mentioned above, Dominic Brandy was SUED for performing such scalp reduction surgeries:

------

Sunday, September 15, 1996 - Page updated at 12:00 AM

 

Suit: Bad Hair Transplant Caused Suicide Attempt

 

By Jeffrey Bair

 

AP

 

PITTSBURGH - Michael Potkul says he was told he would have a scar no wider than the stroke of a pen if he underwent surgery to rearrange his scalp to get a full head of hair.

 

Instead, he claims, he ended up with scars from his temples to his neck and depression that drove him to attempt suicide. And he's still losing his hair.

 

Potkul, 33, took off his hairpiece yesterday to show the marks to a jury - including three men with thinning hair - that is hearing his $1.3 million malpractice lawsuit against Dr. Dominic A. Brandy.

 

Potkul said Brandy sugar-coated the risks of surgery and operated repeatedly despite the deterioration of his scalp. Brandy claims Potkul signed a consent form that mentioned scarring, then abandoned treatment before a final, essential operation.

 

"If you do enough cases, you're going to have patients here and there who will voice their displeasure in a courtroom," said Jerry Brandy, the doctor's brother and executive director of his practice.

 

Potkul said he contacted Dominic Brandy six years ago after seeing him on a talk show. Potkul's hair was beginning to thin, and his brothers were being teased about going bald.

 

"Everything depends on looks. You can turn on the TV at night and see 30 infomercials about everything you can do to your body - diet videos, all that stuff. I wanted to look like everybody else. I wanted to look good," Potkul said during a break in the trial in Allegheny County Court.

 

Brandy performed five operations to stretch hairy skin from the back of Potkul's head to the top and to transfer grafts of hairy scalp to cover bald spots, Potkul said. The sixth operation would have been another scalp graft.

 

But Potkul said he was so depressed by the results of the first five operations that he shot himself in the chest in 1992. The bullet missed his heart and went out his back.

 

Brandy severed key arteries as he tried to stretch Potkul's scalp, stunting hair growth instead of encouraging it, said Dr. Ernest Manders, Potkul's new plastic surgeon. He said he is reluctant to alter Potkul's scalp any more because the skin could die.

 

Manders said that, as an associate editor of a medical journal, he once rejected an article submitted by Brandy on scalp reconstruction because the methods were "potentially harmful" and had "significant limitations."

 

Brandy has been in practice for 15 years and runs an ad campaign for his services in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida.

 

"Dominic Brandy is a salesman who just happens to have a medical degree," Potkul said. "He really needs somebody to come along and wake him up to what he is doing and make him clean up his act."

 

Copyright © 1996 Seattle Times Company, All Rights Reserved.

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I did a few quick searches and found M in his own words praising the 'benefits' of scalp reduction surgery (see below). This kind of surgery (the Brandy procedure) is what left me totally scarred and disfigured!! Not to mention that Brandy was SUED for doing these procedures!! So much for the 'benefits'!!

 

M's own words speak volumes on his incompetence and the fact that he's clueless and oblivious to the harm he's done to many like me. Here are the links:

 

http://www.regrowth.com/hairlo...998/ashrs_monday.cfm

 

The Rise and Fall of Scalp Flaps, Reductions and Lifts

 

[Tony Mangubat of Seattle, WA is one of the leading doctors performing scalp reductions. "I've noticed in the Seattle area over the last two years a fall in the area of scalp reductions... I was a little disappointed in it, and I was almost upset until I started looking at it in a more objective way... the answer to this question becomes very clear." Dr.Mangubat outlined his feelings on reductions and why he thinks the number of doctors performing the procedure has decreased. "We want fast results, we want a home run.. Managed care has caused an influx of newcomers. The fact is I make more income off of hair transplants than scalp lifting, so from a financial point of view maybe it's not such a bad idea..." The fall has been precipitated by an influx of newcomers due to doctors who are earning less due to managed care and HMOs. "These are all victims of our new managed care society," said Dr. Mangubat. Doctors coming in have been resistent to learning reductions, flaps, and lifts due to the steeper learning curve, greater risks, and marketing against reductions. The number of doctors performing are remaining steady, but the number of doctors coming into transplants are growing, so the overall percentage are lower.]

 

If I could do it over again, I would have NEVER trusted M and NEVER let M lay a hand on me. Instead, I would have just accepted my hairloss and not permitted M to butcher my head!! I would have shaved my head while we wait for a cure to hairloss.

 

Unfortunately, M left me with huge scars on my head and so I can't just shave my head. Instead I'm forced to wear concealers to hide the ugly scars on my head. Anyone considering M DOES NOT have to go through what I've been through. So I strongly recommend that YOU STAY AWAY FROM TONY MANGUBAT (aka E. ANTONIO MANGUBAT)!!!!

 

 

Originally posted by Kaelen:

Hi Pat. I'm just trying to get information about Dr. Friedman in Scottsdale. This discussion thread is the only place where I can find his name... and someone named Hairbound has indicated the you have removed... or blocked Dr. Friedman from this site. I'm just trying to find out what is true... and anything positive or negative about Dr. Friedman. I think this site has some great information... and has probably helped many people avoid bad HT's. I'm also starting to understand that the industry seems to have some turf wars... and this is about money and marketing. I just want to get whatever information I can about Dr. Friedman... who has practiced HT's for over 20 years. What can you tell me. If you can't post it on this site... give me a way to contact you privately. Or you should have my personal email... since this is your site. Thanks... Kaelen.

Originally posted by Pat - Publisher of this Community:

I certainly support any efforts to set higher standards for physician education and testing in the hair transplant profession. God knows it's long over due.

 

However, I also know that many of the physicians who have passed the ABHRS exams, as Hair Bound has pointed out, would not meet the standards for recommendation on the Hair Transplant Network. In fact, many of them have been rejected or removed over the years from the Network.

 

As Dr. Feller pointed out, many hair transplant physicians do not want to be evaluated publicly by patients and held accountable to standards set by patients. They would rather create their own seal of approval. But unfortunately this is much like the police policing themselves.

 

For example, Dr. Mangubat in Seattle, who was a past President of the ISHRS (International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery), has for years created grafts by mounting dozens of razor blades next to each other and then forcing them into the donor strip to create dozens of 1mm wide chunks of tissue that he calls grafts.

 

He marketed this "Mangubat Wacker" to many hair transplant physicians on the basis that it saved time and the expense of having staff trim the donor tissue into grafts. In my opinion this device would be more accurately called a "Mass Transection Wacker" or "Follicular Genocide Device".

 

Yet Dr. Mangubaut is ABHRS certified. I would like to see his answers to the part of the test related to graft dissection.

 

Dr. Mangubat coincidently has over the years attacked this patient based community privately behind the scenes in an effort to discourage his colleagues from participating. However, recently he seems to have lightened up since even he realizes that patient based discussions can't be banished.

 

I also do agree with Dr. Feller that representing this testing/certification as "board" certification over sells its true legitimacy since it is not actually a board recognized by the AMA.

 

Where I do not agree with Dr. Feller is his assertion that the dues paying club known as the IAHRS (International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons) has any real public accountability.

 

This pseudo non profit group, which was cleverly crafted by the self proclaimed "patient advocate" Spencer Kobren, does not operate in a transparent manner and is not held publicly accountable by a patient based forum like the one.

 

Frankly, this patient based forum community keeps all of us accountable - not just the doctors but me. If a physician does not consistently perform it will typically be public knowledge on this forum in short order. At that point the issue must be investigated and resolved. If the physician is found to not be meeting the standards for Coalition membership ( see Coalition Standards) then they will be promptly suspended. All potential new members and recommended physicians are also presented to this community as a part of their evaluation process. Many of these clinics have also been visited by me, which includes observation of their actual surgery and technique and inspection of their clinics ( see visits to Leading Hair Transplant Clinics ).

 

 

Spencer Kobren and the IAHRS are free from this public accountability since they got rid of their discussion forum. Therefore Spencer Kobren is free to promote his paid members, many of whom would not be able to operate in a transparent and publicly accountable environment like this patient based forum.

 

This lack of public accountability and scrutiny may make some of the IAHRS members and Spencer Kobren comfortable. But in my opinion this profession/industry does not need more logos and slogans to hide behind. It needs real public accountability and transparency.

 

Many of the members of the IAHRS have been rejected from this community and certainly would not be granted membership in the Coalition. Those who know the history of this forum community and who view the IAHRS membership list can attest to this.

 

When all is said and done, logos and mission statements mean nothing if they are not substantiated by consistent and verifiable patient results and public physician accountability. I encourage the members of this forum to continue to expect and demand high standards and results from the physicians recommended on the Hair Transplant Network and from those who publish this community.

 

Onwards and Upwards,

 

Pat