Potential Recommendation of Dr. Sanusi Umar of Redondo Beach, CA

[Dr. Sanusi Umar]

Pat and the community,

 

Again thank you for your consideration. Communities like these serve a function that I wish had existed decades ago long before many of the patients I have had to repair lately made their decisions on how to go about restoring their hair.

 

 

On the other hand....

 

 

Dr Feller starts by minimizing the "results" of the patients I have posted, then he goes on to say I have not published enough "results"...so which line of spin should we follow? If he considers the results unworthy and beneath his vast expertise, perhaps it would serve the readership better that he simply points them to evidence of his expertise in repair that should put to shame the ones he is disparaging and effectively end my attempt to self promote at the expense of my hapless patients who are evidently and extremely displeased with their "minimal" improvement.

 

Dr Feller also goes on to imply that unless I perform strip surgery, I would not meet his imaginary criteria. The chat rooms are replete with aimless (often self serving) arguments of

[Bill - Seemiller]

Dr. Feller,

 

I too appreciate your concerns about BHT and FUE megasessions and have expressed similar concerns about them myself on various forum threads.

 

Like Pat though, my biggest problem with them is the hype and over-promotion they receive by many surgeons other than Dr. Umar. But if surgeons like Dr. Umar are showing good success rates by their posted results, then it's time to start considering them as possibilities, especially for patients in a small niche group, having a depleted scalp donor hair supply.

 

Though strip is still mainstream, I think we ought to be open to the fact that some clinics are producing quality results with FUE. And those who put their money where their mouth is can meet our standards for recommendation.

 

One of the primary reasons I've become a fan of Dr. Umar is because he is very selective in patient candidates and realistic with what can be accomplished. In my opinion, his ethics speak volumes and from what I have seen, the patient's well-being is first and foremost in his mind.

 

Personally, I believe that Dr. Umar should be seriously considered for recommendation especially for those patients who have no more available scalp donor hair.

 

Thank you for offering your opinion on the matter.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Bill - Seemiller]

Dear forum members,

 

At your request, Dr. Umar has provided another scalp FUE example. See 1200 Grafts Scalp FUE - African American Patient

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Guest]

Dr Feller,

 

I have to start by asking you, if you did indeed invent the technique that Dr Umar uses for extraction in his FUE cases, then why are you yourself unsuccessful in this field? Surely, the 'placement' of the graft is not vastly different to a strip case? It's all in the extraction, correct?

 

Anyway, I digress. I must say with all due respect that you are entitled to your opinion. But to imply that unless Dr Umar starts performing strip surgery, he is "inexperienced", is without merit.

For people like myself, who feel that strip surgery is almost barbaric compared to FUE, and who don't want a visible scar for the rest of their lives on the back of their head, for you to suggest that Dr Umar start peforming it is jawdropping!

In my opinion, your attempt to minimize what he is achieving in patients that you yourself are obviously not in a position to handle is beyond belief.

I think that the statement Dr Umar posted above by one of the patients he rescued - [url=

]

-

(who happens himself to be an MD physician like yourself) sums up my thoughts in regards to doctors who try to paint with a broad stroke a procedure they themselves are having difficulties with.

 

And the notion that Dr Umar only handles "hopeless" cases ( which in itself is surely worthy of praise) is not correct. There is nothing hopeless about many of his other cases, including mine. I am sure Dr Umar is showing these large repair cases because they are indeed spectacular by any and all standards!

Surely you yourself have similar cases, using your vast array of patented techniques, that could compare to any one of these cases? If so please post them, or have any of your reps do so, on this thread so that the readers can personally appraise your skill, as it compares to that of Dr Umar, rather than reading your attempts at verbal brainwashing.

 

As for techniques, you are certainly welcome to put a patent on everything possible, including the hypodermic needle. At the end of the day, patients only want to see results.

If Dr Umar's technique for producing miraculous BHT results (such as this: [url=

]

) are yours, then we should be seeing YOUR BHT results by now! At least these difficult cases would be within the purview of your expertise, which at the moment they are clearly not. (just my opinion of course. Feel free to contradict me instantly with your examples).

 

By the way, I strongly suspect my last statement could apply to 99.9% of hair transplant doctors today (again just my opinion).

[Dr. Alan Feller]

Dr. Umar,

 

I could not follow most of what you wrote in your post as it honestly didn't make sense to me.

 

When you put your work out there to be evaluated you should realize that not every critic is going to be a layman and not every post is going to be supportive. Some may be very challenging. I have been a long time member of this community and have a duty to ask the hard questions.

 

Normally I wouldn't comment on another doctors work, but since yours is not in the mainstream AND you are seeking recommended status, I am compelled to speak out. Besides, since you are so confident in "your" procedure that you've given it your name: the "Umar procedure", I should think you would have no problem detailing how it is different than any other brute force method out there and defending it.

 

Avoiding almost everything I wrote and attacking me personally is not going to make your case any stronger for recommendation. Rather than twisting things and insulting me, you should try to persuade me and the community. So far, you have failed to do so.

 

With respect to the work you presented it needed no minimization on my part. As I wrote, there are some mild improvements, but the angles and lighting are so varied and poor that it's hard to tell what's actually going on and you do not have a track record long enough to be given the benefit of the doubt. Please don't take that personally, no mega-FUE/BHT doctor does.

 

In the case of the MD you proudly presented at 6 months and singled out as a happy fellow and top example of your work, I have a question. Did he wear a hairpiece prior to the time his "before" picture was taken? In my experience, a scalp that looks like his is one that has had a hairpiece on it for sometime and was recently removed. Furthermore, in such cases the existing hair on the scalp is usually cut short or matted down.

 

I also noted that the hair in the donor area after 6 months was longer and fuller than it appeared in the before photo. Since you did not transplant into donor area I can only assume the marked improvement came from the hair being allowed to grow out and not be matted down by a hairpiece.

 

By this reasoning I wonder how much fuller the top of his head would have been in the before picture if it were as cleanly washed and equal in length to how it was presented in the after photo.

 

I also notice that the erythematous areas on the hairline where hair pieces are often affixed were also no longer in evidence suggesting that the hairpiece had not been worn in some time.

 

Did this patient in fact use a hairpiece that may have made the scalp appear worse in the before photo than it actually was?

 

What percentage of your BHT have actually grown in each patient?

 

Of all your patients, how many have improved to the level of the MD?

 

Of your 150 reported cases, how many grew a cosmetically significant amount of hair?

 

Of 150 cases, where can we view just 20 grown out results?

 

How did you begin performing FUE? What did you read and who were your influences?

 

Why don't you perform strip surgery?

 

 

These are just a few questions that I had asked or eluded to in my prior posts. Your last post rejected the thought of being challenged and questioned. Well if that is the case, then why are you bothering to come onto this community?

 

FUE/BHT have much to prove and if you are going to come onto this site touting it's virtues in your hands then you are going to have to overcome all the justifiably bad press it has suffered before you came on the scene. If you can do so, please do, but don't attack ME for challenging you. Other FUE/BHT prophets have come and gone before you. I'm sorry if that seems blunt, but it's only because we've heard it all before. Too many empty FUE/BHT promises.

 

If you want to compare your work to mine, as you stated in your post, no problem. I have the results of hundreds of my patients on this site and others, and they are all far superior to yours.

 

That you can come onto this site with only three years of experience in an EXPERIMENTAL HT procedure and challenge an established a 15 year veteran only proves my point that you don't even know what you don't know.

 

But you ask for it, you get it:

I repaired him in one session of 2500 grafts. One day procedure and very inexpensive compared to BHT.

 

 

There are no shortcuts to recommended status. To be put on the list your work must satisfy the AVERAGE patient on a consistent basis. None of yours compares to even mediocre strip results.

 

Not because YOU are flawed or unable. I happen to think you are quite capable and could be a great HT doctor. But as long as you use a flawed procedure like mega-FUE/BHT, you will never be able to offer results on par with mega-strip sessions. And as such should not qualify for recommended status.

[Guest]

Wow. Great photos.

BEFORE has the hair combed down, and AFTER has the hair brushed back??

And you just finished ranting about Dr Umar's BEFORE picture because the hair simply looked a bit flatter?

Classic.

How does this guy's scar look?

Can you buzz down to a number one if he want to in the future without people thinking he's had a lobotomy?

[Sofarsogood]

Greetings,

 

I am a patient of Dr. Peterson 1992-2002, Dr. Ziering 2004 and Dr. Umar 2005-2008 who posts under the handle "sofarsogood" on some of the HT forums.

 

In short, I found HT forums back in 2005 looking to fix my HT hairline that was starting to look "pluggy" or "stalky" and to possibly repair my strip scars. FYI, I've had 16 (that not a typo) strips between 1992 and 2004.

 

I was referred to Dr. Umar by a longtime poster on other forums.

 

After a successful BHT test of 300 leg grafts, I went ahead with another 1000 to attempt to refine and reshape my 1990s strip-graft hairline made up of minis, micros and FUs with Dr. Umar using leg hair.

 

Very fair price, great yield, fixed in one day with only 1000 leg hair grafts (plus the BHT test of 300). Priceless.

This July will be two years since the BHT procedure.

 

Here are a few pics from my case...

 

Before:

 

After:

 

Needless to say, I am a very happy patient.

But enough about my case.

 

I came across this thread am felt compelled to add my 2 cents.

 

I don't want to believe that this is really Dr. Feller himself posting on his thread.

 

I can't imagine the misleading, juvenile and insincere posts I've read here (and on other HT forums) credited to "Dr. Feller" were actually written by the good doctor himself.

 

Certainly, a "famous" doctor such as he would be above such nonsense.

 

The sheer number and length of those posts should immediately point to the insecurity and desperation from a (mostly) strip doc in a troubled economy.

 

There is a thread on another site where Dr. Feller and another "famous" HT doc go round-and-round like 6th graders over who invented what, who should file patents on who's tools and who has the bigger... never mind. I don't think that thread helped their practices. We forum geeks loved it. Better than bad reality TV! Lol.

 

I really wish I could post a link to that thread but I wouldn't want to offend our good host here. Entertaining reading but truly sad and pathetic, IMHO. Very telling about the "gods" of HT surgery.

 

Would I put my head in the hands of a doctor who engages in disingenuous, insulting and juvenile behavior on internet forums? Shouldn't he be playing golf or spending some quality time with his friends and family in his down time?

 

Or does he really think he'll attract patients this way?

 

If I were researching HT docs and came across a thread where docs were behaving like they should be on The Jerry Springer show, I would laugh and do some more research on other docs.

 

Is the person posting under the name "Dr. Feller" blind or intentionally misleading perspective patients to garner business? Perhaps he/she was counting on folks not actually watching the videos and blindly accepting his spin as fact? Lol.

 

I challenge ANY HT doc to demonstrate a repair case of this magnitude.

PLEASE WATCH THE VIDEOS folks.

 

Here are some pics:

 

This is a MINIMAL improvement?

 

Using NO HEAD HAIR:

 

Using mostly body hair and some head hair:

 

Before:

 

After:

 

Stills from the video:

 

Before:

 

After:

 

Before:

 

After:

 

I suppose according "Dr. Feller", Dr. Umar should run out and perform thousands of strip procedures in order to prove himself worthy of so many FUE and BHT successes?

 

Master strip first and then one has earned the right to practice FUE/BHT? LMFAO!

 

In the future, HT docs will only have read about strip surgery or seen videos, never having performed it themselves.

 

I'm sure Dr. Umar is very happy to be able to claim that he has never inflicted the type of damage on patients that he finds himself fixing all too often today. He is also an HT patient himself and knows first-hand the reality of the HT experience.

 

I've had 16 strips and the scars to prove it.

My hair looks good at a longer length and I have benefited from my strips but even with good yield, if my hair was buzzed down to a #4 or lower, it wouldn't be pretty folks (except my hairline).

 

I think I bought a used car from this "Dr. Feller" poster when I was in college.

Kidding doc (if it really is you).

But I don't think this is him posting.

Frankly, it's beneath him and any other honorable professional.

 

The real Dr. Feller should stick to showing results in pictures or better yet, video.

As Jon Stewart has said, "His mouth is ruining it for his face".

 

Good grief and good luck with this lame tactic.

 

Truly sad.

[Tembo]

That is what I though about the pics too Hooray!

 

Anyway, I do think that Dr. Umar has presented fewer cases than necessary on youtube at the moment, but he does seem to have posted many more on Hsite.

 

Also, how does Dr. Umar's method differ from the one he saw in India by the world's most experienced BHT surgeon? That is the million dollar question I would love to have answered before I go in for my BHT with either Dr. Umar or the doctor in India.

[PLEASE GROW PLEASE]

The before pic is at the top.

Hooray for hair for doing more harm now then good.

[Dr. Alan Feller]

Hooray for Hair,

 

You are a patient of Dr. Umar's and I hope you are very satisfied with your procedure and results. I truly do.

 

It is common for patients to stick up for their doctors when they feel they have been attacked so I know where you're coming from. But there are a few things you clearly don't know about because you are new to this forum and apparently to the field of modern HT in general.

 

You are not the first to mistakenly label me as an FUE failure, malcontent, or someone who just can't do it. If you do your OWN research you will find that I am a well established FUE practitioner with the results to back it up. But ask and you shall receive. Here is a quick example of proper FUE work performed

responsibly. And remember, this is only 1000 fue grafts:

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/showthread.php?t=150394

 

I have also bent over backwards over the years to demystify the FUE/BHT field and expose those who might hype it beyond it's worth. While BHT CAN be performed, it doesn't mean that it SHOULD be. If ten thousand BHT grafts have to be placed to MAYBE get the cosmetic benefit of 1,000 strip grafts then there is something seriously wrong with the procedure and those who advocate it.

 

To answer your second question, the placement of ultra-refined grafts from a strip prepared under a microscope is in fact vastly different than FUE grafts removed using .9mm punches. The strip grafts are smaller and more fragile. Most of all, the density in which ultra-refined grafts can be placed is greater than can be accomplished with .9mm "mini" plugs.

 

Calling strip surgery "barbaric" just shows that you harbor a bias against the most popular and successful HT surgery known. While you are certainly welcome to hold that opinion, most of the world doesn't and therefore neither do most of the viewers coming onto HTN looking for recommended doctors. These potential patients are looking for a way to achieve the BEST results possible, not to AVOID a type of surgery that YOU personally fear. I've had strip surgery myself and can tell you first hand that such fears are unfounded.

 

I don't do BHT now because, as you say, I just can't. I did plenty of it back in 2003 and 2004 during the dawn of the FUE age in the U.S. and I never charged any patient a penny for it. What I learned was that the growth yields were less than 30%. Whether I performed 10, 50, or 100 BHT the best consistent yields were only one in three. From what I can see of Dr. Umar's results, his yields are no better. The reason he has any cosmetic results at all (results that are mild in my opinion compared to strip results) is because he uses many multiple of the amount needed.

 

Your post falsely places BHT on an equal footing with strip surgery. This shows how uninformed you are. The onus is on you to produce results from ANY BHT practitioner that compare with strip results. To date no one has. I've showed you mine, now you show me yours.

[PLEASE GROW PLEASE]

The real Dr. Feller should stick to showing results in pictures or better yet, video.

 

I have saw close to a hundred photos and at least 5 or more videos of outstanding work by Dr Feller.

This is what got him recommended on here.

he present a bunch of photos and the choice was made.

Pat , Could ask Dr Umar to post at lest 10 photos other then these gentlemen before any choice is made?

[Guest]

Originally posted by Tembo:

That is what I though about the pics too Hooray!

 

Anyway, I do think that Dr. Umar has presented fewer cases than necessary on youtube at the moment, but he does seem to have posted many more on Hsite.

 

Also, how does Dr. Umar's method differ from the one he saw in India by the world's most experienced BHT surgeon? That is the million dollar question I would love to have answered before I go in for my BHT with either Dr. Umar or the doctor in India.

 

I don't know, to be honest, Tembo.

I didn't know the other guys was classed as "the best"?

Where are his results?

This is literally the first time I've even heard of anyone else doing the calibre of work Dr Umar is in regards to BHT.

As everyone says, the results are all that counts, so have a good hard look at any all BHT results being posted by any and all doctors who perform it.

That way, you can't go wrong in your final decision.

All the best

 

H f H

[Byehair]

Please Grow Please

Honestly, is English your first language?

 

Your last post

(he present a bunch.....)

(Pat, Could ask Dr. Umar to post at lest 10...)

 

You really need to read your postings before hitting the Post Now button.

 

And yes I am ready for your attempted sarcastic remarks.

[Dr. Alan Feller]

Horray,

Now your being ridiculous and you are not helping your doctor one bit to achieve the status of recommended. In fact, you are doing the opposite.

Clearly in the first before photo of my patient the hair is showed pulled back and it is also pulled back in the after. No deception here.

 

Now it's your turn to post a photo from your doctor using mega-FUE/BHT technique to match or exceed it. Leave the personal swipes out of it if you can.

 

Now you've written a check that your doctor can't cash. Now do you understand why you are not helping your doctor's cause?

[Guest]

Okay, I just had a good look back over your patient's pics. I didn't realize that the first shot was a before pic because it looked so similar to the after pic. I realize now that all you've done is filler work around what looks like an earlier plug job. Is that correct?

2500 grafts just as filler?

And my sarcasm regarding your "hair down/hair up" photos was justified. Why would you even bother taking such shots?

 

Anyway, it wasn't my intention whatsoever to compare BHT to strip?

I haven't re-read my earlier post, but I'm sure I didn't give that impression.

I was simply saying that I find strip surgery 'barbaric' compared to FUE.

I perhaps should've made it clear that when I say FUE, I'm referring to scalp hair only.

BHT is a totally different subject.

Obviously, people would only use BHT when there is no donor supply left, correct?

Strip surgery, and even FUE, is irrelevant at that point, so body hair is the patients only hope, yes?

In this field, I stand by my opinion that Dr Umar is unrivalled! (Backed up by your own admission that you can't perform successful BHT on the same scale as him)

Which was also why I questioned (it seems sarcastic but it actually is a genuine question) why, if you invented the tools that Dr Umar uses, are you unable to make it work successfully as he does?

But for patients who have adequate donor supply, then yes, as always, the argument is between strip and FUE, which is where I say that there is no comparison between the two procedures in terms of damage to the patient.

But with all things, it's up to the individual to decide what's best for them, right?

If they prefer a permanent reminder on the back of their head that they've had a transplant, then definitely strip is for them.

 

All the best

 

H f H

[Dr. Alan Feller]

Don't you dare try to put words in my mouth Hooray. I never admitted I couldn't perform successful BHT on the same scale as anybody. If you are going to pull that crap then come out from behind your anonymous handle and stand accountable for what you write. Send an email to me at info@fellermedical and identify yourself. You know who I am and I am ready to stand acountable for what I write in public. Are you? We'll see how nasty and tough you are then big mouth.

As for my work and ability, I've been down the road with sycophants like you before and all have vaporized in a cloud of shame becasue the doctors you cheerlead for can never deliver the goods you promise they can.

I'll wait for your private email for you to identify yourself and stand accountable you obnoxious weasel.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Dr. Feller,

 

I appreciate your initial input but I think you have made and now exhausted your point. You are now being antagonized by and antagonizing patients.

 

Also, presenting your own work on Dr. Umar's potential recommendation is inappropriate.

 

Please allow other members to offer their input on Dr. Umar's potential recommendation and focus your attention elsewhere.

 

If anyone wants to continue to debate with Dr. Feller, please do it privately or create a new BHT general thread.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Dr. Alan Feller]

Bill,

I was not only asked to post my work on this thread, but was actually challenged to do so.

 

I do agree that I've made my point and I hope I've helped to educate anyone out there who wrongly thinks that mega-FUE/BHT is equivalent to modern strip surgery.

[PLEASE GROW PLEASE]

DYEHAIR, Y R u MIKING FUN OF ME. tat Is not wright i MADE AT U NOW

There I fixed it for you Bye hair you. Have you ever even contributed anything here .

All 100 of your posts are short and usually very sarcastic. Why do you even come here. You are truly pathetic and obviously very bitter.

I would bet a bag of money your bi-polar, and bi. Once again you contributed NOTHING to a thread .

Im sorry my typing skills are not to your liking but if you saw what my girl looks like in this summer dress you wouldnt reread yourself .Too damn distracting . I wish the sister would leave.Please

Now go tell mommy nite nite and how good of a typer little bi bi is.

[Byehair]

Much better, we needed to take some of the heat off this thread.

Nice to see you have admitted to being a pedophile.

[something]

Hey Bill,

 

can you just put a ban on Fellers posting privileges ...you can still have him in the coalition, just no more keyboard warrior privileges....haha

 

anyway, i don't know what you say. Dr Feller, time and time again your ego steps in front of your best interest, maybe you need to take a step back and see how your posts are read by forum members.

 

i have been stiff with you in the past, and will continue to be because i don't think the style in which you post is beneficial at all, and mostly one-sided while you claim that others are attacking you. Mostly, people are just reacting to your aggressive posts.

 

this thread was for forum members, but i think as a physician, you shouldn't be able to weight in publicly on these types of threads. do it in private, relax a bit, enjoy some tea.

 

anyways, i like how Dr Umar has handled this, and i think that he has a place as a recommened Dr because he is providing a service that helps tremendously.

 

i have not heard anywhere that Dr Umar compares BHT with a standard strip. He is very realistic about it, and thats cool.

 

I also believe that if Dr Feller has problems with Dr Umar, take care of it in a professional setting, like the ISHRS, and debate it with others in the field. the forum is not an appropriate place for this.

[Guest]

"I don't do BHT now because, as you say, I just can't."

 

Dr Feller, in an earlier post on this very thread.

 

Bill, I respect more than anything the fact that you don't want this thread getting out of hand, but PLEASE let me add this one post, not to have the final word, but to simply correct Dr Feller's abusive post to myself.

He clearly stated the above comment, and then attacked me when I made reference to it?

I truly don't understand that behaviour?

 

Thanks

[Sofarsogood]

I wonder what folks reactions would be if they watched a video of a strip procedure and then a FUE (or BHT) back-to-back?

 

Shall we post some pictures of strip extraction and FUE or BHT extraction?

 

Extracting individual follicular units with little or no scarring without using a scalpel?

Sounds more than promising to me.

 

I've had both procedures performed on me.

If I were starting out today, I'd go FUE/BHT all the way even if I had to sacrifice a small percentage of yield (and I don't believe this to be the case with Dr. Umar).

 

The FUE procedure itself is much less stressful on the body and mind.

 

I'd use BHT in the hairline for shaping and "softening" and for temple reconstruction, saving head-hair donor for areas where I would want to grow the hair longer (top, back, etc.).

 

But that's just one veteran patient's opinion.

 

Doctors like Dr. Umar will continue to fix patients if their strip scars stretch or they are too bald to use any more head-hair donor to look "normal" again after further hairloss from "traditional HT procedures".

 

IT'S 2008 people!

 

Having lost of body hair is no longer a curse!

Wookies unite!

 

You can't put the FUE/BHT genie back in the bottle.

[Guest]

Which is clearly why Dr Feller's so hot headed and nasty.

He's scared.

[Guest Baldie3000]

I think Dr. Umar's work looks great.

 

I have some of the same concerns about BHT and FUE in general. But since Dr. Umar doesn't seem fanatical that BHT and FUE are strip surgery replacements, my vote is a yes

 

~Baldie3000

 

P.S. Thanks to Pat for asking for our input