A Life Changing Reminder of What this Community can Do!

[Pat - Community Publisher]

Sometimes a patient reminds me of just how much our community can change a person's life for the better. It's easy to get caught up in all the technical aspects of running this community and forget how it is changing actual lives everyday. But today while I was visiting Dr. Konior's clinic in Chicago a patient came by to meet me in person.

 

He had called me on the phone a few years ago to get my advice. He had old school plugs that were too low on his forehead and his social life had been on hold for almost twenty years. He had chosen to no longer date or even swim due to being self conscious about his appearance. His hair loss and plugs had made him a virtual social cripple.

 

But he had researched hair transplantation extensively and was almost ready to believe that it was possible for him to restore a normal look and life for himself. It was clear from the photos he emailed to me that his plugs were too low and would need to be removed rather than simply camaflouged. The ideal solution was for a skilled plastic surgeon to excise his corn row hairline and do a brow lift to pull his hairline up higher so that follicular units could then be transplanted to create a natural hair line.

 

There are very few hair restoration surgeons who also have the skill and experience to do browlifts. But this man was fortunate to have one of them, Dr. Ray Konior, in his home city of Chicago. I encouraged him to consult with Dr. Konior and listen to his sound advice.

 

Now three years later, this man took the day off work to come by and thank me in person for helping him find Dr. Konior and a new life. He looked fantastic and he was beaming. He was a new man with a great new life.

 

As Dr. Konior, myself and this patient sat in the room it was clear that like a winning team we had all hit a great home run together. If all the Hair Transplant Network had ever accomplished was changing this one man's life it had to be worth it.

 

It was a beautiful moment that should remind all members of this community of the life changing impact our efforts make even when we don't see them or know of them. God only knows how many others have had their lives improved by the advocacy of you, me, the doctors, medical techs, staff and this entire community.

 

This patient in his words intends to "pay it forward" soon by sharing his photos and story. So the good will and help provided by this community will live on and on and on.

 

Best wishes to everyone for experiencing great results and then helping others to achieve the same.

[Pat - Community Publisher]

Sometimes a patient reminds me of just how much our community can change a person's life for the better. It's easy to get caught up in all the technical aspects of running this community and forget how it is changing actual lives everyday. But today while I was visiting Dr. Konior's clinic in Chicago a patient came by to meet me in person.

 

He had called me on the phone a few years ago to get my advice. He had old school plugs that were too low on his forehead and his social life had been on hold for almost twenty years. He had chosen to no longer date or even swim due to being self conscious about his appearance. His hair loss and plugs had made him a virtual social cripple.

 

But he had researched hair transplantation extensively and was almost ready to believe that it was possible for him to restore a normal look and life for himself. It was clear from the photos he emailed to me that his plugs were too low and would need to be removed rather than simply camaflouged. The ideal solution was for a skilled plastic surgeon to excise his corn row hairline and do a brow lift to pull his hairline up higher so that follicular units could then be transplanted to create a natural hair line.

 

There are very few hair restoration surgeons who also have the skill and experience to do browlifts. But this man was fortunate to have one of them, Dr. Ray Konior, in his home city of Chicago. I encouraged him to consult with Dr. Konior and listen to his sound advice.

 

Now three years later, this man took the day off work to come by and thank me in person for helping him find Dr. Konior and a new life. He looked fantastic and he was beaming. He was a new man with a great new life.

 

As Dr. Konior, myself and this patient sat in the room it was clear that like a winning team we had all hit a great home run together. If all the Hair Transplant Network had ever accomplished was changing this one man's life it had to be worth it.

 

It was a beautiful moment that should remind all members of this community of the life changing impact our efforts make even when we don't see them or know of them. God only knows how many others have had their lives improved by the advocacy of you, me, the doctors, medical techs, staff and this entire community.

 

This patient in his words intends to "pay it forward" soon by sharing his photos and story. So the good will and help provided by this community will live on and on and on.

 

Best wishes to everyone for experiencing great results and then helping others to achieve the same.

[Dewayne]

That's awesome!

 

I too am experiencing something similar. Although I never swore off social activities, my hairloss and subsequent plug job really affected my social success. I've told it before, but after graduating from college I took a supervisory job in a damn chicken operation mainly b/c I liked the idea of wearing a hardhat everyday. Luckily, I got promoted up and had to deal with it without the hats.

 

However, as the years passed my plugs were becoming more and more noticeable and I would shy away from places where I knew people from long ago would be. I usually had to wash my hair by the afternoon as it would become oily, thin and more noticeable.

 

Now, at almost six months I couldn't be happier (except for maybe wishing I'd got another 1,000 in my crown ). I don't mind being a 'thinning' man at 42, but I'll say that I don't believe anyone could guess I've had a transplant now. And after all these years, that's a great feeling.

 

So, I can say thanks too as I was about to check into going back to Latham's Hair Clinic in Birmingham, Alabama for another 3 or 400 plug session. I can't believe those idiots are still doing it the same way......

[tofueornottofue]

I just love to hear the positive stories regarding HT's...as we know, many have been wronged by unskilled and prob unethical Doc's.

 

There is hope for the vic's!

 

Glad to hear things are coming together dewayne.

 

T

[balody]

pat,this is the second feel good story ive read on here today,first being the pro bono repair performed by dr cooley on the lady with the burnt scalp.

good stuff.

[Fallenstar]

Pat/All,

 

i think this forum & community has probably helped so many, me included. i was slowly becoming vary of my hair loss and started to shape my life around this.

i can personally say, that I remember talking with Pat via email possibly just before this forum had started, i thought about HT for long time and were it not for not for this community, i would still be thinking about it.

today i can say this decision has been a milestone in my life. everyone who knows me has noticed the +ve change in my attitude. i never thought i would be so happy once more.

so i will say it again, Pat & all the members, a BIG THANKYOU!

 

FS

[PLEASE GROW PLEASE]

Wish I had known you were there as I live really close to Dr Koniors office.

I would have wrote you a huge check for all your help

[the B spot]

Thanks for sharing Pat.

 

Again, a GREAT doctor has the ability to take on the hard cases and produce a great result.

 

This is just another reason why Dr. Konier has my vote as tops in Chicago.

 

Jason

[Pat - Community Publisher]

Kudos to all the members of this community who have driven change in the hair restoration profession and guided their fellow hair loss suffers to the very best.

 

Please Grow Please, sorry I missed you. But you can still mail me that check :-)

[Bill - Seemiller]

Stories like this always touch me deeply because it's a good reminder that all of us are here not only to restore our hair, but in many cases, transform our lives.

 

As a former bald man, I remember how insecure I was about my own hair loss and the need I felt to wear a hat everywhere I went. I found this community 4 years ago and it quite literally saved my life. It took some time, but after 3 hair transplants and support from this community, my confidence in my appearance and myself was restored. A special thanks to Pat for starting this magnificent forum, empowering and educating patients to find real hair restoration solutions and support.

 

Kudos to Dr. Konior and other world renowned surgeons who regularly change lives and are willing to be publicly accountable to patients online.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill