2,085 graft in Feb 2009 - before and after

[Ozguy]

Hi there,

 

In Feb 2009 I had a 2,085 (3,945 single hairs) graft hair transplant in Melbourne, Australia. I think I had fairly realistic expectations but I am quite disappointed in the results.

 

I am attaching the before and afters as I wouldn't mind some feedback and I am currently looking into my second procedure and I hope to get it right this time, so any advice is appreciated.

[Ozguy]

And here is the after picture - I really thought I would have had better coverage by now, nearly 12 months on.

[champion]

hi juz,

 

I can see why your disapointed.. who in Melb performed your HT.

[GilesLavery]

Hello , i too was dissapointed in my results here in Australia , i just this week had 2896 grafts from Dr. Path in Thailand , judging by the work i will be very happy.... if you have any questions please PM me as i can relate to having unsatisfactory work here in Aust and Dr Path is a great surgeon and a great option for those of us here in Australia.

[Ozguy]

Champion: Do you know the policy of this forum re: naming surgeons whose work you're unhappy with? I am happy to do it, but I don't want to break any rules.

 

GilesLavery: Thanks for your response, I am keen to ask you some questions and have posted you privately.

[aaron1234]

Doesn't look like you got any yield. Are you sure you got a hair transplant? It is ok to state who your surgeon was. If he was a member of the HTN, then Bill and Pat could vouch for you.

[Ozguy]

Just as a further aside to this. I have been back to the clinic to see the surgeon's main assistant. She is recommending that I have a second procedure with them of a 1,000 grafts, but instead of cutting the grafts into follicular units of 1, 2, 3 or 4, she recommends only cutting into units of 2 or 3. I've spoken to some other surgeons and they said this doesn't make sense as you cut the units into their naturally occurring clusters. I've also emailed some other surgeons and they all recommend that I have between 2,000 to 3,000.

 

I wish I knew now what I know before I spent $11,000 AUD on a HT. It would have been cheaper to go to Thailand straight away. Hell, from what I can tell it would have been cheaper to go anywhere else in the world for one!

[aaron1234]

You would not be totally off-base to request a full refund. Do not return to that clinic for another procedure. Stick around this site for awhile. Do some research. And most importantly, don't let travel dissuade you from a particular surgeon or clinic. It doesn't look like you've been mangled. It just looks like nothing grew, probably due to poor handling of the delicate grafts by the technicians.

[Ozguy]

Ok - the surgeon's name was Dr Les Blackstock and the procedure was performed at the Aesthetica Clinc in Melbourne on the 25th of Feb, 2009.

[Ozguy]

Apparently he guarantees that up to 80% of the grafts will take. However, this was only verbally communicated and not by the surgeon himself. To be honest, I am pretty sure several of the "cutters" were being trained on the day. I remember one commenting that this sort of work was not for them and they wouldn't do it again. This concerned me quite a bit.

 

When I spoke to the assistant at the 10 month mark, she just said I had had further hair loss, but when I look at the pics I can't see how I had further hair loss when there was no hair there to begin with!

[aaron1234]

A good surgeon will generally get a 96-98% yield. Do you happen to have any immediate post-op pics? Just so we can see how your supposed 2,000 grafts were placed.

[Ozguy]

I don't unfortunately. I didn't even think about it at the time, and I don't think they took any either. At least I don't recall them taking any, but I can ask them.

[aaron1234]

Try to get some if you can. Immediate post-ops and more pics will initiate a stronger response from the the forum members.

[Ozguy]

Thanks for the advice Aaron. I've written to the clinic to ask for the immediate post-op pictures. I suspect they didn't take any, but I was quite drugged by the end of the day, so it's possible they did and I don't remember.

 

What sort of other pictures do you recommend I upload? I have some current ones, taken yesterday, of the top of my head, sides and front. But no more pre-op ones (though I think the surgery may do). I will upload those when I get home tonight. Otherwise I have one of the 10 month mark taken by the clinic and some from about the four month mark.

[Ozguy]

I've just received a reply from the clinic and they have stated that they can't find any immediate post-op pics. So I guess that option is a best. I didn't know to take any, but in retrospect I should have. I guess I never considered this would happen to me.

 

I am planning to express my dissatisfaction with the end result in an email, but I am not sure how to prose it.

[Ozguy]

Some more pics - top view.

[Ozguy]

Left temple

[Ozguy]

Right temple - this is the area I am most disappointed with. There's actually a missing piece right up near the hair line. When I spoke to the head technician about it she said it's the inward part of the "squiggly" line they follow when putting in the implants.

[BigBill1234]

It doesn't look like anything grew to me!

[Ozguy]

To be fair, there was some growth, but it's certainly not what I was expecting. And I don't think it was the 80% yield that they said they guaranteed.

 

I just read that you the surgeon needs to shave the recipient area before implanting, otherwise they can damage the existing hairs.

 

They certainly didn't do that, should they have?

[bighosedragger]

juz...You will get a few different opinions about shaving but generally a good DR. can get strong yield with or without shaving. Look around and do some research on this site and you will basically find every answer you are looking for. On a good note the hair you still have looks good and in the hands of a top DR. you should be able to see some dramatic changes if you decide on another HT. Best Wishes!

[Ozguy]

Thanks for that bighosedragger I am definitely going to get another HT, it's just a case of who, where and how to fund it. I'll definitely go with one of the surgeons recommended on this site.

[Sparky]

no growth whatsoever, looks a bit thinner tbh.

[Ozguy]

Well, I've written to them to see if there's anything I can do, i.e. get a full or partial refund. To help fund the next procedure. I hope they don't offer another or discounted procedure as I don't see the point in going there again.

[Ozguy]

I have spoken to the head technician, from the clinc where I had my HT, about the results, and my unhappiness with the final results, and this is what she had to say:

 

"There were no immediate post op photo's taken as far as I can remember,

I

have had a

careful hunt for them, they would be all on your file.

 

I keep looking at your pre and post photo's and taking into

consideration

that you would

have had further loss of your existing hair, the density is good and if

you

focus on the

density behind the hair line it's quite obvious that the density has

improved considerably.

 

I am really sorry that you are unhappy with the results but they

certainly

aren't unsatisfactory,

I shall consult our clinic manager and see wheather we can reduce the

cost

for a top up session."

 

A couple of things: 1.

 

1. I notice on their website that they only recommend doing 1,000 grafts at a time. They never said this to me when I asked for 2,000. In fact I asked them if 2,000 was routine for them and they said yes.

 

Number 2: I would have thought it was standard practice to take post op pics? If I knew what I know now I would have definitely taken them.