Dr Jennifer Martinick and Dr Russell Knudsen in Sydney, Australia

[jojojo1]

Hi everyone, i just wanted to share my experience with some HT doctors i had visited this week.

 

I am sure this post can help some of you out there as i have seen a few users from Australia. This is quite a long post, but i just wanted to tell you everything that i experienced with these 2 surgeons at my initial consultation.

 

The first surgeon i saw was Dr Russell Knudsen. My initial opinion when i walked into his office was WOW. It looked so professional. I mean, in the clinic it was so clean, the staff was friendly and helpful, and the whole clinic was just an absolute pleasant to visit.

There were many rooms in the clinic for different patients. Waiting room for consultation, surgery room, recovery room for patients after surgery, consultation rooms, i mean it looked like no expenses were spared.

And plus there was no advertising in the clinic of companies or drugs which is what i liked most.

 

When i walked in there just before lunchtime, Dr Knudsen was completing a session for one of his patients. Then i saw all the staff he had with him during the surgery. They looked very professional and friendly.

 

Soon after i met Dr Knudsen, it seems he had a HT too,with a head full of hair. Very polite, outgoing and helpful.

At first he looked at my profile that i had just filled out, he seen my age (i will be 23 in a week or so) and straight away it seemed like he didnt want me to have a HT any time soon.

Never did once during the surgery did he mention the word Hair transplant to me, or talked me into getting a HT.

 

First he explained to me about the production of DHT, its effects and future hair loss. Then he told to to give Propecia a go. He didnt even mention HT until i bought it up, and even at that point it looked like he didnt want to go into details about it.

When i asked him an i a good candidate for a HT? and said yes, but he wanted me to give propeica a try before any HT (as i am at a NW2 to NW3 right now). SO he gave me a prescription for 3 months and told me to go bad and see him when they run out.

 

Thats what i expected from an ethical surgeon. As he recommended other options before surgery as i am still very young, which he took into great consideration. The fact that he never mentioned HT to me shows that he is definitely my choice of surgeon. Never once did he try to sell me any of his products or try to show off about his work or achievements.

 

He also recommended that i take propecia and see if my hair loss stabalises before i should have a HT, otherwise i will need another surgery in the very near future to fill in the gap of the mature hairline and the grafts.

 

 

On the same day, i visited Dr Martinick's office in Sydney. Now this office is much different to the one of Dr Knudsens, as this is at a private hospital and not a suite by itself like Dr Knudsens.

As Dr Martinick does not reside in Sydney, i am sure her clinic in her home town of Perth will be much more professional.

However i did not have my consultation with Dr Martinick herself, but with one of her surgery staff, who also happens to have great experience in assessing hair loss.

 

Now, their approach to me was much more different to Dr Knudsens. Dr Martinicks consultant explained everything there is to know about hair loss and its process.

But she did try to sell me HT at a very early stage of the consultation. I think she had a more aggressive approach to HT than Dr Knudsen.

 

She also recommended me to try propecia, but she had leaned more towards getting a HT at the hairline, as she was telling the truth from many years of experince that the hair at the temple will not grow back so surgery is the only way to bring the hairline down. But propecia should be used for the rest of your hair which will work very well.

 

She was very helpful as she explained all the options there is available and she recommended to me the best option through her experience of many years and past and present patients.

Although she was telling me to get a HT for hairline, she would not recommend a strong hairline, as its just not viable.

 

So to compare these two clinics, Dr knudsen took a very conservative approach and told me to wait for as long as possible.

While Dr MArtinick's staff told me the absolute truth in never getting my hairline lowered through medication (or a very minimal chance)so if i wanted, i can choose to only have a small amount of work done soon and try to keep it with the rest of my hair. As if i have a HT now, its much less noticeable than when i am a NW4 or 5.

 

 

Both of these clinics have a small difference in the view of what i should do, but in the end i think i do need a HT to restore a small area.

 

So in my opinion both these clinics are just as good as one another, no one is better than the other, its just a different approach that different surgeons take based on their past experiences.

[the B spot]

jo, I am glad that you were turned away by Dr, Knudsen, and even more happy that you have not signed up with Dr. Martinick.

 

I want to explain one thing about your reasoning: A doctor can be completely ethical and have your best interests at heart and still produce a poor result.

 

I am not saying this is the case with Dr. Knudsen, but the most expensive office with the most lovely staff is all fluff without the results to give it substance.

 

I am VERY surprised that Dr. Martinick pushed you to go for a hair transplant, given your age, agressive balding and her reluctance to do more than 1500 grafts.

 

How many grafts were you quoted from Dr. Martinick?

 

Anyway, is there any way you could share some pics of yourself to show your stage of loss?

 

I think you should use propecia and minox in the crown for at least a year, then re-evaluate your situation, perhaps holding off another year until 25.

 

I would also suggest that if you do decide to go forward, do NOT limit yourself to Australia and make sure you look at an FUE session as an option.

 

If you cannot afford to leave Australia then just wait a bit, save some money and continue to do research.

 

I feel for you my friend.... but you have to be strong and not rush into anything.

 

Ask as many questions as you need to.

 

Take Care,

Jason

[Bill - Seemiller]

jojojo1,

 

Thanks for posting your consultation experience.

 

At your age, I think it is wise to wait and give Propecia and/or minoxodil a good solid year to see if it works for you - at the very least, in preventing future loss.

 

At the same time, your level on the norwood scale should be taken into consideration as well.

 

B Spot is right...

 

Make sure if you do decide on hair transplantation that you choose a physician that has a proven public record of consistent and positive results that can be seen posted online by real patients.

 

Without knowing all the details of your hair loss situation and knowing your age, I am a little surprised that Dr. Martinick was encouraging an HT right away.

 

She is right however...that Propecia and/or minoxodil won't perform miracles. Most likely they will not regrow all your hair in the hairline.

 

But at the very least, as you age a bit - your hair loss pattern will be a BIT more predictable but not 100% determinable.

 

As hard as it is to experience hair loss, it's best to wait.

 

I recommend reading the following Q&A blogs:

 

Am I Too Young for a Hair Transplant?

 

What Should I Consider When Researching a Hair Transplant?

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[jojojo1]

Thanks alot for your support guys.

 

I must also make it clear that Dr MArtinick herself may have turned me away from a HT, as it was her consultation staff that explained the HT procedure for me.

Her staff did not full push me to have one, as i have made up my mind even before i walked in to have a little work done, so i think she knew i was pushing for a HT to restore some of the hairline.

But she was very passive in assessing my hairline as she would not give me more than 1000 grafts at the hairline because it will pretty much restore my original hairline. So it was not so much she was pushing me to get a HT, as i think she knew i wanted one no matter what, and i guess she would rather that i do it under a good surgeon like DR Martinick.

 

Also B Spot, these 2 surgeons are probably the 2 of best surgeons there are in Australia as i have spoken to a couple of past patients of them on this forum and their work great. I have been told that both these doctors have a very large number of patients, and i have not come across any bad experiences from anyone yet.

 

Both of these doctors have won some award called like the Golden Follicle Award in recent years and are members of the ISHR and have great experience (over 4000 transplants each)and have shown great photos of patients, which i assume they are very good, and can do a job just as good as any HT surgeons around the world.

Both these clinics can arrange times where i can meet a number of past patients and check out their work.

 

So right now i have taken Dr Knudsen's advice to to take Propecia for about 6 months and go back and see him then. If it stabilises i was thinking of getting a little work done at the hairline.

 

I know what you guys mean when you say i should hold it off for as long as you can, and i totally agree with that. But i have taken into consideration that you also dont want to leave it too late where you hairline has receded a great deal, then everyone will know that you had work done. This is why i think Dr Martinick's consultant didn't mind that i had a little work done so i can still hide it and no one will know i had work done.

 

But when i have been in this forum for about 6 months now, and both you guys have helped me out a great deal, so i would like to thank you both.

[damo]

H ithere Jojojo1 i can only speak from my experience as i have had 2 procedures done with Dr Martnick now with great success.I had my 1st procedure at 28 and im 32 now.If there is anything you would like to know please contact me.

 

Damo

[Bill - Seemiller]

Damo,

 

wow...welcome back brother! Were you on long time Sabbatical?

 

Glad to see you on our forum

 

Bill

[Aarya]

hi Jojojo1,

 

how did your medication as suggested by Dr. Knudsen go? did it benefit? Have you gone for hair transplant? I was thinking of getting it done from Dr. Kundsen but wish to know if he is good and reliable. thanks

[muzman]

Thanks for this thread jojojo1. I have a preliminary appointment with Dr Knudsen in September, will appreciate any and all feedback on his work if possible, thanks.

[Tom139]

If you are seeing Dr Knudsen Make a time to see Dr Martinick's office as well. Best way to decide .Have a look at all before and afters and see if you can speak to clients who have the procedure before you make a decision

[jollyfolly]

If you are seeing Dr Knudsen Make a time to see Dr Martinick's office as well. Best way to decide .Have a look at all before and afters and see if you can speak to clients who have the procedure before you make a decision

 

Tom is there any chance you will post your before and afters here for everyone to see as has been requested of you previously to show off your results or will you come on here and try to steer every aussie to the doctor you seem to be working for.

[jollyfolly]

Thanks for this thread jojojo1. I have a preliminary appointment with Dr Knudsen in September, will appreciate any and all feedback on his work if possible, thanks.

 

muzman,

 

i urge you to forget about a HT in aus but look overseas, you will spend huge dollars here to get very poor results instead of going to US, Canada, Thailand for cheaper $$$ yet a far superior HT with the world leading surgeons. Just have a look at this site and see how many us aussies have travelled outside aus including me.

[Tom139]

I not only do not work for any hair doctor but as a result of my research am encouraging all to do the same as I did before I made a decision. There are many doctors in Australia and overseas and people are free to choose whoever they want. I can only recommend people make a considered decision after doing their home work in full .

[jollyfolly]

I not only do not work for any hair doctor but as a result of my research am encouraging all to do the same as I did before I made a decision. There are many doctors in Australia and overseas and people are free to choose whoever they want. I can only recommend people make a considered decision after doing their home work in full .

 

if people do their research properly there is not a snowball fights in hell chance anyone having an HT in australia.

 

you are still avoiding the posting of your pics which is very strange given you are so passionate about pushing people to your doctor.

[Tom139]

You are talking absolute rubbish.Your views are uneducated and very obviously self serving.How can you disrespect every doctor in Australia, some of who have been performing surgery for over 25 years.

Hopefully people will see past your promotion of everything that is not Australian and do their homework and base their decisions on that.

Oh and yes , although this is a very private matter, I will attempt to post my pics tomorrow for all to review and trust me , my results are a far better result than yours on line!!

[Tom139]

Pics are now posted. Enjoy

[Sparky]

Your pictures are a blurry mess, post some clear hairline shots in HD please.

[Tom139]

As requested before and after of new hair line after surgery with Dr Martinick in Perth Australia 18 months ago

[Blake Bloxham]

Tom,

 

Are those personal photographs, or images taken by the clinic?

 

Glad to see you were able to meet your hair restoration goals.

[Tom139]

The afters are mine. Cannot tell you where I was mentally before procedure and where I am now. As I have said before , my experience was very positive with Dr Martinick and I can only base my advise on that.