Regulating the hair transplant profession/industry

[Pat - Community Publisher]

Recently a couple of regular members on this community, Mahair and Arfy, raised the issue of the importance of patients taking claims by doctors and clinics with a large dose of skepticism.

 

In short, Arfy pointed out the need for patients to really learn and appreciate the difference between state of the art work and second best, while Mahair pointed how a clinic deceived him into believing they were using a microscope and single blade for donor removal when in reality they took short cuts that compromised his results and donor supply.

 

I think they brought up critical issues that go to the very heart of why this online community exists. Such issues merit their own topic.

 

Therefore I want to respond to them and their concerns with a new topic that has the appropriate name ??“

 

"Regulating the hair transplant profession/industry" -

 

Currently, as some patients are painfully aware, there are no legal or organizational laws regulating the quality of hair restoration surgery. Essentially the "buyer beware" laws of the "free market" are the only real laws in place.

 

Thus a physician can literally set up a hair transplant practice over night and begin doing surgery the next day without having done any real training, let alone a fellowship.

 

But the emergence of the Internet has empowered patients to not only to learn about hair restoration but to share their actual experiences. Thus a physician who provides sub pare services one day may be reading a tough critique of his or her services the next day on a forum.

 

I think such a reality check is very healthy for patients and physicians. It rewards clinics who do great work, while it warns patients away from those doing sub pare work.

 

As you might imagine, not all hair transplant physicians share our enthusiasm for such an open forum. Many would prefer the old paradigm in which the patient simply trusted them at their word, thus enabling some physicians to plug away doing standard or sub standard work.

 

But such blind trust ends at the first sight of a "corn row" hair transplant. The poor work that surgeons planted in rows years ago has grown up into a bumper crop of mistrust and skepticism.

 

Hair transplant physicians have only themselves and their profession to blame for the current mistrust. While their colleagues consistently performed sub pare work year after year, the vast majority of surgeons turned a blind eye.

 

The medical community and the government failed to properly regulate the hair restoration/profession. But patients have saved their own scalps and those of others by taking matters into their own hands online.

 

By sharing experiences and information patients have given each other the ultimate immunization against poor hair transplants ??“ EDUCATION.

 

A truly educated patient is a Godsend to surgeons who do outstanding hair restoration surgery and a nightmare to those doing sub pare work.

 

What patient would choose a clinic providing small sessions of sparse mini micro grafts when they can choose to have extremely refined and dense sessions of microscopically prepared grafts? Hopefully none!

 

In a world of perfect information those plugging away would be unplugged, while the true gems in the rough, who often do little or no advertising, would be booked until they retired.

 

But for now there is enough ignorance, misleading advertising and laziness to keep mediocre hair transplantation in business.

 

I have been actively helping people use the Web to find outstanding surgeons for almost 7 years now. It continues to be an up hill battle, with many hair restoration physician working to undermine our efforts.

 

Over the years I have rejected dozens of surgeons who have applied to be recommended on this community. When they are rejected they often become upset and express anger that a "lay person" would dare to question their technique and credentials.

 

I generally remind them that it is the patient who ultimately makes the judgment on which technique and surgeon they will entrust with their scalp ??“ not them.

 

A physician who is not comfortable with good probing questions is not a physician you want probing into your head. A great physician will appreciate your questions and be glad that you actually can appreciate the extra effort they are making to assure that you get truly optimal results.

 

The sad truth is that I have attended more hair transplant workshops and conferences and seen more state of the art surgeries worldwide than most surgeons who are performing the actual surgery.

 

But I do see progress. I believe that the Web has created a new generation of very discerning patients who don't rely on blind faith or slick advertising. Instead these patients compare notes with each other online and are not shy about questioning a potential surgeon's technique and credentials. By demanding only the best, these patients are forcing surgeons to progress and provide truly outstanding surgical results or find other work.

 

I'm proud to play a role in this patient driven revolution. And I'm very encouraged every day that I see patients on this forum generously sharing their experiences and ideas.

 

Like democracy, its not a perfect process. But right now it does appear to be our best process for holding the hair restoration profession/industry accountable.

 

As an active member of this community you are in the vanguard of this patient driven revolution. Thank you for helping to guide other hair loss sufferers in a positive and safe direction. The good you do for others goes well beyond what you will even know.

 

Pat Hennessey, patient and publisher

[arfy]

WOW. Great post, Pat. I'm too embarrassed to take off my hat, but I certainly tip my hat to you, Sir.

 

SO many great points in your post. Probably the one that really stands out... that the "good" doctors actually WANT informed patients. (Not know-it-alls, but patients who know what they are getting into, and appreciate what makes a "good" clinic good). For one thing, it saves the doctors time, because when these patients walk in the door, the consultation doesn't have to start at square 1... "what is a hair transplant" etc.

 

Only the doctors who have something to hide, or who peddle a second-rate product, don't want the scrutiny that they get from an informed consumer. The top docs realize that scrutiny is just going to show off all the aspects that set their practice ahead of the pack. Scrutiny just makes them look good in comparison.

 

I'm sorry that this process of patient education is only restricted to the patients who come across websites like yours, before their first surgery. For that reason, in my opinion, there needs to be some intervention, regulation and 'cleaning up' of the industry. The bottom-feeders need to fold up their tents and find themselves an honest way to make a living. That's where I am putting most of my energy nowadays. I want to improve the fortunes of the patients who may not be looking for information on the internet.

 

We all have our own roles to play. I tip my cap to you for trying to educate patients on the "positive" aspects, and trying to steer them in the right direction.

[Mahair]

As a result of the efforts of a few people that have been damaged by the industry and its lack of regulation there are bills being introduced in order that the general public is spared from the lesser unethical practitioners.A baseline bill has been introduced in Minnesota and a comprehensive bill is being formulated in Massachusetts. Some of the safeguards will include consent forms being presented during the consultation,benefits and limitations of surgery(what a Dr.can and can't promise),elimination of commisioned salesmen,comprehensive standardized information booklet for reveiw,a disclosure of possible complications inclusive of shock loss and need for multiple surgeries and a dermatalogical assessment prior to surgery.These safeguards would not effect legitamate Drs.who are doing state of the art responsible work but will put a serious dent in the quack factor. I encourage anyone who has been mislead , damaged or knows someone who has to call your state rep and refer them to the Minnesota bill(already up)and make suggestion to them on how to improve upon it.They will be interested. I am working with my legislators , they are taking my recommendations very seriously and value the input I am providing them.I will assist anyone at anytime time with their efforts or tribulations. My e-mail is Mahair1@verizon.net and I will support you to the best of my ability.

[GuitarPlayer]

Mahair,

 

Those bills definitely sound like a step in the right direction. Do you know of any other bills being introduced in other states? Would you be able to provide me with contact information for the Florida State Rep? Thanks.

[Mahair]

Here is the address.http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/alert/?alertid=7902066&content_dir=ua_congressorg

You will be directed to your local reps.Tell them you would like to see regulations implimented.Refer them to the Minnesota bill and make suggestions on how it can be improved upon.I can't wait until the Massachusetts bill is presented I had alot of input and it is much broader than the MN. bill which is just a baseline first draft.So far these are the only two,but they have only been started within the last few months.I hope at least one person from every state takes the time and effort to do the same.I can guide you on inclusions to your bill if you send me a p/m or e-mail.I would love to be able to name my bill the MAGDALIN RESPONSE so his peers will spit when they hear his name.Good luck and I commend you for taking action.Also I found that after you find out who they are search out thier website and call them directly.I think you will be suprised at how willing they are to help.

[arfy]

It seems to me that when one state takes an action, then other states sit up and take notice, and are willing to consider similar measures. Getting a start in Massachussets and Minnesota means that other states will take your suggestion seriously. Do not focus on your own results, make the focus illegal or unethical activities such as:

<UL TYPE=SQUARE> <LI> Salesmen making surgical recommendations and doing follow up exams (illegal practice of medicine by a non-physician)<LI>Unqualified personnel doing most of the surgery (medical techs) without proper supervision <LI>Asking the patient to sign a legal disclaimer just a few minutes before surgery starts, when he can't spend time reading or thinking about what he's signing <LI>False advertising ("Regrow your Hair"... that's not what hair transplants do, all they do is move hair from the back to the front. That's not "Regrowing" your hair. There are many many other examples) <LI>Throwing away valuable grafts, because the clinic overbooks the surgery. If someone else is scheduled to start their surgery at 3 in the afternoon, for example, many clinics just throw away any leftover grafts in order to make sure the room is available at 3 <LI>"Upgrading" the patient: selling the patient extra grafts, on the day of surgery. Revising the estimate the patient got during his consultation, at the last minute. <LI>Using concealers (Toppik) in patient's After photos. <LI>Full disclosure: Not disclosing the common risks and common problems. Bad scarring, poor growth, accelerated hair loss, need for additional surgeries. All these things should be disclosed and understood well BEFORE the first surgery. Many guys only find out bad scarring or shock loss is possible, when it actually happens to them. Most "patient education" happens after the fact, and that is inexcusable. <LI>Using outdated techniques and tools. For example multibladed knives to remove the donor strip are typical, even though they waste a lot of precious donor hair.

 

 

These are just a few of the problems that need to be addressed. At this point, the doctors have already been given MORE than a fair chance to alter their own behavior and/or police themselves, and the problems remain the same in many clinics. To me, that indicates that outside pressure and outside regulation is necessary.

 

Guys like Pat (owner of this website) and other individuals do a lot, but can only do so much or only say so much, because of the threat of lawsuits. It's time to bring in outside regulation, in my opinion. It is simply unacceptable that in 2005 some clinics are still breaking the existing laws, or still using outdated techniques (while telling patients it's "state of the art" or that they are "leaders in the field"), or still misleading patients with their advertising or during their consultations. It has to stop.

 

If you conatct your state legislators or states attorney's office, ask them to consider adopting a bill that is similar to the proposed Minnesota or Massachussets bill, that is intended to regulate the hair transplant industry.

[Mahair]

Arfy has made some excellent points.One thing I would make note of is that it will be hard to police techniques through legislation,but the multi-bladed knife should be banned in addition to wasting/destroying donor hair(I have heard up to 60%) it requires more effort to pass through the soft tissue because of the added resistance therefore it lends to the neuro-vascular damage some suffer from as a result of blind cutting. The additional force and downward pressure needed to drag it across the occipital region which contains very sensitive and important structures that can be permenently damaged.

[arfy]

You're right, I don't think you can police techniques through legislation. The dinosaurs in the field will say that the results they already get are "good enough".

 

What we can expect to be policed: Stop breaking the law (for example salesmen "playing doctor"). Stop lying to patients with false advertising ("the natural solution to hair loss"... "No one will ever know it's a hair transplant unless you tell them"). Stop misleading patients about the surgical aspects (It's like going to the dentist). All I want is for doctors to start telling the truth (the whole truth) to patients, and start acting like legitimate doctors and not like used car salesmen. Somehow, that is considered a fringe viewpoint. You would think that's what the doctors want, too, but it's not (with a few exceptions of course).

[Guest]

What we have begun in Minnesota will hopefully be the catalyst for all states to recognize the serious need for consumer protection in the Hair Transplant Industry! I suggest that you use the Minnesota Bill as a vehicle in your state legilation. Changes are underway for the current Bill to be amended with more specific consumer protection. Mahair is working hard on introducing a Bill in Mass. Arfy is a very resourceful guy! I applaud Pat's Attention on this issue and all his work in keeping the public informed!

 

Please keep your eyes and ears open!!!!!!!! Thanks for Your attention and hard work!

 

The Real Elvis

[ron d]

Hello all ,I had a 3 day procedure , sept of 2008 with Dr. Cole of Atlanta . 3000 grafts were transplanted with no growth . I mean none !! I have been in touch with his office and the only recourse they would give me was an offer to do another procedure !!! Sure , i'll go back to a DR. who yielded zero results. To summarize , i have waisted 18K for nothing . My question - what should i do ? Hire an attorney ? Post my story all over the forums ?

Thanks for listening

[Plasma pushup]

Hi,

 

Do you have before and after pictures by chance? 0 is interesting.

[ron d]

i did have them from Coles office but i deleted them .I don't think they will be willing to resend them . I can post my pictures now , but you will have nothing to compare them with. I have been in touch with a lawyer to see if i can recoup some of my losses. Has anyone else out there had this type of experience with Cole? His name seems to be coming up much more lately in a negative light.