dadeus Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 I want to share my experience with everyone, with what I would say is the most personable, caring and professional group of people that I dealt with during my attempt to take control of my hairloss. Before I do that I want to give folks some background on my struggle with going bald. I'm 47 years old and have always lived a very active life. I have jet black hair and it had been extremely full when I was young. I have two older brothers who are both completely bald. My hair loss was very gradual, happening slowly over the years. It was so gradual that most people that know me (and my brothers) thought I wouldn't suffer from the same fate, however, by the time I reached 46 years of age, my loss was "extremely noticeable". I developed what would best be called an "island", in the front section of my scalp. I ended up with patches of hair between a front hairline of less than a ?? of an inch and the rear section of my head. The back of my head was extremely thin as well, but not as noticeable as the front. Over the years, maybe I became a bit more self conscience, but in conversation with others, I began to notice them staring at my head. One day at work, an acquaintance saw me from a distance (from behind) and said he recognized me by my male pattern baldness. Still, I thought I was okay. That is because my "pseudo", thin, front hair line gave me a false sense of security. You see, when I would get dressed for work each morning, I'd see the front of my hair and think things weren't that bad. That is until the day I went shopping and tried clothes on in one of those three way mirrors. I was horrified at how bad my thinning really looked. Eventually, I stopped wanting to let folks take my picture and resorted to wearing hats. Now don't think I didn't try to do something about this. When I was around 30, I started using minoxidil 2%. As things got even worse, I switch to 5%. It may have slowed things down, but it didn't stop my hair loss. I began to research on the web to find a solution for this problem. I've worked with computers for years, so this was second nature for me. I found many different forums and began studying the different solutions, follicular transplants, hair pieces, natural remedies and more. I finally decided I was going to do something. My older brother had been using glued on hair that looked unbelievably natural. He always told me what a hassle it was and even though I work out 4 or 5 days a week, I decided I didn't care and was going to do it. I searched and searched the web and stumbled across a guy in my local area that was only about 20 minutes away. His name was Frank Coletta and amazingly enough, he agreed to meet me on a Sunday evening, right after the holidays, when every other business was closed. We met in Franks office. I went into the encounter totally skeptical and waiting for this guy to try and take as much of my money as possible. I had done my home work looking on sites like this and others and had not found a single piece of information on Frank. This is what led to my complete skepticism. I was a psychology major in college and even though I "jumped" into the computer industry, I've continued to hone my people skills through reading, meditation, etc. Within the first five minutes of talking with Frank, I realized I was dealing with someone who was totally the opposite of what I had expected. He talked about the different options, including doing what I wanted and an actual transplant. He was quite honest about the fact that I would look awesome with a hair piece and he showed me pictures of clients he had, that looked incredible. He told me that in the long run, this was actually the most expensive option and one he would be glad to do it if I chose to. We talked about transplants, my life style and my baldness pattern. Frank ask me to consider this option, as it would give me back my own hair with none of the hassles of a "piece" and it would fit in nicely with my active life style. A friend of Frank's had come to visit for the holiday's was also there at the time. Frank had introduced him to me earlier. Frank asked me if I minded having his friend show me something about his hair. I said no problem and he called him into the room. He appeared to have a beautiful head of hair. His friend told me he had once been totally bald. He then showed me a close up view of his scalp. He explained that he had originally gone to a Canadian doctor to have his hair work done. He pointed to spots in his head where there was scarring and what looked liked plugs of hair. He then showed me the work Frank's team had done to repair the damage. It was like night and day. The re-work looked completely natural. I have to say that regardless of Frank's role in helping me choose the best option, he is and was one of the most personable people I've ever met. If I had not met him through this encounter, I'd have loved to have him as a friend. He has a natural warmth that puts you at ease. I can't say enough, about how re-assuring this was when you're faced with taking action on your hair loss. Frank gave me no pressure and told me to give him a call back when I was ready to do something. When I left, I had a knew insight and yearning to know more about transplants. Before going the transplant route and after doing more research, I decided I owed it to myself, to try the natural remedies I had seen of the web, for at least six months. I figured for six more months, I wouldn't have a lot to lose. So I researched and I tried, vinegar and cayene pepper, "super zix", beta sitosterol, Flax lignans, green tea with catechins, nixoral and even some type of mild acid applied to the scalp. None of it worked for me. In the mean time I also scoured the hair loss forums once again looking at all the Doctor's out there and other people's experience. I was ready to make an informed decision if the natural hair regrowth fell through......and it did fail. I decided I was going to do something and there would be no turning back. 3 Weeks ago I did it! I have no regrets. I got a limo ride to the airport and escort by Frank himself and what I can only describe as red carpet treatment. Now I'm patiently waiting for the results. If you want to know more about the best kept secret about a doctor and staff in the New England area, feel free to contact me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadeus Posted July 19, 2006 Author Share Posted July 19, 2006 I want to share my experience with everyone, with what I would say is the most personable, caring and professional group of people that I dealt with during my attempt to take control of my hairloss. Before I do that I want to give folks some background on my struggle with going bald. I'm 47 years old and have always lived a very active life. I have jet black hair and it had been extremely full when I was young. I have two older brothers who are both completely bald. My hair loss was very gradual, happening slowly over the years. It was so gradual that most people that know me (and my brothers) thought I wouldn't suffer from the same fate, however, by the time I reached 46 years of age, my loss was "extremely noticeable". I developed what would best be called an "island", in the front section of my scalp. I ended up with patches of hair between a front hairline of less than a ?? of an inch and the rear section of my head. The back of my head was extremely thin as well, but not as noticeable as the front. Over the years, maybe I became a bit more self conscience, but in conversation with others, I began to notice them staring at my head. One day at work, an acquaintance saw me from a distance (from behind) and said he recognized me by my male pattern baldness. Still, I thought I was okay. That is because my "pseudo", thin, front hair line gave me a false sense of security. You see, when I would get dressed for work each morning, I'd see the front of my hair and think things weren't that bad. That is until the day I went shopping and tried clothes on in one of those three way mirrors. I was horrified at how bad my thinning really looked. Eventually, I stopped wanting to let folks take my picture and resorted to wearing hats. Now don't think I didn't try to do something about this. When I was around 30, I started using minoxidil 2%. As things got even worse, I switch to 5%. It may have slowed things down, but it didn't stop my hair loss. I began to research on the web to find a solution for this problem. I've worked with computers for years, so this was second nature for me. I found many different forums and began studying the different solutions, follicular transplants, hair pieces, natural remedies and more. I finally decided I was going to do something. My older brother had been using glued on hair that looked unbelievably natural. He always told me what a hassle it was and even though I work out 4 or 5 days a week, I decided I didn't care and was going to do it. I searched and searched the web and stumbled across a guy in my local area that was only about 20 minutes away. His name was Frank Coletta and amazingly enough, he agreed to meet me on a Sunday evening, right after the holidays, when every other business was closed. We met in Franks office. I went into the encounter totally skeptical and waiting for this guy to try and take as much of my money as possible. I had done my home work looking on sites like this and others and had not found a single piece of information on Frank. This is what led to my complete skepticism. I was a psychology major in college and even though I "jumped" into the computer industry, I've continued to hone my people skills through reading, meditation, etc. Within the first five minutes of talking with Frank, I realized I was dealing with someone who was totally the opposite of what I had expected. He talked about the different options, including doing what I wanted and an actual transplant. He was quite honest about the fact that I would look awesome with a hair piece and he showed me pictures of clients he had, that looked incredible. He told me that in the long run, this was actually the most expensive option and one he would be glad to do it if I chose to. We talked about transplants, my life style and my baldness pattern. Frank ask me to consider this option, as it would give me back my own hair with none of the hassles of a "piece" and it would fit in nicely with my active life style. A friend of Frank's had come to visit for the holiday's was also there at the time. Frank had introduced him to me earlier. Frank asked me if I minded having his friend show me something about his hair. I said no problem and he called him into the room. He appeared to have a beautiful head of hair. His friend told me he had once been totally bald. He then showed me a close up view of his scalp. He explained that he had originally gone to a Canadian doctor to have his hair work done. He pointed to spots in his head where there was scarring and what looked liked plugs of hair. He then showed me the work Frank's team had done to repair the damage. It was like night and day. The re-work looked completely natural. I have to say that regardless of Frank's role in helping me choose the best option, he is and was one of the most personable people I've ever met. If I had not met him through this encounter, I'd have loved to have him as a friend. He has a natural warmth that puts you at ease. I can't say enough, about how re-assuring this was when you're faced with taking action on your hair loss. Frank gave me no pressure and told me to give him a call back when I was ready to do something. When I left, I had a knew insight and yearning to know more about transplants. Before going the transplant route and after doing more research, I decided I owed it to myself, to try the natural remedies I had seen of the web, for at least six months. I figured for six more months, I wouldn't have a lot to lose. So I researched and I tried, vinegar and cayene pepper, "super zix", beta sitosterol, Flax lignans, green tea with catechins, nixoral and even some type of mild acid applied to the scalp. None of it worked for me. In the mean time I also scoured the hair loss forums once again looking at all the Doctor's out there and other people's experience. I was ready to make an informed decision if the natural hair regrowth fell through......and it did fail. I decided I was going to do something and there would be no turning back. 3 Weeks ago I did it! I have no regrets. I got a limo ride to the airport and escort by Frank himself and what I can only describe as red carpet treatment. Now I'm patiently waiting for the results. If you want to know more about the best kept secret about a doctor and staff in the New England area, feel free to contact me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member dhuge67 Posted July 19, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted July 19, 2006 I roll my eyes every single time someone talks about how personable, warm, caring, and how good of a guy a particular doctor is. Where's the proof? Bill Clinton or George Bush may be great guys to have a beer with but...it doesn't make them the best at what they do. 1,614 with Dr. Pistone on 2/3/06 in Marlton, NJ. As long as the moon shall rise As long as the rivers flow As long as the sun shall shine And the grass will grow Let me listen, I will learn to speak The old language Yes, I yearn to bathe in blue skies And fall apart from the world of machines Regain my feet and my pounding heart My Hair Loss Weblog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadeus Posted July 19, 2006 Author Share Posted July 19, 2006 No problem here. We''re all entitled to our own opinions. My HT is only 3 weeks old so it will be a while before I see any results. But once again, I give kudos to the folks that help me through my decision and process, as they made it as stress free as possible. In fact I was actaully driven to and from the aiport by the doctor himself. We'll see in a few months what the results are. I had 1900 grafts performed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member hairbank Posted July 19, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted July 19, 2006 It sounds as if you had a positive experience. Would you care to share the first and last name of your Doc, before and after pics and the number of grafts you received? Hairbank 1st HT 1-18-05 - 1200 FUT's 2nd HT 2-15-06 - 3886 FUT's Dr. Wong 3rd HT 4-24-08 - 2415 FUT's Dr. Wong GRAND TOTAL: 7501 GRAFTS current regimen: 1.25mg finasteride every other day My Hair Loss Weblog Disclaimer: I'm not a Doctor (and have never played one on TV ) and have no medical training. Any information I share here is in an effort to help those who don't like hair loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member troy Posted July 19, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted July 19, 2006 it sounds fishy to me. I will await my verdict untill further posts and pictures. One reason It sounds fishy it you are hyped about how kind this guy was and you are thinking he has just gave you back what you wanted, but you have to be carefull because people will act on your posts, and in truth who knows if he is any good, we will have to see and follow your posts then give credit where credit is due. I wish you the best please keep us posted. My Hair Loss Weblog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member spoon Posted July 19, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted July 19, 2006 Originally posted by dadeus:If you want to know more about the best kept secret about a doctor and staff in the New England area, feel free to contact me. Well it seems a few people are contacting you right here in this discussion group, so let's have some more information about this doc and his staff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member wesley949 Posted July 20, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted July 20, 2006 What the hell is the doctor doing driving you to and from the airport in a limo no less. This sounds like pure B.S. and if its not it should be. What is the secret? There are good doctors that use the latest technology in HT and do a wonderful job---is there something new this doctor is doing? If there is, he should share it with fellow doctors with the proper evidence. Just point us to his web site-why the secrecy? This forum is focused on bringing things out into the light of day---not playing a Sherlock Holmes game. If you are truly suffering from baldness, you should be aware that many readers have been suckered by come-ons like this and this type of "ploy" has no place on this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member kamin Posted July 20, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted July 20, 2006 There's a chance that this guys post is legit, but the odds are stacked against it. Whenever I see a post that is this long and just full of "sweetness and light" about a particular doctor, I automatically think BS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadeus Posted July 20, 2006 Author Share Posted July 20, 2006 A few more details. By the way, I'm not claiming the people I used had some special techniques of new super secret methodolgy. I'm only relating on the the comfort of my experience. I did not inlcude the Dr's name because I thought it may be against the site rules. The Dr I used, has been a surgeon for many years. He has over 12 years experience in HTs. When I arrived in his office he had 3 female assitants who had a combined total of over 30 years experience in the business. I was given an antiobiotic and a mild relaxant to begin. I was seated in something like a dental chair that could recline backwards. The doctor started by taking somm picture of my hair prior to all of this. Next he used a special marker to draw a line around my current hairline. I was given a movie list of about 500 movies to select from that I could watch while the process was performed. I chose a comedy to keep things light. I'm not sure of the exact order of things but I believe he next gave me a series of shots in the back area of my head where my hair was to be removed. It felt like he was actaully pulling out hairs, one at a time. After a series of shots to numb the area the Dr. left. His assitants pulled up the back of my hair and secured it with some type of tie. I watched the movie and talked with the 3 assistants, each of which was quite lovely and perosnable. The Dr returned and checked the are for sensitivity. I could feel nothing. He then began the process of removing the soon to be tranplanted follicles. I felt nothing during this. The weirdest sensation was when he began to apply sutures to the back of my head. I could feel the tugging. The Dr explained these sutures were the type that fall out on their own after a few weeks. Next, the hair that was removed was taken into another room so that teh follicles could be isolated. The Dr. returned and began of numbing the top area of my head that would receive the grafts. When this was complete he began the process of making the incisions for each follicle. When the incisions were completed the 3 assistants surrounded me and beagn the process of placing the follices onto my scalp. When all was doen I was given a 4 week supply of propecia (after having discussed this option with the Dr), a bag with salien spray, an anti-flamatory, pain killers, anti-biotics. a forehead wrap if swelling should occur and instructions. I had lunch, was driven to the airport and flew home. The next day the Dr. called me to see how I was doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadeus Posted July 20, 2006 Author Share Posted July 20, 2006 By the way, I personally met 2 people who had worked done by the folks I dealt with and their hair looked totally natural. That was a big factor in my decision to go forward. Beyond relaying my experience, I can't say anymore. It will be 4 weeks this Friday since I had the process done, so it's still a ways off before I can see the real results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadeus Posted July 20, 2006 Author Share Posted July 20, 2006 One last note. I did list the Dr's name in a post today, but it set off some type of trigger for review by the web moderators and so that post hasn't appeard yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member tkerr22 Posted July 20, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted July 20, 2006 and the doctor is.......................................................???????????????????? My Hair Loss Weblog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member L'Anonyme Posted July 20, 2006 Regular Member Share Posted July 20, 2006 Originally posted by dadeus:One last note. I did list the Dr's name in a post today, but it set off some type of trigger for review by the web moderators and so that post hasn't appeard yet. This guy is ridiculous. Stop wasting everyone's time w/ this cloak-and-dagger B.S. .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadeus Posted July 20, 2006 Author Share Posted July 20, 2006 His name is Dr. Weinstein. Sorry I don't have more time for this dog and pony show so you cynics can keep on living your cynical lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member tkerr22 Posted July 20, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted July 20, 2006 huh?? all we wanted to know is who did the procedure, haven't heard once of Pat banning a post cause someone mentioned a doc's name. Maybe he has but I don't recall it. post some pics and your progress if you don't want people one here to be cynical My Hair Loss Weblog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member L'Anonyme Posted July 20, 2006 Regular Member Share Posted July 20, 2006 exactly. maybe the doctor even has a first name, too? he wouldn't be in maryland by any chance, now, would he? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Gorpy Posted July 20, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted July 20, 2006 I'm confused. Who was Frank Coletta and what relationship does he have with Dr. Franklin Weinstein? Anyway, Dr.Weinstein's web site is http://www.drfweinstein.com/ There's not a lot of detail there. The few before and after pictures look good. ____________ 2700 Total Grafts w/ Keene 9/28/05 663 one's = 663 1116 two's = 2232 721 three's = 2163 200 four's = 800 Hair Count = 5858 1000 Total Grafts w/Keene 2/08/07 Mostly combined FU's for 2600+ hairs My Photo Album See me at Dr. Keene's Gallery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member wesley949 Posted July 20, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted July 20, 2006 dadeus: No disrespect intended but if you had any familialrity with this site you could see just about every post mentions a doctor's name. Why you had the impression this was not allowed is beyond me. Your procedure seems like textbook protocal for most folks experiences on this site with the better docs. I don't know whether your post is legitimate or not---the problem was in the presentation of the facts. No one wants to see you or anyone butchered--I hope you have a great result--if in fact you had a procedure. Participants on this site have a low tolerace for games. One bizarre reference you made was to the doctor picking you up in a limousine. Is he charging $10.00 a graft? I would find it very strange for a doctor to drive to an airport to pick me up, especially in a limousine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member tkerr22 Posted July 20, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted July 20, 2006 http://www.drfweinstein.com/content/services.cfm this your doc? micro grafts and mingrafts eh?? My Hair Loss Weblog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member JakeVig Posted July 20, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted July 20, 2006 Originally posted by tkerr22:http://www.drfweinstein.com/content/services.cfm this your doc? micro grafts and mingrafts eh?? Yeah it looks like he could be the Dcotor, I hope for his sake he isn't describing his wonderful Mini/Micro graft procedure. 1344 grafts with Ron Shapiro - June 2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member M&M Posted July 20, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted July 20, 2006 I can't believe people are still performing the outdated Micro & Mini Grafts! ___________________________ 1662 with Dr. Ron Shapiro - Spring 2006 1105 with Dr. Ron Shapiro - Fall 2009 M&M Weblog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Pat - Community Publisher Posted July 21, 2006 Administrators Share Posted July 21, 2006 Dadeus, Welcome to our forum and thanks for sharing your experience. You and others are free and encouraged to share your experiences regardless of whether your physician is recommended on this community. Many of the members of this community put greater emphasize on the technique of the surgeon and staff rather than the service and with good reason. A pleasent day will last for the day. But the surgical results will last a life time. I did visit Dr. Weinstein last Fall when I was touring clinics on the East Coast. I found him to be a real gentleman. But at that time I don't think he was using microscopes for the graft disection. With the leading clinic now providing larger and larger sessions of densly packed and highly refined grafts, the standard follicular unit session is just not that compelling any more. Thus there was no compelling reason for me to recommend his clinic on this site. However, I have no doubt that he has many happy patients, including yourself. Best wishes for great growth. Pat Never Forget - It's what radiates from within, not from your skin, that really matters! My Hair Loss Blog Sharing is what keeps this community vital. Please join in. To learn how I restored my hair and started this community, click here. Follow our Community on Twitter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member dhuge67 Posted July 21, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted July 21, 2006 A mini graft of 1-2 hairs...how is that a problem? Seems normal. 1,614 with Dr. Pistone on 2/3/06 in Marlton, NJ. As long as the moon shall rise As long as the rivers flow As long as the sun shall shine And the grass will grow Let me listen, I will learn to speak The old language Yes, I yearn to bathe in blue skies And fall apart from the world of machines Regain my feet and my pounding heart My Hair Loss Weblog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member M&M Posted July 21, 2006 Senior Member Share Posted July 21, 2006 Originally posted by dhuge67:A mini graft of 1-2 hairs...how is that a problem? Seems normal. Having experienced mini and micro grafts, I can assure you that even the single hairs are nowhere near as natural as follicular units. The grafts are more spaced out and never appear as natural. The difference is incomparable. ___________________________ 1662 with Dr. Ron Shapiro - Spring 2006 1105 with Dr. Ron Shapiro - Fall 2009 M&M Weblog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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