Hair Force One is in the Air and Circling

[Pat - Community Publisher]

"Trust but Verify" - Old Russian Proverb

 

In addition to patient feedback and evaluating the techniques, photos and reputations of various clinics - I believe in visiting clinics to observe their actual surgeries and techniques as well as interviewing their staff to determine their level of experience.

 

Since these clinic visits involve a great deal of travel, I decided to purchase a small motor home for making the "rounds" in North America. This motor home was nick named by member Pushing 40 "Hair Force One" (see below).

 

I've begun making the rounds after returning from visiting clinics in Northern Europe and I'm now in Long Island, NY. I just visited Dr. Ivan Cohen's clinic in Fairfield, CT ( see highlights ) and I will be observing Dr. Alan Feller doing surgery early this coming week.

 

To see highlights from some of my past clinic visits, Visits to Leading Hair Transplant Clinics

 

I will be focusing on visiting clinics that I have not yet visited. Any suggestions for clinics in the North East will be appreciated.

 

I will be visiting leading clinics in Ontario after finishing up in the North East. I will then be traveling through the Great Lakes region and out to the West Coast and South West.

 

If you see me on a street near you do come up and knock on the window. It can be lonely on the road :-)

 

Best wishes, Pat

 

[Pat - Community Publisher]

"Trust but Verify" - Old Russian Proverb

 

In addition to patient feedback and evaluating the techniques, photos and reputations of various clinics - I believe in visiting clinics to observe their actual surgeries and techniques as well as interviewing their staff to determine their level of experience.

 

Since these clinic visits involve a great deal of travel, I decided to purchase a small motor home for making the "rounds" in North America. This motor home was nick named by member Pushing 40 "Hair Force One" (see below).

 

I've begun making the rounds after returning from visiting clinics in Northern Europe and I'm now in Long Island, NY. I just visited Dr. Ivan Cohen's clinic in Fairfield, CT ( see highlights ) and I will be observing Dr. Alan Feller doing surgery early this coming week.

 

To see highlights from some of my past clinic visits, Visits to Leading Hair Transplant Clinics

 

I will be focusing on visiting clinics that I have not yet visited. Any suggestions for clinics in the North East will be appreciated.

 

I will be visiting leading clinics in Ontario after finishing up in the North East. I will then be traveling through the Great Lakes region and out to the West Coast and South West.

 

If you see me on a street near you do come up and knock on the window. It can be lonely on the road :-)

 

Best wishes, Pat

 

[NervousNelly]

You decided to send your dad out on the excursion??

 

NN

[nobuzz4me]

Originally posted by Pat - Publisher of this Community:

 

If you see me on a street near you do come up and knock on the window. It can be lonely on the road :-)

 

Best wishes, Pat

 

 

 

What, Lonely? No hair groupies???

[Guest]

Trust but Verify" - Old Russian Proverb

 

I guess Ronald Regan stole that one...but it's a good one!

 

Pat, If you have Hairforce one painted on the side of the motorhome, we will know we are knocking on the right window!

 

I will be looking for you if you pass through the Great Southwest!

 

Do you have a laptop in the HF1 so you can keep us informed on your location?

 

Or at least keep yourself entertained.

[Pat - Community Publisher]

My dad? No, that old man is me :-) The hair world has just turned me into an old man.

 

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Guest]

NN, Pat has so many fans he is like the Beatles!

 

He has to keep a low profile & travel in cognito!

 

And so not to bring attention to himself, he uses the modest hairforce 1 chinook instead of a 40' touring motor coach like most of the other famous & fabulous use!

[thanatopsis_awry]

Dr. Cohen is actually my dermatologist; good to hear that you walked away impressed! From all of my interactions with him he is a stand-up guy all around.

[Pat - Community Publisher]

On this trip I've really focused on visiting only the top flight clinics that I have not yet visited.

 

I just finished posting the highlights from my visits to Dr. Vogel's office in Maryland and Dr. Feller's office in Great Neck, NY (right outside of NYC). To view them visit " Visits to Leading Hair Transplant Clinics ".

 

I'll be heading North into Canada soon to visit top clinics in Quebec and Ontario.

 

Upwards and Onwards, Pat

[NervousNelly]

Pat,

 

I'm sure you knew I was kidding about the dad comment and really knew that it was you, but that hat surely came with a free bowl of soup right?

 

Make sure that you visit Rahal as from everything I have heard, he is a hell of a nice guy. You might even get a free meal out of the deal. Good luck and happy travels.

 

Are you eventually going thru Michigan? I'll look for ya.

 

NN

[Bill - Seemiller]

Pat,

 

It's a shame that you didn't have time between your visit with Dr. Feller and Dr. Vogel to get together. You practically had to pass my hometown to get from one place to the other.

 

I'm glad that your visits with both doctors were positive, which was no surprise to me.

 

Bill

[PCC]

I'm particularly intrigued by the visits with Vogel and Feller because for both of them I have relatives who live very nearby.

 

Phil

[Pat - Community Publisher]

Thanks for everyones support. Bill, I would have loved to meet you in person. But I ended up high tailing it up the New Jersey Turnpike from MD to NYC.

 

Perhaps one of these days we'll have a hair geeks gathering in some sunny and warm place like Florida in the Winter. We can then all pick through each others hair like orangutans picking for bugs :-)

[bmmeup]

Ohhh please include a clinic in Portland. I live so close and would love to find a good physician in the area. Good luck with the RV.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Pat,

 

can then all pick through each others hair like orangutans picking for bugs

 

Let's just hope we don't find any bugs shall we?

 

But I'm definitately game for a hair geek convention of sorts! Sunny FL here we come!

 

Bill

[bmmeup]

Refering to my previous log, How about visiting Dr. Gabel with Northwest Surgical Hair Restoration? Portland has to be on your route back!

[Dr. Alan Feller]

I want to thank Pat for going to the trouble to not only visit my office, but that of other HT doctors claiming to perform ultra-refined follicular transplants.

 

Regrettably, almost ALL doctors claim to be "experts" and "pioneers" in the field of hair transplantation. Because there is no knowledgeable authority to check out their claims, clinics that KNOW they are performing sub-standard work continue to operate and be successful. This is disgraceful.

 

When it was proposed at an ISHRS meeting ( the largest HT doctor organization) that standards be set for all individual clinics to meet it was rebuffed very harshly. The powers that be at the ISHRS only wanted the organization to remain more of a club than a self governing body.

 

Recognizing the need for a self-governing body though, the ISHRS backed the formation of the ABHRS ( American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery). I did not support this organization and refused to join it because:

1. It is not a legitimate "Board" in that it is not recognized by the ABMS (American Board of Medical Specialties)-and never will be. Despite this, the organization continued to use the term "Board" in it's name when "Club" would have been more honest. There is no question in my mind that the use of the term "Board" was designed to ascribe more credibility to the organization than it otherwise deserved.

2. Some of the people who became members (or who were grandfathered into it) are among the worst HT doctors in the business. While there are definitely a few excellent doctors in that mix, the bad ones know who they are and there are far too many of them.

3. There are no rigorous standards of excellence to meet nor are there on-site inspections of not only the doctor, but his staff and facility as well.

 

 

Clearly there existed a quality control vacuum in the field of Hair Transplantation. This field was screaming out for it's version of a "consumer reports" and Pat Hennessey stepped up.

 

He could have just kept running his website from the comfort of his home and continued to collect income from sponsoring doctors without getting out of his chair, but he decided to get out there and put all the doctors to the test. It is amazing that he is the ONLY person who has traveled the globe to observe as many doctors as he could performing surgery to see if they TRULY measured up to their own claims AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. This gives Pat credibility beyond that of all other consumer advocates combined and he has earned a higher level of respect from me because of it.

 

I can guarantee you that there are many doctors who do not want a visit from Pat Hennessey. They know very well that they will be exposed as liars who are definitely NOT "leaders in the field" nor "pioneers" as claimed, but rather poorly trained and inexperienced amateurs whose only motivation is money and whose only credibility to a lay public is the fact that they have a medical degree.

 

Bravo to Pat for taking the time and the energy to "police" this field, because this is exactly what he's doing and he's the ONLY one doing it. It takes guts and stamina to do what he's doing, and both the hair transplant industry AND patients are benefiting from it immensely.

 

Because of the credibility Pat has brought to his site and the Coalition through his efforts, I would rather have "Coalition Member" at the end of my name rather than "Board Certified by the ABHRS".

 

Keep up the good work Pat. Keep fighting, because if it were easy, everybody would be doing it! Your helping us all win the fight against bad hair transplants and bad doctors.

 

All the best,

Dr. Feller

[Bill - Seemiller]

Dr. Feller,

 

Amen!

 

Thanks to Pat for ensuring the credibility of the doctors that we recommend.

 

As Pat has stated above...it is important to "Trust but verify".

 

I am thankful that Pat continues to evaluate and verify that doctors are living up to our high level of standards here at the Hair Transplant Network.

 

I echo Dr. Feller's words: "Keep up the good work Pat"

 

Bill

[Pat - Community Publisher]

Dr. Feller, Thank you for your thoughtful comment. Coming from you it is a high compliment. Thanks as well to Bill and everyone else for their support.

 

The hair transplant industry/profession has long had a history of no one noticing when the "Emperor has no clothing". Too many physicians have been content to hang with the old boys club and muddle along, while not being held accountable for their actual patient results.

 

The Internet and patients sharing real information has shaken this comfortable arrangement up.

 

In the transparent era of the Internet physicians and me are held accountable for the work provided to those visiting this community. I know that many patients place their trust in this community and the physicians recommended on it. So I believe it is essential to see in person who is really walking the walk rather than just talking the talk.

 

Those clinics I visit who prove to be impressive will be presented in the forum "Visits to Leading Hair Transplant Clinics".

 

As for those doing subpare work, I have no interest in wasting precious time visiting them. But perhaps I will get "cloaking" device for Hair Force One so that I can sneak up on some of the clinics unannounced :-)

 

I intend to continue visiting clinics, including Dr. Gables, over the next few months.

 

Over and Out from Hair Force One

[bmmeup]

Rock On! Let me know if you have any troubles with Hair Force One...I have a 34 footer parked in the back yard.