Planning to perform HT with Hair Club

[Bill - Seemiller]

Just a picture to illustrate what I was stating above about recipient incision size.

 

Honestly, looking at the pictures, there does NOT seem to be a big difference. But I still stand by that it appears that the incision sizes appear smaller with Dr. Hasson than Dr. True. Keep in mind there was a good 14 month gap between surgeries. Equipment may have been further refined between then.

 

I'd be curious on the feedback of others.

 

Bill

[Hair to Style]

Originally posted by Bill:

I agree...

 

Price should be the LAST thing you consider at this point. But I do agree that Dr. Rassman is over priced.

 

Personally, IMO, here is a list of the elite of the elite doctors in no particular order: (disclaimer: there are many doctors that are less publicized that may be as good, but I don't have the evidence at this point to add them to my personal list)

 

Dr. Hasson

Dr. Wong

Dr. Feller

Dr. Rahal

Dr. Ron Shapiro

Dr. Rose

 

These doctors along with many other quality physicians can be found on the coalition here: http://www.hairlosslearningcenter.org/hair-loss-content...s/our_physicians.asp

 

Do not let location dictate which clinic you choose. Many travel all over the world in order to see an elite surgeon.

 

Cheers,

 

Bill

Visited Hasson & Wong , Which I'm sure are good.I went with Dr Gabel,hillsboro OR.

of NWHR. Really was pretty painless and He is impressive.

[MrJobi]

Hi all

 

Personally, I think it is wrong to say this doctor is better. It is more personal preference among the top docs. You will never hear me say "my doc is better" than another ( with the exception of those using older technology).. Among the coalition docs they are all very talented and capable of doing some great work. If a doc doesn't have a cheerleader on here they are truly left out of the mix. In addition, I can tell you my results are hands down as natural as any pic I have seen on here. The challenging part is to compare docs from two different time periods as technology progresses at a rapid pace.. Many top docs did not use the T closure 2 years ago.

 

Of course everyone is allowed their opinion as well but the challenge is:

 

Each patient is different and have unique tools to work with.. It is very common to see people on here go from one doc to another including H &W, Feller, and Dr.True ..

[Bill - Seemiller]

Mrjb,

 

Are you saying that among the coalition doctors, there is none above another in terms of skill, etc?

 

This is a general question...and though I have little data to support such a claim, I'd venture to say that some are more skilled/experienced than others. I think this is true in any profession or skill set and I don't think it's wrong to say.

 

Either do I get involved in "this doctor is better than that one" unless there is substantial objective evidence of such a fact. Even then I typically share the objective evidence rather than state why one is BETTER than the other.

 

In what I stated above, and provided a comparison picture, to me, there is objective evidence (though 14 months between surgery) that the recipient incisions made by Dr. True are slightly smaller than the ones made by Dr. True. Why? I don't know.

 

But I am under the belief that smaller incisions are better as long as the FU grafts (1s,2s,3s,4s) can fit into them without popping out and still yields the same growth percentage.

 

Smaller incisions allow grafts to be more densely packed when appropriate with high growth yields while reducing the risk of shockloss.

 

Nonetheless, I stand by my claim that both my surgeries 2nd with Dr. True and third with Dr. Hasson both had high growth yields. Yet I do wonder if the larger incisions accounted for the additional shockloss in my second surgery.

 

Bill

[the B spot]

I am under the impression that Dr. True uses .8-.9mm incisions for 1-2 hair grafts--- I am under the impression that he likes to work in the 20-30 fu cm/2 range for what he believes to be optimal growth--- just as mrjb is proof of.

 

I think every member of the coalition is capable of operating under the highest level using these methods, and have proven consistant yeild over many years.

 

What seperates some coalition docs is the ability to use smaller incisions .6-.7mm (1 hair grafts poss 2 hair).8-.9mm for (2 hair grafts possible 3 hair) and transplant 3000+ grafts in one session and transplant densities above 40 fu's cm/2 and still retain angulation, optimal graft survival, naturalness, control shockloss, etc...

 

In this, I believe that all Coalition docs represent a better option than most other docs, but at the same time, patients that desire the additional factors I described, cannot just choose a Coalition doc, they must choose a Coalition doc that can offer them what they desire.

 

For example, Dr. DeYarman--- was a fine doc when doing sessions of 2000-2500 grafts and transplanting in the 25-35 fu cm/2 range.

Once he attempted to exceed densities of 40 and do larger sessions 3000+, we began to see patients with poor growth, no growth, scarring issues, etc...

 

Perhaps we need to increase the amount of information available for each Coalition Doc, with regards to incision sizes, session sizes, density, strip/fue and overall approach?

 

If everyone is in agreement we could do this, WITHOUT RANKING docs 1,2,3, etc... but split them into 2 groups and let patients desirous of what each has to offer choose what is best for them.

 

For example, mrjb chose Dr. True because he wanted smaller sessions and a progressive approach to his treatment.

 

However, mrjb would not have chosen Dr. True if he needed 3000+ grafts, OR, if he needed a hairline at 55-60 fu's cm/2. He would have looked at H&W, Shapiro, Rahal, Cooley, etc...

 

I don't know if Dr. True can transplant that high--- but it doesn't really matter does it?

He does what he does very well and patients can choose accordingly.

 

I would like to see this information added in a description like format to each doc.

 

Take Care,

J

[Bill - Seemiller]

B Spot,

 

Great post.

 

I would agree that providing more detail on the coalition doctors would be a good idea. I also agree that doctors should not be ranked accordingly.

 

As I've stated: I was happy with the transplant I received from Dr. True...but I also knew that I had a long way to go and that Dr. Hasson could get me there more quickly. The smaller incisions also appeared to help minimize shockloss, etc.

 

Cheers,

 

Bill

[L'Anonyme]

I can testify to the fact that Dr. True's instrumentation had become more refined between my first procedure (1150 grafts) in May '06 and my second (1156 grafts) in March '07 b/c he told me he was using different custom blades the second time around than he had used the first. This would mean not only that his current techniques are better than those used on Bill, but that they're better than the ones he used on me initially. How precisely the blades differed I can't elaborate on, but as the techs were cutting my grafts, Dr. True determined that my 1-hair grafts needed a .8-mm blade.

 

My understanding was that the size of the 1-hair graft recipient incisions was dependent on the size of my 1-hair grafts or follicles; in other words, it isn't a one-size-fits-all proposition. Another person's 1-hair grafts may have necessitated a .7-mm recipient site, or a .9-mm recipient site. I think the ability to go down to a .6-mm blade is important but doesn't apply to a lot of patients unless they have very fine hair. Dr. True said he might use something that small for an eyelash, for example.

 

That being said, the projected density for the 1st session was 40-50 FU/cm2; I still had a lot of native hair, so Dr. True's more incremental approach suited me and I liked his hairlines. I agree with B-Spot that a more conservative approach may not have been good for me if I had needed many thousands of grafts, and I'm not sure I would've gone to Dr. True in that case given all the research I've done up to this point. Even in retrospect, the initial 1150 didn't seem like enough and only about a third of my hairline turned out well after a first pass. I highly doubt that the 40-50 FU/cm2 goal was met, at least in the middle and on the right side of my hairline. Four months out from a second pass, I see in retrospect that I was more disappointed with it than I was willing to admit earlier in the year, probably because I was trying not to let the emotional rollercoaster get the better of me.

 

That being said, the result is still in progress, so it's too early to say anything about pass #2 or how things will look in another 8 to 12 months. Dr. True went dense enough in the inadequate parts of the hairline that I did suffer some shock the second time around, but that seems to be growing back now. I will note that I can't recall seeing _any_ one pass Dr. True hairlines that I've liked; his impressive, denser examples were all built up over multiple sessions, so I think Hasson and Feller, for example, differ in that respect as far as dense packing is concerned. In my case, such dense packing may have threatened more of my native hair, so a gradual approach probably suited me better.

[beachair]

What are acceptable / unacceptable fees, for good surgeons?

[Bill - Seemiller]

L'Anonyme,

 

Great post.

 

I'm glad to hear he continues to refine his work. This is the mark of an excellent surgeon.

 

I tend to agree with your post that an HT is not a one size fits all approach. I can see why someone with thicker hairs may require the use of a slightly larger custom cut blade than someone with thinner hair. And of course, multi-haired FUs require larger blades to be used as well - and this could certainly vary from patient to patient.

 

Have you posted pictures of your surgery? I'd really like to see some recent Dr. True work - before/immediately post op/after pictures, etc.

 

Bill

[L'Anonyme]

Bill, I think you've seen the pics before but just don't remember. Do a search for "1150 grafts" and my thread with all pics should turn up first in the results. Some of the pics are a little dark as you pointed out to me a few months ago, but you should still be able to see what I'm talking about. I hope to post more and better pics as things progress.

[Bill - Seemiller]

L'Anonyme,

 

You are right. Now that you mention it, I do remember that thread. I guess I'm getting old! Either that or I've seen a billion threads since then...probably a bit of both . I'll have to look for it later. Please keep us posted with updated pictures.

 

Bill

[Glock08]

Here's another one by Dr. True...been posting pictures monthly also. It will be 10 months today..time for another round of pics.

 

Glock08

[Rhodeman]

Glock,

 

You look like a new man! Congrats.

[Glock08]

Originally posted by Rhodeman:

Glock,

 

You look like a new man! Congrats.

 

Rhodeman:

Thanks...

I'm a HairClub Dropout on the road to recovery.

 

Grow well

Glock08

[Bill - Seemiller]

Glock,

 

Excellent brother!

 

I almost forgot you were a Dr. True patient.

 

I'd say for the amount of head covered with only 4300 grafts, the results are looking terrific! More to come too!

 

I would agree that the immediately post op results look more refined than mine also - which means that he is continuing to improve his already refined methods.

 

Keep us posted!

 

Bill

[Martizzle]

I had my hair transplant done with Jon Gaffney on 3/28/07 and the staff was awesome, Jon Gaffney is a nice guy who has done surgeries on celebrities and performed over 13,000 surgeries. As for the price, I could have got the same results with one of the fine doctors recommended and paid much less. Hair club consultants make commission off hair transplant sales, so you are really paying a big chunk of that price to the sales consultant. This means WASTED GRAFTS. But, my hair looks freakin' awesome now and I don't really care anymore. I paid $10,000 for 2100 grafts. This is about average for a hair transplant anyways.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Martizzle,

 

Welcome to our community.

 

Are you willing to post some before/after pictures of your surgery for us?

 

Bill

[nobuzz4me]

I am a little leary over how "awseome" Martizzle can look after just 4 months (surgery on 3/28/07).

 

Since it his first post lets hope he comes back with some photos, otherwise I think this smells of a Hair Club plant.

 

I hope I am wrong but their are many first time posters who have big praise for their docs or clinics never to be heard from again.

[NervousNelly]

13,000 surgeries. This guy has done 1 per day for a long, long time...

 

Does he have photos in his office of him shaking hands with Arnold Swartzenegger, Stallone, the president? Yah I paid my $25 to get those also.

 

It seems like I hear huge figures all the time about the number of surgeries performed. Are there really that many people walking this planet with transplants?

 

NN

[Rhodeman]

NN,

 

13,000? WOW! So if he did 2 per day/every day, no vacation or time off, that means he has been doing this for nearly 18 years non-stop. He's gotta be tired.

[TomA]

It's far too early to talk about final results, and I'm not an expert by any means, but I think I have one of the best immediate-post-op photos I've seen. It *almost* looks like nothing was done.