Jump to content

BHT- necessity or novelty


finallyfree

Recommended Posts

  • Regular Member

I am a firm beleiver in aiming for full restoration.

Therefore, those satisfied with thin combovers may consider me biased.

If you think 2000 or so grafts are enough for a NW 5, please skip my post.

Else, please read on.

When we lose hair and want to do something for it, our deepest desire is a complete or near complete restoration.

Not a thin illusion of coverage.

Newbies often get fooled by graft estimates that are handed around as if they were gospel truth. Nothing could be farther.

 

All graft estimates over the past few decades have been forwarded to get the unwary started on the road of hair transplants.

Graft estimates more often than not reflect upon the limit of the doctor's ability rather than the patient's "requirement".

There was a time when people were supposed to feel satisfied with a 1000 graft "megasession".

Anyone not satisfied, was supposed to have unrealistic expectations.

 

HTN has contributed in a good way by loading a graft estimator/calculator. It gives some idea of the real numbers needed to reach a bald man's goals.

 

There's another objective method to calculate the real graft requirements.

Calculate the sq cms of the area of hair loss and multiply it with 50 grafts per sq cm.

 

For most people with any respectable degree of hair loss (NW5 and above), the numbers will end up being way more than what can be obtained from the scalp donor areas alone. Even over multiple HTs.

 

Given the average huge requirement of grafts, body hair can form a useful adjunct to completing the restoration.

 

I think, the use of body hair should no longer be considered a novelty.

More like a necessity, IMO.

Doctors (Dr. A & Dr. Woods) have demonstrated on their patients that BHT works in the right hands.

 

What remains is for more doctors to learn the specifics of it. Agreed that it will be always way more work than scalp only HTs.

But the follicular unit transplant was similarly lots of work compared to putting plugs.

I think if more and more people demand it, we will get more doctors learning and perfecting BHT.

I look forward to a day when people will be getting a real full head of hair and the graft estimates will include a proportion of body hair grafts routinely.

7500 grafts till now. All by Dr. Arvind/Dr.A, New Delhi.

They include strip FUHT, FUE and body hair grafts.

Hoping to accomplish full hair restoration.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Regular Member

I am a firm beleiver in aiming for full restoration.

Therefore, those satisfied with thin combovers may consider me biased.

If you think 2000 or so grafts are enough for a NW 5, please skip my post.

Else, please read on.

When we lose hair and want to do something for it, our deepest desire is a complete or near complete restoration.

Not a thin illusion of coverage.

Newbies often get fooled by graft estimates that are handed around as if they were gospel truth. Nothing could be farther.

 

All graft estimates over the past few decades have been forwarded to get the unwary started on the road of hair transplants.

Graft estimates more often than not reflect upon the limit of the doctor's ability rather than the patient's "requirement".

There was a time when people were supposed to feel satisfied with a 1000 graft "megasession".

Anyone not satisfied, was supposed to have unrealistic expectations.

 

HTN has contributed in a good way by loading a graft estimator/calculator. It gives some idea of the real numbers needed to reach a bald man's goals.

 

There's another objective method to calculate the real graft requirements.

Calculate the sq cms of the area of hair loss and multiply it with 50 grafts per sq cm.

 

For most people with any respectable degree of hair loss (NW5 and above), the numbers will end up being way more than what can be obtained from the scalp donor areas alone. Even over multiple HTs.

 

Given the average huge requirement of grafts, body hair can form a useful adjunct to completing the restoration.

 

I think, the use of body hair should no longer be considered a novelty.

More like a necessity, IMO.

Doctors (Dr. A & Dr. Woods) have demonstrated on their patients that BHT works in the right hands.

 

What remains is for more doctors to learn the specifics of it. Agreed that it will be always way more work than scalp only HTs.

But the follicular unit transplant was similarly lots of work compared to putting plugs.

I think if more and more people demand it, we will get more doctors learning and perfecting BHT.

I look forward to a day when people will be getting a real full head of hair and the graft estimates will include a proportion of body hair grafts routinely.

7500 grafts till now. All by Dr. Arvind/Dr.A, New Delhi.

They include strip FUHT, FUE and body hair grafts.

Hoping to accomplish full hair restoration.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member

After reading up extensively on body hair, I would have to say in short "novelty." Not enough good documented results yet. Still many unanswered questions. And after seeing some really bad harvesting jobs I would think twice. At this point, I think that body hair should only be used for repair patients, and as an adjunct to those with a very low donor supply.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • Senior Member
I am a firm beleiver in aiming for full restoration.
Full restoration is not a realistic goal for a hair transplant. It is absolutely crucial that you have a realistic idea of what the limitations of hair transplants are, BEFORE agreeing to any surgery. That is the only way to make an informed decision. Too many guys assume a full restoration is possible whn they sign up for surgery, and are sorely disappointed when they find out (later) that they will not be able to accomplish what they hoped to accomplish with hair transplants. In many cases, the supply (donor supply) will not meet the eventual demand (total area of hair loss). By then, though, they have committed themselves to a process that they will never find totally satisfying.

 

Guys need to know that there are limitations to how much improvement can be made, via hair hair transplants. Then they are able to make an "informed decision" about hair transplants.

 

You may "hope" for a full restoration of your hair. I "hope" I can flap my arms and fly...

 

I agree with Guitar Player, at this point in time, using body hair grafts is still a new development and should really be reserved for donor-depleted corrective cases. It's "not ready for Prime Time" yet. Let somebody else be the test cases, and wait until new techniques are proven winners with a consistent track record of success.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member

I think that all three of you have a healthy way of looking at the issue of BHT. I happen to agree with all of you up to a point. Of course, I'm not saying any of you guys are wrong in your opinion, just that my opinion varies just a little.

 

I think that BHT may one day be a viable option for *certain* areas of the scalp for any hair loss sufferer. Those areas, of course, are the crown and vertex. Today may not be that day, however. I am still not convinced as of this time. I want to see more results and more physicians taking an interest in it.

 

As we all know, most physicians are not hesitant to share their advances with their colleagues. This is evident in advances such as all follicular-unit surgery techniques, lateral slits, trichophytic closure, to name just a few. My thinking is that the more physicians willing to try their hand at BHT, the more they can share and learn from one another. The patients always benefit when the physicians learn advanced techniques.

 

Unfortunately, I'm most likely going to be perpetually on the sidelines for BHT. While some of you guys are no doubt wearing sweaters of fur under your shirts, I've aged to the ripe old age of 27 and have all of about 30 chest hairs (yeah, I said it. call me a "girly man" all you want, the chicks dig a smooth chest icon_biggrin.gif).

 

Interesting subject, though. I have a feeling we will be seeing some new results coming out of the pipeline pretty soon.

 

-Robert

------------------------------

 

Check out the results of my surgical hair restoration performed by Dr. Jerry Cooley by visiting my Hair Loss Weblog

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Regular Member

Arfy-

How is your HT coming following your work done by Cole and Woods? it must have been about/over a year now..have you put out any pictures recently. i would love to see how your repair came out given you and myself are punch graft victims and have all of the resultant scars/minimal growth. thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • Regular Member
Originally posted by arfy:

Full restoration is not a realistic goal for a hair transplant.

Arfy, you are right to a certain point.

Full restoration is not possible for most patients, primarily because there are not enough doctors willing to undertake the big BHT question.

 

But is that reason enough to ask people to settle for less?

I do not think so. The more people strive for a fuller restoration, the more doctors will be forced to learn and practise it.

 

BHT is not an impossibility. Successful growth has been demonstrated time and again by some doctors. Then again other doctors have not had the same measure of success. Maybe it has to do with the fact that it is early days yet and different doctors probably perform BHT in different manners.

 

A full restoration, if one has sufficient and suitable body hair, is no longer unattainable, in my opinion. Its RARE. But increasingly POSSIBLE.

7500 grafts till now. All by Dr. Arvind/Dr.A, New Delhi.

They include strip FUHT, FUE and body hair grafts.

Hoping to accomplish full hair restoration.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Regular Member

A case in point, if you forgot to see, is 69sting's repair HT that was carried out using 5000 FINE body hair grafts. The grafts being transplanted into mostly scar tissue area.

 

This is his picture 9 months after his BHT taken in sunlight.

69sting can actually comb his hair up and back and get photographed in bright sunlight.

That is what BHT can accomplish. icon_smile.gif

59cf7c58.jpg

7500 grafts till now. All by Dr. Arvind/Dr.A, New Delhi.

They include strip FUHT, FUE and body hair grafts.

Hoping to accomplish full hair restoration.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

I advise those who are reading this topic to visit another topic on this forum regarding ethical issues with Dr. Poswal when considering the authenticity or credibility of photos or claims related to Dr. AP.

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

  • Regular Member
Originally posted by Pat - Publisher of this Community:

I advise those who are reading this topic to visit another topic on this forum regarding ethical issues with Dr. Poswal when considering the authenticity or credibility of photos or claims related to Dr. AP.

 

Pat,

BHT works. Yet, there are doctors that suggest that it does not, just because they can not perform it themselves.

Even to patients who have virtually no scalp donor.

 

Maybe, you will form a thread with "Ethical issues with these doctors".

 

In your eyes Dr. A is guilty till proven otherwise.

Sorry to have to say this. But this is the way it seems to me.

Whether Dr. A was aware of the pictures pasted by the webdesigner on his earlier website or not, you have chosen to actually defame a doctor on your site. You have acted as the policeman, lawyer, jury and judge. Why?

7500 grafts till now. All by Dr. Arvind/Dr.A, New Delhi.

They include strip FUHT, FUE and body hair grafts.

Hoping to accomplish full hair restoration.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member

Can we please lock this thread? EVERYONE knows that Dr. A stole pictures, PERIOD. He also gave no real explanation. In addition, I have no idea why we have to have BHT conversations that have to include this doctor? BHT is in early stages, WE WILL WAIT AND SEE!!!!! finallyfree, I can understand your dedication to the man who has changed your life. I would say that if you persist in pushing this doctor, you will need to define the nature of your relationship with him. I don't particularly like people who constantly attempt to contradict Pat on this site, especially when he has been overly generous in allowing Dr. A to explain his actions. Pat and this site has two motives education and sharing. Your posting is not educating or sharing at this point, since we all have seen your postings concerning your story and we continue to see you pushing YOUR doctor continually in other threads. You have experience and knowledge, use it help someone, not shill for an unethical surgeon.

Go Cubs!

 

6721 transplanted grafts

13,906 hairs

Performed by Dr. Ron Shapiro

 

Dr. Ron Shapiro and Dr. Paul Shapiro are members of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Regular Member
Originally posted by the B spot:

Can we please lock this thread? EVERYONE knows that Dr. A stole pictures, PERIOD.

 

Really?! And just how did you reach that all encompassing conclusion?

No benefit of doubt even?

Frankly, I do not like to get into the politics of the forums.

But your comments are too biased, in my opinion.

 

Dr. A has, probably, the most number of BHT to his credit. He has contributed handsomely to the field by his innovations.

 

That is why, when you talk of BHT, his name is bound to crop up.

 

But each time his name comes up, do we have to come up with "he stole pictures" thingy.

 

Lets grow up people. If some people do not want to give credit where its due, no problem. Atleast, give the benefit of doubt. There are doctors who have inflicted horrors on numerous people.

They are the ones that need to be vilified. Not Dr. Arvind, about whom the worst available is that his web designer "may" have, with his knowledge, posted pictures on his old website that belonged to others. And thats a big MAY. If he says that he was not in the know, a benefit of doubt is the least that he deserves, IMO.

 

 

I know Pat is not likely to change his mind, but I had to say my mind. So there it is. Period.

 

For the record, I do not work for Dr. Arvind, nor am I compensated in anyway. Please do not insult me in this fashion. I beleive in BHT and fuller hair restorations.

7500 grafts till now. All by Dr. Arvind/Dr.A, New Delhi.

They include strip FUHT, FUE and body hair grafts.

Hoping to accomplish full hair restoration.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe Finallyfree was correct in his first post, up until the bht part.

BHT, while Do-able, has not yet proved to be viable on a practical basis. Even if DR. A's photo is genuine, this would only represent one patient out of how many? That is not enough to offer to the general public for profit, in my opinion.

That said, there is sufficient evidence to justify further experimentation with bht and invent new ways to remove those precious hairs succesfully with a succes rate of, say, 80+ percent.

Dr. Feller

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Regular Member
Originally posted by Dr. Alan Feller:

 

That said, there is sufficient evidence to justify further experimentation with bht and invent new ways to remove those precious hairs succesfully with a succes rate of, say, 80+ percent.

Dr. Feller

 

Thank you Dr. Feller. I am pleasedto see that you are taking a balanced view of BHT.

BHT is doable. For people with the correct body hair characteristics, its a godsend.

7500 grafts till now. All by Dr. Arvind/Dr.A, New Delhi.

They include strip FUHT, FUE and body hair grafts.

Hoping to accomplish full hair restoration.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...