Alvi Armani FUE

[notgoing2gobald]

BTW----are you associated w/AdamAlvi or something, as I noticed you are both logged on here at the same time, and the *timing* is great because we all just happened to be discussing precisely this *very* same thing on another thread!

[Sean1977]

No, not associated with AdamAlvi or Alvi Armani. Although, I probably could have saved a lot of money on my procedure if I had been. lol. Yeah, I know the pics that I was given weren't all of the best quality, as it appears that those guys are taking their own photos at home. I too wonder why some people take photos in lighting that is not only less than desirable, but often makes it impossible to see anything.

 

The pics of the one guy who posted his results at quest4hair.blogspot are the ones that really helped me make my final decision. His pics are pretty clear for having taken them himself. I knew from the dozens upon dozens of cases I had already seen from Armani's Strip cases that he is one of the most artistic surgeons when it comes to placement, and that doesn't change regardless if he does FUE or Strip, placement is done the same. The question comes down to survivability of the FUE grafts compared to Strip grafts.

 

I didn't have a huge amount of FUE pics to go on to make my decision, but I knew I would not ever be happy with a Strip scar as I keep my hair way to short. Also, if for some reason in the future I indeed have more progression and decide I don't want to chase my hair anymore, I can still shave my hair with no visible scarring.

 

Based on what I had read about Armani over-quoting graft count, I was very worried about the 4000 grafts that Armani said I needed, because it sounded excessive to me. So I had consults with two other docs prior to moving forward, and both of them suggested a very similar amount in my case (Hasson & Wong suggested 3800). That kind of put my mind at ease as far as the graft count.

 

I'm planning on taking some "good" photos once I get to 3 and 4 months post-op. I don't have a super expensive camera or anything, but hopefully I can get good enough shots to help someone else out with their decision. Hopefully my results turn out well..

[Sean1977]

Oh, I fogot to add.. I did question Dr Armani himself about the survival rates of his large FUE cases. He told me they are averaging between 90% and 95% survival rates. I'll let you know in about 8 to 10 months how accurate that is. :-)

[notgoing2gobald]

Sean,

 

cool! That will be excellent because we don't have any of Armani's patients posting over on this forum. Where did you do your research on Armani? This site or another?

[Bill - Seemiller]

Sean,

 

All patient members are welcome here to share their hair transplant experiences and photos. I hope that you'll take the time to create a photo album and share your before and progressive pictures so we can follow your progress. Please only start a photo album if you intend to follow all the way through.

 

Best wishes in restoring your hair,

 

Bill

[L'Anonyme]

C'mon, another "new" Armani patient who wants to post all the same pics we've seen before that the clinic supposedly sent him? And now he wants to post them all for us just 'cause? Wasn't it just one of their consultants a few weeks ago who supposedly couldn't get permission from the Armani clinic to post FUE results? It's pretty annoying, these attempts to reestablish a presence here.

[Sean1977]

Bill,

 

I want to wait until I start seeing some growth before posting my pics, not sure how many people want to see more post op pics, they all look about the same.

 

Another thing, I'm starting to see why Armani patients (from what I've read on here) don't want to post here. Are people always this hostile to new members?

[chucky]

Hi Sean

I would like to see your donor area immediately post op and your recipient area.

 

As Armani take pictures this should be no problem to have them sent to you for posting.

 

Everyone wants to see photos from pre op to post op and then the final result.

 

This will then back up your claims and i`m not being hostile,just asking to see your pictures.

 

Thanks

[Sean1977]

I'm a little confused why I have to "back up" any "claims" and exactly what claims I have made? All I have stated was that I was a patient and here are the photos I was sent prior to my procedure. Even if I was lying and I wasn't a patient, what claims have I made in regards to the photos? Half those patients have websites with the photos and they can be contacted directly; they'd probably even be willing to take more photos if they were asked.

 

Armani did not take any post operative photos of me, they did take pre-op, but I have not requested them at this point. All post operative photos will have to be taken by myself as I can't afford to fly to California or Canada to have him take more every few months. Also, as I forgot to pack my 7MP camera for my trip to LA (DOH!!), all I had with me was my 2MP camera phone, and I know they are a little blurry. My apologies, and please don't rip me a new one for the quality, you guys asked for these to be posted. When I take new ones in a few months the camera will be a little better.

 

Pre Op:

[Sean1977]

This was taken about 11:30pm the first night, they had just finished at 10pm.

[Sean1977]

This was Day 2, swollen forehead, but nothing like I was expecting. I stayed with a friend in LA, and I was up and around making lunch and dinner. No pain!!

[Sean1977]

This pic was taken about 3 or 4 days post op. My hair is completely shaven off, so it is still pretty obvious at this point, but no bleeding or anything. I actually didn't have any scabbing at all, just the redness.

[NW5a]

Hello Sean,

 

can u tell me, how many hairs u get ?

 

Thx a lot

[chucky]

Thanks for the pictures

 

In picture four of your donor area the grafts look to have been extracted out of the safe zone as some appear to be very high up.

 

What are your thoughts on this.

[Sean1977]

I don't know the exact number of hairs, but it was 4,181 grafts. They told me that on average it should be almost 2 hairs per graft. I estimate that I got somewhere around 8,000 hairs implanted.

 

Chucky, yeah, I was a little nervous as to how close they got to the edge of my safe zone. I think there might be one small area rigth on the back of my head where they did go out of it, but for the most part all the way around my head they were right up to the edge of it.

[Sean1977]

He didn't go much outside of MY safe zone, and only in one small part. Believe me, I scrutinized in the mirror for several days to make sure. Most people have different size safe zones based on their individual genetics. All the guys in my family thin early in their 20's and then level off, so it was prety obvious where my safe zone was.

[notgoing2gobald]

It's this kind of blatant disregard for transparency that has earned the *entire* Armani camp to be viewed w/such disdain on the forum. Of course there are *plenty* of other issues, which Im not even going to list here as they have been done so many times on other threads in the past; but I just don't understand why people put such blind-trust and hope in him and his claims when there is *zero*...ZERO attempts on their part to prove the veracity of their claims...."check the pics"...sure, the pics that are in the dark? They are nowhere near the quality that we expect and get from Coalition docs on this forum...

 

Not to mention he now has a total of SIXTEEN clinics worldwide under his banner performing MEGA FUE sessions:

http://www.alviarmanihairtransplant.com/aboutus/drarmanismessage.html

While no one else is claiming to be performing Mega FUE in the world, but all of "his" surgeons can (?).

[Sean1977]

Originally posted by HT55:

He's well outside you safe zone regardless of what you think

 

Good luck

 

Based on what norwood class? I guess if you assume everyone is headed to a norwood 6 or 7, then you would be correct.

[notgoing2gobald]

Sean,

 

I hope you do stick around and share your progress w/us as this is our biggest gripe against Armani.

 

Why don't you start your own thread where you put your pics? This thread has TOO much going on in it.

BTW---what NW level were you pre-op? Your 31? How much donor did he say you have left?

[Sean1977]

I'm a few months shy of 31.. I was about a type III with thinning on top; headed for a Type IV with high sides and back if I didn't take meds. I forgot to ask Dr Armani about my remaining donor area as it was really late when I got out of my surgery and I was exhausted. I did ask the head tech during the procedure and he said probably about 6 to 7 thousand, but said that Dr Armani could give me a better estimate.

 

I kept trying to get a glimpse of the extraction tool they use, but they kept it hidden from me through the entire procedure. Every time I would get up they would cover it up with a cloth.

[notgoing2gobald]

I kept trying to get a glimpse of the extraction tool they use, but they kept it hidden from me through the entire procedure. Every time I would get up they would cover it up with a cloth.

 

That is really bizarre to say the least. Didn't this bother you somewhat? As far as your remaining donor goes, this is something I would like to know (at least get a rough read) prior to my first surgery for long term planning. You weren't concerned about this?

 

I hope you stick around as we would all like to follow your progress and your thoughts about the procedure.

*WHY DON'T YOU START YOUR OWN THREAD?*

this one is too long and clouded w/too many other issues...

[the B spot]

I asked this question a while back--- here goes.....If a person responds well to Propecia and Propecia works mainly in the crown area--- if you take grafts from the mid-crown area and move them forward do they still respond to Propecia?

 

Interesting.

[Sean1977]

I'm not really looking to start a thread, I actually only posted because I had some photos and knew of some other ones on the web showing FUE results, and thought I'd try to help out and post them... I'll start posting all of my photos and everything once I have results to post.

 

As far as donor supply, i'm not planning on chasing my hair that long, if meds fail me in the next 10 to 15 years, I'll just shave my head. However, I think in 10 years there will be a lot more options than we have now.

[notgoing2gobald]

Originally posted by the B spot:

I asked this question a while back--- here goes.....If a person responds well to Propecia and Propecia works mainly in the crown area--- if you take grafts from the mid-crown area and move them forward do they still respond to Propecia?

 

Interesting.

Bspot,

I have heard from several doctors who hold the position that propecia begins to lose it's efficacy after TEN years;

and at BEST it only DELAYS the inevitible.

What is Dr. Shapiro's position on this? Does he feel it works indefinitely?

[Bill - Seemiller]

notgoing2gobald,

 

Which doctors have you heard that from? I have heard in fact the opposite from a number of physicians.

 

See the following hair loss blog How long does Propecia work without losing effectiveness?

 

B Spot,

 

many physicians also reject that Propecia only works in the crown and that it can have benefit for the front and forelock areas as well.

 

Sean,

 

I and other members are often suspicous of newcomers that come to a controversial post and post for the first time. Frankly, by appearance, you could be an Armani shill.

 

As an Armani patient yourself, I'd rather hope you'd share your own experience and photos in a new thread which would give credibility to your posts. Since you are already talking about your experience, I encourage you to create your own thread, share your experience and post your photos so we can follow your journey step by step.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill