Guest Posted August 14, 2001 Share Posted August 14, 2001 Aug 16 is the big day! First procedure for me, with Dr. Joe Greco at the wheel. I'm not worried though, he's done one or two of these before. I'm going to take a few days off post-op and do some South Fla sightseeing, but I will post the adventure upon return. Cheers, Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 14, 2001 Share Posted August 14, 2001 Aug 16 is the big day! First procedure for me, with Dr. Joe Greco at the wheel. I'm not worried though, he's done one or two of these before. I'm going to take a few days off post-op and do some South Fla sightseeing, but I will post the adventure upon return. Cheers, Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 28, 2001 Share Posted August 28, 2001 Hats off to Dr. Joe Greco, literally! All the consultations, years of waiting, and countless hours of research to find the "right" doctor were worth it. I am deeply grateful to Joe and his wonderful staff for the remarkable procedure they performed on me August 16. The work is beautiful and I am absolutely thrilled...can you tell? Feel free to contact me at punchy1@aol.com. And if you're ever in the Orlando area just give me a shout and you can see for yourself. Cheers, Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 28, 2001 Share Posted August 28, 2001 A very special thanks to Pat Hennessey for this well-done website and all the time he spent with me on the phone. This guy's the real deal, and if not for him I might not have found such a quality surgeon. Thanks again Pat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 28, 2001 Share Posted August 28, 2001 Andy - Congratulations on your positive expierience. Would you be willing to post pics of your results?? Take Care Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 28, 2001 Share Posted August 28, 2001 Dear Andy; You should be more accurate when you refer to Joe Greco as Dr.Greco.He is not a physician. He does however have a PhD. Joe Greco is a Physician Assistant. He must be supervised by a physician.The physician assumes liability for the Physician Assistant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Mario Posted August 28, 2001 Regular Member Share Posted August 28, 2001 ANDY: YOU MIGHT AS WELL GO TO A LIBRARIAN. JOE GRECO IS NOT EVEN A LOWLY D.O., LET ALONE MD. YOU REALLY SHOULD CHECK OUT OTHER ALTERNTIVES - E.G. RON SHAPIRO OR PAUL ROSE (HIMSELF). BE CARRRRRREEEEFULLLLL!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member NW Posted August 28, 2001 Senior Member Share Posted August 28, 2001 Mario I agree with your analagy of Joe Greco not having full credentials..ie DR.....but it is true he may well have far more skill at HT than several true Dr.'s..in fact I have heard he is highly skilled at HT...I have a far bigger concern with a true DOCTOR..whom has no HT skills...than say a D.O. with more experience and happy patients. I am not defendeing anyone here..just stating many "DOCTORS" have chewed peoples heads up just the same......take care.!!!...be careful no matter who it is.. whether a fully recognized Dr. or paperboy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 29, 2001 Share Posted August 29, 2001 Just for the record, the decision to let Joe Greco perform my HT procedure was reached only after a lot of digging and a mountain of research. I am not, and have never been, a person given to impulsive decision and just "hoping for the best". As a consumer, I'm a careful researcher, very cautious and highly skeptical of hyped products/services, and as a patient I'm ten times more cautious, especially when considering totally elective but otherwise unnecessary cosmetic surgery. I just walk away if there's the slightest doubt. I'm the kind of person that's not afraid to raise holy hell if I feel like I'm being ripped off. On the other hand, when I find a product or service that is truly excellent, I'll shout it from the rooftops! And that's what my previous posts were all about. I really AM overjoyed! But the journey to this point was a long one. At the risk of boring you (okay I'll risk it!) I would like to explain: I am 43 years old and have been looking into HT for the past 10 years, more seriously for the past couple. I have read everything I could get my hands on regarding the subject. I have observed the evolution of HT procedures from the punch to micro/mini to follicular unit. I have met with doctors, patients, and sat in on several procedures. I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly and every time I just walked away but I have kept up the research. I started a list of HT surgeons that had good reps. When HT technology leapfrogged with the advent of micro-follicular grafting, that immediately narrowed the list for me, and further research, consultations and conversations narrowed it even further. I continued paring and by this year the list was down to a handful of people. Joe Greco was on that list, and he remained on it, for several reasons. First off, his track record reveals a broad and diverse focus of experience in the field of HT, including the pioneering of surgical instruments and the like. He has worked with Ron Shapiro and Paul Rose, two widely-respected doctors of excellent repute. I dug through medical journals and read many of his papers on H-factor, graft harvesting, maximizing graft survival, etc. Okay, so he knows his stuff. As you know, some people have a lot of "book smarts" and publish lots of articles in prestigious medical journals, but then that kind of person is usually more comfortable with a fountain pen than a scalpel. And they possess all the chairside charm of a porcupine. That's NOT the kind of "expert" I was looking for! So I started poking around and guess what: Like Dr. Shapiro, Joe's reputation with patients was stellar. When I decided to meet him in person I was even more impressed. In the past, most of my consultations were more like confrontations. But this was more like an open house. This guy is a true gentleman and he really listens. I came armed with my one-and-a-half-inch-thick file folder, loaded with questions. He answered them all, showed me lots of "before and afters", introduced me to the staff and let me sit in on a procedure (with the patient's permission of course). The work I witnessed was superb. Joe and his staff are passionate perfectionists, and they love what they do! Now THAT'S the kind of attention I'm looking for as a patient! I was sold...the long search was over, I had found what I was looking for. I scheduled my surgery for August 16. That was 13 days ago. On the day of surgery, I have to tell you I was a tad nervous but I wasn't scared. An important distinction! The difference is I had done my homework. Knowing what I know now, I had nothing to be nervous about. And in retrospect, it's one of the best decisions I've ever made. Sorry if this reads like one long infomercial for Joe Greco, but he and his staff are absolutely tops in my book. And I cannot abide the sort of unfounded drivel which judges a person merely by the initials preceding his surname. Before you cast stones you need to do YOUR research. I've done mine and I am one happy camper. Cheers, Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member NW Posted August 29, 2001 Senior Member Share Posted August 29, 2001 Andy, You will have success, give it 5-6 months, after possibly the swollen forehead, some shedding and wondering when will it grow?...you will then see a nice improvement, worthy of your wait. I am 40 and cant believe how fast and strong my "newly" redistributed hair grows..it does take 5-6 months to really come together fully...Take care..!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 29, 2001 Share Posted August 29, 2001 Congrats on your surgery. It sounds like you put alot of thought into your decision.You mentioned that he worked with Dr Shapiro and Dr Rose who have good reputations.I'm sure he does good work as well. My question is what happens if something didn't work out or there was a complication. Who takes rsponsibility-the physician assistant or the doctor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 30, 2001 Share Posted August 30, 2001 Thanks for the kind words. BTW in all the praise of Joe Greco and staff I failed to mention the name of his facility, Summit Hair Restoration located in (usually) sunny Clearwater Florida pretty close to Tampa airport. I believe he has a second facility in Indianapolis. Summit Hair is overseen by David Wall MD, Medical Director, also a true gentleman. I just bought a digital camera and I will try to post a pic or two if I can figure out how to use it. Cheers, Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member j-man Posted September 1, 2001 Regular Member Share Posted September 1, 2001 My response is aimed at Mario and Mike. They seem to be casting stones at Joe Greco. I wonder if they have ever sat in on a procedure by Joe. I have had 2 sessions with him and couldn't be happier. I will be going for a third early next year. It's really sad that these two would try to discredit the skill Joe has. My hair transplant is undetectable! It would be hard for me to imagine that anyone else could do the quality of work that Joe did on me. Pat, if you're reading this, I would be glad to show my 'before and after' pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 3, 2001 Share Posted September 3, 2001 Dear J-man and Andy: First Andy, Congratulations to you. I am glad that you went and did it. I would suggest that you and J-man re-read my comments.I made no statement(s) that "casts stones" at Joe Greco and his skill. I did ask about qualifications and liability, issues that concern all of us.These are legitimate questions. Again, Joe Greco is a physician assistant.The physician is supposed to be experienced in anything that the physician assistant does. Is Dr. Wall recognized for hair transplants? What is his background?How much research did you do concerning these matters? I would appreciate a well thought out response,not one based on sentiment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member NW Posted September 3, 2001 Senior Member Share Posted September 3, 2001 Those questions are very valid Mike is asking..if in fact you happened to be one who DID have trouble, it would be wise to know this info....Hopefully you will have excellent results !!!! I think as time goes on the liabilty structures will be further enforced..perhaps to the point where the law will require an MD...But I think Big Joe will have given you a great HT..and good luck!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 5, 2001 Share Posted September 5, 2001 Those questions are absolutely valid. The short answer is that as elective surgery, I firstly hold MYSELF accountable! Accountable to find a surgeon/clinic that has this down to a science, thereby minimizing any such risk, and is trained, equipped and experienced in the event something does "go wrong". For a more specific answer, you should contact your surgeon. Joe can be reached at summithair@hotmail.com Happy trails, Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 10, 2001 Share Posted September 10, 2001 Hey andy, just wondering if you've figured out how to use your camera yet? Would love to see the pictures because it sounds to me that you may actually have never had your hair done! Your posts sound like those of someone promoting themselves. Post your pictures and prove me wrong. Curious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 11, 2001 Share Posted September 11, 2001 I already sent in some pic's to this site, but did not have much luck with the posting instruc's. Pat has the pic's if he wants to post them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 11, 2001 Share Posted September 11, 2001 Hello Pat, seems to me that Andy sounds a lot like Greco's consultant. I'm sure that the people that log on to this site would love to see Andy's pictures. Tried to find him in the AOL white pages and his name doesn't match up to his address, so it makes genuine users like myself wonder! If you have the pictures, I'm sure that everyone would like to see them. I say this because he is raving about the work. I'm just wondering what pictures he has sent you since the hair definitely hasn't started to grow, unless he has some magical MIRACLE GROW. Inquiring minds want to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Pat - Community Publisher Posted September 12, 2001 Administrators Share Posted September 12, 2001 Guys, Sorry I didn't jump into this discussion earlier. But I can assure you that Andy if very real and a good guy who is on the road to "recovery". Over a year ago Andy called me to talk hair and I suggested he try Propecia first for a year before jumping in. Andy did use Propecia but eventually found that it did not restore his hairline. A few weeks ago week spoke soon after Andy did his transplant with Joe. He was delighted with his experience and just wanted to let me know how things went for him. He then posted his experience online. He also did send me a couple of photos from right after his surgery. The photo was rather wide so the details of his hair are not real clear. I guess I'm used to only posting photos once the results are fully apparent and thought I'd wait until Andy's hair grew out before putting any photos online. However, I will plan on cropping and enlarging his photo as best I can and then posting it to the "Post Your Own Hair Transplant Photos" forum. I'd be happy to do the same for any of you other guys as well. Take care and thanks for all your great posts. Pat - aka "The Recovered Bald Guy" Thanks for reading this post. But it's your posts that make this discussion group real and vital. Please register - it's free and easy - and then jump into the discussion. 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...
Administrators Pat - Community Publisher Posted September 17, 2001 Administrators Share Posted September 17, 2001 Ok, sorry about the delay but I finally uploaded Andy's photo to a web server and now it is posted here and in the "Post your own photos" area. This is 14 days after his first mega session surgery with Joe Greco in Florida. Anyone else who would like to post their own photos email them to me at pat@hairtransplantnetwork.com and I'll put them up. I can make your before and after photos anonymous if you'd like. Try to send me a before and after photo from the same angle if possible. Take care and thanks for playing. Pat - editor [This message was edited by Pat - editor and "Recovered Bald Guy" on September 17, 2001 at 12:58 PM.] 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 NW Posted September 17, 2001 Senior Member Share Posted September 17, 2001 Andy, Looks excellent !!! I am sure you will enjoy the nice change..7-8 months from now you will not know what hats are used for !!!!. BTW...welcome to the formerly bald club..its a nice feeling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 17, 2001 Share Posted September 17, 2001 WOW!! I am impressed! Andy - you look great! I can't wait to see a pic in 5 months. Take Care Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 18, 2001 Share Posted September 18, 2001 Andy - How many grafts did you get in this session? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2002 Share Posted March 5, 2002 Hi, here's a photo I snapped at the 6 month point and the other 2 week photo for comparison. Hopefully this link works... Cheers, Andy HT Photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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