Question for DR. FELLER

[Guest]

Dr. Feller:

For a while now I have been following your posts, especially the ones on density. I always had a relatively high hairline and deep recessions at temples. I will be 23 soon. Some 2-3 years ago I noticed slight thinning and gentle recession at the temples, but I don't believe it has progressed since. Nobody in my family, including my grandfathers is bald, and my father has probably more hair than I do. I believe I would benefit greatly from lowering my hairline half an inch or so, but I've stumbled against many post that advise against doing so. Due to my family history, I believe that there is a good chance my hairline will remain where it is, as it is, and it is a chance I am more than willing to take.

I've had one consultation so far, and was told that I am too young for transplant, and to come back in two years or so. I was classified as early Norwood 3A, with medium density, and medium scalp elasticity, brown, slightly wavy hair. I was prescribed propecia, to bring back miniaturized hair, and I've been taking it for a month now, and I intend to continue on it as long as I will have hair.

Like you said yourself hair loss is not pathological. The only reason people get HT's is for aesthetical reasons, which means that it's highly subjective. Now, there are people who couldn't care less about going bald, and there are people who can't stand their receded hairline. I belong to the latter group, and fixing that problem is my number one priority. I don't believe that waiting in my case is a good idea - because other than being miserable, I'm accomplishing nothing. I don't want to wait till I'm 30 to do what I could very well do now, and be happy.

Since I live relatively close to NY, my question is the following. Should I bother scheduling a consultation with you, or will it be just a waste of both yours and my time, and you'll tell me what I already heard at the other place - that I'm too young? Thanks for taking your time to read this post.

 

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic''. Arthur C. Clarke

[Guest]

Dr. Feller:

For a while now I have been following your posts, especially the ones on density. I always had a relatively high hairline and deep recessions at temples. I will be 23 soon. Some 2-3 years ago I noticed slight thinning and gentle recession at the temples, but I don't believe it has progressed since. Nobody in my family, including my grandfathers is bald, and my father has probably more hair than I do. I believe I would benefit greatly from lowering my hairline half an inch or so, but I've stumbled against many post that advise against doing so. Due to my family history, I believe that there is a good chance my hairline will remain where it is, as it is, and it is a chance I am more than willing to take.

I've had one consultation so far, and was told that I am too young for transplant, and to come back in two years or so. I was classified as early Norwood 3A, with medium density, and medium scalp elasticity, brown, slightly wavy hair. I was prescribed propecia, to bring back miniaturized hair, and I've been taking it for a month now, and I intend to continue on it as long as I will have hair.

Like you said yourself hair loss is not pathological. The only reason people get HT's is for aesthetical reasons, which means that it's highly subjective. Now, there are people who couldn't care less about going bald, and there are people who can't stand their receded hairline. I belong to the latter group, and fixing that problem is my number one priority. I don't believe that waiting in my case is a good idea - because other than being miserable, I'm accomplishing nothing. I don't want to wait till I'm 30 to do what I could very well do now, and be happy.

Since I live relatively close to NY, my question is the following. Should I bother scheduling a consultation with you, or will it be just a waste of both yours and my time, and you'll tell me what I already heard at the other place - that I'm too young? Thanks for taking your time to read this post.

 

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic''. Arthur C. Clarke

[Dr. Alan Feller]

Microprose,

 

You probably are a bit young to be looking at transplantation now. However, you do bring up an excellent point...that where and when transplants are to be placed is completely subjective. In the end it is up to the individual to decide what is right for them and when. Take tatoos for instance. If I had my way nobody would have them. To me, tatooing is the voluntary permanent mutilation of one's body, however, every other person seems to have one. Why should hair be any different?

 

On the other hand, 90% of those people with tatoos also wish they had never gotten them in the first place. So, bearing this in mind, I would not take you for hair transplantation just yet.

 

While I see YOU are not concerned about the future now, you eventually will be. I'd rather not do something I am fairly sure you will regret up the road.

 

Hang in there.

 

Dr. Feller

[Guest]

Thank you for you answer. As far as tatoos go I belong to the 10% minority. I respect your opinion, because I know that a lot of places would take my money and perform ht, rather than do what's in my best interest. On the other hand I am 100% sure that ht is what I want (I made up my mind a long time ago), and nothing will change that - the only question is when and where. The major risk I can see is shock fallout - but in my mind it's risk worth taking.

What is the minimum age of an ht candidate you would consider reasonable?

 

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic''. Arthur C. Clarke

[arfy]

Micropose said<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> On the other hand I am 100% sure that ht is what I want (I made up my mind a long time ago), and nothing will change that - the only question is when and where.

How are you so sure that when you made up your mind a long time ago, you even understood what a hair transplant IS, what it can and cannot DO?

 

I read about a lot of younger guys who seem SO SURE that they really want a hair transplant...REALLY sure... then you find out they barely know anything about what they are getting into.

 

You say how willing you are to put up with shock fallout... REALLY? Well, what if you spent ten or fifteen grand on a whole series of surgeries, over the course of a couple of years, only to be left with LESS total hair AFTER your surgeries? How would you like to drop a bundle of cash, and get several operations, in order to just replace your original hair with transplanted hair? Then would you be happy? Because that is a very real possibility, the fact that you could end up with LESS hair in total, than you have now.

 

The other major risk I see rarely mentioned, is that you will end up with a hairline you don't like, or you will eventually realize the limits of hair transplantation AFTER your surgery, or you will run out of donor hair too soon for your goals, or you will be the unlucky small percentage of guys who have a poor growth response or poor healing. However, your HT is of course permanent.

 

Look, I am sorry to give you a hard time here. But I am really getting annoyed to see young guys in general ask "am I too young" and have a doctor say "well probably yes, you are too young" and then follow it up by NOT LISTENING or a bunch of "but... but... buts". Don't you think Dr. Feller would LOVE to take you on as a new patient if he thought it was a good idea? I'm sure Dr. Feller wants to help as many people as possible, plus he is only human, he has to earn a living just like everyone else. Yet he also realizes that you are not a good candidate...AT THIS TIME. Note that he did not say you can never ever get a HT.

 

I think one section of your post illustrates what's going on here. Dr. Feller mentions that 90% of the people who got tattooed "regret it" (not sure where that figure comes from, but anyway) later on in life. And you counter with the fact that you DO have a tattoo and don't regret it...all at the ripe old age of 22. My point is that younger guys are maybe not old enough to have the life experience or the right perspective on the very serious life-long implications of hair transplantation. Getting a hair transplant is a bigger decision than buying a house or getting married. As I've said before, you can't divorce a hair transplant. Even the best doctors do not always hit a home run every time at bat. And even if the doctor does a fantastic job, there are unknown factors like shock fallout to contend with.

 

You've been on Propecia for one month, you haven't given it a chance to work yet. You want to lower your hair line a half-inch, you are not bald enough to consider a hair transplant at this time. If I were you, I would consider a hair transplant to be a last resort, and not the answer to your hair loss problem. Concentrate on PREVENTION.

[Guest]

Sorry to make you so annoyed, I read some of your previous posts and know that you went through a nightmare. I am truthfully thankful for internet and this website, and experience of posters like you, because without it I would simply go for $3 mini-grafts. Now I know to avoid places like Bosley's at all cost (although I'll give them the credit of introducing me to the concept of ht through their infomercials).

I guess my perception of ht is a little different. I look at it more like a cosmetic surgery, than anything else. I had chin augmentation surgery performed a while ago, and I was more than pleased with the results. And yes - people were telling me that I look fine and it's not worth the risks, but my appearance is very important to me and I went ahead with it anyway - I researched it thoroughly on internet beforehand, just like I'm doing with ht. All I'm looking for right now is to at least fill in recessions on the sides - which are part of my natural hairline, just like my "weak" chin used to be a natural feature of my face. I'm on Propecia, and also Rogaine, but they won't do anything about frontal hairline, because I had never had hair there. I am using them "just in case", because I'd rather spend extra $100 a month, than end up losing my hair. And yes you may argue that chin implant is not as risky as hair transplant, but you don't have to go bald, and then get ht, in order to appreciate results.

 

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic''. Arthur C. Clarke

[arfy]

Micropose

Sorry if I came on a little strong, but it seems like an unending supply of younger guys who want to use hair transplants to make their hair look "perfect". In my opinion (and others, including doctors, I believe) this touch-up approach is not a responsible way to use hair transplants.

 

As far as your chin work goes, there is no risk that you will have continual "loss of chin" and need to go through a whole series of unanticipated surgeries. With a hair transplant there is definitely that risk. In for a penny, in for a pound. Once you get one, you will be resigning yourself to further surgery, if and when your hair keeps receding. Not that there is anything wrong with that, on the base level, if you are prepared for that and expect it to happen. But in my opinion a hair transplant is an extreme reaction to what sounds like a minor cosmetic problem, in your case. If you don't think there is anything extreme about HT, then I suggest you keep reading. I don't think anybody ever gets "only one" transplant, unless they decided to walk away and cut their losses. If that does ever actually happen, it is extremely RARE.

 

Right now you are doing the right thing by using Propecia, and thinking of prevention. Also, you are doing the right thing by asking questions. Don't let my responses discourage the questions.

 

Hey, it's your head and it's your life. You already had one doctor turn you away in person, and one (sort of) discourage you online. You should be HAPPY... you do not need a hair transplant yet. I wish you could realize that is GREAT NEWS. Hopefully you will never really need one! And if I were you, I would not get one unless I really REALLY need it (and not just for vanity touch-up purposes). Wait until you are at least Norwood 3, with a well-defined bald area. Hair transplants are a bad idea when used for prevention (to "stay ahead" of hair loss).

 

Good luck.

[Guest]

Arfy,

 

I vaguely recall reading something about you looking into repair work with ... maybe Dr. Bernstein. I might be confused about this.

 

But if this true, I'm curious to hear what has happened and if you have plans to get any work done. It sounds like you really got screwed and would love to hear if there is a better ending in your future.

 

Paul

[arfy]

I've had four small graft revisions so far. It's slow going. The revisions address about 25 big grafts each time. They remove portions of the old graft, then split them up into FU grafts and redistribute them. However, absolutely none of the grafts from my original transplant are worth a damn. So there is a ton of work to do. I have a tremendous amount of cobblestoning and pitting. The graft revisions do help wih that. But it seems unrealistic to expect to revise every single graft. I am probably going to need at least 2 more graft revisions, maybe more. It's hard to tell, because I am still healing up from previous repair sessions. Then if I decide to get a strip excision, I would probably have two massive sessions, in order to try to minimize the open-donor scarring as much as possible. I won't be able to get rid of all of it, though... it's an area about 4 inches in height and 8-10 inches across. Most of the strip excision will be removing scarred scalp and not grafts, and I only expect to have about 2000-2500 grafts available in total. That's not nearly enough, as the previous transplant gave me almost no coverage. (So much for "big grafts add density"...HA!) Then once I completely deplete what little is left in my donor area, there is the option of seeing Dr. Woods or Dr. Jones for some strip-free grafts. Bottom line, I will be having AT LEAST a dozen surgeries in total. Most of the surgeries are trying to undo the poor hair transplant I got from Dr. Puig. I expect this whole process to take another 3 to 5 years to complete. As you can imagine, this is extremely expensive. It's also very frustrating, as I already know my final results will not be that good. You do much better when you get it right the first time.

[Guest]

Arfy,

 

I'm so sorry to hear what a hell this has been and continues to be for you. To say what was done to you was "wrong" would be the understatement of the year.

 

Anybody who wonders why you're so vigorous about your warnings should walk a mile in your shoes before they take potshots at you for being strong in your warnings. You are protecting all of us from the pain you've had dumped on you.

 

I know you've got one hell of a road ahead of you. My thoughts and best wishes are with you.

 

Good luck (and let's hope the good docs you're seeing now can work some magic).

 

PS: I don't know how people like puig can look at themselves in the mirror - "subhuman" is my description for them. The man should pay for your corrective surgeries and compensate you for suffering. But, in this world - justice only happens some of the time and not often enough.

 

Arfy, thanks for your contributions.

[arfy]

Thank you for your comments.

 

I know Dr. Limmer recently posted about possible free (or reduced cost) corrective surgery for guys who had bad donor scars.

 

What about all the people out here who just look bad in general, who just have godawful bad looking transplants?

 

I could easily spend twenty five thousand dollars just chasing after a normal appearance again. EASILY. And that is just to get an ultimate yield of 2500 grafts, with two final strip excisions. Then if I wanted to try and add extra grafts with Dr. Woods or Dr. Jones, I could expect to double that total quite easily.

 

4 original surgeries with Carlos Puig

4 corrective graft excisions so far

Could easily do 4 more graft excisions

2 strip excisions are possible

Unknown amount of FUE sessions with Woods or Jones

 

I could easily spend over 50 thousand dollars on hair transplants. If I actually had that money to spend. I can't afford that. Just to try to look "normal" someday. Meanwhile Dr. Puig has made himself into a millionaire, off of guys like me.

 

It's more than just the money though. I'm completely screwed forever, from this absolute hack job Dr. Puig did on me. I told my current doctor, who specializes in repair work, that I don't care how much hair I end up with, or how I need to style it, or anything, I just want a normal appearance someday. And my current doctor told me "don't get your hopes too high".