Shapiro Medical

[Janna]

If you have a question regarding our clinic or Dr. Shapiro, I can answer most questions, if I can't answer myself, I have Dr. Shapiro as a resource. I've been Dr. Shapiro's head tech/surgery manager for seven years, and I've been with Dr. Shapiro for almost 11 years.

[Midiman]

Good of you to offer Janna...

[worried]

Thanks for the blog comments Jan na

[Guest]

Janna,

 

After reading all these posts it really is easy to get confused. So, here are a couple of questions; 1/ Is it necessary to shave down the front part of my head if I get a procedure with Dr. Shapiro? I am 50 with receding in the front but still have a tuft right at the front and having curly hair have been able to conceal my loss but it will eventually catch up with me.

 

2/ Do shockloss hairs grow back and what is the % of people that experience sl? I assume sl is from the area of the donor hair or is it both donor and recipient areas? I don't want to have a procedure that leaves me bald in other non-transplanted areas.

 

3/ Can a very real and natural hairline definition and the area behind the hairline be achieved without it being noticed?

 

And finally;

4/ If you were a patient that wanted the best of the best processes used what would they be for harvesting, closure, healing medications, and quicker growth as so many things have been mentioned that again it is hard to get a clear answer. I heard about a system that promotes healing the donor area and helps eliminate hairloss but the name escapes me.

 

I await your response.

[Janna]

You have brought up some very good questions.

I'll try to answer each one carefully.

1) No, you don't have to have your hair cut short to have a transplant. We can work around your existing hairs, especially if you need it to camouflage the tranplant.

2) Shock loss hairs do grow back. There's shedding and there's shockloss: shedding is when the transplanted hairs shed within the first couple months after a transplant (approx. 70% of transplanted hairs shed) this process happens for most patients. Of course all the hairs grow back at about 3 1/2 months after post-op. The shockloss of existing hairs happen on an occasion, but these hairs grow back as well (typically at the same time as tranplanted hairs). You may have some thinning after a transplant, you should not look bald in the transplanted area even if you have some shedding and shockloss.

 

3) You may have to define "noticeable" a little bit more clearly. Most of our patients who have hairline work done have expressed how great and natural it looks immediately after surgery. There's slight shading of redness for couple days, however, if you have some existing hairs (frontal tuft) like you mentioned, it should not be too noticeable. I cannot guarantee anything as it also vary between each patient.

 

4) The best of the best procedure: I would elect having the linear strip harvested with tricophytic closure. I would also take Propecia and use Rogaine. I would consult with the best transplant doctor known for hairline work.

[Guest]

Janna,

 

Many thanks for your prompt response. Re the best doctor there's no doubt in my mind that Ron Shapiro is the best and one of only two I would consider. Does Dr. S also do dense packing like Hasson and Wong to get the best effect in front. Obviously packing should be accomplished commensurate with age and realistic density? In most of the Dr. S proedures after the ehaling do you sincerely feel that no one would notice the procedure ahd been done. I also undersyand the tricophytic closure really is undetectable once healed. is that correct? Do you recall what the system is they use to promote faster healing? I believe it is a bandage with some type of medication that you use for a few days immediately following the procedure. Thanks once again.

[kamin]

Originally posted by hairraising:

Do you recall what the system is they use to promote faster healing? I believe it is a bandage with some type of medication that you use for a few days immediately following the procedure.

 

 

You're probably thinking about Graftcyte moist dressings, which are used on the recipient area. There is also a Graftcyte spray to keep the recipient area moist. Also, Iamin Gel is normally used on the donor area scar. However, these are expensive. I've read on this board that some doctors have their own healing systems/medications and that they give them to you as part of the HT cost.

[Janna]

It's no problem, glad to answer your questions.

 

Yes, Dr. Shapiro does dense packing when possible/appropriate. There's no one who can pack more than Dr. Shapiro when he feels it's necessary. Does he always feel it's safe? NO.

 

There a Graftcyte kit that includes shampoo/conditioner, pads, sprays, and Iamin gel that you're probably referring to. There a product called Mederma that works in place of Iamin gel, which you can get over the counter.

[Guest]

Thanks Kamin...you are right. I heard it works and the cost is a small part of whatever gets you to heal quickest with the elast amount of downtime and redness. If it works it may be good to consider.

[Janna]

Hairraising,

 

FYI, the cost of the graftcyte kit is $250.00

 

I also forgot to mention that due to the small incisions, dense packing and quick healing is the norm. After the healing, it is pretty much undectable.

[Guest]

Janna,

 

Thanks again for responding so quickly and please forgive the typos. I am a woodpecker typist and thrash words out and should spend a minute reviewing but I don't always do so. I think I have all my questions answered. Time to call the good doctor's office.

[Janna]

Don't worry about the typo's, it's still readable.

 

If you want to send a pm with your address, I can send out our info packet to you. It'll save you a step. Then you can call to set up a time with Matt to get every one of your questions answered.

[Guest]

Janna,

 

How can I reach you?

 

Thanks.

[Janna]

You can either send a "private message" from the forum, or you can send an email to me at: janna@shapiromedical.com

 

Looking forward to hearing from you.

[Midiman]

Originally posted by Janna:

There's no one else who can pack the grafts in more than Dr. Shapiro.

 

That's quite a statement. Concerning packing, I just had a 25-30cm2 procedure with Dr. Keene. She and I elected to go conservatively because of my existing hair. If and when I go for another procedure in a year or two, would dense packing permanently harm any of my existing grafts?

 

Thanks

[Guest]

Janna,

 

I have emailed you and look forward to receiving updated info in the mail and or via email. Whatever you think is more appropriate.

 

The info you provided was very helpful and matched my research and what I thought was best for my specific needs.

[Janna]

I stand by my statement because there may be few other doctors that can put just as many, but not more. Dr. Shapiro utilizes a state of the art magnification system that allows him to make the smallest incisions in betweens the existing hairs to not harm the follicles. He takes a great deal of time making these incisions. He generally gets 40/50gr per cm2. He can do more if he feels it's safe. We don't get negative feedback from patients who feel there's been damage done to existing hairs even with the dense packing.

[Janna]

Just to clarify myself and my comments, these postings are my personal opinions and beliefs from my years of experience with SMG. I believe the HT industy as a whole is vastly improving and I'm very happy about that. I believe in our work and Dr. Shapiro. I know there are very good clinics out there, and again, I'm very happy about that too and it's never my intention to discredit other HT work out there.