FUE - Best doctor

[Danielkiwi]

Hi guys

 

Can someone please recommend the best doctor for FUE in the US who is confident of the graft yield..Most of the doctors are not too condifent of this approach...any body have any feedback on Dr. Ron shapiro for FUE...i know he has a stellar reputation for FUT but am not able to find any strong feedback on his FUE work.

[Blake Bloxham]

DanielKiwi,

 

Dr. Shapiro is well known for both this quality follicular unit transplantation (FUT) and follicular unit extraction (FUE) cases. Additionally, feel free to browse our list of recommended physicians in the US.

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

You could never go wrong with Dr. Ron Shapiro. He is one of the finest in our industry. Dr. Jim Harris out of Denver is also a master at FUE hair transplantation. I have seen some really impressive work from him over the past few years.

[Smoothy]

Dr Ron has excellent results with FUE for me. Its been 5yrs since procedure

[Danielkiwi]

Thanks for the feed back guys.

 

Dr. Charles - It is always good to hear a doctor recommend another doctor. It inspires confidence. The only issue is i havent seen a lot of samples of his FUE work since he is fairly new in this area. I would have no hesitation in going for a FUT with him because of his stellar reputation and will most prob do so if i dont get a FUE procedure..

 

Spex - Does the doctor do online consultations for FUE? If yes, can i send you my pictures.

 

Smoothy - It is nice to hear that you had a good experience with Dr. Ron. If you dont mind, can you please share some pictures. If you dont feel like posting it on the forum, you can aslo email we at vettordan@yahoo.com. I would really appreciate it.

 

Regards,

Dan

[Danielkiwi]

Hi spex

 

I will send my photos to your email account...I have scheduled my FUT surgery but am on the fence and might want to consider FUE. My current doc is not a big fan of FUE and hence in am in a dilemna...Cost is not a factor for me but i need a doctor who has confidence in the graft yield..

[The Cure]

If costs no problem then I think it's safe to say Dr Feller is the best FUE surgeon around today although he is pricey. He openly shares FUE information with his peers and provides consistent results.

 

Ju

[Levrais]

If costs no problem then I think it's safe to say Dr Feller is the best FUE surgeon around today although he is pricey. He openly shares FUE information with his peers and provides consistent results.

 

Ju

Hi, Im interested in knowing what you base this opinion on. I am considering Dr. Feller but also Dr.s Harris and Shapiro. Im am findig it difficult to see a difference between Feller and Harris because they have both designed a new FUE extraction tool and both seem very comfortable with the FUE method.

 

Levrais

[Danielkiwi]

Hi The cure

 

I would like to know the same. what is the basis..cost is not a factor but $10 for a graft is still a lot of money $30,000 for 3000 grafts...and i have noticed that there are a lot of pictures immediately post op but not a lot of follow up pictures...it does make me wonder if FUE works as effectively as FUT..

 

Hi levrais

looks like both of us are in the same boat exploring FUE..we should share some information as it would be beneficial for both of us..i have tried PM,ing some of Dr. Shapiros patients and see if they respond..they have not responded yet but i am hopeful...maybe Jana, Bspot or Matt Zupan can chime in and share some experiences...I am certainly leaning towards Dr. Shapiro for his stellar reputation and i am sure he would not get into something without being confident...but i would love to see the results..Have you considered Dr. Feriduni or Dr. Keser..they have shown some good results in the past

[The Cure]

Based on the number and variety of different positive results shown here and on other forums by his patients and himself I suppose. I have not seen as many by Harris. Maybe he is good too, but Dr Feller seems to have a range of results and consistent results dating back 5 + years. I am opting for strip however with him in July after seeing actual results ( so biased i'm sure some would say, lol ) because I need 2500 grafts or more and have no intension to ever shave my hair down, also can't afford FUE to be perfectly honest.

 

Who is the actual best is so impossible to answer but I think based on the many satisfied patients he has, certainly ranks him as a main contender which I'm sue you'll agree. I hope you guys decide what's best for you whoever you go with. There is not just one best but clearly a few who do perform good results.

 

Again this is only my opinion.

 

Ju

Edited June 27, 2010 by The Cure

[Levrais]

Hi Danielkiwi,

I have noticed the same thing that many Shapiro patients start off with some amazing work and then stop posting very early on. The same with Dr. Feriduni's patients. I dont think this is anything negative about the Drs but makes it hard for us to judge. From the thousands of posts Ive read on here, it seems that the main issue in doctor selection for HT and especially FUE is graft survival and that is apparently determined at least partly by how the staff handles the graft. I am leaning towards the FUE method becuase I like to wear my hair short (and may end up totally bald some day) so the scar is an issue. Also with my job I need the shortest recovery time possible. Like you, I just would like to see some final fue results from these Dr.s to help decide. I would love to compare notes with you as the research progresses.

 

Ju,

I agree and thank you for the input.

 

Levrais

[the B spot]

Hi guys...in the process of contacting patients and getting updates...but we have posted a few FUE updates and expect more to come.

 

If your on the fence, please consider Dr. Feller or Dr. Harris...either doctor will produce excellent results...proven over the past years. Remember, when looking for a clinic, cost should be the last factor, once you have decided on your choices of clinics.

 

Take Care,

Jason

[Danielkiwi]

Hi B spot

 

It is nice that you are recommending dr. Harris..but i havent seen a lot of his results either.. Dr. feller def. has a lot more results as compared to other doctors...but i would love to see Dr. Shapiros results because i think his cost per graft is almost half of that of dr. feller with an almost equal reputation!!!

[Danielkiwi]

Yes spex..sorry did not send the pictures as my camera is giving me issues. I will send them in a day or two to get your opinion...i know 3000 is a big number and a lot of money too but i would love the option of shaving it off completely..can one shave it down to the scalp after getting a FUE procedure

[EpilepticSceptic]

Yes spex..sorry did not send the pictures as my camera is giving me issues. I will send them in a day or two to get your opinion...i know 3000 is a big number and a lot of money too but i would love the option of shaving it off completely..can one shave it down to the scalp after getting a FUE procedure

 

 

D,

 

I've been around the forums for over 5 years now, and I've never heard of FUE patients being able to shave down to bare skin in the donor area. With 3000+ grafts this will be even more true, it would likely be noticable. I think patient physiology plays a big part in this as well. Some photos I have seen of large FUE session scarring look pretty bad shaved to skin, sort of pock-marked or the buckshot blast look. Others look great but those are always not fully shaved down to bare skin.

 

Another very valid concern that most seem to overlook with FUE (and any HT) is future hairloss. Alot of young guys go FUE with NW6/7 family history of hairloss, thinking that they'll have good hair in their 20s/30s and just shave it all down later. I think there is a huge misconception with this that will only be understood in the future when all these FUE guys get older and lose the rest.

 

Some guys you see getting the hairline front loaded to NW0/1 using 1500-3000 grafts. When the hair behind that goes the patient will essentially have an expensive looking mustache of stubble that will be permanent, but bald bare skin behind it. IMO a strip scar would be like nirvana compared to this potential scenario. Imagine somebody going to a NW7, the sides drop and are bald bare skin, and they have this island of stubble on top in this weird pattern for which no equivalent in nature exists. Do you think people will not notice that ? Some think they can just shave it down daily to skin, but IMO you'll still see the stubble shadow clearly just like a shaved beard -- especially if the hair is dark and coarse. And you can't shave the back to skin because the scarring will show.

 

Like I said, there just hasn't been enough time yet for these cases to materialize cause FUE is still so new. That's just my opinion, not trying to steer you either way.

Edited June 28, 2010 by EpilepticSceptic

[Danielkiwi]

Fair enough and a very valid point...it is important to plan for the future and i think you bought out good points....i know shaving to the skin will be difficult but if some one can pull off a #2 buzz cut, it solves the purpose in the short term..now to deal with the long term solution....the conditions that you mentioned could hold true for a FUT session as well....if you go to NW 7 and with some surgeons taking higher scars to maximise yield, how would one try to hide the ear to ear linear scar..bald patches would still look weird once your native hair falls out in a FUT as well.....how would a FUT be better of in this case...a lot mant times people think who cares how will i look when i am 50 or 60...but when we get there we sure will care..

[EpilepticSceptic]

Fair enough and a very valid point...it is important to plan for the future and i think you bought out good points....i know shaving to the skin will be difficult but if some one can pull off a #2 buzz cut, it solves the purpose in the short term..now to deal with the long term solution....the conditions that you mentioned could hold true for a FUT session as well....if you go to NW 7 and with some surgeons taking higher scars to maximise yield, how would one try to hide the ear to ear linear scar..bald patches would still look weird once your native hair falls out in a FUT as well.....how would a FUT be better of in this case...a lot mant times people think who cares how will i look when i am 50 or 60...but when we get there we sure will care..

 

 

D,

 

Yeah, the same holds true for FUT. I wasn't implying anything different either, just pointing out how FUE is far from risk free. To me the most important thing if you get any HT is to be conservative and make the best use of the limited grafts. See a few reputable surgeons in person 6 months before making a decision to move forward. You need to know approx. total # of donor grafts available, quality of grafts/hair texture, how big your head is, and worse case scenario plan. Many may discover that the worse case scenario is not what they wanted to sign up for, and not worth it -- sparse NW2/NW3 design and you'll still look balding but not bald.

 

I was a bit lucky in that I have a small head. If your head is big then many more grafts will be needed to acheive the same look. Big head, fine straight hair texture, low donor density, family history of NW6/7, and no meds is basically the disaster scenario for most HT patients, strip or FUE. The good clinics turn patients like this down left and right.

 

Spend a little time talking to HT vets/repair patients and you'll learn quite alot about what can go wrong down the line. That's what I did over a 5 year period before I got my HT.

 

BTW did you ever post any pics of your hairloss ?

Edited June 28, 2010 by EpilepticSceptic

[Levrais]

EpilepticSceptic, some excellent points. Lots to think about.

 

Levrais

[Danielkiwi]

Excellent points ES..I have consulted quite a few doctors and they have all said that i have a small head, thick and curly hair and good donor quality...i also have no history of family hair loss...my father still has a full head of hair....(doesent that suck..i cant even blame him..haha)...but my concern is that i am a diffused thinner and doctors want to be consevative and not go in the crown completely as they think i am still young ( i am 32 BTW)...i understand their view point...also, not sure if i can commit to propecia all my life!!!so, i think meds are a big concern for me at this time!!!I am scared of the Halo effect i could end up with if dont enter the HT prison!!

 

how bad is your baldiing..i think you got a fairly big procedure if my memory serves rtie...did they go in the crown for you?

[EpilepticSceptic]

Excellent points ES..I have consulted quite a few doctors and they have all said that i have a small head, thick and curly hair and good donor quality...i also have no history of family hair loss...my father still has a full head of hair....(doesent that suck..i cant even blame him..haha)...but my concern is that i am a diffused thinner and doctors want to be consevative and not go in the crown completely as they think i am still young ( i am 32 BTW)...i understand their view point...also, not sure if i can commit to propecia all my life!!!so, i think meds are a big concern for me at this time!!!I am scared of the Halo effect i could end up with if dont enter the HT prison!!

 

how bad is your baldiing..i think you got a fairly big procedure if my memory serves rtie...did they go in the crown for you?

 

 

D,

 

Well, if you're diffuse thinning then that gene has to come from somewhere. I'd look into great grand dads maybe ?

 

Small head is a very good thing. I realized after my procedure that if you take a tape measure and figure out the areas to be covered you can get a more solid idea. I'm not a diffuse thinner though, so i had specific bald areas to cover (front and small crown spot). Once you realize that a 12" long 2cm strip is being cut out of your head, you can sort of then just imagine the strip being cut into chunks (like sushi -- lol) to fill in the bald spaces. If you have enough of these chunks to cover it all then you should have great density once grown in. I was an early NW4 BTW. Been that way for a buncha years and have a 50 year old brother who is the same. Recently looking at his head really helped me make the final decision knowing I should have at least another 10 years before any suprises pop up.

 

It's really a numbers game once you know the skill of the doc & staff is up to snuff. If all my grafts grow I should look pretty damn good !

 

To be honest I don't think I'd consider a HT without finasteride, but that's just me. If my hair was still thinning badly and I had no control over it I think a HT would really just add to the stress down the line. Fin has worked really good for me for many years. Yes, I have watery semen but that's the trade-off IMO. I have no ED, brain fog, or any of that crap. Besides, past 40 most men in my family have prostate issues -- so I need a DHT inhibitor anyway to avoid that crap!

 

Yeah, 32 is still somewhat of a youngin IMO. I guess maybe cause I'm getting old !!!! Yeah right, not really. I've still got the mind of a 15 year old at 41.

Edited June 29, 2010 by EpilepticSceptic