HT Dr search

[Wild]

ok., I have been on these forums for 2-3 years and was always skeptical of HT surgery. But now I feel, I should go for it. I have few questions.

 

1. How much difference is there in the quality of surgery among different coalition doctors. Say Dr Madhu, Dr Feller, Dr H&W. If the difference is marginal, I would like to save some money and go to Dr Madhu (since I have that option). The cost difference for 3000 - 3500 grafts would be about $10,000. That is big saving. Since all coalition Dr are considered to be top notch, does the quality of surgery differ a lot?

. I believe the hairline creation, inserting grafts would be quite standard amongs docs.

 

2. If I elect to be on stand by for a surgery (In case of a cancellation), how much discount do the doctors usually provide?

 

3. The thing I am worried about and which held me from going for the surgery is the scar. Does the scar size/width differ between Dr or is it a standard procedure and the scar size would be the same no matter which Dr performs the surgery?

 

4. Would a trichophytic closure show a scar on a razor shaved head?

 

 

5. I have been trying to find a razor shave head after HT, but could not find one. Can somebody post some pics? I would believe that people who perform HT want their head full as quick as possible and would never want to do a razor shave of their head. That might be the reason for me not finding a pic

 

6. Can the Hair loss progress after HT and start showing the scar area? That would be really bad to look at. What options do people have if a thing like that happens?

[Wild]

To add some fun to the thread, check out this video.....You could keep growing your beard and keep replacing your hair every 2 months ....hahaha ...

 

 

[Blake Bloxham]

ok., I have been on these forums for 2-3 years and was always skeptical of HT surgery. But now I feel, I should go for it. I have few questions.

 

1. How much difference is there in the quality of surgery among different coalition doctors. Say Dr Madhu, Dr Feller, Dr H&W. If the difference is marginal, I would like to save some money and go to Dr Madhu (since I have that option). The cost difference for 3000 - 3500 grafts would be about $10,000. That is big saving. Since all coalition Dr are considered to be top notch, does the quality of surgery differ a lot?

. I believe the hairline creation, inserting grafts would be quite standard amongs docs.

 

There are two levels of recommendation on this site: recommended physicians (who are all excellent and endorsed by our community) and Coalition surgeons. As of now, Dr. Madhu is not a member of the Coalition, but is a recommended physician. Regardless, I think all of the hair transplant surgeons you've listed perform excellent work, and I wouldn't let price drive your decision too much. I think you should research all three of the clinics you are considering and make your decision based on the findings. Additionally, here is a thread that explains how we recommend hair transplant surgeons.

 

2. If I elect to be on stand by for a surgery (In case of a cancellation), how much discount do the doctors usually provide?

 

I think it differs from clinic to clinic. I do not believe there is one standard discount rate, nor am I sure that each clinic offers the standby discount. This is something you should discuss individually with each clinic you are considering.

 

3. The thing I am worried about and which held me from going for the surgery is the scar. Does the scar size/width differ between Dr or is it a standard procedure and the scar size would be the same no matter which Dr performs the surgery?

 

The width/size of the scar depends on several factors. However, I would say that when you are looking at leading clinics performing the operation, variables such as the laxity in your donor area, session size (width and length of the donor strip extracted), and density in your donor area are going to influence the size of the scar more than the physician performing the procedure.

 

4. Would a trichophytic closure show a scar on a razor shaved head?

 

Yes. Even the best hair transplant closure leaves a "pencil thin" scar.

 

 

5. I have been trying to find a razor shave head after HT, but could not find one. Can somebody post some pics? I would believe that people who perform HT want their head full as quick as possible and would never want to do a razor shave of their head. That might be the reason for me not finding a pic

 

This question comes up quite a bit, and I think the best example I've seen lately comes from the hair loss website of Aviran2ht (a member of our social community and discussion forums). I hope I'm not overstepping my bounds, but if you look at this page of his restoration journal, you can see a fairly close shave of a follicular unit transplantation (FUT) scar from Hasson and Wong (keep in mind that these are the post-operative photographs from a different FUE (follicular unit extraction) procedure and I'm linking it to show the scar only). Clearly, the scar is visible at this level, but it's also quite thin.

 

6. Can the Hair loss progress after HT and start showing the scar area? That would be really bad to look at. What options do people have if a thing like that happens?

 

Yes, hair loss is a progressive issue and can continue after the hair transplant procedure. However, keep in mind that the transplanted grafts are taken from a "universal safe zone" where the follicles are resistant to DHT (dihydrotestosterone) - the hormone that directly causes male pattern baldness. Because of this, the transplanted hairs should not be affected by any progressive balding, neither will the safe zone where the transplant scar is located. Essentially, no matter how the hair loss pattern progresses, your scar (if taken from the correct area) will not show.

 

I hope this helps! Please, feel free to ask any additional questions.

Edited July 30, 2010 by Future_HT_Doc

[TC17]

Not all doctors, even those within the coalition, are equal. The best and most consistent scars I've seen have come from Dr. Rahal, Dr. Simmons, Dr. True, Dr. Dorin, and Dr. Lindsey. While the technique for implanting grafts is extremely similar between doctors, there is a disparity in the artistic skill of the doctor doing the hairline design. Some are just plain better than others. I have my personal favorites, but you have to find one that you like.

 

I have to disagree with what Future_HT_Doc told you regarding the possibility of your scar becoming visible. It is a possibility. In fact, if your genetic code says your donor will thin, then it's a certainty. Your only hope in that case is that medication can permanently stave that off, or a cure for baldness is found, or hair cloning becomes a reality.

 

While it's true that most men do not lose considerable hair in the donor region, many men do. Whether it's caused by MPB or simply the aging process is irrelevant. The fact of the matter is that the donor area thins to some degree in many men. In my personal observations, it seems as though older men who are NW 6+ have a high number of thin donor areas, and that many would not only lose transplanted hair, but also show a scar.

 

The term "permanent zone" is a misnomer. It's only as permanent as your genetics say it is. For the man who will only bald to a NW 4 level, his "permanent zone" is everything that isn't thinning, while the man who will lose considerable donor hair doesn't have a "permanent zone" at all.

 

You said you've been researching for a number of years, and that's good, but if you're committed to a hair transplant I'd continue researching a bit more. After weighing the pros and cons accordingly, you can then decide whether hair transplantation, and the risks inherent in it, is the right step for you. As I've said time and time again on this forum, because my dad is just now at age 60 beginning to show a thinning donor, I am very uncomfortable in undergoing a strip procedure.

[Cant decide]

I have to disagree with TC17 to some extent. While I agree that some men's donor area thins later on in life, I believe that only a very small subset of this already small subset of thin donor men would thin to the point where the scars achieved today would be readily noticable.

[Wild]

Thank you all. The posts have been very helpful and informative.