Hi, newbie here with a big post and questions!

[swayzedo]

Hi everyone, I'm new here and this is my first post. After years of maybes and hmmms I've decided to go for it and get rid of the thing I hate when I look in the mirror.

 

My journey has just started though and I need some advice and guidance.

 

I know what I want, I know the exact hairline I would like and I think it's very achievable considering the thickens of my hair at the back and the area to be covered is not massive I think.

 

I am also very firm that I would like FUE. After much thought the FUT procedure just doesn't appeal to me. Scars on the back of my head, however small are a no no.

 

As a lowly musician and engineer I am looking as close to home as I can for the work to be done. I have trawled these forums and others and come up with 2 places that I am feeling quite comfy with which are BHR clinic in Belgium and Farjo clinic in Manchester. Both seem to have very good feedback, especially in the UK where it seems there are many cowboys. I just can't afford to go further afield.

 

I was originally going to go with the Fueclinic because they have a surgery in Glasgow where I live, but after doing Research on Dr Theodoros Vernikos and finding a lot of negative comments about him I researched further and decided on the two mentioned above.

 

My main questions are really about the all important factor - Price! There does not seem to be a lot of information on the subject, even in general terms on the websites so I'll ask here.

 

I'm not super well paid in my job, or ever likely to be so I was wondering if the clinics might have some sort of payment plan where I can do it over time?

 

I will be getting consultations but if anyone wants to have a stab at maybe how many grafts I'd need then go ahead, there are front, left and right photographs in my photo album. I want a straight hairline right across like when I was 18, no curving back at all. I know everyone's guesses are not going to be accurate but it might give me at least an average that I can work out a ballpark price to aim and prepare for. It would be a big help.

 

PHEW!!!!!

 

Well that's about it from me. I'll be on here a lot so hopefully I'll make some new friends that I can discuss this with and don't have the "deal with it!" attitude.

 

Thanks all!!

[mmhce]

 

I'm not super well paid in my job, or ever likely to be so I was wondering if the clinics might have some sort of payment plan where I can do it over time?

 

I will be getting consultations but if anyone wants to have a stab at maybe how many grafts I'd need then go ahead, there are front, left and right photographs in my photo album. I want a straight hairline right across like when I was 18, no curving back at all. I know everyone's guesses are not going to be accurate but it might give me at least an average that I can work out a ballpark price to aim and prepare for. It would be a big help.

 

 

 

 

Firstly, welcome to this forum swayzedo. You've come to the right place.

 

Secondly, although price is an important consideration, it shouldn't be your first.

 

There's a saying where I come from:

 

"Good things aren't cheap, and cheap things aren't good!"

 

Generally speaking, grafts cost approximately USD 5.00 for the first two thousand and then a lower discounted rate for the remaining grafts to be extracted.

 

You can check to see the latest rates on the respective clinic's website.

 

Thirdly, there is a graft calculator that is on this website that can give you an idea of how many grafts you would need based on your level of hairloss, based on the Norwood male patterned hairloss scale. (I'm assuming you are male.)

 

Generally speaking, you would need one thousand (1000) grafts per level/degree hairloss on the Norwood scale.

 

Please post pics of your hairloss situation, so that forum members can have a look.

 

Fourthly, you have to becareful to NOT to recreate a juvenile hairline "straight hairline right across like when I was 18, no curving back at all".

 

Your hairline and hair transplant is meant to last you, the remains of your life. (I don't know your age, and a lot of surgeons will not perform surgeries on patients who are not at least 30, and whose hairloss has not stabilised.)

 

Your hair transplant surgeon may advise you to adopt a mature hairline that is not "straight" (by this I take it that you mean "broad") as this unnecessarily uses up additional grafts. (You have a limited supply of about seven thousand -7000), and to stay out of the crown.

 

Fifthly, it is highly likely you will need multiple surgeries to accomplish what you want, e.g. 3 surgeries over the span of your life. (As Spex would say, "it's a marathon, not a sprint.")

[swayzedo]

Hi, thanks for the reply and the warm welcome. And yes I am male!

 

There are photographs of my head in my profile photo album so feel free to have a look there.

 

Sorry if I made it seem like price was my number 1 concern. It's not, a good surgeon is but it's not something I can ignore so I must be frank about it, although I have decided to go with a 0%APR credit card to pay.

 

I don't think I will be recreating a juvenile hairline, I have friends who are the same age as me (and older) with, as you put it 'broad' hairlines and no receding at all and I think they look great. It's just a personal preference which I feel is right for me and I'm sure I have plenty of donor hair to achieve it, and if I'm paying that much money I certainly want to get what I want. On the other hand I will listen to what my surgeon advises as well, but I'm sure it's do able as you say, over a period of maybe a few sessions.

 

But thank you once again for the warm welcome and support. I really think this problem is dying away from the whole 'you just have to live with it' attitude of most people. I do have bald friends and they seem comfy with it, others have hair but shave it all off but I've always liked a full thatch.

 

Shame people can't trade hair if they don't want it eh?

 

I'll get on that graft calculator right now and see what It says, but feel free to look at my photographs an offer any opinion as well.

 

S

[swayzedo]

Well I did the graft calculator, highlighted sections 1 & 2 on the head (which is a bit more that I needed TBH, I'm sort of inbetween) and was quite surprised at the result.

 

I put the grafts per square cm scale up to full and the combined area hair grafts total were about 1500.

 

I tried another one (Harley street I think) and it said 1200 at maximum.

 

This sounds like good news to me but please offer opinions. This really is a great website, and I'll most certainly be a part of it for the rest of my life even if I get exactly what I want it's be great to hep others in my situation.

 

Thanks

[RodG]

Hi,

 

Yes 1200 grafts looks about right but what is the yield for an FUE procedure? You should take your time and read the numerous previous threads that will provide you with a large amount of information.

 

I know that you have looked at 2 clinics which are recommended on this forum but do they have top notch experience with FUE procedure?

 

Good luck with your decision.

 

Regards

 

Rod

Edited May 1, 2011 by RodG

[swayzedo]

Hi RodG and thanks for the reply.

 

Yes I'll be doing much further research before settling but at the minute the Farjo clinic seems to be the front runner but I know they only just started doing FUE recently and I have still to see examples of that, although I assume individual follicles or ones divided from a larger strip will be the same once the strip has been divided so the artistic element of placement will be the same.

 

I'm still trying to digest the incredible amount of information on the subject and as such I'm holding off even making a consultation appointment until nearer the end of the year.

[RodG]

Hi,

 

Well it sounds like you have a plan and your taking your time before taking the plunge and having a HT procedure. I would be a little leary of having FUE if the clinic has only just commenced this type of procedure, despite good FUT results.

 

Have you considered Doctor Kesser? He has just been recommended on this forum and only performs FUE procedures.

 

Good luck.

 

Regards

 

Rod

[swayzedo]

Dr Kesser? He is the Turkish surgeon isn't he? Or He operates in Turkey?

 

I think I have read some lukewarm reviews about his work, if I recall some were full of praise and some were quite cynical. I'd need to do more research on him but thank you for recommending his name to me. He shall be put on the 'to investigate' list.