Australian/NZ Hair Loss sufferers looking for advice.

[MusoInOz]

Hi Guys (or Gals)

I have set up a new email account for any Australian/NZ members (or lurkers) with queries or concerns relating to Hair Transplantation/General Hair loss.

I have visited almost every clinic in Australia throughout my many years of research, learnt the easiest methods of importing hair loss products, obtaining medication, dealing with private health insurance and most importantly been through a procedure (recently) myself.

I want give back by assisting others from my region as the information was not in reach all those years ago upon my initial journey. The Australian Hair Transplantation Industry is certainly not up to par with overseas physicians at this stage, and again I have seen this first hand through meeting with both previous patients and physicians.

There is limited information here in Australia for men and women looking into both procedures and products to stabilize their hair loss situations. Many clincis prey on the naivety of prospective patients.

Obviously this forum/site will only guide you in the best ways to your Hair goals, I feel that I can still be of assistance to my neighbors here in Australia (and over the pond to New Zealand) since I have gone through the motions and the many thousands of hours of research.

 

I have completed four of six years Medical School which gives me quite a strong insight to the physiology of Hair Loss and Surgical Procedures.

My current field of employment is Case working/Counselling which can only aid those affected by Hair Loss and the psychological aspects involved.

Feel free to email through any questions/concerns or simply if you need to vent about your current situation. I am here to help if possible.

wecanbehairoz@gmail.com

Cheers,

Mike

[mattj]

Mike is a great guy. A great source of advice for all the Oz/NZ (oznoz?) guys out there.

[Ozguy]

Hi MusoInOz,

 

This is a great idea! The Australian HT industry needs a massive shake up and hopefully some improvements can start to happen. Like you I had appointments with several HT clinics and most of them were disappointing. I did follow through and have procedure and was underwhelmed with the response. In retrospect, they did so many things that raised alarm bells.

 

BTW - Congratulations on you recent procedure with Dr. Rahal, I am sure the results will be awesome.

[MusoInOz]

Hi Ozguy!

 

Thanks very much for sharing on my post! Sorry you had to go down the har route before getting into the right chair ;-)

Thanks for the kind comments, I stand behind and strongly believe in Dr Rahals work, keeping my fingers tightly crossed at this point.

 

Mike.

[mattj]

Mike, I notice you have Minoxidil in both of your treatment section (in sig). Are you currently on the 15% strength?

 

Also, do you think the spiro cream did anything for you?

[MusoInOz]

Hey Matt,

 

Thank you for the kind words. The 15% has been retired from my regimen. Possibly I will have to make it clearer in my signature I do not use these products anymore.

 

Spiro cream is very hit and miss, I cannot say it did not work but cannot claim it did either. I used S5 Spiro Cream for one year and to be honest did not see much difference, possibly worked better for the hairline as I did not notice any changes to the area throughout the year. It leaves the hair very greasy and semi hard to style.

 

Mike

[MusoInOz]

Thanks very much for the support Spex it means a lot!!

[calvus]

*bump* It is legal/possible for someone in New Zealand to order generic Minoxidil over the Internet from the USA (or whatever country)? I understand it's classified as a "flammable liquid" and therefore many postal services won't ship it internationally.

Edited October 15, 2014 by calvus

[Transhair]

Calvus, I bought tugain 5% minoxidil from inhousepharmacy and it shipped fine to Australia. Pretty sure it ships to New Zealand too...

[calvus]

Their web site says "We are able to ship orders to the following countries. Unfortunately, if your country is NOT on this list we are unable to supply to you as your country's Customs Department prevents delivery" -- and New Zealand is not on their list of approved countries. Perhaps NZ Customs has tougher rules on importing flammable goods than Australia?

[Transhair]

Oh, sorry about that. Ie looked into all day chemist as well and they don't seem to ship to NZ.

I'd just keep searching for online pharmacies and make sure they're legit. Or even more complicated, get an australian friend to send them to you.

[calvus]

Ironically, last time I visited Australia I picked up a six-pack of Australian-made generic minoxidil ("Hair-A-Gain") and was allowed to bring it back with me on the plane home to NZ - when I asked the airline check-in counter they said it was OK as long as it was tightly-capped!

 

There used to be a New Zealand-made generic minoxidil called Headway but it was discontinued some years ago. The only minoxidil sold here now is the overpriced Regaine (Rogaine). I'm surprised Hair Again is not available in NZ. We cannot get Restoria or Grecian 2000 here either, even the new "unleaded" formula. Some local entrepreneur should take advantage of this untapped market...

[scar5]

The Australian Hair Transplantation Industry is certainly not up to par with overseas physicians at this stage, e

 

Muso posted this back in 2010/1? and it makes me wonder, why is (was) it so?

 

In the late 80's, Australia had world leading surgeons in Sydney and Melbourne, including the founder of FUE/BHT and what some considered the most knowledgeable strip surgeon in the world in Melbourne.

 

Since that time the Australian economy has pretty much boomed, a record number of quarters/years of continuous growth (even through the '07 crisis) so there has been plenty of disposable income.

 

And yet it's HT industry is now pretty much a backwater.

 

Wonder why?

[MusoInOz]

Hey guys!

 

Thought I'd chime in!

I will stand by this comment although now being almost three years old. My reasoning is that I have personally visited the "head" clinics in Australia, although there are nice people and reps behind the scenes of them the work is very very sub par. I was actually offered a rep role in Melbourne last year, get this...they wanted to claim my results as theirs for other prospective patients to review. Sick isn't it?!

 

I will always tell a curious individual the ins and outs of my procedure including the pros and cons.

 

Cheers guys!

 

Mike.

[MusoInOz]

Hey guys!

 

Thought I'd chime in!

I will stand by this comment although now being almost three years old. My reasoning is that I have personally visited the "head" clinics in Australia, although there are nice people and reps behind the scenes of them the work is very very sub par. I was actually offered a rep role in Melbourne last year, get this...they wanted to claim my results as theirs for other prospective patients to review. Sick isn't it?!

 

I will always tell a curious individual the ins and outs of my procedure including the pros and cons.

 

Cheers guys!

 

Mike.

[scar5]

Muso,

 

What is your take on why Aussie is so bad at HT, or rather, why they haven't moved forward compared to other countries?

I'm guessing it's a lack of demand there but there must be something else too.

 

1) Aussie's aren't adverse to travel?

2) Aussies think that beauty and cosmetic stuff are not something homegrown?

3) Aussie men are the world's biggest head shavers and male vanity is punished more?

4) Aussie docs make too much of a good living doing other stuff?

[Bronte]

I'm not sure why Australia lags behind the rest of the world in Hair transplants,but as a veteran of 2 strip and a fue procedure in Australia,I can speak from expierance on this,There is just not 1 clinic prepared to tick every box in modern hair restoration like there is overseas.a few have tried but the results are just not as good as North Amercia and Europe.I thought the inventor of fue would have to be the world leader having invented the procedure but I found that this particular doctor has not moved with the times and So it's any wonder Australians and New Zealand patients head oversees.I finally went abroad to have a world class fue procedure recently and it was a great move.So until the Australian doctors get their act together I can't see things changing which is a shame.

[justanotherguy]

It's really interesting to see so many Aussies are going abroad for medical treatment. I've always thought the reason was price not the quality. However, I've recently read some comments from Aussies who also complain about the quality, too.

[Transhair]

I think Australia just lags behind in regards to cosmetic surgery in general, rather than just hair transplants. It's probably due to Australian surgeons costing up to 3 times as much as getting the surgery abroad in most cases, just resulting in people looking elsewhere.

From researching other surgeries, it always seems that there's a much better and cheaper place to have the operation than there is in Australia. Korea for jaw surgery, everywhere else for hair transplants, no Australian clinic can perform a proper forehead reconstruction, Thailand/Malaysia are the go to spots for breast implants and etc.

[MusoInOz]

Hey guys!

So many good questions reported above!!

I will try to flow through some of these for you.

 

1) Aussie's aren't adverse to travel?

Totally agree, I believe the option of travel is very well received for Aussie guys, as a nation we do love to travel (and cause trouble, Ha Ha). There is also a concern factor for some potential patients I have dealt with over the years regarding complications whilst overseas etc. Usually these are subsided after explaining the procedure itself. Pre op jitters I call them.

2) Aussies think that beauty and cosmetic stuff are not something home-grown?

I am assuming you mean procedures? Hoping so!

I have brought up my procedure to many misguided individuals whom still believes the old school “plug grafts” are still a thing and only available in countries through Asia etc, as many cosmetic procedure apparently are in their mind. This still puzzles me that the HT industry in Australia is so early in its infancy we have yet to even bat and eyelid on the world.

3) Aussie men are the world's biggest head shavers and male vanity is punished more?

I would not discredit this statement at all, many guys down here are quite blas? when it comes to hair. If it is thinning what is the easiest option…shave it off. I have so many friends who shave even through their hairline is barely receding; I have gathered this is due to our sarcastic Australian nature of making fun or poking fun should I say at little things such as this. Although I do not agree pickling on others cosmetic misfortunes (especially hair) it is very much ingrained within our culture. The vanity side of things when it comes to hitting the gym etc would not fall into this category. Most Occa Aussie males are so body conscious it is crazy! Nothing wrong with health and fitness though.

4) Aussie docs make too much of a good living doing other stuff?

Basically, yes!

Other cosmetic surgeries would be concentrating on general procedures such as breast, burns, jaw, chin etc. Hair Restoration really falls to the back burner of these fields. If there were a few high quality Doctors performing stellar HT procedures and showcasing impressive results, I am sure this would turn a few heads down here (pun!), and you can take that to the bank!!

Mike.