Why do different surgeons have such a differnt "level" of results??

[Spanker]

O.K. Here is my question. Why is there such a small "A" team? Why do so many of the docs, even on this board, get "B" results consistantly (what I would consider very average, or nothing to brag about) and then there are a what I would consider a small sector of the docs that pretty consistently give great results?

 

This shows to me that there is something in the protocol of the great docs tha tstand out for better survival, or they have a placement strategy that stands out above the others. Whichever one is true, and it does seem that one of these would have to be true, why are these other doctors not learning and implementing this?

 

I just don't understand why in this day and age I should have to travel 1000 miles to get to a doctor that I trust? Why are these top guys so much better than the other doc who has been doing this for quite some time?

 

I am just reaaly curious as to what these guys have, that the others don't.

[Sean]

I agree with you. I have seen results of so many procedures where one doctor can excel 2000 graft placement vs another doctor that is also recommended that may not produce the same result with the same number. Or a doctor that can uses less hairs to get the same result a doc that uses more hairs gets. Some people may say it is physiology of the patient and all that good stuff, and that each patient is different, but then again, the doctors that use less hairs seem to consistently produce the same results. I just don't get it?

 

Could it be related to the tools each surgeon uses? The post operative care the surgeon gives? I mean what could be the catalyst that makes on surgeon consistent with A grade results, while another gets B grade, yet they both are well known.

 

This varies for all hair types, what one doctor can achieve with higher norwoods, another can't, and what one doctor could achieve in smaller norwoods, another can't, using the same or around the same number of grafts. There are more and more cases being presented on these forums and it makes you wonder what is going on when you are shopping around for doctors and comparing their results over and over again. I have seen plenty of transplants with similar norwood patterns, graft placement, with looking better or fuller on one person vs another person with not so much of the same result.

[Cant decide]

I honestly think it comes down to planning and philosophy. The A guys just put the grafts where they will have the most profound impact. I dont think its a yield issue since I would expect everyone recommended on here to be hitting >90% yield consistently.

 

I think the reason why you see so many wow results from H&W and Rahal are because of the above but also because they simply do more in less procedures.

[Janna]

Spanker,

 

Here's my opinion - We've had number of ht doctors visit our clinic to view our technique over the years - some are new to the field and some have been in it a long time. I've also been part of many ht surgery workshops where new ht doctors are just learning and veteran ht doctors are teaching and lecturing. In speaking with these doctors who are old and new to the field, I can usually get a sense whether they have a passion for HT Surgery and what is most important to them in performing surgeries.

 

The HT technique itself looks easy on paper and when you observe it looks simple and easy enough. In reality, there are numerous factors to producing a successful result or an average/poor result. When you get down to it, much of the ht surgery is tedious and require skills. It's also expensive to get all the proper equipment and instrumentations. Passion for producing the best result possible for each and every patient has to be at the forefront.

 

This seems like a "duh" or an obvious observation but I think it's more standard for clinics to opt for the most economical and fast technique, which I think produces an "average" result.

[jessie1]

Spanker,

 

I agree entirely... simple as that........ I'm also frustrated with having to face another grueling journey for HT numero 4 to sort my hairline out.

 

Direct question in reference to your A team..... Who is in your A team? (FUE and FUT)

 

Jessie

[Spanker]

Janna,

 

You could be right, about the need for it to be a passion. I hope that you are not right though. I would hope that everyone that does this strives for perfection and realizes that peopels lives are in their hands.

[aaron1234]

Janna,

You could be right, about the need for it to be a passion. I hope that you are not right though. I would hope that everyone that does this strives for perfection and realizes that peopels lives are in their hands.

 

Spanker, she is totally right. I see this in my own profession and every other one as well. I also see it with competitive athletes. I think it's a general rule of life that applies to basically everything! That's one thing I noticed about Dr. Paul Shapiro. He really does have the patient's best interest at heart. I noticed the same thing in a consult with Dr. Konior. The guy really does have a passion for hair transplantation. It's blatantly obvious. I've been to some other docs that just seemed to have the attitude that it was just another day at the office. That's why I think in-person consults are so important.

[joeyz400]

Do you think some inflate (exaggerate) the # of graphs to increase the cost????? Hence the far from stellar results.

[orlhair1]

I agree Aaron. This is common in any field. You have a lot of people who are good solid B players and then the elite or A team players. So, the elite A team doctors in the HT field will consistently get the best results for their patients.

[aaron1234]

Yup orlhair. The question is what makes one elite and I think Janna is right... it's loving what you do.

[Spanker]

You all could be right. With that said, there are some pretty active members who are docs that I know are really nice guys that really seem to care, but still do not make it up to par with the top notch guys, but I feel that these guys really do care.

 

So it is more that that. Is there technology that the top guys have invested in that these other guys haven't? I guess that investment is part of caring.

 

(Reminds me of what I tell my wife, love is more that a feeling, it is an action.)

[Stuart01]

I would have to say this is one of the best topics that I have seen on this forum. Hair transplantation procedures have really come a long way in the last 5-7 years. These procedures are so miticulous and time consuming today that their are a lot of factors which will determine the results. There are a lot of doctors that can learn how to perform the state of art techniques today. The one factor that I feel really separates the top notch surgeons from the rest of the pack is artistry. You really have to be artistacally inclined to be able to create a nice and natural hairline that goes undectable. Doctors can always make there before and after pictures look good by combing the hair certain ways to cover up their work, but it is hard to cover up a hairline. You will notice that all the top notch doctors will expose the patients hairlines in their before and after pictures.

[Janna]

You all could be right. With that said, there are some pretty active members who are docs that I know are really nice guys that really seem to care, but still do not make it up to par with the top notch guys, but I feel that these guys really do care.

 

So it is more that that. Is there technology that the top guys have invested in that these other guys haven't? I guess that investment is part of caring.

 

(Reminds me of what I tell my wife, love is more that a feeling, it is an action.)

 

Yes, it's more than just caring. Just like your quote to your wife - CARING is also more than a feeling - it's an action. You're more likely to employ and train techs to become highly skilled. Equip yourself and technicians with best instrumentations. Make most effective use of grafts but also educate your patients to have realistic expections. Make it your mission to produce natural results. Just as others have said on this thread, you'll put everything you got to producing the best possible work if you have passion for it. Passion is a good start, middle and end but then you got to put it into action.