HT Gurus - Seeking Your Advice

[OneHairLeft]

Hello, OK up front I confess that I do have a bit more more than just one hair left , probably 38% of my head is bald and it is in the front, top middle, and crown, the front has left a little island of hair, it is pretty rediculous looking and I do a kinda sorta desent combover to blend it together, my hair is light brown or dirty blond.

 

I have been a hair loss sufferer for nearly 10 years, I was planning for several years to do a HT and was all set money wise when the economy tanked and I sadly decided it was not the right time for me, due to family matters.

 

Now, I have 15k saved up just for the HT and am really ready to pull the trigger on a great HT.

 

Before I was planning to do my HT with Ziering Medical, and HOPEFULLY have Dr. Ziering himself do the surgery, I had sent them detailed photos and they told me I needed 3000 to 3500 grafts and could come back later If I thought I needed more.

 

I was actually about to pull the trigger on this deal yesterday when I found this excellent forum and decided to pause to seek advice from this forum and its HT gurus, hoping for some excellent feedback.

 

 

Please answer the following questions and add any other important commentary that you think I should know.

 

1. Ziering is offering to do my grafts for $4.50 each, so 3300 grafts is $15,000. Does this sounds like a good and fair price, I am concerned with quality first and price second but still don't want to get hosed on the price, is it a decent price?

 

2. At Ziering, what is the chances Dr. Ziering will perform the surgery? Do you know of any hack jobs by his shop?

 

3. Since I am in NC I noticed on this forum that Dr. Cooley is only a few hours away from me and I could drive instead of fly, it would be more convenient however I do NOT want to sacrifice quality so that being said is Ziering better than Cooley? I am willing to travel for a world class HT, is Cooley really a world class HT doctor?

 

4. My wife can not come with me, so can I drive away from the surgery on my own?

 

5. Are you awake during the surgery?

 

6. Will the linear scar ever go away, any pics to share of the scar a few years after a HT? I am thinking it is totally visible when swimming is this true?

 

7. Finally, who are the worlds top three HT surgeons? Technique wise and artistically.

 

Thanks you for taking the time to read and resopond, this whole matter has me more than a bit anxious, I could really use some educated help and advice, if I failed to ask any important question then please let me know.

 

Thanks a million in advance,

Nervous in NC

Edited November 9, 2011 by OneHairLeft

[TakingThePlunge]

OneHairLeft,

 

Welcome! These are all great questions. First, let me confirm that, yes, Dr. Jerry Cooley is truly world class. Dr. Cooley is a member of the elite Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians. To learn more about him, check out his Coalition profile here. To learn about Coalition membership standards click here. For a complete listing of all hair transplant surgeons recommended by the Hair Transplant Network worldwide I suggest viewing our interactive map.

 

You can view results from all of the recommended doctors and posted by real patients at our Hair Restoration Websites.

 

1. $4.50 is about average. Some clinics recommended here charge as little as $4 per graft. Sometimes the charge is based on a sliding scale depending upon the number of grafts.

 

2. I cannot comment on Dr. Ziering's availability.

 

3. Answered above.

 

4. You are going to be pretty out of it after a day of hair transplant surgery. While you may be able to drive yourself home I don't recommend it.

 

5. Yes, you are wide awake. Most patents watch TV or listen to music. You doctor will probably provide lunch in the middle of the day.

 

6. The scar will never go away. Under the right conditions, it can be easily concealed but there are many variables. Skin color, scalp laxity, healing characteristics, hair length and the doctor's skill all come into play here. I suggest using the forum's search feature to find examples of scar healing.

 

7. You are going to get a lot of differing opinions regarding the top three hair transplant surgeons. All the doctors recommended here are top in their field. The better question may be, "who are the top three hair transplant surgeons for me?" The best way to learn that is to spend a considerable amount of time researching this forum.

 

Best of luck!

Edited November 10, 2011 by TakingThePlunge

[RodG]

Hi,

 

I did a search on the forum and I couldn't find much information regarding Doctor Ziering. This may not be a bad indication but it certainly doesn't help with your decision.

 

The doctors that are recommended on this forum are pre-screened by the owners of the site. They do all the hard work to ascertain that the surgeon provides high quality state of the art hair transplants. I have even read where the forum manager has advocated for the rights of a patient which is impressive.

 

You should also be aware that the recommended and coalition doctors do pay a fee to the site. I have been on the forum for almost 2 years and I have found it to be honest. They will always recommend one of their surgeons but you should be aware that the forum does all the work for you.

 

In respect of HT's they can be variable and some people have outstanding results and many have good one's. Therefore you should go to a high quality surgeon to ensure you get the best chance of a good result.

 

Good luck with your decision.

 

Regards

 

Rod

[mattj]

I believe Dr Ziering is respected. I suspect, though, that if you wanted to have him perform your surgery himself then that price might increase, but I can't be sure of that. Did you make it known to the clinic that you are seeking Dr Ziering himself?

 

The price you were given is around average, but not the lowest among coalition doctors. I'm not sure if you were given that total price of $15,000 or if you inferred it from the per-graft cost. You might want to enquire about 'sliding scale' discounts. For instance, Dr Rahal's price per graft drops by a dollar after 2500 grafts, which can make a real difference when you're talking about a 3500 graft procedure. Other doctors have similar arrangements.

 

As TakingThePlunge explained, Dr Cooley is a member of the coalition and therefore he has meet certain criteria to be considered a surgeon who produces a high standard of work. However, not being part of the coalition should not be taken as a black mark against a HT surgeon.

 

Just to expand on what TTP said regarding driving home. It depends when you would be leaving. You can certainly drive home yourself a couple of days after surgery.

 

That island of hair will be a good thing when it comes to your transplant. Think of the grafts you'll save!

[OneHairLeft]

Thank you for all the great comments, sincerely.

 

I actually called Dr.Rahals office and Dr. Shapiro to discuss potential schedule and they are booked for months ahead, they both seem like terrific doctors.

 

I did ask how much of the surgery Dr.Ziering himself would be involved with and was informed that he would personally make all the incisions and control the direction of the cuts etc.., they call the incisions spots "sites".

 

After Dr. Ziering makes all the incisions then his staff will actually place the grafts in each site that was created by the doc himself.

 

Do you know if having the staff insert the grafts instead of the doctor is the protocol for Rahal, Shapiro and other top HT docs or do they actually place the grafts in the sites personally?

Edited November 10, 2011 by OneHairLeft

[NEWHAIRPLEASE]

Yes, that is normal for most doctors. Most techs do the placement of the grafts. However, most excellent doctors are probably in and out of the room all day long.

[aaron1234]

Take your time. I would do a lot more research at this point. If a clinic is booked months in advance than you know they are probably doing something right.

[kathie47]

looks like the advice is setting you on the right path as other people have said, there are no official top three. it depends on the person. for me, rahal gabel and hasson are at the top. browse around on the forums here and check out the reults patients have posted--see who's work you like the most. good luck!

[orlhair1]

You are doing the right thing doing your research. Dr. Cooley has a great reputation. Everyone has differing opinions about who their top 3 are, bur there are a lot of really top notch surgeons you can find doing your research. Most top clinics are booked out a few months absent a last minute cancellation. Talk to several top clinics and decide on a surgeon you are most comfortable with.

[hairthere]

Yes, you should take your time and explore as many clinics as possible. Best of luck!

[uzy]

Hi,

 

I have dome my transpant 2 and half month ago from pakistan and cost me ?500 you can see the picture total hair transplant 6230 hair.