Hair Restoration Procedure w Dr. Tejinder Bhatti

[MJ0101]

Hey guys,

For the past couple of months I’ve been reading this forum, gathering information, and debating whether or not I want to proceed with a hair transplant. After weighing in the risks, I decided to proceed forward with the idea. Today, I want to give-back to the community and share my recent hair transplant experience with Dr. Bhatti from Darling Buds (India). This may be especially valuable for those of you considering such venture. Here is the short version:

 

 

Number of Grafts: ~3750 grafts

Procedure Type: FUE

Duration: 2 days

Cost: ~$6,000 USD (includes lodging, meals, air-travel, transportation, administrative cost, etc.)

 

 

If you have some time to kill, take a look at the comprehensive write-up below:

 

Decision

Following a conscious decision to proceed with the surgery, I wanted to find a cost-effective solution without a sacrifice in quality (don’t we all?). After reading multiple forums and doing lots of homework, I’ve decided go forth with a trip to India and have Dr. Bhatti perform the transplant.

 

Travel

First, I had to obtain an Indian visa, which was fairly a straightforward process that took about 2 weeks and cost approximately $100. I then flew out of JFK, New York to New Delhi via Air India as this was a direct flight with no stopover. The flight was about 13 hours and sitting in coach for this duration was not on my priority list. I should note, however, that I travel around the world for a living and my job pays for business class air-travel so I may be a bit biased here. Following my arrival, the office had arranged a driver who met me at the airport and drove me to Chandigarh (location of the clinic). The ride was about 5 hours and the cost was about $65 one-way. Given the duration of the flight and the drive, I would strongly recommend against the drive. In the future, I will be sure to book a flight from New Delhi to Chandigarh (as per Dr. Bhatti’s original advice), which can be surprisingly booked for $100-$125.

 

Hotel & Transportation

The office took great care in arranging daily transportation to and from my hotel “The Altius,” which was incredible in terms of value (this could easily be a 4-5 star hotel in the US and @ $55 per night it was clearly a steal). The hotel was super clear and the staff was amazing. The ride from and to the clinic was about $3 one way and the hotel as well as the clinic took care of all the arrangements throughout the whole process. I should also add that the hotel has some amazing food and my dinner typically ranged between $10-$20. I must say this is THE hotel to stay at in Chandigarh.

 

Hair Transplant

I arrived at the office an hour earlier than scheduled. Not sure if I was excited, worried about not making the appointment on schedule, or just jetlagged. In any event the procedure was spread out over the duration of two days and approximately 3750 grafts were transplanted. Dr. Bhatti has capability to do this in one day, but given a few free days, we thought this was the best option.

 

 

Prior to the procedure, I had a chance to sit down and discuss my hairline. As many of you, I wanted to not only cover all of the bolding and the receding hairline, but also lower it a bit. Thus, as the doctor drew what he felt was a natural hairline given my ethnicity and physical features, I quickly grabbed the marker and drew one of my own. He smiled and despite my extensive and arguably logical explanations for my drawing, proceeded to explain not only the technical aspects of a hair line, but also the importance of having a “natural look” that you could always “touch up” as opposed to an artificial appearance that is not only very hard to correct, but will solicit unwanted inquiries. Needless to say, I quickly realized that I was in the right hands.

The actual procedure was painless with the exception of minor discomfort here and there, which was quickly mitigated by adding extra anesthesia shots. Dr. Bhatti kept me well informed about everything he was doing throughout the process, which took off the edge. He was especially good at doing this during times when my heart monitor was accelerating its beeping frequency J. I should also note that he staff was extremely friendly and snacks as well as lunch was provided daily. The office recommended an mp3 player or some other form of personal entertainment to help kill time, however, I did not bring anything. I should also say that despite being in the clinic from 7:30am to 4:00pm, I did not experience boredom. It is important to also note that Dr. Bhatti is moving to a brand-new state-of-the art facility on March 15th, 2013.

 

Post-Op

There was absolutely no pain immediately post-op or at night. I did have to sleep flat on my back, however, to prevent potential loss of grafts due to tossing and turning. I also felt fine immediately after the procedure with no residual effects of local anesthesia. Despite this I was advised to remain at the facility for an additional hour, which was a part of the standard post-op monitoring process. The staff took their time explaining the 3-day post-op pill regimen.

 

Intangibles

Dr. Bhatti timely answers all emails and inquiries. I found this to be a pleasant surprise as routine (initial) inquiries (similar questions that all patients have ) are typically addressed by support staff in other institutions.

 

There is no hidden fees or superfluous charges. There is a high-level of price transparency and the agreed price per graft is precisely what you pay.

 

Special thanks to a well known Miami-New York hair-transplant doctor for not wavering on the $5 per graft price and the detailed MBA 101 write-up supporting the price. You made my choice that much easier!

 

The first several days following surgery are critical. It is easy to lose grafts. I found this out the hard way when I bumped by head against the cabby’s roof. Dr. Bhatti was there again to save the day and re-insert the loose grafts FREE of charge.

[MJ0101]

1st Day Post-Op

[Blake Bloxham]

Congratulations! Thank you for sharing.

[MJ0101]

Thanks. I will be updating this thread periodically (monthly) to show progress.

[HARIRI]

$6000 only for 3750 grafts with everything included!!! Thats a hell of a bargain. I paid $10000 for 2500 grafts FUT with Rahal and other costs are all excluded.

 

I hope you will get great growth by time. Looks like good work to me although its motorized FUE.

 

Which package did you chose?

 

Premium package:

 

Usd 1.25 (inr 70) per graft

85% work by dr bhatti (100% counselling, 100% anesthesia administration, 100% harvesting, 100% slit making)

New imported harris punch used ( you can check invoice or buy on your own through dealer)

No extra costs (medicine kit and lab charges included)

Less than 1% graft wastage rate promised

Procedure in single session

 

OR

 

Standard package (recommended):

 

Usd 1.10 (inr 60) per graft

85% work by dr bhatti (100% counselling, 100% anesthesia administration, 100% harvesting, 100% slit making)

Harris punch used

Less than 1% graft wastage rate promised

Procedure in single session

 

OR

 

Economy package:

 

Usd 0 90 (inr 50) per graft

50% work by dr bhatti (100% anesthesia administration, 50% harvesting, 100% slit making)

Kowloon chinese punch

Procedure in single session

 

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[MJ0101]

I chose the first package at 1.3USD per graft. I am very optimistic about the outcome, but will let the pictures do the talking as time progresses. Everything described in the package was just as promised. There were no "gotchas." The personal attention I received throughout the process was amazing. As I mentioned before, Dr, Bhatti currently offers an unbeatable price/quality proposition. This may be the reason why his demand is forcing him to open up a brand new facility 4x the size of the existing clinic.

[Raj Jayukdht]

If u can show more photos after your HT that would be great. How did you find the James Hariris punch machine that dr Bhatti uses.

[Adam1]

Dr bhatti is currently at the top of my list for a bht with body hair. Hope it turns out well for you

[MJ0101]

If u can show more photos after your HT that would be great. How did you find the James Hariris punch machine that dr Bhatti uses.

 

The James Harris puncher Is very good. It does not get hot and consequently, damage the roots. In turn, this results in a higher yield. I will post some pics soon.

[GNX1]

looks great. great write-up. good for you! looks like its pretty dense coverage. very helpful! thanx.

 

how far away is the new clinic from this one?

 

I think its comical that people think they need to spend $20-40k here in USA for a procedure you can get in India for a total cost of $6000.

 

yea there is some travel time and inconvenience but who gives a chit when ur saving so much money and still getting excellent results. its a no-brainer imo.

 

Indian doctorsi are gonna drive the HT price down here in the US sooner then later. there is no doubting that.

 

there are some world class HT doctors here in the US no doubt but walk into and American hospital and what do you see? Indian doctors is what you see. I work in the public service field and am at the hospital quite often and id say 40% of the doctors in the ER are Indian.

 

I think a lot of people still are apprehensive about going to India for a HT cause generally its a poor country. but there just no denying the fact that doctors over there are very talented and very smart and many of them are American trained and educated.

 

Dr. Bhatti continues to demonstate that he can perform large FUE procedures. the motorized punch still seems to concern many. personally, I think many other highly reguarded HT doctors still use a manual punch cause they learned on a manual punch and therefore are more comfortable with it.

 

its been proven to work great both manually and motorized so maybe being motorized was a solution to a problem that never existed idn but I dont think it necessarily means its inferior.

 

I would think being motorized would cause less fatigue for the doctor but I have heard all arguments on both sides and in the end the results are either the hair grows or it doesnt. it seems to be growing just fine for most so both ways seem to be effective.

 

and as stated a newer state of the art facility surely isnt a sign of unhappy patients. you cant hide poor results. patients that are unhappy are gonna post here or anywhere they can to vent.

 

but happy patients are gonna do the same and I read quite a few happy patient threads pertaining to Dr. Bhatti. but there are quite a few patients from many other doctors as well. ur just usually paying 3-4x as much thats all.

[Raj Jayukdht]

From what I know GNX1, he's moving to sector 17 (thats the main town of Chandigarh) and I believe from his old clinic to his new its about 5-10mins drive.

[GNX1]

ok thanx.

[MJ0101]

GNX1,

 

I see you got your answer about the new facility. Also, you make some excellent points in your post. Personally, I think that the tools used are only as good as the hands they're in. For me, the end result (provided there is no scarring and adverse effects) is the benchmark for success. Attaching a few pics close to one week after procedure. I can now say that despite being able to return to work 2-3 days after the procedure, I would recommend full 7 days before returning to work. This time will minimize the "shock" factor of your co-workers and make the transition a little smoother. This is not to be confused with the ability to do actual work and function, which for me stayed unaffected even immediately after the procedure.

 

Regards....

[MJ0101]

Pics....

[GNX1]

coming along great! ur gonna be one happy camper when it finally all grows in. lucky u!

[midnightio75]

MJ0101,

 

It is great to see your post and pictures and hear that you had a very positive experience. You almost hit 4000 grafts!

 

I noticed one thing that's funny, is that for the 7-10 days after the procedure I REALLY liked the appearance of my hairline. As the grafts are in and healing, the front hairline is really defined. I found myself looking in the mirror as I did the cleaning/washing regimen and admiring my new hairline.

 

Glad everything worked out well. I waited too late to book the Altius hotel, and when I called (no online booking that I found) they were full for the first night. Interesting to hear that you opted for the land/car route from Dehli to Chandigarh. I had to overnight in Dehli, and with the time spent at the airports, 5 hours is not out of the question. For me the best plan would have been taking a car upon arrival into Dehli direct to Chandigarh so I did not have to overnight in Dehli. Then flying out after the surgery since I would be catching a connecting flight in Dehli out of the country.

 

Keep posting your progress pictures and we can compare notes!

[MJ0101]

MJ0101,

 

It is great to see your post and pictures and hear that you had a very positive experience. You almost hit 4000 grafts!

 

I noticed one thing that's funny, is that for the 7-10 days after the procedure I REALLY liked the appearance of my hairline. As the grafts are in and healing, the front hairline is really defined. I found myself looking in the mirror as I did the cleaning/washing regimen and admiring my new hairline.

 

Glad everything worked out well. I waited too late to book the Altius hotel, and when I called (no online booking that I found) they were full for the first night. Interesting to hear that you opted for the land/car route from Dehli to Chandigarh. I had to overnight in Dehli, and with the time spent at the airports, 5 hours is not out of the question. For me the best plan would have been taking a car upon arrival into Dehli direct to Chandigarh so I did not have to overnight in Dehli. Then flying out after the surgery since I would be catching a connecting flight in Dehli out of the country.

 

Keep posting your progress pictures and we can compare notes!

 

Yea. I was not a fan of the drive but the connecting flight was too close of a call and my procedure was already scheduled. I agree that taking a connecting flight would have been a better option but this was a small burden to pay for the desired product. I'll post some additional pics next week to show progress.

[pradeepkr]

MJ,

Can you post one more front pic of yours post op. I suspect left and right side wavy patterns are not similar. Could be my illusion only.

[Adam1]

Any insight as to your Indian visa? There's a bunch of different sites and options.. Pm or email me if possible xdsmx @ aol dot com

 

Thanks

[MJ0101]

Adam,

 

I went through Travisa Outsourcing and applied for a 180 day tourist via. Everything cost about $100.

 

pradeepkr,

 

I'll dig through some pics and should be posting some soon. Left and right patterns are different to look natural yet proportionate and def not a concern.

[midnightio75]

$100 sounds liked a really good rate. I received picked up a 10-year multiple entry Indian Visa for more than double the cost ($215usd) from MD Visa Plus Expediting Passport and Visa Applications -- which might be an option if you think you may travel back to India in the years ahead.

 

Country India

Purpose Tourist

VisaType India- Multiple Entry, 10 Years

ServiceType Regular

AdditionalNames

TotalNumber 1

ConsularFee $166

ServiceFee $49

ShippingFee $0, Prepaid Airbill or Envelope Enclosed

TotalAmountDue $215

Payment Credit Card

[Adam1]

Thanks man... I just spent about $200 on a 6 month multiple entry from travisa. Just have to find a hotel and calm my nerves about traveling to India alone.

[midnightio75]

I would not fret too much about India. I have only visited twice for a few days each time. The only issue I had on either trip was when exiting the airport (Delhi and Mumbai) it is a bit confusing to find the public taxi stand. It is all too easy to end up in a private car and pay $50-75usd for a ride to the hotel, when a very very modest 'taxi' will cost about $5-10 from the taxi stand where you give them your hotel address and they give you a ticket voucher.

 

If that is the worst issue to be found, things are good! Exchange some dollars for rupee's when you arrive at the airport so you have some spending money. Have an open mind and make sure you budget enough time for the various travels so you don't incur any stress and you'll be fine. You might even look into booking a city tour or something similar when you are there. I did it in Mumbai and spent a half day doing some site seeing with a dedicated guide.

Best of luck and enjoy the delicious Indian food while you are there -- or opt for any of the many Western chain eateries.

[hairmore]

Wow, what a great write up, glad I found it! Thanks for taking the time, I'm sure it helped lots of people putting their mind at ease or putting their thoughts about India straight.

 

Hope it all continues well for you.

 

How long did you stay in Chandigarh after the procedure before travelling back to the US? Just curious as to how quickly people jump back on a plane again so I can keep that in mind when eventually booking my procedure.

 

Cheers

[Jessop]

Any updates? I'm considering Dr Bhatti due to finances and would love to see his work, and even meet some patients of his.