Follow my major repair

[Topcat611]

On January 11, 2010 I am scheduled to start my journey towards an attempted repair using the fue method of hair transplantation. I have been graciously offered pro bono work by the BHR clinic in Brussels, Belgium. I will also be testing body and beard hair at the same time. Since I am very limited as far as available scalp donor hair I am hoping body and beard hair can help greatly in improving my present situation.

 

I have been on the forums for well over 10 years. After being what I have been through, choosing a doctor and clinic is probably one of the most difficult choices I have ever had to make. Even with my present condition, it's been easier to do just nothing, then to take the chance and make the wrong choice one more time.

 

My first choice would be not to have to travel. It's difficult enough to have to deal with this situation in daily life. Having to go through airports and security while having had surgery on my head is going to be quite an ordeal. I wish that I could go to someone local or at least someone here in the USA. But I have to be extremely cautious in my choice. I need a clinic that is highly experienced in fue. They also have to have extensive experience in body and beard hair. A bonus would be that the doctor has a natural artistic talent. Dr. Bisanga happens to be highly gifted in this area, one only need view his work to agree. But most important of all, the doctor and clinic need to be caring, compassionate and have my best interests at heart. Over the last 10 years I have finally narrowed down my choice to one clinic, the BHR clinic in Belgium. The BHR clinic meets each and everyone of these points.

 

I came to this conclusion about 1 year ago. Even though I knew it was the only clinic that I really felt comfortable with, I was still hesitant in taking the leap. Read my blog and view my pictures and I think you can understand why. It was only recently when the pro bono offer was made to forum members that I thought I really need to get this process started and maybe this offer was my one chance in a lifetime.

 

There are so many individuals out there that are in need of repair I wasn't sure that I would even have a hope of winning, but still I had to at least try. Well you can imagine my elation when I found out I had gotten the most votes from the members of another forum and I was chosen to have the repair work done for free. The clinic phoned me that same night and congratulated me. I was so excited I could hardly believe it.

 

The voting was so close that the BHR clinic offered the next to two runners up to also have pro bono work done. What does this tell you about this clinic? It's the same conclusion I came to 1 year ago when I first spoke to Phil B over at BHR. I had already consulted with at least a dozen clinics here in the USA and abroad. I have spoken to at least a dozen repair patients that have had work done by other doctors. It was only after I spoke to Phil along with seeing the artistry of Dr. Bisanga's work that I knew I had found what I was looking for in a clinic.

 

My expectations are realistic. More then likely I will always be forced to use a concealer until HM or something similar comes along. My main goal is to not make my situation worse then it already is at this point. I don't expect the BHR clinic to perform magic. But I do know that they are caring and they will do their best to help me.

 

I am hoping I have enough scalp donor on the sides of my head, especially near the top where it was pulled up from the scalp lifts to make a difference. My main concern is the frontal 1/3 approximately 1-2 cm behind the hair line. If body hair works, I would love to soften up the hairline sometime in the future. If beard hair is a viable source, then I would like to work my way progressively back towards the crown and maybe work on that vertical scar. The strips scars that run horizontal are the least of my concerns. I will go with Dr Bisanga's recommendations, he is the expert, and this is how it should be. A patient should feel comfortable enough to say the doctor is an expert, he has my best interest at heart, and I feel complete confidence in letting him make the right decisions.

 

If you are wondering if I am nervous the answer is of course I'm nervous. My whole experience with hair transplantation has taken a very heavy toll on my life. This is only something another repair patient can understand. I have spoken personally to many of the repair patients you have seen post on the forums over the years. It always feels good to have the support of others that are in a similar situation. Sometimes we can even laugh at what we have to go through in daily life, but sometimes it's also a reminder of the personal emotional pain we have had to endure. It can completely change you as a person.

 

Well I have my fingers crossed and I am hoping for the best. I will keep all the forum members informed with both pictures and posts so that you can see my progress. It's the only way for others to learn, and make informed decisions.

 

Please visit my blog to view pictures.

 

Topcat

[omy]

Good luck with the repair . You deserve it man!

[Topcat611]

I just got back today, so hopefully I will post pictures this week. It was such a great experience and I have so many good things to say that I need a few days. It's only been 5 days since the surgery and it's just about completely healed. I am truly amazed.

 

I had my first ht about 25 years ago and I have been posting on the forums for well over 10 years. This is the most honest and ethical clinic that I have ever come across.

 

Dr. Bisanga is a master at what he does. This is not false praise and I don't say these words lightly. We have all seen people in our life that were truly masters at what they do. Through constant repetition and natural talent they make the difficult appear easy. That is Dr. Bisanga a true master.

 

Phillip is one of the most honest and ethical people I have ever met in this business. Anyone that doesn't take the time to seek his counsel is really missing a valuable opportunity to make a better decision. Regardless of weather you choose BHR or not, I would encourage anyone considering a ht to learn as much as you can from highly knowledgeable person.

 

I viewed Stephen's work of over 7000 fue's. It is absolutely impossible to tell he has had any work done. Either in the recipient area or the donor area. He is also one of the nicest people you will ever meet.

 

The staff at BHR is equally incredible. Each and every one of them.

[Blake Bloxham]

Good luck Topcat! You deserve an awesome result. Please keep us updated!

[Topcat611]

My experience at the BHR clinic in Brussels was more then I could have ever hoped it would be. The clinic is both honest and open and lays the truth right on the table for all to see. Sometimes the truth might not be what we want to hear, but it is the truth. The fact is you need the truth in order to make an educated and informed decision.

 

I have been hoping to have some type of repair work done for the last 10 years, but I have been frozen with fear in what I have seen over this time. Some will assume I am biased, after all this was a pro bono offer that I received from BHR. In all honesty if I were given this same offer by some of the other clinics I have consulted with, I would have had to decline. I have just seen too many red flags to ever feel comfortable. I simply could not afford to make a mistake and be wrong. I needed only the absolute best clinic and doctor in the world to perform this work. I could not let distance be a roadblock. In all sincerity I could not give false praise and cause another human to go through what I and other victims have gone through.

 

I have personally spoken to many of the repair patients we have all seen. To this day they are still portrayed as success cases. Many of them in reality are very disappointed in both their results and the treatment they received. They hide in the shadows and are afraid to reveal the truth for too many reasons that others here would have a hard time understanding. Being repeatedly taken advantage of and being victimized is only something another victim can truly understand. It gives one a sense of shame that they carry around for a lifetime.

 

Over the years I have seen hideous body scarring, doctors with God like attitudes, clinics knowingly using deceptive advertising where their showcase results actually failed in the long run, clinics with little to no fue experience, hairlines meant for a 12 year old boy with little regard for future needs, forums that deleted threads that didn't suit their bottom line, doctors that cancelled consultations at the drop of the hat with little regard for the prospective patient and clinics that actually used pictures of results that were not their own. These are not things I saw 25 years ago when I got butchered, but they are going on today as I write. To believe that people are not still being victimized is na??ve, but I can also understand how easy it is to be deceived.

 

Dealing with hair loss can be both uncomfortable and embarrassing. Being disfigured by a bad hair transplant can be 100 times worse. The clinics and forums have a moral and ethical obligation not to mislead. But unfortunately when there are substantial amounts of money involved, greed rears it's ugly head. One only needs to look at the news headlines the last few years. It goes on in almost every industry, including the practice of medicine. It very easy to take advantage of someone who has hope, it's the easy road. Couple that with the highest risk takers out there, males in the 18-29 age group. One can then see how lucrative the hair transplant business can be. BHR takes the road less traveled, the high road and in the end I think it's just a matter of time before this becomes evident to others.

 

Dr. Bisanga has the highest degree of ethics, because that is who he is as person. As I said before, he is an absolute master at what he does. This is a skill that can only be honed from years of hard work and repetition, along with being gifted with a natural ability. It's no wonder that other doctors seek to be trained by him and learn the secret to his skill. But this skill is simply not something that can be acquired in a few weeks or months, but takes years. Repetition is the mother of skill and it's only with time that it can be achieved. Dr. Bisanga will not sacrifice his ethics for a little more profit. He lives by the Hippocratic oath and he will do no harm, nor will he be involved with others that potentially might do harm.

 

Of course I have seen other clinics that use drills, or new mechanical type extracting devices. But I have also seen too many unproven techniques and therapies over the years that didn't quite pan out and are easily forgotten along with their victims. I can't afford the luxury of being a test patient or a victim once again. I needed to have something that has had proven results over the long term. Sure these new ways of extracting grafts might lower costs, but I will leave that for others to experience and wish you all the best in the experiment. I have experimented enough when I was younger and no longer have the will nor the intestinal fortitude to test the waters. I like to think that I have done my share and helped pave the way for the advancement of hair transplants. But it has come at a tremendous personal cost, both financially and emotionally.

 

I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would be traveling to Europe to have my repair work done. It just never occurred to me that the solution to my predicament would be anywhere except what I thought to be the greatest country in the world, the United States of America. I always felt in the area of medicine, the USA was the most advanced and compassionate. Well it took a clinic and a great doctor on the other side of the world to change my view.

 

When I got to the hotel in Brussels I will admit I was starting to feel a little doubtful. All these terrible feelings started to come back to me from my first ht 25 years ago. I stayed in a hotel all alone after that procedure and was anxiety ridden by what I had done. That one mistake 25 years ago was life altering for me. It's only something another victim of a bad hair transplant can understand. I asked myself what was I doing here in Brussels, and thought maybe I was making just another mistake. It turns out this was one of the best decisions I could have ever made. I am truly ecstatic with what Dr. Bisanga has done for me. The clinic and the staff went well beyond my expectations and my stay in Brussels was very enjoyable.

 

Dr. Bisanga was able to extract a total of 828 grafts. 490 scalp, 238 beard, and 100 chest fue's. I never even thought about doing that many body and beard extractions. I thought about doing only 10 each before I left the USA, I was just too uncertain about potential scarring. But after meeting and speaking with Dr. Bisanga I felt very comfortable leaving my fate in his hands. I was that impressed by both his character and ability.

 

Well I am thrilled to say that at this point there are absolutely no signs that any surgery was even performed. Dr Bisanga doesn't need machines to extract fue's, he is literally a machine himself. I say this with no exaggeration, he extracts fue's with the greatest of ease. The healing has been amazing and is still hard to believe. I actually went out to eat at a local restaurant the very next day. It was unnoticeable that quickly even with over 200 beard hair extractions. I have seen plenty of pictures of body hair extractions, and the results were never this good. The donor areas always seemed still quite red even a month later. It's hard to see the extractions from the chest area already, and it's only day 6.

 

Philip at BHR is an incredible source of knowledge and information on the ht business. I encourage each and every person who is considering surgery to do your self a favor and tap into this base of knowledge. He is happy to share and help others. Regardless of if you use the services of BHR or not, you will be armed with knowledge and be able to make a better decision. Phillip is a very good-hearted and kind person. After speaking with him I got the impression that he is equally disgusted by what he sees transpiring in the ht business. I believe he is helping to try and change it. But the business will not change without a fight. It will go kicking and screaming.

 

Stephen is one of the nicest and friendliest people you will ever have the chance to meet. I was able to view his 7000 fue work up close within inches. It is absolutely impossible to tell that any surgery was ever performed in both the donor or recipient areas.

 

The rest of the staff at BHR was fantastic. Each and every one of them excels at their work. Dr. Hesam, Leith, Natasha, Genta, and Katarina make up part of an amazing team that simply gels together.

 

I look forward to good growth and I am already planning my next procedure in my mind. I have every intention of being back in Brussels one year from now. Of course my situation is different then most. I am limited in what can be achieved and will more then likely still need to use a concealer. I have just made too many poor choices in the past. But I would like to take my repair work as far as it can go.

 

To all the repair patients, there is hope. To all those considering their first procedure, take your time, become informed, and don't believe the hype.

 

I will be posting pictures tomorrow including the results at the 1-week point.

 

Total fue count 828

1 hair 2 hair 3 hair

Scalp 220 470

Beard 32 108 98

Chest 98 2

[Topcat611]

Here is the link to my pre op and post op photos.

 

http://s156.photobucket.com/al...%20Topcat/?start=all

[Bachstrad]

Topcat - hope all goes well but what happened to your plugs from previous surgery ?

[Topcat611]

I still have some in the hairline, but I believe there was so much transectioning happening from doctors that just didn't know what they were doing. They were going into the hairline trying to soften it up, meanwhile they were destroying the surrounding area. A tremendous amount of donor hair was wasted. Maybe the janitor that placed my grafts at one clinic, wasn't as good as the doctor thought.

 

We are conditioned to believe a doctor knows what he is doing. Well it's just like any other business, there are good mechanics and there are bad mechanics. I'm sure we all have been taken advantage of by someone in our life that really didn't know what they were doing.

 

All one has to do is look at other surgical procedures. You really don't know how good the doctor is, they all claim they are the best. Who actually investigates something like heart surgery when they go in to have it done. Where would you even look. The patients certainly don't post to a forum and tell you how great there experience was. If you die on the table is always attributable to the patient and not the doctor. That's reality and people think that it can't happen to them. It happens everyday.

 

I have had friends that died going in for simple surgical procedures and it's no big deal for either the doctor or the hospital. So I guess I can consider myself lucky that I know a little more about how the system works.

 

The average person rarely seeks a second opinion when they are diagnosed by a doctor. Even when they do, other doctors rarely go against another's opinion. There is just too much liability. Well doctors are guessing half the time, and surgical procedures are performed everyday that are not needed. Welcome to capitalism.

[Topcat611]

The link to my photos has been updated to show the 4 week mark.

 

http://tinyurl.com/y8m256z

[Tsakalos]

good luck mate, keep posting the bht progress, o wish u the best

[PanamaJimmy]

Topcat,

 

Thanks for documenting your journey so well for others. I can only imagine how frustrating and emotionally draining a botched job can be, but I'm very glad to hear you've found some redemption with BHR.

 

All the best in the coming weeks with this!

 

Panama Jimmy

[Topcat611]

Link to picture showing progress at 4 months.

 

Thank you for the support. I plan on going back to BHR sometime in Jan/2011 for a 2nd procedure using more chest and beard hair.

 

Then eventually using any available scalp donor that's left somewhere down the line.

 

The growth so far has really helped with my use of a concealer.

[1966kph]

topcat611..it is obvious your over joyed with your repair work so far, after reading your story i felt compelled to reply and wish you all the best and thankyou for warning others about what can actually happen if you make the wrong decission in haste without doing your research, i am sure there are still plenty of so called doc's out there who could put one in the same postion you have found yourself in..once again all the best

[Topcat611]

Thanks for the well wishes 1966kph. So far I am very pleased with the growth of the intial 828 fue's. I can't say enough about the ethics and skill of the BHR clinic.

 

I feel very comfortable moving forward with more chest and beard hair, now that I know it will grow and that I will not have any visible scarring. I think 2-3 more procedures, along with a final procedure using some more scalp donor will really make a difference.

 

I would encourage anyone considering fue to consult with BHR. You will walk away with a wealth of information that will be very helpful in your final decision.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Topcat611,

 

I'm glad that you are seeing good growth so far. Some time ago, I invited Dr. Bisanga to present examples of his work on our forum to be considered for potential recommendation. Unfortunately, he has not taken advantage of this opportunity to date.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Topcat611]

Bill, that's too bad. I have found the clinic to be highly ethical along with being highly skilled in fue.

 

I have consulted with most of the top fue and bht clinics here in the USA. I always saw a red flag here and there and with some of the clinics my consultation was less then pleasant, no need to go into detail. I don't like to be too negative, but that was my experience and from my conversations with past patients of some of the same clinics my intuition was right.

 

I will say that there are a couple of really good strip doctors here in the USA that I would go to, but unfortunately I don't have that luxury. This is just my opinion, and of course my experience in the world of HT is different then most.

[Topcat611]

I would like to add that whether a doctor is part of a coalition or not has no effect on my decision in choosing them. This is not a personal attack on the coalition. I'm sure there are some great doctors in the group. But it has been my experience that some of the very doctors that butchered me were also part of some type of group that supposedly gave them credibility. Some of them have written books or have published articles in peer reviewed journals. It means absolutely nothing to me. It's all part of the marketing of this business. Too many fail to understand this point. I would rather meet the doctor and the staff and judge by my own interaction. I would also speak to as many patients that have used that particular doctor as possible. Preferably off the forums where people tend to speak more openly and honestly and view as much as the doctors work as possible. It's also important to ask as many questions as possible and closely listen to the response. Any sign of a red flag, move on, in fact run for your life.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Topcat,

 

All physician members of the Coalition have been prescreened and approved by this community based on a set of demanding standards. Most "groups" that "recommend" doctors simply collect a membership or advertising fee. That's now how we operate.

 

This community does not ask its members to blindly select a physician just because they're a member of the Coalition. If fact, we strongly urge all prospective patients to research all physicians they're considering. That's why we host a discussion forum that allows patients to share their genuine experiences and results, good or bad. However, the Coalition is so reputable because its members have proven to this community that they consistently deliver stellar work.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Topcat611]

I can only speak for myself and what I believe through my own experience. I would rather do my own research and talk to the doctors and patients myself. Maybe others feel comfortable with recommendations that are filtered by some type of organization. If it works for them, great. I'm sure it saves a lot of time. I have seen some doctors that are recommended on other sites by similar types of filtering systems. Yet these same doctors have many complaints. If fact I saw one patient that had 3 huge strip scars running across the back of his head. Yet someone the doctor thought this was fine. I'm also sure that you have had to boot out a doctor or two over time, which is commendable. But what about the patients that suffered along the way. This is just the way I see things. I know that you have the best interest of prospective patients at heart. But nothing is full proof.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Topcat,

 

You and I share the same concerns. This is why we always tell prospective patients to do their own research and not to select a physician blindly.

 

That said, even the best physicians have cases of less than optimal growth and other problem cases, including your physician. What separates the elite physicians from the pack are those who do consistent work and stand behind their patients when problems arise.

 

By prescreening and recommending only the best doctors, we provide prospective patients with a list of exceptional doctors who have proven to do excellent work. It's then up to patients to do their own research and select a physician they have confidence in.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Sparky]

Sounds like we're all on the same page then. IMHO if this forum had been around in 1998, I wouldnt be a repair patient.

[Topcat611]

My History

 

To understand the value of what I have to write and the value of taking the time to read it, you have to be somewhat familiar with my history. You may also skip over the history and go right to the procedure. I have followed the hair transplant industry for over 25 years. During that time I have gained a unique insight into how the industry operates along with some of the pitfalls. Unfortunately for me the pitfalls were real life experiences. So it is my hope that you can learn from my experience as opposed to learning the hard way.

I am currently 47 years old and live in Chicago, IL USA. I was about 23 years old at the time of my first procedure. Being young and naive I was easily misled by the Cleveland Hair Clinic here in Chicago. Unfortunately I did not fully understand the implications of cosmetic surgery nor were any of the doctors going to enlighten me. I had the belief that it was something that would enhance one’s appearance, not fully realizing the results could be very negative. The advertisement I saw was from the back of a TV guide and long before the Internet was around. Carlos Puig gave me horrific 4mm plugs in my slightly thinning hairline. The truth was I didn’t need a hair transplant, but my money was too easy for the doctor to pass up. That day completely changed my life and I was very ashamed of what I had done. Although I now realize I was deliberately misled it was hard not to accept blame. Like 99% of the population I was conditioned to believe doctors did no harm. I have learned the hard way that this is completely false. We are conditioned to have certain beliefs starting at a very young age. This specific belief about doctors doing no harm can be very costly if you are not enlightened in time. For me it meant disfigurement, but for others it will cost them their lives. Don't be fooled into believing this only applies to the hair transplant industry. It applies across the board to all medical specialties.

I have done my best to cope these many years but sometimes it hasn’t been easy. There are many friends that I haven’t seen for well over 20 years because I was so ashamed. It’s really hard to explain the affect a bad hair transplant can have on someone’s life. Any person that has been disfigured by this procedure will tell you one of the most uncomfortable feelings is speaking to someone face to face and having their eyes drift towards your hairline because the work is so noticeable. Imagine the affect something like this can have on your social life. It is 100 times worse then being bald or having a thinning hairline.

 

After several years I tried to have the damage that was done by Carlos Puig repaired. I ended up at the Elliott/Thomas clinic. I thought that the kind doctors there would be able to help me. I learned a little too late they were just helping themselves. They used the janitor to place my grafts, and used surgical glue to hold them in place. I had a total of about 5 strip procedures there. I had no idea what a transection was at that time, and what’s even worse neither did they. The growth I got was minimal at best. I learned about their unscrupulous business practices from a local undercover news investigation. Needless to say I was devastated.

I then ended up at Bosley, which was advertised as the top hair transplant clinic in the country. I had one procedure there and never went back. Now that I look back on it, it’s amazing the effect marketing can have on those in search of hope. It’s seems I was just digging a deeper and deeper hole. The marketing still goes on today with only the medium having changed. The Internet can be a wealth of information, but it is also a double-edged sword that can lead you down a road of pain and anguish if you are not careful. It’s very easy to see a few pictures and showcase results and to start believing.

My last chance was Dr. Brandy in Pittsburgh who assured me the hairlift would solve my problem. What he left out was that he would be creating new problems to replace the initial problem leaving me worse off in the end. As I look back on it, I could have easily died on the table on any one of the 3 procedures. The hairlift is no longer offered, hmmm I wonder why? This should be an eye opener to those who test the waters with doctors using unproven new fangled machines or drills to extract fue’s. That along with mega body hair sessions, so be forewarned. I have also learned it’s not so much what they tell you, but what they don’t tell you.

 

You would think that some of the above clinics would be out of business by now. The sad fact is each and every one of them is still doing business today. It is very hard to believe anything you read or hear about hair transplantation. With paid posters, doctored pictures and deleted forum threads, one must proceed with extreme caution. The era of pay to play is still alive and well on the forums, unbeknownst to many.

I have been a member on most all the hair loss forums for well over 10 years. After being what I have been through, choosing a doctor and clinic is probably one of the most difficult choices I have ever had to make. Even with my present condition, it’s been easier to do just nothing, then to take the chance and make the wrong decision one more time.

 

My first choice would be not to have to travel. It’s difficult enough to have to deal with this situation in daily life. Having to go through airports and security while having had surgery on my head was going to be quite an ordeal. I wish that I could go to someone local or at least someone here in the USA. But I had to be extremely cautious in my choice. I needed a clinic that was highly experienced with years and years of fue work. They had to have extensive experience using body and beard hair. A bonus would be that the doctor has a natural artistic talent. Dr. Bisanga happens to be highly gifted in this area, one only need view his work to agree. But most important of all, the doctor and clinic needed to be caring, compassionate, honest and have my best interests at heart. Over the last 10 years I had finally narrowed down my choice to this one clinic, the BHR clinic in Belgium. The BHR clinic meets each and every one of these points and I say this with complete sincerity.

 

I came to this conclusion about 1 1/2 year ago. Even though I knew it was the only clinic that I really felt comfortable with, I was still hesitant in taking the leap. View my pictures and I think you can understand why. It was only recently when a pro bono offer was made to forum members at hairlossexperiences.com that I thought I really needed to get this process started and maybe this offer was my one chance in a lifetime. When I first spoke to Phil over at BHR. I had already consulted with at least a dozen top clinics here in the USA and abroad. I have spoken to at least a dozen repair patients that have had work done by other doctors. But it was only after I spoke to Phil, along with seeing the artistry of Dr. Bisanga’s work that I knew I had found what I was looking for in a clinic.

 

There are so many individuals out there that are in need of repair, another clue to those considering a hair transplant. I wasn’t sure that I would even have a chance of winning, but still I had to at least try. Well you can imagine my elation when I found out I had received the most votes from the members of the forum and that I was chosen to have the initial repair work done for free. The clinic phoned me that same night and congratulated me. I was so excited I could hardly believe it.

 

The voting was so close that the BHR clinic made the same offer to the next two runners up. What does this tell you about this clinic? It’s the same conclusion I came to 1 1/2 years ago.

On January 11, 2010 I was scheduled to start my journey towards an attempted repair using the fue method of hair transplantation. I also tested body and beard hair at the same time. Since I am very limited as far as available scalp donor hair I am hoping body and beard hair can help greatly in improving my present situation.

 

My experience at the BHR clinic in Brussels was more then I could have ever hoped it would be. The clinic was both honest and open and lays the truth right on the table for all to see. Sometimes the truth might not be what we want to hear, but it is the truth. The fact is you need the truth in order to make an educated and informed decision. I found with most of the other clinics the truth is somewhat blurred by the desire for profit.

 

Some will assume I am biased, after all this was a pro bono offer that I received from BHR. In all honesty if I were given this same offer by some of the other clinics I have consulted with, I would have had to decline. I have just seen too many red flags to ever feel comfortable. I simply could not afford to make a mistake and be wrong. I needed only the absolute best clinic and doctor in the world to perform this work. I could not let distance be a roadblock. In all sincerity I could not give false praise and cause another human to go through what I and other victims have gone through.

 

I have personally spoken to many of the repair patients we have all seen on many of the forums. To this day they are still portrayed as success cases. Many of them in reality are very disappointed in both their results and the treatment they received. They hide in the shadows and are afraid to reveal the truth for too many reasons that others here would have a hard time understanding. Being repeatedly taken advantage of and being victimized is only something another victim can truly understand. It gives one a sense of shame that they carry around for a lifetime. It’s not something someone can be very proud of let alone write about.

 

Over the years I have seen hideous body scarring, doctors with God like attitudes, clinics knowingly using deceptive advertising where their showcase results actually failed in the long run, clinics with little to no fue experience or using extremely large punches, hairlines meant for a 12 year old boy with little regard for future needs, forums that deleted threads that didn’t suit their bottom line, doctors that cancelled consultations at the drop of a hat with little regard for the prospective patient and clinics that actually used pictures of results that were not their own. These are not things I saw 25 years ago when I got butchered, but they are going on today as I write. To believe that people are not still being victimized is na?ve, but I can also understand how easy it is to be deceived.

 

The clinics and forums have a moral and ethical obligation not to mislead. But unfortunately when there are substantial amounts of money involved, greed rears it’s ugly head. One only needs to look at the news headlines the last few years. It goes on in almost every industry, including the practice of medicine. It very easy to take advantage of someone who has hope, it’s the easy road. Couple that with the highest risk takers out there, males in the 18-29 age group. One can then see how lucrative the hair transplant business can be. BHR takes the road less traveled, the high road and in the end I think it’s just a matter of time before this becomes evident to others.

 

Dr. Bisanga has the highest degree of ethics, because that is who he is as person. As I said before, he is an absolute master at what he does. This is a skill that can only be honed from years of hard work and repetition, along with being gifted with a natural ability. It’s no wonder that other doctors seek to be trained by him and learn the secret to his skill. But this skill is simply not something that can be acquired in a few weeks or months, but takes years. Repetition is the mother of skill and it’s only with time that it can be achieved. Dr. Bisanga will not sacrifice his ethics for a little more profit. He lives by the Hippocratic oath and he will do no harm, nor will he be involved with others that potentially might do harm.

 

Of course I have seen other clinics that use drills, or new mechanical type extracting devices. But I have also seen too many unproven techniques and therapies over the years that didn’t quite pan out and are easily forgotten along with their victims. I couldn’t afford the luxury of being a test patient or a victim once again. I needed to have something and someone that had had proven results over the long term. Sure these new ways of extracting grafts might lower costs, but I will leave that for others to experience and wish you all the best in the experiment. I have experimented enough when I was younger and no longer have the will nor the intestinal fortitude to test the waters. I like to think that I have done my share and helped pave the way for the advancement of hair transplants. But it has come at a tremendous personal cost, both financially and emotionally.

 

I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would be traveling to Europe to have my repair work done. It just never occurred to me that the solution to my predicament would be anywhere except what I thought to be the greatest country in the world, the United States of America. I always felt in the area of medicine, the USA was the most advanced and compassionate. Well it took a clinic and a great doctor on the other side of the world to change my view.

 

The Procedure

When I got to the hotel in Brussels I will admit I was starting to feel a little doubtful. All these terrible feelings started to come back to me from my first ht 25 years ago. I stayed in a hotel all alone after that procedure and was anxiety ridden by what I had done. That one mistake 25 years ago was life altering for me. It’s only something another victim of a bad hair transplant can understand. I asked myself what was I doing here in Brussels, and thought maybe I was making just another mistake. It turns out this was one of the best decisions I could have ever made. I am truly ecstatic with what Dr. Bisanga has done for me. The clinic and the staff went well beyond my expectations and my stay in Brussels was very enjoyable.

 

Dr. Bisanga was able to extract a total of 828 grafts. 490 scalp, 238 beard, and 100 chest fue's. I never even thought about doing that many body and beard extractions. I thought about doing only 10 each before I left the USA, I was just too uncertain about potential scarring. But after meeting and speaking with Dr. Bisanga I felt very comfortable leaving my fate in his hands. I was that impressed by both his character and ability.

 

Well I am thrilled to say there were absolutely no signs that any surgery was even performed and this was after only a couple of weeks. Dr Bisanga doesn’t need machines to extract fue’s, he is literally a machine himself. I say this with no exaggeration. He extracts fue’s with the greatest of ease. The healing has been amazing and is still hard to believe. I actually went out to eat at a local restaurant the very next day. It was unnoticeable that quickly even with over 200 beard hair extractions. I have seen plenty of pictures of body hair extractions, and the results were never this good. The donor areas always seemed still quite red even a month later. At this point in time I have zero visible evidence of any extractions being made.

 

Phil at BHR is an incredible source of knowledge and information on the ht business. I encourage each and every person who is considering surgery to do your self a favor and tap into this base of knowledge. He is happy to share and help others. Regardless of if you use the services of BHR or not, you will be armed with knowledge and be able to make a better decision. Phil is a very good-hearted and kind person. After speaking with him I got the impression that he is equally disgusted by what he sees transpiring in the ht business. I believe he is helping to try and change it. But the business will not change without a fight. It will go kicking and screaming.

 

Stephen is one of the nicest and friendliest people you will ever have the chance to meet. I was able to view his 7000 fue work up close within inches. It is absolutely impossible to tell that any surgery was ever performed in both the donor or recipient areas.

 

The rest of the staff at BHR was fantastic. Each and every one of them excels at their work. Dr. Hesam, Leith, Natasha, Genta, and Katarina make up part of an amazing team that simply gels together.

 

I am already planning my next procedure in my mind. I have every intention of being back in Brussels Jan 2011. Of course my situation is different then most. I am limited in what can be achieved and will more then likely still need to use a concealer. I have just made too many poor choices in the past. But I would like to take my repair work as far as it can go.

 

To all the repair patients, there is hope. To all those considering their first procedure, take your time, become informed, and don’t believe the hype.

As I write this I am currently at the 4-month mark. I must say that I am very pleased with the growth and it has made quite a difference for me even at this early stage.

[Topcat611]

I have attached my before picture along with a 7 month update. I had 800+ fue with Dr. Bisanga. 200 were chest hair and 200 were beard hairs. I am pleased to say I have zero visible scarring to the body or face. In my estimation the growth up until this point is close to 100%. I still need several more procedures on my road to repair but so far I am nothing less then amazed.

Edited August 12, 2010 by Topcat611

[Danielkiwi]

Hi topcat

 

I read your blog and was really sad to see your heart breaking experience over the years with respect to HT's..the experience with respect to the janitors placing your grafts in shocking to say the least....

 

However, it looks like you have found the light at the end of the tunnel and i really feel happy for you..i think it is commendable that you are sharing all your experiences with new people on this forum and i strongly beleive that this karma has led you to the right surgeon and the pro bono offer..keep the good work going buddy and karma will take care of the rest...

 

I do have a couple of questions for you. Did Dr. Bisanga tell you how many grafts would be needed to cover the entire balding area on your head to give an illusion of density...Also, you mention that there is no scarring whatsover...i was of the understanding that even FUE leaves some scarring...can you please elaborate on this..if you were to shave off the area, where you got the FUE donor from, would you see any kind of scarring? If yes, how does that scarring look..

 

all the best,

Dan

[Topcat611]

Dan, my situation is not normal, so I didn’t ask about how many grafts I would need. Chances are I don’t have enough donor for a complete repair, but I might get very close. You can really learn more from BHR themselves, on the phone or from their website. Stephen posts on occasion and is a wealth of information. They tell it like it is without the fluff.

I will give you my own opinion on density. I think most ht is basically see through in the right lighting. But if you can get to maybe 40-50 hairs per sq. cm, you can have the illusion of a good head of hair. If I were to address just the top of my head from the hairline to the crown I would need to cover approximately 90 sq cm. At 50/sq. cm. that would be 4500 hairs. Since I already have some hair there, let’s make that figure about 3000 more hairs. I am also using body hair which is not as robust, along with some head and beard. So if I can get 30% more donor from the beard and scalp hair that would leave about 2100 body hairs that I would need. Since body hair is not as robust you would probably need to double that figure so in total I’m probably still looking at a total of about 5000 grafts in all and this doesn’t even address the scars in the back of my head. This is ht reality.

This is also why it’s so foolish for these young guys to have their hairlines front loaded by these unethical clinics that don’t explain ht reality. It’s very simple, how much area will you need to cover when you done losing hair. What is the density of your donor area? That will determine what is available. If it’s 90 hairs/sq cm and you can harvest an area of let’s say 90 sq. cm and use 50% that’s only 4000 grafts. Of course these numbers will change for each individual and are just general estimates. But the numbers are the numbers and they don’t lie. That is why it’s important to go to an ethical clinic with experience.

You also have to consider the thickness of the hair along with color and wave. It all plays a part in the illusion of hair. The more wave the better, the less contrast between the hair and scalp the better. This is all providing that the clinic and doctor know what they are doing and don’t waste valuable hair.

My personal opinion is to have fewer grafts per sq cm in the first couple of cm of hairline. Then go as dense as possible for about 3-4 cm and gradually lose some of the density and you go back towards the crown. That will give you the illusion of hair, with less of a see through look.

Everyone physiology is different, but I have no visible scarring. Take a look at the link on my blog and view the pictures. Dr. Bisanga uses very small punches because he has mastered the procedure. Too many other doctors are using larger punches, close to 1.0 mm because that don’t’ have the experience, it’s easier, faster and in the end more money can be made.

 

I have been out in the the Sun all summer long, and I do not have any white dotting.

If you would like to speak on the phone, just send me a pm.

Edited August 13, 2010 by Topcat611