Good Q's to ask @ consultation for FUE...

[dudewheresmyhairdude]

YO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My first post! So I'm in LA, I'm stubborn, not travelin. Come on, you think there aren't kick-a$$ $urgeons here? This city's the capital of superficial. I'm also not doing FUT... FUT THAT. I'm not gonna wear a scar(let) (letter) for ~10% less transection. 80%'s just fine w/ me. Maybe I'll opt to get 11% more grafts to counterbalance. Boom! Results may vary, gotit.

 

So... :cool: I got two doc's I'm gonna have a consult for... (3 originally but me thinks Dr. Rahal lures you into an LA consult, but in reality you gotta cross the border. What's that all abooot?) So the two still standing... Dr. Ziering (FUE uses ARTAS) and your demigod Umar (FUE w/ his own technique). I have straight/slightly wavy brown hair (Norwood 2, verging on 3, but stable) so, hopefully, I'm good to go on the former doc. BUT, I know only what I've read, and while my reading comprehension is off the charts! this will be my first experience live in front of a HT professional, so I should have some Q's lined up... right? To help me decide, other than the whole 'go w/ your gut' blibbidy. Maybe the punch hole diameter of those bad boy $200K machines? I dunno. PRICE! Anyone negotiate? What if I offer my modeling services as a poster child for b4 and after? What q's do you wish you asked prior to forking over a deposit or whatnot to have helped you make a better/more informed decision??\

 

Side note... I like Dr. Mohebi and McAndrews (dude looks like a linebacker!), but it seems like at the end of the day, they're going to push FUT b/c that's their bread and buttah. Any experiences to confirm my suspicion??

 

Thanks!

Dude

Edited May 8, 2013 by dudewheresmyhairdude

[Blake Bloxham]

Dude,

 

You may want to take a look at all of our recommended hair restoration surgeons in California. Of the ones you discussed, I definitely feel comfortable recommending Dr. Umar and Dr. Mohebi for FUE. Like you said, Dr. Umar only performs FUE, but Dr. Mohebi is a very skilled FUE practitioner as well. Also, if you don't want FUT, surgeons can "push it on you," all you want, but the final decision is in your hands. What's more, I really do think ethical physicians will understand, respect this, and work with you.

 

Also, though I think he only consults in LA and actually performs surgery in Los Gatos, Dr. Diep is an FUE expert as well (and I think you should at least consider consulting with him). Though I know you don't want to travel, it's often helpful and can lead to excellent results in the end.

 

As far as questions are concerned, what are you curious about? What aspects of the procedure are you not familiar with? Are you curious about the timeline? Growth? Scarring? Potential for risk? Costs? Tools the physician uses? Percentage of FUE practiced? To be honest, I would say that you should ask questions about any aspect of the procedure you are curious about, or anything that concerns you. During the consultation, the doctor will explain the procedure and you'll think of things to ask.

 

Let me know if you have any additional questions. I'm from Southern California as well, so I might be able to help.

[KO]

If you're going to do FUE, I would go to someone who specializes in it, preferably not someone who has primarily a strip clinic and does FUE on the side.

 

That being said, if you want the best, you may need to cross the border.

[dudewheresmyhairdude]

Thx, Blake. I guess my q's are actually concerns of a qualitative nature. The hair I have is AMAZING and youthful, but it's also weird, just like me really. My hair has cowlicks, even in my beard. The right side of my hair doesn't swoop over to my ear like the left side, so really the noticeable 'balding' spot is the right. So does the doc overcompensate w/ grafts on the right side or can he angle the implants to give me a 'swoop' on the right side too? Do I need a doc who's more used to working with younger patients and not so conservative or does it not matter? Do I need an artist type doctor or is the ARTAS machine better able to find the right hairs to extract? It just seems that Umar is amazing if I need my calf hairs implanted into my eyebrows, but what about for healthy, normal, young, non-correcting surgery patients like myself? I don't see ME types on Diep or the other's websites. Does it matter? Je ne sais pas.

[Blake Bloxham]

Dude,

 

If you're thinner on the right, then the surgeon can definitely implant at a greater density on this side. At that point, preventive medications - like minoxidil (Rogaine) and finasteride (Propecia) - will likely become important, but that is something to discuss with your physician. Which brings me to my next point: I think you bring up some excellent questions, but I do feel they are questions that can be best answered during a consultation with a hair transplant surgeon. It seems like you've selected several possible candidates in the LA area, and I think scheduling some consultations with these physicians might be helpful. Keep in mind that a consultation is really simply an opportunity for you to discuss the procedure, ask questions, and determine whether you feel comfortable with the physician. You shouldn't feel pressured into scheduling at this point in time. Because of this, I think consultations with several physicians would be helpful.

 

As far as Dr. Umar is concerned: while he does specialize in repair procedures and body hair transplantation (BHT), he's truly an FUE pioneer, and a consultation with him would likely be worth your time. What's more, I think Dr. Diep's "Before and After" shots show a number of solid FUE cases on younger Norwood Class III-IV patients (much like yourself).

 

More personalized, simple FUE tools versus advanced, automated devices (like the ARTAS) boils down to personal preference. Both methods represent advantages and disadvantages, and I recommend reviewing Mickey's "Manual Versus Motorized FUE Devices" thread to read about the pros and cons of each method.

 

Regardless, I think you should keep researching and asking these important questions, as I believe it will lead to quality results in the end.

 

Good luck! Look forward to your reply.

[TygerD]

YO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My first post! So I'm in LA, I'm stubborn, not travelin. Come on, you think there aren't kick-a$$ $urgeons here? This city's the capital of superficial. I'm also not doing FUT... FUT THAT. I'm not gonna wear a scar(let) (letter) for ~10% less transection. 80%'s just fine w/ me. Maybe I'll opt to get 11% more grafts to counterbalance. Boom! Results may vary, gotit.

 

So... :cool: I got two doc's I'm gonna have a consult for... (3 originally but me thinks Dr. Rahal lures you into an LA consult, but in reality you gotta cross the border. What's that all abooot?) So the two still standing... Dr. Ziering (FUE uses ARTAS) and your demigod Umar (FUE w/ his own technique). I have straight/slightly wavy brown hair (Norwood 2, verging on 3, but stable) so, hopefully, I'm good to go on the former doc. BUT, I know only what I've read, and while my reading comprehension is off the charts! this will be my first experience live in front of a HT professional, so I should have some Q's lined up... right? To help me decide, other than the whole 'go w/ your gut' blibbidy. Maybe the punch hole diameter of those bad boy $200K machines? I dunno. PRICE! Anyone negotiate? What if I offer my modeling services as a poster child for b4 and after? What q's do you wish you asked prior to forking over a deposit or whatnot to have helped you make a better/more informed decision??\

 

Side note... I like Dr. Mohebi and McAndrews (dude looks like a linebacker!), but it seems like at the end of the day, they're going to push FUT b/c that's their bread and buttah. Any experiences to confirm my suspicion??

 

Thanks!

Dude

 

I was curious about the "modeling" aspect as you put it and in my recent consult with Dr Umar. I inquired about this because you get a discount. But the caveat is that you only get the discount after the procedure and your result has come to fruition. If it's deemed a good enough result then you may get selected for the discount. It's a really great discount, something like half off the total price of your procedure.

[Mickey85]

Ask how much FUE-eligible donor hair they think you have in the long run. Ask what sized punches they used, it will vary and alot will use a multitude of different gauges. Ask if they use sharp or blunt tips and why they prefer them. Ask if they extract all the grafts first and then implant or if they extract say 500 then implant them and then they go back and extract 500 more etc as you don't want the grafts out of the body for too long especially if you are getting a large FUE session. FUE is not simple. After watching Lorenzo punch and extract grafts using two forceps and easing them out instead of the basic 'yanking' motion I have seen with other FUE surgeons I have lost faith in alot of FUE surgeons. Namely the ones who a composite FUE/FUT surgeons.

[JohnnyDrama]

....... I have lost faith in alot of FUE surgeons. Namely the ones who a composite FUE/FUT surgeons.

 

Care to elaborate on this mate?

[Mickey85]

Care to elaborate on this mate?

 

I will soon. Most of it has to do with North American surgeons.

[Atticus]

I was curious about the "modeling" aspect as you put it and in my recent consult with Dr Umar. I inquired about this because you get a discount. But the caveat is that you only get the discount after the procedure and your result has come to fruition. If it's deemed a good enough result then you may get selected for the discount. It's a really great discount, something like half off the total price of your procedure.

 

 

Just shoot Dr. Umar an email. He is a straight up guy and will listen to your concerns. He personally answers all emails himself. Just be straight up with him as well. If you do decide on Dr. Umar (you are lucky you live in LA) book ahead. He books fast!

 

 

 

Atticus

[Mickey85]

Care to elaborate on this mate?

 

I compared a video of Lorenzo punching and extracting grafts and he shows his methods of extracting the graft with the use of two forceps and it was incredible. He eases the graft out of the scalp by pulling the scalp behind/in front of the graft instead of putting tension on the graft itself as that can put strain on the protective tissue. He was about 9 or 10 different techniques with the forceps alone and his technique with the manual punch is immaculate with very minimal oscillations and minimal 'pressure' of the scalp. Then I viewed the same process of some of the North American surgeons who practice FUE and the process was absolutely day and night. It was like they treated the grafts like weeds in the ground. I came to the conclusion that only a few surgeons have truly perfected and taken the time the work out the the pivotal factors. Hell Lorenzo even went to the extent of cutting out a section of scalp so he could see the underlying tissue and grafts, how they reacted to punching, extracting, how deep he would have to go etc. Most other surgeons just bought a motorized punch and guessed. I find it very troubling that there are some surgeons performing FUE when they give it no serious testing or research..

 

This post might perplex people on here but it is my opinion and I stand by it 150%. I would say there are less than 10 really great FUE surgeons world wide and even fewer that have perfected it.