Dr Mark Garbutt, New Look MD, San Diego, CA

[mprecio]

Anyone have any experience with Dr. Garbutt and/or New Look MD in San Diego? I'm two months post op so the verdict is still out. Thanks.

[KEG]

I was thinking of having surgery with him, but I can't find much information about him, his prices are reasonoble but I never met with the doctor in the consult.

[chargedup]

Dr. Brandon Ross should be the doctor at the top of your list.

 

HERE'S MY RECENT PROCEDURE

[flyby]

Hi mprecio,

 

I don't recall seeing alot of results posted here by Dr. Garbutt.

 

Keg,

 

Definitely don't be afraid to travel. Compare the results of the top doctors before making a decision based on location.

 

I flew from S. Cal to Arizona and had my HT done by Dr. Alexander and was super happy and decided to go back a year later for a second. Check out his results posted over the past year. I think you'll find he's one of the best.

 

Good luck in your search!

[KEG]

I went to Dr. Alexander in Az for a consult and found out he charges three times more than Garbutt, Garbutt's consultant showed me a patient with actual procedure there, but never met the doctor, I guess I will keep doing my homework.

[flyby]

Hi Keg,

 

Dr. Alexanders rates are pretty much the same as all the other top docs. If Dr. Garbutt's rates are that much less I'd put money on it that he's a hack. Choose wisely and don't go looking for extreme bargains because an HT is something you definitely want to avoid getting a poor job and having to repair later.

 

Good luck

[mgoldberg]

mprecio,

If you live in San Diego, I suggest meeting with Dr Deyarman. He did my hair (1800 grafts) and I'm pretty happy. You can ping me if you'd like.

[kevinle92618]

I'm thinking of using Dr. Garbutt one more time. But before I do that, I was curious what sort of review about this doctor I can find online and I came across this post. Since no one here used him before, I thought I'd chime in.

 

I've used Dr. Garbutt twice before. The first time was for 1100 grafts and about 2300 the 2nd time. I must say I'm neither happy or disappointed with the result. I really can't compare since

I only used Dr. Garbutt. My hair consultant, Ed, was pleasant to deal with but Dr. Garbutt is

definitely not your talkative type. I was rather pissed off right after the 2nd surgery because the

doctor did not do what I've requested. I requested him to cover the incision after the cut so the

scar won't be that noticeable. Instead he just sew it back together as normal. Now, if I ever

decide to shave my head, I will look like Frankenstein.

[workaholix]

Just to chime in, I've used NewLookMD before. I didn't have Dr. Garbutt, but Dr. Bednar instead.

 

It seems like me and another patient (outside of kevinle92618) have had the same results. It seems like NewLookMD does not know how to put together scars. Also, their transplants seem to go in too deep into the scalp (at least with Dr. Bednar). I have some post op (6 month) photos I can show if people are interested.

 

I just came back from an operation with Dr. Hasson and it was a world of a difference. The reaction from Mike and Dr. Hasson to my scar made me shudder as I didn't realize how bad it was until they told me and showed me how good it could get. Now that I've had work done with two different doctors, I'm confident that my second HT will mask the horrid work that was completed through NewLookMD and that I'm on my way to a better head of hair. I still have to wait about a year to get my old scar (from NewLookMD) removed, but the new one that is on the back of my head is already leagues better than the healed scar I already have.

 

I cannot stress this enough to anyone who is considering a HT, but do your research. An extra week of research will pay off so much. An extra dollar a graft will also pay off immensely if you're getting it from a doctor from the network. It's worth it, I just learned the hard way.

[thatothersmaylive]

Regarding Garbutt - I had my first transplant a few years ago and made the mistake of going to Dr. Garbutt. Just to echo many of the other comments - the scar was horrible. I mean absurd. I got by with wearing my hair longer in the back and finally had it corrected by a great IAHRS surgeon after meeting with half a dozen all of whom had the same opinion. The scar was like something out of Frankenstein. At least an IAHRS doctor was able to correct it.

 

Do your research. I know - tough to do in this field - hair restoration really is the wild west. Nobody wants to do a review or admit they had one. We certainly don't want to post in on FB. Honestly, I only did this review because Garbutt acted like such a bully when I questioned him about the results of the initial surgery. He seemed the type who would attack anyone who dared question him. I don't like bullies.

 

Generally impression on Garbutt - he seemed like an eye doc who couldn't cut it where the results were measurable (either you can see or you can't) so he went into a more lucrative and more subjective field (what's wrong with an inch-wide scar across your head? Who cares if the other surgeons are appalled by it...I think it looks fine and I'm the DOCTOR!!) and has a bit of an attitude.

 

Garbutt also didn't even really improve the hair loss problem - even though he promised one stop treatment. Also, when I went back to him and noted my dissatisfaction with the scar, he was very rude and defensive. I'd avoid this guy. There are so many better surgeons out there who will do a better job. For example, there is an amazing Dr. in Walnut Creek whom I would recommend 7 days a week and 24 hours a day.

 

In short, if you are going to do a hair transplant, meet with half a dozen docs at least and pay what you have to pay. If you can't afford it, buzz your head and save up for a good doctor. We all want to look our best both professionally and socially but a big ugly scar on the back of your head looks a lot worse than a shaved head. Again - do your research and avoid New Look MD - or for that matter any place with pushy sales people.

Edited July 13, 2012 by thatothersmaylive

[thatothersmaylive]

To add to the last one. In addition to avoiding the "we're cheaper than Bosley" guys like Dr. Garbutt, you might also avoid anyone under a big umbrella - like Bosley.

 

If you think about it, the big organizations are sort of like chain restaurants. If you go to an Olive Garden, you know the food will be tolerable. Not horrible like some bottom of the barrel place and not great like at a top restaurant. Tolerably mediocre. Heck, I like the bottomless salad plate for lunch sometimes - but if I could only have one final meal, it probably wouldn't be at the Olive Garden.

 

So it is with hair places. If you go to a big chain HT factory, the work will be mediocre - better than a New Look MD (waffle house) but not IAHRS (Oak Room) either. If you think about it, the function of any big organization is too screen out the worst (who either do something else or advertise hard with coupons and discounts to catch the first timers. The best usually do their own shop and build a loyal and steady following. Just food for thought.

[HTP2009]

Although I did not have a procedure done by the doctors mentioned above, i did have mine done by Dr. Bednar and I have to agree with a previous post about how deep the incisions where made. It has been 3 years and there are parts of my head that are still numb. It has been a very emotionally hard process of realization that I had a bad transplant. I am currently looking for a place to correct what has been done in Los Angeles. I am glad i found a few people talking about this place on here because people need to be warned.

[TommyLucchese]

I feel so bad for you guys. I could easily have been one of them, I almost went to a random unheard of UK surgeon.........thank fully I decided to get on the meds and wait. Then I found this place.

 

I know you can't get back the grafts / money / years of emotional hell but at least now you've found the place - you do hopefully have the option of getting repaired.

[hamletsdead]

I had a 3,000 FUE procedure with Dr. Garbutt in January 2016, and while I agree he is not the most talkative of doctors, he answered all the questions I had and seemed like an intelligent, worldly guy. Having a conversation with the surgeon on the day of the surgery wasn't really something I needed to do, as I was already knowledgeable about the procedure, and already had several long conversations and email exchanges with Dan Wagner, who runs the administrative side of the office and has been in the business 30 years. Wagner used to run Dr. Sword's practice in Torrance, CA, and went off on his own about 20 years ago and took the best of the surgical techs with him, and then hooked up with Dr. Garbutt. Although Dr. Garbutt is making the incisions in the recipient area, the girls are doing the FUE extractions and placement, which is standard protocol in most hair transplant clinics (as far as I know). Placement is all hand-eye coordination, and I think it's reasonable to assume that practice makes perfect. The idea of the doctor himself placing all the grafts is new to me -- it reminds me of the old saw about the doctor trying to take blood and giving the patient a hematoma, while the nurse who's done it 10,000 times slips the needle in so deftly you barely feel it. I know two of the techs there are in their early 40s and have been placing grafts every week for the last 20 years -- they are highly efficient and skilled.

 

I can't comment on Dr. Garbutt's surgical skill with strip removal and closure, as I had FUE not FUT. I remember having FUT back at Bosley in the early 90s and that turned me off the process forever -- 14 days of staples in the back of my head were no fun at all, although thankfully my scars were thin and never stretched. Garbutt is a board certified ophthalmologist and specialized in eye microsurgery, and it strikes me as odd that he wouldn't know how to suture a much larger (e.g., 28 cm x 1 cm) wound if he excels in making microstiches to the upper eyelid and/or eye. But nobody bats 1000, and a certain percentage of patients are going to have scars that need revision regardless of who the surgeon is.

 

Just my two cents. I'll be 6 months out from my FUE with Dr. Garbutt on 7/7/2016, and things are looking good so far. Hoping for a bit more density in the next two months as the baby hairs and break-thru stubble start growing.

[John_R6racing]

Hi, I don’t typically review but I feel the need to respond to a few your questions about Dr. Garbutt and getting a hair transplant. I have had 3 different hair transplants with him over the course of the years (2 strip and 1 FUE) I was not thinning much but wanted to drop my hairline about 3/4 in lower. After 3 different procedures I’ve yet to have any density, it looks terrible. After 3 procedures and now thousands of dollars later I have nothing but regret. I just recently got my now 4th from a different doctor and just the procedure itself was night and day different. I feel very confident this most recent one will FINALLY after all those years give me the confidence in my hairline that I was promised on two of the last 3 procedures with Dr. Garbutt. I was told by him numerous times that after the 3rd I’d be very happy. Not even close. It barely looked any different from the one previous to it. I was told by two different hair Transplant surgeons that my hairline after 3 looked barely like even a decent 1 in terms of density. I have zero against Dr. Garbutt or his staff as I was the one who should of gone elsewhere after the 2nd failed procedure. I just happen to come across this topic and a few questions about whether or not to go there for your procedure or do an additional one and felt the least I could do is relay my experience. I hate the thought of others going through the same thing. These procedures are not fun and to have to go through them so many times and get below subpar results really sucks. Years of insecurity due to the unnatural results. Like I said, at this point I have no hard feelings towards them, what’s done is done but to anyone considering I’d strongly recommend looking into other drs out there if I were you. 

 

Best of luck!