Bosley - Dr. Nancy Shannon - devastating results :(

[popagos82]

Hello,

About 10 months ago, I had a pretty full head of hair. It began thinning a little bit in the left hair line region, so I made the very regrettable, life-altering decision to have a small hair transplant in that region. I got sold on 900 grafts! Dr. Nancy Shannon of Bosley Troy simply said it would look great. I had very little knowledge of hair transplants at the time and she did NOT inform me of any possible side effects. She never mentioned shock loss, or loss of native hair. During our consultation she came in for only a few minutes, looked at my hair and said that this would look great. 10 months later and this decision has almost destroyed my life. First off, there is NO way I needed 900 grafts. Every where she planted the grafts my native, and yes thick hair died, never to return. Even at 9 months she kept telling me that the hair would grow back and thicken. After studying and researching hair transplants almost every night for the past 9 months, I obviously know that, given the hair cycle, this is entirely false. On the day of the operation she came in quickly, cut the donor area and very quickly created the recipient sites, leaving the placement for her technicians. The grafts did not compensate for the massive hair loss they caused. So... now I have the left area of my head consisting of thick graft hairs spaced wayyyy too far apart and the right, natural looking region. I have no hair line anymore. You can see through my entire scalp. I broke up with the girl I was dating, and really liked, because I became so self conscience. I barely see my friends anymore and when I do I hide myself in a hat. I am now forced to comb over my hair, use tons of hairspray and pray it doesn't rain. I hate this, it makes me sick. Last summer I was exploring national parks with a beautiful girl friend. This summer I am alone, anxious and depressed. It seems like they don't even care. It was a VERY stupid decision on my part, obviously. However, how is a doctor allowed to get away with this? To not inform you, AT ALL, of what is to them, very possible and horrendous outcomes. It is VERY unethical. I am now forced to shave my head, bare the scar of this ill-advised mistake, explain to every one how vain I am OR dedicate myself to a life of hair transplants. I spoke to advisors at Ron Shapiros office and Tessler and Aronovitz, two world-renowned doctors and both turned me away, even AFTER I lost all this hair. For a doctor that has practiced for so many years, she had to of known that this would happen.

[razzy]

Sorry to hear about your experience and outcome.

 

Unfortunately, Bosley is known to be butchers and there work is really terrible.

 

In my opinion, they shouldn't be allowed to operate.

 

Do you have better pictures so we all can assess the differences?

[razzy]

Also, if you're that concerned about your hair I would look into getting it repaired from a top surgeon.

 

E.g.

 

Dr. Konior in Chicago

Dr. Rahal in Ottawa

Dr. Hasson and Wong in Vancouver

Dr. Lorenzo in Spain

 

OR head over to Turkey there are 2 recommended surgeons from there and will be a bit cheaper.

[Mickey85]

I would go see Dr Lorenzo. He can extract the thick grafts out, have them made into singles and re-implant them. He can also extract more grafts from your donor to fill in the thin areas. I'm really sorry that this happened to you... You either need to speak to a therapist to solve you depression and anxiety issues or sort out the situation with your hair.

[davidla]

My doc or the counselor never mentioned about the shock loss of hair to me either. This hair that is loss due to that will not grow back than or it's different from case to case?

[popagos82]

Davidla,

"Will the shock loss grow back?"

-That depends on a few factors. First off, each hair is in it's own cycle. Due to the effects of DHT attacking and shrinking the hair follicle, sometimes when you lose hair it is incapable of growing back, or it returns much finer and weaker. When a surgeon transplants grafts around existing hair, and this hair is "shocked", especially if it is in an area prone to MPB, there is a good chance it won't come back, or will grow back much finer. Another issue that can arise from hair transplant surgery is telogen effluvium, a condition in which the trauma to the scalp sends a larger number of hair follicles, all over the scalp, into the telogen, or resting phase. Months later they fall out and while many will regrow, it is often times that the hair existing in the areas prone to MPB may not come back. Another possibility is transection of native hair follicles. If you have an inexperienced surgeon that is not considerate of the angle of hair growth, or is using improper instruments, they can slice right through existing hair follicles, damaging the follicle. In my case I have a strong suspicion that both of these scenarios occurred.

[hsrp10]

Bosley continue to ruin lives no matter how much time passes.

 

The best you can do is continue to relay your story to help others, and try to get repaired by Lorenzo etc. as someone mentioned above

[Shacked]

Your hair doesnt look bad at all. Maybe it does to you, however there looks to be lots of donor left. Go to a top FUE surgeon. They can select the best grafts and you will be sorted. Personally id recommend Dr Reddy in London. Im sure Rahal would say you need 3000 grafts, but I think his FUE can be a little over aggressive. Either way...lots of good surgeons out there to fix your hair.

[Blake Bloxham]

Popa,

 

Sorry to hear that you're disappointed! I think you may benefit from a few additional consultations. As you're now well aware, researching thoroughly and meeting with thoroughly reviewed and trusted surgeons is very important. I suggest contacting a few more of our recommended hair transplant surgeons. I understand the hesitation, but the need for repair work may change your candidacy.

 

Good luck!

[davidla]

Good morning, popa...have you been taking fin and using the laser comb?

[popagos82]

Thanks for all the valuable information guys! I have seen a couple of you on all the major forums and your advice is priceless. As for the anxiety and depression caused over this, I will definitely get through it. It just hard when you lose so much hair so quickly, and even more difficult when you realize it is because of one decision that you've made. To me, it is just a shame. The oath that ALL doctors take upon them when starting to practice is to always put the welfare of the patient first, before money or any other type of consideration. I understand that these are cosmetic issues, but the mental well being of a patient can effect their life as much as the physical. Some doctors need to learn ethics.

That being said, I am super hesitant in repair work for a few reasons. I am now a diffuse thinner with, additionally with a norwood pattern 2. That is, I have the typical receding hair line and a bald spot forming in the crown, but most of the hair in between has become slightly diffused. I can get the receding hair line fixed, but what about the areas that are bound to become thinner and thinner with time. I don't like the idea of continually going back for surgeries and waiting years, however, I know that it is what most people do to maintain their hair. The other thing, is that I am not on finesteride. I am on just about every other herbal supplement that is believed to be a 5a reductase inhibitor, but who knows how they work. I additionally use a 1% nizoral shampoo, minoxidil and a variety of other supplements that are believed to positively effect hair growth (pumpkin seed oil, MSM, saw palmetto, l-lysine, raw meal formula, hell, even vivscal, who knows??...)

You see EVER since the operation, for about 9 months straight, I started losing about 200-300 hairs per day, and no this is not an exaggeration, rather an accurate number. ESPECIALLY in the area of the transplant, my hair just fell out. I watched it get thinner day by day. It started to slow down quite a bit about 2 weeks ago. But, this has happened before, and it started up again. Another thing I have going against me is that I just had ACL and meniscus reconstruction surgery, so I know this trauma can jump start TE again. As you all are aware, TE is usually not a big concern to women or men without MPB. To men with MPB, however, it starts to unmask the ugly genetic effects of MPB, as the hairs in their last healthy cycle that fall are hesitant to return, or return as vellous hairs. This is why I am in a difficult place. I have to see how all this unfolds, probably shave my head for a while and bare the scar and the cobblestoned transplants until the full extent of my hair loss becomes revealed, then visit one of the highly recommended, INDEPENDANT, hair transplant clinics. Any further advice is appreciated.

[win200]

Ugh. Bosley strikes again. What a travesty. There was no way that yours was a 900 graft procedure; I'd guess 2,000, roughly, for good coverage. And you had diffuse thinning throughout your frontal third, which is a red flag for shock loss. She should have been extremely conservative about transplanting into that area.

 

To echo everyone else, go consult some other docs about a repair. Even if you have a terrible result, there have been some borderline-miraculous repairs. You're obviously suffering a lot, and there are caring docs that can probably help. Try to upload some 'after' pics and the folks here will give you constructive comments.

[popagos82]

Included in my initial thread is both a before and after picture. The before picture is the first one, taken from Bosley before the procedure. You can see my hair line is only slightly receding, thinning just a bit. In the after picture, taken approximately 9 months after, you see that my initial hair line is completely gone, it has receded back more than an inch and my native hair has been completely destroyed only to be replaced with these poorly placed, insufficient grafts, that seem to additionally be placed at incorrect angles! She continued to place grafts even further back from the left hair line, despite the fact that I wasn't fully aware she was going to do so, and it destroyed my hair in that area too! Additionally, grafts placed in the center hair line and back destroyed my hair there as well. Once again, there was obvious a lack in communication, in that there was very little!!! While I have already beat myself up about making this poor decision and not informing myself and educating myself it should never be the patients responsibility to have to ask questions to know about the outcomes of a procedure. This is why there is a DR. before their name, they have a moral and ethical duty to 1) understand every possible outcome from the procedure they are performing 2) Make you 100%, fully aware of this outcomes and 3) Understand your expectations from the procedure and make you aware of whether or not these are realistic and achievable. Try to compare the two side by side and the absolute devastation becomes apparent. Basically, wherever she placed the grafts is such an unorganized mess that it makes absolutely no sense. Observe the 'after' picture and you will notice, what was once a natural looking hair line, has been completely obliterated with poorly placed grafts in very insufficient amounts. O.k. I feel better now and I am done going on about this. Y'all are awesome and this is the greatest support I've found. The biggest tragedy about this to me is not my specific case, but the possibility that this will happen again to some one else. Communities like this work to prevent that from happening and thus, work to better peoples lives, so THANK YOU!

[naina]

I am also looking for the hair transplant doctor in India for my hair

[Questionmark]

I am also looking for the hair transplant doctor in India for my hair

 

Eeuuuuh - this is not what`s being discussed here? Wrong thread maybe??

[LosAngeleshair]

Popa- you stated prior that you are not on propecia. If you still are not on it, I would strongly encourage you to start a 1mg finasteride regiment. It can have dramatic results for hairloss.

 

Good luck.

[Shampoo]

The one time I had a consult at Bosley I did not get a good feeling at all.

 

There could be some good doctors there, but it is basically a crap-shoot.

 

Sorry about your Bosley experience.

[naina]

Hi

 

 

I am looking for hair transplantation

[Questionmark]

Hi

 

 

I am looking for hair transplantation

 

Wow. For real?

[BUSA]

u wud think by now ppl wud know better to steer clear from them hacks....smh

[BUSA]

Good morning, popa...have you been taking fin and using the laser comb?

ummmm laser comb is a scam..... steer clear from the midnite infomercials....

[Rawkerboi]

Sorry about your experience

I personally feel you should start Big 3!

Minoxidil 5 and Fin 1mg followed By Nizoral!

Monitor your results and may be after a year you may consider HT to repair your hairline!