My Bad experience with Dr Rahal

[sharkman]

I would like to tell you about my no so wonderful experience with DR Rahal. It has taken me awhile to write this review, but every time I look at my bald spot I remember that I procrastinated this too long. I also feel I owe the community an update about my experience considering that Dr Rahal is probably doing a great marketing job on this forum.

After sending the necessary pictures and having continuous discussion with Dr Rahal’s through his assistant I was told that with 4000 graphs I can reduce the ball spot in crown and thicken the front. I was excited and prepared myself financially and emotionally to the treatment. When I made it to the office 200 KM away from my city, Dr Rahal exchanged some nice words and he got down to business. He looked at my scalp for few minutes and said “that today we will do the front.” I asked him what about the crown area which was my bigger concern and without a blink he said “ok we will do the crown” as if we never discussed doing both areas. I almost cried asking him about what we agreed on, and he totally avoided the topic. I know that there is no guarantee for the remote estimation but there was not even an emotional budge or apology. So I brought myself to a positive state and thought to myself at least I will have thick crown. After all the emotional investment and the travel to Ottawa he probably knew that I’m not willing to turn back now.

Where it comes to the surgery itself, all Doctor Rahal did was the injection and the cut. The rest was done by another doctor with assistants. I don’t know if this is a standard but after all the marketing that say that Dr Rahal is an artist, what artistic standard are there when he is not the actual person one who inputs the hair. So after the surgery I waited about a year and start noticing that my crown is shrinking but the middle is still bold. I came back to Ottawa to show it to the doctor and he told me this is the results he expected. I couldn't believe it, apparently he was not trying to fill up my entire crown. He continuously threw the word ethical in the same sentence. “I wouldn’t be able to fill up the crown ethically” and this would not be ethical to do. The only thing unethical is that I came out after a painful 15K surgery with a bold crown and a thinning front. He finished the conversation with a duchy comment “ I guess you have a reason to come back for another surgery.”

P.S. after few years, my crown area is still numb and my scar still itch and hurts.

P.S.S Doctor Rahal counts every follicle and is willing to throw your hair to the garbage fi you are not willing to pay more. I know that with many other reputable doctors this is not the case.

[hairweare]

While I think that it is a good for prospective patients to hear about both the good and bad experiences former patients have had with their surgeons, the anonymity of the forum makes it all too easy for both shills and those who would unfairly defame physicians to disseminate false information. Therefore, without photographic evidence and the opportunity for the physician to respond, your post is pretty much worthless.

[Rawkerboi]

Please post some before and after pictures that your clinic provided, and also a current picture about your hair loss

[TakingThePlunge]

sharkman,

 

I'm very sorry to hear that you did not have a good experience with Dr. Rahal. However, as others have stated, your post would be far more valid and valuable had you shared some pre and post-operative photos with us.

 

In reading your comments, it appears that there may have been some gaps in communication between your expectations and what Dr. Rahal could accomplish given your degree of hair loss and hair restoration goals.

 

Are you stating above that Dr. Rahal only harvested the strip. Did he not also design the hairline and create the recipient sites for the grafts? It's common and expected for the surgeon to perform those tasks. It's then typically the job of the techs to place the grafts in the slits.

 

While anyone is welcome to share their real experiences (good or bad) with any physician on this forum, its our policy that those who post negative surgeon reviews must allow the surgeon to respond publicly and provide his or her side of the story. Thus, I urge you to contact Dr. Rahal's clinic, make them aware of your concerns and provide them with the necessary details they need to identify your case. I will also reach out to the clinic and notify them of this thread so that they may comment on it.

 

Dr. Rahal has an excellent track record of not only producing stellar results but also standing behind his work in the event that a result is subpar.

 

In the meantime, please share some photos with us. It's quite easy to obscure your face and I'd be happy to help you with that if needed.

[ontop]

Communcation is key to all this & Drs should lead the way to sit them down & go through step by step & what can be done so Pt & Dr is both on the same page.

 

Would like pre/post op pics & what the Dr side of things.

 

There is always two sides to the story, I hope you both can work it out.

[win200]

I'd like clarification on this as well, and it seems that there might be something of a language barrier. My understanding is that Dr. Rahal removes the strip (or performs the excisions, in an FUE case), designs the hairline, makes the incisions, and performs a final check and makes adjustments. I would be shocked if this were not the case.

 

Also, I **want** to see a doctor that, even if they've said one thing in a Skype consultation, refuses to follow through in person if it's not possible or not in the patient's best interest. It's a risk you accept when you don't consult in person, and an ethical doctor should not feel bound to stand 100% by what was communicated in a remote consultation.

[BUSA]

I'd like clarification on this as well, and it seems that there might be something of a language barrier. My understanding is that Dr. Rahal removes the strip (or performs the excisions, in an FUE case), designs the hairline, makes the incisions, and performs a final check and makes adjustments.

well, apparently not! he states he did the excision and another doctor did the rest. where exactly is the language barrier ur referring to?

 

just more reason to steer clear of FUT. stretched scars, numb scalps, etc... wat do u expect wen u carve a huge chunk of flesh from the back of ones scalp then suture it up.

 

pretty much goes against the plastic surgery standard.... "DO NO HARM".

[Spanker]

Sorry that you're unhappy, but I agree that threads like these just don't have much stock without photos.

 

How many grafts did you end up getting? Did he throw your grafts in the trash? Where did that come from?

[MusoInOz]

Hi Sharkman

 

I am very sorry to hear of your experience, truly!

I would be very interested to see some post op and pre op photos if you have any available? As many stated is difficult to comment on your situation without having seen it.

 

I am happy to notify the clinic or at least make them aware of this post/thread.

 

If you could supply photos would be much appreciated. Dr Rahal is a very ethical physician as I wasn't present during your conversation with him I can only assume he could not "ethically" waste too many valuable Grafts in one session depending on your expectation.

 

Cheers

[Bill - Seemiller]

Sharkman,

 

While all patients are welcome to share their genuine experiences good or bad, in order to keep our forum fair and safe to both patients and physicians, we must allow both the patient and physician to share their side of the story. View our fair forum policy.

 

We've spoken to Dr. Rahal and he is having problems identifying you and is concerned that you may not be one of his patients. Thus, in order to continue discussing and sharing your experience, you are required to contact me privately at help@hairtransplantnetwork.com with your full name and date of surgery. This information will be shared only with Dr. Rahal in private so that he can identify you and draft an appropriate reply to your concerns. Moreover, I ask that you collect and get ready to present photos that show your concerns.

 

Please contact me privately ASAP so that I can provide this information to Dr. Rahal and he can generate an appropriate reply. In the event that you choose not to cooperate with our request, we will have no choice but to archive this topic out of public view.

 

In the meantime, if you haven't already contacted Dr. Rahal with your concerns, I suggest doing so. In my opinion and experience, Dr. Rahal is an outstanding physician and person and he stands behind his patients.

 

I look forward to hearing from you promptly.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Bill - Seemiller]

P.S.S Doctor Rahal counts every follicle and is willing to throw your hair to the garbage fi you are not willing to pay more. I know that with many other reputable doctors this is not the case.

 

I understand that you have some concerns about your experience however, this is a very serious accusation. Where is your proof of this? Dr. Rahal has a highly esteemed reputation and wouldn't risk damaging it by indulging in such unethical behavior. Thus, I ask that you provide me with proof ASAP or for posting knowingly false information (which is in violation of our terms of service), we will be archiving your topic out of public view.

[Bill - Seemiller]

This community allows patients to share their experience with any physician good or bad. However, to be fair, patients must be willing to allow their surgeon to respond and share their side of the story. Pictures are also often required since they provide evidence that a particular concern is valid. This is clearly laid out in our fair forum policy. We understand that patients are sometimes concerned about their anonymity. However, pictures can be cropped to show only the hair which makes identifying an individual near impossible.

 

Regrettably, Sharkman is unwilling to provide any photos despite our request and what's required of him. Thus, we will be archiving this discussion topic out of public view in a few days since he is unwilling to back up his claims with photos.

 

In the event he changes his mind, we will be willing to re-open this discussion and move it back into public view. In the meantime, this discussion will be archived.

 

Best Regards,

 

Bill