Best hair transplant surgeons

[Alpine1]

Why do I smell a rat here?

 

Most of these Forom Drs only do HT not some cosmetic nose jobs which every corner of LA has one that fits all.

I bet your Dr does teeth also right? He sounds like a jack of all trades if you ask me.

 

When did i ever say he does nose jobs? I don't know of any HT surgeon, good or bad, that moonlights as a nose surgeon. I think you need to read and not skim.

[Alpine1]

He had me when he stated Turkey & Libya are one and the same

 

Wow. Can't get anything pass you. You are a sharp one. I suppose you did ample research on Honduras' space program as well uh?

[mav23100gunther]

Wow. Can't get anything pass you. You are a sharp one. I suppose you did ample research on Honduras' space program as well uh?

 

Be nice!

[Alpine1]

^^^ Trying but it's getting very tough. Think I need to take a break.

[mav23100gunther]

Wow. Can't get anything pass you. You are a sharp one. I suppose you did ample research on Honduras' space program as well uh?

 

in all seriousness buddy, can you please post some pics? Would love to see these $38,000 HT results for myself

[mav23100gunther]

^^^ Trying but it's getting very tough. Think I need to take a break.

 

No worries - at the end of the day, you are just sharing your own view and opinion. That's what this forum is here for.

[MrMatt]

in all seriousness buddy, can you please post some pics? Would love to see these $38,000 HT results for myself

 

I'd like to see your results too.

[ontop]

Mav...

He got me when he called or should I say he felt that Italy was a 3rd world county, so is India & Turkey

Make me wonder has he got a passport even.

 

Yep go on push it out...

Let us see what a 38K FUT looks like....I had a $16.00 milkshake the other day & you know what I thought I was in Mc Donalds to be honest.

 

Yep I skim past everything, I'm like that....if the truth be told I was being sarky, but to my suprise you missed it.

 

So let's get this right...so you can put your hand on your heart and say in 10/20 yrs time you be just as happy with your results? You must be gifted or lucky.

 

Let us know when you have that E/book on which is the BEST Dr to for HT & go to ill be your first sale okay.

But I have a feeling there is just 1 Dr in that Book though.

 

Oh yep being your name dropin on high $$ cars, ill trade a BMW for a ford escort all day long cas BMWs are a crock of Poo..

Over rated, I've owned 3 of them by the way.

[ontop]

Yep ...would love to see a 38K FUT also.

[Sean]

Sean,

 

Just to refer back to what I said earlier; of the clinics you just listed, at least 3 of them are all technician FUE, and 2 of them have multiple procedural rooms and see 3-4 patients a day (and all this information is from first-hand patient experiences on the forums). There is always a reason why the price is different.

 

If patients are aware of this and feel more comfortable paying a lower cost to undergo a procedure with unknown technicians as one of multiple patients that day, then that's fine. However, it isn't accurate to say the same services are being offered here for different prices.

 

Blake, i was referring about the tools used and how it was mentioned the care of tools can be a factor? I wasnt referring to who uses technicians. The 'at least three' you mention using techs or multiple operating rooms, are they Dr Koray, Dr lorenzo, and Dr Keser? Because from what I read, it seems Dr Vories, Dr Karadeniz, and Dr Bhatti mentioned they did it themselves?

 

But you know what is even more crazy, there are some recommended docs in North America that also have techs extract, have multiple operating rooms, and do multiple patients a day. Some of those docs have done cases of 3000 grafts or higher for a patient too in one day. I dont know how folks can differentiate that from some non recommended docs that also do the same in other regions of the globe, yet those docs charge less.

 

In the end, i think it is the cost of living and labor rates in other countries that assist in such docs able to keep prices low and even allow some docs to handle a one patient one procedure a day protocol. Granted there are some that do more than one patient a day, but we see that in North America as well? Some of those recommended North American docs charge over $7-8 a graft versus $1-$2.5 a graft in other regions. Some of those docs that charge low figures are members of this forum.

 

That doesnt mean them charging less equates to sub par or lesser quality work as most other North American docs. There is a key player in the affordable personalized FUE North American market and that is Dr Vories, that is if he continues to keep his rates low while maintainjng a great FUE surgery protocol, then that doctor will continue to stand out as he is recommended and mentioned in forums. I dont see him as a lower quality result doctor versus others based on the notion that cheaper price equates to lesser quality work.

 

I also just read that Dr Konior charges $5.5 per graft? What's his FUE surgical protocol? Does it mean he is not as good as those that charge over $8 per graft?

 

How can price be a quality factor if some recommended docs charge less than others that are also recommended?

[mav23100gunther]

Blake, i was referring about the tools used and how it was mentioned the care of tools can be a factor? I wasnt referring to who uses technicians. The 'at least three' you mention using techs or multiple operating rooms, are they Dr Koray, Dr lorenzo, and Dr Keser? Because from what I read, it seems Dr Vories, Dr Karadeniz, and Dr Bhatti mentioned they did it themselves?

 

But you know what is even more crazy, there are some recommended docs in North America that also have techs extract, have multiple operating rooms, and do multiple patients a day. Some of those docs have done cases of 3000 grafts or higher for a patient too in one day. I dont know how folks can differentiate that from some non recommended docs that also do the same in other regions of the globe, yet those docs charge less.

 

In the end, i think it is the cost of living and labor rates in other countries that assist in such docs able to keep prices low and even allow some docs to handle a one patient one procedure a day protocol. Granted there are some that do more than one patient a day, but we see that in North America as well? Some of those recommended North American docs charge over $7-8 a graft versus $1-$2.5 a graft in other regions. Some of those docs that charge low figures are members of this forum.

 

That doesnt mean them charging less equates to sub par or lesser quality work as most other North American docs. There is a key player in the affordable personalized FUE North American market and that is Dr Vories, that is if he continues to keep his rates low while maintainjng a great FUE surgery protocol, then that doctor will continue to stand out as he is recommended and mentioned in forums. I dont see him as a lower quality result doctor versus others based on the notion that cheaper price equates to lesser quality work.

 

I also just read that Dr Konior charges $5.5 per graft? What's his FUE surgical protocol? Does it mean he is not as good as those that charge over $8 per graft?

 

How can price be a quality factor if some recommended docs charge less than others that are also recommended?

 

Hi Sean, he quoted me around $5.5 a graft for the 1st 2,000 grafts decreasing to $3 thereafter. This was FUT - I believe his price for FUE is going to be much higher.

[1978matt]

I'm sure Dr McAndrews is embarrassed by your postings and the suggestion that he can only get 70% yield on sessions over 2500 grafts. I will email him now to inform him of these dreadful claims so that he has an opportunity to respond.

 

For the record, my 4300 grafts cost a little over half what yours did and I was the only patient of the day. My doctor does not have multiple operating rooms. The procedure started at 730am and ended just after midnight. The density varied between 45 and 20 follicular units per cm2.

 

It grew just fine thank you and the scar is so fine I can cut to a grade 3. A friend of mine got 3500 grafts and so did his.

 

It all just sounds like sour grapes. Perhaps you are annoyed you had to go back twice, wait twice as long and pay double just to get the result you wanted. I'd be gutted too.

 

And if you are going to slate my doctor your could at the very least present some evidence of this supposed poor work.

 

 

I have seen the personal experiences on this site of all those doctors you mentioned and the things I see those doctors do is absolutely horrible and I would never have a HT from them even if done for free (I'd pay lots of money to keep them away from my head). The amount of misinformation and ignorance displayed on this site is staggering. Go ahead and keep thinking these charlatans are great surgeons, you'll find out in 5 years or so after your HT (if not sooner) how good they really are.

 

1. Mega-sessions

Grafts above 2,500 have about a %70 survival rate whereas grafts below 2,500 have about %100 survival rate. These doctors are effectively throwing at least %30 of your very limited donor hair in the trash. But mega-sessions make them more money so no concern there for them.

 

2. Pack grafts too close

You guys see these pictures of densely packed grafts and fly off the handle about how great a surgeon they are but they are wasted grafts since the human eye can not tell the difference between much further spaced grafts. Again completely wasting your very limited donor hair.

 

3. Promoting FUE over FUT, sometimes passionately

Again these guys don't seem to care about destroying your very limited donor hair. Nothing will decimate your donor supply like FUE which destroys sometimes %50 or more. (Don't think you need that now? Just wait 5 years.)

 

4. Bad incisions and sutures

I have seen some crazy wide scars from some of these surgeons. Mine is like a pencil and has hair growing through it due to advance technique used. I'd pay more just for that.

 

5. HT Mill

These guys have multiple patients being seen not just on the same day but all at the same time! Are you kidding me????

 

6. Technicians doing majority of work

Seriously? So you are giving thousands of your dollars to have some poorly trained low paid technician carve your head up? If I give thousands of dollars to a doctor to carve my head up then damn it the trained experienced doctor is the one doing it

 

7. Poor results that you guys think is GREAT!

I have seen picture testimonials by patients of doctors in this thread who were in there 20's, had almost a full head of hair, and had 4,000 grafts placed on a thin hairline at the front. You guys commend it and think it's great because the guy now looks great with a full head of thick hair. I don't even know where to start on why that is actually absolutely horrible

 

8. Experience, technique, reputation, integrity, patient care, status, ect. ect.

I don't want to go on forever. You guys do your own research.

[Alpine2]

I'm sure Dr McAndrews is embarrassed by your postings and the suggestion that he can only get 70% yield on sessions over 2500 grafts. I will email him now to inform him of these dreadful claims so that he has an opportunity to respond.

.

 

I did not say that he can only get %70 yield over 2500 grafts, I said studies have shown this. Now you are pissed off at science?

 

This was never about my doctor. This was about all you guys thinking that the best doctors in the world are $1 to $2 a graft guys in such far flung places as Turkey and India while you badmouthing doctors like Bernstein and McAndrews because they price the value of their services accordingly.

 

I came on this forum merely to share my experience and hope to help others find a good surgeon. But after having to deal with an onslaught of people badmouthing anybody who charges more than $2 a graft and isn't based in the third world I can see everyone's mind is set here and that this place is only for the budget minded and the charlatan doctors that are the puppet masters to these awful forums that ban you for suggesting any doctor other than their own (which is why I'm having to post from a different account now).

 

These forums should be investigated for fraud. Obviously they are backed by these fraud budget surgeons either by directly being behind them or indirectly by paying access to the site administrator. These are fraud forums and I feel sorry for you all.

 

Good luck all on your Tijuana doctors. Goodbye.

[1978matt]

Please provide a link to this study. You won't because there isn't one.

 

You are confusing poor growth that can occur due to placing grafts at too high a density. This has nothing to do with session size.

 

I did not say that he can only get %70 yield over 2500 grafts, I said studies have shown this. Now you are pissed off at science?

 

This was never about my doctor. This was about all you guys thinking that the best doctors in the world are $1 to $2 a graft guys in such far flung places as Turkey and India while you badmouthing doctors like Bernstein and McAndrews because they price the value of their services accordingly.

 

I came on this forum merely to share my experience and hope to help others find a good surgeon. But after having to deal with an onslaught of people badmouthing anybody who charges more than $2 a graft and isn't based in the third world I can see everyone's mind is set here and that this place is only for the budget minded and the charlatan doctors that are the puppet masters to these awful forums that ban you for suggesting any doctor other than their own (which is why I'm having to post from a different account now).

 

These forums should be investigated for fraud. Obviously they are backed by these fraud budget surgeons either by directly being behind them or indirectly by paying access to the site administrator. These are fraud forums and I feel sorry for you all.

 

Good luck all on your Tijuana doctors. Goodbye.

[ontop]

Ill ask you again....

 

What 3rd world clinics you talking about?

Do you even know where a third world is?

 

we are not bashing your Dr or Dr bernstein for there HT work.

Your the one who's bashing all Drs nomatter what part of the world they live in but your Dr is the answer to everyone problem if we listen to you ....why because you paid the highest $ & what you say got the Best of the Best....which is so far from the truth its not even funny.

 

So in your eyes there is only 2 Drs in this world who is the BEST OF THE BEST....that's your op which people like me & others will respect that but to come on here & slate every Dr worldwide but not yours is bang out of line & ill say it again just because you paid top $ don't always mean you get what you pay for.

I think it be a far different story if you had average or sucky outcome, you prob won't be on here, which brings me to my next point....

You had a good outcome, so why feel the need to come on here again because why you got banned prior?

I wonder if you have a hidden agenda going on here to be honest because you talk the talk but don't walk the walk for a sample you talk a good game but don't show NOTHING to back up what your babberling on about.

 

My advice for what its worth but you clearly don't want to listen is before you open up that gop of yours & let whitsle maybe you should back your statements up with hard core stats.

 

The only thing your helping is your ego....

 

I think personally you talk. Utter rubbish.

[Alpine2]

^^^ LOL The op asks who are the best doctors in the world. You guys list some budget doctors in India, Turkey and elsewhere and everyone finds that perfectly acceptable. Then I list two guys in LA and NYC and you guys fly off the handle lol. No one is making this about money except YOU. You seem to be incredibly offended and incensed that the best doctors might be some expensive ones in NYC and LA and not some cheapie in the third world.

 

And to answer your question the third world is West of Santa Monica and East of the Sierras, East of Manhattan and West of the Appalachians, and South of the Rio Grande. Anymore geography questions or do you want to go back to more ignorant HT questions?

[mav23100gunther]

I did not say that he can only get %70 yield over 2500 grafts, I said studies have shown this. Now you are pissed off at science?

 

This was never about my doctor. This was about all you guys thinking that the best doctors in the world are $1 to $2 a graft guys in such far flung places as Turkey and India while you badmouthing doctors like Bernstein and McAndrews because they price the value of their services accordingly.

 

I came on this forum merely to share my experience and hope to help others find a good surgeon. But after having to deal with an onslaught of people badmouthing anybody who charges more than $2 a graft and isn't based in the third world I can see everyone's mind is set here and that this place is only for the budget minded and the charlatan doctors that are the puppet masters to these awful forums that ban you for suggesting any doctor other than their own (which is why I'm having to post from a different account now).

 

These forums should be investigated for fraud. Obviously they are backed by these fraud budget surgeons either by directly being behind them or indirectly by paying access to the site administrator. These are fraud forums and I feel sorry for you all.

 

Good luck all on your Tijuana doctors. Goodbye.

 

Who exactly on my top surgeon list charges less than $2 a graft? Granted none of them charge as much as Bernstein or McAndrews, but most average around $5.5 a graft for FUT. Even though you haven't shown us pics of your $38,000 HT, I'm happy for you that you got stellar results. You can't put a price tag on a good head of hair in my opinion - money should be no object. The point I am making is that I would bet you - that you would have gotten the same results by doing with 4,200 grafts in q single session or multiple sessions with any one of Dr Shapiro, Rahal, Hasson, or Konior. If you had gone with Hasson for a single session, according to the price calculator on the HW website, you would have only paid around $17,000. Based on the outstanding results he consistently produces with high numbers of grafts, I would be shocked if he couldn't have at least matched the stellar results you claim you got from your doc for $38,000. That must be a hard pill to swallow buddy - think about the number of prostitutes you can buy with the $21,000 you would have saved. I would be defensive too, and I would come on to this forum looking for validation too.

 

Like I said before, can you please share some pics with us?

[mav23100gunther]

^^^

 

And to answer your question the third world is West of Santa Monica and East of the Sierras, East of Manhattan and West of the Appalachians, and South of the Rio Grande. Anymore geography questions or do you want to go back to more ignorant HT questions?

 

I have a geography question sir, still waiting for an explanation on how Libya and Turkey are one of the same?

 

Also, so based on the above, is Australia then 3rd world?

[KO]

Moderators....why don't you moderate?

[ontop]

This guy is well off the chain....

 

yep go on try & turn it around....

Re read & you will see your the one who's droped that you paid 38K for a FUE & have a BMW

Woopie wow weee.

 

Now back up your claims that doing over 2500 in one pass reduse the yeild.

Show us these below par results from thease 3rd world countries you keep going on about, come on show us.....you even mention US Drs & more often the ones on this forum....show us what your talking about.

 

Bottomline is you was born with a silver spoon in your mouth & think you can trash talk people & toss your money around like you think that money can get the Best of the. Best...NEWS FLASH not true

 

Maybe you should ask Edge from U2 what went wrong because I'm dam sure he never went to a below bar budget clinic or travelled to your so called 3rd world place such as Turkey or India as you state....

 

Again show us your claims...

Let see this 38K FUT you had & let's see if this forum Drs can match it or better what you got.

 

You won't....why? Because you run ya mouth with Naff all to back your claims with that's why...

 

Walk the walk...i/we want you to....making comments & statements but when challenged you duck what people are asking you to.

 

Ill re ask ou what KO said...but again you ducked out of that one also.

Do you work for your Dr?

[JoeTillman]

Joe,

 

While I agree with the idea that high cost does not automatically equal high quality, patients should always remember: "there is no such thing as a free lunch." While all tools, techniques, and information is freely available, it still costs money to purchase these tools and properly utilize the techniques. Some of these "inexpensive" clinics make up for the costs of very low price per graft surgeries by not using -- or properly caring for -- the cutting edge tools, by using technicians to disregard the best techniques and instead remove as many grafts as possible in as little time possible, and disregard the best available information because it isn't in line with this hair mill model.

 

Also, remember that we aren't talking about life-saving heart transplant surgery here. This is an elective procedure, and this needs to be kept in mind as well. A patient can easily spend more time researching, saving, and utilizing preventive medications -- whereas the same can't be said for patients traveling to other areas of the world for medical procedures.

 

Cost is important; I get this. However, price shopping elective surgery usually isn't recommended and often times costs more in the end. There is a reason why surgeries cost different amounts in places like the middle east and India, and patients should know why and determine if this is worth the cost.

 

This is proper consent.

 

Blake,

 

Maybe you missed my point, so I'll reiterate.

 

Alpine stated...

 

I paid $38,000 for 4,200 FUT grafts (9.00 per graft) with McAndrews and you pay that because you are getting the best.

 

I then replied with the following point...

 

With all due respect, the amount of money one pays for a hair transplant has zero influence on the final result.

 

I stand by my statement because the worst HT surgeon in the world can charge 20.00 per graft and give an equally horrible result while "the best" hair transplant surgeon in the world can give a procedure away and have, again, an equally stellar result. Price can be a result of regional cost of living and what intended market will bear just as much as it can be a result of one's ego or lack thereof. Price does not indicate whehther or not a doctor or clinic follows proper sterilization protocols, infectious prevention protocols, etc. I've been in surgeries where some of the top surgeons in the world wore ZERO face protection. I have seen a top surgeon sneeze into his own bare hands then continue handling a patient with no effort in between to wash his hands. I have seen one surgeon's OR that has a toilet IN the OR with no door separating the two. None of these doctors were in Turkey, India, or any other low cost region. They were in western Europe and North America. These issues are also part of the reason why I'm currently working with no more than two surgeons, because multiple others have not deomonstrated what I consider to be proper standard operating practice. I know what surgery is supposed to involve but more importantly I know what surgery is supposed to NOT involve.

 

Cost is important; I get this. However, price shopping elective surgery usually isn't recommended and often times costs more in the end. There is a reason why surgeries cost different amounts in places like the middle east and India, and patients should know why and determine if this is worth the cost.

 

Price shopping isn't recommended if that is the only deciding factor, I wholeheartedly agree, but if after one completes a long process of legitimate research and winds up in the end comparing two well respected doctors with equally good reputations and the only thing separating the two is price (assuming similar estimates and game plans), what else is there to consider? Choosing the least expensive option is not price shopping, it is separating marketing from reality and using common sense to complete the journey.

[JoeTillman]

Alpine1,

 

You have had an excellent experience and that is what matters but you have no right to insult any of the respected clinics that perform surgery in the regions you label as substandard just because of their location. That's a prejudiced view that wreaks of financial elitism at best, and borderline veiled racism at worst. It's one thing to support your doctor of choice but it's another thing altogether to use the excuse of clinical manipulation of forums when everyone you insult decides to call you out on your BS.

 

I hope your second result turns out as well as your first but FYI, since you are mere days out from your 2nd procedure your donor scar is a complete unknown that has ZERO guarantees of perfection. Because Dr. McAndrews took two relatively small strips as opposed to one larger one, it most likely will be fine, but again there are no guarantees. Remember that.

[fortune11]

I personally think we are giving this thread way too much credit than it deserves ( I am guilty of the same by replying here). This is nothing but a bonafide rant by someone maybe stuck in a past decade and who is heavily biased in many ways against entire sets of doctor, countries , and cultures. Not sure what we have to gain by trying to change the OP's opinion. Also it is not that newbies are going to be influenced by this in droves and head to those two doctors (who may be legit , I am not saying otherwise) over all the other sensible choices that are available the world over.

[goozer]

Alpine,

 

May we please see your pics?

[Blake Bloxham]

I'm not going to go into detail because it's just not a grenade worth unpinning, but I do have first hand knowledge that some clinics in areas of the world discussed earlier do not utilize proper sterilization techniques. These are standards accepted and taught in medical/surgical training in places like North America; I'm not completely certain what the accepted standards are in other regions, but I do know of some practices in areas that would not pass standards in NA.

 

Do your research and make sure you know precisely why clinics are charging what they are charging. Period.