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My choices for a HT - Opinions?


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  • Regular Member

Hey guys,

 

So, I have posted on here once before on a thread called 'Pricing' were I asked for advice about which surgeons to go for and the pricing etc. :)

I want to say a big thank you to this forum for helping me out and contributing to my post! :cool:

 

After a couple of months of solid research, I have narrowed my list down of the surgeons that I am going to contact. You guys advised that I stick to the Trusted List and possibly go abroad as I'm from the UK. I did find some surgeons that seem good but not on the trusted list, so I'm not going to risk it.

The choices who I am going to contact and get an opinion from are:

 

- Doctor Reddy - UK. A lot of people said to go abroad, but I really like Doctor Reddy's work. His results really impressed me and he seems to get good density from a smaller range of grafts. He is my number one choice.

 

- Doctor Bisanga/Feriduni - Belgium. I've found and read so many good reviews about this guy. He seems to be really down to earth and great at the job!

 

- Doctor Erdogan - Turkey. He seems to have a lovely balance of price and great results. His clinic looks very high tech and his new website is the best one I've seen out of everyone.

 

- Doctor Lorenzo - Spain. According to lots of people on here, he is a master at FUE. I really liked his results and he seems to be very professional.

 

That's my choices that I'm going to contact to see what's going. Have I made some good choices? I apologize for the amateur like comments and review but this is just what I've came across from my findings. I'm confident all these guys are good, solid choices. :) Two doctors that I almost had down were Doctor Mwamba and Doctor Maras. But I'm going to stick with the one's I've got. Thanks for all you're help, I really appreciate it as it's helped me to make my choices! Please feel free to suggest others or give you're opinion! Also, why is Doctor Lorenzo not on the Trusted Surgeons list?! This does concern me a little..?

 

Cheers. :D

Edited by Roberto-94
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  • Senior Member

There is a difference between Bisango & Feriduni. Lorenzo used to be on the list, but decided he no longer needed to pay the fee as he had enough patients. Therefore I believe he volunteered himself off the list. All great choices, but I disagree with Reddy being your number 1. I would consider removing him and adding Maras.

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Thanks so much for you're response guys. :)

 

Okay, so far I have contacted Doctor Reddy, Doctor Feriduni, Doctor Doganay and Doctor Mwamba for opinions.

 

Starting with Doctor Doganay. He recommended that I need around 4500 grafts for good coverage and density. I have since then decided to stick with the UK and Belgium surgeons, as Turkey is a long way for me to go. However, I'll leave this option open. :) Doctor Doganay's customer service was outstanding and they answered all my questions and even recommended some more things to add to my routine. Overall, very good treatment towards customers and their results look really good! A big thank you for their time. I have to mention their response time is AMAZING. They reply within a couple of hours!

 

Next, Doctor Feriduni. Again, outstanding customer service and very professional. Mr. Cristian Marraffa dealt with all my questions and concerns and was very helpful and polite indeed. He said the Doctor had looked at my photo's and said I would really need to meet him face to face. Of course, I understand this as there is nothing better than a real life assessment. However, I would have to wait until October 2016 just to have a consultation.. :o I couldn't believe it! This speaks volumes though, as it shows how good and popular they must be. Overall, disappointing that the wait for a consultation is so long. However, this is understandable and not a negative. Great customer service and very polite as well as some awesome looking results! Just a quick note to those interested, I think the clinic is now closed and will re-open again on the 7th August 2016.

 

Next, Doctor Mwamba. I e-mailed and messaged his patient supervisor called Gio. I have to say, once again, the customer service was outstanding and Gio always answered my questions as well as offering advice and getting back to me very quickly. The Doctor recommended I would need about 3000 grafts for the front and crown, and maybe another 2000 on the crown in the future. Overall, very good service and Doctor Mwamba wrote me a very detailed report regarding my picture report which was good.

 

Finally, Doctor Reddy. After e-mailing his clinic about six or seven times, I never had a response. :( I decided to give the clinic a ring. The lady I spoke to was extremely polite and helpful and answered my questions. I decided to book a consultation with Doctor Reddy. She advised me to see his advisor first, but I decided to go straight to Doctor Reddy as I live in the North and the train to London is quite expensive to go back and forth.

 

So guys, my consultation with Doctor Reddy is in the middle of August. I'm pretty excited as it will be my first ever hair transplant consultation with a doctor which is cool. :) Even if I receive bad news about my hair, I still hope he can answer my questions and advise me on what to do next, that would be great!

I'll keep this post updated and write my report of my visit to the clinic in London. :D

 

All the best guys!

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That is a crazy time to wait for a consultation....Dr Reddy is a great doc but I am not mad on his hairlines and he is as expensive as Dr Lorenzo. If you are looking for 4000 grafts plus and FUE, then he would be the doc I would go to.

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That is a crazy time to wait for a consultation....Dr Reddy is a great doc but I am not mad on his hairlines and he is as expensive as Dr Lorenzo. If you are looking for 4000 grafts plus and FUE, then he would be the doc I would go to.

 

Thanks for you're response. :)

 

Really? The cost is something I am a little concerned about, because in the UK it seems to be very expensive to other places. I have heard all sorts of different prices about Doctor Reddy so I guess I'll just have to wait and see. I'm really keen to have FUE because of the scaring issue with FUT. However, if I could get a lot more hairs with FUT and things like that, then maybe I could consider it?

Hopefully, Doctor Reddy will be able to take a look at my donor area, areas of loss etc. and figure out were to go from there. :cool:

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Seems like your in the Dr Reddy zone due to location which is not good when dealing with your scalp.

Not knocking Dr Reddy but your in the UK & taking the euro tunnel to get into centre of Europe should be no big deal, you will have several worldwide to Drs to choose.

Turkey is not a long flight from the UK neither, so why you locked into Dr Reddy I've no clue plus his prices are OTT if you ask me but that's the UK for you.

I would defo keep your options open & seems to me that you need several thousand grafts so maybe FUT the first pass could & would be the better choice.

 

Have you thought of H&W in canada? They do FUT for big cases & consistantly come out with great results.

 

You only have limited donor so use it smartly esp the first HT.

 

I wish you the best its tuff choice.

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Sounds like he has already chosen Reddy subconsciously, and is just looking for validation, I.e. He will go with Reddy if Reddy doesn't do something aggregious during the consultation. My advice is go on the Reddy consultation, but keep an open mind and definitely consider Turkey surgeons.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • Regular Member

Thanks for your replies guys. :) I really appreciate your concerns as well so I'll definitely be keeping my options open.

 

So, yesterday was my consultation with Doctor Reddy and his Advisor. :cool:

 

 

I live in the North of England so travelling down to London was also a bit of an adventure to me. This was my first ever HT consultation so I was feeling pretty nervous, but once I arrived, I felt fine!

Finding the clinic was very easy as everything in that area is very well signed. As I walked in to the clinic, my first impression was 'WOW'. The place was stunning inside. It was incredibly clean and in a way, felt like you were in a palace rather than somewhere medical. The atmosphere was very relaxing and I felt at ease. I reported myself in at reception and I was given a form to fill out. This was just simple questions about my personal details and medical history etc. Everyone at reception was very friendly and smiley. :D I waited for about ten minutes, then Doctor Reddy's advisor came and got me. He was called David and I have to say, he was one of the nicest guys I've met. He was incredibly friendly and made me feel at ease. We went upstairs to a consultation room. I started of by explaining to him about how my hair loss is affecting me and my confidence and stuff like this. He then showed my some pictures of other hair loss sufferers who have had a HT there who have a similar pattern to me. We also agreed on the hairline that we would leave it slightly higher as I would rather focus on density than a perfect hairline! He was impressed with my knowledge about the procedure and I explained to him that I have been taking Propecia and Minoxidil for two years. The whole time, he was been so honest with me. He was saying things about how a hair transplant would never bring back all your hair but it's very possible to have a good transformation. He then explained to me about the whole procedure and what happens etc. as well as all the things you need to do afterwards. I heard some people on here say that the injections are not painful, but he told me that they can be very uncomfortable for 3-4 minutes when your getting them.

He then went to get the man himself, Doctor Reddy. Once more, Doctor Reddy was a great guy. He was very business like and straight to the point but extremely friendly and helpful at the same time. :) The doc then brushed my hair back to take a look at my hairline and inspected my scalp and donor area etc. He drew a hairline that we thought would be okay on to me and I was pretty happy with it! He said I had 8,000 good quality hairs for transplantation. He was disappointed that I hadn't gotten a little more regrowth or thickness from Propecia, especially on my crown. :( Doctor Reddy also told me that I would suit a shorter haircut than what I have because I have a really solid jaw line which is good I guess. :) They both advised my to keep on Proepcia though which I agreed with! My dad was also with me and we discussed about the procedure for a little longer and covered more options. Doctor Reddy recommended me a procedure of 2,000 Grafts. This would be about 6,000 Hairs. However, we thought it would be better to focus solely on the front and not so much on the crown. Sort of put what was left on to the crown. He said that in very bright lights my scalp still could be a tiny bit visible and I may be able to use some Toppik to really get that density look.

Doctor Reddy then went out again, and David discussed other questions and concerns we had. We also went through the pricing and financing for it and how it works.

Overall, this was a great experience and I really enjoyed my consultation. :) Doctor Reddy and David are very, very nice people and very genuine! I felt at easy and I felt I was been told the truth all the time. The clinic was immaculate and everything was well organised. It also had a really friendly to it too. All the nurses walking around would greet you with a smile and ask if you needed any help. This little details go a long way in my opinion. :)

 

I'm currently thinking it over what to do next. I feel 2,000 grafts would definitely make a difference to my hair, however, on a personal note, I really feel like I would need at least 3,000 to achieve a pretty good result. I know I have to be careful with my donor hair though. I'm now also concerned about my crown too. I would much rather have a better front than crown, but I would at least like to get some grafts up on the crown for a little more coverage. My parents would really like to see me go ahead with the procedure as they have seen how my hair loss has affected me and my confidence.

 

Anyway, that's my review of my consultation guys. I hope this can help you and I would certainly advise The Private Clinic! Doctor Reddy and David are top, top guys. :cool: Time to mull things over I guess.

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  • Regular Member

Hi Roberto,

 

Every situation is different and I do not know where you are on the NW scale, but I can say that 2000 grafts may be good if you are an NW 2 or 3, but if you are a 4 or above it is not going to do much for you. I would suggest you really do a lot of reading in the forums and look at pictures of others in your situation. It may help you stay realistic to what your results will be.

 

Good luck,

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You must have a lot of 3 hair grafts in order for him to calculate approx 6000 hairs from 2000 grafts....

 

The injections were the most painful part for me and I tend to think I have a pretty high pain threshold. I didn't take any of my post op pain or sleeping pills, but those scalp and forehead injections were unreal! lol.

 

Personally, if I was a NW 3+, I would have done FUT for max coverage, and then FUE for refinement/hairline work... but that is just me. Especially if you don't have good quality donor hair, it would be harder to camouflage the potential FUE dots (scars). If you tend to keep your hair at least a number 3 guard along the sides and back, I would strongly consider looking into FUT. That was another factor as to why I decided to do FUE. First was I only needed 1000 grafts, and secondly, I like my back and sides clipped down to a number 1.

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Thanks so much 't00ktheplunge' & 'Spidey' for your feedback and opinions based on my consultation. :)

 

I'm really thinking that I will need a solid 3000 Grafts in order for me to have a desirable result. I would prefer FUE, however, I normally wear my hair a two at the back, so I'm certainly not ruling FUT out too!

 

I have been incredibly impressed with Doctor Reddy and the Private Clinic. However, I'm not sure if I could really afford to go above 2000 Grafts with him. :( I know quality should come first, but I have to take in to consideration that I'm still young and I will also have university next year as well.

 

I think it would be good to have another consultation with a different doctor just to compare and weigh up my options? My latest research has led me to Doctor Bisanga. There are plenty of reviews about him and his clinic and I can't remember seeing anything negative! Everyone seems to speak highly of him and he seems very trustworthy as well as delivering good, solid results which is important. :) What do you guys think about Doctor Bisanga? Would he good a good choice? I wasn't that keen to go abroad, but I think Belgium seems to offer a more complete package compared to here in the UK? Does anyone have any experiences with Bisanga? Is he a nice guy etc? Thanks again everyone. :cool:

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Anyone? :D

 

You should definitely go after 3,000 grafts, 2,000 is really not that much, and won't make a significant difference if you are a higher Norwood. The last thing you want is to not be entirely satisfied and have to come back for a 2nd procedure shortly after the first to add density. Rather nail it in one go. If you want FUE, then the best three are Lorenzo, Feriduni and Erdogan. Maybe even Maras.

 

If you want FUT, then Hasson & Wong, Feriduni, Rahal, or Ron Shapiro.

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Thanks for your responses gentleman. :)

 

I tried Feriduni, but I'd have to wait until October 2016 for a consultation.. :eek:

 

I think I'm looking to stay in Europe as the USA and Canada travelling will probably be expensive and take the cost up a lot. :( But, those are great surgeons you mentioned! Hasson & Wong and Rahal look amazing!

 

I love Erdogan's works as well. I know this sounds terrible and I don't mean to offend anyone, but I'd be a bit nervous going to Istanbul right now, because of all the stuff going on.. :(

 

Does anyone else have any experience with Doctor Bisanga? Is he a nice guy and honest etc?

 

How about Doctor Mwamba, Doctor De Reys and Doctor Devroye? I think all these are listed as excellent surgeons in Belgium too? Or would you stick with Bisanga?

 

Thanks guys! I'm learning a lot from all this. :)

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Roberto,

 

Though it's a bit of a hassle, traveling is often "worth it" for a hair transplant surgery. Not to say you can't get great results locally. But a bit of travel is a "drop in the bucket" for amazing results in the end. 12 months from now, it'll absolutely seem worth it.

 

Did you consult with any doctor who performs both FUT and FUE? You've definitely done your research with respect to FUE. But it sounds like you need a lot of grafts. It also sounds like you're impressed with some of the big FUT results from guys like Hasson & Wong and Rahal. Strip gives you more "bang for your buck" with these size of procedures. It also sets you up better for additional procedures down the road. But I won't get too deep into that discussion here. However, it may be worthwhile for you to speak with one of these FUT doctors OR -- even better -- talk with a doctor who does both and see what he/she recommends.

 

Best of luck!

Dr. Blake Bloxham is recommended by the Hair Transplant Network.

 

 

Hair restoration physician - Feller and Bloxham Hair Transplantation

 

Previously "Future_HT_Doc" or "Blake_Bloxham" - forum co-moderator and editorial assistant for the Hair Transplant Network, Hair Restoration Network, Hair Loss Q&A blog, and Hair Loss Learning Center.

 

Click here to read my previous answers to hair loss and hair restoration questions, editorials, commentaries, and educational articles.

 

Now practicing hair transplant surgery with Coalition hair restoration physician Dr Alan Feller at our New York practice: Feller and Bloxham Hair Transplantation.

 

Please note: my advice does not constitute as medical advice. All medical questions and concerns should be addressed by a personal physician.

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  • Senior Member

Personally speaking even if I could afford it I wouldn't have a hair transplant in the UK .

I would go to one of the top Docs in the USA ,Europe or Turkey, OK USA is probably not feasible for you, but c'mon travelling to Belgium Spain or even Turkey is really not a biggie

Istanbul is very safe, in fact it's a beautiful city very friendly people.

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Roberto,

 

Though it's a bit of a hassle, traveling is often "worth it" for a hair transplant surgery. Not to say you can't get great results locally. But a bit of travel is a "drop in the bucket" for amazing results in the end. 12 months from now, it'll absolutely seem worth it.

 

Did you consult with any doctor who performs both FUT and FUE? You've definitely done your research with respect to FUE. But it sounds like you need a lot of grafts. It also sounds like you're impressed with some of the big FUT results from guys like Hasson & Wong and Rahal. Strip gives you more "bang for your buck" with these size of procedures. It also sets you up better for additional procedures down the road. But I won't get too deep into that discussion here. However, it may be worthwhile for you to speak with one of these FUT doctors OR -- even better -- talk with a doctor who does both and see what he/she recommends.

 

Best of luck!

 

Doctor Bloxham,

 

Thank you so much for getting back to me. :)

 

From the feedback you and others have given me about travelling, I'm now agreeing that is probably a better thing to do in order to find a sensible balance between quality and cost.

 

So far, I have only consulted with Doctor Reddy and his method is 3G FUE. I'm currently weighing up my options though and considering choosing another doctor for a consultation to some up my options. I've just been reading about that, especially if you are fairly young and need a fair few grafts, FUT might be a better choice as it will also leave you with a better donor area for the future? :)

I think that would be a good idea as well. Doctor Reddy was an outstanding doctor, but I think to keep my options open, I should try and meet with a doctor who does both FUE & FUT. Also, if you under-went a FUT surgery, if you go abroad, would you have to stay for a while to get the stitches removed? I've heard some guys say they just fall out after a while?

 

Thanks again for the re-assurance and advice. It's much appreciated! :)

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Personally speaking even if I could afford it I wouldn't have a hair transplant in the UK .

I would go to one of the top Docs in the USA ,Europe or Turkey, OK USA is probably not feasible for you, but c'mon travelling to Belgium Spain or even Turkey is really not a biggie

Istanbul is very safe, in fact it's a beautiful city very friendly people.

 

Thanks for you're response Mick. :)

 

You are right.. I think travelling to Belgium, Spain or Turkey probably wouldn't be as big deal as I thought. :rolleyes:

Thanks for the heads up about Istanbul. It does indeed look like an extremely beautiful and interesting city.

I think at the moment, Belgium is probably on my mind the most as there are also some good train links to it.

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Okay guys, I have decided to take the advice and I think it would be good to consult with a doctor who does both FUE & FUT just to get their opinion on which would be the best for me and if I'm a suitable candidate etc. :)

 

My first consultation was with Doctor Reddy which went really well. :cool: I've decided that my next focus and choice is Doctor Bisanga. I've been in touch with Stephen, so hopefully I can get fixed up for a consultation with Doctor Bisanga! (Fingers crossed).

 

I have chosen Doctor Bisanga to pursue next basically because I have read so many positive reviews about him and a lot of people say he is a top surgeon. He also performs both methods of transplantation. Let me know what you guys think of this decision.

 

The journey continues. Cheers guys. :)

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Hey Roberto,

 

Absolutely!

 

If there is a doctor you think best suits your needs, I think you'll be pleased you traveled to see this doc in the end.

 

I'm glad you were able to consult with Dr Reddy. He's been thoroughly screened and approved by our community here, and it's good you were able to get the perspective of an FUE-only doctor.

 

Consulting with multiple doctors is always worthwhile, in my opinion. Sometimes patients almost confess to me that they've consulted with other doctors. And they seem a bit surprised when I tell them: "that's great! Consult with a few more." Haha.

 

Obviously the whole "FUE v FUT" thing is a bit of a hot button issue at the moment. But I agree 100% with what you wrote about FUT above.

 

I think the fact that you've seen an FUE only doctor and you're toying with the idea of both is a good reason to consult with a doctor who does both. It would be interesting to see what someone with the capacity to perform either recommends for you.

 

You don't have to stay for the suture/staple removal. This is generally anywhere between 7-14 days out, and most don't want to hang around for that long! However, I do recommend staying the night before and the day after. It just makes it a bit easier/less stressful for you. But the clinic you do eventually go with may have specific instructions. So they may say differently -- and these are the instructions you should follow.

 

We close with staples, so I've never seen one fall out. I suppose you could have a stitch or two come undone, but I don't think I've really seen this either. They may be describing dissolvable of absorbable sutures? These do have a tendency to seem like they are "falling out" as they naturally break down.

 

Hope this helps! Look forward to your reply.

Dr. Blake Bloxham is recommended by the Hair Transplant Network.

 

 

Hair restoration physician - Feller and Bloxham Hair Transplantation

 

Previously "Future_HT_Doc" or "Blake_Bloxham" - forum co-moderator and editorial assistant for the Hair Transplant Network, Hair Restoration Network, Hair Loss Q&A blog, and Hair Loss Learning Center.

 

Click here to read my previous answers to hair loss and hair restoration questions, editorials, commentaries, and educational articles.

 

Now practicing hair transplant surgery with Coalition hair restoration physician Dr Alan Feller at our New York practice: Feller and Bloxham Hair Transplantation.

 

Please note: my advice does not constitute as medical advice. All medical questions and concerns should be addressed by a personal physician.

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