Pics and Stats with first surgery on the way

[Stig]

Ok I will add him.

 

Do these guys have any different reputation when it comes to the incision / closing of wound to make for quicker heal time / reduced scarring? I dont want to overthink here, but scar isnt issue for me, turnaround time is. I have a month to work with for recovery. Masking agents to be used once back on feet. Wong told me 3 weeks, Konior told me 10-14 days, Ill likely just wait full month.

 

Makes little difference amongst these surgeons to be quite honest. Only variables is the size/width of the strip and method of closing. Wong uses staples which come out at day 14, Shapiro and Rahal use sutures which come out at day 12. Thereafter the healing

period is the exact same. I have no idea who'se scar heals the best, I believe they all use single blades and the same closure method. I would assume staples are more noticible initially. Don't otherthink this part, all that should matter is which of the above best meet your goals.

[esrec]

Makes little difference amongst these surgeons to be quite honest. Only variables is the size/width of the strip and method of closing. Wong uses staples which come out at day 14, Shapiro and Rahal use sutures which come out at day 12. Thereafter the healing

period is the exact same. I have no idea who'se scar heals the best, I believe they all use single blades and the same closure method. I would assume staples are more noticible initially. Don't otherthink this part, all that should matter is which of the above best meet your goals.

 

Awesome info. Thanks. I think the scarring concern is sometimes oversimplified. I dont care about a scar that heals correctly. Initially pain and recovery time caused by the incision is something I needed to factor. Very different things. I dont see myself wearing hair short, but lifestyle bounce back important.

 

You the man. Appreciate it.

[Stig]

You the man. Appreciate it.

 

Hence they call me The Stig!

 

I felt discomfort for the 12 days the sutures were in, but once those came out, felt a millions times better!

[fortune11]

Any update on your consults? Curious to see what differences were there in the different recommendations.

[esrec]

Any update on your consults? Curious to see what differences were there in the different recommendations.

 

Thanks for checking in.

 

This week I've spoken with Dr. Wong, Ron Shapiro and Konior. Suffice to say after very detailed conversations which each I'd feel comfortable moving forward with all of them. Pretty amazing guys.

 

Common themes:

 

* Confirmed I am a good candidate with strong characteristics for either surgery.

 

* 2000-2500 target graft count provided by each. This confirms the ultra-conservative # I came in here with and have since revised. Thank you all.

 

* FUE vs FUT- They were all fair in stating they have witnessed nearly equivalent results, but its just much less predictable with FUE, That FUT the safer bet for outcome, if even equivalency CAN be achieved. Analogy Dr. Shapiro used was 10 patients come in for FUT and FUE, 5 of 10 will achieve equivalent results.

 

* Concealers: I mention bc I do have a good amount of hair and rely heavily on masking agents, that keeping up appearances is a big part of my decision. I realize this differs for some, but to me, im of mindset Ive endured too much to let cat out of the bag now. I also plan to have an age appropriate hairline not very different from my revised hairline in pics. : Konior: 7 days courve/derm or Toppik. Shapiro / Wong: 3 weeks. No major concerns raised, except to wash gently and regularly.

 

*Scarring: Explained that the final scar is less important that the downtime created by it. Part of me admittedly afraid of mobility limitations and numbness. Theyve assured me I'll feel pretty good once sutures removed. I feel like this is the least predictable but welcome thoughts.

 

Doctors

 

Wong: Really like him. I've heard he focuses on massive sessions and not as familiar with his hairline work so would like more feedback here. I have a hold for surgery with him on 9/29. H+W in general seem low risk.

 

Konior: Extremely impressed. Super meticulous, analytic and very thorough which I like. Didnt seem to have an agenda of any kind, felt very sincere. He's booked for a while otherwise my decision would be even more challenging. Like that he only does one procedure a day.

 

Shapiro: Spoke to Ron for an hour last night. Tremendous guy. He walked through every one of my questions and had very thoughtful ones of his own. Very good at setting expectations. You can tell when someone is really thinking about your case vs just serving up cookie cutter responses on the procedures. I left that call feeling extremely confident leaving my hair in his hands. I have a hold for surgery with him on 9/29 as well.

 

***Part of me feels the need to speak w/ an FUE expert to balance opinion. Waiting for Bisanga and Ferudini feedback

 

Side notes:

 

*shaving recipient area with FUT versus working around smaller finer hairs. Mixed opinions on importance of this from each doc

*scalp elasticity exercises mentioned by Wong but not others.

*Incision size based on # of grafts needed

*discussion around pain/soreness of incision vs numbness/tightness

 

The last 24 hours I've been pretty jumpy. I feel good about the list and now the reality of potentially pulling the trigger in 10 days is setting in. Part of me doesnt want a scar, or to shave my head, and wants perfect results but knows I cant have it all. Focusing on positives.

 

With 30 days + off and ability to use agents I feel good about "appearances" aspect and just need a kick in the butt to move forward. Think Im close.

Edited September 20, 2015 by esrec

[Stig]

Thanks for checking in.

 

This week I've spoken with Dr. Wong, Ron Shapiro and Konior. Suffice to say after very detailed conversations which each I'd feel comfortable moving forward with all of them. Pretty amazing guys.

 

Common themes:

 

* Confirmed I am a good candidate with strong characteristics for either surgery.

 

* 2000-2500 target graft count provided by each. This confirms the ultra-conservative # I came in here with and have since revised. Thank you all.

 

* FUE vs FUT- They were all fair in stating they have witnessed nearly equivalent results, but its just much less predictable with FUE, That FUT the safer bet for outcome, if even equivalency CAN be achieved. Analogy Dr. Shapiro used was 10 patients come in for FUT and FUE, 5 of 10 will achieve equivalent results.

 

* Concealers: I mention bc I do have a good amount of hair and rely heavily on masking agents, that keeping up appearances is a big part of my decision. I realize this differs for some, but to me, im of mindset Ive endured too much to let cat out of the bag now. I also plan to have an age appropriate hairline not very different from my revised hairline in pics. : Konior: 7 days courve/derm or Toppik. Shapiro / Wong: 3 weeks. No major concerns raised, except to wash gently and regularly.

 

*Scarring: Explained that the final scar is less important that the downtime created by it. Part of me admittedly afraid of mobility limitations and numbness. Theyve assured me I'll feel pretty good once sutures removed. I feel like this is the least predictable but welcome thoughts.

 

Doctors

 

Wong: Really like him. I've heard he focuses on massive sessions and not as familiar with his hairline work so would like more feedback here. I have a hold for surgery with him on 9/29. H+W in general seem low risk.

 

Konior: Extremely impressed. Super meticulous, analytic and very thorough which I like. Didnt seem to have an agenda of any kind, felt very sincere. He's booked for a while otherwise my decision would be even more challenging. Like that he only does one procedure a day.

 

Shapiro: Spoke to Ron for an hour last night. Tremendous guy. He walked through every one of my questions and had very thoughtful ones of his own. Very good at setting expectations. You can tell when someone is really thinking about your case vs just serving up cookie cutter responses on the procedures. I left that call feeling extremely confident leaving my hair in his hands. I have a hold for surgery with him on 9/29 as well.

 

***Part of me feels the need to speak w/ an FUE expert to balance opinion. Waiting for Bisanga and Ferudini feedback

 

Side notes:

 

*shaving recipient area with FUT versus working around smaller finer hairs. Mixed opinions on importance of this from each doc

*scalp elasticity exercises mentioned by Wong but not others.

*Incision size based on # of grafts needed

*discussion around pain/soreness of incision vs numbness/tightness

 

The last 24 hours I've been pretty jumpy. I feel good about the list and now the reality of potentially pulling the trigger in 10 days is setting in. Part of me doesnt want a scar, or to shave my head, and wants perfect results but knows I cant have it all. Focusing on positives.

 

With 30 days + off and ability to use agents I feel good about "appearances" aspect and just need a kick in the butt to move forward. Think Im close.

 

sounds like Shapiro is your man, just make sure you go with Ron and not his brother Paul . I would go with him based on what your wrote, and he produces the best hairlines out of the 3. Personally, I think Dr Hasson is better known for hairlines than Dr Wong, but like you said, if you are doing work on the crown area, Dr Wong is the master. Shapiro is definitely an excellent choice mate - you won't regret it. Look what he did for Sunnycool. His clinic also won't insist on making you shave. Start doing scalp laxity exercises right away.

[delancey]

I'm a big fan of Dr. Ron Shapiro's hairlines. Best of luck.

[fortune11]

Good notes there. Dr Ron is a great choice . Having been under his scalpel twice (2004 and then again this year) , I can attest to his patient care ethics and transplant skills, especially on hairlines. When I first went to him , I only had a small 1600 grafts session on the hairline, but he made every single one of them count.

 

Given it is your first time , scar widening will most likely not be an issue , most people have enough laxity in the beginning . I am only having problems with the scar this time around (HT #3) -- as the tension finally became too much (laxity gone) which no amount of scalp exercises before transplant can fix (I was doing the exercises for a good 4 months).

 

Having been thus "stripped out" my final alternative to squeeze out whatever remaining donor I have is to go the FUE route. Plan is within the next 6 months .

[1978matt]

 

* FUE vs FUT- They were all fair in stating they have witnessed nearly equivalent results, but its just much less predictable with FUE, That FUT the safer bet for outcome, if even equivalency CAN be achieved. Analogy Dr. Shapiro used was 10 patients come in for FUT and FUE, 5 of 10 will achieve equivalent results.

 

 

 

Oh dear, the FUE gurus aren't going to like that;).

 

 

 

***Part of me feels the need to speak w/ an FUE expert to balance opinion. Waiting for Bisanga and Ferudini feedback

 

 

 

Contrary to popular belief, all three of the doctors you spoke to are FUE experts although it is probable that Dr Wong may not have performed quite as many FUE procedures as the other two.

 

No harm getting other opinions. Look forward to reading them.

[Dr Blake Bloxham]

Esrec,

 

Thanks for keeping us updated! You're clearly doing your research, and this will lead you to the best chances in the end.

 

Glad to see you received some balanced input on the FUE v FUT issue -- from doctors who do both. I think Dr Ron's analogy is very open and honest!

[Stig]

 

Contrary to popular belief, all three of the doctors you spoke to are FUE experts although it is probable that Dr Wong may not have performed quite as many FUE procedures as the other two.

.

 

Not probable - it's a fact he hasn't performed as many

[esrec]

sounds like Shapiro is your man, just make sure you go with Ron and not his brother Paul . I would go with him based on what your wrote, and he produces the best hairlines out of the 3. Personally, I think Dr Hasson is better known for hairlines than Dr Wong, but like you said, if you are doing work on the crown area, Dr Wong is the master. Shapiro is definitely an excellent choice mate - you won't regret it. Look what he did for Sunnycool. His clinic also won't insist on making you shave. Start doing scalp laxity exercises right away.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I feel pretty strongly about Dr. Ron (that's who I'm scheduled with) after our conversation. He was ok, like you said, in working around the smaller, finer hairs vs shaving--but asked that I was open to closer examination once there. Concealers, which do play a part in timing for me, I'm just going to avoid for a full month.

 

Do these exercises actually work? I gotta look up what to do.

[esrec]

Good notes there. Dr Ron is a great choice . Having been under his scalpel twice (2004 and then again this year) , I can attest to his patient care ethics and transplant skills, especially on hairlines. When I first went to him , I only had a small 1600 grafts session on the hairline, but he made every single one of them count.

 

Given it is your first time , scar widening will most likely not be an issue , most people have enough laxity in the beginning . I am only having problems with the scar this time around (HT #3) -- as the tension finally became too much (laxity gone) which no amount of scalp exercises before transplant can fix (I was doing the exercises for a good 4 months).

 

Having been thus "stripped out" my final alternative to squeeze out whatever remaining donor I have is to go the FUE route. Plan is within the next 6 months .

 

Really appreciate this feedback. Also just sent you a PM. I feel pretty fortunate I was able to sneak a procedure on cal for Dr. Ron in such a short period of time. My only concerns at this point are self inflicted.

 

The charade of hiding this and moving around and plotting for enough time off to heal and re-introduce concealers (if even briefly) is maybe more exhausting than the actual process of surgery Overall, feeling good. Will make a decision soon.

[esrec]

Oh dear, the FUE gurus aren't going to like that;).

 

But fair, no? Its a matter of patient profile and skill, which simply makes one more predictable, not necessarily "better"

 

Contrary to popular belief, all three of the doctors you spoke to are FUE experts although it is probable that Dr Wong may not have performed quite as many FUE procedures as the other two.

 

No harm getting other opinions. Look forward to reading them.

 

Spoke to Stephen at Dr. Bisanga office this morning. Only complicating things further. Both his recommendation and painfully awesome approach and demeanor. What a guy.

[Stig]

Thanks for the feedback. I feel pretty strongly about Dr. Ron (that's who I'm scheduled with) after our conversation. He was ok, like you said, in working around the smaller, finer hairs vs shaving--but asked that I was open to closer examination once there. Concealers, which do play a part in timing for me, I'm just going to avoid for a full month.

 

Do these exercises actually work? I gotta look up what to do.

 

Yeah they do - should be in Shapiro's pre-op instructions

[Stig]

Spoke to Stephen at Dr. Bisanga office this morning. Only complicating things further. Both his recommendation and painfully awesome approach and demeanor. What a guy.

 

Bisanga's hairlines are very very conservative - not in the same leaque as Rahal & Shapiro

[esrec]

Booked with Dr. Ron Shapiro a week from today, 9/29 for my FUT procedure. 2000 +/- session.

 

I'm as excited as I am petrified. Trying to not make the moment more than it needs to be, but it's difficult not to. As most of you can appreciate, just a culmination of thoughts and frustrations over many years taking form.

 

Thanks to all who helped coach me through this decision.

Edited September 23, 2015 by esrec

[sl]

Hi Esrec, thank you for the kind words and was a pleasure talking to you and as said you are in good hands with Dr.Ron or any of the clinics you have approached. Nerves are totally normal and I get them even after many surgeries so that's all normal for sure.

 

Keep us posted and all the best and you will should get a very nice outcome.

[Dr Blake Bloxham]

Esrec,

 

How exciting! Congratulations! Keep us updated on your progress.

 

It's been a pleasure discussing all this with you. You really did your due diligence, and I think it'll pay off nicely in the end!

[mav23100gunther]

Booked with Dr. Ron Shapiro a week from today, 9/29 for my FUT procedure. 2000 +/- session.

 

I'm as excited as I am petrified. Trying to not make the moment more than it need to be, but it's difficult not to. As most of you can appreciate, just a culmination of thoughts and frustrations over many years taking form.

 

Thanks to all who helped coach me through this decision.

 

Excellent choice buddy - you've come along way since the Dr Bernstein nonsense - good on you!

[esrec]

Esrec,

 

How exciting! Congratulations! Keep us updated on your progress.

 

It's been a pleasure discussing all this with you. You really did your due diligence, and I think it'll pay off nicely in the end!

 

Wouldnt have arrived here without your guidance. Thanks so much.

[Petchski]

Surgery tomorrow then. You make a good choice, i have seen so many excellent results from Dr R Shipiro. If you don't shave down you should be okay for concelears to do there job 4 weeks later.

 

Grow well Esrec, the most painful thing will be the injections, but really the hardest thing is the waiting.

[esrec]

Surgery tomorrow then. You make a good choice, i have seen so many excellent results from Dr R Shipiro. If you don't shave down you should be okay for concelears to do there job 4 weeks later.

 

Grow well Esrec, the most painful thing will be the injections, but really the hardest thing is the waiting.

 

Thanks man. A few hours to go...

[Garageland]

All the best with your surgery for today you are in very safe hands.