Dr Rahal - 2,245 graft procedure FUT

[mav23100gunther]

Dear All,

 

I just had a procedure with Dr Rahal. This was my 2nd procedure after having my 1st with a New York surgeon who shall remain unnamed. Full review to follow.

 

Before pictures attached

[mav23100gunther]

Day 1 post surgery pictures

Edited December 24, 2015 by mav23100gunther

[leftygolfer71]

looks good!

[mav23100gunther]

David / Bill,

 

I just typed a long detailed review, but it got flagged for moderation. Please can you approve it or let me know what I need to change

[esrec]

Sweet lines my man! Looking good! I didnt realize you had that much hair to start

[mav23100gunther]

Sweet lines my man! Looking good! I didnt realize you had that much hair to start

 

Remember that's after my 1st procedure - Rahal was my 2nd pass

[mav23100gunther]

As mentioned, I had my first strip FUT surgery with a recommended New York surgeon. I thought he produced a solid result, however, he was very limited in the number of grafts he could take in the first pass, and in hindsight I should have gone with a different surgeon who can perform mega-sessions.

 

Research:

 

I began researching my 2nd procedure early this year, and used this forum to conduct hours upon hours of research. After hearing from the NY surgeon that I would need a 2nd pass to add density, I decided to go with one of the best of the best FUT surgeons, and opened myself up to travelling which I never did the first time.

 

After the initial research, I narrowed my list to Dr Rahal, Dr Ron Shapiro, and Dr Hasson. I also strongly considered Konior, Feriduni, and Bisanga.

 

Dr Ron Shapiro - I can't say enough how impressed I was with this clinic. Matt Z was outstanding in his phone conversation with me, and I really liked the plan Dr Shapiro had in mind for me.

 

Dr Victor Hasson - Once again, I can think of nothing bad to say about Dr Hasson, and for a long time I was torn between Dr Hasson and Dr Rahal. Dr Hasson assessed my remaining donor supply at 7,000 grafts compared with around 4,000 - 5,000 assessed byDr Rahal. If This was my first procedure, then I probably would have gone with Hasson over Rahal to hit out the max number of grafts in a 1st pass.

 

Dr Rahal - As mentioned, it was really really tough choosing between these three. After comparing thousands of pictures, it was Rahal's hairline that threw me over the line. One of my goals with this procedure was to re-inforce the hairline and add density to frontal third. I did fly out to Ottawa for an in-person consultation with Dr Rahal. Unfortunately he was somewhat distracted, and seemed to be needed in the OR during my apointment which makes complete sense, and I completely understood that he needed to be with the patient. He personally phoned my cellphone over the weekend to apologize and stated that the timing was bad that day, and offered to fly me back to Ottawa for another consultation at his expense. We did have a good chat over the phone, and I felt really good about his plan for me. So after much deliberation, Rahal it was.

 

Dr Rahal pre-apointment - I dealt with Kamila as my contact person at Rahal, and she was absolutely outstanding. She e-mailed me constantly during the build-up, and started checking in weekly on a weekly basis as we got close. She was able to answer all my questions, and addressed all my pre-surgery concerns.

 

The Guesthouse - I stayed in the private suite, however, spent all my time in the common area. I met up with some truly good people there this past week, and folks that I hope to keep in contact with - these being the 2 patients from the Monday surgery, and the guy who had FUE on the same day as me, and who stole the infamous Mike , the head nurse. We called ourselves the final 4. When I was eating breakfast on the Tuesday before my surgery, one of the Monday patients came out of his room to see us off. Once again, a big shout out to the final 4! Although I was in a lot of pain last night, it was great just chilling in the common area watching TV and talking guy stuff. Oh, did I mention how fantastic the rooms are? Definitely better than staying at a hotel.

 

The procedure - Went in at 6:30. Dr Rahal performs 2 a day, and the FUE guy started at 6am. I was greeted by Dr Rahal, and he confirmed whether I was happy with the hairline he drew the day before. When I gave him the thumbs up, I was prepared for surgery, got some final pictures taken, and then taken to the OR. I was given some medication and some sort of injection into my arm. They definitely calmed my nerves. I elected to have my head completely shaved, and then Dr Rahal then came in and adminestered the numbing. I'm not going to lie, the numbing injections hurt like a MOTHER....., although they are quick. The injections into the forehead are the worst. Unfortunately the freezing wore off at various stages of the procedure, however, Dr Rahal was always quick to apply more when I asked.

 

After the initial freezing, Dr Rahal cut the strip. For my first procedure, I was told to lie on my belly, however, Dr Rahal prefers a sitting upright position. We aimed for 2,500 grafts, however Dr Rahal was always upfront with me that he may get less than that. I agreed with his approach not to push the limit and risk a stretching scar. The good doctor managed to get 2,245 grafts, which I was more than happy with. There was an area on the top of my head that he therefore left untouched. The strip extraction took around 45 minutes to an hours, and then I got a restroom break. Then some more numbing, and then Dr Rahal started the incision making process, which took around an hour to an hour and a half I think. Luckily for me he gave me his full attention. He did try to make small talk, but I deliberately kept it to a minimum as I wanted him to do his thing. The incision making process ended at around 10, and then the technicions started the placement. I was very impressed at how efficient and quick they were. They can best be described like ants doing their thing with perfect German engineering. They did let me watch Netflix, and were always checking in with me. What struck me was how good they communicated with each other. You can tell this clinic has this process down to a T. We did break for lunch, although I gulped down my sandwitch quickly so that the techs could continue the placements and limit the amount of time those grafts are out of body. Dr Rahal did check in at numerous points, and I never got the sense that him working on two procedures concurrently ever compromised the time he spent on mine. He really does have a efficient process, and I never felt any of it was rushed. I think Dr Rahal has gotten an unfair online reputation, and is only doing what every other top surgeon in the world not named Konior does. In fact, I take exception to the Rahal vs Erdogan thread where a poster stated that Rahal does 2 procedures a day without mentioning that Erdogan performs up to 4 a day I believe.

 

We were completed by around 2:30pm in the afternoon, and Dr Rahal came in for a final check of the grafts. Once he was satisfied, got the post-op instructions, and was then personally escorted back to the guesthouse. Popped some medication, and then spent the rest of the day (and night) chilling with the final foour in the common area.

 

Post-op

 

Went in at 9:30 today for cleaning. Staff gave me a thorough demonstartion on the washing, and then more photos. Dr Rahal came in to check the grafts, and answered some of my questions. Then I met with Kamille again. I was refunded for the grafts I never got, and was then pleasently surprized to find out that Rahal also refunded me the money I spent on the guesthouse as another gesture for the day when I came in for a consultation and he was needed in the OR. As I was walking out the door, Dr Rahal actually called me back, and we had another 10-15 conversation. He said he felt as if we never had enough one on one time, although I do take the blame for not talking with him during the incision process as I wanted him to do his thing without me distracting him. Dr Rahal is a true gentlemen, and I am convinced he was the absolute right choice for my surgery, and is one of the best HT surgeons in the world. We taled about the challenges he encountered during my procedure as he had to work with angles used by my 1st surgeon, and well as the fact I was bleeding alot. At the guesthouse I met some higher NW patients getting crown work and higher coverage area procedures. Initially I thought he was just renowned for his hairlines, but now I believe he can do it all. I also think he is vastly underrated when it comes to FUE. Folks, believe me when I say that Dr Rahal is one of the best in the world. I'm exhasuted now, but will post more later.

Edited December 24, 2015 by David - Moderator

[Louisjams]

Sounds like you did not like your first procedure but it looked pretty good to me. Good luck with #2!

[Rawkerboi]

Excited to read detail review

[TakingThePlunge]

I've gone ahead and edited and approved the post.

 

Great write up! Dr. Rahal never fails to impress with his excellent work. I'll be looking forward to your updates.

[mav23100gunther]

I've gone ahead and edited and approved the post.

 

Great write up! Dr. Rahal never fails to impress with his excellent work. I'll be looking forward to your updates.

 

Thanks David, I'll definitely keep this thread updated.

[mav23100gunther]

Sounds like you did not like your first procedure but it looked pretty good to me. Good luck with #2!

 

No I was happy with the procedure itself, just would have preferred to do it in a single pass. I really did most of my research for #2 and went for a better surgeon in my opinion

[Britanium]

Wow nice write up :-)

[leftygolfer71]

As mentioned, I had my first strip FUT surgery with a recommended New York surgeon. I thought he produced a solid result, however, he was very limited in the number of grafts he could take in the first pass, and in hindsight I should have gone with a different surgeon who can perform mega-sessions.

 

Research:

 

I began researching my 2nd procedure early this year, and used this forum to conduct hours upon hours of research. After hearing from the NY surgeon that I would need a 2nd pass to add density, I decided to go with one of the best of the best FUT surgeons, and opened myself up to travelling which I never did the first time.

 

After the initial research, I narrowed my list to Dr Rahal, Dr Ron Shapiro, and Dr Hasson. I also strongly considered Konior, Feriduni, and Bisanga.

 

Dr Ron Shapiro - I can't say enough how impressed I was with this clinic. Matt Z was outstanding in his phone conversation with me, and I really liked the plan Dr Shapiro had in mind for me.

 

Dr Victor Hasson - Once again, I can think of nothing bad to say about Dr Hasson, and for a long time I was torn between Dr Hasson and Dr Rahal. Dr Hasson assessed my remaining donor supply at 7,000 grafts compared with around 4,000 - 5,000 assessed byDr Rahal. If This was my first procedure, then I probably would have gone with Hasson over Rahal to hit out the max number of grafts in a 1st pass.

 

Dr Rahal - As mentioned, it was really really tough choosing between these three. After comparing thousands of pictures, it was Rahal's hairline that threw me over the line. One of my goals with this procedure was to re-inforce the hairline and add density to frontal third. I did fly out to Ottawa for an in-person consultation with Dr Rahal. Unfortunately he was somewhat distracted, and seemed to be needed in the OR during my apointment which makes complete sense, and I completely understood that he needed to be with the patient. He personally phoned my cellphone over the weekend to apologize and stated that the timing was bad that day, and offered to fly me back to Ottawa for another consultation at his expense. We did have a good chat over the phone, and I felt really good about his plan for me. So after much deliberation, Rahal it was.

 

Dr Rahal pre-apointment - I dealt with Kamila as my contact person at Rahal, and she was absolutely outstanding. She e-mailed me constantly during the build-up, and started checking in weekly on a weekly basis as we got close. She was able to answer all my questions, and addressed all my pre-surgery concerns.

 

The Guesthouse - I stayed in the private suite, however, spent all my time in the common area. I met up with some truly good people there this past week, and folks that I hope to keep in contact with - these being the 2 patients from the Monday surgery, and the guy who had FUE on the same day as me, and who stole the infamous Mike , the head nurse. We called ourselves the final 4. When I was eating breakfast on the Tuesday before my surgery, one of the Monday patients came out of his room to see us off. Once again, a big shout out to the final 4! Although I was in a lot of pain last night, it was great just chilling in the common area watching TV and talking guy stuff. Oh, did I mention how fantastic the rooms are? Definitely better than staying at a hotel.

 

The procedure - Went in at 6:30. Dr Rahal performs 2 a day, and the FUE guy started at 6am. I was greeted by Dr Rahal, and he confirmed whether I was happy with the hairline he drew the day before. When I gave him the thumbs up, I was prepared for surgery, got some final pictures taken, and then taken to the OR. I was given some medication and some sort of injection into my arm. They definitely calmed my nerves. I elected to have my head completely shaved, and then Dr Rahal then came in and adminestered the numbing. I'm not going to lie, the numbing injections hurt like a MOTHER....., although they are quick. The injections into the forehead are the worst. Unfortunately the freezing wore off at various stages of the procedure, however, Dr Rahal was always quick to apply more when I asked.

 

After the initial freezing, Dr Rahal cut the strip. For my first procedure, I was told to lie on my belly, however, Dr Rahal prefers a sitting upright position. We aimed for 2,500 grafts, however Dr Rahal was always upfront with me that he may get less than that. I agreed with his approach not to push the limit and risk a stretching scar. The good doctor managed to get 2,245 grafts, which I was more than happy with. There was an area on the top of my head that he therefore left untouched. The strip extraction took around 45 minutes to an hours, and then I got a restroom break. Then some more numbing, and then Dr Rahal started the incision making process, which took around an hour to an hour and a half I think. Luckily for me he gave me his full attention. He did try to make small talk, but I deliberately kept it to a minimum as I wanted him to do his thing. The incision making process ended at around 10, and then the technicions started the placement. I was very impressed at how efficient and quick they were. They can best be described like ants doing their thing with perfect German engineering. They did let me watch Netflix, and were always checking in with me. What struck me was how good they communicated with each other. You can tell this clinic has this process down to a T. We did break for lunch, although I gulped down my sandwitch quickly so that the techs could continue the placements and limit the amount of time those grafts are out of body. Dr Rahal did check in at numerous points, and I never got the sense that him working on two procedures concurrently ever compromised the time he spent on mine. He really does have a efficient process, and I never felt any of it was rushed. I think Dr Rahal has gotten an unfair online reputation, and is only doing what every other top surgeon in the world not named Konior does. In fact, I take exception to the Rahal vs Erdogan thread where a poster stated that Rahal does 2 procedures a day without mentioning that Erdogan performs up to 4 a day I believe.

 

We were completed by around 2:30pm in the afternoon, and Dr Rahal came in for a final check of the grafts. Once he was satisfied, got the post-op instructions, and was then personally escorted back to the guesthouse. Popped some medication, and then spent the rest of the day (and night) chilling with the final foour in the common area.

 

Post-op

 

Went in at 9:30 today for cleaning. Staff gave me a thorough demonstartion on the washing, and then more photos. Dr Rahal came in to check the grafts, and answered some of my questions. Then I met with Kamille again. I was refunded for the grafts I never got, and was then pleasently surprized to find out that Rahal also refunded me the money I spent on the guesthouse as another gesture for the day when I came in for a consultation and he was needed in the OR. As I was walking out the door, Dr Rahal actually called me back, and we had another 10-15 conversation. He said he felt as if we never had enough one on one time, although I do take the blame for not talking with him during the incision process as I wanted him to do his thing without me distracting him. Dr Rahal is a true gentlemen, and I am convinced he was the absolute right choice for my surgery, and is one of the best HT surgeons in the world. We taled about the challenges he encountered during my procedure as he had to work with angles used by my 1st surgeon, and well as the fact I was bleeding alot. At the guesthouse I met some higher NW patients getting crown work and higher coverage area procedures. Initially I thought he was just renowned for his hairlines, but now I believe he can do it all. I also think he is vastly underrated when it comes to FUE. Folks, believe me when I say that Dr Rahal is one of the best in the world. I'm exhasuted now, but will post more later.

 

 

Great write up! I had my FUT with Rahal on Oct 28th. I can't wait to go back in ayear to do the crown. Congrats!

[xabi86]

Great write up and mate I think you'll have a killer result given 2300+ grafts were implanted in a relatively small area. That hairline will look great in six months time.

 

I've reached six months now as well, will be updating my thread shortly as well.

[ersko72]

Great review Mav23100gunther. I've noticed you as a regular poster during my own research process and I hope you have a wonderful final result.

[mav23100gunther]

Cheers Ersko, I'll comment on your review in your thread! Happy growing

[Stig]

Very nice review mate. Happy growing!

[home1212]

nice write up of your experience, I know exactly how you feel in just having chosen the right surgeon like Rahal for your case, it makes all the difference in the world! congrats and best wishes in your healing and growth

[mav23100gunther]

1 week update. Will be posting some more pre-op and post-op pictures from the clinic later this evening.

 

The week just flew by. I spent a few days in Toronto after leaving Ottawa, and when I was leaving Toronto to return to the States, a US Customs official randomly asked me if I was coming from the hair doctor in Ottawa. My head was covered in the black surgical hat provided by Rahal, and he had no way of knowing that I was just in Ottawa - so that was a very interesting encounter. I guess he sees a lot of Rahal patients connecting through Toronto.

 

I have a red patch which I will point out in the picture just behind the transplanted hairs that had me slightly concerned. I e-mailed it to the clinic, and Larissa re-assured me that it was nothing to be concerned about. Also have some numbness at the back of my head in the area above where the strip was removed. This never happened after my 1st procedure, but I had read it is common. Hopefully it doesn't linger too long. Other than that nothing else to report. Just been going through the post-op routine and anticipating what my head will look like in a year from now. Pictures to follow.

[mav23100gunther]

Couple of pre-op and post-op pictures/ The last picture is 1 week post-op, you can see the red patch I was referencing to earlier.

[vanseb]

Hello Mav, I know you were really set on Hasson from H&W for a while there but happy to read of your positive experience and review.

 

Happy growing.

[mav23100gunther]

I've been considering Dr. Rahal for a while now. He's definitely in the top echelon of doctors but I can't pull the trigger yet although he's perfect for my pattern of loss. I've got others I'm considering as well but seeing how you chose Dr. Rahal after you spent time with other doctors like Dr. Hasson makes me want to hop a plane tomorrow. I'll be watching your case so please update when you can.

 

Hey buddy, what is your pattern of loss and who else are you considering? For me it was really tough choosing between my final three of Hasson, Shapiro and Rahal. Although all three have different styles, each would have performed an outstanding job. It was Rahal's hairlines that pushed me over the line in the end as although the main objective of this procedure was to add density to the frontal 3rd, I also wanted the reinforce the hairline. It was interesting in that when meeting with Dr Hasson in person, he may have unintentionally actually helped plant the seed to go with Rahal. Although I loved his overall plan for me, when he asked me who else I was consulting with, and I mentioned Rahal, the 1st thing he said was - "aaahhh the hairline King".

[mav23100gunther]

Hello Mav, I know you were really set on Hasson from H&W for a while there but happy to read of your positive experience and review.

 

Happy growing.

 

Hey Vanseb. I came really close to going with Dr Hasson. It was one of the toughest decisions I have made. Two different styles but two brilliant plans. If I went with Hasson, he was always going to get the 2,500 grafts I was aiming for, whilst Rahal fell slightly short. In hindsight, I am very comfortable with this more conservative approach as the last thing you ever want to do is push the limit on the size of the strip and risk stretching the scar which I suspect would have been elevated going for the higher graft count. The downsize is that there was an area on the midsection of my scalp that Rahal wanted to cover as seen in the pictures that needs some work that he never had enough grafts to cover. Depending on how noticible it is once the new hair has grown and matured, I may want to go back in a year or further in the future to get this done. If that's the case, I may actually still consider switching to Hasson as he estimated he can move lifetime grafts than Rahal by an amount as high as 2,000 more. It's definitely something I will consider in the future if the frontal third looks good. At the same time, I may decide to stick with Rahal. What I like about him is that once I get stripped out, he can then switch me to FUE. I know H&W now offer FUE, but I wouldn't get FUE done by them at this time. I'll also be completely honest and state that if I could go back in time and this was my very 1st procedure, I would elect to go with Hasson. It was so close, kinda like choosing between Michael Jordan or LeBron James. In terms of what I was looking for from this 2nd procedure, I felt Rahal was the right man for the job.

[Noodles123]

I accompanied my friend when he got his transplant with Rahal last year. He really is world-class in every respect, and very ethical. Far cry from my own experience with another surgeon. I wished I would not have let distance be a factor in my initial decision making. Truth be told, I get a little jealous when I see my friends youthful hairline upclose. While in the office with my friend, Rahal had a cancellation and said that if I wanted, he could fit me in and refine my hairline. Still kicking myself that I didn't take him up on it.