Signing Bosley contract tomorrow, should I be concerned?

[suprarob]

If you're gonna shave down you might want to try Scalp Micropigmentation like the kind my clinic offers ... you look like a great candidate for it.

 

If you go the HT route you definitely averted a potential HT rookie mistake by forgoing the surgery with Bosley. Tough to tell from the pictures but it appears you have good donor. A qualified HT surgeon will confirm if you have a consultation. I saw the names Cooley and Lindsey brought up and they are both excellent surgeons. Keep in mind with your level of loss (about a diffuse NW5) you're likely going to need more than 1 surgery to achieve front to crown coverage.

Do you have some sample pics? Interesting.

[Shampoo]

Rob...you may find this thread interesting:

 

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/157653-dr-epstein-va-bosley.html

[suprarob]

Rob...you may find this thread interesting:

 

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/157653-dr-epstein-va-bosley.html

I certainly hope it wasn't the dr himself. If it was it would have been better if he just offered some testimonials. I asked them for a testimonial and they had some guy call me from a unknown number because they said people want their privacy. I understand but still felt odd.

[Shampoo]

Rob....I went to Bosley a long time ago for a consult, but ended up going to another doctor for my first hair transplant. I didn't get a great feeling with them during the consult, however I assume they would have some qualified doctors.

[lorenzo]

Also if you're not on finasteride and/or minoxidil go on it right away

 

I agree you should start finasteride as soon as possible. It appears you have a lot of thinning hair in the back and will improve it dramatically. Maybe not to the point where you don't need a transplant but maybe to the point where you only need work done on the hairline. I think you should be on finasteride 6-12 months before having a transplant.

[Rashid36]

Consider further hair loss, don't know your age or family history?

[Stig]

1) The overall consensus is avoid Bosly

I think if you want higher odds of success if you are use a more reputable doctor and clinic

 

2) Dr Epstein is their highest ranked Bosley Dr so I may get a decent result

You may get a good result but you may not. I have never heard of this Dr. Epstein but I have heard from patients that went to other Bosley locations that were told that the doctor in that location was the highest rated and the best.

 

3) Don't pick a Dr based on location.

Picking a doctor based only on location and price can be a recipe for disaster.

 

4) Dr Cooley in Charlotte has a good reputation.

Yes he does and so do other doctors in the area. Here is a list Hair Transplant Network - Find Hair Transplant Clinics and Doctors I recommend you consult with as many as possible.

 

5) I'm getting a good feeling I picked the right forum

99% of the time the posters are here to help you. Nobody gains anything by you going to any particular doctor. They only want to help you make the right decision.

 

6) Listen to your gut feeling.

Good deal I agree. Make sure you are confident on whatever decision you make. Maybe after researching you decide Bosley is your best decision.

 

I would call Bosley tomorrow and inform them you need more time to make this important decision. The sale rep maybe aggressive with you because he know if you start researching you probably aren't going to them. Remember they are more than likely commission based sale rep. Any deal he is offering you today will be available in the future.

Good luck!

 

you are being way to generous with items 1 and 2. Bosley should be avoided at all costs, seen way to many Bosley butchering for my liking. I think the chances of a sub-par result is greater with a Bosley surgeons. I'm sure they say the same thing about all the Bosley doctors being the highest ranked doctor. These guys are used car salespeople for crying out loud.

 

The only upside I can think of is that Epstein is a Jewish name, so he must be good!!!!

 

Bottom line, run far away from Bosley and don't look back. There are much better surgeons out there

[voxman]

Bosley is a McDonalds Happy Meal.

Any of the recommended Docs that have been given to you are Four Season's Master Chefs.

 

And by that I mean the docs suggested here are one-offs, special, committed to excellence and always deliver the best they possibly can.

[Shampoo]

Rob not sure how accurate this website is, but it appears Bosley Management is not well liked by some employees.

Working at Bosley: Employee Reviews | Indeed.com

 

This review site however rates them pretty highly:

http://www.signatureforum.com/cosmetic/detail.cfm?docid=2003051509282857077425

[hairthere]

"Do you have some sample pics? Interesting."

 

Search the SMP section of the forum, I post results there all the time or just check our web site... ahead ink dot com.

 

I'm available to do a consult so just reach out via the forum or web site. I'm also fairly knowledgeable about transplants and I'm happy to offer free advice to you if that's the route you prefer as well.

[suprarob]

I agree you should start finasteride as soon as possible. It appears you have a lot of thinning hair in the back and will improve it dramatically. Maybe not to the point where you don't need a transplant but maybe to the point where you only need work done on the hairline. I think you should be on finasteride 6-12 months before having a transplant.

has anyone researched the side effects of that stuff? Many who use edit and gave it reviews said it did great for the hair but had serious other side effects. Whats the consensus here?

[suprarob]

Consider further hair loss, don't know your age or family history?

 

56 and father had the same thinning and receding hairline.

[esrec]

has anyone researched the side effects of that stuff? Many who use edit and gave it reviews said it did great for the hair but had serious other side effects. Whats the consensus here?

 

You will not get a consensus, simply because everyone is different, both in their response to meds, and their position on finasteride. Some will not touch it, others wont get a procedure without it.

 

*Are you ok taking meds forever?

*Are you prepared to stop meds if your hair responds but you suffer from sides?

*Would you prefer to get multiple procedures over the long haul simply to bypass the risk?

*OR reduce the total # of procedures and potentially save $ and your actual hair?

 

To me, a 5% risk of ED is like a 75% risk of a heart attack lol. Other guys on here take it, have a great response, and never look back. See where I'm going?

[suprarob]

You will not get a consensus, simply because everyone is different, both in their response to meds, and their position on finasteride. Some will not touch it, others wont get a procedure without it.

 

*Are you ok taking meds forever?

*Are you prepared to stop meds if your hair responds but you suffer from sides?

*Would you prefer to get multiple procedures over the long haul simply to bypass the risk?

*OR reduce the total # of procedures and potentially save $ and your actual hair?

 

To me, a 5% risk of ED is like a 75% risk of a heart attack lol. Other guys on here take it, have a great response, and never look back. See where I'm going?

 

Yes. And I wish this forum had a "Like" button. I would have liked about 20 replies already.

[robc]

Hi Rob,

 

I'm so happy I found this forum, a lot of information out there but this was the most helpful site I found with some serious HT nerds.

I'm 56 like yourself, I visited a couple doctors in ATL area and glad I decided to go to SC for Dr Vories. Just had the FUE done 2 months ago. I felt most comfortable with him being an FUE specialist and the amount of good results posted.

 

Take your time and at least do online consults with a few doctors. Glad I did the research, very personal decision. Amazing the amount of poor HT docs out there.

 

I've been on the Fin for 8 years, no adverse reactions for me. I use the hairmax laser comb also....I would at least invest in the comb and use this and Minox, if you are afraid of fin.

 

Otherwise it's like getting liposuction and not changing your diet.

[Stig]

has anyone researched the side effects of that stuff? Many who use edit and gave it reviews said it did great for the hair but had serious other side effects. Whats the consensus here?

 

Very few people on Fin experience the side effects. Do yourself a favour and give it a try before jumping into a HT

[ScienceHair]

Hi Rob,

 

I don't post very often, but when I saw your thread, I wanted to jump in and reaffirm a lot of what you've been told already. I don't want to see anyone make the mistake that I or some others on this forum have made by being uninformed and going to a hack surgeon.

 

Whatever you do, don't rush this process, there's no need to.

 

A few bits of advice, if I may:

 

1) Stay away from Bosley, as has been said already.

 

2) Research heavily, learn everything you can and get multiple consultations from top docs on this site, some in person if possible.

 

3) If you don't already know, familiarize yourself with the difference between strip & fue.

 

Everyone has their favorites, this is a quick list of docs that produce consistent results and you would be in great hands with any of them.

 

Dr. Cooley - Charlotte, NC

 

Dr. Ron Shapiro - Minnesota

 

Dr's Hasson & Wong - Canada

 

Dr. Konior - Chicago

 

Dr. Gabel - Portland, I believe

 

Dr. Alexander - Arizona

 

This is by no means a conclusive list, these are just some of my favorites and there are a lot of outstanding doctors on this site that I didn't mention. Use the search feature and go crazy.

 

Good luck and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. There a lot of awesome guys on this site that will help steer you in the right direction.

[pkipling]

Yes. And I wish this forum had a "Like" button. I would have liked about 20 replies already.

 

Ha! I've thought many times how convenient a Like button would be to just acknowledge some of the extremely helpful responses on this forum.

 

So glad you found this site. I use a couple other forums as well and this is by far the best, in my opinion. Solid group of users always willing to help out and keep people from making mistakes (like choosing Bosley... ) You're on the right track, and you've greatly increased your odds of getting solid results just by taking a step back, weighing your options, and doing more research before you make a final decision.

 

As for the finasteride, you just have to weigh the risks for yourself and see if it's something you're willing to try. Personally, I believe the reports of negative side effects are quite inflated, and the risk of side effects was so low that for me it was worth a shot. I've been taking it for a year and a half now and have no issues. At the end of the day, you have to decide for yourself which reports you want to give more credence to and what you are personally comfortable with.

 

Ultimately, both choosing a surgeon and making a decision on Finasteride really come down to trusting your gut. Do research, ask questions, learn as much as you can, and then make the decision that feels best for you. There is no "one size fits all" solution.

 

Welcome aboard.

[suprarob]

Hi Rob,

 

I don't post very often, but when I saw your thread, I wanted to jump in and reaffirm a lot of what you've been told already. I don't want to see anyone make the mistake that I or some others on this forum have made by being uninformed and going to a hack surgeon.

 

Whatever you do, don't rush this process, there's no need to.

 

A few bits of advice, if I may:

 

1) Stay away from Bosley, as has been said already.

 

2) Research heavily, learn everything you can and get multiple consultations from top docs on this site, some in person if possible.

 

3) If you don't already know, familiarize yourself with the difference between strip & fue.

 

Everyone has their favorites, this is a quick list of docs that produce consistent results and you would be in great hands with any of them.

 

Dr. Cooley - Charlotte, NC

 

Dr. Ron Shapiro - Minnesota

 

Dr's Hasson & Wong - Canada

 

Dr. Konior - Chicago

 

Dr. Gabel - Portland, I believe

 

Dr. Alexander - Arizona

 

This is by no means a conclusive list, these are just some of my favorites and there are a lot of outstanding doctors on this site that I didn't mention. Use the search feature and go crazy.

 

Good luck and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. There a lot of awesome guys on this site that will help steer you in the right direction.

I appreciate you weighing in. All the info is spot on with this forum. Very impressed.

[suprarob]

Ha! I've thought many times how convenient a Like button would be to just acknowledge some of the extremely helpful responses on this forum.

 

So glad you found this site. I use a couple other forums as well and this is by far the best, in my opinion. Solid group of users always willing to help out and keep people from making mistakes (like choosing Bosley... ) You're on the right track, and you've greatly increased your odds of getting solid results just by taking a step back, weighing your options, and doing more research before you make a final decision.

 

As for the finasteride, you just have to weigh the risks for yourself and see if it's something you're willing to try. Personally, I believe the reports of negative side effects are quite inflated, and the risk of side effects was so low that for me it was worth a shot. I've been taking it for a year and a half now and have no issues. At the end of the day, you have to decide for yourself which reports you want to give more credence to and what you are personally comfortable with.

 

Ultimately, both choosing a surgeon and making a decision on Finasteride really come down to trusting your gut. Do research, ask questions, learn as much as you can, and then make the decision that feels best for you. There is no "one size fits all" solution.

 

Welcome aboard.

I will have to research the Fin again. I di forget to mention I started HRT with 100mg's testosterone week about 2 years ago. I noticed my hair loss accelerate a bit. Thats not a high dose but high enough. So I just hate to keep adding any other drugs if I can avoid or don't need it.

[Dutchie]

Suprarob, can you post a clear picture of the back of your head in good lighting??

I wanna see how far your NW has progressed and if you have any retrograde alopecia.

 

So something like this:

 

[suprarob]

Didn't have anyone at my office to take the pic so I used a selfie stick. Not an easy task lol.

 

 

[rev333]

Send pics to Konior through his website. You look like a few of his past candidates.

He will not steer you wrong with advice a it fin, testosterone and graft count.

 

Nothing to lose with him. It's just a simple email. He is a one man army and will give it to you straight without obligation.

 

Knowledge is power. Take what he will offer

[Dutchie]

Didn't have anyone at my office to take the pic so I used a selfie stick. Not an easy task lol.

 

 

You are one of the worst candidates I have ever seen.

You have almost no donor hair.......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

....nah, I'm just messing with ya. You have an incredible amount of donor hair based on those pics alone. I would say you're gonna have a phenomenal result if you pick the right doctor

[suprarob]

Well help me out where I lack. Im leaning towards Dr Cooley since he's within 4 hours and you guys recommend him. Good?

 

 

lol you almost got me Dutch too.