2nd pass FUE offered free due to poor density on first transplant

[Letitgrow]

Hello,

 

 

I've made a few posts on here before. I had 2000 FUE procedure done with Dr. James Slusher at the Tampa Hair Restoration Center in Tampa, Fla. The objective was to lower my hairline about 2 cm. I have a rather large head (Im only 5'10" but I always had to use larger helmets in football than most of the team). Due to this, I obviously have more square inches of bald scalp to cover. On top of all this, my hair is rather fine. 2000 grafts of my hair AND the amount of square inches attempting to being covered was a poor choice for the somewhat aggressive procedure. After 10 months, the density was bad despite what I thought was a successful harvest of 2000 grafts, I called the place I had it done and expressed my extreme disappointment with my result.

 

Important---I sincerely dont think the surgeon, or tech's did a poor job on the first pass. I think the sales person did. For some reason, I never met with my surgeon before surgery, I met with this salesman who went by the title of "director" and he estimated the amount I'd need, and essentially "drew the hairline" which I recorded and showed the surgeon the day of surgery. Looking back I was so naive. (This was before my day of hairrestorationnetwork expert stalker level was achieved.)

 

After expressing this honestly and directly to him over one text, he did the right thing without any hassle & immediately scheduled me for a console the next day, which turned into an offer to go back in and add another 1000-2000 more grafts free of charge within the next 6 weeks. I accepted, and am now 1 day post opp. Upon close visual examination, I feel confident this pass will give me adequate density. They ended up placing an additional 1591 grafts in the same region that was transplanted before. I now know second passes are common when attempting to lower the hairline, so I'm happy to have gotten 2 procedures done for the price of one. In the end, since the last 1600 were free, 3600 FUE grafts for 9,000 is a pretty good deal.

 

So, while I have gone through a frustrating year, I at least was not confronted with "it may have been patient error" or some nonsense deflecting liability. They have it clearly printed on their contract that they will "replace" any graft that does not grow with a free "mulligan" procedure. Even though I dont think the issue was grafts that did not grow, they have lived up to the "spirit" of their word, and weren't dicks about it either.

 

I feel like its hard to find companies that actually live up to their word in more than just a technical sense. So my overall opinion of them is positive. When you spend 9k on transplant, you're not just buying 2000 grafts, make sure you spend it on a place that will live up to their word on density. It seems to be the MOST common issue between patient and surgeon/salesperson.

 

I will be posting again in 4 months, I think I am a quick grower. Everything I had last time that actually came out, came out within 2.5-4.5 months. The rest was just maturation.

 

Meds = fin, minox, laser

[Ernie]

Good luck the 2nd time around. Any pics?

[TakingThePlunge]

Thanks for sharing your story. Best of luck on the next HT. I'll keep my eye out for your next update.

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

I understand that hair restoration physicians often use consultants and/or patient advisors. But I do not think they should ever be drawing hairlines and/or recommending the number of grafts necessary in any case.

[Letitgrow]

Heres some pics. lmk what ya think!

 

(i'm well aware theres some central vertex thinning. hopefully the meds (just started using all 3 a few months ago, but now have to stop rogaine for a bit) will stop the rest from thinning. but if not, im aware I may not have the graft count to have a full head of hair - and im okay with that. I was so persistent about the hairline because it frames the face. I've always felt like guys who have central vertex thinning can looks much more suave than receding hairliners like me, so I was willing to take the gamble.

[Melvin- Admin]

Am I reading this right, the sales person was the one who drew the hairline?? If this is true DO NOT RETURN TO THE CLINIC! under no circumstance is it okay for the sales person to draw the hairline, even the tech run clinics in Turkey don't allow techs to draw the hairline, for the sales person to draw the hair line is absurd it is borderline criminal. Do not risk your grafts as they are more valuable then a free procedure.

[Letitgrow]

You're reading it partially right and wrong. He stated that it was to give an "idea" of what it would look like because I came in rather clueless as to the aesthetic nature of what I needed. He didn't draw it the day of the procedure. One of the tech's specialized in that.

 

I feel like they did a competent job at it too. My main issue the fact that I didn't discuss it with my surgeon before the day of the procedure. I let him know how unprofessional I thought that was, and he didn't really argue. I strongly recommended to them that they should change that procedure. I'll fill yall in on the pictures in a few months. I think I'm a better grower than most, I've always healed exceptionally well. Stay tuned boys

[TheGman]

What explains a poor result?

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

The only think you can do now is hope everything turns out well and consider doing more research if you ever decide to have another procedure.