What should a consultation include

[DaveH]

I had a consultation at Vinci in Belfast. It was over rather quickly. A chat on a sofa in a waiting area. No examination of my scalp, just a look at the front where my hairlines breaking up. It ended with me saying I was interested. The deposit was ?500.00. I couldn't pay it then, to be honest I made an excuse, so I'm being phoned tomorrow afternoon for my details.

Surly they need more information about my scalp and I'm getting cold feet. Money up frount always sets off alarm bells in my head.

[Shampoo]

Consults vary from clinic to clinic, but if you have done your homework and choose one of the top clinics then the consult would usually involve visiting with a rep of the clinic, filling out some paper-work, and then finally a personal visit with the doctor.

 

The doctor should spend 20-45 mins with you. You will get a feel for the clinic and the doctor and see if there is good chemistry.

 

The doctor should examine you hair and balding area. The doctor will also ask if you are taking meds, ask about your age, ask how long you've noticed balding, and family history of baldness.

 

The doctor should then discuss with you what your goals are. It is very important that doctor and patient be clearly on the same page as far as goals and expectations BEFORE the surgery.

 

Next the doctor will explain to you if those goals can be met and roughly how many FUT or FUE sessions it could take to achieve a result you will be happy with.

 

Pricing would also be discussed at this time.

 

You should prepare for every consult with some notes and questions to ask so you don't forget anything important

 

You may want to ask if you can meet some recent patients that have had this doctor perform a hair transplant in the last 2-3 years.

 

You may also ask about the technicians employed by the clinic. Technicians can be a critical part of the success of hair transplant. Are the techs full time employees? How many techs work at the clinic? How long have the techs worked at the clinic and/or been in the industry?

 

You should NEVER feel rushed by a top clinic.

[JON86]

I agree with what shampoo says. Also want to say an ethical doctor will take into account future hair loss and have a plan. I have been to a ton of consults before finding my surgeon and some of them refused to talk about future loss. Hair loss is progressive and you only have so many grafts. You do not want to waste them by getting a hair line that it too low especially if you are destined to be a high norwood. If I were you I would keep researching as this is a big decision no reason to rush into it. The more educated you become the better off you will be.

[RichD]

Guys I think Dave is referring to SMP here rather than a transplant

[DaveH]

That I am. I should have made it clearer in my original post.

[JON86]

No worries. Wish you a nice result.

[hairhairhair456]

I mean... honestly i dont think the technician really needs much information, they can generally do whatever needs to be done with anything that comes in. Sort of like if you were going to get a regular tattoo on your arm, you wouldn't need a consultation, you would just walk in and tell them what you want, and they would do it.

 

So in that sense, i feel like consultations are mostly to put the clients mind at ease, which it doesn't sound like happened here. They should at least have made an effort to put you in a well lit room and take a close look at your head, even if it isn't really necessary for them to do the work. I would imagine that the consultation is somewhat unnecessary from the technicians point of view... they will perform the same treatment whether there was a previous consultation or not.

 

What do i feel a consultation should include? Well off the top of my head, the representative should answer any questions you have about the treatment or company, discuss what you are hoping to achieve, and possibly let you view a treatment or session in person. Those are the big things.

 

On top of that, it would be a bonus if they didnt try to rush things, and made an effort to meaningfully examine your head, even if they were only doing it just to make you feel more comfortable with the whole process. Stuff like this goes a long way towards giving a prospective client confidence about the quality of the clinic. Not doing stuff like this causes them to lose confidence, like what we see here.

 

All that being said, i wouldn't necessarily base your decision on how well the consultation went (although many people do, and it's totally understandable when they do). It could have been an off day for the representative, or maybe they just dont have the people skills to put clients at ease. What's more important is researching their results and talking to past clients. To my knowledge, Vinci is a fairly reputable clinic, but dont take my word, because im not an expert on their company... it's up to you to research their work and confirm that it is up to the standards you require.

 

Doesn't cost anything to visit another company for a consultation, of course.

[DaveH]

Thank you. I would say I would never get a tattoo from a place who would do it, there and then.

My feeling is, although I've been looking into this for some time I need more information. More appointments. I wouldn't like to pay a deposit and find my next visit was scheduled as the procedure. There's the colour, shape, density to be decided. I don't make decisions quickly and I want to move at my pace not theirs.

[hsrp10]

Are you going in for permanent or temporary SMP?

My quick list of 10 consultation questions would be as below (I've had SMP into FUT scar at HIS)

 

(1) What type of pigments do you use and does it ever turn blue/green?

(2) How deep are the SMP ink placement needles? (making sure they're at a depth that is not deep enough to damage surrounding hair follicles)

(3) What are the post-op instructions? (*after the HIS procedure I was not able to wash my head for 3-4 days and no heavy sweating/pool etc for weeks)

(4) When can I shave my head after the procedure?

(5) Can I meet previous patients who've had the same procedure done?

(6) How long has the practicioner been doing SMP treatments?

(7) Is there a warranty in case of fading of the ink? (for permanent SMP)

(8) How many sessions will it require to achieve the desired look you're after, including some fading that occurs?

(9) What are the instructions for sun exposure?

(10) Does the clinic offer SMP laser removal? (in the event you hate the outcome)

[hairhairhair456]

Thank you. I would say I would never get a tattoo from a place who would do it, there and then.

My feeling is, although I've been looking into this for some time I need more information. More appointments. I wouldn't like to pay a deposit and find my next visit was scheduled as the procedure. There's the colour, shape, density to be decided. I don't make decisions quickly and I want to move at my pace not theirs.

 

 

Understood.

 

Also, to clarify, my point about getting a tattoo without a consultation first was more to say that a competent tattoo artist/technician doesn't necessarily need a consultation to deliver a quality result. Some people want to move slow, others faster. Either way, a competent technician should deliver the same result with or without a consultation... generally speaking.

 

One thing i will add is that i believe at most clinics, the first treatment session is where you normally spend a lot more time with the practitioner, getting into the details of your specific scalp, and your specific desired result. They will schedule more time for the first treatment session, so that you have plenty of time to try out different shapes and discuss pigment shades with your practitioner before they start the procedure.

 

I dont think they normally get that deep into things at consultations, but this might vary from company to company.

[Shampoo]

Guys I think Dave is referring to SMP here rather than a transplant

 

Ooops sorry

[hairthere]

When I consult with a client I first always make sure he/she understands our product and how it works. Then I'll discuss the client's history with hairloss and go over their specific goals. For buzz look clients I may even draw some hairlines on so they can get an idea of how it might look. I think it's important for clients to not feel the pressure of the sale and to feel good about having SMP done. Once they make a decision we will take a small deposit to hold the day and send them all pre-procedure instructions to follow.

 

Regarding the specific skin type and how it reacts to SMP; you can get an idea by examining the skin, but often you won't know how it's going to go until the actual procedure. Most clients have absolutely no issues, with the exception of those with scar tissue present which can be a bit trickier to treat. That being said, it's best to follow your provider's pre-SMP instructions carefully to ensure the skin is as healthy as can be.