Which surgeon would you entrust with your last 1,000 grafts?

[hsrp10]

So 2017 will be the year I will have my last procedure done, as would like to (1) fill in my lower temple points which still make me look a little bit bald despite having had multiple procedures and (2) also a minor area in my frontal third which keeps me from cutting my hair ultra short which is a major goal of mine since I suffer from chronic scalp eczema.

 

Most likely I have some 1,500 or more FUE grafts remaining (I don't want to use them all), and have basically made up my mind on a short list of two doctors, most of you can probably guess if you've read some of my posts which two they are.

 

I would like to pose the question to the forum to get some more perspectives and overall experiences to sanity check my thoughts:

Which surgeon would you entrust with your last remaining 1,000 grafts, and why?

[Melvin- Admin]

I think it depends, most guys go to the same doctor, which is understandable especially if they got good results, you'll probably get Rahal, Konoir, Lorenzo, H&W,Shapiro. I've seen really good work outside of the top list and not so good work within the top list.

 

So it really depends, I consulted with literally every top doc before deciding to go back to Dr.Diep, my reasoning was "stick with what got you to the dance" and I owe my transformation to Diep so if my third procedure turns out a success I'll likely stick with Diep.

 

Any reason you don't want to return to Hasson or Konoir? Or is that the two surgeons on your list.

[JON86]

There is no sure list. People on here try to cram the same doctors down your throat but there are plenty of doctors that are not worshiped here that are really good and they never get talked about at all or enough. What works for one person may not work for another. The main thing is not the doctor but what is your situation your hair caliber, loss etc. There is not one doctor on earth that is a miracle worker. The skill of the doctor matters but the real determining factor is what you have to work with.

[hsrp10]

Hey guys thanks for the replies, I'm getting old lol and am quite hard-headed so wanted to try to listen to some other opinions as my mind was basically made up.

 

Some good points by HTsoon, yes Konior is on my short-list and I would choose no other doctor in the world but him if it wasn't for the long waiting time now (seems more than 1 year) and he's also quite expensive for FUE. Though the results would be worth it. Unfortunately difficult for me to hard book more than 1 year in advance.

 

I had a very good experience with Dr. Hasson and had solid FUT results at 6 months post-op, but I'm looking to do FUE in this last procedure and I think it will be some time before Hasson will be known as a FUE master (but I'm sure he will eventually master it).

 

As for Dr. Diep, actually for my last procedure he was on my shortlist - it was between him and Dr. Bisanga. However the pre-consultation process went horrible, the clinic confused my name and my information, and even though I cancelled an important meeting at work to have the Skype consultation with Dr. Diep he never showed up. I had e-mailed him before and during and even after the consultation time frame...

They did apologize but I did not get a warm and fuzzy feeling from MHTA. I do acknowledge he produces some sold aggressive results.

[hsrp10]

There is no sure list. People on here try to cram the same doctors down your throat but there are plenty of doctors that are not worshiped here that are really good and they never get talked about at all or enough. What works for one person may not work for another. The main thing is not the doctor but what is your situation your hair caliber, loss etc. There is not one doctor on earth that is a miracle worker. The skill of the doctor matters but the real determining factor is what you have to work with.

 

That is true, I was trying to see if there were any elite surgeons out there I was missing in the overall consideration process.

I talk a lot about Konior, Bisanga and even Hasson sometimes, but only because I had great experiences with them.

What bothers me is if people try to promote doctors but have little or no actual experience with them in the chair.

 

So would you entrust Dr. Cooley with your last remaining grafts? I've read some of your post where you said you had a great experience with him.

I like what I've seen from his results posted here, but admit I don't know a lot abour Dr. Cooley. He also does FUE right?

[KO]

Feriduni, Shapiro. I think you mean temples, rather than temple points.

 

Even though Konior has a year long list, people cancel and spots open up.

[hsrp10]

Hey KO,

Did you get those grafts home and safe? Hope all is going well.

 

Thanks for those two surgeon suggestions, certainly good ones to add to a final list. Maybe I will ask Spex about Dr. F's availability in 2017.

 

Actually I had my temple corners lowered and reinforced by Dr. Bisanga previously. It's my lower sides below the temple points, especially right side, that are quite weak compared to other areas.

[JON86]

To answer your question I would definitely trust my last 1000 grafts with Dr Cooley. Finding him is one of the best things that happened to me. I went through a lot of bad clinics and experiences before finding him. I had a similar experience with Diep. I flew all the way to California and my appointment was double booked. He really rushed me through the consult because he had another guy waiting in the office. He seemed more like a salesman. I think he is a great fue surgeon from what I have seen but his office was a mess. I have heard it has improved since then but I have no idea. I was originally going to go with Konior but he was booked out nine months when I talked to him. I was going to wait but found two more doctors I really liked one being Gabel and the other was Cooley. After meeting Cooley I knew he was what I was looking for the best for me and my situation. Notice I said best for me that may not apply to someone else. My point above is that there is no best no sure thing. If you pick a qualified doctor things should turn out well. I honestly believe if I chose Gabel I would also have been happy. The lists people use here are vastly different on other websites.

[Transhair]

Gabel is a very similar surgeon to Konior, isn't he?

I'd at least look at him.

[JON86]

Gabel is a similar surgeon to Konior but so is Cooley. I actually believe Cooley is elite with his solutions he has developed. I had almost zero swelling and my scar has healed and is a non issue now. Cooley was present for about 97 percent of the surgery. Gabel and Cooley are not noticed enough on this site.

[Spanker]

Funny after reading these comments because Cooley and Gabel were going to be my answer if you're not going Konior. I've been a big Shapiro fan too but I haven't followed them in a while, so I'd need to brush up on what's new there. I'd be very picky if temple points are evolved.

[hsrp10]

Agreed with you guys, these two should be on my consideration list.

Neither of them are FUE masters but they both do indeed do FUE and I like the results from both doctors a lot. Two very underrated surgeons for sure.

[hsrp10]

I'd be very picky if temple points are evolved.

 

So that's now the crux of my focus, Dr. K and Dr. Lorenzo would do it best for sure but will be a (long?) waiting game which I'm not sure will coincide well with my downtime. We will see.

 

I noticed that no one mentioned Dr. Erdogan/ASMED who had been my second choice, because I believe they do the temple area very aggressively and quite well.

I've pretty much decided not to tweak my hairline or frontal third unless I go with Dr. Konior, as the work I need is very minor and will require fine precision to get it right. Also looking for doctors who don't mind partial shaving.

[Spanker]

Cooley does no shave in the recipient. Gabel may, idk. They both do good temple work too.

[hsrp10]

Thanks Spanker, I have reached out to Dr. Cooley's rep to get more info on his FUE methods and pricing, waiting for a reply. I have seen a few FUE cases from Dr. Gabel but still researching on his work there.

 

Also have added Dr. Lupanzula into the picture based on the temple point closure I saw here. Bit overaggressively done, but if this could be toned down a bit would make for awesome temple peak work.

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[hsrp10]

So I cut my hair some again and after a shower with my hair parted opposite side than usual to show my weakest areas in harshest lighting this is my hair situation as of yesterday.

 

Let me know (1) if I would be hair greedy or stupid to try to fill in the yellow areas, most of the lower left side is transplants while right side has more original native hair, or (2) if you would go for it to try for some extra density with a surgeon such as Konior etc.

Edited December 2, 2016 by hsrp10

[hsrp10]

When its dry and combed in the opposite direction like I normally do looks as attached.

So I'm really confused whether to try to address it or just leave it alone.

Edited December 2, 2016 by hsrp10

[JON86]

You have great hair and a ton of people would be envious on here I wouldn't do anything risk shock loss to what you have.

[Ernie]

So I cut my hair some again and after a shower with my hair parted opposite side than usual to show my weakest areas in harshest lighting this is my hair situation as of yesterday.

 

Let me know (1) if I would be hair greedy or stupid to try to fill in the yellow areas, most of the lower left side is transplants while right side has more original native hair, or (2) if you would go for it to try for some extra density with a surgeon such as Konior etc.

 

In these wet pics, I'd be curious to see what things look like with the harsh lighting coming from your left side, rather than your right side.

 

But I say leave things alone in that circled yellow area. Plus, I think you've mentioned on another thread wanting to eventually address your temple points. No?

[Sean]

Surgeon to trust? That would be the one that does all surgical aspects of FUE surgery with a very safe FUE protocol for their patients. Be very careful and research thoroughly. Best of luck.

[hsrp10]

Thanks guys for the feedback, it's confusing the hell out of me lol, as it's close to the middle of my hairline and I want to address it at the same time as my temple point surgery, but getting cold feet about shockloss etc.

 

Sometimes with some hairstyles I don't notice it that much. I'll try to stay on Fin (approaching 3 months after restarting) and make the call when I have the temple point surgery I guess.

cheers

 

Shxt, just remembered while posting in another thread that the same area that is thinnish is also where I had the failed Bosley procedure many years ago, bastards probably left me with scarring in that area. Makes sense now remembering back.

Edited November 30, 2016 by hsrp10

[hsrp10]

Hey guys,

 

In the end I was extremely fortunate and was able to get a booking with Dr. K my hands down clear first choice, as he was extremely generous and offered me an out of hours weekend surgery date.

I owe him and his amazing staff a world of gratitude! :cool:

 

As mentioned in the first post in this thread my goals were to be able to cut my hair short due to my chronic scalp issue and also to aggressively close my lower temple points (at longer lengths and especially when I was on Fin long term my results were already quite decent for having fine caliber hair).

 

Actually I have been obsessing about my lower temple points for some time now the same way Richard Dreyfuss obsessed about building Devil's Tower with mashed potatoes in the movie Close Encounters ...lol Was really driving me crazy to complete this.

 

Dr. K meticulously extracted around 700 FUE grafts, 250 were placed in the right temple point 150 in the left temple point and remaining in the small thinner gap behind my right hairline plus some singles sprinkled here and there for tune up.

 

So I believe this brings my hair restoration journey to a closure. On the flight home I reminisced about my previous procedures and the long journey it has been.

Dealing with hairloss and scalp related issues on a daily basis sucks, but it's great to know that we have the power to overcome this by choosing an elite hair restoration surgeon.

 

Again a million thanks to Dr. K. I was so fortunate to have found him through this site, and being able to sit with him in his office and discuss in detail about hair loss & restoration is something that I can only describe as speaking with of one the gods. It's just so amazing and surreal.

Pic #1 is my hair kind of normal length, pic #2 is my hair cut extremely short nearly buzzed in the front the night before in the hotel, and

pic #3 is post-op showing areas worked on and the small insert pic shows the thinner areas that were keeping me from wearing my hair very short plus previously receded lower temple point.

 

*I removed the pics but may upload new ones later after I get the photos from the clinic

Edited January 24, 2017 by hsrp10

[Ernie]

You must be relieved eh buddy? Congrats on getting thru the surgery.

[hsrp10]

Thanks Ernie!

 

Finally relieved to not have to think about "stupid" temple points night and day lol

Had to plan this surgery for a very tight downtime schedule and as we know there are so many options these days. Glad it's over with.

[Spanker]

Awesome man. Hope you start your procedure's own thread.