Avoid Misleading and Deceptive Hair Transplant Marketing Tactics

[Melvin- Admin]

We have compiled a list of deceptive marketing tactics employed by a lot of clinics. But what do you guys think? Did we miss any? I would love to hear the communities input.

Avoid Misleading and Deceptive Hair Transplant Marketing Tactics

[LaserCap]

This is only the tip of the iceberg! Bet, if you look carefully, or listen, you can find unethical practices everyday.  Consider the following example,

You go to a consultation, visited with the consultant and the doctor, (which rarely happens).  You are quoted a price but, for whatever reason, you hold off.  Typically you will then be hounded.  Once the consultant figures you will not be moving forward, here come the price breaks.  (So, first lesson, if you are budget conscious, wait.  I promise you will be getting a better deal in a few days, particularly if you've made it clear to the consultant that you are truly interested in working with their doctor/practice).  So, is getting a price, and then getting a better price....does that constitute being unethical, perhaps not.

What is unethical is for the Doctor to allow the clinical staff do make sites, harvest grafts, etc.  Now, can these employees claim that they are working under the umbrella of the doctor?  I've seen medical students harvest FUE grafts.  I've seen experienced MAs make sites.  Unethical? you bet.

This is not brain surgery....And, after a while, you do become the doctor.  You see him do the work day in day out.  Eventually the doctor may allow for you to make a site......and it goes from there.  Is there a difference between this team member and the doctor? Sure! Years of education!....but it happens, even without the patient knowing. How to offset?

Perhaps have a conversation with the doctor before the procedure begins.  Have him tell you who will be participating the morning of the procedure, including who will be harvesting, who will be placing, etc.

Trust it a big issue......

[Melvin- Admin]

Great post Laser 👏

[Bill - Seemiller]

Laser,

Great post and it’s no surprise that things like this happen, especially at clinics that are not busy and less than ethical.   On one hand, there’s nothing wrong with trying to bring people into  hey Clinic… After all, doctors do need to make money for a living but on the other hand, there are ethical and unethical ways to do things. The problem is, many clinics revert to unethical practices when they are not busy or fear going out of business.   That’s when things really go downhill. Because if good quality clinics begin to utilize unethical practices, then they will likely be called out on line and lose their business anyway.   On the other hand, some unethical practices go on for years before they are called out which is really a shame. 

 But great discussion, I’d like to hear more people offer their input. 

Bill

[Sean]

Here is another one.  They tell you their FUE matches their FUT yield and that there is no difference but then you get in the chair and they tell their tech/nurse you have to extract this way and that way.  This is when you initially consider FUT first.

If ht fails and repair fails they tell you to try another doc that may do something different due to more experience?

They refuse to send all medical records when requested and say it is a confidential thing when you request them yourself.  

They tell you options to be a showcase result and when things go awry they don't email. 

They tell you you have over 9000 grafts via eye fukment but when things go awry they arent sure anymore.

a lot of uninformed stuff goes on and unethical stuff and things that confuse a patient

you can literally keep going