Jump to content

First transplant failed. Going back to the same surgeon


Recommended Posts

I posted a while back about my failed FUT procedure, where I got 3200 grafts. Up until this week, I believed I had gotten a 50% yield, however having had in person consultations, I found out that that yield was actually 10% and only 300 or so grafts grew. Luckily, I have 6000 grafts left, via FUE, so I should be able to obtain a decent result, even with the first surgery being a failure. I had my first procedure with a top surgeon, recommended on here, and a few members have asked me who it was as well. I would prefer not giving up their identity just yet, since I have been in touch with them again. The doctor has agreed to transplant more grafts for free, but therein lies the problem. Even though they are highly regarded, I cannot be sure the procedure with them will be a success this time around. The other option for me, is to just find another surgeon and forget about the money I spent so far. At the time of my procedure, I was 21 and even though the clinic asked me to remain in touch, I did not do as asked, even when they tried following up with me. I felt more depressed about my botched procedure which is why I did not contact them at the time. So if anyone has gone through this before, please let me know how your second procedure turned out, if the first one was a failure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would definitely not go to the same surgeon again, your grafts are more valuable than money, 10% yield is alarming, look for other surgeons, contact multiple doctors/clinic, take your time while making a decision.

I had something similar happen to me, I had 2500 grafts done via FUE and only had a few hundred grafts grow, I had a repair procedure in the summer for 1300 grafts and I am only 4 and a half months post op but I still haven't seen a lot of growth yet but I think things are already looking better than my 1st procedure, I think being a repair patient plays a role also with the yield, because now you have scar tissue and that causes lower blood circulation than normal skin, doctor told me that being a repair patient it can take more time to see growth, only a doctor can analyze your hair and your situation but I don't see why you should not be able to get the results you want since you have a lot of grafts left, a lot of patients get multiple procedures done to add more density etc so you will be fine, you are also lucky to have that many grafts left after having 3200 grafts done so don't make the same mistake and go to the same surgeon, good luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

This is a tricky one, because if they are are reputable clinic with a solid reputation, then I don't see why going back would be a problem. Every surgeon on this planet has had a patient with poor growth or yield, literally every single one of them. I would ask them to see what they think may have happened. Why was your yield so poor, what would they do differently to ensure you get the right result.


I’m a paid admin for Hair Transplant Network. I do not receive any compensation from any clinic. My comments are not medical advice.

Check out my final hair transplant and topical dutasteride journey

View my thread

Topical dutasteride journey 

Melvin- Managing Publisher and Forum Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q&A Blog.

Follow our Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and YouTube.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member

This is a tough one-  you had FUT and had a yield of 10%.    Chances are, quite high, it may not yield well with this surgeon if it did not the first time?  Oh the limited options presented to you, It’s great there is no refund so you can’t go elsewhere, but the surgeon realizes this is bad and they can somehow help you in a way they didn’t the first time around, but this time, you’ll need to get off their back.  This can be bad for business ya know.  This time around you may sign a ridiculous piece of paper that while the surgeon plants for no cost as this is a repair now, this time he doesn’t want you to talk about it here there anywhere.  You may be asked to remove your posts.  Get ready to be slammed, by those with interests,  if you indulge any more information online.  Your desperate, you want to get out of this situation, but this seems like your only route, and, the surgeon may know this, so you have to sign a piece of paper, which, is now next to extortion, to move forward.  What do ya do?  
 

You’ve been quite depressed, rightfully so, and we all know how important mental health is.  So, we can see there is a unique issue here from what I’ve read from your post.  I, on the other hand, as a repair patient who needs a repair, do not want you to be taken advantage of, under these circumstances nor to face any pressure online, when you are already going through a lot.  Age 21 was quite young to get a transplant.   Talk to close folks around you that can help you by talking things out.  Its important you have someone to talk to.  

 

It is quite hard to gauge that only 10% grew- that’s like next to nothing. How did they come up with that calculation?  How does your strip scar look?  Since you had like 3200 grafts done, this means this surgeon is aiming for 3200 minus 320 grafts this time i take it?  What was his reasoning for the failure last time?  Were multiple patients being worked on the same day?  Was anything dense packed?  

 

ive gone through this before, the repairs did not rectify the situation but made it worse.  I am now trying to find an honest and ethical surgeon who can Genuinely get me out of this nightmare.  Ethics and honesty matters in this world.  If you have someone with morals, they will never let you down.  This industry is very cunning and you have to stick around to see and study behaviors and responses and so forth.  


best of luck to you and i hope you get out of this mess.  Id advise you to get consults with multiple doctors and tell them what happened.   See what they say.  dont jump right in.  It may help you formulate your decision whether to go back to them or find another surgeon.  Also, check with a dermatologist to see if they can verify if your physiology had anything to do with this.  Some people get checked for scarring alopecia.  If your physiology is good to go, other things could have happened during your surgery- how many hours were your graft left our, what solution were your grafts in, etc etc etc.

if it grows properly this time, youll know it probably wasn’t your physiology.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 months later...
  • Senior Member

I agree with some of the previous comments about how they determined only about 10% yield -how was your loss progressing before the procedure? Was the area they were transplanting into already very thin? When hairloss starts real young, like in your teens/early 20s, usually indicates you have alot of genetically vulnerable hair and a higher chance for a more aggressive loss rate over time.

You may also want to consider getting smaller procedures, maybe your physiology/blood circulation in the scalp area is not optimal for rooting large numbers of grafts. Like @Sean said get checked out by a dermatologist and make sure you don't have anything unusual going on. While I would recommend using a different doctor for your next procedure, if you decide to go back to the same surgeon, see if he would give you a few smaller procedures for the same reduced price as the larger procedure. And being in your early 20s I hope you have at least considered finasteride and minoxidil.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Senior Member

Determining a 10% yield is very difficult if not impossible to do...if anything, it's probably more of a guess.

If the doctor was reputable with proven results over a long period, than there is much more to the equation.

How is your overall health?...did you complete a medical history before your procedure?...might you be on any medications that could have affected the yield?...what about scarring...were there any issues with that?

You might also want to consider having complete blood work done before having the next procedure.

Gillenator

Independent Patient Advocate

I am not a physician and not employed by any doctor/clinic. My opinions are not medical advice, but are my own views which you read at your own risk.

Supporting Physicians: Dr. Robert Dorin: The Hairloss Doctors in New York, NY

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, gillenator said:

Determining a 10% yield is very difficult if not impossible to do...if anything, it's probably more of a guess.

If the doctor was reputable with proven results over a long period, than there is much more to the equation.

How is your overall health?...did you complete a medical history before your procedure?...might you be on any medications that could have affected the yield?...what about scarring...were there any issues with that?

You might also want to consider having complete blood work done before having the next procedure.

What kind of medications would affect yield?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...