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Looking for hair transplant suggestions in Northern California


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Just discovered this amazing website. I still need to go through many posts but wondering if others have suggestions. I am 46 year old with type 3 hair loss. Mostly on temples and a little bit on crown. I want to get hair transplant only on the front forehead area.

I saw only one hair transplant surgeon so far. Dr. Miguel Canales of Silicon Valley Hair Institute & Aesthetic Dermatology in Foster City, California, US. I am looking for other advice and suggestions. I am OK with either FUE/FUT personally as I don't care about the scar that much but do care about best results. I prefer to get the surgery in San Francisco Bay Area and not travel outside as I am a single dad (with teenage kids) so don't want to leave them alone during COVID-19 etc.

What are some surgeons that I should visit and then what questions should I ask? What is a good rate is it closer to $5 or $8 per graft? And does the Plasma rich treatment help after the surgery?

 

Thanks much!! Really appreciate pointers and tips.

2020_oct_hair_loss_e.jpg

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  • Senior Member

Try Sara Wasserbauer in Walnut Creek.

Heard of her before but don't know much.  Results look decent though.

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4,312 FUT grafts (7,676 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - August 2013

1,145 FUE grafts (3,152 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - August 2018

763 FUE grafts (2,094 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - January 2020

Proscar 1.25mg every 3rd day

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  • Senior Member

Due to your age and level of loss, I'd say you have the potential for a "home run" kind of result as they're often referred to here....on the hairline at least.

I recommend looking further afield than just your local area though, even if it means waiting longer to do it. 

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 2,000 grafts FUT Dr. Feller, July 27th 2012. 23 years old at the time. Excellent result. Need crown sorted eventually but concealer works well for now.

Propecia and minoxidil since 2010. Fine for 8 years - bad sides after switching to Aindeem in 2018.

Switched to topical fin/minox combo from Minoxidil Max in October 2020, along with dermarolling 1x a week.

Wrote a book for newbies called Beating Hair Loss, available on Amazon

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15 minutes ago, 1978matt said:

Try Sara Wasserbauer in Walnut Creek.

Heard of her before but don't know much.  Results look decent though.

Thanks much. The one place that I checked is $5 per graft and Sara's office quoted $8. Not a huge difference but not small either. 

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  • 1 month later...
  • Senior Member

Dr. Mohebi recently opened up a location in San Francisco and was flying up from LA to do procedures there a few times month (pre-Covid). He's since brought on a new surgeon, Dr. Gujrati, to primarily serve the SF location. While Dr. Gujrati hasn't been approved by this forum as of yet, I'm happy to get you more info if you'd like. Otherwise, you could also consider Dr. Mohebi here in LA. 

And as the others said, you're in a great spot by finding this forum early on. Take your time and do your research and make sure you go to someone credible. Ask lots of questions, speak to former patients, set up 2-3 consultations with your top choices, and then trust your gut when making the choice of who to go to. This forum really is an invaluable asset to anyone on the search for a surgeon, and it will definitely help lead you in the right direction. 

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I am a patient advocate for Dr. Parsa Mohebi in Los Angeles, CA. My views/opinions are my own and don't necessarily reflect the opinions of Dr. Mohebi and his staff.

Check out my hair loss website for photos

FUE surgery by Dr. Mohebi on 7/31/14
2,001 grafts - Ones: 607; Twos: 925; Threes: 413; Fours: 56

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Thanks @naakmuka. I am booking an appointment with Dr. Diep. I am still not sure if I want to travel for the surgery. It would mean taking a hotel there during COVID-19. Local is easier for a return visit as well. 

 

Thanks @pkipling I would definitely want to hear more about Dr. Mohebi and Dr. Gujrati. I do not want to travel to Los Angeles and find a hotel and stay for a day or two and then go back for a repeat visit if I can avoid it. Unless people feel that San Francisco Bay Area just doesn't have any good doctor which I find so strange given that I "assume" there would be lots of tech money here 🙂

I would gladly consider Dr. Gujrati if you feel that he would be somebody that I should. How would I find out more? Any ideas? Thanks again. I assume you suggest FUE no matter who I go with?

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  • Regular Member

@guraaf - I understand your concern about traveling. But make sure that location of a clinic, is not the primary reason for choosing a surgeon. I got a HT during COVID too, and the travel was not bad at all.
Do your research, look at patient reviews and make your decision.

All the best!

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  • Regular Member

I had consultations with both Diep and Gabel and ended up having my procedure with Dr Gabel and honestly can't say enough good things about him and the rest of the his staff - he's a really decent guy and does excellent work. I live in Socal and had mine during covid too and it wasn't really a big issue.

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Thanks @Stuart_j. Did you drive from SoCal to Portland for Dr. Gabel? Or did you fly during COVID? How long did it take to drive, if you did and may I ask why you chose his facility over another one in say Los Angeles area?

 

How many grafts did you get and did you stay for a day or two in Portland? Were you concerned about a "hotel" overnight stay just after a surgery when you might be more susceptible to infection perhaps or have no help from family members like driving you or helping you etc.?

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I flew from Los Angeles to Portland - I wasn't really worried about that as I've flown a few times during covid and it's always been safe. We did 1900 grafts and I stayed in an airbnb really close by for 3 nights after the procedure. They even let me come in every day for 3 days after to have someone wash my hair and make sure none of the grafts had come out overnight. I met with a couple of doctors in LA and did online consults with Gabel and Diep. I decided to go with Gabel as I got the best vibe from him, and he consistently has good results and a good reputation. He didn't put any pressure on me and guarantees he does the work himself and doesn't pass it off onto a technician (which I can personally attest to as he was there with me for 12 hours after I'd arrived still putting the grafts in himself). He would also pop in every day I was there after to check how everything was looking and answer any questions. I've heard mixed things about Diep but he def seems to get good results so I think either way you're gonna be in good hands. But I really wouldn't let a minor inconvenience like a short flight deter you from checking out Gabel - he really impressed me and I'm so glad I went with him. Good luck!

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Take a look at our recommendations, I went to Dr. Diep in Los Gatos. I will say this though, don’t limit yourself to location or price. 
 

https://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/Consult-a-Physician/surgeon-list/CA/California

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

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

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On 12/31/2020 at 6:12 PM, guraaf said:

Thanks @naakmuka. I am booking an appointment with Dr. Diep. I am still not sure if I want to travel for the surgery. It would mean taking a hotel there during COVID-19. Local is easier for a return visit as well. 

 

Thanks @pkipling I would definitely want to hear more about Dr. Mohebi and Dr. Gujrati. I do not want to travel to Los Angeles and find a hotel and stay for a day or two and then go back for a repeat visit if I can avoid it. Unless people feel that San Francisco Bay Area just doesn't have any good doctor which I find so strange given that I "assume" there would be lots of tech money here 🙂

I would gladly consider Dr. Gujrati if you feel that he would be somebody that I should. How would I find out more? Any ideas? Thanks again. I assume you suggest FUE no matter who I go with?

Echoing the advice of the others here as well, in that location shouldn't be a determining factor. I think the best approach is to schedule consultations with some of the doctors mentioned here and use that as a starting off point. You'll soon realize that there's no "one right answer" when it comes to choosing a surgeon, and as you meet with them, you'll get a good idea about who you think is the best fit for you. If you have 3 consultations under your belt, for example, you'll be able to compare and contrast what they each recommend, look at their work, speak to former patients of theirs, etc. and then ultimately trust your gut with who you want to proceed with. You're already off to a great start by finding this forum and doing your research. Feel free to reach out to me directly if you have any questions, and I'm sure that applies to many other users here as well if you need a little guidance! Best of luck!

I am a patient advocate for Dr. Parsa Mohebi in Los Angeles, CA. My views/opinions are my own and don't necessarily reflect the opinions of Dr. Mohebi and his staff.

Check out my hair loss website for photos

FUE surgery by Dr. Mohebi on 7/31/14
2,001 grafts - Ones: 607; Twos: 925; Threes: 413; Fours: 56

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  • 1 year later...
  • Regular Member

I ended up getting hair transplant surgery from Dr. Diep in July 2021 and just came to say that I was not satisfied. I hard got good results. I paid for $3000 transplants and he only put 2200 and refunded me the rest of the money. No explanation was given then whatsoever. 

After a year passed, I finally met the surgeon again recently and that's when he explained that he couldn't extract 3000 hair from my FUT cut. He said everyone is different and he just couldn't. As a result, my forehead didn't quite improve. There are obviously 2000 new hair there but doesn't feel like I have a full head of hair 🙂 Anyway, he suggested that I get a second hair transplant done and this time he will aim for 1500 with a second cut.

I said no Thank you. It was extremely painful and took six months of numbness, pain and tightness in the skull to go away not to forget the costs involved and taking a week off work to hide the hair which get cropped really close in the front.

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I know Dr Diep has a good reputation on here as he has some very good results, but I’ve also seen some very questionable results from him as well, and for that reason I’d never personally consider him myself.

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Check out my journey here:

 

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21 hours ago, guraaf said:

I ended up getting hair transplant surgery from Dr. Diep in July 2021 and just came to say that I was not satisfied. I hard got good results. I paid for $3000 transplants and he only put 2200 and refunded me the rest of the money. No explanation was given then whatsoever. 

After a year passed, I finally met the surgeon again recently and that's when he explained that he couldn't extract 3000 hair from my FUT cut. He said everyone is different and he just couldn't. As a result, my forehead didn't quite improve. There are obviously 2000 new hair there but doesn't feel like I have a full head of hair 🙂 Anyway, he suggested that I get a second hair transplant done and this time he will aim for 1500 with a second cut.

I said no Thank you. It was extremely painful and took six months of numbness, pain and tightness in the skull to go away not to forget the costs involved and taking a week off work to hide the hair which get cropped really close in the front.

Sorry to hear that. Are you considering a repair? If you post a full review, perhaps others can give some insight on who could be best. 

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On 1/4/2021 at 3:16 PM, Melvin- Moderator said:

Take a look at our recommendations, I went to Dr. Diep in Los Gatos. I will say this though, don’t limit yourself to location or price. 
 

https://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/Consult-a-Physician/surgeon-list/CA/California

This. Always this! ^

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4 hours ago, HairRun said:

Sorry to hear that. Are you considering a repair? If you post a full review, perhaps others can give some insight on who could be best. 

I am not considering a repair. I don't know whether the angle of the hair is good or not but I don't think I have the energy (or money) to go thru another surgery. Dr. Diep said and I tend to agree that I will need another 1000-1500 grafts to make the front look natural and fuller. I mean, the 2200 grafts that I got did help but perhaps not completely.

 

I didn't quite take pictures of my recovery and journey but I will take pics this weekend and post them for some feedback and comments. Good idea.

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  • Regular Member
3 hours ago, Gatsby said:

This. Always this! ^

I used that recommendation page and it had two names then for California and I picked one that was 20 miles from home. Maybe I got what my body deserved or truly could support. Maybe the donor site didn't have enough grafts.

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  • Senior Member
13 hours ago, guraaf said:

I used that recommendation page and it had two names then for California and I picked one that was 20 miles from home. Maybe I got what my body deserved or truly could support. Maybe the donor site didn't have enough grafts.

Fue is better with imo rather not deal with a linear scar sucks it didn’t turn out well 

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I would have easily gone with Dr. Gabel over Dr. Diep. Dr. Mohebi is also much better than Dr. Diep imo. Diep is very inconsistent and his office is very poorly run. 

Don't despair. You've still got great options. My first transplant went poorly and I also was scammed. I got my second transplant with Dr. Glenn Charles in Florida and I'm very happy with the results. 

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