Dr Feller - 1000 FUE - Sep 09

[Cymru1980]

Hi all just got back from a 1000 FUE session with Dr Feller to repair my hairline as well as disguise any future loss in the area behind it.

 

Well.. I CANNOT get over how easy and straight forward the whole process was.

 

It's probably best to address a few issues from the start.. yes i know my hair loss isn't THAT bad..and i know i am quite young to be having a HT (29), but i have no real family history of complete baldness...just very high recessions either side of my forehead.

 

It started for me a few years back when i noticed i was losing bits of hair in these areas..actually i tell a lie..it was other people (mainly mates) that informed me that my army of hair follicles were on the retreat!

 

So as many young men do.. i got a bit of a complex about it. Leading to me putting in many hours of research on the area on the internet..yes that's right..i was a long time secret lurker on this website!

 

I decided that strip was probably a bit overkill for what i needed..so as long as i was a good candidate, FUE was the route i wanted to go down.

 

Next was the choice of Dr..

Now i'm not going to sit here and tell you that Feller is the best..and try to put down the work of other doctors.

All i will say is that after reading MANY reviews on several doctors on sites such as this..Feller was the stand out one for me.

After meeting him and his staff, i can only agree with what everyone else before me has said. His attention to detail and passion for his work really does come across..i have no frame of reference for any of the other doctors performing HT's..but Feller seems to really care about the results he is able to give you.

His team of techs were outstanding as well..the patience and steady hands those girls have is unbelievable!

 

Of course having someone like Spex on this side of the pond helps as well, when i decided to finally take the plunge it was as easy as telling him a bit about my hair situation and what my goals were..forward a few pictures so the Dr can decide a possible solution (if there is one) and wait for the response.

 

That was around July time..the Dr decided that 1000 FUE could be a viable option..and Friday September 18th was pencilled in.

Then i had to pay the deposit (done by wire transfer) and get my blood work done.

The final bill had to be settled 2 weeks before the procedure and a simple questionnaire had to be filled in before i left for the States as well.

 

I was advised when to travel by Spex and decided to fly on the Thursday afternoon and return on the Sunday evening..meaning sleeping on an overnight flight on the way home..waking up refreshed for the monday morning!

 

I arrived at JFK at about 7pm local time and got an unmarked (probably a tiny bit dodgy!) taxi to Great Neck..it must have only taken 20 mins and cost me $40..not too bad.

 

I stayed at the Inn @ Great Neck..very nice place and i got a pretty good deal through expedia as well.

When i arrived i had a note from the Dr telling me that my appointment had been changed from 7:45am to 10:30am..you won't find me complaining about an extra few hours in bed!

 

I walked from my hotel to the Doctors after multimapping the route..it took 15 mins max..and there i was ready to take the plunge.

 

My initial consultation with the doctor involved a little chat about my hairloss, what my goals were and the drawing of the new hairline..when we were both happy it was all systems go.

 

It is worth mentioning at this point that there was another doctor present throughout my procedure.. Dr Rahal from Ottawa.. Dr Rahal was also consulted about my potential new hairline and he put in his input that was duely noted by Feller.

 

Next was the shaving and the injections to the back of the head..honest to god..the injections weren't bad AT ALL. They are so close together that after the first one is given, by the time the Dr does the second one..the area he is injecting has already started to go numb so you can't really feel much.

 

Then was the test to see if i was an eligable FUE candidate. Unfortunately there is no way of knowing this without doing a test few extractions, in the flesh, on the day.

Thankfully i was a decent candidate and the show could go on..although it is worth mentioning that i asked the Dr what would happen if i wasn't eligable and he told me that for out of town FUE patients he always gets in enough techs incase they have to switch to strip.

 

Next was the extraction of the folicles..this involved lying face down on a massage table for a couple of hours whilst the Dr did his thing.

Dr Rahal was watching whilst he was doing this, Dr Feller was talking to him throughout it and giving him tips and pointers as he went along. Dr Rahal seemed to be really interested in what Dr Feller was doing, hanging off his every word almost..this was even more reassuring as i got the feeling that Dr Rahal had really impressed Dr Feller with some of his previous work and case studies that they had been talking about.

 

This extraction would be done in shifts..where the Dr would work for maybe half an hour..then Anna, one of the techs would come in and take the grafts out and send them on to the others to split them up into the relevant denominations, singles, doubles ect.

Then Dr Feller would return..and so on and so forth until the golden number is reached.

Dr Feller then asked Dr Rahal to have a go at extracting the folicles..which i was more than happy to let him oblige.

 

After this was done there was a quick turnaround (due to the late appointment) which involved the numbing of the recipient areas (again nothing too bad..but a little worse than the back of the head).

 

At this point Dr Rahal had left the surgery.

 

More the pity because this is where i believe Dr Feller shows his true artistry..the incisions for the hairline design.

I only felt the little bit of pressure whilst he was doing this, but i could tell that he was in full concentration mode because most (not all!) of the wisecracks were stopped.

Then a team of 3 techs came in and started placing the grafts individually into the slits. I can only imagine how gruelling and frustrating this must be for them..all the while i just laid back with my eyes closed..it actually felt kind of theraputic when it was being done!

 

Then at about 6pm we were done, aftercare instructions were given, more photos taken, a chat with the doc then a taxi home as the doc didn't want me sweating out the grafts on the walk back to my hotel!

 

Did the mandatory propping of the pillows in the hotel that night to ensure i slept at a 45 degree angle..was waiting for a wall of pain to hit me when the anaesthetic wore off..but nope..nothing..not sure if this is the norm or if i was just lucky. The doc did give me something for the pain in case i needed it, he said i doubt if you will..and he was right.

 

The next day i had visions of waking up face planted in my mattress with my new grafts surrounding me like iron filings..but thank got that wasn't the case!

In fact i'd prepared myself for a bit of swelling as well but that never came about either.

 

'twas a nice day so i jumped onto the tain into the city (with my trustee cap!)..as a 1st time visitor to New York i would highly recommend doing this if you feel up to it.

 

Then Sunday..the dreaded trip back! Which actually went quite well.

 

Not asked to take off my cap at JFK, flight was at 7:30pm (12.30am GMT), slept a bit and woke up at 8am GMT landing at Heathrow.. would urge people to go with Virgin Atlantic..was very comfortable to say the least.

 

So all in all a very positive experience for me..now is probably going to be the hardest part..the waiting game.

 

My hair wasn't what you'd call short when i had the procedure done..i'm debating whether to buzz it down or not. Hopefully in a few weeks i'll have enough of my original hair back to get my normal short back and sides..i guess time will tell tho.

 

I've started msm today and will try using aloe vera in a few days too.

Has anyone else got any recommendations?

 

Anyway, i've probably bored the pants off you now..so if you're still awake..thank you!

 

And thank you goes out to the Dr, all his staff and of course Spex..i would also like to thank everyone who has posted their story on sites like this as well..without you i would never had the courage to do something like this.

 

If anyone has any questions i'd be more than happy to answer.

 

Photos to follow.

 

Cheers.

[Rachmunas4life]

Excellent write up! I'd love to see pictures! I'm going for fue in my temples and hairline early next year hopefully. Looking at either Dr. Feller or either Dr. Shapiro brothers.

 

I'm also happy to hear about your easy post op recovery! It seems that fue is a much easier recovery than strip.

[Forrest Gump]

Very nicely written.

 

Wow! So you had two coalition doctors (Feller and Rahal) jointly working on you! I envy you

 

Should lead to a nice head of hair for you in a few months.

[youngsuccess]

Originally posted by Cymru1980:

The doc did give me something for the pain in case i needed it, he said i doubt if you will..and he was right.

 

Give me those pills if you're not going to use 'em.

 

Thanks for the write up. Sounds like quite a day, and you were definitely in good hands.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Cymru1980,

 

Thanks for sharing your experience with Dr. Feller. I'm glad, but not surprised it was overwhelmingly positive. I suppose Dr. Rahal was there to witness the use of Dr. Feller's new FUE motorized tool and it's effectiveness?

 

I hope you'll post your before and surgical photos and share pictures with us each month so we can follow your progress.

 

Feel free to create a free patient website to document your journey.

 

All the Best,

 

Bill

[notjustyet]

So was your 1000 FUE a $10,000 job?

[Cymru1980]

Originally posted by Forrest Gump:

Very nicely written.

 

Wow! So you had two coalition doctors (Feller and Rahal) jointly working on you! I envy you

 

Should lead to a nice head of hair for you in a few months.

 

Yeah, i guess i was pretty lucky to have them both there..i had no idea that was the case until i turned up on the day.

[Cymru1980]

Originally posted by Rachmunas4life:

Excellent write up! I'd love to see pictures! I'm going for fue in my temples and hairline early next year hopefully. Looking at either Dr. Feller or either Dr. Shapiro brothers.

 

I'm also happy to hear about your easy post op recovery! It seems that fue is a much easier recovery than strip.

 

I'll add some more pre op photos of my hairline if you want? That way you can see if your loss is similar.

 

Obviously i can't comment on strip recovery..but this is a doddle! I've taken this week off work as holiday, but i'm tempted to go back in this afternoon and wear a hat.

[Cymru1980]

Originally posted by youngsuccess:

Originally posted by Cymru1980:

The doc did give me something for the pain in case i needed it, he said i doubt if you will..and he was right.

 

 

Give me those pills if you're not going to use 'em.

 

Thanks for the write up. Sounds like quite a day, and you were definitely in good hands.

 

Haha! Pills are binned i'm afraid!

Yeah, i felt like i was in good hands..now it's just a waiting game i guess!

[Cymru1980]

Originally posted by Bill - Associate Publisher:

Cymru1980,

 

Thanks for sharing your experience with Dr. Feller. I'm glad, but not surprised it was overwhelmingly positive. I suppose Dr. Rahal was there to witness the use of Dr. Feller's new FUE motorized tool and it's effectiveness?

 

I hope you'll post your before and surgical photos and share pictures with us each month so we can follow your progress.

 

Feel free to create a free patient website to document your journey.

 

All the Best,

 

Bill

 

Cheers Bill

 

Yeah, it was the motorised tool that Dr Rahal was mostly interested in. They were talking about how it leads to a much greater yield in extractions in a much shorter space of time, allowing large sessions of FUE to be performed i guess?

Either way Dr Rahal seemed impressed and wasn't to shabby at using either it if i remember what the techs said rightly!

[Cymru1980]

Originally posted by notjustyet:

So was your 1000 FUE a $10,000 job?

 

Yup, although it was actually 1077 FUE if memory serves me.

 

All in all with flights, procedure and hotel it was about ??6,500.

[Cymru1980]

Which also reminds me.. although i had a count of 1077 i only paid for the 1000. So the doc threw in $770 worth of the procedure for free!

 

Which i thought was a very nice gesture!

[notjustyet]

Will Dr Feller ever lower his prices? $10,000 for such a small area to be filled in seems so outa line with comparable results I have seen on this and other sites. I have seen other FUE results that cost $6-8 that are just as or more natural looking and effective.

 

I guess if there are people willing to pay...why not..free market. It just seems for such a small job there are a number of good FUE docs who wouldve charged thousands less..

 

i think its time to call docs on what they charge too...this wasnt some difficult HT..simply praising the work on a simple 1k job while not questioning the price ($10,000!!) continues to foster higher prices in the long run for the rest of us who want a good surgeon but at a more reasonable cost. I am not saying $4 for fue..but $10? And not even on a sliding scale it seems?

 

I am ready to get beat up by some of the posters i see on here....but do any (non affiliated) posters feel me on this one? Its frustrating..thanks

[shanti]

"this wasnt some difficult HT".... "a simple 1k job"

 

That's the whole point mate. HT's are incredibly difficult to get right. There is nothing simple about them. Whether it be 100 grafts or 10,000 grafts, the difference between a good hair transplant and a typical one is night and day. Sure any competent doc can cut and place grafts but getting them all to grow and look natural takes so much skill. I know, I've had some of the top docs work on me and get it wrong.

 

Now, I'm not affiliated but I do think Feller is a good doctor. Yes he's worked on me so you may think I'm a little biased but if so it's only because of the results I received and I have plenty to compare him against.

 

If he charged $6 instead of $10 it would be great, of course it would but then again if he upped the price to $15, I'd still pay. I paid $16 in Australia and the results weren't as good !

 

I've also had experience with one of the main FUE doctors that charge less but his results weren't very good in my case, so I didn't save anything in the end.... and long term it cost me more.

 

There are also others doctors that don't have much of a proven track record and you'd expect them to charge less.... and actually if I remember rightly, when Feller was at this stage he was offering free FUE surgeries. He was still perfecting his technique and felt it unfair to charge until he had plenty of consistent grown out results. Can someone confirm this??

 

In my opinion, money should never ever be a factor with any surgery. If you can't afford to go with who you think is the one, then don't do it or save up. It's for life and you've only got one head and body. I know it's easier said than done but money shouldn't influence your decision. You really do want to get it right first time.

 

The perception is that hair transplants are expensive but the example of the $4000 difference between say a $6000 and $10,000 surgery is negligible in the grand scheme of things.

 

I spent 6 years and a lot more money trying to fix my hair then I ever could paying $10 a graft at Feller's. I'd pay a hundred times that $4000 difference to get those years back.

[shanti]

Actually I said that the "perception" is that hair transplants are expensive......I actually think they can be the bargain of the century.

 

For me when I bought a brand new car a few years ago it was a good feeling. It cheered me up and I felt cool and confident zooming around in it. It was value for money in my eyes.

 

But sure enough the novelty wore off and the reality that it cost a lot to run and maintain and would be worth bugger all in a few years hit.

 

Spread that cost over 3 years of ownership and it's expensive.

 

That good feeling was temporary despite spending all that money... and of course when I looked in the rear view mirror I had a crappy hairline reflecting back at me. The new car could never fix that feeling!!

 

A hair transplant can probably be compared in cost to a car purchase. Similar ball park figure or thereabouts and like a car, probably the second most expensive thing after a house (unless you are into boats, planes or women Actually, years ago there was a patient of Dr Coles who went by the username "CarOnHead". He wasn't wrong....he spent Ferrari money.

 

A good hair transplant can give you that confidence and a 'hey look at me feeling' just like a new car, plus it has the added benefit that it costs nothing to maintain and if done right on a suitable candidate, it can last a forever.

 

Now spread that cost over a lifetime and like I said..... absolute bargain!

[Cymru1980]

For me..once I had made the decision to have the procedure money was irrelevant (to an extent).

 

I then made an informed decision on which surgeon to go for based upon other peoples results and description of their experience.

 

I then made sacrifices (and there were many) in order to save for the big day.

 

 

I'd rather pay that little bit extra if i thought it increased my chances of being satisfied afterwards.

 

As for lowering prices..would you take a pay cut if business was booming and you had waiting lists of clients?

[notjustyet]

and this is why some docs can and will charge $10...just for hoots he should charge $15 per graft and see if he makes MORE money and works even less.. I am sure there would be a line of guys who dont understand dollar/value..

[shanti]

In my case Dr Feller actually placed 487 grafts although I only booked for 400. He didn't charge for the extra 87 which by my calculations brings the procedure down to $8 a graft.

 

Anyway, as far as I can see he's pretty well priced. Some doctors charge less, some more but his consistent results could in my opinion demand the upper end prices. He actually chooses to keep it pretty competitive.

 

I've paid my money and personally I think it was a fair price. I've had 7 surgeries and paid between $8 and $16 a graft. $10 for the results I'm now getting is worth it to me.

 

Like Spex says, you have a choice. There are cheaper FUE doctors out there. I've even seen one clinic offering "buy one graft get one free"..... it's your call mate.

 

Shanti

[notjustyet]

Spex...I notice you "politely" attack anyone on this board who challenges a doc your affiliated with. You probably have 1,000's of post praising feller so dont jump on me for my one post that only challenged his fees. Your statements of me having a a "beef" with him is an attempt to discredit my concern for his high fees...your statement of me needing to "stay on topic" is another attempt to shut me up. How about not making accusations next time.. fact is I like feller in some ways, hes the only one I know who blasts the snake oil that the laser comb is.. he has helped to pioneer fue...ect.

 

But I stand by my statement that $10,000 is ALOT of money to most of us and I just cant see what he got as worth $10,000. But its a free market and feller can charge as much as he wants as numerous people on here would pay him twice as much...

[Severn]

Although my upcoming procedure is not with Dr. Feller, I would have chosen him if I were going FUE.

 

As notjustyet pointed out, there are others performing it for less. But FUE surgery is not very old and Dr. Feller seems to have the most consistant results. There are plenty of people willing to pay $10/graft to have that extra reassurance.

 

I see Armani is running a special for $7.50 a graft though. That sounds like a deal!

[HairHope]

A FUE graft should be max of $8.00 IMO, however given this doc is outside NYC, it is fully understandable that a single graft is similar to the cost of a hot dog on the street.

[Glenn]

Originally posted by HairHope:

A FUE graft should be max of $8.00 IMO, however given this doc is outside NYC, it is fully understandable that a single graft is similar to the cost of a hot dog on the street.

 

lol...thats a good one

[Dr. Alan Feller]

I would love to drop the price of my FUE surgery, and I've tried, but by and large I've found it to be unsustainable below $10/graft.

 

There are a few ways to drop the price of FUE, but they each have real problems:

 

The first would be to do massive numbers of grafts in one sitting to be able to offer a "volume" discount, but as most of you know by now megasession FUE cases have yet to prove themselves in terms of yields and consistency. Clinics who have tried to survive as "FUE only megasession clinics" have not enjoyed a favorable reputation these past few years.

 

The second would be to augment an existing successful/experienced strip practice with FUE. However, having done this, I've found that the strip side of the practice winds up subsidizing the FUE side when lower FUE prices are offered because man-power (tech-power?) office space, instruments, disposables,time etc... are consumed way out of proportion when compared to strip surgery.

 

Whenever a low price is offered for FUE, it's probably just an introductory price designed to help the clinic gain experience and practice in FUE. I did this myself from 2002 to 2004 by simply offering the FUE surgery for free. But as the clinic becomes more experienced and dedicated to offering FUE the costs begin to surge as patient demand increases.

 

Right now I believe the FUE field needs to focus on improving it's yield and consistency. That was the point behind the creation of my FUE tools. Trying to lower the price of FUE would impede efforts to improve it-because advancement necessarily requires capital, so for now I think the proper price for FUE is $10 per graft.

 

Those clincs who offer low introductory prices AND perform FUE consitenly well will ulitmately raise their prices as demand for their services grow.

 

Dr. Feller

[HairHope]

Dr. Feller,

 

You make a good point, however based upon the supply-demand economics, I disagree on future pricing. As more doctors skillfully practicing FUE emerge, the price will go down since this is simply a supply (doctors) demand (patients) issue.

[Dr. Alan Feller]

HH,

I agree that once a SIGNIFICANT number of docs start performing consistently good FUE the price will go down according to the law of Supply and Demand.

 

However, the HT industry is FAR FAR FAR away from producing the number of FUE practioners necessary to bump up the "supply" side.

 

Ironically, the price of FUE may go up:

 

As the perception of FUE becomes more favorable to the public, the GREATER the demand for FUE surgery will become (this is already happening). Because the number of established and new FUE doctors can't possibly keep pace, the price of FUE surgery will actually become higher due to the law of supply and demand.

 

Simply stated: Supply will ALWAYS lag behind Demand.

 

Even if somehow 100 new doctors entered the ranks of FUE today, that would equate to an average of only 2 doctors per state or, to put it another way, 1 FUE doctor for every 3,000,000 people in the United States. That's just too few to make any kind of supply side difference.

 

By purchasing my FUE tools many more doctors will be able to successfully enter the FUE field, but they will find as I have, that the right FUE price will land at about $10 per graft.