If people stop updating on their HT status, could we assume the HT went wrong?

[juancbz45]

I have noticed that  quite some users start posting their HT journal here ( and on other forums too), and at a given time they just vanish (eventhough their last connection is way later than their last post).

In this case, is it safe to assume their HT didn't go as well as expected ?

[Melvin- Admin]

No, it’s the opposite. You should assume it went good. Usually unhappy patients come back and look for other options. Happy ones forget about hair loss and our site 😭

[Future Hair Doc]

People with complaints are more prominent online whereas happy people tend to not post updates, etc.

[giegnosiganoe]

Some of them stop updating their thread, but you can see they were "last online" recently. I'd say it's 50/50.

I think there's a great deal of embarrassment to admitting you had a bad HT result.

[ITA]

1 hour ago, Melvin-Moderator said:

No, it’s the opposite. You should assume it went good. Usually unhappy patients come back and look for other options. Happy ones forget about hair loss and our site

No @Melvin-Moderatorit's often the other way around, I agree with @giegnosiganoe

[1978matt]

1 hour ago, giegnosiganoe said:

Some of them stop updating their thread, but you can see they were "last online" recently. I'd say it's 50/50.

I think there's a great deal of embarrassment to admitting you had a bad HT result.

Yeah it's 50/50.  Had a few people message over the years saying the didn't update as they were not happy.  But on the other hand, some people ask for updates and they come back and post a knockout result.

[1978matt]

Just now, 1978matt said:

Yeah it's 50/50.  Had a few people message over the years saying the didn't update as they were not happy.  But on the other hand, some people ask for updates and they come back and post a knockout result.

50/50 of the people who 'return to the forum'.  That may only be 10% of the ones who disappear.  The other 90% could be 100% satisfied for all we know...or the reverse.

[Future Hair Doc]

56 minutes ago, Egy said:

No @Melvin-Moderatorit's often the other way around, I agree with @giegnosiganoe

I STRONGLY agree with Melvin. I'll give you an example. I personally see a lot of my patients taking finasteride and the vast majority of them don't have side effects (remember, the published side effect rate is ~5%). However, when you're online and the topic of finasteride comes up, people are usually all gloom and doom. People usually like to vent online. 

Edited March 24, 2021 by Dr. Suhail Khokhar

[Future Hair Doc]

NDAs are not enforceable when it comes to something of this nature unless there's a settlement reached (at least in the US). The clinics probably used scare tactics to say they'd sue, etc. My advice is to stay away from clinics that do this. 

[follically challenged]

1 hour ago, Dr. Suhail Khokhar said:

My advice is to stay away from clinics that do this.

I've heard some clinics make you sign NDAs before the operation..

It's disgusting that some doctors would try to gag patients, period. But it seems especially disturbing to me that they would try to gag patients BEFORE any results have even appeared.

It just screams 'shady practice'.

[Melvin- Admin]

8 minutes ago, follically challenged said:

I've heard some clinics make you sign NDAs before the operation..

It's disgusting that some doctors would try to gag patients, period. But it seems especially disturbing to me that they would try to gag patients BEFORE any results have even appeared.

It just screams 'shady practice'.

How is that possible. I know there are situations where surgeons make patients sign an NDA in exchange for a refund. But before surgery, why would anyone consent to that.

[SWdan]

I'm happy with the way mine turned out. There's been no further changes, so I have no reasons to update anything. 

[shami26]

It depends. Some people get on medication and have a successful transplant then move on to other things in their life.

Then there's the guys who got a bad result and didn't want to share that to the world.

[voxman]

People come here for advice and find out they like the company so they stick around, update, and then just hang out like a Bar. Other come for the advice, get it and then leave to go back to their Kit Kat  sites.  Or Tick Tack ...I dunno.

[Gatsby]

People generally get on with their life.

[Future Hair Doc]

NDAs are not enforceable in the US unless both parties consent to it in a court settlement, refund offer, etc. I wish patients knew their rights. I would run away from a clinic that makes you sign a NDA.

Edited March 25, 2021 by Dr. Suhail Khokhar

[WildBlueberry]

6 hours ago, Dr. Suhail Khokhar said:

I STRONGLY agree with Melvin. I'll give you an example. I personally see a lot of my patients taking finasteride and the vast majority of them don't have side effects (remember, the published side effect rate is ~5%). However, when you're online and the topic of finasteride comes up, people are usually all gloom and doom. People usually like to vent online. 

Hello, are you a hair transplant surgeon?

[WildBlueberry]

6 hours ago, qui bono said:

yeah its a mixed bag. Ive talked to some guys that have had bad results/poor growth and they've mentioned they've come to some sort of arrangement with the clinic. If its that they've usually had to sign an NDA. It was smart of them to post from the start though as it ultimately gave them more room to negotiate.

Some guys get uncomfortable with their image posted online as well, so sometimes you see their threads removed. Its not like its fun to have your bad surgery posted everywhere for the world to see, so I really feel for those guys. its brave of them to share at all really.

Other guys just get enthusiastic about the surgery, or are looking for general support, but then get bored after the initial few months because this stuff is a long process. Occasionally they'll come back after years and are like "oh yeah I had a good result, now I need a touch up." Its always good to see them.

Really hard to assess what % are getting a good result because of his. I think @LordBaldwin did some stats about Asmed once based on patient listings, but yeah its impossible to know what's going on.

Good question.

Oof I can’t believe this is a reality. The ht world really is wild.

[TommyLucchese]

18 hours ago, juancbz45 said:

I have noticed that  quite some users start posting their HT journal here ( and on other forums too), and at a given time they just vanish (eventhough their last connection is way later than their last post).

In this case, is it safe to assume their HT didn't go as well as expected ?

No. If it's bad - they'll be asking questions and posting concerns. If they aren't back it means they're enjoying life and no longer worrying about their hair.

It's not an overnight thing where you wake up with a full mane and you can't wait to hop on the forums and tell everyone.

It happens gradually - and over that time you start forgetting the worries you had and the bad situation you were in. You just slowly adapt to the new you and just sort of leave all this behind.

Some stay active because they feel a duty to the forum for all the advice they received and they want to help others too.

 

Edited March 25, 2021 by TommyLucchese
bad situation you WERE in, not are in

[TommyLucchese]

16 hours ago, giegnosiganoe said:

Some of them stop updating their thread, but you can see they were "last online" recently. I'd say it's 50/50.

I think there's a great deal of embarrassment to admitting you had a bad HT result.

Yes which is why I didn't and won't post monthly pics.... only the final result when I feel comfortable.

I feel really bad for people when you see their optimism turn into realisation that it hasn't worked out, with the photos out there for everyone to see.

[Mycroft]

I tend to be a bit cynical, but I'd also say it's a mixed bag. A lot of people with hair loss are distraught enough sharing their situation as it is, and just imagine how they feel if they have a bad result that may make them look even worse.

Obviously, there are also the guys who have a great result and just stop thinking about hair loss very much at all, so of course they won't spend much time, if any, posting on forums.

I do think that I myself would not be super inclined to share a bad hair transplant result with the community at large unless I had already been successfully repaired later or hoped the bad PR would convince the clinic to try to make things right if they'd previously refused.

I honestly feel it's wishful thinking to believe that all or even the majority of MIA posters live happily ever after. This is serious surgery and sometimes things go wrong, even with good doctors. Posters on this very forum have shared poor results from doctors that many would consider to be the best in the world, and many times through no fault of the doctor. It's important that prospective patients fully understand this reality so they can make an informed decision. 

[Future Hair Doc]

8 hours ago, WildBlueberry said:

Hello, are you a hair transplant surgeon?

I am training to become a hair transplant surgeon. What's up?

[SLA]

While investigating a clinic, I was put in touch with someone who had posted a lot on this forum and then took the plunge and had an HT which was very successful.

This person stopped posting after around 6 months post HT and others wondered what happened to him. I thought the HT might have turned into a failure.

When we connected through email, he was 11 months post op and shared photos which showed excellent results- he was super happy. When I asked why he had not posted in the forum for 5 months, he said that he was busy and would have to find the time to update. 

For me, the reasoning was hard to understand- after all, how long does it take to jump into the forum and post a quick update; the amount of time it took him to exchange a few emails with me would be the same amount of time to post in the forum.

Who knows?

[Melvin- Admin]

It can be both, I don’t think there can be absolutes. But a recent example was @Cahustler he disappeared after 5 months and everyone was asking for updates. I believe most thought his results we’re gonna be bad. Turns out he was busy and his results were amazing.

He’s not as active anymore, because he has a case of the tinder fingers haha his HT has allowed him more success in that department. Recently, another case @memzinla he stopped posting for 4 years. Someone bumped his thread, and he reappeared happy. These are cases where I can say for certain.

The ladder I haven’t seen. It could be due to refunds and NDA’s. But in my opinion those are few and far between. Most clinics do not issue refunds, to get a refund that’s rare. What would keep someone unhappy without a refund from posting anonymously? 

[Future Hair Doc]

1 hour ago, Melvin-Moderator said:

It can be both, I don’t think there can be absolutes. But a recent example was @Cahustler he disappeared after 5 months and everyone was asking for updates. I believe most thought his results we’re gonna be bad. Turns out he was busy and his results were amazing.

He’s not as active anymore, because he has a case of the tinder fingers haha his HT has allowed him more success in that department. Recently, another case @memzinla he stopped posting for 4 years. Someone bumped his thread, and he reappeared happy. These are cases where I can say for certain.

The ladder I haven’t seen. It could be due to refunds and NDA’s. But in my opinion those are few and far between. Most clinics do not issue refunds, to get a refund that’s rare. What would keep someone unhappy without a refund from posting anonymously? 

lol tinder fingers...it's so true. I see a LOT of post-op patients get it after their hair transplant