Is this the right way to go or are they milking it?

[baldasacoot]

Dear all,

I'm new here so please go easy on me haha

So, I visited The Private Clinic on Harley St, London yesterday for my first hair transplant consultation with Dr Furqan Raja. I opted to go to the 'best' or so called because generally you get what you pay for and its a clinic fairly close to home.

 The Dr examined my hair and told me my hair line is receding and thinning in the crown area. The usual male hair pattern of balding I guess.

Going into this consultation I assumed that they could pretty much go straight into talking about plans for the hair transplant i.e. the areas, number of grafts, donor areas etc. I was surprised when I was told this wasn't going to be the case for me because the crown wasn't thinning enough! Apparently there are plenty of existing hairs that need plasma injections and Finasteride to thicken up. He could, however commence with implants for the receding hairline for the first stage. Then followed by plasma injections to the scalp, then implants for the crown when hair loss in that region is more apparent.

I guess my question walking away from the consultation is whether there are shortcuts to this treatment i.e. a direct implant procedure across the scalp, starting in the areas in most need? Then perhaps topping up as the years go by.. I hope I'm mistaken but it seems to me Dr Raja maybe thinking of extractions from my bank account because it seems like a long winded process. I'm sure I've heard of success stories with much more straightforward techniques. I know I could have asked this question when I was sat in front of him but I guess I didn't have the time to think it through.

Looking forward to hearing your experience or any replies on this.

Thanks for reading!

 

[JDEE0]

You absolutely don't need PRP, so if the doctor is insisting that you do then he may well be trying to upsell you as you seem to be suggesting. It is debatable as to how efficacious PRP is or isn't, both from anecdotal evidence from clinics/patients and also within the existing literature on the subject. It seems for some that it can help to regrow/maintain hair, but for most I would have to go out on a limb and say that it does nothing but drain their bank account. That's not to mention the fact that there is absolutely no regulation around what actually constitutes/makes up a PRP treatment; most places will employ their own techniques of how they prepare it, some may actually be useful, whilst others may be completely ineffective. What I'm trying to say is that there is no standardisation and you don't know if you're getting the most half-arsed PRP treatment possible or not. In any case, I'm not really a big believer that it does much/anything at all to help.

In regards to the surgeon not being able to plant grafts as there is already a fair amount of hair there that is miniaturised, that is fairly common practice. Some surgeons opt not to implant in thinning areas too heavily as they believe it will shock the somewhat unhealthy hairs and they will never come back, others seem to have no problem doing so and will implant in the existing hair, I've seen lots of cases of both, but either way there's nothing suspect about him saying that.

As for finasteride, he is right there. It very well might allow for regrowth in the crown and as a result the need for grafts to be placed there may be negated entirely, so it is best to give it a go for a year or so and see if that's the case or not. Also, if you're progressively thinning (as essentially everyone who is balding due to AA is) then you're just going to keep losing hair if you don't take finasteride - with it, clinical studies show around about an 85-90% chance of maintenance or improvement from baseline at the ten year mark, with no data beyond this time, bit it will continue to work. You will still lose hair over the decades, but it will be at a much slower rate and maybe you can stave off another hair transplant for a few decades (- maybe -) rather than (potentially) a handful of years if you don't take it. 

Yes, that is generally how it works; you transplant hair where you need it, then if/when you lose more hair down the road, you fill those areas in too (donor reserves permitting). 

To be honest, I would suggest forgetting about Harley street clinic, I believe that's where Dr. Reddy worked, but I think he has left/opened his own practice? I'm not sure to be honest, but you mentioned it would be a dr raja doing your procedure in any case. If you absolutely have to stay in the UK, Dr. Reddy seems like a decent choice, he is the only Dr. I would personally let touch my head in the UK, but for cheaper/a similar price you could easily go to the best options in the whole of Europe: Dr Bisanga, Dr Ferudini, Dr Bruno Pinto, Dr Rafael De Freitas, Dr Bruno Ferreira and Dr Ximena Villa is my personal list. 

Edited July 2, 2021 by JDEE0

[Britanium]

Please consult with Dr Reddy and also Dr Arshad if your sticking with the Uk ! I also like Ed Ball as another possible option. 
So many more choices if you was to venture further afield. I agree with @JDEE0 who mentions some fantastic Drs. 
Check out the forums recommended list:

https://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/Consult-a-Physician/hair-transplant-surgeons.asp?sr=HRN-MOB

[gillenator]

One of his concerns regarding your diffused crown is the potential of shock loss...so even though your crown may be thinning, have you thought about using topical cosmetic fibers and waiting on during surgery there?...do you have any pics to share?

[BLE123]

21 hours ago, JDEE0 said:

To be honest, I would suggest forgetting about Harley street clinic, I believe that's where Dr. Reddy worked, but I think he has left/opened his own practice? I'm not sure to be honest, but you mentioned it would be a dr raja doing your procedure in any case. If you absolutely have to stay in the UK, Dr. Reddy seems like a decent choice, he is the only Dr. I would personally let touch my head in the UK, but for cheaper/a similar price you could easily go to the best options in the whole of Europe: Dr Bisanga, Dr Ferudini, Dr Bruno Pinto, Dr Rafael De Freitas, Dr Bruno Ferreira and Dr Ximena Villa is my personal list. 

Agree, Dr Reddy is the only UK surgeon with consistent high quality results.

[Melvin- Admin]

I’m not sure who the doctor is at private clinic now, but Reddy has his own practice on Harley st. I recommend consulting with him.

[baldasacoot]

Thanks for your replies. Dr Raghu Reddy was my first choice but The Private Clinic said he's in theatre until August. Sounds like bs. Dr Reddy has a website but the address is the same as The Private Clinic

[Melvin- Admin]

1 hour ago, baldasacoot said:

Thanks for your replies. Dr Raghu Reddy was my first choice but The Private Clinic said he's in theatre until August. Sounds like bs. Dr Reddy has a website but the address is the same as The Private Clinic

He’s no longer at private clinic at all. He posted about it on Instagram, and we were also notified by Private Clinic he’s no longer with them.

[baldasacoot]

Thanks Melvin. I tried booking through the website provided on Dr Reddy's Instagram but there was a technical error to I DM'd him. I hope he get back to me.

[Britanium]

Just now, baldasacoot said:

Thanks Melvin. I tried booking through the website provided on Dr Reddy's Instagram but there was a technical error to I DM'd him. I hope he get back to me.

You could try doing the virtual consultation option on the forum:

https://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/physician/United-Kingdom/Raghu-Reddy/671

 

[baldasacoot]

1 hour ago, JohnAC71 said:

You could try doing the virtual consultation option on the forum:

https://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/physician/United-Kingdom/Raghu-Reddy/671

 

Cool thanks John i'll give it a go. Do you know where this info is sent to? I.e. is it this email address provided?

[DrTBarghouthi]

May I ask you about your age? It seems reasonable in many cases to delay the crown work for various reasons: shock loss of existing hairs, ongoing outward loss, limited donor etc. 
I also agree that PRP is not the ideal maintenance regimen. I use it during surgery but not to do with the result itself. 

[Dr Raghu Reddy]

Hi Guys, 

If you would like to come and see me at my clinic, please contact Alda and she will assist- alda-hajdari@hotmail.co.uk. 

Many thanks,

Dr Raghu Reddy

[Melvin- Admin]

I read a little more closely at your post, and I think the suggestion for finasteride is spot on. Plasm injections I’m not sure about, haven’t seen enough evidence to recommend. But I definitely believe that shock loss is a real concern when there is a lot of native hair. If the doctor was really in it for the money, he would’ve just said yes to the surgery, as it would cost a lot more than medication and treatment. That’s my 0.2 cents.