Conflicting clinic assessments.

[ANDYMAL]

Hi all, 

I would like to ask if anyone has, in their initial searches of clinics, found major disparities with their assessments, from only viewing your photos? 

Using my communications as an example, one clinic said insufficient donor hair available from the scalp to do any restoration work, deeming me an unsuitable candidate, and a few have already replied in relation to 1700-2000 grafts for the Hairline, and 1000 for the crown, all coming from the Scalp donor region.

There is an existing FUT scar that is still visible in the donor region that has removed a lot of grafts, so i am guessing that may have convinced the naysayer.

So it concerns and confuses me that there is a major difference in assessments.

Do some clinics just quote random figures from just looking at your photos, to entice you to their clinics, then on your first face to face consultation, alter the numbers dramatically and offer you a procedure you are coerced into taking, due to the massive commitment of travel and cost?

Could both be somewhat correct?

There is some apprehension in regards to moving forward without further clarity, so i am engaging the clinics in another round of video consultations.

In the meantime is it normal to see this disparity occur?

Thanks for any input.

Andy.

 

 

 

 

[Ajamilo]

Who are those clinics? are they recommended here?

 anyway, one will only assume things before using a microscope etc to check it out.

[digi23]

11 hours ago, ANDYMAL said:

Hi all, 

I would like to ask if anyone has, in their initial searches of clinics, found major disparities with their assessments, from only viewing your photos? 

Using my communications as an example, one clinic said insufficient donor hair available from the scalp to do any restoration work, deeming me an unsuitable candidate, and a few have already replied in relation to 1700-2000 grafts for the Hairline, and 1000 for the crown, all coming from the Scalp donor region.

There is an existing FUT scar that is still visible in the donor region that has removed a lot of grafts, so i am guessing that may have convinced the naysayer.

So it concerns and confuses me that there is a major difference in assessments.

Do some clinics just quote random figures from just looking at your photos, to entice you to their clinics, then on your first face to face consultation, alter the numbers dramatically and offer you a procedure you are coerced into taking, due to the massive commitment of travel and cost?

Could both be somewhat correct?

There is some apprehension in regards to moving forward without further clarity, so i am engaging the clinics in another round of video consultations.

In the meantime is it normal to see this disparity occur?

Thanks for any input.

Andy.

 

 

 

 

Depends alot if you only consult with top clinics they will pretty much say the same thing. If you compare a top clinic vs a turkish hair mill, the hair mill will always say you are a candidate even if you have 2cm of donor zone left they can extract 4000 grafts "without a problem".

[Melvin- Admin]

Different clinics have different philosophies. For example, even in the same practice like Hasson and Wong. Hasson is definitely more aggressive than Wong, who’s more conservative. Same thing in Eugenix, Dr. Sethi is more aggressive and Dr. Arika more conservative. This will affect the proposed numbers.

[ANDYMAL]

Thanks Gents. 

Initially i had a video conference with Dr. Arika, who was willing to accomodate all my requests, and offer a relatively conservative approach to the grafts, using more beard hair, and also, a video conference with Dr. Bicer.

Dr.Bicer was suggesting roughly the same amount of grafts were available, to do the crown and scar repair, but was hesitant to go to the eyebrow issue.

That, at least, was comforting  to know we have some donor hair available, and some of my issues can be addressed, according to 2 reputable clinics. 

I felt buoyant.

Then, i was a little dumfounded, and brought down to earth quickly.

Even though i did not get as far as a video consult, only sending photos, De Freitas had a one line reply, of  i am not a candidate for an op. Thanks!

Trying to interpret all this is difficult.

Can i be comfortable with Eugenix's assessment  [from photos, emails and one video call with Doctor A ] that they are being realistic with their proposal, and I accept needing to be a little flexible either way, when meeting them in person?

Is De Freitas more into packing the frontal region and not interested in looking at fixing Crowns, and FUT scars?

Having watched Melvin's video regarding tempered expectations, reading many accounts, and seeing results,  i understand this can be fraught with uncertainty.

i am wondering though, is the pendulum swinging that dramatically that i could go to Eugenix or Bicer, expecting their initial propositions to be honoured, but find them delivering me a 'De Freitas style' answer after a face to face consultation?

You want to believe the most positive of the assessments. 

Do certain Clinics just want to promote themselves as a specific type of business, looking for jobs and clients that may potentially be beneficial to their profile, and dissuade the rest, even though the client may still be capable of having a HT?

Just looking for answers......direction.....confidence.....certainty.

[quantumhair]

@ANDYMALThank you for asking this question. This helps me as well. It's okay if the deviation from online consultation proposal is around 500 grafts but a drastic change could beat the purpose of going to the clinic for surgery itself as our original decision would have depended on the proposal. In this case it's better to choose the one that has both good reputation and good confidence in the communication given to you. I'm in a similar situation as well. (No one told I'm not a good HT candidate though).

[ANDYMAL]

Thanks quantumhair, that's very true.

I would obviously go to a clinic that suggests i have grafts available, in a reasonably dense donor area, with a reputation that has been well documented here over time.

That is thanks to all the hard work of everyone here, and their brutal honesty, and candour, supplying very personal photos and details. 

The 2 that propose relatively similar graft numbers, give or take a few, as you summed up, were Eugenix and Dr. Bicer of Turkey.

They both have video assessed me, and proposed a plan according to my interests and the photos sent.  I even had Dr. Karaltin, another Turkish surgeon video me a couple of times and really lay out a thorough plan for my whole request, earlier on in my researching.

Also having communicated well with those 3 choices, i can tick that box as well with them.

It is just the De Freitas surgery who had no interest due to low density of donor area, that confuses me.

No reason how they came up with that, [and still waiting a reply to my request] when we are getting figures of 3400-4000 from the others, plus using beard and body hair on top of those numbers, to supplement.

The Spanish clinic has a good reputation and some amazing photo results documented in recent posts here, that took my eye, so i made inquiries.

I shall hopefully wait for their more detailed reply, before finally closing the door on my research and decision making, and really appreciate yours, and everyone elses input into my personal journey.

cheers 

Andy.

[Grouse]

Can you share pictures of your donor here? Curious what some clinics think is reasonable and some think is not possible.

Freitas doesn't really do BHT from what I understand, so that could be part of it.

[SLA]

There is sometimes a MAJOR disparity in what clinics (even reputable) are able to do and/or feel comfortable doing.

@Zoomsteris one such example in which he was flat out rejected from a recommended clinic on this forum and told by another reputable clinic he had 3,500 grafts MAX to use which included FUT/FUE/BHT. Zoomster is now 4 months post surgery #2 from Eugenix after having 11,600 grafts transplanted (~8k scalp and 3.6k beard) and his donor and recipient are looking AWESOME.

 

 

[SLA]

As I reflected, there have been MANY more cases of people being rejected by one clinic only to achieve major success with another. I know @juanjs84is also an example.

I would feel good about an assessment from Dr. Arika, but I would be upfront in explaining that you were getting mixed opinions from other clinics and wanted to be sure she was certain they could serve you before making a trip 1/2 way around the world :).

Getting an in person assessment is optimal of course, yet you still may get conflicting advice. Not sure where you are located, but as of a couple of months ago, I heard that Dr. Arika and Pradeep were planning to come at the end of February or March to the US and I think Canada as well.

Any updates on that @Eugenix Hair Sciences? 

 

[Grouse]

8 hours ago, SLA said:

As I reflected, there have been MANY more cases of people being rejected by one clinic only to achieve major success with another. I know @juanjs84is also an example.

I would feel good about an assessment from Dr. Arika, but I would be upfront in explaining that you were getting mixed opinions from other clinics and wanted to be sure she was certain they could serve you before making a trip 1/2 way around the world :).

Getting an in person assessment is optimal of course, yet you still may get conflicting advice. Not sure where you are located, but as of a couple of months ago, I heard that Dr. Arika and Pradeep were planning to come at the end of February or March to the US and I think Canada as well.

Any updates on that @Eugenix Hair Sciences? 

 

Wow that's great to know! Thanks for sharing. If Eugenix signs off, is that typically a sign that you're "good enough" to operate on, even if others won't?

[ANDYMAL]

Hi Grouse, SLA. 

The previous FUT Scar that I needed concealing with Beard grafts may have been a red flag for De Freitas, because you mentioned Grouse, that he may not do BHT.

As the request of top up beard hairs for the crown was also asked to be considered, if my donor was not dense enough, due to that FUT scar, that could have also concerned him.

I also threw in a need for eyebrow replenishing, which is probably not as sexy as a thick frontal hairline that promotes his brand more so than my motley requests, so i guess, the 1 week turnaround of sending pictures, to receiving a no answer pretty well, categorically means, 'i am not interested in your average joe job.'

Travelling from Down Under to Europe or India is a big ask if i am not getting certainty, so you are spot on there, SLA, which i am in the process of finding out again with Eugenix, and Dr. Bicer.

Cheers to all.

 

[SLA]

Hi @Grouse- I would personally trust Eugenix