Consultation with Dr Feller

[Al - Moderator]

Some time ago on these forums Dr. Feller suggested that he could give me a great repair job, document it with photos and present it here when completed.

 

 

Years ago I decide to take a year off from work to have a hair transplant done. By the time I went through 25 sessions over a 5 and a half year period and being turned down for any further work or repair by various Drs I was in some serious depression and still out of work waiting for my ht to be completed. I wanted to kill myself by that point as I felt like I had no hope of ever looking normal or having anything at all in life. I got myself through it by continually telling myself that if I'm at the bottom now then I can only go up, so I'll stick around another day and see what happens. Over time I talked myself into having some hope that maybe someday medical advances will be able to correct the old HTs and I'd finally be able to be happy with myself (thus my handle beHappy).

 

So when Dr Feller offered to perform a correction and present the results here I was reluctant to go through with it because after living my hairloss for over 20 years, I didn't see a way to get any more hair out of my donor. I do not want to get my hopes up just to have them knocked down. I came back to these forums in 2007 (used top be a lurker many years ago) because I heard about body hair transplants and wanted to look into it as a possible solution. I've somewhat dismissed that since, but it still may be the best way to go for me.

 

Anyway, after a long time viewing repair patients presented here by various Drs and hearing that they can get 2000 or more grafts out of previously depleted donor areas even after the patients were turned down by other Drs, I felt perhaps it was time to go in and get this done.

 

 

I am not looking for miracles. I know I'll never have a full head of hair. I know it will always look somewhat fake because of the old work. I am willing to accept that. I am willing to leave the top center of my head alone and comb my hair over to cover the center. All I'm looking for is at least 2000 grafts with a general breakdown of 500 in the hairline to soften up the plugginess and add a bit of density, 500 on the left side to make a part and cover a bit of scarring, 500 on the right side to cover some scarring and so I don't have to grow my hair too long and do a ridiculously obvious comb over just to get hair on that side. I'd like to cut my hair a bit shorter, not have to keep it longer, and last 500 grafts in the far back of the crown where my hairloss has receded down the back of my head.

 

That is only 2000 grafts total. Not nearly the megasession that I see many other repair patients getting. I thought if I'm really lucky I might be able to get 2200 or 2300 and even start covering more area or perhaps fill in portions of some scars. Again I don't think this is asking too much when compared to everything else I see presented here from both Drs and patients.

 

 

So I have a consultation with Dr Feller and right away he eliminates the possibility of doing a strip and wants to do FUE. The sides and back of my head are already too thinned out. I want to do a strip to try to cut out some of the scars. Dr. feller tries to tell me that taking FUE from the entire area won't be noticeable. That makes no sense whatsoever. If the thinness is too noticeable now, how will it not be noticeable after taking more out? Perhaps it won't look much/any different than it does now, but then he's admitting there's no plan to improve it.

 

 

Then he wants to do only 500 grafts. What!? This is exactly the amount he said some time ago that was a waste to have surgery for if the balding area is larger than baseball size. So why does he say one thing on these boards against Drs who do that and then privately plan to do it in his own practice on me? Does anyone here think 500 grafts is worth getting done on a NW7 person?

 

 

Then while all of the Drs and patients are displaying photos of corrected hairlines and saying how great hairlines can be improved from old work, he tells me I can just keep combing my hair in a way to cover the plugginess and thinness in front rather than putting any grafts there. What? No fix there either? So I'll still have to constantly look in mirrors to make sure my plugs are covered? What's the point of having work done if I still have to agonize about it any time someone is within a few feet of me?

 

 

He didn't even want to look at the right side where I have the most visible scarring. I could go on, but this is getting very lengthy. basically he offered me no real solution at all.

 

 

What he offered was to do 2 or maybe 3 small mini sessions over a few years. That is exactly how I got to where I am. By having Drs continue to do small sessions on me while performing large sessions on everyone else. I am so tired of it. And then having to hear people tell me it's somehow my fault for allowing it. So... what should I do? Have a small 500 graft session? Is it somehow my fault if I follow his plan?

 

 

I cannot wear a hat at my job. I have to meet many different people on a daily basis on a professional level (suit and tie). I am not interested in risking losing my job and being back to where I was years ago, taking time off from work and have it eventually turn into several years out of work to have several mini sessions done. For anyone who says Dr Feller really cares about his patients, so far I don't see it. I see a lot of his hype and talk on the forums, but he didn't seem to care about me at all. He just simply expected me to be glad I went to him even though I still had to wait years for a final result... which sounds like it might not be much improvement at all. I was SO afraid to be let down and lose hope of ever getting repaired because that's all i really have, but he didn't care a bit. It was an extremly hard 2.5 hour drove home. I don't even feel like working this week.

 

 

I didn't tell him I was beHappy from this forum. I don't know if he probably guessed it eventually or not. I probably should have cut my hair before going there so he could have a better idea of what it looks like when I get a haircut. Perhaps that is my fault, but I didn't want to look like I was trying to make it look worse than it is. I did not go in trying to prove him wrong. I REALLY wanted him to be right and be able to fix me up. I would have gladly allowed him to use full face photos, list my phone number as a contact and even be willing to meet prospective patients in my area, give him the best praise to anyone I met, etc.

 

Oh and I should also add that for all his talk about how a HT is a cure, the guy is still bald. His HT would not be acceptable to me... and from what I can tell it wouldn't be acceptable to most others here either as I constantly see others going back for work on their crown.

 

 

Maybe I'll go back in a few months for another consultation. Maybe I should have just gone to H&W. At least I know they do the biggest megasessions and try to get you completed in one session if possible.

[Al - Moderator]

Some time ago on these forums Dr. Feller suggested that he could give me a great repair job, document it with photos and present it here when completed.

 

 

Years ago I decide to take a year off from work to have a hair transplant done. By the time I went through 25 sessions over a 5 and a half year period and being turned down for any further work or repair by various Drs I was in some serious depression and still out of work waiting for my ht to be completed. I wanted to kill myself by that point as I felt like I had no hope of ever looking normal or having anything at all in life. I got myself through it by continually telling myself that if I'm at the bottom now then I can only go up, so I'll stick around another day and see what happens. Over time I talked myself into having some hope that maybe someday medical advances will be able to correct the old HTs and I'd finally be able to be happy with myself (thus my handle beHappy).

 

So when Dr Feller offered to perform a correction and present the results here I was reluctant to go through with it because after living my hairloss for over 20 years, I didn't see a way to get any more hair out of my donor. I do not want to get my hopes up just to have them knocked down. I came back to these forums in 2007 (used top be a lurker many years ago) because I heard about body hair transplants and wanted to look into it as a possible solution. I've somewhat dismissed that since, but it still may be the best way to go for me.

 

Anyway, after a long time viewing repair patients presented here by various Drs and hearing that they can get 2000 or more grafts out of previously depleted donor areas even after the patients were turned down by other Drs, I felt perhaps it was time to go in and get this done.

 

 

I am not looking for miracles. I know I'll never have a full head of hair. I know it will always look somewhat fake because of the old work. I am willing to accept that. I am willing to leave the top center of my head alone and comb my hair over to cover the center. All I'm looking for is at least 2000 grafts with a general breakdown of 500 in the hairline to soften up the plugginess and add a bit of density, 500 on the left side to make a part and cover a bit of scarring, 500 on the right side to cover some scarring and so I don't have to grow my hair too long and do a ridiculously obvious comb over just to get hair on that side. I'd like to cut my hair a bit shorter, not have to keep it longer, and last 500 grafts in the far back of the crown where my hairloss has receded down the back of my head.

 

That is only 2000 grafts total. Not nearly the megasession that I see many other repair patients getting. I thought if I'm really lucky I might be able to get 2200 or 2300 and even start covering more area or perhaps fill in portions of some scars. Again I don't think this is asking too much when compared to everything else I see presented here from both Drs and patients.

 

 

So I have a consultation with Dr Feller and right away he eliminates the possibility of doing a strip and wants to do FUE. The sides and back of my head are already too thinned out. I want to do a strip to try to cut out some of the scars. Dr. feller tries to tell me that taking FUE from the entire area won't be noticeable. That makes no sense whatsoever. If the thinness is too noticeable now, how will it not be noticeable after taking more out? Perhaps it won't look much/any different than it does now, but then he's admitting there's no plan to improve it.

 

 

Then he wants to do only 500 grafts. What!? This is exactly the amount he said some time ago that was a waste to have surgery for if the balding area is larger than baseball size. So why does he say one thing on these boards against Drs who do that and then privately plan to do it in his own practice on me? Does anyone here think 500 grafts is worth getting done on a NW7 person?

 

 

Then while all of the Drs and patients are displaying photos of corrected hairlines and saying how great hairlines can be improved from old work, he tells me I can just keep combing my hair in a way to cover the plugginess and thinness in front rather than putting any grafts there. What? No fix there either? So I'll still have to constantly look in mirrors to make sure my plugs are covered? What's the point of having work done if I still have to agonize about it any time someone is within a few feet of me?

 

 

He didn't even want to look at the right side where I have the most visible scarring. I could go on, but this is getting very lengthy. basically he offered me no real solution at all.

 

 

What he offered was to do 2 or maybe 3 small mini sessions over a few years. That is exactly how I got to where I am. By having Drs continue to do small sessions on me while performing large sessions on everyone else. I am so tired of it. And then having to hear people tell me it's somehow my fault for allowing it. So... what should I do? Have a small 500 graft session? Is it somehow my fault if I follow his plan?

 

 

I cannot wear a hat at my job. I have to meet many different people on a daily basis on a professional level (suit and tie). I am not interested in risking losing my job and being back to where I was years ago, taking time off from work and have it eventually turn into several years out of work to have several mini sessions done. For anyone who says Dr Feller really cares about his patients, so far I don't see it. I see a lot of his hype and talk on the forums, but he didn't seem to care about me at all. He just simply expected me to be glad I went to him even though I still had to wait years for a final result... which sounds like it might not be much improvement at all. I was SO afraid to be let down and lose hope of ever getting repaired because that's all i really have, but he didn't care a bit. It was an extremly hard 2.5 hour drove home. I don't even feel like working this week.

 

 

I didn't tell him I was beHappy from this forum. I don't know if he probably guessed it eventually or not. I probably should have cut my hair before going there so he could have a better idea of what it looks like when I get a haircut. Perhaps that is my fault, but I didn't want to look like I was trying to make it look worse than it is. I did not go in trying to prove him wrong. I REALLY wanted him to be right and be able to fix me up. I would have gladly allowed him to use full face photos, list my phone number as a contact and even be willing to meet prospective patients in my area, give him the best praise to anyone I met, etc.

 

Oh and I should also add that for all his talk about how a HT is a cure, the guy is still bald. His HT would not be acceptable to me... and from what I can tell it wouldn't be acceptable to most others here either as I constantly see others going back for work on their crown.

 

 

Maybe I'll go back in a few months for another consultation. Maybe I should have just gone to H&W. At least I know they do the biggest megasessions and try to get you completed in one session if possible.

[TC17]

I have no idea what went down between you and Dr. Feller, but I think you might be a little harsh in your critique. If Dr. Feller recommended FUE, there was most likely a compelling reason for him doing so. I'm not defending trying to defend Dr. Feller, and in fact there have been situations where I have felt his behavior on this forum was boorish, but I'm struggling to understand your dissatisfaction with him in this current situation. I sympathize with you over your shoddy work, but that was not Dr. Feller's doing. I understand that you hoped for 2,000 grafts via strip, but if they're not there, they're not there. No clinic, H&W included, can get more than what exists. Higher graft counts come from taking wider, longer strips. Dr. Feller obviously saw something that made him believe that FUE was superior to strip in your situation. I would trust that judgment.

 

It sucks that you can't get 2,000 grafts, but 500 is better than 0. I'm sure that SOME improvement can be made even with such a small number of grafts, and maybe you should reconsider.

 

Last, unless I missed something, it seems to me as though your anger is because Dr. Feller cannot deliver on what you hoped. I cannot understand why you would direct your anger over that towards Dr. Feller. After all, even the best chef can't cook steak if you give him fish.

 

If I missed something I apologize in advance. But, if I did not, I'm beyond confused as to why you are so hostile.

[thanatopsis_awry]

"For anyone who says Dr Feller really cares about his patients, so far I don't see it. I see a lot of his hype and talk on the forums, but he didn't seem to care about me at all. He just simply expected me to be glad I went to him..."

 

"Oh and I should also add that for all his talk about how a HT is a cure, the guy is still bald. His HT would not be acceptable to me... and from what I can tell it wouldn't be acceptable to most others here either"

 

I agree w/ TC. Way too hostile, and I think this anger is ultimately doing yourself a further injustice. You said you've had *25* procedures...that's pretty atypical, even as far as brutal repair cases go. You can't make an honest comparison of yourself to other repair patients that you see receiving ~2k or whatever grafts and getting a big turnaround. It's not fair to the doctor, and it's not fair to yourself, either, since you will be setting yourself up for unncessesary failure and letdown.

 

I'm sorry you've been butchered so bad; but when different doctors can't right those wrongs to your express satisfaction, it isn't really a reflection on them. You seem to be extremely emotionally invested in the salvation of a new doctor's "repair". If Dr. Feller didn't give you the news you want, consult with different doctors and see whether other options appeal to you. Hopefully, you get a better prognosis, move forward, and end up satisfied.

 

You compared Dr. Feller's prognosis to being "exactly how (you) got to where (you) are". This simply isn't the case, and you're projecting past wrongs onto Dr. Feller is a very unfair way. Dr. Feller's "gloomy" news was obviously a major dissapointment for you; did you communicate this with him, and see how he responded to your feelings on his prognosis?

[Severn]

I dunno, he may have judged your density and scalp laxity too low at this point after all the surgeries. And if your donor area is as thin as your say, he would have to take a much wider strip to get the 2000 you want. He might have judged doing that would likely result in a widened, stretched scar that you would never be able to hide.

 

Can you give us pics with your face covered showing your donor area and the area you want worked on?

 

Thanks ahead of time.

[PLEASE GROW PLEASE]

Was this surgery for free or were you going to have to pay for it?

If it were free I can see why only 500 was offered .

If you were paying I dont see why he wouldnt do as many as possible.

I can understand the frustration your going through as I went through the EXACT same thing.

 

Severn has a great point.

If you donor laxity is tight and thin its only a recipe for disaster with another strip

Had no idea Feller was bald

Ive seen a pic of him that looked like he had hair

[Curious]

You're a little too negative in your critique of the doctor. He can never truly evaluate what he would recommend until he sees you in person. And I found the crack about his HT inappropriate. In any event, I sympathize with your plight. You should get a number of doctor opinions about your repair before having any additonal work done, doesn't sound like there is any margin for error.

[Guest wanthairs]

No disrespect but I think it is impossible to expect 2000 grafts after you have had 25 hair transplants. I dont think I have even heard fo someone getting 2000 grafts on their 4th surgery.

 

I think Dr. Feller could not get the grafts that are not there. 25 sessions !!! I feel very sorry for you actually. I am sure you obviously dont have the characteristics for 2000 grafts otherwise he would have wanetd to do it. Why wouldnt he ? I had one failed procedure and went to hasson and wong for a repair and they were only able to get 3600 grafts and it was only my second surgery and I did scalp excersises for months before. Youve had 24 more surgeries than me !

 

Whatever happens, I hope you can find soem peace with your situation.

[Severn]

and from what I can tell it wouldn't be acceptable to most others here either as I constantly see others going back for work on their crown.

 

 

 

 

Most people get get their hairlines taken care of then after a satisfactory result, add a bit in the crown (donor hair permitting). I have to do the crown first since I have some scaring there. Luckily my hairline is passable.

[hair_care]

That was harsh indeed! Dr Feller only offers the best advice to all patients who come to see him. He really takes pride in his work and patients results. If you don't like his advice go to someone else.

[TC17]

hair_care,

 

Don't take this as a personal attack, but I disagree with your statement about going to someone else 100%. I have no connection to Dr. Feller, and because I have been critical of him on this forum previously, I believe that my opinion carries some weight. With that being said, there is no doubt in my mind that there are valid reasons for why Dr. Feller recommended the approach that he did. Telling someone to seek out a doctor that will cater to the whims of the patient is dangerous. It's possible that there are physicians in the world that would feel comfortable in doing a strip on BeHappy, or that might go for more grafts in one setting, but I would be hesitant to go to one.

 

Dr. Feller has established a reputation for being sensible in his practice. He has never overhyped FUE or PRP, he has been cautious with young patients, and he has been extremely transparent with his work. Because of those factors, I believe that his professional opinion should be given great deference. If Feller says that this is the proper approach, I'd bet a lot that it is. Of course, BeHappy should consult with some other doctors merely to see if Dr. Feller's assessment is in line with the other doctors, but I have no reason to doubt that it wouldn't be. I hope that BeHappy doesn't actively seek out a physician that will give him what he wants because it most likely will not be the proper move for him.

 

I only say this because BeHappy expressed a desire to visit H&W because of his dissatisfaction with what Dr. Feller told him. Implicit in that statement is the belief that H&W can accomplish what Feller cannot. While H&W are outstanding, they are also mortal men and are faced with the same limiting factors as Dr. Feller. There is nothing to suggest that H&W can do what Feller cannot, and vice versa. I just feel that there is this pervasive belief that H&W are the only physicians to visit if someone is extensively bald, or if someone needs a lot of grafts. I don't believe that either of those happen to be true, but I do see that BeHappy has accepted that belief as gospel truth, and is now setting himself up for failure if H&W also believe that strip is inappropriate.

 

Again, not meant as an attack on you buddy, just hopefully a wakeup call for BeHappy.

[Bill - Seemiller]

BeHappy,

 

I think our members are right on the money. Though I certainly sympathize with you given your hair transplant history, after 25 procedures, I think your expectations are probably too high. I also think it's highly unfair to accuse Dr. Feller of a lack of concern for patients just his professional opinion didn't meet your approval and expectations.

 

It took 25 procedures to get you where you are today. Undoing some of the damage to give you a more cosmetically pleasing look could take multiple procedures. This appears to be Dr. Feller's opinion.

 

I can only take guesses, but I would assume if Dr. Feller recommended FUE that you're either stripped out due to poor scalp elasticity after 25 procedures or due to risks of increased scarring. Depending on your donor and recipient area characteristics, including scarring from previous surgeries, Dr. Feller may not want to do larger FUE sessions to reduce the risk of less than optimal hair growth yield.

 

Nobody is forcing you to take Dr. Feller's advice. If you're not happy wtih Dr. Feller's suggestions, seek the professional input of other well respected doctors to garner their input.

 

Because we believe in providing a balanced and fair forum for patients and physicians, please identify yourself to Dr. Feller so that he may fashion a response to this thread if he feels it's appropriate.

 

Best of luck to you on your search for repair work,

 

Bill

[hair_care]

TC17 no offence taken.

When I read BeHappy's post , I thought he was being rude and It was a rather a personal attack against Dr Feller which was uncalled for. I told him to go to someone else because each person might have his or her own choice of a physician and If he did'nt like one doctor's views he was free to choose another. I am a patient of Dr Feller and can tell you Dr Feller's goal is to maximize the cosmetic benefit for his patients.

[swim]

Be Happy

 

Open your mind and don't let fear guide you. The little rope that holds you over the pit of hell much as one holds a spider or some loathsome insect over the fire, is in YOUR HANDS. Pull your self together, over the pit and let go of the fear. YOU look upon your self as worthy of nothing else but to be cast in that fire?

 

Why? Because of some scars? It is your hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment. Do you WANT to suffer or TO AWAKE again in this world after you closed your eyes,25 times before?

 

Your pain moves me to speak to you now, because I am familiar with it. It is the fear. Fear of what will people say of your scars, that makes you sad? Why? Most people think most highly of the person with courage. You are very worthy gentleman in many regards and you over magnify your misfortune.

 

Don't blame the doctor now. Open your mind. He told what he can and what he can't do for you. That is called being straight forward. He doesn't want to indulge you with illusions. That is commendable characteristic in a doctor. Not bad, but good .Bad would be to him to try to shut your eyes against a painful truth

 

Be happy, are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes see not, and having ears hear not the things which so clearly concern their temporal (by all means) salvation?

 

Don't let the fear guide you. people will understand and accept you as you are. They will respect and love you as you are.

 

Give them that chance.

 

Much worse things in life happen to good people. I know that first hand as I witnessed the horrors of war.

 

You are not alone and remember it is your hand that holds you over the pit

[rpachigo]

25 procedures! That has got to be some sort of record.

[hairthere]

i certainly understand being emotionally scarred by a bad ht experience, and 25 can be too much for any person to bear. that being said, behappy's reaction to dr. feller's assessment is unfair. sounds like the doc told him what he didn't want to hear and now he's lambasting him on the forums because of it.

 

behappy, i can speak as a patient of dr. feller, and from my experience he has nothing but the patient's best interests in mind when he recommends a course of action.

[TC17]

I'm not trying to pour gasoline on a fire, but out of respect of Dr. Feller, I believe it is important that any readers of this topic have some background on BeHappy. Below is from a recent topic. With significant donor thinning at age 22, and subsequently undergoing 25 surgeries, I do not understand how any approach other than 500 from FUE would have been appropriate.

 

Do any physicians screen prospective patients for psychological disorders? I'm not making fun of BeHappy with that question, I'm being dead serious. I'm curious to know what each physician does to ensure that his patient is mentally capable of undergoing elective surgery.

 

Originally posted by BeHappy:

Regardless, its a pretty safe bet your hair will remain in pretty good shape (in regards to donor thinning) well into your 60's (just my own observations). By then, will it really matter if your transplant/donor starts to thin?

 

 

What makes you think that it's a safe bet that someone you don't know won't be thinning in their donor area until their 60's or later? Your own observations? What would those be? Looking at men who are stage 7 with thin donor areas and ASSUMING they are 60, 70, or older because they look older to you?

 

When I was young I thought my uncle was at least 10 years older than my father because my uncle had no hair on top and didn't even have enough hair on the sides of his head to cover the sides. I found out years later that he is actually a few years younger than my father. He was only in his late 30's, early 40's then and had see-through donor hair already.

 

I've been battling a thinning donor area since my early 20's. I had a HT at age 22 and one of the things I hoped to fix was the thinning on the sides and back of my head, the so-called safe area.

 

Another thing to remember is once you get a HT you removed the best hair from the sides and back. If you max out or near max out, what you are left with is hair in the lower neck and just above the ears that generally thins out sooner than the areas taken for the HT. You also have the hair above where the HT donor was taken which also is out of the safe area and as your thin/bald area gets larger, that is the hair that will go. Add to that because of several HTs you may have had, what's left of the donor area is already thinned out because the area had to stretch back each time leaving more space between each hair there, so you're already starting off with a thinner area after the HT than you would have if you didn't have any HTs.

 

So... even if you would be someone who normally wouldn't thin out in the donor area until age 60+, you're going to be thinning out years earlier than that because the best hair in that area has been removed.

[Ceasar08]

The sign of an ethical doctor is that he/she does not make promises that they can't deliver. Dr. Feller is not being more "caring" by telling you that you have grafts which don't exist, or performing procedures that won't yield optimal results in his opinion. I would be thankful and appreciative to him about his honesty as to the limitations of what he is able to do.

 

I'm sorry you've been through so much. I do think that your anger is being channeled in the wrong direction.

[Ceasar08]

Wow. People on a hair transplant forum, who would I assume to be the more sensitive segment of the population when it comes to hair loss, attacking somebody else's hair loss and accompanying it with supposed laughter. It amazes me just how rude some people are.

[Ceasar08]

And in case there was any ambiguity, I was referring to the lovely people on this thread who are referencing Dr. Feller's hair. I hope you guys are treated with the same level of class and sensitivity when you go to see a doctor regarding your own hair issues.

[hair_care]

25 surgeries!! I wonder who the doc's were?

[Al - Moderator]

I'll probably make several posts here over the next few days trying to respond to everything.

 

First... was I too harsh on Dr Feller? Yes I was, but please try to understand what dealing with this for 20+ years has been like. Some of you should go back and read your own responses. You have been at least as harsh to me, if not more, than I was on Dr Feller. At least there's a reason for me doing it, even if misplaced. What's your reason? How do you think you would feel if you were in my situation?

 

As for why I would expect to be able to get 2000 grafts. That's the whole point. I originally did NOT expect to get any more work done. I had been turned down by several Drs back in the mid/late 90s. I finally got on with my life hoping that one day medical advances would allow me to get a decent repair. This is no different than all the other members here who hope that if they get a HT and lose more later then by then there will be hair cloning/multiplication, etc.

 

So... I got my life together, got a good job, bought a house which is almost completely paid off now, etc, etc, but of course my hair situation is still there, still bothering me everyday.... same as most of you with hairloss. It stops you from doing a lot of things you want to do. I'm no different.

 

OK. So now that the rest of my life is going well and it's been 10 years since I've looked into HTs and any advances, I figure it's time to look at the possibilities again. FULLY EXPECTING TO BE TURNED DOWN, but not wanting to commit myself to anything too fast because I'd rather NOT go through the depression of hearing that nothing can be done. When you're in a situation that is hopeless, sometimes the only thing you have IS hope that maybe someday it can be fixed. That's what gets me through the day. I really don't want to know about it if it can't be fixed because that takes away the only thing I have, that hope. Can you understand that?

 

So... why go for a consultation? Read my next post coming soon.

[Dr. Michael Beehner]

BeHappy,

That's certainly the record for number of procedures on one patient I have ever heard of! I'm impressed that, after all of that work, Dr. Feller is able to get 500 grafts for you with FUE in 2-3 procedures. My guess is that the middle level of your donor hair is "mined out," and the bottom and top are the only places where hair can be located, which makes the FUE method the preferred way to go, as you don't want scars in those places. The other big reason for small sessions is blood supply. I am sure it is somewhat compromised after the work you have had done, and I am guessing it is the reason you aren't happy with the amount of hair on your head after all those procedures. Even if 2000 FU's were available, I would hazard a guess that you might get 30-40% survival with a scarred, compromised recipient scalp area. It is far better to get 80-90% survival of a smaller number and then, after a period of recovery, to go back for a few more.

Also, at this point, as I think you also alluded to, you probably need to settle on a hair style and target whatever few grafts you do have placed into an area that will make a difference. Usually the frontal core is always the first priority for density, and then other areas can be attacked.

I don't blame you for being frustrated, but I think you misplaced your anger on a physician who was giving you good advice.

Mike Beehner, M.D.

[Al - Moderator]

Let me give you the condensed version of the last 2.5 years that I've been on this forum. I realize some of you weren't here and others won't remember because it didn't pertain to you, so maybe this will make you understand and show you why I'm so extremely frustrated... both overall and towards Dr Feller.

 

 

ME: (I start by making some posts about how Hts don't always work especially in the long term as you lose more hair. Might look great now, but what about 5 or 10 years from now, especially if you do 2 megasessions now and don't have much donor left for later)

 

FORUM: You're crazy. These Drs are the best in the world. They would never do that.

 

ME: OK, but I know I'm past being maxed out of donor. I'm here looking for any advances (finds BHT and laser comb). I know I can't have any more HTs so I'll try a laser comb and let you know if it helps my situation.

 

FORUM: Go for it. Let us know.

 

ME: Hey! Great news! I'm growing a few hairs in the donor area where I had permanent shock loss!

 

FORUM/DR FELLER: Liar! You must be a shill for the laser comb industry.

 

ME: What ???? Just because a few hairs are growing I'm a liar????

 

FORUM/DR FELLER: You're lying unless you prove you aren't. Why not just get a HT repair.

 

ME: Here are my pictures. I'm not a candidate for a repair (posts link to my website that I had on the web for 10 years showing picts and detailing all 25 surgeries I had).

 

FORUM/DR FELLER: That's fake. How do we know that's even you. That site is so old. Proves you area shill for the laser comb industry.

 

ME: Posts current pictures to this forum to prove I am who I say I am and to prove that I don't have enough donor. I don't even think I can get 500 grafts.

 

DR FELLER: I would never do just 500 grafts on such a large area. It will take at least 2000. A hair transplant is the cure for you. Make an appointment to see me and get repaired. Stop wasting your time with junk that doesn't work and do something about your hairloss.

 

FORUM: Yeah Dr Feller knows what he is talking about. Go see him (or another coaltion Dr). I'm sure he can repair you. Take a look at all the other repair jobs on this forum. It will show you what can be done and the advances that have happened in the last 5 or 10 years.

 

ME: I don't know. I don't want to get my hopes up just to be let down again. Don't know if I can handle that. At least the laser comb is growing a few hairs. Even if not significant, it's going in the right direction and gives me that hope I need. And it's growing in the scars, which is where I really need it.

 

DR FELLER: If you don't want to be repaired it proves you are a fake and a phony. Who wouldn't want to be repaired in your situation? I've seen your pics. I know I can fix you up. Come one in and we'll document it, take photos, and show the forum an awesome change.

 

ME: Not sure. I still think it won't work on me. I still think I'm not a candidate.

 

DR FELLER: See? He's a phony. Doesn't want to be cured even when I tell him I can do it.

 

FORUM: Yeah. You're a phony! Stop posting the laser comb lies! Go get a HT repair if you really want hair on your head.

 

ME: OK. Let me study more repair patients and get my mind set for it and then I'll give Dr Feller a call if I get convinced by what's here.

 

FORUM/VARIOUS DRs: (posts various repairs over time)

 

ME: (Stopped posting about the laser comb because I got tired of being insulted. Probably big disservice to those who ask about it)

 

ME: (Asks a few questions on some repairs. Takes a year looking them all over and trying to find ones in similar situations as me. Looks at various scar repairs. Sees one who had extensive scarring from old punch removal in donor area and gets the entire area removed and sutured together and puts the hair from between the old punch scars on top/front of head. Hmm. That's what I need. Reads about others who got turned down by 4 Drs as hopeless, but still manages to get a few thousand grafts by strip from coalition Drs. Hmm... Looks at several of Dr Humayan NW7 patients who were turned down by other Drs. Hmm... not a repair, but still someone previously turned down for not having any donor available and still getting several thousand grafts.

 

FORUM: (lots of various repairs and talk about how they are so glad they decided years later to go back and try again)

 

ME: OK. I'm convinced!!! I'm pumped!!! Let's do it!!!! Can't wait to be sporting a decent head of hair after all these years!!! Woohoo!!! I'll finally be able to drive a convertible without worrying about my hair!!!! Oh yeah baby!!!! If I get started now, by next Summer... yes!!!

 

(consultaion with Dr Feller)

 

DR FELLER: Strip is out. You're too limited. We can't do that. Let's not even discuss the right side where all the worst scars are. We'll only try 500 grafts first. No scar improvements, etc, etc.

 

ME: ??? WHAT THE F !!???

 

FORUM: Why in the world would you ever think you can get any kind of repair? Don't you realize you had 25 surgeries?! You're a jerk! You have mental problems.

 

ME: ??? WHAT THE F !!???

[Raphael84]

Right guys, without trying to play mediator too much here, lets remember why were all here. What our goals are! What our concerns are! For sure, there are some huge things at stake and reasons behind these intense feelings... lives, happiness, reputation, and to repeat again... lives.

 

Some bold comments have been made here by various posters, who obviously harbour bold opinions, yet are not really involved (as I am not involved). Some comments have been really dissapointing by normally much respected posters, who know who they are, and for me, this helps nobody and assists in nothing. So, lets all try and be a little more understanding and constructive.

 

I shall keep my direct opinions to myself in this highly charged matter, as maybe one or two others should. But guys, for the sake of such a well run, respected and active community, lets all think twice before we post.

 

I hope for all involved that a respectful ending occurs.