Booking Anxiety - Please help me pull the trigger!

[Happychap]

Hi everyone,

I am about to book my HT and am having massive booking anxiety.  Things have gone from 0 to 100 quite quickly after spending hours poking around this forum / the internet in the last few weeks.   

I have been thinking about my hair in the last year as it seems to be receding at pace.  It has knocked my confidence as I’ve always looked youthful for my age – not so much any more based on zoom calls / photos. Sigh.

It is a lot of money to me and will pretty much wipe out my savings (I have started Airbnbing a room in my house to try subsidise the HT cost).  I don’t think I can wait another year to save up, it is now or never or I have to shave it later this year (which will make me look older again)

I have contacted both Dr Path and Dr Laorwong for quotes and will be booking with Dr Laorwong.  Both seem to have good results but Dr Path was out of my price range so Dr Laorwong it is.  I am New Zealand based so Thailand seems the most convenient - thanks for all your recommendations in this forum.

I am keen to hear from anyone who was in the same anxious situation, where they spent most of what they had on a HT, how they felt at the time of booking and how they feel now it’s done and dusted and they are living with the results.  Would you do it again? Would you rather have thrown the money at the mortgage or something else?  

Basically being a wimp and looking for some harden the F up encouragement from the online community!

[HappyMan2021]

this is surgery with a permanent, lifelong result that will be visible to everyone 24/7. It's not skydiving or getting an edgy tattoo, please don't rely on anonymous internet strangers for this very important decision 🤣

 

46 minutes ago, Happychap said:

It is a lot of money to me and will pretty much wipe out my savings (I have started Airbnbing a room in my house to try subsidise the HT cost)

46 minutes ago, Happychap said:

I have contacted both Dr Path and Dr Laorwong

 

Spending your life savings on this is a horrible gamble. Please keep in mind that even the world's best surgeons can provide bad/unsatisfactory results from time to time, and it is rare to get a refund back. 

I've heard of Dr. Laorwong, I guess he is okay. I have never heard of Dr. Path. 

But regardless, if I was going for broke and paying my whole life savings, I would not go for either of these 2 doctors. I would go with someone truly elite. 

Also, please keep in mind that most people require multiple HT's in order to be satisfied. If you go broke on your first HT, how will you pay for the 2nd?

For me personally, being very very anxious/nervous about something is my brain telling me it is a bad idea. 

[Henry]

31 minutes ago, HappyMan2021 said:

this is surgery with a permanent, lifelong result that will be visible to everyone 24/7. It's not skydiving or getting an edgy tattoo, please don't rely on anonymous internet strangers for this very important decision 🤣

 

 

Spending your life savings on this is a horrible gamble. Please keep in mind that even the world's best surgeons can provide bad/unsatisfactory results from time to time, and it is rare to get a refund back. 

I've heard of Dr. Laorwong, I guess he is okay. I have never heard of Dr. Path. 

But regardless, if I was going for broke and paying my whole life savings, I would not go for either of these 2 doctors. I would go with someone truly elite. 

Also, please keep in mind that most people require multiple HT's in order to be satisfied. If you go broke on your first HT, how will you pay for the 2nd?

For me personally, being very very anxious/nervous about something is my brain telling me it is a bad idea. 

Who did you go to for your hair transplant?

[Henry]

Don't listen to these people who will give you terrible advices like "don't ever let cost be the deciding factor for your decision", every single one of us live in different types of economy, and earn money in different rates, and people giving these kinds of advices probably live in high income countries, their minimum wage is considered high income for different countries.

If you've done a lot of research, you're educated enough about this procedure and the different doctors and you've set a budget, then just follow your gut feeling. If you have a sure fire way of earning back those savings or have a back up plan in case you lose your source of income, then go for it. 

[BurnieBurns]

Fellow New Zealander here. You have made a LIFESAVING decision by not going to anyone here or in Australia.

I went to Dr Jerry Wong at Hasson and Wong last November and I'm not exaggerating when I say I have the least regret I have for any purchase I've ever made.

Happy to talk further if you want to but yes, I was overwhelmed when I made my booking. It's a big deal especially if it's the first time but you know when it's what you need to do. The mortgage can always be paid later. Your time on Earth is finite, and in that time you want your outside to reflect the inside.

I believe Warren Buffet used an analogy similar to if you could only have one car the rest of your life, you'd invest your all into it and make it look it's absolute best. The car is your body so why not do that same

[Gatsby]

2 hours ago, Happychap said:

Hi everyone,

I am about to book my HT and am having massive booking anxiety.  Things have gone from 0 to 100 quite quickly after spending hours poking around this forum / the internet in the last few weeks.   

I have been thinking about my hair in the last year as it seems to be receding at pace.  It has knocked my confidence as I’ve always looked youthful for my age – not so much any more based on zoom calls / photos. Sigh.

It is a lot of money to me and will pretty much wipe out my savings (I have started Airbnbing a room in my house to try subsidise the HT cost).  I don’t think I can wait another year to save up, it is now or never or I have to shave it later this year (which will make me look older again)

I have contacted both Dr Path and Dr Laorwong for quotes and will be booking with Dr Laorwong.  Both seem to have good results but Dr Path was out of my price range so Dr Laorwong it is.  I am New Zealand based so Thailand seems the most convenient - thanks for all your recommendations in this forum.

I am keen to hear from anyone who was in the same anxious situation, where they spent most of what they had on a HT, how they felt at the time of booking and how they feel now it’s done and dusted and they are living with the results.  Would you do it again? Would you rather have thrown the money at the mortgage or something else?  

Basically being a wimp and looking for some harden the F up encouragement from the online community!

@Happychap it's quite normal to feel how you are feeling. My only concern is your 'immediacy' in wanting a hair transplant ASAP because you look younger. Before my first hair transplant/repair one year ago, I really got cold feet the closer I came to the day of surgery and I actually wanted to cancel the whole thing two weeks before my procedure. I started to weigh things up and money was most certainly one of them. Thank God that I stuck with my original decision and went through with surgery. In fact I have just completed my second surgery. Yes it cost me a fortune that at my age would have been better spent going towards my retirement. But there is one thing that money can never buy and that is peace of mind. I feel whole again and it's the first time I have felt this way since I was 18. I spent many years waiting until I found the right surgeon and clinic for me so don't be in a rush. I work two jobs and during Covid I worked almost everyday and this paid for my surgery. Thank God you haven't chosen someone from NZ or Australia. All the best.

[A_4_Archan]

@Happychap Dont know why people say money dont matter...it always matter who dont have enough...and as you said you would end up loosing all your savings doing it with dr laorwong thn other elite doctors are out of the league ...and even i have seen bad results from all the elites so no1 could guarantee a perfect outcome...

Here you asked for suggestions as u already made up your mind that you wanna go for a surgery ..now the point is about your budget ..you have a budget and everyone has that and considering that we have to give our suggestions from our knowledge and understanding...and ths forum has made a list of suggested doctors so that you can choose from that...if someone choose a doctor from this list and still people would say dont go with anyone other thn 2-3 elite doctor thn what is the meaning of this recommended doctors list...thn thr shud be only 3-4 doctors in the list and no1 else..when some1 ask for some suggestions thn plz suggest him and dont make him more confused ...

Many people i see keep on suggesting the same thing that its a lifetime decision and as some1 said and quoted a billionaire that if you would b buying a car which is for lifetime than buy the best..so its like i only have to choose a Rolls-Royce or i shud walk...i dnt understand that..evry line which a billionaire said its nt correct and even if it is thn it doesnt fits in evry case..you cannot sell your house or borrow a loan for lifetime ...thr can be a balanced approach as well...you cn find out a surgeon who is nt cheap bt charges appropriately and who is ethical and produced good results...that is why this forum is created and thr is a list of recommended doctors so that people can choose and get options accordingly ....just giving same advice to evry1 wont do any gud ..rather shud do some research about what are the good options considering his limitations and suggest tht to him which wud be more practical and beneficial to him..

You have few good options which would fit your budget and even you wont compromise on quality - Eugnix in india (can go for package in which dr das is performing the surgery) , Dr Laorwong from thailand , dr yaman from turkey , dr turan from turkey , dr Camacho from bogota , dr nader from Mexico...and evn if someone from the forum knw abt any othr doctors tht i have mentioned thn feel free to suggest him so he could compare their results and take decision ...

Didnt mean to offend anyone here and sorry if i did it.. but i just conveyed what i felt and anyone can have their opinion on my opinions..

@Melvin- Moderatoryou may share you opinion 

Edited January 31, 2023 by Archan

[Rafael Manelli]

Booking and travelling etc can be stressful. But the end result can give you a new lease on life. Certainly may be worth it but only you can decide that.

good luck!

[Berba11]

Can I ask why is it "now or never"? I'm also always worried to hear anybody say they are going to spend their life savings on anything to be honest, let alone a HT!

What I'd hate to hear happen to anyone is that they spend all their savings on a HT, it doesn't work out or fulfil them in the way they'd hoped, and now they're left with regrets and an empty bank account.

The better option would be to slow down a little, save up a little more money and then go ahead from a position of at least a little added security.

[HappyMan2021]

12 hours ago, Henry said:

Who did you go to for your hair transplant?

if you are curious you can look at my profile. For this topic though its not about the surgeon one goes to. the topic at hand is spending one's entire life savings on a HT. Even if OP was selecting an elite doctor, it is bad to spend his entire life savings on a HT. 

[Henry]

7 hours ago, HappyMan2021 said:

if you are curious you can look at my profile. For this topic though its not about the surgeon one goes to. the topic at hand is spending one's entire life savings on a HT. Even if OP was selecting an elite doctor, it is bad to spend his entire life savings on a HT. 

So instead of just telling me, you want me to go dig through your profile? I want to know pick your brains out a bit, and know who you consider the "truly elite doctors" are. 

 

[mrmane85]

My advice would be to slow down and take your time before you decide to pull the trigger on having the surgery. 

Please do not rush into a decision such as this based on anxiety or panic, or you will most likely end up with an unfavorable outcome.

You have many many years to live so you want to be confident that you have chosen the correct surgeon and plan plus have adequate funds available so you are not stressing out. As they say, short term pain = long term gain. 

First of all, are you taking any hairloss medication @Happychap?

You may get some descent regrowth just through this which will allow you to keep saving. You can also look into hair fibres in the short term too. 

[Mahesh42]

Better slow down a little , take your time before booking in a hurry and spending your savings.