600 FUE Grafts Touch-up / Dr. Nader / Reynosa, Mexico

[DenverOptimist]

Well, after almost two years, I decided to return to Reynosa Mexico for a touch-up procedure. If you’ve read my first review of Dr. Nader you'll know that I've been very happy with the results I achieved under his care. With Dr. Nader's help I went from a Norwood III-IV, to having my hairline fully restored. However, there was a small area just behind my hairline, above my left temple, where the density was slightly lighter than the rest. It wasn't very noticeable, and could easily be mistaken for a small defect seen in many natural hairlines, but it started to get to me nonetheless. Eventually I reached out to Dr. Nader about it. I hadn't contacted him in over a year, so I was surprised when he responded within the hour. I felt like I was nit-picking, but Dr. Nader was glad I reached out. He assured me that it was nothing we couldn’t take care of with a free touch-up procedure, and within a few texts my appointment was scheduled.

My flight plan was fairly straightforward; Denver to Dallas, and then a connecting flight from Dallas to Mcallen. It was about an hour into my 9pm flight from Colorado when my trip started to go sideways. The tinny speakers in the dark cabin cracked to life, and the pilot notified us in an anxious tone, that there would be some fairly severe turbulence due to a storm in Dallas. The fasten seatbelt lights above our seats began to glow a faint yellow, and the airline stewardesses walked the aisles making sure everyone was buckled in. About ten minutes later the turbulence increased, along with a few quiet groans of discomfort from the passengers. For the remainder of the trip the turbulence only got worse, and by the time we landed the mood of the passengers had gone from reserved terror to an unbridled relief. 

As we piled off the plane, I quickly dismissed the flight and made my way through the sprawling airport in search of my next gate. Sheets of rain pounded on the terminal windows outside. The storm was starting to look like a full blown hurricane. An hour later, I was buckled into the aisle seat of my next flight, and ready for the final leg of my journey. The flight attendants began the in-flight safety demo, and as we waited restlessly for the clearance to take off, I could feel my phone vibrate with a new notification. As I pulled the phone from my pocket, I could feel the mood in the plane shift as the word "cancelled" began to float from seat to seat. I looked down at my phone with a new sense of apprehension, and read the notification. "Your flight to McAllen - Canceled - American Airlines." My appointment with Dr. Nader was in less than nine hours.

Minutes later we were ushered from the flight, and led back to the gate entrance, where a massive line of frustrated passengers had formed behind the small American Airlines service desk. The line itself moved at a glacial pace, and when I finally arrived at the counter, the tired representative gave me the news I had been dreading. All flights to Mcallen were booked till tomorrow afternoon; well after my appointment with Dr. Nader.

I made my way from the counter feeling stressed and uncertain. I had so many questions running through my mind, and no answers. At this point it was a little after midnight, and there was nothing I could do until morning, so I made my way through the airport, and found a small alcove to bunker down for the night. I didn’t even try to sleep. The sound of boarding announcements droned on endlessly, as the never ending flood of travelers poured off the escalator, and past the little recessed alcove I was camped in. It was around 5am when I sent a text to Dr. Nader, letting him know what was going on. A few minutes later I received a response back. The texts Dr. Nader sent were optimistic and encouraging. He gave me several options to work with, and said he would be willing to rearrange his schedule if necessary. His primary concern was my emotional wellbeing and how I was managing the stress. He even went as far as to offer to cover the expenses of the flight if we couldn't make something work. I found this incredibly impressive, and rare. It's not often that you encounter a doctor willing to extend himself financially, just to make a situation easier for a patient. 

It took several phone calls with American Airlines before I was able to secure a standby flight to Harlingen, a city just outside of McAllen. If I made that flight, and took a forty minute taxi, I could make it to Mcallen by 11:45am. I texted Dr. Nader the news, and made my way to the standby flight. When my flight landed in Harlingen, I called Dr. Nader to see if we could still do the procedure that day. When he heard how motivated I was, he was more than willing, his only concern was my lack of sleep. I was also surprised to learn that because of a scheduling conflict, Santos wasn't available, and it would be Dr. Nader picking me up himself. I gave him my hotel address, and he assured me he would be there within the hour.

As I climbed out of the taxi I felt relieved. I had finally made it to my hotel in Mcallen. The hotel itself, a Clarion Inn, wasn't much to look at, and appeared much more rundown than the online photos let on. When I arrived at the concierge desk I was informed that my room had been double booked, and there wouldn't be another room available for at least forty-five minutes. This put a dent in my plans, and gave me the new problem of where to put my suitcase. At this point I had been awake for over thirty-six hours, and it was starting to take its toll. 

I met Dr. Nader outside the hotel entrance a few minutes later, and he greeted me with a warm smile. When I mentioned the hotel situation, and suitcase, he said it was no problem, and took the suitcase from my hand, and placed it carefully into the trunk of his car. After witnessing the abuse my suitcase had taken during the trip, it was heartwarming to see how much care he put into this small gesture. It occurred to me that the level of care he shares with his patients, also extends to their personal items. When I climbed into the car he asked if I was hungry, and handed me a bag of tacos from a local restaurant. I was starving. During the drive, he asked me how I’d been, and seemed genuinely interested in the successes I'd experienced since the initial procedure. It became clear to me during the conversation, that one of the reasons Dr. Nader is such an effective surgeon, is because he seems to take a great deal of pride, not just in his work, but in the transformative impact it has on the patient's life. It took us around forty-five minutes to drive to the clinic, but the conversation flowed easily, and it felt like catching up with an old friend.

When we arrived at the clinic, I was escorted into Dr. Nader's office where we discussed the procedure ahead. I showed him the area I was concerned with and mentioned that if we had the time, I wanted to add some additional grafts as well. My reasoning being that you can never have too much density, and I also wanted to put some money in Dr. Nader's pocket. He said that was fine, and assured me that we had plenty of time. A few minutes later I was escorted into the extraction room, where Dr. Nader and his team set to work on the procedure. Even though they were working well into the afternoon, the level of care I received was excellent.

A few hours later, we were back in Dr. Nader's office discussing the aftercare. During the discussion, he took a great deal of time explaining each step, and answering any questions I had. He seemed genuinely invested in my success, and explained that if I had any questions or concerns, that he was just a phone call away. As he said this, I knew from experience that he meant it. Over the past couple years I've known Dr. Nader, he had never once failed to return a call or text within a few hours. When it came time to pay, I pulled out my wallet, but was surprised when Dr. Nader told me no payment was necessary. He considered the entire procedure a touch-up, even the additional grafts. I thought back to all of the work he and his staff had invested, into the procedure, picking me up from my hotel, and even buying me lunch. All of that time and effort had to be compensated, but Dr. Nader remained steadfast.

As I climbed onto my return flight home, I felt a profound sense of gratitude towards Dr. Nader and his team. The past few days had been nerve-racking, but Dr. Nader was there every step of the way, providing insight and encouragement. From the moment he had been made aware of the problem with my flight, he was diligently working on his end to find a solution. I couldn't have asked for a better surgeon in my corner.

TLDR:
Dr. Nader is a remarkable surgeon, who demonstrates an empathy and dedication to his patients that far surpass expectations. The level of care and responsibility he extends to his patients is both refreshing and admirable. I get the impression that Dr. Nader would move mountains for a patient if he needed to, and it's this commitment to his patients that truly sets him apart. As consumers, we have unlimited options in hair restoration surgeons, but I don't think you'll find a surgeon who seems to place more value on the emotional wellbeing of his patients, than in the money he stands to make off them. Dr. Nader is a rare exception. 

Results:
It's been a little over six months since the procedure, and the results have been incredible! I've noticed a significant increase in the density of my hairline, and the small spot above my temple has filled in completely. 
 

[DenverOptimist]

 A few weeks after the procedure.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 11, 2023 by DenverOptimist
Upside-down photos

[DenverOptimist]

[DenverOptimist]

[Melvin- Admin]

For those who don’t know where you started:

[Hairwolf]

Enjoyed the prosaic anecdote! Dr Nader sounds truly awesome! If I had to nitpick, it seems there are multi grafts in the hairline. Did you ask the Dr about that?

[RTC]

This is superb 

[Gatsby]

@DenverOptimist you look a good ten years younger. Incredible results! 👌

[DenverOptimist]

@Gatsby @RTC Thanks guys, I appreciate the feedback!

@streethawk TBH I never really looked close enough to see if there were any multi grafts. You're not the first person to mention it though. Even if I did find a couple I'm really not the type of guy that would care.