Choosing a hair transplant surgeon!?

[Patrick_Joyce]

How do you go about choosing and making a final decision on which hair transplant surgeon to go to? 

I know obviously doing your research is very important and is most of the battle, but there's a lot of fantastic surgeons out there which can be seen just from the results and recommended list on this forum. So after you've done your research on all of these great surgeons and obtained the important/ relevant information that goes into planning a transplant how do you choose just one?

I feel like maybe I might be going overboard and over-researching at this point to the point where it's hindering me (which I know sounds counterintuitive) because if you research enough, you are going to find isolated stories of bad cases or negative reviews on even the best transplant surgeons out there (ie, sometimes there are factors beyond the surgeons control with certain clients that impact the outcome).

Long story short, everytime I do my due diligence, research and think I've made up my mind on a particular surgeon (skill, price, consultation feedback, before and after pictures) I end up coming across a negative review and then get this sinking feeling and cold feet and change my mind.

For example at different points I thought I was set on Eugenix and Dr. Mwamba but then I saw a couple of cases of people who were unhappy because of lack of involvement with the doctor (at Eugenix) or gaps in the hairline or lack of artistry in blending body hair. Another time I was sure I wanted to go to Dr. Bicer but then I read her quality has declined in recent times. Most recently I thought I was set on Dr. Yaman in Turkey but then came across posts that his clinic has become a hair mill, he is too aggressive with density and has decimated peoples donors.

For reference, I'm 35 years old and only need a small procedure on my crown (1000 grafts or less). The density in my crown has always been slightly less than the rest of my head (not sure when it happened but from pictures, it's looked the same way in my early 20's as it does now). I (knock on wood) have no hair loss or miniaturization anywhere else and extensive hair loss doesn't run in my family. I never took any medication for my hair until 6 months ago when I stated Minoxidil and finasteride after learning about it (so far it doesn't seem to have changed anything). The only  work I've had on my hair so far were 1,500 fue grafts (over 3 smaller procedures) for a big surgical scar on my scalp from reconstructive surgery when I was younger. I went to a local no name clinic for that. He did a good job, the grafts grew and my donor is good but now that I know more about hair transplants, I would only go to a reputable place.

So I am fortunate in that in my case, it's not like I am a high Norwood level and need extensive work done. I can't imagine the anguish you high Norwood folks went through trying to decide on a surgeon.

Anyways, sorry this is so long. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

 

Edited January 30 by Patrick_Joyce

[Melvin- Admin]

You’re never going to find a surgeon with a perfect record. Where are you reading these things? Are these from actual patients or random anonymous people online telling you things. 

My advice is look at reviews and talk to patients. Unless it’s coming from a verified patient, it’s hearsay and should be dismissed. 

[Patrick_Joyce]

1 hour ago, Melvin- Admin said:

You’re never going to find a surgeon with a perfect record. Where are you reading these things? Are these from actual patients or random anonymous people online telling you things. 

My advice is look at reviews and talk to patients. Unless it’s coming from a verified patient, it’s hearsay and should be dismissed. 

Thank you for the reply! It's isolated posts I've seen on here and reddit. 

 

How do I talk with individual patients?

[Melvin- Admin]

1 hour ago, Patrick_Joyce said:

Thank you for the reply! It's isolated posts I've seen on here and reddit. 

 

How do I talk with individual patients?

Ignore hearsay posts. Unless it’s coming directly from a patient that has a thread. You can search the reviews for each surgeon here:

 

[Fred2023]

It's a really good question and very well written. I will follow this post to see what others say. What Melvin said is the best advice: ' Ignore hearsay posts'. I recently went with AEK in Turkey for a combined FUT and FUE procedure. When researching them, I read (including on this forum) that they had recently turned into a hair mill, and the quality of work had deteriorated. However, I could find no proof, either first-hand or pictorial evidence, to support the assertions. I went to them recently and found they are not a hairmill - the doctor does the planning, design, and incisions, and they have the capacity for at most three patients a day, and I am happy (so far) with the quality of the work (I am by no means an expert but I have posted my journey so far with no negative comments about the quality)

[SuperC]

I experienced a lot of anxiety surrounding this decision as well, and probably "over-researched" a bit, as you put it. It helped me to simplify the decision by focusing on a few key factors.

• Does the surgeon generally produce good-looking results when treating the area(s) in question? Some surgeons do great hairline work, but mediocre crown work, for example. Find someone who is highly-skilled in the areas relevant to your situation.
• Are the surgeon and clinic known for good communication and post-op care? If you have questions or concerns after the procedure, will you be able to discuss them with the clinic? Will the surgeon review your photos and provide feedback? I didn't want to be like the people I see asking the internet for medical advice because they went to a clinic where post-op care and communication are poor or nonexistent.
• Are you comfortable with the travel required? I was not willing to travel abroad for my procedure. Are you? If so, you'll have access to the best surgeons in the world. If not, then your selection obviously is more limited, but still may include some excellent surgeons. I don't recommend traveling anywhere you're not reasonably comfortable.
• Is the surgeon within your budget? For most of us, the cost of the procedure is a major factor in the decision. As long as you can afford your preferred surgeon, I wouldn't think any more about the money aspect. It's not worth going with your second choice to save a bit of cash.
• Were you able to consult with the surgeon directly? How did that go? Talking directly with the surgeon should leave you feeling more comfortable and confident in them than before. If this isn't the case, I would reconsider selecting that surgeon.

I chose a surgeon who seemed to produce good results in the area I needed treatment, and who was within my price range and travel distance. This was true of a few surgeons, and so I consulted with them and chose the one I felt the most comfortable with.

Regardless of how much research I did or how confident I was in my decision, actually booking the procedure was not easy for me. I filled out the forms and then did not submit them, multiple times over the course of a few months, thinking I would find some new information that would help me become 100% confident and schedule the procedure with little to no anxiety, but that never happened.

I think the best you can do is make a reasonable decision, cope with the anxiety however you can, and hope for the best outcome. And honestly, any reputable clinic is very likely to produce a good result, so just by not going to a "hair mill", you're already doing 90% of what you can.