12,501 grafts / Dr. Felipe Pittella / Jan 2024

[NY2024]

Thank you so much for your answer. I did not feel comfortable paying in full prior to leaving NY 6 days prior to surgery. I requested that I pay half in person 2-3 days prior to surgery and the remainder upon completion on day 2. They have not answered yet but, you have put my conerns at rest -that I am not being unreasonable. From all the posting and talking with Dr. Pittella, I surely hold him in the highest regard for integrity . Did the office send a car to hotel each day ? 

Edited February 22 by NY2024
mispelling

[YodaHead]

@NY2024 Yes, in terms of payment i am sure they will be okay paying when you get there. Also, if you have a specific budget that you want to stay below, just let Dr. Pittella know when he shows you the estimate on his software, so he will make sure to plan accordingly. I paid the balance a day after surgery when I went for my first wash. 

They sent car every day (both surgery days and 3 days after that for wash). And of course, back to airport. 

Edited February 22 by YodaHead

[FSLONAL]

YodaHead / Digs49 / Gatsby

FYI ... had video consult with Dr. Pittella a few days ago.! Was a 40 min session and I felt really good about it. Dr Pittella feels like a great friend and pretty darn sure everyone feels that way.

I'm 62 and for decades and I was unable to get a HT due to work commitments (career military) and in the last 10 years the technology / techniques have increased significantly.  Gents like Gatsby had the full journey and although I'm older than most I've read almost all his postings (Digs49 and Yours).  This network has been fantastic and everyone has shared such personal stories.

I have a fairly thick goatee and since I shave almost everyday, Dr. Pittella wants me to share pics after a few weeks of no shaving to ensure I have the yield he needs to do his work (he will for sure).  Right now, approx 10,500 grafts (guessing almost half from beard) planned.  I'm between a NW 6 and 7.  I've been using Rogaine Foam (Costco) for decades.  I need to start looking for oral minoxidil as Dr. Pittella recommends that.  I will also started taking a name brand supplement that has Biotin/D-3 and whole bunch of other stuff (Hair, Skin & Nails from Nature's Bounty.  No one recommended, however,  the ingredients just makes sense to me.

Next, will receive the planning paperwork and of course will want the procedure done soonest as the clock tics faster for us older gents.  Hoping for the best and it's been a lifetime (almost) of waiting.  If all goes well, my journey may help older gents to finally take the leap.

Thanks again to you all for blazing the way!

[YodaHead]

@FSLONAL - Very glad to hear that the video consultation went well. Dr. Pittella is an excellent doctor and is a very good person. I wish you the best! Do keep us posted.

Thank you for your service! 

[Al - Moderator]

4 hours ago, FSLONAL said:

Next, will receive the planning paperwork and of course will want the procedure done soonest as the clock tics faster for us older gents.  Hoping for the best and it's been a lifetime (almost) of waiting.  If all goes well, my journey may help older gents to finally take the leap.

 

I hope you create your own thread and update us on the progress once your surgery date comes. 

[Broni]

On 2/3/2024 at 4:55 PM, YodaHead said:

Quick Stats:

12,501 total donor grafts taken from back/side of head and beard. Around 5.5k of the total 12.5k taken from beard.

About me:

37 yo South East Asian man born in India, living in the US.

Hairloss history:

My hair loss began around the age of 16-17. There's a history of hair problems on my mother's side, while my father's side is average. The progression has been gradual, leading to reaching NW6/7 before I decided to explore hair transplant (HT) options.

I experience hair loss and thinning across the entire top region of the scalp (front, mid, crown) and possess a notably weak donor area, particularly on the sides. Premature graying has further added to my disappointment regarding the quantity and quality of my hair.

My beard grows like a bear! Plenty and thick. This probably is a plus, considering poor donor on my head.

I honestly don’t care much about my sides/back or even beard…I just want some density at the top of my scalp..so I have no issues taking whatever donor needed to achieve this.

Medications:

Taking Minoxidil oral 2.5mg daily since June 2023 (i.e. approx. 8 months prior to HT). Stopped 3 days prior to HT (as recommended by doc) and plan is to continue taking this.

Took Finasteride 1mg daily for approximately 6 months to see how i respond, then stopped it 2 months prior to the HT. I learned that it definitely works for me and did not present any noticeable side effects. I only stopped it because I wanted to show the “actual” situation of my scalp to the doctor, without Finasteride help. Plan is to continue taking this to retain native hair.

HT decision:

Started researching HT 12 months ago (early 2023), and before I stumbled upon this site, I was focused on Turkey option. ASMED/Dr. Koray Erdogan rejected me. Dr. Bicer said my “hairloss pattern is different” and so i should visit a dermatologist first. I respect both of these responses as I would rather hear truth than false promises. Many hair mills quickly sent me cost estimates and encouraged me to book dates before the end of the ”discount” period.

I saw a dermatologist and was told that my hairloss is typical male pattern baldness and I am a good candidate for HT. 

I learned that due to the nature of my hairloss (thinning all over the scalp) I was definitely going to need to cover pretty much the entire area of my head…that too with below average donor. Keeping in mind the cost, availability, and the scale of the HT, I shortlisted following two doctors:

1. Dr. Felipe Pittella
2. Dr. Das/Dr. Sethi (Eugenix) - I had even paid the booking fees.

I had online consultation with Dr. Das and Dr. Pittella, and had also met Dr. Sethi when he visited US. I know Eugenix has been doing great work, but I only have one head so I had to pick one doctor. I am happy to share specifics on what impressed me more about Dr. Pittella if anyone is interested. 

Thanks to this forum and to all members for being so active and upfront about their opinions/experiences. After months of going through various topics on this site, plus some additional reading, I felt well-informed prior to deciding on the HT.

Arrival in Vitoria, Brazil (Jan 22, 2024)

I was travelling from NY to Vitoria, Brazil (with a long layover in Rio). Dr. Pittella’s clinic had booked 4 nigths of hotel (5 mins from clinic) and had also arraged pick-up/drop-off to/from Airport, and to/from hotel for the entirety of my stay. This made life a lot easier—since this part of Brazil don’t really see much tourism and so not easy to communicate; however the area is really nice & safe, and people are all very helpful. Hotel was excellent (4-star) with breakfast included and front desk spoke English so no issues. I recommend learning few words in Portugese. People really appreciate trying. 

One Day before HT (Jan 23, 2024).

I was scheduled to meet with Dr. Pittella in the evening before surgery to to create a plan and mark the areas of implant and donor.

The clinic is neat & clean, and the entire staff is incredibly welcoming! From the moment I entered, everything appeared meticulously organized, and I never experienced a moment of uncertainty or worry. Although I had thoroughly researched Dr. Pittella through his interviews & patient reviews, and was convinced about him, I was still nervous about the rest of his staff. However, it turns out he has assembled a dream team! The entire staff works seamlessly, displaying high professionalism and organization. This immediately put me at ease.

Met Dr. Pittella for the first time and immediately you get a very positive vibe. The guy is very humble and great communicator. He took his time in taking pictures of my head from all directions and upload into the software he uses to design everything including density, graft estimates, etc. Dr. Pittella took his time looking at my scalp and hairline very closely and kept me involved in the process. He marked my scalp and beard with a marker (dang! I was planning to go to town for a dinner but it looked like my 3 yr old niece went wild with a marker while i was asleep..so idea dropped). I left his office feeling very good about the decision I had made. Fyi, according to his software my precise baldness grade is 7.35.

HT day 1

Arrived at the clinic at 6:30 AM, they trimmed my head and beard, gave me some medications, and provided a room for me to change into comfortable clothes and keep all my stuff. This is where I would come during bathroom breaks and for lunch/dinner.

At around 7 AM walked into the operating room and met with the entire team. Everyone welcomed me with happy faces and the vibe was so positive and ensuring that it immediately put me at ease. I slept for most of the procedure and got a break during lunch (you can ask for break whenever you want). The lunch was ready in my room exactly as i selected from the menu a couple days in advance. The day ended at around 7PM with 6k grafts extracted/implanted and the dinner. I was pretty happy that Dr. Pittella was truly involved throughout the day. Surprisingly, I did not feel any pain at any point during the entire process. Dr. Pittella said I had very high pain tolerance, but I give a lot of credit to his team for putting me at ease and taking good care of me.

HT day 2

Day 2 was no different than the first day. Same process. Same routine. Additional around 6k grafts were extracted/implanted! Both days, I had to be very careful not to touch the bandage once at hotel and had to sleep in a sitting position with a neck pillow. Because there was no pain or discomfort, this was not a huge problem for me. By the way, they had even trained my driver to keep reminding me when getting in/out the car to watch my head (talk about attention to details!). 

Post-op (day 3, 4, 5).

Every day until my flight back, the team ensured I was picked up for a careful head wash. Dr. Pittella personally visited me each day, engaging in discussions with both me and my wife about any topics I wanted to address. They provided me with a post-op care kit, including painkillers, antibiotics, baby shampoo, etc., along with precise instructions on what to do and not to do for the next two weeks. Dr. Pittella wrote a letter  attesting that I was fit to travel…just in case if airline staff were worried with anything (i had some swelling as expected and was advised not to wear hat or anything for two weeks). I was travelling with my wife, who is also a Physician in US so the entire journey was completely worry-free for me.

Thoughts on Dr. Felipe Pittella and his team:

Dr. Pittella is everything I wanted in my HT surgeon. Experienced, skilled, knowledgeable, patient, honest, humble, and detailed oriented. You can tell that he loves what he is doing and his positive attitude has trickled down to his team. Every single person on his staff—whether a receptionist, account manager, anesthesiologists, technician, or a nurse—they all treated me very well and were very accommodating of anything i needed/asked. Everyone looked happy to be there and seemed to know their role very well. 

I am still months away from seeing any results, but regardless, I think it is only fair that I express my appreciation for the services and hardwork of this clinic now rather than waiting 6 months.

———

If you have any questions/comments or even any type of criticism for me, please do not hesitate. This forum has given me a lot of good information and it is only fair that I give back. 

I will continue to report on my progress!

5.5K from beard is incredible... He does not extract any from the chin and the cheeks?

[YodaHead]

8 minutes ago, Broni said:

5.5K from beard is incredible... He does not extract any from the chin and the cheeks?

He did extract from the cheecks in my case.

[Broni]

58 minutes ago, YodaHead said:

He did extract from the cheecks in my case.

Thanks. Browsing the forums I see that it is quite rare. I myself have a lot of beard grafts on the cheeks and chin so I am considering such an option, that's why I ask. And there is no inconvenience whatsoever, in terms of scarring, recovery or anything of the sort?

[Berba11]

24 minutes ago, Broni said:

Thanks. Browsing the forums I see that it is quite rare. I myself have a lot of beard grafts on the cheeks and chin so I am considering such an option, that's why I ask. And there is no inconvenience whatsoever, in terms of scarring, recovery or anything of the sort?

Extractions from the beard - whether it be neck, chin or cheeks - usually heals very, very well and quite quickly. It's extremely unlikely you'd have and scarring.

[Broni]

1 minute ago, Berba11 said:

Extractions from the beard - whether it be neck, chin or cheeks - usually heals very, very well and quite quickly. It's extremely unlikely you'd have and scarring.

Thanks. I believe I have as many beard grafts on my chin and cheeks as under the chin, so that makes quite a treasure after donor depletion:)

[FSLONAL]

On 3/10/2024 at 12:06 AM, Al - formerly BeHappy said:

 

I hope you create your own thread and update us on the progress once your surgery date comes. 

I plan on doing so, thank you for your recommendation!

[FSLONAL]

On 3/9/2024 at 10:27 PM, YodaHead said:

@FSLONAL - Very glad to hear that the video consultation went well. Dr. Pittella is an excellent doctor and is a very good person. I wish you the best! Do keep us posted.

Thank you for your service! 

Thank you very much!

[FSLONAL]

5 hours ago, FSLONAL said:

Thank you very much!

YodaHead,

My surgery dates are end of June 2025.  Of course, I asked for anything earlier and could travel on short notice.

They are asking for $6,000 USD to reserve these dates.  Seems unusual as I've heard no one mentioning paying upfront to reserve their dates that far out.

What is your experience with paying any money to reserve your date/s?
Thank you

[Buffaloboy]

3 hours ago, FSLONAL said:

YodaHead,

My surgery dates are end of June 2025.  Of course, I asked for anything earlier and could travel on short notice.

They are asking for $6,000 USD to reserve these dates.  Seems unusual as I've heard no one mentioning paying upfront to reserve their dates that far out.

What is your experience with paying any money to reserve your date/s?
Thank you

Wow.

The $250 that Eugenix charged sounds like a deal now haha.

[Melvin- Admin]

8 hours ago, FSLONAL said:

YodaHead,

My surgery dates are end of June 2025.  Of course, I asked for anything earlier and could travel on short notice.

They are asking for $6,000 USD to reserve these dates.  Seems unusual as I've heard no one mentioning paying upfront to reserve their dates that far out.

What is your experience with paying any money to reserve your date/s?
Thank you

Sounds like a deposit. In the US, I paid about 2,500, then the rest a week before the surgery. It’s fairly standard. He’s booked over a year in advance. He’s probably doing this to weed out anyone who isn’t sure. You’d have to be fully committed to pay that deposit. 

[YodaHead]

8 hours ago, FSLONAL said:

They are asking for $6,000 USD to reserve these dates.  Seems unusual as I've heard no one mentioning paying upfront to reserve their dates that far out.

Yes, this is correct. This is the deposit that counts towards your HT payment. I was also taken aback with this amount, however I did make sure that this amount is fully refundable if I decide to cancel. I had this confirmed via text in a clear language. 

I think that considering dr. Pittella is involved in all surgeries (and his clinic does not do multiple cases per day) he probably wants more solid bookings, rather than having to deal with too many reservations/cancellations from those not fully committed—especially with the kind of demand he is in. 

[Gatsby]

When having surgery overseas I found it easier to pay the bulk of it from my Country on Wise which gave me the best exchange rate. After the surgery I would just pay any outstanding amount when I was there. Less stress too.

[FSLONAL]

1 hour ago, Gatsby said:

When having surgery overseas I found it easier to pay the bulk of it from my Country on Wise which gave me the best exchange rate. After the surgery I would just pay any outstanding amount when I was there. Less stress too.

Thank you Gatsby!  Spent all these years saving so in process of finding out how to correctly dispatch the resultant doubloons:> I'll more than likely do as you do and pay the outstanding balance with my credit card (which I will undoubtedly have to raise). 

We're dealt the follicles we were born with but many of use will make the best of it.  Several contemporaries ask why I care about my dome and more often than not they have a full mane, figures:>  If I can change what I see and what I want to see sign me up!

Thanks again 

[FSLONAL]

2 hours ago, Melvin- Admin said:

Sounds like a deposit. In the US, I paid about 2,500, then the rest a week before the surgery. It’s fairly standard. He’s booked over a year in advance. He’s probably doing this to weed out anyone who isn’t sure. You’d have to be fully committed to pay that deposit. 

Melvin, Thank you.  YodaHead confirmed he paid the same amount earlier today so that is great to know.  My date is late June 2025 but am going forward.  Really appreciate this forum as it answers or addresses all the "right to know" information.  Well Done to You! 

[FSLONAL]

2 hours ago, YodaHead said:

 

 

2 hours ago, YodaHead said:

Yes, this is correct. This is the deposit that counts towards your HT payment. I was also taken aback with this amount, however I did make sure that this amount is fully refundable if I decide to cancel. I had this confirmed via text in a clear language. 

I think that considering dr. Pittella is involved in all surgeries (and his clinic does not do multiple cases per day) he probably wants more solid bookings, rather than having to deal with too many reservations/cancellations from those not fully committed—especially with the kind of demand he is in. 

YodaHead, 

Great info!  I could not find that info anywhere and is appreciated.  I had no idea that amount was required from any documents I received until I received a note via WhatsApp.  A large deposit for a procedure 15 months from now certainly caught me by surprise.  As you did, I'll ensure its refundable if I have to cancel. I will do full court press to get it sooner of course.

Thanks again! 

[YodaHead]

DAY-60 Update:

Things seem to be progressing well. Please feel free to comment/provide feedback. 
 

[Al - Moderator]

At 2 months it look like you are getting growth already. That is excellent. Did some of those grafts never shed?

 

[YodaHead]

26 minutes ago, Al - Moderator said:

 

At 2 months it look like you are getting growth already. That is excellent. Did some of those grafts never shed?

 

 

Thank you. Correct, i think a lot of the grafts never shed. Not sure if that is common. 

[verbmaker]

Yoda any chance u can post a before and after pic of your beard? Doctor told me, we may have to use facial beard for my transplant. Kinda nervous about losing my facial beard

[Melvin- Admin]

On 3/25/2024 at 10:10 AM, YodaHead said:

DAY-60 Update:

Things seem to be progressing well. Please feel free to comment/provide feedback. 
 

Looking good 🙏