Hair Transplant With Robert Haber

[ZaynSzn]

Hi guys. I saw this website and wanted to make a post about my hair transplant. I got a hair transplant at age 23 with Robert Haber, Cleveland Ohio. For starters, I am 23 years old and I play Fortnite "Profesionally" I guess you could say. I stream a lot (On Camera), so I become super self consious about my hair loss. I have been on Finasteride for 6+ months before the surgery as well. Also, I did not mention I played for a living. I also have a full time IT job as a back up plan just in case anything ever went wrong with fortnite. Thanks! 

- Number one, I had my first consultation with him and saw his technician or whatever you call it. We went through the basic protocols and the casual minoxidil, finasteride, when did I notice the hair loss, etc. So, after chatting with her for a bit, Dr. Haber comes in. He was in a rush it seemed, so I wanted to be quick but thorough. I believe he was in the room for maybe 2-3 minutes? He said we can meet back for the second consultation, and that he doesn't typically do hair transplants on young patients ($75 Charge).

- Number two, I had my second consultation with him and saw the receiptionist. She was very sweet to be fair and honest. She didn't even believe that he would do surgery on me cause of my age. So we talked for a minute, going through he his previous transplants and such. Dr Haber walks in, this time he didn't seem like he was in a rush. He took his time and discussed that he doesn't typically work on younger patients and STRESSED that you need to be on finasteride for at least 6 months (Which I already knew that before I even looked at transplants). I did however say, that if he doesn't I will go to Turkey no problem and do it there, but I would rather do it in the comfort of driving 30 minutes cause I live in Cleveland. So we chat more, and he does say I will be a great candidate for surgery because of my hair density and thickness is good. He all in all, agrees to do the surgery. We draw a hairline, which is a SUPER conservative hairline. My main concerns were the widows peak and the mid scalp. I did NOT ask for my hairline to be matched with my widows peak or a lower hairline. But anyway, he agrees that we can strengthen the widows peak and he says we can plug extra grafts into the mid scalp (KEEP IN MIND, if we weren't going to do the mid scalp, I would NEVER go through with the surgery ; I expressed this to him). I made it VERY clear, I want this done in ONE go, so take whatever grafts you need to, I don't mind paying for it. I also understand that I will need multiple surgeries in due time, but as of right now, do NOT make me come back in 6 months or 12 months because we didn't do enough grafts. I cba going through another recovery. I said this MULTIPLE times keep in mind. Surgery is set and we scheduled a 1200 Graft FUT procedure. I attached all the before pictures here : 

- Number three, surgery day! We draw the hairline super high im not gonna lie. I was not comfortable with it at all but, the doctor knows best (I cant argue this point because I agreed to this). So you know how we talked about the widows peak? He decided not to do it, because it wasn't a good idea. So now comes an issue. My widows peak is the center of my hairline, so obviously I want it to be a strong point and not super thinned out. But he said its not a good idea and wasn't comfortable doing it. Again, I agree. I can't argue also, because I agreed and though I know now it was stupid, it is what it is. So now, time for surgery. I told the doctor right before we started to listen to me : Get this surgery done in ONE go, do not make me come back because we didn't do enough hair or whatever. He said he understands and will try his best. Also I said, "Doc, I need you to promise me, that if you need more grafts, you will TAKE more grafts, I don't care about paying for it. Take what you need". He said he understands. Now for the actual surgery lol, we had to apply the anesthia over 5+ times. The pain wasn't INSANE like some people say. But after having it applied over 5 + times, it began to just hurt like a bitch im not gonna lie. Everything seems to be going okay, until the issue occurs. The technician applying my anesthia was just rude im not gonna lie. She didn't seem like she wanted to be there and wasn't nice or wanted to make conversation. And before people say, "its a job obviously she doesn't wanna be there" I don't give a frick at all im not gonna lie. Im paying over a grand an hour. If you don't want to work with people, get another fricken job (This is where I become ruthless, im sorry in advance lol). The other techs were very nice though. So! Mid surgery, I find out we aren't going to do the midscalp!! I go DEAD quiet. I was already nervous as frick doing this surgery and could barely speak up for myself. He NEVER mentioned that he wasn't going to do the midscalp to me at ALL. KEEP IN MIND, he STILL didn't tell me we weren't going to do the mid scalp, I found out on my own. When we took a lunch break, I literally took a picture of my head and saw the disaster lol. He completely left those spots as you will see in the attached photos. The reason why I was so angry is because I mentioned this very important in the consultation. Mentioned it to him mid surgery, and he doesn't care. He said we didn't schedule a long enough surgery? The frick??? I legit did not say a single word the rest of the surgery. I was just so angry. ALSO, I mentioned my right side for some reason, is a LOT worse then my left. It needed more grafts then the left side did. But who cares right! He knew how mad I was mid surgery, but did not care! Carried on conversating with his techs or whatever. I attached the pictures of the results of day one / day two / the scar after staple removal :

- Number four, same day of the surgery, just at night time. I give him a call. I am just angry man im not gonna lie, because why the frick would I get a surgery done and not get those big spots lol. He then goes on to say, "This is why I don't do work on younger patients because of their unrealistic expectations". Now this, set me off. Why the FRICK would you work on me and if you were not going to do those spots. It wasn't an unrealistic hairline design, and not a big procedure. Sorry for my language btw, just super annoyed at the whole situation. He then goes on to say, "We didn't schedule a long enough surgery". So because you want to go home early (1:41 pm), I have to suffer? There were 5 technicians in the room that were done with the grafts before we were done with the surgery. I just don't understand this at all man. I didn't ask for for much, I really didn't. I was very nice throughout the entire procedure until this happened. I am gonna attach the pictures now. I am just frustrated with the process I am not gonna lie. Just seems insane to me that you can charge over $1000 an hour and it not be top tier work. Please let me know what you guys think. I am going to wait the 6 months or 12 months and re access. If the results aren't good, I either will go for the refund, or will take legal action. You can't just lie and say it was a "Miscommunication". Again, sorry for the frustation and the swearing, just annoyed at myself for being victim of this, having done so much research. Thanks guys!!

Edited March 7 by ZaynSzn

[Melvin- Admin]

How many grafts did you receive? I don’t think it’s a good idea to graft an area where you have a lot of miniaturized hair. This is why young men go to Turkey and come back worse. 

Surgeons have to do what’s best for you, whether it’s what you want or not. Now, it looks like there should have been better communication. At this age, I think the best strategy is to reinforce the hairline and see how medication works. You mentioned that you’ve been on medication for 6 months. Its possible that you continue to improve and those areas may not need any grafts. 

[jjalay]

I dont see where the problem was to add density in the midscalp with some 400 grafts if this was the agreement before the surgery. If you asked about this while being operated and got ignored this sounds like really bad communication and not professional at all.

[ZaynSzn]

1 hour ago, Melvin- Admin said:

How many grafts did you receive? I don’t think it’s a good idea to graft an area where you have a lot of miniaturized hair. This is why young men go to Turkey and come back worse. 

Surgeons have to do what’s best for you, whether it’s what you want or not. Now, it looks like there should have been better communication. At this age, I think the best strategy is to reinforce the hairline and see how medication works. You mentioned that you’ve been on medication for 6 months. Its possible that you continue to improve and those areas may not need any grafts. 

Here is the issue. I have had those same spots for 2 + years. If it was going to take another what, 400 grafts? For a pretty decent difference, that would be worth it to me. I understand the need to play it safe. But for me to get an actual SURGERY, it doesn't make sense to leave those areas. It doesn't at all. He did a crap job on the hairline. Its too high up. His placement was just awful but again, I agreed to it. But I don't understand your logic or the doctors. If those spots don't thicken up in 2-3 years, I am suppose to get another surgery? What kind of logic that. I just paid over a grand in hour for work that most like will not make a difference due to the fact that the graft placement was too high up lol. But again, I am gonna be patient and wait til the 6-12 month mark. Like I said though, if it isn't good results, I am just going to ask for a refund or take it a step further. You can't just lie and say, "You should have known I wasn't going to place grafts in the mid scalp, I never even marked those areas". Doesn't make any sense to me if you didn't take the time to tell me that information. Oh and sorry, I got 1416 grafts is what he said (Scheduled 1200). So those "Extra Grafts" that he said will go into the mid scalp, he realized he needed them for the hairline? I am gonna assume it's because he did a crap consultation lol. Oh and to finish his and I's phone conversation, he said "What do you want me to do about it now, whats done is done". So I cannot wait! For that 6-12 month mark. 

Edited March 7 by ZaynSzn

[HappyMan2021]

@ZaynSzn I'm curious what your Fortnight channel/streamer name is? 

You obviously don't have to say if you don't want to. But as a public figure who makes money by streaming, I just figure you would want to share that to get as many visitors as possible

Hair transplant feedback:  I think it was a mistake doing a no shave procedure for this. 

Going full shave is better for surgery, and honestly the full shave/buzz cut/ugly duckling period is way overexaggerated. Simply wearing a hat solves 90% of ugly duckling issues

23 is also way too young to have gotten this done. Once you have had 1 HT you have committed to the journey for better or worse. 

Hairloss is unpredictable. No doctor in the world can with 100% certainty tell you where you will end up on the Norwood scale. At 23 you have alot of time for more loss

I just hope your hairloss remains forever stable and you didn't just inadvertently sign yourself up for 3-4 more surgeries in order to fix future hairloss

 

[Berba11]

17 hours ago, ZaynSzn said:

He did a crap job on the hairline. Its too high up.

It would be insane to lower the hairline of a 23 year old, and if you think otherwise, then you’re walking talking proof of why 23 year olds are not candidates for surgery 99% of the time. 
 

That said, you’ve not actually shown us the hairline work. 
 

It seems those spots in the midscalp should have been addressed and I can’t see any good reasons why they couldn’t have been, especially if it had been agreed in advance. Equally you could probably restore them non-surgically with oral minoxidil. 

[ZaynSzn]

6 hours ago, Berba11 said:

It would be insane to lower the hairline of a 23 year old, and if you think otherwise, then you’re walking talking proof of why 23 year olds are not candidates for surgery 99% of the time. 
 

That said, you’ve not actually shown us the hairline work. 
 

It seems those spots in the midscalp should have been addressed and I can’t see any good reasons why they couldn’t have been, especially if it had been agreed in advance. Equally you could probably restore them non-surgically with oral minoxidil. 

Let me fix what I said. I did not mean I want my hairline lowered by any means. I wanted it to be filled in the corners a bit, for that baseline. NOT matching it with my widows peak or lowering it. Just a solid baseline, so if I lose the rest of the hair, I have that baseline I can work with forever. Sorry about not clarifying that better. I am not even that made about the hairline honestly. I am more annoyed of the fact about the mid scalp. There was no reason for not doing it other than "We didn't schedule a long enough surgery". What the heck? What should my response be to that.

[Berba11]

7 minutes ago, ZaynSzn said:

Let me fix what I said. I did not mean I want my hairline lowered by any means. I wanted it to be filled in the corners a bit, for that baseline. NOT matching it with my widows peak or lowering it. Just a solid baseline, so if I lose the rest of the hair, I have that baseline I can work with forever. Sorry about not clarifying that better. I am not even that made about the hairline honestly. I am more annoyed of the fact about the mid scalp. There was no reason for not doing it other than "We didn't schedule a long enough surgery". What the heck? What should my response be to that.

"We didn't schedule a long enough surgery" is one of the more baffling things I've come across to be honest. Most surgeons understand and expect that sometimes a surgery will run on longer than imagined for a multitude of reasons. It's why every top doc has cases that ran late into the evening or ended up taking place over two or even three days. The point is they get the job done for the patient regardless, so you do seem to have been short changed in that respect.

[Apk0214]

I had a surgery with Dr. Haber two weeks ago and was scheduled for 2800 grafts. About 2200 were used in the hairline and the rest put in the mid scalp per my request but I don’t really have a way to confirm if the remaining 600 were used.

For 2800 he said during my consultation that it would take a full day from 7am to roughly 5pm even with his techs alternating in for placements.

I was also able to tell from a lot of his before and after pictures that he seems to mostly focus on hairline and some mid scalp work and is hesitant to work on the crown without knowing that the patients hair loss has stabilized and with a finite number of grafts so I thought he might be a decent fit for me for my first procedure.

I’m staying hopeful and I’m hoping for the best result for you as well, I was very much in the mindset that as a NW5 I will need a second surgery but I can understand your frustration going into it thinking it would be a one and done and then coming to find out you may need another. Keep us posted on your results since we seem to have a similar timeframe and we can see if the results stack up

[ZaynSzn]

On 3/8/2024 at 7:52 PM, Apk0214 said:

I had a surgery with Dr. Haber two weeks ago and was scheduled for 2800 grafts. About 2200 were used in the hairline and the rest put in the mid scalp per my request but I don’t really have a way to confirm if the remaining 600 were used.

For 2800 he said during my consultation that it would take a full day from 7am to roughly 5pm even with his techs alternating in for placements.

I was also able to tell from a lot of his before and after pictures that he seems to mostly focus on hairline and some mid scalp work and is hesitant to work on the crown without knowing that the patients hair loss has stabilized and with a finite number of grafts so I thought he might be a decent fit for me for my first procedure.

I’m staying hopeful and I’m hoping for the best result for you as well, I was very much in the mindset that as a NW5 I will need a second surgery but I can understand your frustration going into it thinking it would be a one and done and then coming to find out you may need another. Keep us posted on your results since we seem to have a similar timeframe and we can see if the results stack up

Bro like. The issue was, I KNOW I will need more surgies in the future. No doubt in my mind. But not ONE year later, because you decided that you didn't wanna place more grafts in the middle. I even told him this. "Doc, I understand I will need more surgies in the future, thats fine with me. But I am NOT fine, with needing another surgery because we didn't do enough the first time". Thats what gets me angry tbh. So, if its not 10/10 results, and the finasteride doesn't thicken that area up in the mid scalp, i am sueing or getting a refund. 

[HappyMan2021]

2 hours ago, ZaynSzn said:

Bro like. The issue was, I KNOW I will need more surgies in the future. No doubt in my mind. But not ONE year later, because you decided that you didn't wanna place more grafts in the middle. I even told him this. "Doc, I understand I will need more surgies in the future, thats fine with me. But I am NOT fine, with needing another surgery because we didn't do enough the first time". Thats what gets me angry tbh. So, if its not 10/10 results, and the finasteride doesn't thicken that area up in the mid scalp, i am sueing or getting a refund.

yea alot of doctors are unfortunately like that. its a total rip-off. 

[ZaynSzn]

8 hours ago, HappyMan2021 said:

yea alot of doctors are unfortunately like that. its a total rip-off. 

Bro like, is Turkey just the way? The issue is, I just don't like the way Turkey hair transplants look typically. Yes, they are cheaper. I can respect people who go to Turkey and get it done. But, there is a heavy un-naturalness to their hairlines (I know in the U.S that can happen to, but they normally play it super safe so it doesn't come out that way). I can't stand the way they look. I feel like I can show you who got a hair transplant by just looking at it for a second. The issue is that United States doctors dont look like they have these BIG transformations. They just typically have their average fill ins. 

[HappyMan2021]

2 hours ago, ZaynSzn said:

I know in the U.S that can happen to, but they normally play it super safe so it doesn't come out that way

this is not true, there are loads of absolutely atrocious and horrible doctors in the US, in the UK, in every country you can think of. 

You really have to look at things from a surgeon-specific level, not country. 

Here is a thread from just yesterday with a botched UK result.

 

 

Edited March 11 by HappyMan2021

[ZaynSzn]

1 hour ago, HappyMan2021 said:

this is not true, there are loads of absolutely atrocious and horrible doctors in the US, in the UK, in every country you can think of. 

You really have to look at things from a surgeon-specific level, not country. 

Here is a thread from just yesterday with a botched UK result.

 

 

Nah of course. There are gonna be bad doctors everywhere no doubt. I dont exclude U.S from that happening at all. But my question is, don't you think that U.S plays it more safe than Turkey.