7 months on from a terrible transplant - Dr Rajan Bhojwani, RefineSurgical, Nottingham UK

[Melvin- Admin]

1 minute ago, BackFromTheBrink said:

Are you basing your recommendations or US or UK law, or don't you think the differences would be important in such a case?

Good point. 

[zach07]

On 3/10/2024 at 5:41 PM, Mike888888 said:

My story (long):

7 months ago I had a transplant with Dr Rajan Bhojwani at Refine Surgical in Nottinghamshire, UK.

I decided that I wanted to fill in my hairline, so I Googled "hair transplant near me" and this clinic popped up. They had 5 star reviews on Google and Trustpilot, they had a "Good" CQC rating, they had photos on their Facebook page of Dr Bhojwani standing with Dr Basinga, Dr Farjo and Dr. Shahmalak and others at the 2023 BAHRS conference.

I paid for a consultation with the doctor. He said all the right things - about how he would avoid the "pluggy" look, place singles in the hairline, angle the hairs to create a natural look, manage the donor area for future requirements etc.. All the things I expected to hear. He even showed me some poor results from Turkish clinics to warn me what a bad transplant could look like. He explained about the shedding phase, the hair life cycle, recommended finasteride and minoxidil. Basically, he said all the right things and seemed very genuine. Based on this original consultation, I booked in for the operation with no worries at all, thinking I had got a great doctor.

I paid a fixed price for the day i.e. unlimited grafts for £2,500. He told me that 500 grafts would be enough to cover the area, but ended up putting in c.678. I didn't know at the time how inadequate this would be.

The operation was a lot longer than I expected. I had a "funny turn" in the morning after laying face down for approximately 3 hours for the extractions (the doctor suspected a reaction to the anaesthetic), so I took over an hour for lunch to recover. The implantation stage took approx 7 hours, from around 1.30 to 8.30. The anaesthetic kept wearing off towards the end so it was quite painful at times. The extractions were done by Dr Bhojwani, as were the incisions. Implantation was by the doctor and a technician. After surgery, my wife picked me up and drove me home where I fell straight asleep.

 

The next morning when I woke up I felt physically fine, but when I looked in the mirror there was heavy scabbing over the grafts and a big gap to my existing hairline that had literally nothing in it. The hairline was not neat, nor defined (I wouldn't even call it a hairline), nor did the rest of the work look dense. I emailed the surgery with my concerns and they told me:

"some grafts would have been feathered in and many grafts aren't always visible as blood does not represent where all the surgery have taken place".

I took him at his word. I didn't know any different.

On day 10, after taking the scabs off, I could see a clearer picture. There were gaps. Lots of gaps. I made a post on Reddit (link removed) and it was brutal. I was hoping for reassurance but got quite the opposite. Every single comment was shocked with the work. One comment asked if I'd had it done in an alleyway. Another asked if I'd done it myself at home. My favourite (worst?) comment was "My brudda in christ please and name and shame the spawn of satan who did this to you". After the first 10 or so comments I couldn't bring myself to read or reply to any more, I just deleted the account. I was really down and just didn't want to hear it.

I emailed the doctor the next day with my concerns. He told me:

"Please don't worry in this early period - if there is a gap it will be covered as it grows as the hair is styled, and as with all our patients - we want you to have the best results, so if you need any adjustments in the future to fill in areas that are deficient we will do this for you without charge."

 

This improved my mood. I decided to bury my head in the sand and wait it out - maybe it would turn out ok? Maybe this doctor knew something that I (and the Reddit community) didn't? Perhaps it would look ok when it grew in? Either way, there was nothing I could do about it now, other than wait for it to grow and see what it looked like. I convinced myself that even if it was not very dense, or the hairline was lacking, then at least a free top would correct it.

I saw the doctor again at 5 months. I had a little bit of growth coming through, but not much. He again said that it would grow through and that 5 months was still very early.

He said that as I still had redness in the scalp, this indicated that more hair was still to grow through. Again, I took him at his word, buried my head in the sand again and convinced myself it would thicken up. And if not, a free top up would sort me out, right?

I am now at 7 months and the pictures speak for themselves. I cannot bury my head any longer. The density (or rather, lack of) is no longer my biggest concern. I am more concerned about the non-existent hairline, the excessive use of multi grafts, and the poor angulation, all of which have only become apparent to me as it has started growing.

This is not a good result. Far from it. This is an awful result. Everything is wrong.

• There were simply nowhere near enough grafts put in for the area covered, so the density is non existent
• There is still a gap all around the edge to my old hairline. It is basically 2 triangles of hair stuck on my forehead
• I cannot see a new hairline - there are hardly any grafts, and the grafts that are in the hairline that have now grown in are mostly thick hair and multi grafts. (No hair was taken from the sides of my head)
• The transplanted areas are still red - I think I may have permanent damage

It is, quite simply, a disaster. The only good thing I can take from this is that he only took ~650 grafts. Everything else is just terrible.

I have now started to reach out to repair clinics.

Unsurprisingly, they all unanimously agree that this work is terrible (one surgeon told me that in 14 years he thought he had seen it all, but this changed his mind). I have to wait a few more months until anyone will take me on as a patient, so at this time I am just booking in for consultations. I have done my research and am hoping to be taken on by one of the following doctors:

Dr Reddy / Dr Mittal / Dr Bisanga / Dr Moussa / Dr Bicer / Dr Turan / Dr Bek / Dr Aygin

I have written to Dr Bhojwani to request my money back for his original surgery. I am awaiting his reply which is due within the next five days.

I am also considering taking legal action, but I am not sure how successful that would be, or if it is even worth the effort. I guess technically I have hair where I didn't before, so one could argue it was successful. It is undoubtedly a poor job, but there is some hair there, so it could technically be classed as a success (if you ignore the fact it grows in the wrong direction, is full of multi grafts and is more scalp than hair!).

I am hoping that a reputable surgeon can just fill in the gaps, but I have been advised by some of the clinics that I have contacted that to repair this will require at least 2 surgery sessions; one to punch out the grafts he has placed, and a second to basically start again. If this is the case with all doctors, then I will be considering trying to reclaim this cost through Dr Bohjwani. I am unsure how realistic this would be.

I am scheduled to meet him again at month 10, but I don't see the point. I suspect he will argue that final results take 12 months. I have not had a reply to my complaint and refund request as yet, but I really don't see any way in which he could claim this to be a good result. Nobody that I have spoken to so far sees anything other than a mess. I am hoping he does the right thing and offers a full refund.

One thing is for certain - there is no way I will be letting him perform another surgery on me.

So, in conclusion, to those who have read this far, my advice to you:

There is no substitute for real verified reviews.

Do not rely on Google / Trustpilot / Facebook.

Ask to see examples of previous work.

Don't make the mistakes I have made, or you will end up worse off a year down the line.

I will update again when I have a repair surgeon booked.

So sorry to hear about this terrible ordeal. I agree with the forum members who think lawsuit isn't the way to go. It will be such a drag on your time and money. Focus on getting this repaired. And, please post this in as many places as you can. I would never take someone's livelihood away, but this "surgeon" could cause serious damage. 

[Buffaloboy]

43 minutes ago, BackFromTheBrink said:

Are you basing your recommendations or US or UK law, or don't you think the differences would be important in such a case?

I’m not barred in the UK, so i’m speaking from my jurisdiction.

And to be abundantly clear, I am not providing any recommendations. I am simply stating how these cases typically go:

Consult > Medical records request > Filing and service of complaint > Ins Con will ask for summary judgment on the grounds of jurisdiction or relevance or any other cause they can think of > Request is denied > Discovery with potential subpoena of records if not provided earlier > Insurance company will often negotiate a settlement at this stage > If no settlement, then we move on to pre-trial motions where they will attempt to delay as long as possible > Trial.

Getting to trial in malpractice cases is exceedingly rare. They are almost always settled prior. When they do go to trial, it’s because the case is veryyyyy weak and they are extremely confident they will win. And despite this, they still lose close to 40% of them. But they don’t like to go trial for the following reasons: 

1) Juries are typically sympathetic to medical claims.

2) The surgeon does not want the negative publicity that a trial brings.

3) The insurance company does not want the risk matrix that accompanies a jury (at least in my state) deciding damages.

I mentioned the eyelid case above, but a former colleague I spoke with this morning also mentioned a case he had with a woman who had a small cyst on her back. Non-malignant and not medically necessary, but was unsightly, she chose to have it removed. The surgeon caused a scar that was ugly enough that they filed suit. She won (settled). The scar was just above the bikini on the back, causing others to be able to see it.

All that being said, I don’t recommend a lawsuit in this situation. I would push for a refund and be on with my life. There simply isn’t enough meat on this bone for it to be worth it. My responses in this thread have to do with what is possible - not what I recommend the OP do. There are people posting in this thread whom have very little grasp of the law, and I was simply informing them of the realities.

 

Edited March 12 by Buffaloboy

[jjalay]

43 minutes ago, BackFromTheBrink said:

Are you basing your recommendations or US or UK law, or don't you think the differences would be important in such a case?

This is an example from ireland:

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/man-wins-70-000-damages-over-botched-hair-transplant-1.699720

The patient sued the clinic and won the trial and 70K compensation for the damage this doctor has caused him. If you search the internet you will find many cases like this one.

[organix]

This is my first time posting on years on this forum, and your post spurred me to do so. First of all to offer my condolences for a terrible transplant, but secondly to offer some hope and support. Your situation is somewhat similar to mine - I got a transplant in the temples way back in 2007, it wasn't great either, far from it. However my hair has always been quite thick so it covered it. However in 2024 the old botched transplant is now being exposed.

So I've got your back buddy! I am i the same boat - and I have decided that I am going to get a second hair transplant - the good news for both of us, are there are lots of great surgeons out there now, and that it is fixable. I think I am going to go with Dr Bicer in Turkey. I will be contacting them soon for a quote

[Buffaloboy]

8 minutes ago, jjalay said:

This is an example from ireland:

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/man-wins-70-000-damages-over-botched-hair-transplant-1.699720

The patient sued the clinic and won the trial and 70K compensation for the damage this doctor has caused him. If you search the internet you will find many cases like this one.

Yeah it’s not uncommon. The only uncommon part is when they reach trial. Most get settlements.

Here is a gentleman who won 45k for an asymmetrical hairline.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/singer-wins-45-000-after-bad-hair-day-qvknf7cp2

[HappyMan2021]

49 minutes ago, Buffaloboy said:

All that being said, I don’t recommend a lawsuit in this situation. I would push for a refund and be on with my life. There simply isn’t enough meat on this bone for it to be worth it. My responses in this thread have to do with what is possible - not what I recommend the OP do.

a lot of lawyer talk just to agree with what we all said from the get to, that a lawsuit is not worth it.

For the record, if anyone is thinking about a legal option for anything in life, it is best to get consults with multiple lawyers. 

Always be objective when it comes to lawyers, sometimes their financial incentive can conflict with the patients. 

Just like with doctors, just because someone is a lawyer - at face value this does not mean they are good at their job. 

The barrier to become a lawyer is really not that high as long as someone has the time commitment and money for law school. 

Edited March 12 by HappyMan2021

[Buffaloboy]

13 minutes ago, HappyMan2021 said:

a lot of lawyer talk just to agree with what we all said from the get to, that a lawsuit is not worth it.

No. You're moving the goal posts now. 

You stated: "I doubt you have an actual/true/legitimate legal claim that would hold up in a court of law. If you signed any sort of patient documents/claims prior to surgery, it pretty much kills your case."

Which is nonsense and I responded telling you that OP does have an actual, true, and legitimate legal claim and it very well could hold up in a court of law, and pre-surgery waiver documents would not indemnify the surgeon. 

That is a completely different argument than what you have shifted to, which is "its not worth it to pursue the case". I would have agreed with that from the beginning. You switched from "You have no case" to "its not worth it". 

13 minutes ago, HappyMan2021 said:

The barrier to become a lawyer is really not that high as long as someone has the time commitment and money for law school. 

And can score well on the LSAT. But I do agree.

[asterix0]

1 hour ago, jjalay said:

This is an example from ireland:

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/man-wins-70-000-damages-over-botched-hair-transplant-1.699720

The patient sued the clinic and won the trial and 70K compensation for the damage this doctor has caused him. If you search the internet you will find many cases like this one.

Yes this is interesting, the problem is really how much is the juice worth the squeeze. The legal system is very drawn out and inefficient, a bit too coincidental isn't it that the mode of billing is billable hours. 

For OP's case, such an outcome is probably unlikely but if he has the fire in his belly to do so perhaps formulation of the case along with requisite paper trails with communication from the clinic, expressing his concern and dissatisfaction and how it is affecting his life, with their responses, would greatly aid such an endeavor. 

Edited March 12 by asterix0

[Melvin- Admin]

Guys,

We have highjacked this thread. Let’s please keep this on topic from this point forward. At this point, OP needs a solution above all. @Mike888888 feel free to reach out to me. I will help you as much as I can. 

[Mike888888]

Hi all,

Thanks again for all comments.

I have still not yet heard back from the original clinic, but I have booked in for a consultation with Dr Ragu Reddy in London in 2 weeks.

I have contacted a “no win no fee” law firm who said they would take a look, so for now I will just leave it with them to make their judgement.

I really just want my money back at this point to put towards a proper repair with a decent surgeon.

I will update again when I have anything new to add.

Thanks again to all who commented, it has been very helpful.

M

[Buffaloboy]

17 minutes ago, Mike888888 said:

Hi all,

Thanks again for all comments.

I have still not yet heard back from the original clinic, but I have booked in for a consultation with Dr Ragu Reddy in London in 2 weeks.

I have contacted a “no win no fee” law firm who said they would take a look, so for now I will just leave it with them to make their judgement.

I really just want my money back at this point to put towards a proper repair with a decent surgeon.

I will update again when I have anything new to add.

Thanks again to all who commented, it has been very helpful.

M

They will likely turn the case down, as there is not enough incentive for them to take the case (the settlement would be too small). But good on for you for taking that step and checking.

I'm really sorry you're going through this and hope that you are able to find a new surgeon that will fix your hairline. Take a look through the review forum. I like to sort by "most replies", as that often brings up the best (most successful) cases with lots of data points.

Then create a short list of surgeons you found from your thread research and make consultation appointments. Ask questions of this forums top members too. Melvin is a wealth of knowledge, as is Gatsby and a few others. They always seem happy to give advice, so if you're questioning if a surgeon should be on your short list, ask!

Keep your head up.

[Marko7t4]

3 hours ago, Mike888888 said:

Hi all,

Thanks again for all comments.

I have still not yet heard back from the original clinic, but I have booked in for a consultation with Dr Ragu Reddy in London in 2 weeks.

I have contacted a “no win no fee” law firm who said they would take a look, so for now I will just leave it with them to make their judgement.

I really just want my money back at this point to put towards a proper repair with a decent surgeon.

I will update again when I have anything new to add.

Thanks again to all who commented, it has been very helpful.

M

They’ll only take it on if they know it’s going to win. It’s like any @No Win, No Fee” case. My wife was a PI lawyer for 7 years before she got fed up of it and switched to teaching. I remember she had a case where I woman won a decent payout when she got her bits burnt during a Brazilian wax.

[Sitries1]

Wow! So sorry to see this! That has got to be the worst surgery I’ve seen done.  500 grafts to cover that area - his planning was clearly deluded!! Wtf was he thinking!? This must be one of his first times doing the surgery surely?! 
 

This is a perfect example of what can happen when you don’t do your research. At least you have found this site and can plan for a proper repair job and a good clinic.  
 

I wish you well getting it sorted my friend. 

[RTC]

Oh my God.. this is awful stuff man, but it can be fixed bro. Lay up for any decent doctor, I went to Hattingen who punched out some offensive grafts I have, they can easily do this for you. You will come out of this ok.

[RTC]

On 3/11/2024 at 5:27 PM, asterix0 said:

Mental health is getting more sympathy in the courts. OP could claim bad psychological impairment which affected his work performance, well being, medical expenses for therapy, etc. 

Second, OP, please try to recover your money from these cowboys.

[rs525]

Wow you absolutely got a horrendous job. I am so sorry this happened to you. How they thought only 650 grafts was enough for your hair loss is beyond me.

[shiba1985]

WOW

[SeanT1]

It seems, a lot of horrible hair transplant surgeons are based in the UK.

I've met many people while living there who have had terrible experiences with most clinics.
It's always best to travel, 100%!

[shiba1985]

that picture with the "titans" in hair restoration screams so much irony.