Updated Advice - Choosing Doctor, Preparation, Healing etc.

[Joecifus]

Just updated my mentor page to reflect the things that worked for me. Hope it helps. Please feel free to send revision suggestions.

 

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To find a doctor who is imminently qualified your doctor MUST:

 

- Be an MD medical doctor. (Virtually anyone can 'perform' HTs.)

 

- Have current hospital privileges. (Even if the procedure is done in an office, hospital privileged docs are scrutinized.)

 

- Be peer reviewed. (Other doctors formally review each other to maintain qualification.)

 

- Have MANY strong before and after photos and testimonials, and allow you to speak with or meet past patients.

 

- Perform the majority of the procedure. The doctor should be the ONLY person to cut and suture the donor site, place the recipient cuts, place the front FUs, and be in the office for the entire procedure.

 

- Be a member of IAHRS- http://iahrs.com/

 

- NOT, repeat, NOT be associated with a 'hair mill' chain.

 

- NOT have a reliably bad review on this site without more consideration.(Use search tool).

 

These qualifications narrow the field to only 4-6 doctors I would have considered. I thought this would make it more expensive, but worth it. But, it actually lowered the expected cost, and way less than what the hair mills charge.

 

After using the checklist above, devouring this great site, and reading about and talking to doctors, I chose the best doctor for me - Jeffrey Epstein out of Miami, FL. This turned out to be an excellent decision.

 

Dr. Epstein was not only super-qualified, but he and his staff were very cool too. They were kind and accommodating during the surgery, and I felt like I was taken care of professionally on every level.

 

My Story - I am 42, was slick bald on top and crown (NW6), and wore a hairpiece for 8 years. I had 2,200 FU's done on 2/3/03, and another 2,170 done on 8/8/03.

 

The surgeries were honestly easier than a dentist visit. Epstein gave me a valium and an Ambien, and used a special 'wand' to deliver Novocain. I only felt 3-4 light needle sticks and relaxed or slept through the rest of it. Recovery was easier than I expected too.

 

Considerations for things to help with swelling, healing, and appearance*:

 

- Grow your hair pre-op to avoid hat-head after.

 

- Vitamin C up to and through the surgery.

 

- Bromalin pineapple extract from GNC 3-4 days before.

 

- Headband around the forehead for 4 days after.

 

- Graftcyte(sp?) spray every awake HOUR for 4-5 days.

 

- Prednezone(sp?) for 3 days after.

 

- Rogaine on days 10 - 60+.

 

- Toppik powder and Dermamatch on days 10-30 for concealing.

 

*These are things I have gathered. Some have consequences. Get your Dr.'s advice before using any.

 

 

Post-op, I didn't have so much as puffy eyes, and my new hair grew in quickly. It was a looong 3-4 month wait before most of the hair fell out, then started to regrow. But, while initially worried about the donor scar, I could barely find it 5 months later. That's another benefit of me choosing Dr. Epstein. His background was facial plastic surgery and those skills translated well for hairline design, FU placement and a minimal donor scar.

 

At 5 months, things looked so good - I threw out my @!*%^!*^ hairpiece. For more fullness, I decided on a second HT.

 

Now, from the looks of it, I'm going have a 'normal' head of hair for the first time in 20 years - UN-Friggin-believable. How can you beat that!!!

[Joecifus]

Just updated my mentor page to reflect the things that worked for me. Hope it helps. Please feel free to send revision suggestions.

 

-----

 

To find a doctor who is imminently qualified your doctor MUST:

 

- Be an MD medical doctor. (Virtually anyone can 'perform' HTs.)

 

- Have current hospital privileges. (Even if the procedure is done in an office, hospital privileged docs are scrutinized.)

 

- Be peer reviewed. (Other doctors formally review each other to maintain qualification.)

 

- Have MANY strong before and after photos and testimonials, and allow you to speak with or meet past patients.

 

- Perform the majority of the procedure. The doctor should be the ONLY person to cut and suture the donor site, place the recipient cuts, place the front FUs, and be in the office for the entire procedure.

 

- Be a member of IAHRS- http://iahrs.com/

 

- NOT, repeat, NOT be associated with a 'hair mill' chain.

 

- NOT have a reliably bad review on this site without more consideration.(Use search tool).

 

These qualifications narrow the field to only 4-6 doctors I would have considered. I thought this would make it more expensive, but worth it. But, it actually lowered the expected cost, and way less than what the hair mills charge.

 

After using the checklist above, devouring this great site, and reading about and talking to doctors, I chose the best doctor for me - Jeffrey Epstein out of Miami, FL. This turned out to be an excellent decision.

 

Dr. Epstein was not only super-qualified, but he and his staff were very cool too. They were kind and accommodating during the surgery, and I felt like I was taken care of professionally on every level.

 

My Story - I am 42, was slick bald on top and crown (NW6), and wore a hairpiece for 8 years. I had 2,200 FU's done on 2/3/03, and another 2,170 done on 8/8/03.

 

The surgeries were honestly easier than a dentist visit. Epstein gave me a valium and an Ambien, and used a special 'wand' to deliver Novocain. I only felt 3-4 light needle sticks and relaxed or slept through the rest of it. Recovery was easier than I expected too.

 

Considerations for things to help with swelling, healing, and appearance*:

 

- Grow your hair pre-op to avoid hat-head after.

 

- Vitamin C up to and through the surgery.

 

- Bromalin pineapple extract from GNC 3-4 days before.

 

- Headband around the forehead for 4 days after.

 

- Graftcyte(sp?) spray every awake HOUR for 4-5 days.

 

- Prednezone(sp?) for 3 days after.

 

- Rogaine on days 10 - 60+.

 

- Toppik powder and Dermamatch on days 10-30 for concealing.

 

*These are things I have gathered. Some have consequences. Get your Dr.'s advice before using any.

 

 

Post-op, I didn't have so much as puffy eyes, and my new hair grew in quickly. It was a looong 3-4 month wait before most of the hair fell out, then started to regrow. But, while initially worried about the donor scar, I could barely find it 5 months later. That's another benefit of me choosing Dr. Epstein. His background was facial plastic surgery and those skills translated well for hairline design, FU placement and a minimal donor scar.

 

At 5 months, things looked so good - I threw out my @!*%^!*^ hairpiece. For more fullness, I decided on a second HT.

 

Now, from the looks of it, I'm going have a 'normal' head of hair for the first time in 20 years - UN-Friggin-believable. How can you beat that!!!

[Guest]

Epstein is at the top of my list.

 

Looks great! Keep us posted as the new set of grafts grows in. You still have ALOT more to grow in from both procedures. Amazing!

[Guest]

On the iahrs website they recommend a few DO'S so maybe you should update the mentor profile.

[Joecifus]

Hairseeker-

 

Thanks. But that's pretty much the point. If you follow each of the crucial checklist items, it narrows it down to only a handfull of great doctors. You simply can't go wrong with any of those who meet all criterion.

 

Moreso, which would you choose for yourself; A fully authorized MD medical doctor who has earned hospital privliges, has tons of photos, etc., or would you choose a DO? Especially since each has about the same cost.

 

Click for - My Pix, and Mentor page with advice on Choosing a Doc, anti-swelling, and healing.

http://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/mentor/mentor_profile.asp?Mentor=Joecifus