hair transplant with SMG on tues 14th july

[hairismylife]

I have been a regular visitor to this site for over a year now and I want to thank Pat and Bill, the patient contributors and surgeons for making this such an excellent site for research and personal hair loss experiences. I felt it was time to post some information about myself. I'm 47 years old and started losing my hair at 17. By the time I was 30 my hair loss was very obvious. I tried minoxidil with minimal success. Then I went on finasteride and a year later had my first of 5 hair transplants with Dr May. How I wish I had come across this website between 2002 and 2005 but at the time I knew very little about the hair transplant industry. Hence my repeatedly returning to Dr May at the Wimpole Clinic. The thing was, in spite of being regarded by people on the hair loss forums as an average surgeon at best, he did significantly improve my appearance and, as I was unaware of what could be achieved by an excellent surgeon, I was content to go back for more! After 5 years of being on Finasteride I belatedly recognised some very unpleasant side-effects which meant I had no choice but to come off it. It gets worse. I felt I needed to compensate for this with another transplant. Instead of going back to Dr May I liked the sound of FUE but had still to discover this and other websites. Yes I truly was a computer Luddite.This is when I very foolishly got sucked in by the marketing of those notorious hair transplant cowboys DHI. I went the way of countless other victims of theirs; paying by the hair instead of by the graft and having minimal results, not to mention horrific shock loss, followed by non-existent post-op support. Basically, they took my 4 grand for so-called 2000 hairs and ran. I was extremely depressed for a good six months until the shocked hair regrew (without any DHI new additions). That was about one and a half years ago. So bringing you up to date, I have a final opportunity to have a world class transplant and thanks to your website I've decided to go with Dr Ron Shapiro, a man I feel I can trust to do the best with my limited donor hair. I'm hoping for 2,000 grafts (please God)and the plan will be to thicken and strengthen my hairline and thicken the rest of my hair going back to my crown. Any hairs that could be placed in my crown would be a bonus. I've been so ignorant about all of this in the past I don't even know my Norwood stage but I think I'm a 5. Nor have I kept a record of how many grafts have already been implanted. I hope that Ron Shapiro will be able to estimate this for me so that I can include it in my profile along with pre and post-op pictures. Whilst I regret what has gone before, I'm hoping for a happy ending. Other people have had worse results than me but of course lots of you have had a lot better. I have to look forward now and be positive knowing I'm in the hands of an excellent surgeon. I fly out from Heathrow on Sunday and my procedure is on Tuesday 14th July. Bloomington here I come!

[hairismylife]

I have been a regular visitor to this site for over a year now and I want to thank Pat and Bill, the patient contributors and surgeons for making this such an excellent site for research and personal hair loss experiences. I felt it was time to post some information about myself. I'm 47 years old and started losing my hair at 17. By the time I was 30 my hair loss was very obvious. I tried minoxidil with minimal success. Then I went on finasteride and a year later had my first of 5 hair transplants with Dr May. How I wish I had come across this website between 2002 and 2005 but at the time I knew very little about the hair transplant industry. Hence my repeatedly returning to Dr May at the Wimpole Clinic. The thing was, in spite of being regarded by people on the hair loss forums as an average surgeon at best, he did significantly improve my appearance and, as I was unaware of what could be achieved by an excellent surgeon, I was content to go back for more! After 5 years of being on Finasteride I belatedly recognised some very unpleasant side-effects which meant I had no choice but to come off it. It gets worse. I felt I needed to compensate for this with another transplant. Instead of going back to Dr May I liked the sound of FUE but had still to discover this and other websites. Yes I truly was a computer Luddite.This is when I very foolishly got sucked in by the marketing of those notorious hair transplant cowboys DHI. I went the way of countless other victims of theirs; paying by the hair instead of by the graft and having minimal results, not to mention horrific shock loss, followed by non-existent post-op support. Basically, they took my 4 grand for so-called 2000 hairs and ran. I was extremely depressed for a good six months until the shocked hair regrew (without any DHI new additions). That was about one and a half years ago. So bringing you up to date, I have a final opportunity to have a world class transplant and thanks to your website I've decided to go with Dr Ron Shapiro, a man I feel I can trust to do the best with my limited donor hair. I'm hoping for 2,000 grafts (please God)and the plan will be to thicken and strengthen my hairline and thicken the rest of my hair going back to my crown. Any hairs that could be placed in my crown would be a bonus. I've been so ignorant about all of this in the past I don't even know my Norwood stage but I think I'm a 5. Nor have I kept a record of how many grafts have already been implanted. I hope that Ron Shapiro will be able to estimate this for me so that I can include it in my profile along with pre and post-op pictures. Whilst I regret what has gone before, I'm hoping for a happy ending. Other people have had worse results than me but of course lots of you have had a lot better. I have to look forward now and be positive knowing I'm in the hands of an excellent surgeon. I fly out from Heathrow on Sunday and my procedure is on Tuesday 14th July. Bloomington here I come!

[wantego]

Welcome to the board. I have heard many good things about Dr Shapiro so I will definitely try to follow your case. Did you mention if this will be strip or FUE? I wish you the best of luck with everything!

[hairismylife]

Hi wantego

 

It's strip. I have reservations about FUE given my own personal experience and what I've read about the yield results of FUE versus strip. However I won't rule out FUE in the future but I feel it's got some way to go to equal the success rate of strip.Thanks for your good wishes. Much appreciated. I like the community spirit on this website.

[the B spot]

Glad you found us here hairismylife. I am sure Dr. Ron will be able to sort you out!!!

 

Look forward to following your progress,

Jason

[Lastchance]

Best of luck, you've made a good choice of Dr.

[Bill - Seemiller]

hairismylife,

 

It's good to have you on board :-)

 

So you're surgery is coming up in just a few short days. You selected a great surgeon and I'm sure he'll do everything he can to help you meet your goals.

 

All the best,

 

Bill

[hairismylife]

Thanks Jason, Lastchance and Bill. Before I came across this website I had no idea of other people's experiences of hair transplants. When I was getting over my DHI nightmare it helped to read people's profiles and posts on here. This website is very important in helping people make the right choices when it comes to dealing with their hairloss. Some threads get rather heated. But combating baldness is a passionate thing!

[PLEASE GROW PLEASE]

Good luck . You picked a top clinic.

Ron is one of the best in the world,if not the best .

 

It takes a highly an extremely EXPERIENCED surgeon to fix the mess others did .

You will be in honest caring hands mi amigo

[orangehair]

you're in good hands my friend...6th time will be the charm

[hairismylife]

Thanks for your good luck messages spex,PLEASE GROW PLEASE and orangehair. As PLEASE GROW PLEASE says, experience and reputation is the key and at my stage I can't afford to take even the slightest chance. I was also lucky enough to meet Dr Ron Shapiro in London so he was able to take a close look at me rather than just look at some photos attached to an email. I know there are a number of excellent surgeons out there, including Dr Shapiro. I just feel comfortable with him and the SMG team. He is also able to perform the procedure without my having to shave down which for me was an important requirement. As I work in the teaching profession, I'll have about seven weeks' summer holiday for things to hopefully settle down and return to normal before the 6 month-mark wait for hopefully good results.

[bullitnut]

good luck pal, not that you will need it your in safe hands, just relax and enjoy the whole experience you will be a changed man soon, i was very nervous but actually enjoyed myself once i calmed down lol the whole SMG team (and americans in general for that matter) are fab and know exactly how to put you at ease straight away dude, they are all super friendly and very skilled.

 

ps give janna a slap from me lol

[hairismylife]

Hi bullinut

 

Thanks for the reassurance. I know you've been through some bad times with hair transplants. Hope things are getting better. You deserve it.

 

Didn't know Janna was into the physical stuff

[Raphael84]

Good luck with all. Congratulations on the final choice of a great Doc!!! May the future prove bright!