thanatopsis_awry

The guy is getting sued, and he feels the lawsuit, already a matter of public record, is frivalous and assaulting; moreover, it impacts this community, which Pat was candid enough to be forthright about by making one thread. I don't see how that is "unprofessional"; and if it is "slanderous" then objective critique should just be silenced altogether, because Pat's postings on this matter have been if anything temperate and unmalicious. If his explanation "paints" DeYarman in a "negative light" it is by virtue of the explanation itself (Pat's side, of course), not by result of some smear campaign. Pat has publically stated his reasonings in a clear manner. More importantly, he has urged(multiple times) DeYarman to post examples of his work, and offer *his* reasonings. Frankly, refusing to do as much publically, under the pretense of not wanting to "offend" us, strikes me as evasive to say the least.

I now see that some are labeled; I wish I could be more enthusiastic about Armani, for my sake and others', but at least from the extensive perusing I've done, I'm seeing...quite a few....that are either unlabeled, FUT, or small FUE. I have yet to come across a clear "FUE mega", let alone a handful, but I'll continue to look. I am, nonetheless, intriuged about this "non-surgical" procedure he is doing....

Btw, I saw it stated multiple times on his website that Armani is performing a "non-surgical" procedure.....is that part and parcel with his always-disguised, revolutionary tools that he and his underlings wield?

Interesting. Can you elaborate on the FUT splitting (of other clinics) and the unsplitting at yours? What is the "exchange rate", approximately -- 3k (unsplit) at yours would be equal to _____... I do agree with you that FUE yield in the right hands can be excellent, and just as high as strip; and your clinic(s) are on the vanguard. Your clinic also makes claims -- and I'm not saying that they are incorrect -- that are phenominal, when compared to most other FUE docs. So I believe that until a clinic -- perhaps yours, I hope -- provides comprehensive and compelling evidence regarding ~2500-3k sessions, that to say FUE yields are "generally weaker" is an accurate statement, all things considered. But, I'm not saying that FUE yield is absolutely weaker than FUT in and of itself -- rather, that it generally becomes more difficult to consistently maintain the greater AND greater you go for in a single session, no? And that at a certain point, especially for certain people, you simply can't safely reach a certain level of extraction because of the nature of the procedure. I remember you mentioning in a recent thread that sometimes you have to split sessions up because certain individuals are more receptive to the procedure.

Looks like the same website to me; I'm not seeing any of the labels, just a lot of talk about neo-classical, Vitruvian-inspired design. Can you link me to the page where you are finding the labeled pics, or that one 3k+ you mention? The one labeled pic I've found was of a (relatively) small FUE session with a prior FUT. Ridiculously nice website, though; perhaps he gave his marketing director a bit too much ammo, but no doubt it is overwhelmingly posh and expansive.

"there is generally a higher yield in FUT" I don't really see how you could adamantly disagree with that statement, which also included "and you can safely extract a much larger number of grafts in a given session". You say: "In the right hands both procedures produce equal yield, period." Even if that is true in a vacuum, and applies to each and every patient -- and saying ", period" isn't a debateable statement -- are you not agreeing that session size, a huge factor for any prospective patient, plays a role in a FUE yield? If I remember aright, even within your clinic's claims, your sessions top out at around ~3k...? Henceforth, FUT yields are "generally higher" than FUE in a session, which encapsulates sessions ranging from ~200 to ~8k. I suppose you could debate the semantics of "generally", but when the most important, and clearly wavering factor with FUE yield is the size of the session, I think it is a pretty fitting description. I do agree that what I said was a blunt statement; but I would also say that it is accurate.

I use Toppek's conditioner (they have a good shampoo, as well).

With a toppek-like concealer, be it not enough native hair or improper application, the result can look..."sawdusty". That is, it isn't clinging and latching onto your hairs well enough, and/or the color isn't matching up well. I think toppek is a good product, but I have yet to experience this effect with nanogen. I've recently been even forgoing dermmatch and just using the nano as it is working so well; and even as a stand alone product, it is working extremely well. It takes like <1minute to apply, maybe another 1minute to fine-tune the hairline, which is BY FAR the hardest area for a concealer to do its job. Dermmatch application takes a bit longer, and is more...labor intensive....works great though, no doubt.

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/showthread.php?t=155835 But basically FUE is where the ever-delicate follicles are individually extracted; in FUT a "strip" of your scalp from your donor area is excised, and then repaired using tricophytic closure. In the right hands, FUE leaves less visible scarring (which isn't to say FUT leaves very noticeable scarring), and a quicker recovery time. However, there is generally a higher yield in FUT, and you can safely extract a much larger number of grafts in a given session. It's also much less expensive, as FUE is more labor intensive.

"I am planning to spend 18K for 5000 FUEs" If you are referring to a FUE procedure, there is no way your budget will allow for you to get such a size -- not even close. Before you commit to a surgery, really make sure you understand what it entails -- including longterm implications, recovery, etc.

David, If your mind is truly in such a flux that you are seriously considering suicide...you absolutely must contact someone immediately and tell them this, explicitly....any close family, health professional, et al. No doubt you can survive what you are going through if you take the right steps in the right direction.

What is your hairloss like, and how old are you? If you are seeking and ideally require someting like 3k grafts, there are VERY few clinics that would even perform this on you via FUE, and even fewer that would be doing so ethically.... If you are getting some hairline and temple refinement, say 1k grafts, I think FUE can be great -- in the right hands. It is a very difficult, and relatively recent procedure to hit the mainstream. Po

Hopefully you are experiencing temporary -- as opposed to permanent -- shockloss. Were your native hairs very weak? Generally, if shockloss does occur, it is to extremely weak hairs that were "on their way out". What clinic did you go to? I'm of the belief that (permanent) shockloss really shouldn't be a major concern in the right hands.

It's a shame to see yet another young comrade having fallen prey to the swift fury of MPB. The only positive thing that can truly be said is that if you can figure out how to survive this (mentally, more than physically) -- which you def can -- then you will truly be stronger on the otherside.

I spent 30 minutes belaboring my hair to be fit for public consumption in honor of Hair Ressurection Day, a blessed day indeed; surprisingly, I was rewarded for my efforts in restoring my vitality as I was denied an alchoholic beverage @ a restaurant on the basis of not having my ID to validate my age. 8 Halledermmatch'es tonight before bed.

The cases where I've seen tremendous swelling have generally been mondo-sessions...e.g. LondonLad's, where he truly liked the "elephant man". I had pretty minor swelling at around day 3; I was rigid in sleeping at an incline with my head up for the first week, which may have helped mitigate swelling.

I echo what BlindMelon and Bill have said -- I wasn't even cognizent of his post (and more importantly, his grievance) until right now. Having looked at his pics, it does look *quite* troubling to me; however, more details are needed. Was this his only HT? I would be flabbergasted if that scar was a direct result of Dr. Bernstein & a 800 FUT session (which looks surprising in and of itself because of his hairloss), in which case he says his elasticity is so poor from that small session alone that he could not even do another. Godzluv, more information is needed, but certaintly you still have very viable options, regardless of the causes of your present situation. Dr. Vogel in Maryland is a vgood, local option, and there are many other docs you can consult with (online or live) who do *excellent* "repair" work. Aussie -- I (and others) appreciate your concern, but there truly is zero "silencing" going on. And I would bet that if Godzluv had started a fresh thread, or if more posters had been aware of his post within this thread, he would have received overwhelming attention and support. In fact, I would say that when a poster claims a grievnace with a Coaltion doc it receives *MAXIMUM* attention. As well, no one was "ridiculing" the initial poster; but when someone makes an extremely vauge statement of an extremely important issue (concerning an extremely ethical, public doctor), how could it not be met with a degree of uncertainty and a call for *more information*. Regardless of what the truth happens to be, that is all most members of this site want to get exposed.

Very nice, can definitely see those luscious babes starting to sprout and flash the follicular equivolent of some skin!

Sounds horrible....and if it is run by Gianatto you shouldn't take the op if you were getting paid $3 a graft. Anyways, that they are hounding you is a HORRIBLE sign....and more than MHR, which is a complete hairmill with zero standards, bodes even weaker. Check out Lindsey -- he is in N. VA...Reston, I believe. Also look into Dr. Vogel in Maryland. At the very least get consults by them, and they will give you the legit lowdown on your situation and what your options are -- and you won't be hounded to oblige, and at the very least will really know where you stand.

It should be "scare tactic" -- in that anyone going to Armani, let alone some 20 year old going for densepacked 1/3rd cm hairline job, should be very much scared until the points which I and NG2GB (among others) have *clearly* expounded upon are addressed, or they have at least reflected upon on by prospective patients themselves. And it is "mudslinging" -- in the sense that until the aforementioned points are answered, Armani is running the operation that he is running, and it speaks for itself....I don't have to actually engage in mudslinging, reality speaks for itself once it is revealed. I'm not trying to convince you, either, as apparently you want to believe what you want; and you can generalize an entire post in a few hyperbolic words. And I'm certaintly not spending my time analyzing and reflecting upon Armani's FUE operation because it gives me any benefit; anyone who knows me knows how much I care about finding the best, most viable solutions for people suffering MPB. Nonetheless, Armani -- and FUE -- should be held to as high a standard as FUT and FUT docs who claim to be the best; and just because Armani represents the possibility of some pseudo-utopic future, doesn't mean we can just doggedly "hope" that he is right, and "hope" he has the best interest of patients at heart. Anyways, I stand by my prior post 100%, and I put it out there to give additional perspective to prospective patients where transparency is so essential, in an unfortunately murky field; and I do hope for a day when my questions and concerns are put to rest and my suspicions are proved wrong.

First and foremost you need to be cognizent of any unusual strain in your donor. That having been said, specific stuff you should seriously use caution with or not do at all: neck exercises, abdominal exercises, squats. I also found any type of running to take a while before I stopped feeling a strain. I did nothing for my first two weeks; after that I started doing low-intensity cardio and I began doing most weight-lifting exercises...to the point I was breaking a sweat and feeling fatigue, but not trying to set any records in intensity. After 1 month I resumed my brazilian jiu-jitsu training, but I did so with some caution and took breaks during class when I normally would not have; I also began lifting with more intensity, but I still did not run or do neck exercises for a bit longer.

Ok. Go see a dermatologist, or an esteemed HT clinic if their is one by you. Get checked out -- look for miniaturization. Then look into, if not get on, the following ASAP: rogaine foam 5%, nizoral 2% shampoo (or Revita shampoo, but nizoral is less expensive and you've mentioned finances), and propecia (aka finasteride).I take propecia, but many take "proscar", which is essentially the same thing, but you have to chop up the pills, and it is less expensive. The aformentioned three treatments are your only non-surgical hope at truly saving or re-growing hair. That having been said, the illusion of density is what it is all about; and you can boost this by considering a concealer (dermmatch and/or nanogen) or a texturizing wax-type hair product...and, of course, experimenting with different styling. If you do consider a HT -- and not knowing you situation or seeing pics I won't tell you to "get one or not" -- look into only extremely reputable clinics...if you are really jonesing to see where you stand with regard to a HT, get some consults (online or live) with some very reputable docs that do online consults. Ahhh, also, as an adjunct shampoo to the nizoral/revita, you can try Aveda's shampoo geared toward thinning hair, or Toppek's shampoo/conditioner for thinning hair; plus you could compliment this with Nanogen's product geared to thickening the shafts of your hair (it isn't an actual shampoo).

Glad to hear of your smooth, enjoyable experience; and I'm your results will be even better! Lookin' forward to the pics.

Lookin' good! I had some shockloss as well around where you are, and within another month or so + it seemed to have been remedied. Your scar looks good even as is right now, though!

"and the sexy goddesses, four to each man, were running their dainty fingers through their mondo-million dollar-mops...praising them every hour on the hour for their hair..." This Dr. r. Money seems like quite the charachter!