An IMPORTANT Dose of Reality on Hair Transplantation and This Site's Purpose!

[Bill - Seemiller]

Dear Forum Members,

 

I am increasingly troubled when I see patient members of our community who have undergone hair transplant surgery and still have no idea how it works or what to expect.

 

People...

 

In a day where information is found by the click of a button, there is no excuse to make poor and uneducated decisions.

 

Hair transplantation is a REAL hair restoration option for balding men and women but should not be taken with a grain of salt. Patients MUST be aware of the benefits, risks, and limitations before proceeding. Even in the hands of an elite hair transplant surgeon, risks exist.

 

Despite a few claims over the years, the purpose of our website is NOT to send patients blindly to our recommended physicians. Though those recommended and elite members of the Coalition have been pre-screened, it is up to ALL patients considering hair transplant surgery to research ALL surgeons they are considering.

 

People please! Do your research, take your time, and take responsibility for your own decisions. With so much information available through the internet, it is hard for me to accept that people can be deceived. Yes, there are deceivers and scam artists out there, but there is enough information out there that can help you make an educated decision. In my opinion, the problem is that people TRUST too blindly and often stop thinking for themselves. Use this community as an educational tool to help you in your research, but don't use this community as an excuse to be lazy and expect that we've done ALL the work for you.

 

Here are a few quick tips to help you!

 

SPEAK to real patients online and offline. View their photos. Even if you can't find pictures online, ask the clinic you are at least considering to direct you to real patients that you can talk to.

 

MEET with real hair transplant patients if possible from a surgeon you are considering. Pictures are great, but seeing a hair transplant in person is even better!

 

DON'T take one person's word for it. Use a number of resources (much like a research paper) and look for consistency. Question ALL contradictions and look for clarity.

 

It is extremely important for patients to set reasonable LONG TERM hair restoration goals upfront, BEFORE undergoing hair replacement surgery. You can do this by asking questions, speaking to patients, asking surgeons. I can't emphasize this enough. Even patients who have received excellent results can be disappointed if their expectations are unreasonable. Hair transplantation is NOT a cure for hair loss!

 

It is also not a walk in the park. It is a SURGICAL procedure.

 

Truthfully, follicular unit hair transplantation (FUT) is quite intrusive. Pictures can be found on this forum of strip removal so look for them.

 

Follicular unit extraction (FUE) doesn't get off the hook either. This is also a surgical procedure, though less intrusive, risks are just as many (though different). Don't be deceived by claims like "no scar procedure". It honestly makes me sick to my stomach (literally) when I read these claims because I have seen FUE cases that have led to excessive scarring and poor growth.

 

This is not meant to scare you! But it's to make you aware of reality! Research thoroughly and you will learn about the hair transplant procedure itself, all the benefits, risks, limitations, whether or not you are a qualified candidate, how many grafts you need, how hair characteristics play a role in the final result, how scalp elasticity and donor hair density play a role in the number of grafts that can be excised during strip surgery, etc. Research will also lead you to an elite surgeon who can best help you meet your hair restoration goals.

 

Do NOT go in blindly. Ignorance is no excuse. Research until you are certain you have a FULL understanding of what you are getting yourself into.

 

People, there is SO much hype out there and people are blindly trusting it. At the Hair Transplant Network, we believe in doing our best to sift through the garbage and expose reality. This includes the good, the bad, and the ugly.

 

But the Hair Transplant Network is not just Pat and me. It is YOU, the patient members that are given a voice. You have more power to influence the hair transplant business than you realize. Use it for GOOD, and balding men and women will find the best hair restoration option for them. Use if for EVIL, and the kings of hype and poor quality physicians will continue to deceive and/or leave patients scarred (some for life).

 

As a 3 time hair transplant patient, I believe that hair transplantation can be a viable solution for those who are qualified. But please do NOT go in ignorant. Do the necessary research it takes to have a successful hair transplant experience.

 

I will stop venting for now.

 

Feel free to add your thoughts on this thread.

 

Bill

[thanatopsis_awry]

Not much to add, but great post!

 

I will say that my road to a HT had 2 junctures where I thought, rather impatiently (and lazily, to be frank): "OK, this is it, I am ready to go, I think this will happen, I think I'tl be good, this clinic sounds great, let's get me in the chair".

 

BOTH times, I can now say in hindsight, that I would have been dissapointed with my results in Case A (not due to a lack in quality, but quanitity), and in Case B may very well have been both dissapointed and outraged.

 

I dug a little deeper, and forced myself to explore what would really be happening to me and what I could realistically expect my end results to be. In each case, I discovered that it really wasn't the best thing for me -- it would not have been worth it, for differing reasons in both cases. However, in due time, after forcing myself to learn more where I didn't really know, and exploring options, I found the situation that truly made great sense for me.

 

Hair loss is a tricky beast, and it can lead us in making rash, uneducated decisions that we wouldn't normally make -- thankfully, however, we really do have total control over that.

[MrJobi]

Bill is spot on as usual

 

I always say do your research.

 

Don't take the word of myself or anyone else without first getting outside facts from credible sources. See for yourself. Also, expect to go through a long and almost agonizing waiting period. The process takes at least one year before you can make an assessment on the result.

 

Patience, Patience, Patience. I've had three and each time it is the same long wait which I had to go through ( it only gets a bit easier the third time in my opinion because you have done it twice).

 

Have realistic expectations. If you are a N5 and expect to get one surgery to be like Elvis you are sadly mistaken. Overall ( again there are exceptions) you will need more than one surgery if you have substantial hairloss. the result depends on your individual situation and characteristics. Remember this when making your choices

 

Lastly, there are risks involved with any surgery. Although it is a minor one, it is still surgery and you must consider this.

 

Again, do the research and make an informed decision based on your situation. At the end of the day, it is your @ss or head that is. Nobody to blame but yourself as an unethical doctor will not look out for your best interest. You need to do that! We just support those looking to do that.

 

In a day of readily available information, I always do research on anything of importance in my life. Shampoo, electronics, hotels, whatever.. Don't be taken advantage of ..

[EmuSteve]

Amen. Bill, nice post.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Thanks everyone for your input so far. I encourage members to add additional thoughts.

 

I want to make something else clear...

 

I don't want to portray the wrong idea. I have GREAT sympathy for those who come here and have had a bad experience. My heart aches for them and I long to do what I can for them to help them make better educated decisions moving forward.

 

This post is not about blame, it's an attempt at a wake up call!

 

Nobody CAN nor SHOULD anyone make this decision for you! As the patients, YOU are empowered to make your OWN decisions.

 

As I said above, online hype can be powerful. I encourage you to get past it and talk to real patients to see what they are saying.

 

THAT is the purpose of this community.

 

We believe in the physicians we recommend and that they perform quality work. But physicians nor are WE infallible.

 

We HELP you with your research by pre-screening physicians. Pat, our Publisher even visits MANY of these clinics to ensure they are still performing quality work. This is in ADDITION to your feedback. Now that I am here, I will be contacting ALL of our physicians this coming year in order to continually evalute them.

 

Remember however, it is up to YOU to decide which physicians best fit your needs and wants as you educate yourself. We are here to help you, but not make the decision for you.

 

More input is appreciated.

 

Bill

[nobuzz4me]

Bill,

 

Great post, and great vent!

 

 

The great thing about the internet in general is that the info is there at a touch of the mouse. For the newbies coming on, there is no excuse for not doing your research.

 

I do however, feel empathy for those who got decieved in the old days fo HT. Pics were not shown, or those that were showed guys in the "big hair" day of the 1980's with bushy hair. No close up hairline shots, they were hidden. Many of the ads for HT were just newspaper illustrations. There were many people who were decieved back then. I for one did not know what I was in for back in 1982.

 

Maybe a little fear and anxiety are good for the newbies to wake them up and investigate rather than jumping in "head first".

 

Thankfully those plug days are over and the current techniques are miraculous compared to older techniques.

 

Even still with new techniques, it is surgery, it has risks, it is expensive, it takes a commitment of time and planning to acheive an accepatable result. There are no quick fixes and shortcuts.

 

This forum provides a valuable resource to anyone learning about the procedure. Bill has done a great job with hot links to the commonly asked questions. Another great recource is the additional vets valuable personal insights and experiences.

 

This combination makes this site the best patient first forum out there.

[NervousNelly]

This is a great post. There is no longer any excuses if you end up at a non-reputable physician and get a poor HT. I can infact point out members on this site that did not listen to our advise and unfortunately are now regretting things. Please educate yourself.

 

I also wanted to add that as a veteren on this site I myself have gone from asking the dumb questions to having a somewhat respectable knowledge. This didn't happen overnight.

 

Moreover, I believe in "paying it forward". I only feel that it is right that each and everyone of us that benefits from this site has the responsibility to also help educate others. That doesn't necessarily mean that you need to be in the "no life club", but there is a certain obligation to help others suffering with insecurities due to hairloss.

[Agio]

Excellent post Bill. As you know I have just had mine done and am one who did extensive research for years, yes years before moving forward with a hair transplant so I'm going to add my 2000 cents.

 

Patience: This is possibly the most important of all. If you want the best results possible you should take all the time required for you to make an informed decision. Research, consultations, asking questions, the whole deal. If you find yourself getting overwhelmed by too much information, take a break for awhile and sift through the information. It's tough but trust me; your hair isn't falling out that quickly so take the time. There is a lot of bad information out there and unfortunately a lot of slick dirtballs ready to take your money so take your time and be 100% ready & comfortable to have surgery before you make the move.

 

Cost: This is an expensive route to go. Weigh this carefully in your decision. Chances are the 1st one will be 10k or better. If you're in your 20's early 30's and a doc tells you you will only need one transplant to achieve the best results, you may want to get another opinion.

 

Results & Time: Go into this deal knowing that unless you're very very lucky you're not going to see much in the way of significant results for months after the procedure. At this point I'm months away from even being able to tell anyone whether this was a good or bad idea which brings me to my next point.

 

Gamble: No matter how good the surgeon is this is still a bit of a gamble. Will you lose some grafts? Will the hairline look right? Will it provide the coverage promised and or expected? All of these things and many more are why you need to do research and more research and only deal with top notch surgeons. So no matter how good your odds, you're still rolling the dice to some degree.

 

Appearance: Okay, no matter how short you get your hair buzzed before or after the procedure you're going to look like hell for awhile after the surgery. At this time I look like a deranged Scrooge. Know this and understand that the top docs are going to want to shave the recipient area for your sake and theirs. Remember, you're shooting for optimum results here

 

Pain: Don't under estimate it regardless what any doctor tells you. Apparently they have interesting ideas about what 'mild pain' is. It's day 7 after my transplant of 4312 grafts and I'm damn sore. Why? Well it could be because I had an 8" hunk of my scalp carved out, a couple of pounds of staples put in to seal the cut and a guy just stabbed my head with a little carving knife the size of a pin 4312 times , not to mention the whack of injections to freeze me. So expect some pain for awhile.

 

Listen to the Doc: Once you've decided to go ahead with this and you have your doc picked listen to him or her. I mean listen to them, don't filter out the stuff you don't want to hear and hear only the high points. The best tell you what is possible in relation to what you want.

Also I've found they have very high standards as well. For example, If they think you need 3200 grafts to achieve the best result on the top 70% and then 1700 on the crown and you get 4000 grafts, chances are they aren't going to touch the crown in that session with 'extra' They'll use the extras for the top 70%. That is 1st hand experience as my chosen doc stated frankly he wouldn't be satisfied with the result if done otherwise. When the doc tells you to wash your hair a certain way, sleep a certain way, avoid this or that, LISTEN to them. Those little bugger grafts need every edge they can get.

 

It can't be Undone: Once you commit to Hair Transplant Surgery, you can't change it after the fact so be very sure you are prepared to go through the entire process warts and all before you start.

 

 

 

Yikes,that's a long post.

[Eman]

Bill-

 

Great post. Especially at a time when it seems like people feel sites such as this are "pushing" people into having hair transplants-- which this site clearly is not attempting to do. It is attempting to fully educate someone before making this big decision.

 

If you want, point people to me. I have been researching and researching for the better part of two years and not once has this site "pushed" me towards having a HT. It would be my choice based on the research that this site and members have afforded me. If anything everyone has been more than generous with their time, thoughts, and experiences. I have been able to reflect on the discussions I have had or read about and hopefully make a decision that is RIGHT for me, and only me.

 

In the end this is an awesome resource for anyone contemplating a HT, but ultimately the responsibility for the decision made falls on the individual.

 

I thank God everyday for finding this site and the members who have taught me so much and also being able to use the resources provided. I know that it is a resource that you and Pat have put your hearts into, to make this industry more transparent and honest. We all appreciate it!!

 

So, thank you and I hope others will see how much they can gain by all the information offered.

 

Eman

[Bill - Seemiller]

Thanks for all your great feedback!

 

Now for another vent....

 

Lack of Online Visibility Does NOT Necessarily Mean Physician Inability

 

Many hair loss sufferers in their research make a mistake in thinking that a physician must not be highly skilled if there isn't public information available on them.

 

Admittedly, this is preferable, but it's not fair to conclude that a particular hair restoration surgeon does sub-par work because there isn't a lot of information about them.

 

Each surgeon on the Hair Transplant Network has been pre-screened to meet our particular membership criteria. As stated above, this should NOT excempt you from doing your own research.

 

Not ALL of your research can be done online, especially for those physicians who have not used the web to promote themselves heavily.

 

If you are interested in a particular physician that does not have a lot of publicly available information on them, contact them, consult with them, and acquire a list of patients that you can contact to view THEIR photos or even MEET with them in person.

 

Heck, in the midst of interviewing and meeting with them, why not encourage them to come here to post their results online so that others too can benefit from their experience and photos.

 

Don't misunderstand me....

 

I am NOT advocating that you blindly select a physician because they are recommended here.

 

But I AM stating that we only recommend quality physicians that are worth researching and considering. For those that don't have a lot of public information available, consult with, talk to and meet up with their patients and see the results for yourself!

 

Good luck on your research!

 

Bill

[the B spot]

edited b/c there is no reason to argue any of these points at this time

[Bill - Seemiller]

B Spot,

 

Feel free to share your thoughts privately with me if you are electing not to make them public.

 

Bill

[wylie]

Many hair loss sufferers in their research make a mistake in thinking that a physician must not be highly skilled if there isn't public information available on them.

 

Admittedly, this is preferable, but it's not fair to conclude that a particular hair restoration surgeon does sub-par work because there isn't a lot of information about them.

 

Each surgeon on the Hair Transplant Network has been pre-screened to meet our particular membership criteria. As stated above, this should NOT excempt you from doing your own research.

 

Not ALL of your research can be done online, especially for those physicians who have not used the web to promote themselves heavily.

 

Very, very important to read this and understand it. It cannot be overstated that marketing does not make someone any better than another. Many of the best physicians do not aggressively advertise their work, and many of the inferior physicians do. You have to review photo albums, see patients, and most importantly, seek out others who have gone this route, if only through a discussion forum like this one, and educate yourself. Taking all this into consideration is crucial in making an informed choice.

 

Some physicians who post on this forum are the very best at this you can find anywhere, but you should always find someone who you can match their skill to what YOU want to have them do for you.

 

Once you have found that, you have likely chosen the right doctor. Thats the most important decision you have to make. After that, the rest is easy.

[MrJobi]

At the end of the day it is the patients responsibliity to do a thorough job of research. Internet, meeting the physician & patients, and setting realsitic goals are the key area's. It's your head and although it's absolutely horrible when a butcher ruins someones head, you have to go back to the research and how much was done.. Any major investment requires this or you risk consequence. Once it is done, it's too late unfortunately.. Surgery is a serious undertaking