Help! Need to find a trustworthy clinic

[Salazar]

Update: I contacted the Maitland Clinic (via email) to see what they would say. They suggested I visit their trichologist in London. I'm a little sceptical. I don't mind paying money for what works, but I'm a little reluctant to spend nearly two hundred quid for an appointment -- plus another hundred for travel -- simply to be told what I already know: that I can either try minoxidil or get a HT. Anyway, that's only my first thoughts. No doubt desperation will make me come around.

 

[hopeful]

What is your hair loss situation ?

 

[Salazar]

What is your hair loss situation ?

I'd say NW3. It is compounded by the fact that my forehead is so large that at any moment you expect it to crack open & for an ostrich to hatch out.

 

[Philw]

Mate u wont go wrong with maitland clinic trust me
Paying to see there tricholgist is nothing compared to a bad hair transplants
Always try meds etc before any surgery
Dr ball will be totally honest with u
Give u a mature hairline that suits u as u age etc, thats if u need a transplant
Dr ball won't give u any bullshit
Yes he is more expensive then others, but he dont cut corners
Whenever u meet him u will understand

 

[hopeful]

Perhaps you could post some images and the good people on here will help advise you

 

[Philw]

Yes mate we need pics to help and guide u

 

[Philw]

Remember hair transplants are just an illusion, dont think they take hair from back of ur head and place where u are bald etc and DAMM u have all ur hair back,
It dont work like that,
Not trying to burst ur bubble just want to be honest

 

[Salazar]

Perhaps you could post some images and the good people on here will help advise you

I will get around to it. In the meantime, here's a picture of Tom Hanks, as he appeared in the film Forrest Gump:

My hair loss is pretty similar, although I still retain a small number of miniaturised hairs at the temples. Also, despite his forehead achieving an impressive size, I still think that mine would bitch slap its ass.

Not trying to burst ur bubble

Don't worry. It burst a long time ago. I'm not trying to regain my youth. Just looking for a modest improvement.

Mate u wont go wrong with maitland clinic trust me

I was looking at some of your previous posts. Am I correct in my understanding that you had 3 transplants, but was left dissatisfied by each of them? Also, I thought that you had sworn off all transplant clinics. Did you have a change of heart or am I getting mixed up?

 

[Philw]

Hi mate great that u are just looking for a nice maturer hairline
So ur saying u have forehead like ant from ant and dec ha
Yeah i had 3 bad hair transplants i cant be fixed, but in ur situation, and the pic u sent, u should get a great result
Always try meds etc first before any surgery and i recommended dr ball only

 

[Salazar]

Yeah i had 3 bad hair transplants i cant be fixed

I'm sorry that things didn't work out for you, especially since I understand that you went to a highly respected surgeon.

Always try meds etc first before any surgery

I've been on finasteride for quite a while, but haven't yet tried minoxidil. I'm unsure if PRP or LLLT are even legitimate treatments. I'm still working on acceptance, but without much success. I would prefer to avoid surgery, but I have doubts about the effectiveness of most alternative options. Of course, I have doubts about surgery as well.

 

[NZK Medical]

I'm sorry that things didn't work out for you, especially since I understand that you went to a highly respected surgeon.


I've been on finasteride for quite a while, but haven't yet tried minoxidil. I'm unsure if PRP or LLLT are even legitimate treatments. I'm still working on acceptance, but without much success. I would prefer to avoid surgery, but I have doubts about the effectiveness of most alternative options. Of course, I have doubts about surgery as well.

Hi @Salazar, what are you looking to achieve in your hair restoration? Your goals and expectations. You say you would prefer to avoid surgery. Which is fine of course. With each option, hair loss treatment and hair transplant offer a different outcome. Your goals and expectations must be aligned with the option you decide on.

 

[Philw]

Maybe stay on meds and get a betrer haircut

 

[Salazar]

what are you looking to achieve in your hair restoration? Your goals and expectations. You say you would prefer to avoid surgery

Fill in the temples a bit -- so that they are a gentle curve rather than a hairpin bend. If possible, bring the hairline forward about 5mm. However, I would settle for the temples filling in a little.

My reluctance towards surgery is because of the donor scarring. If something goes wrong, either now or later, I won't be returning for top-up surgeries -- this is nether financially or emotionally feasible -- I will instead want to shave my hair to a No. 1. I worry that I won't be able to do this if I get surgery, as the back of my head will be riddled with little white dots.

 

[NZK Medical]

Fill in the temples a bit -- so that they are a gentle curve rather than a hairpin bend. If possible, bring the hairline forward about 5mm. However, I would settle for the temples filling in a little.

My reluctance towards surgery is because of the donor scarring. If something goes wrong, either now or later, I won't be returning for top-up surgeries -- this is nether financially or emotionally feasible -- I will instead want to shave my hair to a No. 1. I worry that I won't be able to do this if I get surgery, as the back of my head will be riddled with little white dots.

Then best as @Philw suggested. Keep on the meds. Take having a hair transplant out of your options. A hair transplant is an elective surgery. Regardless of the % terms of your concerns or real or perceived. It does not really matter. If you have them they are real to you, along with your feelings. As a result, you should not go down that route.

 

[loui]

Update: I contacted the Maitland Clinic (via email) to see what they would say. They suggested I visit their trichologist in London. I'm a little sceptical. I don't mind paying money for what works, but I'm a little reluctant to spend nearly two hundred quid for an appointment -- plus another hundred for travel -- simply to be told what I already know: that I can either try minoxidil or get a HT. Anyway, that's only my first thoughts. No doubt desperation will make me come around.

You seem to be quite anxious about having surgery, which I assume if you contact and write anything like you write here to Dr Ball, he would want to do a detailed examination on your situation to ease your mind a little since he is a serious Dr doing good work.

What age are you? You say you are Norwood 3 with only temple recession, which is usually considered as quite a easy case with a low graft number to solve.

Important is that most will need multiple surgeries over the years since hair loss progesses during your whole life, for most the hairline will keep moving up and you will need to fill in the gaps, as you seem to think its a one and done and never surgery again.

After my first hair transplant I thought I will never do it again because of how rough everything went, 12 months after this I had my second hair transplant to add density, and this time around I felt like this surgery I could do every week because the Dr I came to this time was on another level.

 

[Salazar]

he would want to do a detailed examination on your situation

I have to visit the trichologist first before there's any chance of seeing him.

What age are you?

Pushing forty.

You say you are Norwood 3 with only temple recession

I also have some thinning at the back. But I'd settle for having the hairline seen to.

 

[Philw]

U always need 2 transplants or more
Clinics dont tell u that
Thats why meds to keep what u have is sooooo important
I now live using concealers,fibres etc to make my hair look half decent

 

[Salazar]

U always need 2 transplants or more
Clinics dont tell u that

Yeah, that's what is slowly starting to dawn on me. Many clinic websites showcase various celebrities who've undergone surgery but, when you delve into the details, you discover that, more often than not, they're repeat customers. This is not a realistic long-term strategy for someone in my situation.

 

[Philw]

U need 2 send pics maybe cover ur face up
I promise u regards dr ball he will advise u on what to do
If he dont reccomand a hair transplant he wont give u one and reccomand other things like meds
U need to make sure ur hair is in a strong position before any surgery
Basically 1 transplant lays the foundation
Then 2nd or even maybe a 3rd one gives u the density
Trust me once u have a transplant u will forever be looking at it, u know seeing if it looks ok
All these celebs have some kind of hairloss concealers in there transplants to make it appear thicker
People on here post there pics but u need to see in person
Ive seen spex ,so called expert in person and his hair looked see through and shit
My opinion

 

[loui]

Yeah, that's what is slowly starting to dawn on me. Many clinic websites showcase various celebrities who've undergone surgery but, when you delve into the details, you discover that, more often than not, they're repeat customers. This is not a realistic long-term strategy for someone in my situation.

Well you can only transplant x amount of grafts per cm2 at once without the risk for not enough blood supply for the new hair follicles, the ones who are not fully satisfied density wise often go for a smaller surgery just to add density, you can checkout my thread, 1 week after the transplant it was pretty much undetectable.

Many good Drs can dense pack the first line with up to 60-70 grafts per cm2 which will look pretty dense. I believe avg for a caucasian male naturally is about 80 grafts per cm2. It is also what your average hair per graft is that matters, some have a hair density average at 2 hairs per graft, some have close to 3 hairs per graft, which makes a huge difference. There is also a difference in the thickness of the hairs, some have a diameter of 0,45 mm like myself, some have 0,80 mm, they will have almost double density compared to me because of the hair thickness.

Another time you need more transplant is say 10 years from now your recession have travelled further, you might want to add some in the gap, other than that transplant can look very natural and do a good job at creating an illusion of density.