Need help in choosing best FUE surgeon in the North East area

[inako123]

Hi

After going through innumerable online blogs, forums and reading patients stories, their experiences, articles from doctors and their comments on different aspects of FUE procedure i narrowed down to the below list of the FUE surgeons for consideration.

1. dr, Alan Feller

Pros -
well experienced. Has been doing FUE since 2002
Developed his own extraction tool called Feller's extraction tool.
Really good at hair lines
Very honest in disclosing the facts to his patients.


Cons

very expensive - $10 per graft
As per online forum members, his transaction rate could be anywhere between 10 to 20%.
Yields seems to be ok. Don't have the exact number.

2. Dr. Shapiro


Pros

Has very good knowledge of hair restoration procedures. Really good at strip procedure.
Very very economical. currently it is $6 per graft. I heard they are planning to increase it to $7 soon.
Takes care of his patients very well.
Really good at hair line design.
Very honest in disclosing the facts to his patients.

Cons -

Doesn't have much experience in FUE. i heard he started doing FUEs in mid 2008.
The yield is anywhere between 75 to 100%
Don't know the details on yields.


3. Dr. Cole

Pros: -

well experienced. He has been doing FUEs since 2002.
Developed his own extraction tool and other tools for performing FUE. Infact he developed a modified version of FUE technique and calls it CIT.

Cons: -

Moderately economical. Price per graft is $8
There was some controversy about him using large punch sizes that resulted in white spots in the extraction area.
As per some of the online forum members, his office stopped disclosing the punch size and other key aspects of FUE procedure to aspiring patients.

Jim Harris: -

Pros -

Well experienced. Not sure how many FUEs were performed by him.
Developed his own extraction tool, which is used by some of the other well respected doctors. His tool uses 3 step technique for extracting grafts from donor area.
Takes care of his patients very well.

cons

Moderately economical - $8 per graft
Per online forum posts there is minimal chance of occurence of buried grafts with his 3 step technique.


Don't know about his transection rates and yields


Please help me in choosing the right doc. Also i am missing someone whom you think is a better option please do suggest.

thanks

 

[janna]

Other doctors to consider in NE area who perform FUE are: Drs. True and Dorin and Dr. Jeff Epstein. Those three come to mind right now and I apologize to other clinics that I forget to mention.

At SMG. We've been using Dr. Harris's device for extracting for the past year and feel we see healthier looking grafts. The tissue surrounding the follicles are intact at the bottom. We recently received Dr Jean DeVroye's device and it is working out beautifully as well.

Good luck in your research.

 

[inako123]

Hi Janna

Thanks for the spontaneous response. i just watched video on dr. Devroye's motorized extraction tool. It seems the tool uses the 2 step technique - punch and extract using forceps. Please correct me if i am wrong here.

According one of Dr. Robert Bernstein online articles the transection rate is considerably high in 2 step technique compare to 3 step technique (which involves blut dissection before forcep extraction).

if you have any info on the transection rates using dr. devroye's tool, could you please share the same.

thanks

 

[janna]

Hi,

Here's what you posted on another thread-

"Recently i read an article on FUE extraction tools from a well known doctor practising in New york area. according to him, using extraction tools with 3 step FUE technique (for example Jim Harris manual punch tool) will reduce the transection rate to considerable extent when compare to 2 step technique. For those who don't know what 3 & step technique is -

a. scoring using sharp punch
b. blunt dissection using a dull instrument
c. extraction using forceps

In 2 step technique only a & b are used."

We've been using Dr. Harris's blunt motorized punch for over a year and we feel this works the best for us. As I said before, the quality of the grafts are superior to pre-Harris drill. We tried out the 3 step manual and liked it but really didn't feel the three steps were necessary. Our transection rate wasn't any better or worse with it - just slower. Dr. DeVroye's motor works similarly to Dr. Harris's device but it's more versatile as it has more options to the type of punches you can use with it - blunt punches and various sharp punches.

 

[Bigmac]

Have you had any consultations yet, if so what was recomended.

 

[inako123]

i haven't had any consultations yet. I want to gather as much info as possible before i start consultations.

 

[DH]

Hi, has anyone used Malcolm Mendelsohn for any FUE procedures?

 

[Sams]

This is North East America he is referring to, not the UK.

 

[topccat29]

It has been posted in the past many times and I would agree don €™t limit yourself to any one geographic region. Take your time, research, and figure out who can give you the best result possible. The only thing worse than losing your hair is having a result that looks odd and immediately draws the attention of those around you. That soon becomes a living nightmare.

 

[El Nino]

Yes I agree with topccat about not limiting yourself to one area.

If you are willing to travel to Canada then Dr. Rahal is doing FUE again.