Still on the fence...Please read..

[pvtpoint2010]

A short recap of my story:

Had 350 linier punch grafts done in Sept 1997.The doc Handler from Hitzigs clinic made a much too high strip.

Most if not all grafts done in my hairline plugged and pitted leaving me no choice then to have extensive corrective surgery.

I had electrolysis..........50 or so plugs
Surgical plug removal.......30 or so
Dermabration
and scar revision in both the donor and hairline by Dr Loria

Had a second session in 1999 by Dr Loria of Eastwood Med in long Island NY..At that time he was recommended as a local top Doc...( Before Feller) he gave me a second too low scar as he wanted to stay far away from the first

He gave me 550 mini-micros to fill in the sh-t work....However after a few years went out of business and the industry progressed to follicular units .....

It was around this time I started using Revivogin, Proscar and Rogain with fantasic results...The results lasted about 6 years

In 2006 I took a trip to see Dr Cole in Atlanta and received an additional 550 unshaven FUE grafts with 50 into my upper scar. The results looked great for about 4 more years. However experienced some white dot scarring throughout the donor.

In late 2009 I switched from script Proscar to generic brand and slowed down my Rogain and revivogin use...

In early 2010 I notice progresses thinning and started looking into industry updates and Dr's advancements.......Acell was among the researched topics.

The following are the in person Doc consults along with the recommendations

Dr Feller......add 1000-1200 grafts into my hairline only by strip (less then half inch around)...Not crazy about that as thinning will progress behind that rim..Also would not do FUE again as i already had 2 scars...Also wants to extend my strip into virgin scalp and shave the hairline area

Dr Bernstein......add 1000-1200 grafts throughout 1.5 inch of front 1/3 by strip as I already have 2 scars.. Also needs to extend my strip into virgin scalp

Dr Cole.....1000-1200 grafts in the front 1 inch of my hairline but will only do FUE as he Strongly feels both scars are not in an ideal location thus will surely stretch past there present thickness....He will do unshaven again....

All 3 feel i should not go beyond the 1 inch mark due to thin but healthy hairs behind that point will be damaged if I do

Dr Hasson ........3000-3500 into my entire potential norwood 4a pattern in a 1 shot deal...Wants to extend the top scar ear to ear and use tri-closure.....he feels it may or may not work to improve that scar ........

Dr Cooley.......1200-1500 grafts with Acell by strip or FUE but cant do unshaven......

And lastly Dr Dorin......1000-1200 grafts in the 1 inch of my hairline and look forward to another session in the future.....can not do unshaven FUE and recommends top scar strip....

What direction do you beloved posters think I should go.....Strip or FUE....Dr Cole or others.....

My views are:Haven't heard much about Cole's work lately, Feller in my opinion is loosing ground in the industry, and not crazy about a much larger ear to ear scar..

Oh by the way all feel i have about 5000 donor hairs lefts via strip or 3000 FUE....Give or take a few

 

[Dazzster26]

Hi

thats some write up thank you , to be honest I have no experience in this situations but hopefully some of the other guys will come across and help you , I have seen some awesome work and repairs done from Clinics on this website , if their is an answer out their your going to find here just be patient its Easter Holidays , I wish you all the best

Daz

 

[topccat29]

Pvtpoint I will give you my opinion and I €™m sure many will not like it but it €™s just an opinion. I have read most of your postings and I can understand your disappointment after being let down so many times. Everyone would like a great outcome but sometimes it €™s just not in the cards.


I look at your list of doctors and I see several traits in the different doctors listed. I see a dinosaur, a person that does not like to take responsibility and often places blame on his employees when things go wrong, someone that only has a hammer so that is the tool they use, a few with not enough experience, and someone that borders on being a mad scientist regardless of the outcome. These are my honest evaluations from my own experience.


This might not seem relative but I think it is. I got a phone a few days ago from a dental clinic with a name I never heard of. I €™m not sure how they got my name but I asked them about their location and then I knew. This was the same dental clinic that gave me a written estimate for dental work and when I got to the halfway point of the work I realized I had already reached the total of the estimate. When I inquired about this I was told that the written estimate was for only half the work. Well you can imagine my reaction. Then to have the same clinic phone me 2 years later under a completely different name is a cold hard reminder of how many seem to do business.


I am hoping to offer dental vacations to my wife €™s country in Europe where the care is 100 times better and the price substantially lower. I have been talking about this for a few years now but it €™s not that simple to just quit one €™s work and take the leap. I need to be sure everything looks just right and keep risk very low. I would also add I €™m not that much of world traveler. Before my trip to Brussels I was out of the country only once and that was in 1976 so of course at first it was very intimidating for me. But with 2 trips under my belt now it €™s a breeze.


You see this is the thing about Capitalism. It €™s a great system but it really brings out the greed in people. And as the saying goes greed is the root of all evil. Many people think they understand what is going on in the world me included. But if you really start reading and understanding you realize it €™s mostly controlling what people believe so that others may profit. If you can get people to believe strongly enough they will even send their children to die for you. That is the power of controlling information. Hair transplantation is no different.


I think you should consult with some of the well known clinics in Europe. You don €™t have to travel there but just get an opinion. If anything you will only gain more insight. You simply can €™t be making the same mistakes over and over and this is not placing blame on you. It just becomes a financial and psychological burden.


Anyway I wish you the best. Some of my responses to you in the past have been harsh but you were always a gentleman, therefore I know you are a real person.


Good luck.

 

[pvtpoint2010]

Thanks Topccat

Done more then my share of homework/research over the years and its still not a cut and dry choice

My thoughts are:.. if i get another strip in the top scar all feel it will be more or less the same thickness but longer on each end at best. At worst it may be grossly larger!

The bottom scar is totally out of the equation as it will most likely stretch due to it being just above the bone they use to measure (Not a good place).........as of Now i can get away with the lower scar with a 1/4 inch buzz around it.

The top scar ....1/2 inch length at best.....

Now with a strip I wouldn't need to shave down the area as I would for FUE by all Doc's except Cole......Shaving is NOT an option.....

Cole in my opinion is good and does unshaven FUE but charge $10 per graft...! and cash is an issue


In my own guess is say a good estimate would be 1200-1500.....If i do FUE i also need to worry about taking too much density from around the scars making then stick out even more.....

Not to mention 1500 more white dots!..........and that's if it stays stable for the rest of my life......

Both options..... FUE or strip...... is a big gamble...... one choice however needs to be made....

I'm probably going to go to Dr Cole and get 2 to 3 small sessions of 500-700 each with about another 100-150 into the top scar.....

If i need more grafts in the future i may still do a small 500 graft strip in the top scar with tri-closure and hope for the best.......With only 500 grafts no extra virgin scalp is needed and can be kept smaller .....but will need to re do more FUE into it.....

Seems Every Doc has a different opinion on this idea when asked......

All thoughts are welcome on this subject guys..........

Thanks
PVT

 

[topccat29]

BTW since I usually write too fast and have a habit of not being clear, when I say dinosaur it has absolutely nothing to do with age. It has to do with the advice one particular doctor on your list gave me. In my opinion he was completely clueless to what is going on at least what is important to me.

No need to go over the details but I felt like asking him if he has been living underneath a rock.