“Hair transplant nightmare”
Hair transplant: NOT worth it
Pain: Uncomfortable
Please don't get this procedure done it has permanently scared HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of patients in the last 40 years and ruined so many lives. Don't believe clinics that tell you "that was the old plug transplants but now there are new and improved procedures"
- You will be left with an ear to ear linear scar on the back of your head ( from a strip procedure), where the hair grafts are taken from, and redness and bumps where the grafts are placed on top of your head.
- If you get the newer FUE procedure you will have little white scars all over the donor area and little red bumps where the grafts were placed. I have had both types of procedures done. It will never look 100% natural.
- Don't believe the pictures they show you, these pictures are taken in a controlled environment under certain lighting with hair combed a particular way. Unfortunately we don't live our lives in a controlled environment and wind, rain, strong indoor lighting, and the sun will show that you had a transplant no matter how good the Dr. is.
I had my work done with one of the top Doctors in the country. It can and has ruined too many lives. I am in the process of getting all the transplanted hair lasered out after suffering for almost 10 years now and spending over $40,000. I am also having the fraxel restore done to smooth out the area.
I once thought losing my hair was a big deal now I envy bald people with a normal scar free shaved head. It was by far and away the worst mistake of my life, don't be the next victim. Just do a google search on "bad hair transplants" and remember these are from old AND new transplant procedures being done today, even though the doctors will try and convince you otherwise. It will look unnatural and leave you permanently scarred for life.
Apr 18, 2009Comments and replies (14)
1 post
11 May 2009
This person obviously had a bad experience. I have had a hair transplant and the results are nothing short of amazing. I have no "red-dots" or bumps where the grafts were placed. Of course I have a thin scar on the back of my head, but every single surgery creates scars. The scar is in the hair, and I have short hair, and it doesn't show at all. I look easily 15 years younger, and I am able to date women that are on average 10 years younger now than before I had my hair replaced. I had the procedure done after my brother had it done, and we're both thrilled. It wasn't painful at all, and was about as intense as having my teeth cleaned. I would recommend a visit to a hair restoration surgeon to check things out as a start. To say that it's categorically a "nightmare" is just not true. At all.
12 posts
20 May 2009
I think you represent an unfortunate monirity of people who have had a very bad transplant. I have been on those forums and I believe Cole if it is the same doctor is known as giving poor results. Good luck to you but we all see what we want to see on the internet.
12 posts
25 May 2009
okay..so it sounds like your top notch surgeon (I guess not the well known dr.cole) didnt plan properly with the limited donor supply. Part of the hair trans[plant process is to realize what you can and cannot cover with your limited donor..you should never be in a position where you are "outa hair" and need more. the truth is..if it was so bad the industry itself regardless of advertising would implode as it ran out of customers. But it hasnt, and people do go back for more surgeries. Granted any surgery isnt going to be perfect ect. but seems to me common sense would dictate if it was so horrible eventually no one would be going. your story should be giventhe credence it deserves..just as the good stories do. Sorry to hear your situation but please keep it in perspective too...there are many people without arms, legs, eyes, dying of cancer ect who would switch lives with you! uh, no...just beucase I dont share your opinion doesnt mean I work in the industry.
12 posts
8 Jun 2009
you have got to admit thought hat you are VERY biased and BLINDED by your own negative expereince...There are many who have had good esults are and are very happy..go read alll the hairtransplant forums WITH befor ean dafter photos..and yes on these sites EVERYONE is away of the tricks many use to show better results..eg. lighting. I think like ANY surgery..most will benefit and be satisfied although not 100% and there will aalways be a smalle rminority like you who are fully unsatisifed. i think if you get FUE and use it sparingly and in responsibliy you will be fine...I mean look..I got a nose job and fully one third on this website do not recommend this porcedure..why??? I was happy, I recommend it..it is not perfect..it is even less than I expected..but I did my research made sure my doctor didnt do too much and so i got what I asked for and am fine with it..it looks better than before...yeat again you can read on this site the horror stories of thowse who have had to go in for 3-4 surgeries.. if your hair is so damaged then shave kit and get a toupee or get a job wheree you can wear a hat..work from home ect...your story is imprtant to tell but you cannot say al hairtransplants are a nightmare ect..you are wrong..I haveseen photos that look pretty good..
11 posts
12 Jun 2009
I'll tell you what it's very simple (the truth usually is) just go to yahoo's homepage www.yahoo.com and type in "hair transplant repair" in quotation marks. What you will find is that 335,000 (yes thousand) hits come up. Look at pictures and read peoples stories of how these procudures have ruined their lives and then come back and tell me how in your expert opinion,[never having the procedure done and not working in the hair transplant industry] that I am in the minority. The truth will always overcome in the end...........I just don't want anyone else to suffer in the mean time.
11 posts
3 Aug 2009
I can undestand if you feel you need to vent, but when you cross the line into inaccurate facts, you do a disservice to many people. Actually, venting can enrage you and prolong self-misery. I Yahooed "hair transplant repair" and yes I saw poor results, but most of those results came from outdated and/or undated procedures all around the world since the beginning of hair transplant time. Close to 811,000 procedures around the world take place last year alone which gives a more accurate perspective compared to your unanalyzed and undated "335,000" figure for ALL years. BTW "good hair transplants" draws millions of hits but that's unanalyzed and undated like your information. It's understood by that hair transplant has evolved from its early and scarring, which is inevitable with any incision, is tremendously minimized in both the donor and recipient areas. I met a guy who still wears a buzz cut after a transplant and his scar isn't noticable! You insist on calling your surgeon a "top doctor", but your entire thread indicates otherwise? Do you think that all the rest of us are too obtuse to not discern unreliable surgeons and their misleading information or pictures. It's certainly unfortunate that you've had such a bad experience, but you shouldn't project it onto everyone else.
11 posts
16 Aug 2009
Ok where do I start. First off when you put "good hair transplants" in quotation marks on www.yahoo.com only 163 hits come up. You said millions. Just a little gap don't you think? Like I said a lot of these people obviously work in this industry I'm trying to warn you about. Buyer Beware.
11 posts
17 Aug 2009
I didn't put the terms in as a quote. However, when I do using Google I get 459,000 hits for "good hair transplants". I notice that you don't attempt quantify how many "so many lives" are "ruined". Even if you came up with 100 examples, it would account for maybe .0001% of the hair transplants in a year. But aside from this pettifogging, the larger issues remain. Yes, you will be left with a scar. In fact, ANY cut leaves a scar. Granted the scar from a strip procedure isn't comparable to the nick from a shaving cut, but anyone who goes with the strip donor procedure knows this and accepts that he'll probably never wear a buzz cut again. You categorically deny any "new and improved procedures", but the trichophytic closure technique makes the scar virtually undetectable. Since you're closed to the idea that any pictures of results are less than a deception, you would probably never believe that. I too have misgivings about the FUE procedure but I don't address ALL hair restorations procedures categorically as ALL the same by all doctors. It's like saying that an open cholecystectomy or laparoscopic cholecystectomy to remove a gall bladder are the same and regardless of the surgeons? You're comparing apples with oranges. Your doctor must have used a puncher greater than 1.2mm for the scarring in the recipient area that you describe. I'm not sure about your criteria for a "top doctor in the country", but I'm sure you'd agree that the guy(s) you picked really weren't. You categorically deny any "new and improved procedures", but the trichophytic closure technique makes the scar virtually undetectable. Since you're closed to the idea that any pictures of results are less than a deception you would never believe that. Like you I too have misgivings about the FUE procedure, but I don't address ALL hair restorations procedures categorically as ALL the same. It's like saying that an open cholecystectomy or laparoscopic cholecystectomy to remove a gall bladder are the same and regardless of the surgeons? You're comparing apples with oranges. BTW, you might want to check out the negative comments about the fraxel procedure including 45% of the negative critiques on realself.
unregistered guest
19 Aug 2009
Most results are fair to poor. I have been going through this since 1986, worked in the hair replacement industry and have seen more bad than good. If the results were so good then why then are there not clinics offering to repair the vice presidents hair transplants? If this industry were so great then why even advertise? There would be no bald people if it were so great. The best results are very very rare. The clinics choose the best photos and you the public never see the many, many bad ones. Elton John is wearing a wig to cover his and he has more money than most people reading this forum. If they were so great why then does no doctor correct him? The industry is corrupt and has ruined more lives than it has helped. Much of the truth is very hidden and the clinics do not want you to know the whole very sad picture. Truth kills sales.
11 posts
22 Aug 2009
OK again put "good hair transplants" in quotation marks in www.google.com and 460,000 hits with THOSE WORDS come up. HOWEVER, check the actual websites and there are a total of 33, including your post by the way. Yes, a lot of people are not satisfied with fraxel. So they wasted some money and were red for a few months. With a hair transplant you are seriously scarred for life both from the donor scar and the thousands of implanted hairs. If I was allowed by site rules I would post websites with countless thousands of angry scarred patients who's lives have been ruined. But I will let people do their own research through the hundreds of thousands of websites on their own under "hair transplant repair" on yahoo and/or google. They can also look through the 33 websites for "good hair transplants" which are by the way almost entirely sponsored by the hair transplant industry that you so honorably represent.