Dr. Wetzel learned through his experience to combine art form and science to achieve the most natural results possible
My FUE procedure went off without problems. Dr. Wetzel and his staff at Anderson Hair were superb. Everything was explained prior to, the day of the procedure and what to expect post operatively. Dr. Wetzel followed up personally the next day as did the staff the following week. I have had previous successful FUE and transplant procedures with a now retired provider. I had been referred to Dr. Wetzel by a colleague. I can say that my expectations were exceeded. I look forward to seeing the results in the coming months.
I first became aware of the Anderson Center for Hair when I was searching the Internet for hair transplant clinics in the Atlanta area. As I accessed their web page, my eyes were immediately fixed on the myriad of awards that were displayed there which they have received over the years in recognition for the quality of their work. I noticed that Dr. Anderson has been practicing hair transplantation for over twenty years and was impressed by the fact that he personally addressed each of the very few negative Google comments, as well as many of the positive ones. Once I began my search, I noticed that the Anderson Center does not mass advertise like many of the mass production hair transplant clinics in the Atlanta area. Since I was not interested in a mass produced looking transplant, I decided to go in for my free consultation. The Sandy Springs location is conveniently located just inside I-285 in the area of all the hospitals and medical offices on Peachtree Dunwoody Road. A staff member went over all my options, including non-surgical aids available to facilitate the growth and health, not only of transplanted hair, but the hair that I already had. The information was adequate to allow me to make the best decision for myself, which was FUE. Dr. Wetzel, who eventually performed my procedure, came in and examined me. He went over the procedure, what to expect, and answered all my questions. On the day of my procedure, I arrived bright and early, was shown a brief video, and then Dr. Wetzel and his team came in and went to work. My scalp was deadened, so there was no pain during the procedure. The team was professional but relaxed. That night I took a pain pill to help me get to sleep, primarily because I was sleeping sitting up as directed, but I needed nothing for pain after that. The post operative procedures are meticulous to ensure the best possible outcome. The office staff called a coupled of times to check on me, and Dr. Wetzel himself called. I spend a lot of time lately looking in the mirror, watching my new hair grow, and being excited about my new look. Overall, it has been a very positive experience.
Dr. Wetzel is a rockstar. He did a phenomenal job throughout the entire process. I'll back up a bit first - I started losing my hair at least 5 years ago, and had been becoming more and more self-conscious about it all the time. A friend of mine recommended Anderson Center for Hair and told me they're the real deal. So around January of this year, I contacted their Sandy Springs office to inquire about my options. We set up an initial consultation, where I met Matt, the Director of Patient Counseling Services. Matt was awesome as well - he took me back to a room, he got to know me, and he explained the broad strokes of what my options were, answering questions I had along the way. Eventually, Dr. Wetzel entered the room and met me for the first time. He examined my hair/scalp, recommended a course of treatment, and went into a thorough explanation as to how it would work, then answered more questions I had. After Dr. Wetzel left, Matt was able to get me a very fair quote on how much everything would cost. About a week or so later, I scheduled my FUT surgery for a couple months out. On the day of the surgery, everything went great! First off, when you get there, they take your Jimmy John's lunch order for later that day. This brought back fond memories of back in my college days when I had a full head of hair and would eat Jimmy John's at the end of a night out, so that was a nice touch. Anyway, so Dr. Wetzel comes in, we talk about SEC football for a bit, he answers some more of my questions, and I told him I want to be knocked out for the entire surgery. He said no problem. So then he gets started by giving me meds for said knocking out, numbs the incision area in the back of my head, then begins the surgery. I barely felt the incision, and the next thing I knew, I woke up hours later with my girlfriend in the room to pick me up, and I happily ate my Jimmy John's. The first couple days of the recovery were a bit intense, and I definitely took a few PTO days for those, but it's absolutely worth it. If you've ever gotten a tattoo, I would say recovering from that is good mental preparation for recovering from FUT, if that makes sense. Dr. Wetzel called me personally the day after my surgery, and a couple other times to check in on me and see how everything was going, and that meant a lot. He also gave me his cell phone number so that I could text/call him with any questions I had throughout my recovery. Fast forward to 3 months after my surgery, and I'm happy to report that I can definitely see significant results. Where there used to be open skin on my scalp, there are now hairs growing healthily to fill in that space. I'm excited and can't wait for it to be fully grown in at 12 months!
I had the long hair FUE procedure done with Dr. Wetzel and the team at Anderson Center for Hair, and I’m genuinely happy with the entire experience. Going into it, I was a little nervous, mainly about whether it would be painful or look unnatural, but I was pleasantly surprised by how smooth and comfortable the whole process was. I won’t know the final results for a while, but based on how things are healing and what I can see so far, I’m really excited about how it will grow in. The day itself was long, but everything felt organized and manageable. The staff was incredibly kind, professional, and attentive, they really helped put me at ease throughout the day. Pain during the procedure was very minimal, maybe a 3 out of 10 at most. Afterwards, I experienced some soreness and stiffness, but nothing intense, more like a 1 out of 10. Swelling was also very minor and went down quickly. Dr. Wetzel knows what he’s doing. He took his time, answered all my questions, and made me feel confident in the process. I never felt rushed or uncertain. The facility itself is modern and welcoming, it didn’t feel clinical or cold. Overall, I’d absolutely recommend Anderson Center for Hair to anyone considering a transplant. My experience was excellent, and I’m really looking forward to seeing the full results in the months ahead.
After listening to numerous positive experiences from friends and business colleagues about their hair transplant, I decided it was time to look into. My concern was that the majority of the people I spoke with went to Turkey verses getting it done in the US. So I began my research, I wanted a great doctor that was close to home that I could conveniently get to afterwards if needed. My journey led me to Dr. Wetzel at Anderson Center for Hair, needless to say, I made a great choice. I had my procedure done three months ago and I could not be happier. In fact, my hairstylist has told many of her clients about how great of a job Dr. Wetzel and his team did and that they should go see him. I love sharing my experience with other middle aged men I meet. Many want to talk about it but are uncomfortable just coming out and commenting on my increased amount of hair from when they saw me last. They typically ask me the same questions: how painful is it- very minimal, heck, I slept through 80% of the procedure. Is it worth it- look at how much more hair I have now, absolutely. What was the experience like, I heard these companies try and hard sell you- not at Anderson Hair, they want you to feel great about your decision, so you tell others. Were you worried about it not looking real or natural- yes I was, this is why you have to make sure you select someone that is great at what they do and that guy is Dr. Wetzel, a true professional.
I had my first hair transplant 19 years back with a doctor who has since retired. I did not lose the transplanted follicles but progressively lost a good bit of hair around (reducing density) and acres behind it. As I was contemplating another transplant, my brother who had his transplant done (hair loss runs in the family, what can I say) in late 2023, recommended Dr. Wetzel. In parallel, my hair stylist said I should take a trip to Turkey, get a nice hair transplant for a song and save myself a bunch of money. Raging wars in that region and unknown medical malpractice laws were a buzz kill, not to mention getting medical advice from a hairstylist is not necessarily a bright idea. I had made up my mind (1) to get it done locally (Atlanta GA) and (2) to consider at least 2 practices. My first call to Dr. Wetzel changed my opinion on shopping around. It felt like talking to friend who would take good care of me rather than a clinical conversation around a medical procedure. My subsequent in-person meeting cemented that feeling and I decided to go with Dr. Wetzel. From the time I decided, the process of scheduling the surgery, pre-op instructions, the actual surgery itself and post op support has been a peach with Dr. Wetzel and his staff. Their office in Atlanta is homey and not over the top flashy like some practices that do cosmetic procedures. The surgery itself was a very smooth affair, and the only discomfort was sleeping in an upright position the first four days after surgery. Tylenol every 6 hours became my best friend for close to a week and I did bug Dr. Wetzel at random times both during the week and the first weekend with mundane questions like; day 3 – my head slipped from the neck pillow without my knowledge, and I was resting on couch headrest when I woke up, are my grafts toast? Instead of telling his nurse to call me and calm me down, he called me back right away personally and responded to my unfounded fears like a concerned friend. In summary, the FUE technique followed by most hair transplant surgeons is similar and so is the cost for the most part. Likewise, the results are also not going to be dramatically different from one another. Being treated like a friend / family rather than patient # xyz was important to me and that is exactly how Dr. Wetzel and his staff made me feel. I highly recommend Dr. Wetzel for your hair transplant needs. You are not just in good hands, you are in great hands, with him. All the best.
I spent years quietly stressing over my thinning hairline. Like many people, I was worried a hair transplant would be painful, obvious, or just not work. After a ton of research (and procrastination), I decided to go with Anderson Center for Hair in Atlanta, and I’m genuinely so glad I did. From the initial consult to the post-op check-ins, every single person I interacted with was professional, knowledgeable, and kind. They weren’t salesy or pushy, and I never felt rushed. They actually listened to what I wanted and made sure I had realistic expectations. The procedure itself was way easier than I expected. I was nervous about the pain because let’s be real, "follicle extraction" doesn’t sound fun, but I was totally comfortable the entire time. Dr. Wetzel explained each step and kept me relaxed and laughing (shoutout to the team for the good vibes and lunch). I also opted for PRP and exosomes during my procedure, and I’m already noticing faster healing and early growth signs. No regrets on that upgrade. Post-op, I followed their aftercare plan closely, and my grafts anchored well. I had very little shedding in the early days and minimal discomfort. The hairline looks incredibly natural, even this early on. No "plug" look. Just subtle density that blends perfectly. I know hair transplants can feel like a huge leap (and a big investment), but the results speak for themselves. If you're on the fence, trust that you're in excellent hands here. The facility is modern, the staff is amazing, and they actually care about your long-term outcome, not just the procedure day. This was one of the best self-investments I’ve ever made. If you’re thinking about it, do it right and do it with Dr.Wetzel at Anderson.
It has been 16 days since I had my second FUE procedure with Dr. Wetzel. I was very happy with the results of the first procedure but wanted a fuller look. Based on my experience, there was no question that I would return to Anderson Center for Hair for the second FUE. To start with, I have only positive things to say about Dr. Wetzel. He made sure I was involved and that I understood all aspects of the procedure. It very much felt like I was part of the team. Speaking of the team, I want to thank the rest of his group that were working together to make sure that I was comfortable and that the surgery was a success. I never felt pain during the procedure and actually slept on and off while Dr. Wetzel was working. There was some discomfort the first night and I did take the pain medication. But by the second day it was much better and I no longer needed the meds. There was some swelling on day 3 and 4 but that resolved quickly and by the 6th day I felt and looked normal (except for the graft area which I just kept covered by a baseball cap whenever I went out). Having the FUE procedure was a great decision and I have been very pleased with how it changed my appearance. People who don’t know that I did it are frequently noticing that I look much younger and can’t quite figure out what is different. If this is something that you are considering, I suggest you meet with Dr. Wetzel and explore your options with him. I would recommend him and Anderson Center for Hair without hesitation.
I had a great experience with Dr. Wetzel and his team. The surgery procedure was fully explained to me during my initial consultation with Matt and Dr. Wetzel. Dr. Wetzel explained all and said I was a great candidate for the surgery. The surgery itself was scheduled for 3 weeks later. I arrived at 7 AM as instructed, and we got started at 8 AM. Dr. Wetzel explained what to expect for the day. All was explained in detail. We talked about what he was going to do and also the hairline, which was very important to me. He listened to what I wanted to make sure to design the transplant for that result, a natural-looking remedy to my thinning hair. The procedure took about a total of 8 hours. During the surgery, I was not in any pain at all, and did not experience much pain the following day. His nurses took really good care of me, and I watched TV the entire time while under a mild sedation. After the surgery, I went home and relaxed and began to recover. The downtime was nice, and the recovery was not that bad. It took about 2 weeks till I got back to 100%. After two weeks, I went back into his office to have my stitches removed and for a check-up up where he said I was progressing nicely. I am excited about the results. I would definitely recommend Dr. Wetzel and Anderson Hair for this surgery. His advice and guidance during the process were very helpful. I feel like he has given me back my hair from when I was younger, and I am excited to see the continued results.
I was referred to Dr Wetzel in early 2025 due to increased hair loss despite medication adjustments. I was hesitant to have another hair transplant after having a poor experience and poor results at HRS Atlanta. My experience with Dr Wetzel at Anderson Center For Hair was refreshingly different. At my consultation, Dr Wetzel outlined what to expect before, during, and after the procedure. He addressed my concerns and helped me understand the results I could expect. The surgery itself was a breeze(I believe I fell asleep with the sedation) and the postoperative swelling was significantly less pronounced than my first procedure. I especially appreciated Dr Wetzel making himself available via cell phone to answer my postoperative questions which is a rare among plastic surgeons in my experience. The office also checked in regularly to make sure the recovery was going well. The early results seem to be a huge improvement and I'm hoping will only get better over the next year. If you're considering getting a hair transplant, I would highly recommend Dr Wetzel. The experience felt tailored, personal, and it is evident Dr Wetzel cares for his patients and their results.
I would try not to worry too much about this at this point. While different surgeons and different clinics will have varying guidelines on consuming alcohol before and after a transplant (this is because its never really been directly studied as far as I can tell, so its hard to say exactly what the effects might be, if any), its generally a good idea to avoid excessive alcohol consumption immediately before and in the weeks following any surgical procedure. The main reason for this is that excessive alcohol consumption (and tobacco use) is known to impact tissue healing negatively. After the body undergoes a stressful event, such as any surgery, it needs rest, fluids and plenty of nutrients to heal adequately. I would say that its probably more important after the surgery than before, but excessive drinking can have effects on the body and its immune system for much longer than just the few hours that the alcohol is in the body, particularly if the drinking is frequent. Another reason your surgeon might tell you to avoid excessive alcohol consumption prior to a procedure is that regular or excessive alcohol consumption can interfere with sedative medication that is sometimes given during the surgery. As for the growth of your hair from the transplant, if you're starting to see growth at 6 months that's good. Just remember that its going to take a full 12 months to see the end result. All of that is to say that while we can't know for sure what the effect of your 4 large beers the night before the surgery will have on the growth of your follicles, its more than likely that there will NOT be a significantly negative impact on your outcome directly related to that.
Working with pretty limited information here, I will try to answer your question in general terms. If you have severe hair loss at the very young age of 21 you would want to be as aggressive as possible in your hair loss prevention regimen. This answer is going to assume that you have genetic hair loss, and that you don't have an underlying cause for the hair loss such as vitamin deficiency, hormonal imbalance, some type of scarring alopecia, or medication side effect as the cause. Any of those would require other approaches to address the hair loss. An aggressive hair loss prevention regimen should include medications (finasteride - assuming you are male, and minoxidil), which can be taken orally or applied topically, Low level Laser Therapy and PRP procedures every 3-4 months. The more of these things you do, the more effective they are in slowing the progression of your hair loss. Regarding your question about the PRP your doc suggested, I think its a good idea. PRP procedures are generally very well tolerated by patients and the side effects are extremely rare. There can be some irritation on the scalp afterwards, possibly some redness and mild swelling but these are all self-limiting and short-lived. At least in theory there is risk of infection any time you break the skin barrier during a medical procedure but this is exceedingly rare if proper technique is used. Just be sure to wash your hands before touching your scalp in the areas treated. Hope this helps.
faiju04 -- this seems to be a common question on here. The short answer is don't worry. It really takes a full 12 months (and rarely up to 15 months) to know what the final result is going to be after a hair transplant. Its a slow process. At the 4-5 month mark, some of the hairs are just starting to come out of the resting phase and entering the growth phase, but other follicles will take longer. This process will continue through 12 months, but since this happens asynchronously, meaning the follicles are all entering the anagen or growth phase at different times, there are many months where no significant change is seen. I always counsel patients to just be patient and continue doing their prescribed hair loss prevention regimen. Its a good idea to get PRPs about every 3 months during this time.
gary_sanders -- I think the key to answering this question is in the timing. I'm not sure how much time had passed between those two photos but it certainly looks like there has been some progression of loss. If your loss had stabilized on the finasteride and been stable for a long period of time and then you switched to the dutasteride and within a couple of months noticed significant shedding, then likely it is a shedding phenomenon. In theory, if shedding can happen when someone first starts finasteride, due to the drop in DHT levels, then it can also happen if someone switches from finasteride to dutasteride -- bc you are dropping DHT levels even further with the dutasteride. So if this sounds like your timeline, its probably dutasteride related shedding and the hair should come back. If it was only a couple of months between those two photos, I doubt its progression of hair loss. That would be fairly considerable progression in a very short time for someone taking finasteride or dutasteride. With that being said, there is still some progression of hair loss despite prevention in many cases, but I would expect it to be much slower. So if you told me that those two photos were taken a year apart despite being on the finasteride, then I would say there has been progression of loss. In those cases, doing other things to maximize the preventative regimen, such as adding minoxidil (topical or oral), adding a laser cap and periodic PRP procedures, would be recommended. So to summarize I think it all has to do with the timing: if it was fairly rapid then likely shedding from the medication switch, but if it was over a longer period of time its probably progressive hair loss. Hope this helps.
If your hair loss is being caused only by a vitamin D deficiency, then correcting the deficiency in most cases is enough to stop the progression of the hair loss. If that is the case, and there is no component of genetic hair loss present (or any other cause of hair loss) then you probably don't need the minoxidil. But oftentimes, there is also a component of genetic hair loss or other cause present as well. In reality, when a patient comes in with hair loss and we find abnormalities in their labwork, we cannot say for sure that the hair loss is definitely being caused by that and that alone. If the hair loss is distressing enough for the patient, I usually recommend correcting the lab abnormality but simultaneously starting a preventative regimen. This would consist of finasteride (if you are not a woman of childbearing age), minoxidil, Low Level Laser Therapy and PRP procedures. Using topical minoxidil alone might be helpful but its best if used as part of a more comprehensive hair loss prevention regimen. If you have a component of genetic hair loss present, then you would want to continue these things even after your vitamin D levels have been normalized.
