Disappointed in the Bosley and MHR Results - Atlanta, GA
My hair loss problem is in the back of my head....
My hair loss problem is in the back of my head. I've had three procedures over the last five years, and that area of my head is still very noticeably thin. Here are some things to keep in-mind:
1. Current procedures will not make your hair thick enough to cover your scalp. You will have a fine "see-through" layer - escpecially in the back.
2. Beware of pricing schemes! Bosely got me for $8,000 for 1000 grafts the first time and a little over $5000 for the second 1000 grafts. MHR prices differently, and I got 1300 for $6000 plus they required me to buy a $400 healing kit that did nothing for me (try to get out of it).
3. During the procedure, you have little interaction with the doctor. Most of your day is spent with "technicians" who place grafts in the holes that the doc punches into your head. Some of these technicials are not very experienced. One time, a more experienced tech was using my head to teach new people. I had not been informed of this arrangement. Another time, the techs were comparing qulity of graft placements on my head. One tech was clearly better than the other.
4. Recovery is a pain. You have to be careful with washing your hair, the scar heals slowly, suture removal can be quite painful (the last time, the sutures were so deep that it took two techs and a lot of rough handling to dig them out. I am still having trouble four months later.
There is more, and I am happy to share. I am not saying that people shouldn't consider the procedure. I do have enough hair in back that I can grow my hair to different lengths, but people still comment on my bald spot - so I know that it is not just me who sees it. Just be ready to shop the tow or three main clinics, negotiate the price down, don't buy extra stuff, and expect much less than you are promised.
This was the most imformative comments i have read in my due dilligence process. thank you.
My question to you is this, since you seem to identify several areas which can cause a failed process and result, if all of your talking points were optimized as you specify, would you predict a positive outcome?
It seems much blame falls on the "technicians" poor performance. Since this is the Bosley model, it seems the surgeon may be handicapped and not as critical as one would think. maybe i should seek a surgeon who specializes in this proceedure who can both pluck and plug.
other than word of mouth, how do we find the best hair transplant surgeons ?
Another example, please.
I recently had transplant at Sword Medical in Torrence, California. My experience there was very good. It has only been 2 1/2 months, so I can't report on the results yet.
I agree with you that this industry is filled with frauds and scam artists who disfigure people and make TONS of money off of them in the process. And I'm extremely sorry to hear that happened to you. However I am one of the success stories and I am 100% happy with my results...so I know for a fact that quality surgeons and quality work do exist in this industry.
All of this being said, this is why Dr. Bauman's comments above about how to choose a clinic are extremely important. A smaller clinic with a constant caseload of FUE transplant procedures is more likely to have dedicated, full-time, highly skilled technicians working there. In my case for example, my surgeon is an independent practitioner who runs his own clinic. They only do FUE, and they do 2-3 per day. I had one procedure done there in 2009, and a second one done just yesterday. The four technicians on his team who worked on me all day yesterday are THE VERY SAME 4 ladies that worked on me 2 years ago. They all work 5 days/week, and they perform 2-3 procedures every day. They are a rock solid team of professionals, and they do AMAZING work (and they do it with a smile). This is NOT something you're EVER going to find at a national "chain" clinic like Bosley or NuHart. These places are constantly losing their most skilled technicians and rotating in new untrained technicians, and guess how the newbies learn...by working on patients like you. No thanks.
I am researching places for myself.
Thanks