POSTED UNDER Forehead Reduction REVIEWS
Lowering my High Hairline with Dr. Kabaker - Oakland, CA
ORIGINAL POST
So, where to begin this review? I've always had a...
HairlineBluesJune 4, 2014
WORTH IT$7,400
So, where to begin this review? I've always had a high forehead and it has bothered me mostly recently. I'm 23 and now that I can afford to, I'm going to opt for this procedure as it is the one plastic surgery that I feel I truly need and not just want. I'm pretty content with my other features but my forehead makes it impossible to style my hair in any way other than bangs and I absolutely hate that.
It looks very unattractive when my hair is up and it's made me extremely self-conscious lately. So, lo and behold, I did a TON of research before booking my surgery for this Monday. I will be flying out from NYC to SF to get the surgery by Dr. Kabaker in Oakland. I consulted with 4 surgeons who do this and who have sufficient before and afters but ultimately am going with Kabaker because of his extensive experience, published articles on the procedure and many happy patients in his before and after gallery.
I want my hairline to be advanced by at least an inch and it's such a wonderful coincidence but Dr. Kabaker happened to be in nyc last week on a business trip and I managed to meet up with him so that he can examine my forehead and scalp for scalp laxity, which is the #1 determining factor to how much a surgeon can advance the scalp without the necessity of an expander. He said he can do 3cm and we'd forego my widow's peak which is totally okay by me bc I don't like the widow's peak in my hairline since it exagherates the cowlick I have to the right.
I'm excited yet still scared as I've never had surgery before. I spoke with a nurse from the team and paid off the balance and now I'm excited to fly out to SF on Sunday.
Has anyone here had this done?
It looks very unattractive when my hair is up and it's made me extremely self-conscious lately. So, lo and behold, I did a TON of research before booking my surgery for this Monday. I will be flying out from NYC to SF to get the surgery by Dr. Kabaker in Oakland. I consulted with 4 surgeons who do this and who have sufficient before and afters but ultimately am going with Kabaker because of his extensive experience, published articles on the procedure and many happy patients in his before and after gallery.
I want my hairline to be advanced by at least an inch and it's such a wonderful coincidence but Dr. Kabaker happened to be in nyc last week on a business trip and I managed to meet up with him so that he can examine my forehead and scalp for scalp laxity, which is the #1 determining factor to how much a surgeon can advance the scalp without the necessity of an expander. He said he can do 3cm and we'd forego my widow's peak which is totally okay by me bc I don't like the widow's peak in my hairline since it exagherates the cowlick I have to the right.
I'm excited yet still scared as I've never had surgery before. I spoke with a nurse from the team and paid off the balance and now I'm excited to fly out to SF on Sunday.
Has anyone here had this done?
HairlineBlues's provider
UPDATED FROM HairlineBlues
1 day pre
t minus 48 hours
HairlineBluesJune 7, 2014
Flying out to SF tomorrow and I am just so nervous. I am mostly concerned about the sedation part even though I've spoken to the staff on the phone and the nurses assured me I should be fine. Since I'm not going under anesthesia and will instead be getting sedated with propofol and something else, I didn't have to have a pre-op physical or blood tests. I'm extremely anal about this stuff idk why but it would be too late since surgery is already scheduled for monday. The nurse reassured me that I'm young and healthy and should be fine and I also like how dr. kabaker's office provides a nurse to stay with me post-op as I'm going to need that supervision after recovery room and to drive me back to my hotel.
Overall despite being nervous, I'm proud of myself for being so proactive about this procedure and I'm excited to get this done for myself.
Overall despite being nervous, I'm proud of myself for being so proactive about this procedure and I'm excited to get this done for myself.
Replies (14)
June 7, 2014
I was considering this doctor and was just viewing google maps to check for nearest hotels. I'm contently shocked by the terrible hotel reviews I am reading. EVERY hotel in OAKLAND is a roach motel! I'm reading things about RATS, mice, bedbugs, filthy bedding, disgusting odors, nasty employees, mean hotel owners yelling at guests, thefts, riffraff inside & outside the hotel. Even something several "bed & breakfast" hotels that treat their "adult" guests like wayward teenagers (strict curfew, no visitors,etc.) This is from EVERY hotel in the area, all the way to downtown. I thought "Well , I'll just pay extra per night to stay in a luxury hotel. I'd rather not pay $250-$300/night but I want to be rat/roach/bedbug/riffraff free". When I checked the down town hotels the reviews were just as bad as the rest! I went to street view and my GOD Oakland seems to be a slum, ESPECIALLY across the street from the Marriot. It looks like some disorderly Korean market place, attached to a low-income housing project. Stuff spilling out onto the side walk, street peddlers, and all types of trash on the streets, AND THIS WAS DOWN TOWN! I looked at street view from Dr. Kabacker's address and went a few blocks away and I see nothing but thrift stores, ghetto wig shops, and check cashing places. WTF is going on!? I understand that EVERY city in America has an area of low-income (the ghetto, the hood, the slums)....but the entire damn city? Really!? I guess the rap songs I heard were true. When I stay in a hotel, I want to feel SAFE CLEAN & COMFORTABLE, especially after having SURGERY! *sigh* this REALLY turns me off to even going to this physician. Out of town patients have deal with this crap. Why would he put his practice in this low-income city and not the nicer surrounding cities or BEVERLY HILLS?
June 8, 2014
hey girl, I'm definitely going through with him based on his proven experience and aesthetic. I feel you on the hotels but I've always wanted to visit SF, so I will not be staying in Oakland and will instead cab it from SF there for both the surgery and post-op visit. I hope that helps!
June 8, 2014
I def think you should consider booking it with Kabaker but booking a vacay in SF since it's gorgeous there and as for deals/pricing, you should look into sites like hotwire to book both the hotel/flight. Cheers.
June 9, 2014
HELLO HairlineBlues ! Thanks for this info I was SOOOOO discouraged! Dr. Kabaker seems to be the best in the business according to reviews all over the net. So SF is nice? Girl I read something about "The Tenderloin" sounds like hell on earth, but that's fine if it's just in the "bad" part of SF. Every city has bad areas. Just that Oakland seems to be ALL bad. Ill look up the hotels in SF, would love to stay by the ocean. I'm a female traveling alone so safety is my biggest issue.
June 10, 2014
oh you will definitely find affordable places on there and you can always look at the map and see how close to fisherman's wharf or the beach you can get if you like to be near the water. I say you go for it. I was so uneasy leading up to surgery but I've been taking a peak and even with the stitches out, just the fact that I get to see less forehead than before made me cry on that chair when she showed me.
June 10, 2014
When I had surgery with Dr Kabaker, I booked an airbnb online. Ended up staying in a gorgeous apartment near a lake, 2 blocks from Whole Foods, above a darling restaurant with live jazz, and one mile away from the doctor's office. It cost around $100/night and it was so nice to have a kitchen and a couch - where I found it much easier to sleep on my back after surgery.
June 10, 2014
@ParisRoux DEFINITELY take Joyeux Noel's advice. She is from here and I agree with her that it's so much better to be in walkin distance and closer to healthy food shops. The closest thing next to me is a walgreens and another market 4-5 blocks up but you don't really want to walk too far plus I agree with her that airbnb lets you rent out an apt for cheaper than most SF hotels! Thanks again JoyeuxNoel, I feel like I would've been totally lost without you
January 23, 2015
Did you need a driver?
January 25, 2015
hey there, yes, I stayed in SF and needed someone to drive me to the doctor's office in Oakland. I used uber :)
June 23, 2015
CONGRATULATION, I love it, and I would like to do it to, can you tell me the price please?
UPDATED FROM HairlineBlues
1 day pre
T minus 24 hours to a lower hairline
HairlineBluesJune 8, 2014
Currently on my flight to SF and using plane wifi to make this journey even more exciting for moi. I'm having a Gingerale at the moment and pondering how I'm proud of myself for finally getting the courage to do this and of course, I just hope the procedure goes smooth. A huge shoutout goes to Joyeux Noel, a realself member on here who messaged me a comprehensive guide about what to do and expect pre and post-op. Thank you so much! The RS community as a whole feels so educational and empowering and makes me feel a lot more at ease because I am over analytical and going for elective surgery feels slightly antithetical to my healthy lifestyle. What's not healthy, however, is the psychological and mental stress that continues w having such a high hairline and being way too self conscious to do the activities that I like. This is how I'm coming to terms with this because I want to do it and feel good about it. I'm going to eat a little and watch Her (finally I've been meaning to catch this movie!) and then hopefully get a bit of sleep and maybe meet up with JoyeuxNoel before the procedure tomorrow. I have to head into the city, check into the hotel and buy some food and medical supplies before the night dawns and stop food before midnight. Excited to go to Dr Kabakers at 800AM tomorrow and get this show on the road. Cheers and will post photos once in my hotel room.
Replies (1)
July 22, 2016
Hiya!! I am so glad for you, I have about 8cm of forehead, quite prominent on volume and cannot wait to get it done. Now that you have been through the whole process, what things do you think you would recommend to someone like me who wants to get it done next year?
Replies (15)