What completely upsets me about doing HT research...

Hi all, I've been doing research on HT for years...but more so in the past year than ever before. I've been on this forum, and have been lurking in others, and these are the biggest problems I face with doing research:

1) You finally find a small handful of doctors who appear to be the "best in the country." They have sparkling reviews. Then, you read other reviews that appear very legitimate who basically portray these same exact doctors as the biggest scumbags/hackjobs of the universe. So, that's 50% saying they're the best in the world, and 50% saying they're nightmares.

2) You read about the reason why it is so hard to tie in a specific doctor and find a negative review about them -- these doctors aggressively pay or threaten to get negative reviews pulled off the internet. Whether that is true or not, I don't know, but it adds to the frustration of doing research and attempting to get good opinions from real customers who aren't fake accounts created from the doctor's office, or the doctor's cousin.

3) Strip vs. FUE - I feel like I've been reading and doing SO much research on this topic and have gone absolutely nowhere in deciding which is better for me. The opinions for and against these two procedures are SO strong that I can't even say one has better overall sentiment than the other.

As of now, I'm still in NJ and have really been narrowing my decision down to Dr. Feller in NY. I was hardcore against the strip procedure because I refuse to live a life where I can never have a short haircut in the back due to a big glaring scar, but I keep reading how it seems to be the best way to go....not to mention, FUE would be $20,000+ since I'd need so much work done, it just feels so hopeless. I just feel so confused and like I'm spinning my wheels doing research and getting nowhere.

Any advice on how to deal with just getting some research done, or clouding out some of the things I've been reading?

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Originally Posted by m261978

Any advice on how to deal with just getting some research done, or clouding out some of the things I've been reading?

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Here is my take on what little I know about your situation... You say you need a lot of work done but that does not tell me where you are on the chart below, how long you have had that pattern or how old you are. All three of those things matter.

http://www.americanhairloss.org/img/...rwoodscale.gif


You also have not mentioned if you have tried treating your hair loss or not. If you truly do need a lot of work done, it would be best to spend a couple of years trying to arrest your hair loss with medications - and possibly grow some lost hair back.

If you really do need a lot of work done, it might be best to wait for the better treatments that are probably coming within the next few years.

Two offices classified me as a 6 on that chart. Almost age 34.

Been using Rogaine for over 10 years.

Yeah, the pros and cons of FUT and FUE. I tell you what man, the scar from the strip isn't that bad. I've had 4 HTs done and the scar isn't visible now. I remember not having the best scar after my 2nd HT but my last doctor did a good job fixing it. However, I have to say my hair is coarse and dark and I'm not a NW6. I cut my hair very short in the back -I cut my own hair with a clipper- using #1 attachment (3mm or 1/8") and it's not bad at all.

My doctor insists that more grafts are wasted in an FUE than in an FUT. Way more. So, you're paying more for an FUE graft but losing like 1/3 of them. And then you get others who insist FUE is the way to do it.
So yeah, it really sucks and it's hard to make a decision.

BTW, was watching the soccer game yesterday between Manchester U. and Wigan A. and the camera zoomed in on Rooney and I saw a good close-up of him for the first time after his HT and man, that SOB's hair looks perfect. His hairline looks solid and way better than mine looks after 4 HTs even though his hair loss was way worse than mine. I'm really pissed off. Anybody knows how many grafts he had and whether he had an FUE or FUT?

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Originally Posted by VictimOfDHT

My doctor insists that more grafts are wasted in an FUE than in an FUT. Way more. So, you're paying more for an FUE graft but losing like 1/3 of them. And then you get others who insist FUE is the way to do it.
So yeah, it really sucks and it's hard to make a decision.

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This is what is really getting to me and I don't know which path is the right one to take.

Glad your scarring is so minimal -- I've been looking at post-op and long term pics of those scars on the internet and they look like a freakshow...I'm really hoping that isn't the average case.

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Originally Posted by m261978

Two offices classified me as a 6 on that chart. Almost age 34.

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To be painfully honest, I think you are better off waiting for better treatments to become available. Wearing hair is really not so bad. I did it for many years.

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Originally Posted by m261978

Been using Rogaine for over 10 years.

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If you are a Norwood 6, neither Rogaine or Propecia are going to make an appreciable difference. So there is not much point in continuing Rogaine or considering Propecia now.

Tracy is right.... don't do anything regarding surgery. If your a Norwood 6 your better off wearing a piece or shaving down to a number 0 or 1. Maybe even grow a goutee. Save yourself the $$$! There are so many of us who if we could would not even start the process.....You just need to be a certain patient to be a good canditate for a HT.

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Originally Posted by Tracy C

If you are a Norwood 6, neither Rogaine or Propecia are going to make an appreciable difference. So there is not much point in continuing Rogaine or considering Propecia now.

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I completely agree - I just went off Rogaine recently. It has done absolutely nothing as I have been watching it all wither away over the past few years, even with Rogaine 2x per day every single day...

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Originally Posted by northeastguy

Tracy is right.... don't do anything regarding surgery. If your a Norwood 6 your better off wearing a piece or shaving down to a number 0 or 1. Maybe even grow a goutee. Save yourself the $$$! There are so many of us who if we could would not even start the process.....You just need to be a certain patient to be a good canditate for a HT.

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At this point I'm willing to risk it. I only want this for my younger years anyway. It looks so shitty that I'll do anything at this point. I'm currently shaving with a #00000 razor (down to the skin) and I've had enough of this style... I'm definitely at least getting a consultation to see what this next place says, if anything.

On a side note, this particular thread is really inspiring to me. This guy started off with the same exact growth that I currently have and those results are amazing...although his doctor doesn't seem to be on the IAHRS. (sorry if we're not allowed to link out, I wasn't sure if this was ok)

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Originally Posted by m261978

At this point I'm willing to risk it.

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No no not now. We are too close to having better treatments available. If you were no more than a Norwood 4 I would likely have a different feeling about this - but a Norwood 6... That's a lot of real estate... I wasn't joking when I said wearing hair is not so bad. I was totally serious.

I have an idea. Why don't you watch the show this Sunday and call in and have a talk with Spencer about it. It will likely do you a lot of good.