Article: My hair transplant left me disfigured... and still bald!

[baldymcgee]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2552344/A-failed-hair-transplant-left-disfigured-scars-I-colour-pencil-Man-regrets-paying-cosmetic-treatment.html

This article isn't too interesting (and it's from a questionable source), but two things jumped out at me:

1) Despite it being a "failure", this person has an incredibly fine scar! I've always imagined strip scars, even "good" ones, to be much wider than this.

2) Excerpt: "Mal ... was one of the unlucky 10 per cent for whom a hair transplant simply doesn't take..." 10 percent??? Someone please tell me that that's not the actual failure rate for HTs. It really cannot be that high.

[gillenator]

Baldy,

I tend to agree with you about the failure rate being lower and I believe after following this industry for four decades, that it's more between 3 and 5 percent.

But please allow me to also comment on two things.

First, one's definition of "failure" is broad in context so it's hard to say what each individual's definition of failure is. Some may say it's the scarring, some may say it was the yield (regrowth), and still others may say it's the aesthetic result including the artistic merits of their procedure. Possibly it's a combination of multiple factors being considered.

Secondly, we only get those numbers from those HT patients who actually voice and/or report their substandard result. There are an undefined number of HT patients who never come forward with their dissatisfaction and so we will never know for sure.

Still, I believe it is a low percentage of the whole pie that represents the total number of procedures performed world-wide.

[topcat]

I would agree the failure rate with hair transplantation is probably very low. The failure rate with properly disclosing all necessary information for a patient to make an informed decision is very high in my opinion with many clinics as most clinics and reps do what suits them best.

Regarding the article, one only needs to view the comment section of which I agree. The failed hair transplant didn't look bad at all but the whole head tattoo looks ridiculous. I guess I don't quite get that part. He was sorry he ever pursued hair transplantation yet he is okay with the tattoo................doesn't make much sense to me.

[fred970]

Yet another unrealisticly ridiculous SMP hair line.

[PatientlyWaiting]

That hair tattoo looks ridiculous and unnatural. Look how round his temple corner is, and it's way too shiny.

[greatjob!]

This is just and advertisement for TLC and the clinic that performed the terrible SMP work

[35YrsAfter]

This is just and advertisement for TLC and the clinic that performed the terrible SMP work

I can only imagine the hairlines some men will opt for if/when unlimited donor hair becomes a reality in one form or another.

35YrsAfter also posts as CITNews and works at Dr. Cole's office
Cole Hair Transplant
Atlanta, Georgia USA
Phone 678-566-1011
The contents of my posts are my opinions and not medical advice

[Notcoolanymore]

Yet another unrealisticly ridiculous SMP hair line.

I wasn't going to look at the article until I read your comment. Yeah the hairline if ridiculous.

[gillenator]

I just detest it when clinics do not make proper and responsible discloser to their patients and just book any procedure for the love of money...

[35YrsAfter]

I wasn't going to look at the article until I read your comment. Yeah the hairline if ridiculous.

As I look at SMP portfolios it's easy to spot what the "artists" are doing wrong. Artistic talent and common sense is what's missing... The ability to accurately simulate hair emerging from the scalp. Big dots, unnatural hairlines and poor color judgement are the three common major screw ups in my opinion and that's nearly everything you can do wrong!! The best work I have seen so far is from Toni Belfatto in Italy.

[youngin]

As I look at SMP portfolios it's easy to spot what the "artists" are doing wrong. Artistic talent and common sense is what's missing... The ability to accurately simulate hair emerging from the scalp. Big dots, unnatural hairlines and poor color judgement are the three common major screw ups in my opinion and that's nearly everything you can do wrong!! The best work I have seen so far is from Toni Belfatto in Italy.

The best I've seen by far are from here: http://www.dermobeautycenter.it/tric...ne-gallery.php

[mabber145]

Also failed

I have also had a failed transplant. This would include both a bad scar and losing all grafts within a 3 year period. The strange thing was that they grew in and looked great for 6 months. I'm not sure about the percentage that fail but for years many denied they even existed. I wish I would have know that there was even a slim chance it would not take.

[35YrsAfter]

I have also had a failed transplant. This would include both a bad scar and losing all grafts within a 3 year period. The strange thing was that they grew in and looked great for 6 months. I'm not sure about the percentage that fail but for years many denied they even existed. I wish I would have know that there was even a slim chance it would not take.

Graft rejection is extremely rare. Did your donor area thin out?

35YrsAfter also posts as CITNews and works at Dr. Cole's office
forhair.com
Cole Hair Transplant
1070 Powers Place
Alpharetta, Georgia 30009
Phone 678-566-1011
email 35YrsAfter at chuck@forhair.com
The contents of my posts are my opinions and not medical advice
Please feel free to call or email me with any questions. Ask for Chuck

[win200]

That result... ugh. I think the most egregious mistake isn't the hairline, but the color; it doesn't match his natural coloring at all. Guys his age can have that hairline in a way that looks natural, but this is pretty terrible. TBH, I haven't been impression at all with the vast majority of the whole-head SMP work I've seen.

[Aphrodite]

I'm curious what he looks like up close in person. There's no way that looks like real hair. His hairline looks a bit like those on baby dolls with painted hair. If he's happy with his result, I guess that's what matters...