Feedback on Dr. John Cole

[drpepper68]

I never recommend that any patient seek multiple quotes based on what they think they need, or even what other clinics have told them. Seeking out multiple independent assessments is the only legitimate way to do research (after finding qualified clinics, of course) THEN and only then should price be considered. As Dr. Cole said, how do you know you need 2500 grafts? I guarantee you that with five different consultations, you'll receive three to five difference graft estimates.

So how do you know who is right then on how many you need? I was quoted 1500 for front and 800 for crown from Dr. Cole yet Dr. Baubac said 3000 for front and 3000 for crown and there is an enormous price difference.

I am so confused that I have yet to be able to take one step forward with so many different opinions and costs. Dr. Cole quotes someone on the internet ~$6k for 2500 grafts in a previous post yet I'm quoted $9k for 1500 with a legitimate consult?

[drpepper68]

Youngheart, you can get 2500 grafts for as low as 6250 Euro in our office in Athens, Greece. Both Dr. Bisanga and I will be in Athens in May, June, and July, and August.

Hi Dr. Cole,

Is surgery in Athens cheaper than in Atlanta? How do you justify that price versus the $9k USD for 1500 grafts I was quoted? It's a legitimate question as I might consider going to Athens at that cost as thats what's holding me back right now. That and the confusing opinions on how many grafts I need from respected Dr's.

Thank you for your time.

[JoeTillman]

So how do you know who is right then on how many you need? I was quoted 1500 for front and 800 for crown from Dr. Cole yet Dr. Baubac said 3000 for front and 3000 for crown and there is an enormous price difference.

I am so confused that I have yet to be able to take one step forward with so many different opinions and costs. Dr. Cole quotes someone on the internet ~$6k for 2500 grafts in a previous post yet I'm quoted $9k for 1500 with a legitimate consult?

This is the perfect question that justifies taking your time to do research, and my original comment on the subject. Different clinics will give different assessments. It is up to you to try and find patients that had similar cases, similar approaches and see if they're happy with the result. Ask clinics for such references. Also, never feel pressured to go for a # you're not comfortable with. Reasonable clinics will not object to taking one area at a time. You don't always have to do the front and the back at the same time, you can just do one area and move on from there.

[drpepper68]

Thanks Joe, it's just overwhelming. Thats why I like your list as at least it helps give me reassurance I'm not picking someone who is horrible.

I figure the more grafts the better as it gives me more coverage and density.

[JoeTillman]

Thanks Joe, it's just overwhelming. Thats why I like your list as at least it helps give me reassurance I'm not picking someone who is horrible.

I figure the more grafts the better as it gives me more coverage and density.

Be careful, that kind of thinking has led to patients I know having 6000 graft strip surgeries and being depleted, after having bad initial growth. More isn't always better but rather just enough is the preferred and more safe approach.

[farsanUK]

Thanks Joe, it's just overwhelming. Thats why I like your list as at least it helps give me reassurance I'm not picking someone who is horrible.

I figure the more grafts the better as it gives me more coverage and density.

Its not the amount of grafts, its how they use it. You need to accept that youll need more than 1 surgery at some point, when that realization kicks in , wanting the bigger sessions wont matter and youll take more sensible steps that in the long run will give you much better results. Your mind set of wanting "more the better" in terms grafts needs to change and shows you are not ready yet to pullnthe trigger.

[JoeTillman]

Truth.

[Spex]

The Rock with hair/concealer......

[drpepper68]

Its not the amount of grafts, its how they use it. You need to accept that youll need more than 1 surgery at some point, when that realization kicks in , wanting the bigger sessions wont matter and youll take more sensible steps that in the long run will give you much better results. Your mind set of wanting "more the better" in terms grafts needs to change and shows you are not ready yet to pullnthe trigger.

im just going by what Dr Braubac told me. 3000 front and 3000 in the crown. he's on joe's list so I assumed his opinion is valid.

[JoeTillman]

im just going by what Dr Braubac told me. 3000 front and 3000 in the crown. he's on joe's list so I assumed his opinion is valid.

I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I ask that you keep the following in mind; I've got a wide variety of exceptional hair restoration specialists listed on my website, but each has a different approach (as you've experienced). However, my site and YT channel are filled with extensive educational articles and videos to educate you about the realities of surgery, and if you can avoid surgery in the first place, you WIN!

It is up to you to decide if what you are being told is valid for your needs and expectations, but NEVER hesitate to question any doctor I work with about their assessment. You should ask anyone why they feel your case deserves "X" number of grafts and why. Logical justification that makes sense to you is one of the biggest signs of confidence that you should look for. In the end, this is your choice and any decision you make based on any list is still your decision alone.

[drpepper68]

Word. Thanks for the tips Joe!

[bw5076]

In response to post originator asking about experience with John Cole, here is my review as posted elsewhere, I hope it helps suffering individuals make a better informed decision about a poor practitioner with no place in this industry:

Hi all,

First of all let me say that if you're reading this, good for you; it means you are doing your due diligence and researching an expensive and potentially disastrous decision.

I paid John Cole of Forhair institute in GA $5000.00 for his "acclaimed" new exosomes treatment. Long story short, it didn't work. In fact, it made my hair slightly worse aesthetically.

After realizing the treatment was a failure, I expressed my dissatisfaction and simply asked for a refund as there was no pre-signing of any documentation stating the treatment wouldn't work or that results might vary. What I got, weeks after inquiry, was a call from the Dr. himself. Right out of the gate he said "if you want your money back, i'll give it to ya, i'm not out to make peoples lives any worse." Then it got weird: he kept talking about various aspects of hair restoration and mentioned that he and his fellow colleagues "may have gotten a little too excited" about the potential of exosomes. Essentially he admitted they don't really work as well as advertised and reinforced my concerns about my results being final, without future improvement looking forward. Keep in mind with any hair restoration procedure, the magic for the doctors is the ability to tell you "keep waiting" and "be patient" due to the nature of hair growth cycles and delayed effects of stimulation to follicles. Well after I pressed and demonstrated my knowledge of the industry, he basically agreed my expected results would not come. Ok, now at this point in the phone conversation, he was still talking and sort of changed his tone and tried to talk me down to, less than a full refund, muttering something along the lines of "wellll maybe I could give you, like, half of your money back??" attempting to barter, to which I replied... "whoaaa, you just said earlier that if I wanted my money back you'd give it to me because you weren't out to make anyone's lives worse, what happened?" There was a very bizarre shift in his psychology, maybe he was drunk, or has a personality disorder of some sort, but out of nowhere he became defensive and argumentative and said we were at an impasse; and with a smug/arrogant tone said this, which i'll never forget: "I'm not sure I want to pay for your experiment David."

Read that again.

He told me, the sufferer, that he wasn't sure he wanted to pay for MY experiment, as if this wasn't HIS experimental procedure that he disguises as his "new and industry changing treatment" with "awesome potential" that "may replace every hair restoration therapy available; even hair transplantation." -Direct quotes from his website.

I had remained calm and collected up until this point in the conversation; but when I heard those words of his try and manipulate me with reverse psychology, I finally got heated and told him to remember that I was the one in the mirror on a weekly basis, waiting on a change that wasn't coming and that 0% results means 100% refund and that all I wanted was my f*cking hard-earned money back. He quickly morphed from his defensive state back to a faked stance of empathy and said "ok let me sleep on it and I will most likely yield to your request."

That was the last I heard from him. He vanished and hid behind his administrative office employees, who were the ones to end up telling me I would not be getting a refund.

One additional piece of noteworthy information for anyone considering any type of procedure from this man: On the day of the procedure his conduct was not dissimilar to that of a backwoods drunken uncle barfly. At one point I asked him, "My girlfriend wants to know if I can have a couple drinks with her tonight." He responded, "Yeah and you can f*ck her too." Then at another point, while performing a hair density check he read off some numbers, I asked what they meant.. he said "you take a piece of shit in your hand and you throw it on the floor.. Thats what it means."

I read in other reviews prior about his inappropriate bedside manner and shrugged it off because hey, we're human; but in combination with the rest of he and his practices behavior, I think its important that others be advised.

In conclusion; this man is a non-talented coward with no morals or ethics. His website states that he always puts the patient first; but I ended up and remain dead last, with thinner hair than I had to begin with, and $5000.00 poorer, not including the Manhattan travel and lodging expenses. There is enough suffering with hair loss in itself to allow men like this to amplify the burden. Stay away.

Not sure how to attach images as im new here, but feel free to see on Yelp or Google reviews.

[Lanarose]

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