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  1. #1
    Junior Member
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    Mar 2012
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    Default A 1984 Bosley Patient

    Here is my story:

    In the 1980's hair was huge, and if you were a musician you could fail a audition strictly because your hair was not right. I was a 29 year old musician in 1984 with baby fine hair and a receding hairline. I walked into Bosley Medical Group with my mind made up that I was going to get transplants hell or highwater as long as I could afford it. That was bad judgement on my part.

    I was young and I had not lost much hair, and in addition my hair was very fine. Bosley agreed to add the hair to the front of my hairline, so consequently, not knowing how much more hair I would lose in my lifetime, I was rolling the dice because of my obsession with my hair. Also, back in those early days they were doing what they called scalp reductions in which they take out a strip of scalp along the midline (center). The theory was that there would then be less bald area that needed to be covered later on. I don't believe that scalp reductions are done anymore. I hope not, the scars that I have because of that scalp reduction is like something from a Frankenstein movie. The process of doing the transplants continued off and on from 1984 to 1994 and 3 different doctors worked on my head during that time. This obviously is not the ideal way to have transplants done. It was done wrong from beginning to end.

    As it turned out I lost all of the hair behind the transplanted area at the front of my hairline. I am now 56 and all that is left besides the frontal hairline is the hair that was transplanted in the area along the scar left by the scalp reduction that was meant to cover the scar, but which does not even come close to doing so. It is not pretty.

    If I had it to do over again I would not have had transplants at all. Hair is not nearly as big a deal as it once was, and I would just as soon shave my head and forget about it. But, of course I can't do that because of all of the scaring. So, I have to wear it long regardless of the fact that it looks like hell that way, just to cover the scalp reduction (it still does not). I hope that those of you out there thinking about hair transplants read this so that you don't make the mistakes that I made.

    I don't want to put a lot of work into my hair anymore, I am sick and tired of worrying about it.

    My question to the experts on this forum is this:

    What options are there that might give a 56 year old man thicker, healthier looking hair and maybe keep him from losing anymore, without a lot of time and expense? Would Nizoral shampoo be worth a try? Would Rogaine do any good whatsover? Using the hair loss scale I have seen on another site I would say I am a six, in addition to the transplanted hair at the front and along the center, which does not really amount to much. Sometimes I look at it and wonder, “where did all that transplanted hair go?”

    And lastly, did scalp reductions have any long term benefit at all?

    Sincerely,

    A Bosley Medical Group Guinea Pig

  2. #2
    Senior Member
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    Sep 2011
    Location
    Ohio
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    Default

    Hello,

    I am sorry to hear about your situation. Have you thought about wearing hair?

    Nizoral is not a stand alone treatment for hair loss. Many use it as an adjunct to proven treatments. I do.

    Rogaine does grow hair. How much hair you will be able to grow back and if it would be enough is not known until you have tried it for about a year. I am quite sure the amount of time an area on the scalp has been bald makes a big difference in how much hair you can grow back with medications.

    Look up the doctors at this link and see if any of them can help you.

    http://www.iahrs.org/hair-transplant/

    Take care,

    Tracy

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
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    876

    Default

    Zip, I can totally sympathize with you. Although I am only 33, I've always loved 80s big-haired metal. In 1984, you had bands like Ratt, Motley Crue, W.A.S.P., and Black N Blue dominating the music scene so I can totally sympathize with you wanting hair like your contemporaries at that time. I've played in bar bands for a short time and I loved looking the part of an 80s rocker and playing tunes by Motley, Poison, etc. I know what you're saying about bands not hiring a musician based on their hair or lack thereof. Even today, I know that I probably wouldn't have been able to play with the bar bands that I did shortly play with if I didn't have the full head of long hair.
    Anyway, I totally sympathize with your situation. Those scalp reductions and primitive hair transplants were absolutely barbaric and disfiguring back in the day, and frankly the government really should've outlawed that crap a long time ago. As Spencer says, there are thousands of people who have had their heads disfigured by hair transplants, yet the government continues to turn a blind eye. Yet for new treatments like Latisse, the government is all over them like stink on shit.
    Anyway, sorry about the rant bro. I guess Rogaine would be worth a try (it can't really adversely affect you), but I have yet to see Rogaine grow any appreciable amount of hair on anybody. I really wouldn't hesitate to look into a hair system (a wig) if I was you. I know several musicians who wear them and are satisfied for the most part. This way, the scars from your previous surgeries would be totally covered and with a good hair system, many people wouldn't even be able to tell that you were "wearing hair".
    Lastly, I also sympathize with your regret that you got any work done on your head whatsoever; that you would ideally just like to shave your head and not worry about hair anymore except that you can't because of the extensive scarring. That's my dilemna too. People mention hair transplants all the time, yet I don't want to be worried about covering up head scarring for the rest of my life, assuming I got a hair transplant.

  4. #4
    Junior Member
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    Mar 2012
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    Default

    Thanks for the replys. I am not going to "wear hair" or go back to see doctors again. That stuff is far behind me and I don't want to start again. This post can just be a warning to others.

    Be careful and use good judgement.

    Good Luck

  5. #5
    Senior Member
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    Sep 2011
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    Ohio
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by zip View Post
    I am not going to "wear hair" or go back to see doctors again.
    It's really not so bad. Just make sure to avoid the "clubs". I was wearing hair for years until I grew back enough hair to not need wigs anymore.



    Quote Originally Posted by zip View Post
    This post can just be a warning to others.

    Be careful and use good judgement.
    The reason this forum, the American Hair Loss Association and the IAHRS exists is kind of to "serve as a warning" so to speak. This is a patient advocacy organization, not an industry advocacy organization. The purpose is to educate people who are suffering with hair loss and try to point them in the right direction so they can avoid problems like what you now have. Those who follow the advice of the American Hair Loss Association and it's member doctors are significantly less likely to experience such problems.

    I understand that you were burned and you don't want to see another doctor about it. I don't blame you. If you change your mind, make sure you come back here to find help. Don't go to the clubs or chain clinics. Come here.

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2009
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    848

    Default

    This mantra of going only with doctors of the IAHRS is probably well intentioned but if you knew of the patients that were severely damaged by doctors who are members of this club the mantra would be toned down. Does this mean that all the doctors on the list are bad no but some have done severe damage and this damage can be directly traced back to greed. Only those who have watched this industry for years would know that, do your own research.

  7. #7
    Senior Member
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    Default

    You will never find a doctor who has not unintentionally done damage to someone. That is just not realistic. No human is perfect. It is not possible for any human to be perfect. The point is IAHRS member doctors consistently get better results than any other doctors. IAHRS doctors are held to higher standards of quality of work and ethics than any other doctors in this industry. The American Hair Loss Association has gone to great lengths to reduce the chances of being harmed. You do not have to respect that effort - but it is not right to discount it as meaningless.

  8. #8
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    Default

    how about all members of the IAHRS contribute to a repair fund for patients who`s procedure has not turned out too good with a IAHRS Dr !

    This could be a one thousand dollar yearly contribution , there are well over sixty members , therefore 60,000 usd , with the average of 10,000 usd for a procedure ,this means six repair patients could be repaired every year ! and get there life back on track !

    reducing the chances of being harmed isnt good enough , the above idea is much better ..... i live in hope .......

    Ejj

  9. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
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    120

    Default

    King Topcat is one of those people who can not see the forest through the trees. IAHRS doctors turned me away from surgery when MHR was willing to do it. If the IAHRS and this forum was around when you were thinking about having your first hair transplant you would probably be in much better position then you are in now. All hail King Topcat, King of the forums!

  10. #10
    Senior Member
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    Dec 2010
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    Default

    Roger what exactly is your problem with Topcat ? if you dont like what he says why not just skip over it ? This thread is important and should remain on track , i would like to see a repair programme set up thats my intention , whats yours ?

    regards

    ejj

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