Dr. Paul McAndrews - Pasadena, CA
I will tell you of my experience with Dr. Paul McAndrews of Pasadena, CA.
I came to Dr. McAndrews as a 33yo NW6 with fine light blond hair on fair skin. I settled on Dr. McAndrews because after extensive research I concluded he was the best and I would only except the best for something that would affect my head for the rest of my life. When I first came to him telling him I wanted a procedure he said to first get on Propecia and come back in a year. So that's what I did and I came back in a year telling him I wanted the procedure. He then explained to me what all I could and couldn't do telling me that most surgeons could make me look good 1 year from now but that I would look horrible in 10 and 20 years. He showed me the hairline I should be shooting for instead of the one I wanted, and he also explained to me that I would have to put off fixing the vertex for now since the top of the head is the priority. None of this was what I wanted to hear but he knew that and also knew that most other surgeons would have just told me what I wanted to hear. He also explained to me that despite needing significant grafts that he would only do 2,000 grafts the first time because the survival rate for grafts above 2,500 is only %73 but the survival rates for grafts below 2,500 is %98 (too many grafts competing for the same blood supply). His priority was preserving the limited donor supply over doing too much at once. He also explained how other surgeons waste hair by placing hairs too closely together since he told me the human eye can not tell the difference between 20cm2 density and 60cm2 density. Despite all this not being what I hoped to hear I knew he was the expert so I scheduled a FUT surgery the next week for 2,000 grafts at $9 at a graft.
I came in early in the morning for a 5am surgery at his Pasadena office. As with all of Dr. McAndrews surgeries I am the only patient the entire day so that I get his full attention. He did the entire procedure himself from incision, to stitching me up, to placing the grafts. He only stepped out after everything was done to let his assistant (who was also a Dr.) clean me. We stopped once to eat breakfast (they ran out to IHOP to get me breakfast). After the surgery they coated my head in vaseline and placed pads on top of it. He then asked if I had any questions and I was out of there by 11am (he then closed the office and was done for the day since he only does 1 patient a day). I took a 5 hour drive home and felt no pain or discomfort (obviously driving I was not on any pain meds).
Being the first ht surgery I didn't know what to expect but recovery went fine. I just kept my head covered in vaseline for a week while spraying it with saline solution twice a day. I never took any pain meds of any kind and never felt any pain or discomfort. There was never any blood or bleeding. After 7 days the vaseline came off and my single stitch was removed. There was never any blood or any scabs that I could tell unless they were small (I think being covered in vaseline keeps the body from needing to form scabs). I have fair skin though so my head was red and stayed red for a few months. Even though things were constantly healing and getting better, I would say after 6 months I was pretty good. 2,000 grafts of light blond hair on a NW6 is not a lot but I know his skills made it go further then anyone else would had and everything looked good (sorry no pics). My scar was non-existent and he makes some special stitching that allows the hair to grow through the scar so not only was the scar thin but hair was growing through it (with my light fine blond hair on my fair skin I was able to get away with a 3 razor on my scar area).
Dr. McAndrews told me he would not do a second surgery for at least a year to give the new grafts time to establish a new good solid blood supply and let all the nerves fully heal. So about 18 months later I just had another FUT 2,200 grafts done at $9 a graft and this time he was able to put a little coverage on the vertex along with filling out the first transplant. The surgery day went exactly like the first one. In at 5am, everything done by him, IHOP breakfast, out by 11am, then close up the office. Everything is going as smooth as the first time. The single stitch was removed on day 6 and he said everything looks great and the grafts have healed in there (he said short of knocking my head on a door that the grafts weren't going anywhere). He told me to start using Rogaine in 3 more days. No bleeding, no scabs really and 8 days later I can't even feel the scar/incision (but I know where it's at because that area is shaved). Looking at things I think I will be happy with these 4,200 grafts so even though it is premature I would say that I am satisfy and glad I went with Dr. McAndrews. Considering I have such fine light blond hair on fair skin and a NW6 I don't think it would have been worth going with anyone else since my situation is one I think most people should just choose not to opt for a ht surgery (not everyone is a good candidate and someone like me is borderline at best). So anyways Dr. McAndrews is well worth the money and although I don't have the perfect head of hair I have what is the best I can hope for right now given my genes and I'm glad at 35yo I can finally be done having to worry about it knowing that I have the best I can do with todays procedures and technology.
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