Considering HT in MN or beyond...

[MN New Guy]

Hello all,

I'm currently considering HT and would like some help. My first concern is that I choose the right doctor. I've started to do some research and it's very difficult to wade through all the websites. But, it seems as if everything points to IAHRS as being the best reference. Is this a safe assumption?

That being said, I live in MN and am looking at both the Shapiro Medical Group and Reese Hair Restoration as they are the two listed on the site. I would love opinions on either of them, but, I would be willing to travel if that would give me the best result possible. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

My biggest concern is getting the best, most natural result. Although, the thing that makes me the most anxious is the scar. As I wear my hair fairly short I need to know that my doctor is the best at making a scar very difficult to find.

To be honest, I was almost completely sold on a procedure until I saw a guy at the gym the other day and I could see a scar that ran ear to ear! If there's no way around that I think I would rather deal with the thinning...

Again, all your thoughts are very much appreciated.

[Thinning@30]

Are you familiar with the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) procedure?

As I understand it, the primary advantage of FUE over conventional (strip) hair transplants is that with the FUE procedure there is no linear scar, so that patients will have the option of wearing their hair short after surgery. It's also less invasive so patients tend to have faster healing times post-surgery. The disadvantage is that more grafts are damaged during harvesting, resulting in lower yields than strip surgery. Also, it is a newer procedure, so it can be more difficult to find experienced surgeons with good track records.

I've read a lot about it, and I think it may be good option for men who are low on the NW scale and do not expect to have significant future hair loss. If you need significant coverage, you are still probably better off with conventional strip surgery. Anyway, it may be something to explore if you are worried about having a noticeable scar.

[Spex]

MN,
You have one of the leading clinics in your back yard. SMG.

Consulting with them initially will give you a head start on your requirements.
spex

[bullitnut]

wow your so lucky dude.....i travelled over 4000 miles to visit smg, you really got to consult with them imo

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

Having worked with Dr. Ron Shapiro for several years I know he performs hair restoration procedures with extreme accuracy and precision. When the time comes and I need a transplant that is probably where I will go. However, I also know that Dr. Bob Reese also is a very talented surgeon and gets really impressive results. You are lucky to have to great hair restoration surgeons in your neiborhood. Can't go wrong either way.

[CIT_Girl]

I'm not familiar with Reese Hair Restoration but I know Dr. Shapiro performs some FUE. If you are very anxious about the scar strip surgery will leave you with, this is certainly an option you should consider. In the hands of a skilled doctor, the transection rate and yield should not be any different for FUE versus strip surgery.

[stylus187]

Hello all,

I'm currently considering HT and would like some help. My first concern is that I choose the right doctor. I've started to do some research and it's very difficult to wade through all the websites. But, it seems as if everything points to IAHRS as being the best reference. Is this a safe assumption?

That being said, I live in MN and am looking at both the Shapiro Medical Group and Reese Hair Restoration as they are the two listed on the site. I would love opinions on either of them, but, I would be willing to travel if that would give me the best result possible. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

My biggest concern is getting the best, most natural result. Although, the thing that makes me the most anxious is the scar. As I wear my hair fairly short I need to know that my doctor is the best at making a scar very difficult to find.

To be honest, I was almost completely sold on a procedure until I saw a guy at the gym the other day and I could see a scar that ran ear to ear! If there's no way around that I think I would rather deal with the thinning...

Again, all your thoughts are very much appreciated.

Im also interested in SMG. I like the work that I see coming from this clinic. I live in Florida, am Im not to impressed with the "larger name" Drs. here, especially in Miami, and Orlando.

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

There are a few very good clinics between Orlando and Miami. Like in Boca Raton for example. Just Kidding. SMG really does exceptional work.

[Tired_of_the_BS]

So, who did you go with?

Hello all,

I'm currently considering HT and would like some help. My first concern is that I choose the right doctor. I've started to do some research and it's very difficult to wade through all the websites. But, it seems as if everything points to IAHRS as being the best reference. Is this a safe assumption?

That being said, I live in MN and am looking at both the Shapiro Medical Group and Reese Hair Restoration as they are the two listed on the site. I would love opinions on either of them, but, I would be willing to travel if that would give me the best result possible. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

My biggest concern is getting the best, most natural result. Although, the thing that makes me the most anxious is the scar. As I wear my hair fairly short I need to know that my doctor is the best at making a scar very difficult to find.

To be honest, I was almost completely sold on a procedure until I saw a guy at the gym the other day and I could see a scar that ran ear to ear! If there's no way around that I think I would rather deal with the thinning...

Again, all your thoughts are very much appreciated.

[stylus187]

So, who did you go with?

Im a little apprehensive about the procedure. I saw a guy in my gym the other day, he clearly had an fue procedure. It was horrible looking. Im very concerned with the fue donor area, as I wear my hair on a number 1 fade. Im just really nervous at how natural my results would look. "Is it worse to recede a little bit, or have fake looking hair"?????

[Tired_of_the_BS]

I'm only replying because you quoted me, so if that was inadvertent, please disregard my message.

I have not had a FUE procedure done, so I can't speak to it entirely, though I have had close friends who have. One friend I know had his done at Shapiro, and from what I could tell (from looking at his hair in person - not pictures over the Internet), they did an amazing job...top-notch. As with everything in life, there are people who are good at a given task and people who are not. It doesn't matter if you are a mechanic or a lawyer or a hair transplant doctor; some people butcher what they try to do, and others have an artist's touch. Some clinics have multiple doctors, and some of them are great and some are blah. You might want to ask the guy at the gym where he got his work done. Same goes with FUE and Strip procedures...there are doctors that are good, and there are doctors that leave something to be desired.

Now, it appears you have two concerns: the donor area, and the hairline. Those are actually two very different concerns... and the clinic you go to should be good at both aspects, regardless of whether they do FUE or Strip. I had a strip procedure, and you can't even see the "scar" on me. That's because the doctor who took out the strip and sewed me up did the procedure the way it is supposed to be done...using a plastic surgery type stitching job, and not just sewing me together. Also, she was actually good at the procedure...some try it and fail...leaving a visible scar. Same thing with FUE, some doctor have the touch, some don't. If done well, there should be no noticeable scaring of the donor areas.

Now, on to hairlines:
Some doctors/and or technicians are artists, some are not. A lot of folks try to quantify the thing by saying: "I use two and three plugs in the back of the hairline, and ones in the front." My response is that that is just a starting point...just what you should try to be doing in the first place. The follow up question is if the doctor can pull it off...along with the other things, like hairline design, hair placement, slice/cut size, etc. Figuring out the shape of a hairline is extremely important...there is a science to it. and once that is carefully figured out, don't make any last minute changes! if you do, you will most-likely be putting the same amount of hair over a larger area - resulting in bad density.

Finally, genetics and ethnicity may play a role in how your body heals. Some folks scar easily from little scratches, others can come back from a lot of abuse. Make sure you discuss this factor with your doctor/clinic. It may pay off to do a little test area before going full-bore.

Anyway, I'm just trying to give you the benefit of my research in determining where to go. Best of luck with your search.

Im a little apprehensive about the procedure. I saw a guy in my gym the other day, he clearly had an fue procedure. It was horrible looking. Im very concerned with the fue donor area, as I wear my hair on a number 1 fade. Im just really nervous at how natural my results would look. "Is it worse to recede a little bit, or have fake looking hair"?????

[Tired_of_the_BS]

I should also mention, let the clinic handle the injection of pain meds into your scalp as much as they see fit...those meds appear to reduce swelling and bleeding, and will not only help the procedure go faster, but will help the hair plugs stay in. Some people are irrationally afraid of needles and just want the clinic to "hurry up and finish" without new injections during the procedure...this is stupid and sissy. It's an investment, deal with it for one day for good long-term results. Even a good doctor can have issues when a patient is a sissy baby-crying irrational mess.

[Thinning@30]

Im a little apprehensive about the procedure. I saw a guy in my gym the other day, he clearly had an fue procedure. It was horrible looking. Im very concerned with the fue donor area, as I wear my hair on a number 1 fade. Im just really nervous at how natural my results would look. "Is it worse to recede a little bit, or have fake looking hair"?????

I am curious, what was it about the guy's head that was horrible looking? Can you be specific? Was it hypopigmented scars, unnatural graft placement, poor coverage, or something else entirely? Do you think the guy had fully healed and was past the "ugly duckling" phase? I just want to know, because I am considering FUE myself and I want to be completely aware of anything that might go wrong.