I know what you're going through...

[RogerJ]

First let me tell you about myself. My first blush with hair loss started to occur when I was still in High School. By the time I was a senior, my loss was well under way. I used my father as a reference point which offered little consolation. He had lost his hair progressively over the years and I could tell I was following right in his footsteps. My older sister at the time was doing a summer internship with Dr. Norman Orentreich at New York University. She advised me to hold off on any surgical hopes…from her perspective the results she saw weren’t promising at that time. Eventually, the future potential of surgery was going to grow out of the work being studied there…it just wasn’t ready yet.

My hair loss seemed to me to be the biggest tragedy of my existence…a cruel joke straight out heaven. I shook my 16 yr old fist at God demanding answers to prayers which echoed back to earth in silence. My plan for my life didn’t include thinning hair and there was certainly no room for any bald patches. To no avail, these plans of mine couldn’t stem the tide of loss I’d experience over the next few years. The reality of this change in my appearance forced me to become more introverted…more withdrawn. I was losing more than hair…I was losing my identity just as I was trying to form it. In a desperate attempt to do something constructive with my life I entered the military after I completed High School. I figured that the military regulations require a serviceman to keep his hair short and neat and that would be the end of it for me. Four years later that proved not to be true.

Upon my discharge, I traveled the United States looking for the answer to what I wanted to be when I grew up. I knew there was one thing I really didn’t want to be…and that was bald. After two years of wandering, I finally returned home to the East Coast. At that same time the FCC had recently changed the limits on the amount of advertising that could appear during an hour of television. The infomercial industry was born almost overnight and just as quickly Sy Sperling from Hair Club for Men became an overnight C-grade celebrity. (I’m not sure if there really is a C-grade celebrity status.) By the 1990's infomercials were a permanent staple to America's TV diet.

I went into Manhattan headquarters for the Hair Club for Men, with the encouragement of a girlfriend, and proceeded to get introduced to their ‘Strand by Strand System’. That fateful day completely changed my appearance. I wasn’t crazy about the maintenance cost or the replacement cost every two-three years, but there was no denying that I looked considerably younger now. (Back then they recommended replacement every 2-3 years. Now they recommend replacement every 6-12 months.) Heck, for the first time in six years I actually looked my age!

I have to admit it…I loved it. I loved the washing, drying and styling it. I felt like I was a whole new man. I loved having hair again. For the most part…I knew down deep inside that this was how I was supposed to look all along. Those six long years of agonizing over my hair loss was all wrong and I finally got it right. And Hair Club for Men was hugely responsible for this transformation. I didn’t care that my head itched sometimes or that the color faded. All I knew was that I was a new man and I was loving life again!

I loved my new look so much I wanted to help this company any way I could. I made an appointment to meet with Sy and let him know that I was ready to work for him. Three times the appointment was made. Three times the appointment was changed. Two times I rode the bus back to New Jersey dismayed but not discouraged. At the third appointment I arrived 45 minutes early and anxiously waited. Finally, I was summoned to his office and I explained to Mister Sperling that I was ready to help anyway I could. He kindly explained to me that he was fully staffed and didn’t need more help. I explained that he really didn’t understand that I was ready to help anyway I could and that meant even if I had to work for him for free. That caught his attention. Long. Silent. Pause. (I’ve come to learn in my sales career that it is at these critical times in the sales process that whoever speaks first loses the sale.)

He spoke first explaining that he was opening a satellite office on Long Island on Saturday…maybe he could use me as a testimonial. I offered to go work for him for a period of 30 days and if he was pleased with my work he would hire me. We shook hands…deal done. As I turned to walk out of his office Sy said, reaching into his pocket, extending a twenty dollar bill in my direction ”One more thing…pick yourself up a nice silk tie from one of those street venders and I’ll see you on Saturday.” He was referencing my polyester tie whose knot was too large and pattern too dated.

Between the years of 1984-1994 I was a model/testimonial spokes person for his national testimonial advertising campaign (initially in four major television markets from 1984-86) ending up in over 120 television markets here in the United States, Canada and abroad from 1987-1994. The ads ran around the clock 24/7 365 days a year. In 1990 the rumors started flying around the company that it was positioning itself for sale and in a process of restructuring decided to start trimming itself down. Early in 1992 the Company and I parted ways with the understanding that I wouldn't use my image, likeness or voice for a two year period of time. After that time they agreed to wipe all traces of me from their company marketing programs. (At the time I didn't understand that I was part of an industry called direct response marketing. The company had spent several million dollars in advertising over the course of my time with them getting my face and voice into the American marketplace and more specifically into the homes across America.) Oh yeah, they paid me good money upfront for my signature on their None-Compete document. How cool is that?

For the next year or so, I opened a salon to get a feel for what this business was from a ground floor perspective. I soon discovered that I could do a lot of things, but I couldn’t misrepresent the services a salon like mine offered. We could design and manufacture; attach it to your existing side and back hair; cut-in, blend and style the hair…but when all is said and done it is still just a nice looking hair piece. With this revelation, I closed my salon and quietly entered the work force. A year after that I removed my hair piece.

I've tried my hand at a few other things on a local level here in Connecticut. In the last eight years, I have worked the home show marketplace for a variety of companies offering their unique home improvement products where I would address people as they walked by my booth, bring them into conversation about the product I was representing, make appointments and then sell them in their homes. I also discovered that the majority of my success is selling to baby boomer's...it's really to no surprise since they were Hair Clubs' target market 10-15 yrs ago. My booth was always packed with people wherever I was. Again, if I had a dime for everyone who has given me that "I know you from somewhere" look; I'd be retired by now; even though my look has completely changed.

Anyway, I’m in the process of interviewing several Doctors in my area trying to decide which one has the talent for what I see as finally doing something permanent about my hair loss. I have plenty of donor hair and the prospects look good for me. I recently joined this community because the value of what it does for people over all these years that I’ve been lurking here and I wanted to help any way I can. So, to all of you here I greet you with a sincere understanding for what you’re going through. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

[level]

Hey, Roger. Welcome to the BTT community! Your story sounds pretty cool. Good luck with all your future endeavors.

[RogerJ]

Thanks for welcoming me here. I'm trying to get a clearer understanding of why there's so much discrepancy with the surgical solution. I can appreciate the fact the people have different expectations and different donor areas, but it would appear to me that there shouldn't be any disparity regarding the quality of the work being done regardless of which doctor is doing it. Obviously that's not the case.

[level]

Thanks for welcoming me here. I'm trying to get a clearer understanding of why there's so much discrepancy with the surgical solution. I can appreciate the fact the people have different expectations and different donor areas, but it would appear to me that there shouldn't be any disparity regarding the quality of the work being done regardless of which doctor is doing it. Obviously that's not the case.

I believe the discrepancy stems from an incredible amount of evidence, which suggests that hair transplants scan be “hit or miss.” Also, most young people from the ages of 16-40 aren’t good candidates for HTs because they don’t know the future extent of their hair loss. Most of the members on this forum aren’t old enough to know what NW pattern they will end up being. For that reason, most are reluctant to gamble with a hair transplant. Going down the transplant road is a lifelong commitment; one transplant will never be enough, especially for NW3+ cases (not to mention that it can get ridiculously expensive).

We are also witnessing the beginning of a paradigm shift that will change the way hair loss is treated. Granted, said shift can be several years away, but I think most of us are willing (reluctantly) to wait, instead of having permanent scars on our heads.

I am in no way trying to judge you, but from what you’re saying, it sounds like you think most HT doctors are producing consistent results. My friend, this couldn’t be further from the truth. If you are considering a hair transplant, I suggest you do extensive research and make sure you select the right doctor. I’m not quite sure what your age is, but it sounds like you are at an age where the extent of your hair loss is apparent to you. Make sure you educate yourself before you take the plunge. There are, in my opinion, only a handful (or two) of doctors that can produce credible results.

BTT has hundreds of documented cases that show the performance of different doctors. Take your time and weigh out all of your options. There is plenty of material on this site that can give you the tools you need to make the right choice. Most docs on the IAHRS list are regarded as the best in the field. If I were you, I wouldn’t go with a doc that is outside of that list. Even then, make sure you research the doc you decide to go with. Good luck!

[RogerJ]

I see what you mean. My hair loss has stabilized over the last 10 years...so I'm definitely taking my time interviewing several doctors for the next step. I'm not in any rush. I want to make sure of who I select. (Is their a horror story page you could provide a link to?) What's the difference between the "Bosley group" and other mass media HT clinics listed on the IAHRS list. Why are they listed...they seem more of a business than others. Any feed back would be appreciated.

[UK_]

I shook my 16 yr old fist at God demanding answers to prayers which echoed back to earth in silence.

I know the feeling.

...and welcome to BTT ;-)

[RogerJ]

Thanks...it's been awhile since I've shared my story. To think I used to tell it every working day of my life back when I was working in NYC.

[level]

I see what you mean. My hair loss has stabilized over the last 10 years...so I'm definitely taking my time interviewing several doctors for the next step. I'm not in any rush. I want to make sure of who I select. (Is their a horror story page you could provide a link to?) What's the difference between the "Bosley group" and other mass media HT clinics listed on the IAHRS list. Why are they listed...they seem more of a business than others. Any feed back would be appreciated.

Too me, it’s like comparing apples to oranges. Consider this analogy: McDonald’s is a burger company that has, too me, compromised quality in order to expand their business. They’ve been able to expand their business because they have an extremely competent team in charge of their branding and advertising...Personally, I like to frequent the local burger joint because a) it’s under the supervision of one owner whose livelihood depends on the success of his/her business and b) the quality of the ingredients, when compared side by side, are superior to the ones offered at McDonald’s.

Bosley is known for their chain-oriented business-model. It has taken several years, but the hair loss community has realized that quantity trumps quality in that type of business structure. I’d rather be in the hands of a doctor that has his own practice and a good reputation, instead of having a procedure done by someone who is hardly known in the hair loss circuit and belongs to a huge chain that, frankly, lacks credabilty.

With that said, you are free to choose and pick whichever doctor you feel most comfortable with. I’m just opinionating on what I would do if I were to go down the HT road. Considering that you were an employee of Bosley, I’m sure you have some insight as towards which Bosley docs have a good reputation.

[RogerJ]

Thanks for the intel...actually I worked for Hair Club not Bosley. But I guess the business model is more about herding the patients thru than the one on one approach with a smaller outfit. Is there a horror story thread here you could guide me to?

[level]

Thanks for the intel...actually I worked for Hair Club not Bosley. But I guess the business model is more about herding the patients thru than the one on one approach with a smaller outfit. Is there a horror story thread here you could guide me to?

This forum doesn't allow users to post links but you can google "bosley mhr reviews" and you will find a lot of negative reviews.