Plugged in the late 1970's and Fued in Nov. 2012

[Maradona]

Lounk61 my suggestion to you would to go very slowly when using body and beard hair no more than 1000 grafts. Every mega session bht I have viewed over the years appeared to be low in yield. You also need to assess the aesthetics as you go as I have also seen too many results that looked bizarre. It’s not enough to just have hair on you head. If you do go for a mega session which I repeat is a bad idea in my opinion then you also need to accept responsibility for the outcome.

Slow and continued improvement is the best approach in my opinion. You can also view my thread “Follow My Major Repair”. Mega sessions only benefit the clinic and are high risk propositions for the patient.

My advice Lounk61 is to listen to topcat, whatever he says is for your own good. He knows his stuff bro. No other guy in these forums know as much as him as for hair transplants.

[topcat]

Lounk61 I would also add I have seen some of these mega strip patients that had very little yield. One in particular had approximately 8500 fu placed and the yield looked like 1000. The strip only clinics like to post the home runs but the patient that ends up wasting his donor going for the mega session slips into a black hole. When I see these huge numbers posted by clinics I think hey a-hole what if the yield is low now what does the patient do? It's poor advice in my opinion. This same patient went to a bht clinic trying to solve the problem he was now presented with and instead of giving him good advice to go slow as his yield was not very good with the strip at the other clinic they do a massive beard and bht session. This is complete idiocy on the part of the clinic and just pure greed. Last post from that patient was around the 8 month mark and his result looked like shit with very little yield and now that patient has disappeared. That is the way it works my friend so for you own benefit go very slowly you gain nothing by taking huge risks. Good luck to you.

[Lounk61]

Thanks for your experienced advice. In your opinion then even going slow and taking your advice would I be able to get a reasonable result with whatever donor hair I have left plus bht transplants or am I just going to be disappointed. Just turned 61 so time is not on my side with possible cures coming up. The 2300 strip grafts I had in Nov are still growing in but to look reasonable I know I'll need a ton more. And thanks for replying and helping out people who have much less experience like myself and am looking for answers.

[Lounk61]

My advice Lounk61 is to listen to topcat, whatever he says is for your own good. He knows his stuff bro. No other guy in these forums know as much as him as for hair transplants.

Thanks for the tip. I appreciate your input.

[topcat]

Lounk61 you probably already know that it all comes down to numbers. What do you have available and how much area needs to be covered. You should post some pictures it’s hard to give you an opinion. I will say that the beard hair has to be close enough of a match in caliber otherwise it could look odd. But if you still have head donor the hair line is where it should be used. It needs to natural to the point of being flawless as anyone that has had a bad hairtransplant knows the eyes of those who you come in contact with tend to drift towards that area and it can be uncomfortable. The body and beard hair can be used as filler behind the hairline with head donor if it’s available. Then address the crown last or not at all depending on your situation.

61 is young if you are taking care of yourself so if not start taking care of your health. Then plan on at least 3-4 years. It becomes a safe strategy along with being affordable as the sessions are small.

[Lounk61]

Thanks again. I'm in great shape been a pro athlete most of my life. The hair thing would just be icing on the cake for the final chapter. Good to hear that you think bht could help with whatever donor hair I have left. If it works out over the next few years great. I think Dr Keene is a skilled honest Dr who cares and wants to help me. The 2300 grafts she did were all put in the front and sides to frame my face. They're growing but I have fine dark hair. I have a beautiful wife who loves me and good friends which is most important. The hair thing is just for me. Tired of hair pieces and hats. Would settle for a naturally thinning head of hair. Not looking for miracles. We'll see. Good luck to all and thanks for your reply.

[Lounk61]

The 2 Docs Known for doing bht are Umar and Cole. I've seen pics of there work that look good. But then again they're only going to show good work. Interesting how their approach differs. Umar wants to have me come in for a 3 day session of 4500 grafts scalp and beard and Cole would do 500 grafts of beard and see how it takes to determine future grafts. Umar has seen my pics and Cole has not. Both know I'm a Norwood 6 and have had a recent strip transplant of 2300 grafts to front and sides. I guess Cole is more conservative and Umar is more bold. Nobody can guarantee results so I guess you have to choose wisely and trust that the Dr knows what he's doing. Very tough considering the cost and time. I'm still in the research and deciding stage. Hope some new cure comes out in the meantime.

[topcat]

I would suggest using the search button on the forums themselves as one of the tools in your research. The valuable information is in the past where you can see results and read about experiences. Some of these forums have been around for 15 years or so and that is a tremendous amount of information.

Some forums have been known to delete information that goes beyond a certain year. They use the nice word archiving, well I sure wish I had access to the archives because I remember many of those postings and would love to repost some it as they are very enlightening.

Most people are too lazy to use the search button, to meet patients, to speak with people on the phone or to leave the town or even the country if they have to and so they settle for what is convenient and just speak with a consultant.

There is a big turnover on the forums with just too many posters that have been around for a year or so that are giving advice and recommendations when they are completely clueless about what they are talking about. It does give me a little bit of a laugh when I read what they have to say but it’s not funny for the patient.

[Lounk61]

Are you familiar with Umar and Cole as far as results with bht? What's your take on bht in general from what you've seen and learned? Right now my only shot at getting a reasonable result is using what donor scalp hair I have left combined with other body hair which I have a good amount if that's workable. Again thanks for you input.

[topcat]

Lounk61 this is a good forum but I think you would really be served well by searching some of the other forums that have been around longer. They have more history available and the answers are in the history. Which doctors have lied, treated their patients like shit, sued their own patients to keep them silent, sued their own employees, given them horrific results, etc. It can be a real eye opener and it all matters. Too many are under the false impression that because somebody is a doctor that they are in fact not a scumbag. Well this industry in overrun with scumbags top to bottom. They have what I can only describe as a mental disease as they get so caught up in the easy money and nothing else seems to matter.

My own experience with BHT is that is really helps and it does grow. Anyone that advises you to go for a large procedure using BHT is giving you piss poor advice plain and simple. The yield on those large procedures is very low from my own research over the years. The only one that makes out is the doctor when he is counting your cash. When patients report that their heads are still oozing blood several days after the procedure that’s not good. And just having hair grow is not enough as I have seen some very bizarre results over the years. The idea is to improve your situation and not be the eye of attention because people are trying to figure out what the heck is growing on the top of your head.

Have a very small procedure and evaluate the yield and growth taking very little risk.

[Lounk61]

So then by what your telling me Dr Cole would seem to be giving me better advice than Dr Umar. Cole is willing to do 500 bht and see how it looks and Umar wants to start with 4500 using scalp donor and bht. Maybe getting another 1500 from my scalp and the rest beard or other areas. I'll look into older forums like you suggest to see what's been going on. I don't know if they did too much bht work in the past though. I'd love to get some input from recent bht recipients. Again thanks for your valuable input. It's a crazy transplant world out there. Tough to navigate.

[topcat]

Lounk61 yes very tough to navigate and it takes a very long time to figure out what's really going on. Let me ask you a question why would a doctor that claims donor regeneration want to give you a procedure using beard hair? These guys need to have one story and stick with it otherwise people start to ask questions? But for them that doesn't matter as those who ask logical questions are haters end of argument.

Yes search the history on other forums at least what has not already been deleted. For the deleted posts you would have had to been there when they were posted. That information is dead and buried and only those that have been around long enough are aware they even existed.

[Lounk61]

Dr Umar and Cole I don't think advertise hair regeneration. They do advertise bht though. I know Umar is big on that. It's just a question of how well it works. Got to get as much info and see more pictures before I try that. I'll probably have a bit more scalp donor hair to use so I'll use that up first. Won't know for another 5 months. Hoping for the best. Thanks again Top Cat.

[topcat]

You don't need me to tell you that "I don't think" is not good enough but I will say it anyways for others.

Good luck, take you time.

[Lounk61]

I'll take your advise on that and thanks.