NOTE: POST EDITED to hide my moronic insensitivity to a fellow HT patient. My original post referencing Ringo's blog (linked below) was critical of the work, the company MHR and Doctor. But my over zealous attempt to spew my opinion was offensive and hurtful to Ringo himself. My comments hurt Ringo and undermined my own credibility on this forum. Anyone with half a brain would have recognized this as he was writing it; I however have little space left for a brain considering how much room my foot usually takes up in my mouth. Let us all learn from my mistake. Behind every critique, every opinion, and every good intention is a human being just like us; wanting to be our best, look our best, and feel our best. When our attempts at such endeavors are thwarted by unscrupulous doctors or thoughtless people with critical opinions, it can sting mightily. Again, my sincerest apologies to Ringo for my careless actions and my thanks to him for his humbling forgiveness.

http://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/blog/home-page.asp?WebID=245

I second your opinion; research before going thru a mayor decision in your life is paramount. I know better, I was very close to go to Bosley and it only took a few key words in my computer to find this community that saved me the aggravation, frustration and pain that I would have gotten from these salesmen that are only out there for the money without caring a bit for the patients.

WOW--- you know, not only does this board help to steer people away from poor docs, it also raises the level of expectations we have.

Ringos HT is ok to him, but no where near what we expect as far as density, incision size, or overall approach.

He will need 2500+ grafts to actuall look very good.

Good Thread 40.
J

I went to an MHR doc (Pauls in Denver) and I am feeling pretty good about my HT. I wish this board would get off who is affiliated with what and just focus in on what docs are good and which ones people should avoid. I don't know anything about Mollura but let me ask this...

How can you tell from a few photos at five months that it's all done yet? Give it some time.

I do agree with B Spot, Ringo has more hair loss than I had and he only had half the grafts I received. He'll probably need another if he really wants a good final look. Still, this doesn't look bad considering where he started. Still 1,700 isn't maxing out any single session these days. I'd be curious why they couldn't get more than 1700 this time around.

Shouldn't ever doc ask what are your expectations? More coverage or more density. I undertand that the doc should give some guidance. If Pauls would have told me I'd only be able to get around 1,700, I would have went for crown work and some fill in under the top. Perhaps Ringo wanted coverage.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by AndrewYoung:
" [I]I wish this board would get off who is affiliated with what and just focus in on what docs are good and which ones people should avoid.

RESP: How do you propose this be done? The chain clinics employ HUNDREDS of physicians who work under the name "Dr. MHR". The MILLIONS in advertising costs must be covered by LOTS of money. It is a corporation, not a private practice. They say "We've performed thousands of transplants". Really? Who is we? We is MHR or Bosley; the company. Those statements mean NOTHING about the experience and skill of the individual dr you might get on any given day. Are there some good ones? Sure, probably are. Lots of Top docs who continuously meet and exceed the highest standards of HT surgery to provide the absolute optimal out come? Uhhh.....no.


[I]"How can you tell from a few photos at five months that it's all done yet? Give it some time."

RESP: Have you looked at the photos? Its not hard to tell the level of "expertise" of this doctor. "Coverage"? Please. There is a HUGE difference in a good doc properly planning out coverage on someone with this level and pattern of balding while working within the patients desires and limits. And why they didn't go for more you ask? Most likely because of the doctors inability to do advanced ultra refined transplants. These guys have to do 2 or 3 a day to make any money, that's why. These docs tell you what the "best approach for you is" ONLY as it conforms to THEIR inabilities. Your "game plan" is actually often a cookie cutter game plan because they can't do more/better.

Hi

I think it is hard to be very specific when you are dealing with a "chain" operation. With this in mind, it is the exact reason why the quality overall is much less than the coalition doctors. Of course there are some good doc in MHR, I think it is a fair comment to recommend someone go to a clinic where the persons name on the door is the ONLY person who does the surgery..

Andrewyoung,

I am going to agree with Pushing40 and Mrjb. I checked out your photos and I would agree with you that you saw a good doc. It looks like the work is refined and even though you haven't posted recent photos I would assume that you'll get good results.

Can a person tell by the early photos?? Absolutely!! I would think that the individual will get some growth but not at all what he wants and it will be spaced inappropriately.

In general, the safest thing is to try and steer people away from the chain clinics like Bosley and MHR. Are there some good docs? Sure. But how many out of the numerous clinics? Few--I'll guarentee that. And I'll bet the few good ones are clamoring to get their own clinics and get out of the black cloud associated with their employers reputation.

NN

Pushing 40,

That IS a picture of my ass. I decided to try it out there first...
You could use a bit of sensitivity training. I don't mind you critiquing my HT, but, knowing that this is a sensitive area for all of us, I would ask you to choose your words more carefully.

Ringo

Ringo, you have my sincerest apologies for my lack of sensitivity. I am genuinely sorry to have offended you. Upon viewing your blog, I was very much angered by the fact your work is so recent yet is something one would expect to have been done 10 yrs ago. I allowed this to blind me to the fact my comments, while solely a critique of a Doctor and company, would be offensive to the individual. Again, my sincerest apologies.

I think I may be missing something...but the link to the blog posted by Pushing 40 in the beginning of this thread isn't showing any photos.

Ringo...

Did you take down your pictures?

We sincerely wish you the best, however, if you choose to have a second HT, it would be wise to choose an elite physician from our coalition here:

http://www.hairlosslearningcenter.org/hair-loss-content...s/our_physicians.asp

Pushing40,

Well done with the sincere apology.

Falc

Ringo,

Ofcourse I can totally understand how difficult it must have been to see this thread. This is a very challenging thing for all of us as we post our photos we leave ourselves vulnerable to possible critiqueing or worse. Certainly in this instance it was not thought out fully by Pushing40, but I can definitely feel the sincerity in his apology.

Many times we get wrapped up in our efforts to educate and enlighten that we forget about the fact that it is a very sensitive topic for the individual that is under the spot light.

I would hope that you would reconsider posting your photos again because it is all a part of the learning process for many of us. There are several circumstances where we have critiqued work incorrectly and had to eat crow. I personally would like to follow your results and see them to completion. I think that you will get some positive changes but possibly not as refined as what could have been done and the plan maybe not as thought out too well. But as I said--maybe I am wrong.

If you choose to post again maybe this thread can be deleted?? In any regard, I wish you all the best with your healing and hope that things work out well for you. Take care,

NN

Let's all remember that this community is wide open to all patients, regardless of the physician or clinic they choose. We all come here for support and enlightenment.

While I'm no fan of the chains either, their patients deserve respect and support on this forum.

I'm sorry to see that apparently this Bosley patient felt bad enough to remove his photos.

Surely we can encourage people to get the best without making them feel like an ass. Pushing 40 thanks for appologizing. I know you have helped many on this forum over the years and want the best for them.

Ringo, thanks for maintaining a sense of humor in the face of this topic. I hope you stick around and become a regular.

Pat

Gentlemen,
Thanks for the support and for the apology. I chose to pull my photos because I do not want to be the MHR poster boy. I have my own regrets about the impulsive nature of my decision and hopes that as promised, it will continue to grow in and thicken over the next 6 to 10 months at which point I can make a choice about what to do next. I can tell that the propecia is working as I am shedding very little hair, so that is a plus. My experience with Dr Mollura and with MHR has been a very positive and professional one, and he was recommended to me by someone whose 'forehead reduction' was done prior to the Doctor's affiliating himself with MHR.

At this point I am adopting a 'wait and see' policy, which is easier for me now, since the HT is the best patience training you can get for the money. I will continue to visit the Forum to post and learn. If I need further work, which I probably will, I will certainly research the coalition doctors in the NYC area.

Thanks for the apology, P40. We are more than our follicles. As I told my doctor, if I could find someone to give me a self confidence transplant, I would'nt need the hair transplant. Regarding putting my pics back up, I'll get there, but I do request that you remove the 'looks like' reference.

Thanks again for your insight and your helpful forum.

Ringo

quote:

As I told my doctor, if I could find someone to give me a self confidence transplant, I would'nt need the hair transplant

Amen to that Ringo...

The majority of us are here and want more hair because ultimately it impacts our self-confidence. If I felt that I looked good as a bald guy, I would have shaved my head and been done with it. Unfortunately, I've been down that route and looked really bad.

I do hope you'll reconsider posting your photos on the site. I know that I would have felt similarly as you (though you had a much wittier response) if someone had posted a thread like this as well. On the flip side, I know that Pushing40 was not intentionally trying to harm you, as I have known him here for a long time and know he has a good heart and is here to help. Sometimes in the midst of trying to educate people, feelings are stepped on unintentionally. This is clearly not an excuse because hopefully we maintain a level of balance understanding that this community is both about education AND support!

We hope to hear more from you my friend.

Falc

hi ringo,your doing the right thing by waiting,id suggest 12 to 18 months.then make up your OWN mind.then if your satisfied or dissatisfied decide wether to show yor pics.im glad i waited over a year to show mine cos im sure i would have had the same bullshit you just had!should have gone with a coalition doc now your fucked!should have gone to a north american doc now your fucked!should have had more graths than that now your fucked!im sure theres enough anxiety about what youve just undergone and how much youve just spent without someone saying it looks shit ayear before its fully matured!my friend theres every chance you will feel you need another proceedure, i certainly do,but that is for you to decide as and when YOU feel the need to.good luck

Ringo -
If nothing else a base has been established. With the help and guidance of this forum and a ligit doctor, you WILL realize what you sought out, not what you were sold.
I do think we get pissed/passionate here when we see things like this but it's better for you to know instead of having smoke blown up your proverbial ass by an MHR quack.
Nothing like hearing how great you look as you put on your hat. ( The Emperors new clothes)
Hand tough Bro - Your in the right place.

Ringo, I edited the original post as follows. Again, I am so very sorry.

Edited post QUOTE: My original post referencing Ringo's blog (linked below) was critical of the work, the company MHR and Doctor. But my over zealous attempt to spew my opinion was offensive and hurtful to Ringo himself. My comments hurt Ringo and undermined my own credibility on this forum. Anyone with half a brain would have recognized this as he was writing it; I however have little space left for a brain considering how much room my foot usually takes up in my mouth. Let us all learn from my mistake. Behind every critique, every opinion, and every good intention is a human being just like us; wanting to be our best, look our best, and feel our best. When our attempts at such endeavors are thwarted by unscrupulous doctors or thoughtless people with critical opinions, it can sting mightily. Again, my sincerest apologies to Ringo for my careless actions and my thanks to him for his humbling forgiveness.

P40,

Say 10 'Hail Marys', and 3 'Our Fathers', go forth and fugeddaboudit. You are totally off the hook with me. I completely get the passion you men approach this topic with, and your sentiments in your first posting are very clear. I appreciate the no Bullshit policy as well. Thanks again for letting me participate, and thanks for ALL of everyone's support. Now. Enough about me.

Ringo

Ringo...post as much about yourself as you want bro...we are here to help.

Falc

Ringo,

Good on ya brother.

P40,

Ya did good.

NN