quote:

Well, I just got back from visiting Chicago and made a point of researching what I hoped would be some of the better physicians.

I met with Dr. Wentland, former Elliot and True surgeon, and saw him do surgery on Saturday.

Dr. Wentland had his hair restored by Dr. Elliot and his results looked fairly good. Not quite in league with what I'm use to seeing with Shapiro and his group and others on his level - but good.

It was interesting to see the use of dilators in action. Basically dilators are actual small nails that have specially shaped points that are placed into the recipient incisions to hold them open until the grafts are placed. Dilators are only used by a minority of clinics including most of Elliot and True.

Dr. Wentland is convinced that dilators make placing the grafts easier and thus less damage occurs to the graft.

It was a strange sight seeing a patient with dozens of small nails sticking out of his head.

In my opinion this method is not as refined or artistic as a skilled surgeon working with an assistant making tiny close incisions that are immediately filled with a graft - technique called "Sticking and placing".

He also did not use magnification during the graft dissection process.

Ultimately I felt his end results, looking at his assistants hair and photos, were ok - no cobble stoning or pitting and good reported growth rates - but not as naturally distributed or refined as what I've come to expect from a top surgeon.

All the other clinics I intialy contacted also did not really impress me.

But if anyone has found a clinic in the Chicago area that does impress them please let me know.

Lets keep those doctor reviews coming. Pat

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