A Recent Visit to an Arizona Transplant Surgeon

Dear Dr. Rassman.

Sorry if I’m bombarding you with a lot of questions recently.

I recently met with a hair restoration surgeon here in my city. Let me tell you quickly about how my meeting went, and my impressions:

1. Uses FUT.
2. Doesn’t use the Norwood scale. (uh-oh)
3. Just ran hands on back of my head and said I had good healthy hair. (First red flag. Even I can do that.)
4. Recommended 2500 grafts. (Second red flag.)
5. Scalp mapping= Useless.
6. Got me to speak with a consultant.
7. Not much regard for developing a master plan. (Third and final red flag.)

In regards to recession, I’m a class 2. If all my thinning hair were to fall off, I’d be a class 3 or 3A. My grandfather on mother’s side was a 5/6. One uncle is a mild 3, other is a 5. My dad barely had a mature hairline. He died with lots of hair. No loss on any of my uncles on his side.

Taking all of this into consideration, I have decided to make a trip to California and meet you or one of your specialists. I don’t want to blow my money and my donor hair lowering my hairline to what it was four years ago, if 10 years down the road I’m going to have the top and crown all bare.

I’ll be calling you soon to see if I can send you some pics of my current condition. 2500 grafts seems excessive to me, after seeing what you do with only 1500-1800 on types 4 or 5. (Or your type 3 patient who only had 860 grafts and looks like a 17-year old now)

Please post this on your blog, Doctor, so others may be aware of the danger of making a bad decision based on impulse. Bad hair transplants, just as the good ones, will stay with you forever.

Thanks for your time, and hope to visit your office soon.

Mapping out your scalp for miniaturization is critical for someone like you. Based on what you’ve described, you may be a Class 2 on the Norwood pattern scale on your way to a thinning, more advanced pattern that will reflect long term hair loss (thinning in the Class 6 pattern, possibly leading to balding in that same pattern). The thinning pattern can often be treated with Propecia, preventing further balding and avoiding any hair transplants.

Please send me photographs and then we will talk prior to planning a trip to California to see me. Once I view the photos and talk to you, possibly coming to Los Angeles will get us to the bottom of your diagnosis and Master Plan.