Integrity in Hair Transplant Doctors

I am 45 years old and I came to your office 1 year and one month ago. I have a bald spot about the size of a silver dollar in the middle of the back of my head (I believe you call this the crown) which did not go away when I used the drug Propecia for the past year. When we met last month, you suggested that I get the dollar size area transplanted with 700 grafts. I am a careful buyer, so I went to [Note: Doctor’s name removed – let’s call him Dr. X] office for a second opinion. Dr. X told me that I needed between 2500 and 3000 grafts, 1500 in the back of my head and the rest in the front. I was shocked by the difference between the two opinions. Is it possible that you missed any hair loss I had in the front? Even though I did not see any problem in the front, I have been looking at my hair a lot lately, and I am now starting to think that maybe I have hair loss there too. If you are right, then where is Dr. X going to put 3000 grafts? If he is right, will you be chasing my hair loss every few months? Who do I trust? Should I keep getting more opinions?

First, you should see me again and let me review your examination. Although I would be surprised if I missed frontal hair loss, there is no great mystique to the diagnosis of genetic patterned loss. We can mutually review this on the video densitometer which will absolutely show the existence of any hair loss one way or the other. I just met with another man who had a similar story to yours. He had frontal loss and no loss anywhere else, but when he got another opinion, he was told to transplant his entire head. Integrity and medical ethics should prevent doctors from transplanting men who do not need it. The buyer must always beware and is ultimately responsible for such decisions.

With regard to your comments about thinking that you may be losing your hair after staring at it day after day, just make sure you are not talking yourself into something that is not there. You have the power to control what is about to happen to you, use that power wisely and do not get sold on something that you do not need.