My Transplant Nightmare Has Ruined My Life!

Dr. Rassman, my story is long and will probably bore you. I would just like to say that probably the most humiliating situation a grown man can be in is having a very noticable hair transplant. I am the recipient of 2 procedure in 1991, 3-4 fin NYC 1992-1999. Since then the new hair outlived the existing hair and I had to resort to shaving my head-scars, cobblestoning, high hairline and every humiliating situation that goes with it. Before this, I was a good looking young man with the world for the taking. I remember the day after reading the sports section on the Daily News and making that quick decision. I was losing, but not that much. Cut to chase- I am a NYC Firefighter for 18 yrs and I haven’t relaxed and enjoyed one second of it. Always worried about comments (which have happened) and living in close quarters with crazy guys does not help. I have spent thousands on redistribution, skin resurfacing, and all the rest of the corrective procedures. WHen my hair grows in a bit, you can still see the doll hair look after just 4-5 days. What you can also see is the fact that I don’t need that much more in order to fill in. I have alot of scar tissue and my donor area is limited. I don’t know what to do. Your websites reveals very frank talk while revealing good work. Doctor, I am so tired of living this 100% selfconcious life. I don’t go to any events, social gatherings, funerals and wakes are a nightmare, weddings forget it, my kids events. I’m tired. It’s changed me. I find I can’t concentrate on anything.My self worth is zero bacause I see what I did to myself. My career is halted. Go where I can wear a hat. I am a member of SAG-whose going to hire an actor with lines going across his head. That’s another career that’s been halted. Can I send you some pix. I don’t think FUES are out of the question. The problem is sending photos with substantial growth since I cant’ grow it that long w/o looking like a freak. This sucks! Sorry but it totally consumes me. It’s easy for a friend or wife to say-” who cares, don’t worry about it” ” you have kids to worry about”- it’s not that easy. I want my life back. The Joe Penny article fueled this email. I hope I don’t sound angry but it seems like no one listens or can understand the pain. Why even live if you look like a freak, have no career, debt, scattered thoughts ect. Can you help?

Actor Joe Penny has been kind enough to share his experience with the repair process and some of what you are describing is just what Joe went through. Joe’s experience is a success story, while others who we have seen over the years have not been so fortunate. We’ve published the stories of many patients that just wanted to be bald again, with one example being that of a local doctor who fell victim to the process. Although his results seem to work for him, his solution was far less than I would have accepted (but one way to avoid a huge wig).

I am ashamed of the history in this profession where the old deforming type of surgeries created work like you are complaining about. It has impacted the lives of so many men and most of the doctors who did the worst type of this surgery are nowhere to be found today to solve problems like you have. Believe it or not, some of this surgery is still being performed today. You made a decision to improve yourself, and fell victim to an industry that was at best naive and at worst malicious by offering such surgeries. I wish you much success and good luck.

As you are in NY, Dr. Bernstein (with offices in NY and NJ) may be the best route to other solutions. Both Dr. Robert Bernstein and I have spent a great deal of time with patients like you. If you’re planning a visit to California, I’d be happy to see you.

For more information on repairing old hair plugs, please see:

• The Art of Repair in Surgical Hair Restoration Part I – General Aspects of Repair and Basic Repair Strategies
• The Art of Repair in Surgical Hair Restoration Part II – The Tactics of Repair
• Dean’s Story – Step by step photos of a repair procedure
• Repair Work Photo Gallery – Before and after patient repair photos