Web of Deception

The following post is by UK-based physician Dr. Bessam Farjo:

Written by: Dr Bessam Farjo United Kingdom

The internet is a wealth of knowledge where literally anyone can have their say. Whether it’s a blog, tweet, or status update, men and women have the ability to get their views across to a global audience. This is a fantastic way to find out important information on a wide variety of subjects; however a lack of regulation means that often the information is widely inaccurate.

The other day, for example, I followed a tweet titled “Justifying the Cost of Modern Hair Implant Techniques“. The link led me to a blog discussing hair loss in women which naturally, bearing in mind the subject matter, I was interested to read.

Sadly, my interest soon changed to infuriation – the author was either severely uneducated on the subject or blatantly and significantly economical with the truth; either way I was unsettled by that fact that this misinformation was visible to potentially millions of people.

The author referring to the strip method of donor harvesting stated that: “A number of hair clinics will promote older, less good hair implant methods in order to keep costs down“. Nothing about the aforementioned sentence is correct; not even the grammar, nevermind the scientific information written especially since implying that FUE is the donor harvest method of choice in women.

This reiterated to me how important it is for potential patients to seek advice from trusted authorities on the subject, as it is all too easy for advertisers and novices to pose as educators on the net.

Another promotion from a relatively new provider of one technique only, claimed they are THE LEADING clinic in Europe, that they produce no scars, actually pioneered the procedure and pretty much saved the British public from the dire services of the existing providers (including ourselves!)

For the above reasons, especially when considering surgery, it is crucial that men and women acquire knowledge from reputable sources, such as the Institute of Trichologists, International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, British Association of Hair Restoration Surgeons, Hair Transplant Network and International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgery. I would also suggest looking for scientific research with proven reproducible clinical data, as well as case studies when considering any kind of medical or surgical treatment.

So, even with cutting edge technology, the old age saying is true; be it on paper or online, don’t believe everything you read!

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Learn more about the author of this article, Dr. Bessam Farjo, on his BaldingBlog profile or at his website.