Haggis,
I am sorry that you're not happy with your result, but as everyone is
entitled to their own opinion, I shall add mine. I believe I have already
answered this topic on other forums you have posted on and previously
invited you for review and improvement - a scar revision initially then
possibly hair transplantation into the scar.
Obviously, FOC. However, you have decided not to take that route.
I am assuming you are a genuine patient - ten/eleven years is a long
time ago and I do not recall performing surgery on anybody of that age.
Unfortunately, I have also been subject to a "fake" patient and campaign
against me, amongst other things - it's not just people like Spex who've
suffered this.
I'm sorry if I'm a bit suspicious.
I am also assuming that I was the surgeon - Wellesbourne/Steven Barnes
did employ others, although the paperwork might have said it would be
me. This still occurs now: contrary to certain adverts, I was the doctor
who performed hair transplantation for Francis Rossi and the clinic or
limited company at which it was performed, no longer exists - it went bust three years ago.
As has been noted, you would clearly be one of my early patients - I can
only apologise and make a few points:
Unfortunately, everyone in life learns by experience - nobody is born an
expert and indeed, cutting edge technology today becomes tomorrows old
fashioned ideas very quickly. I assume you are not still driving the same
car as you did ten years ago?
Likewise, you can't judge the past by today's standards. I was taught the
same technique, using the same sutures, by two different hair
transplantation doctors. I soon identified that there were better choices of
sutures available and swapped to them. Immediately, my donor scars
improved. But I had been taught the accepted technique of the day which
is what I used initially. Again, when any apprentice is trained, he uses
the techniques taught to him - is it fair to blame the apprentice if the
teaching is wrong? At least I quickly changed the sutures, which was the
main source of your poor scar - it wasn't in fact lack of suturing skill.
As for the low density you have pointed out - undoubtedly, it is lower than
the density which you can see performed by Dr Cole recently.
It is an interesting side by side comparison however, that it is probably
half as dense.
As pointed out by others on alternative forums to this, it is as good
as anyone was performing then.
Lastly, as for your age then, perhaps with less experience, I was more
likely to agree to surgery in young men. I was probably also more likely
to give in to patient pressure too. As any 25 years old patients knows
now, I am unlikely to agree to hair transplantation for them. But, that
doesn't stop scores of desperate young men wanting hair transplants.
Occasionally, it may be the right decision. I have consulted depressed
young men, often with their parents, who won't leave their bedrooms,
because of hair loss. Hair transplantation has restored their confidence
where antidepressant tablets have failed. Should these patients be
denied? After all, 18 year old men are legally adults - your head -your
choice? Haggis, should you have been protected from your own decision?
Would that have convinced you at the age of 19? This is a controversy
which has not been agreed between hair surgeons but nothing is clear cut.
If I didn't care about the donor scar, I wouldn't now be trying to improve
as many "old" scars as possible - whether mine or anybody else's.
Neither would I help people like Bal. And neither would I have developed
and introduced "Tricho" closure into the UK, in October 2003 (long before
it became fashionable).
The purpose of this reply is to make Every patient think though the pros
and cons of hair transplantation. Increasingly, there is an expectation in
society that life is 100% predictable and perfect. It isn't, medicine in
particular isn't. There isn't a single hair transplant surgeon who hasn't had
patients with bad scars, poor growth. Hair transplantation has become
more predictable and consistent, more so than many surgical procedures
in fact. But, you still can't guarantee the result, whoever you see. And
there seem to be an awful lot of patients on all these forum sites, making
wild claims about their hair transplant docs.
I see a different picture when I go to conferences. I see my colleagues
discussing honestly about successes and failures, and different surgical
viewpoints. I don't hear my colleagues making wild claims about their
skills then.
I hope this clarifies my position as I have no intention of a "slanging
match" - it is food for thought.
