Didn't fully regrow..

[jccidol]

I had a hair transplant in July 09, they put about 1k hairs in the front and 100 in the crown and I honestly think only a few hundred regrew...before the surgery I have emails still from both the Doctor and the secretary there telling me every hair is guaranteed to regrow, and when I went in for a checkup a few months ago, the doctor said that he can see areas where it didn't regrow and that I'm still having issues in the areas that he did the surgery..when I was there, he told me he'd fix it for me, then when I got home a few days later, the secretary told me they want $2000 to do it..

Is there any kind of actions that I can/should take against these people? If so, how would I go about that?

 

[jccidol]

Thanks a lot for your very helpful post, I really appreciate it. The main i reason I went with them was because they charged me $3000 for it all which was pretty cheap, I have wondered if they even put in all they said they did, but I'll definetely look into all your suggested that I should.

Thanks again

 

[Petchsky]

As Dudemon said, don't go back to the same Doctor, even if he offers it for free, you may have got a H/T for 3k, but you would have been better off paying 4k and seeing one of the docs dudemon suggested.

They are not much more expensive, and they have a proven reputation. Your not saying who the doctor was, which I think is a dis-service to anyone else who may use the same doctor in the future, come online to see feedback, and find none because people with poor results don't want to name the doctor. It's your call on naming the Doctor, but that's the way I see it.

 

[jccidol]

I wasn't able to find any lawyers with that search I did, although I did find some good hair transplant sites. What kinda lawyer should I try to find for this? I'm totally clueless on this..I live in a small town about 35 mins from Pittsburgh, which is where I had the surgery done.

 

[s.a.f]

Did you sign a disclaimer before surgery? TBH I've never heard of anyone successfully suing a hair transplant doctor. Whatever they say to get you signed up in the first place no surgery can be guaranteed to be successful.
The only way you you can sue a surgeon is for neglience eg if he hacked up your head and left you disfigured.

This is the importance of going to a reputable surgeon in the first place not a local one or a cheap one.

 

[jccidol]

I have emails still from before the surgrey where both he and his assistant guaranteed every hair would regrow, which it didn't and he said that himself when I went to see him in August. He's done over 25,000 procedures, so that comforted me since it was the first time I did it. I still have numbing in some areas in my head, which even he said was surprising since it's been over 1.5 yrs since the surgery.

 

[chris.runman]

Did you e-mail the secretary and tell her the Doctor said he'd fix it, and you feel that it should be covered by the guarantee? Maybe just a misunderstanding?

I've heard posts on other forums that even docs with great reps don't always get 100% growth. If what s.a.f. says is true...sounds reasonable as most surgerys don't come with guarantees:

... TBH I've never heard of anyone successfully suing a hair transplant doctor...
The only way you you can sue a surgeon is for neglience eg if he hacked up your head and left you disfigured.

I'd be careful not to throw any money into suing this guy till you know more. Maybe get a second opinion from a reputable Doctor. He may be able to offer advice.

 

[chris.runman]

Hey keep us posted.

 

[jccidol]

Oh, the secretary was in the Doctor's office with he and I when I came in to meet with him in August, she was in there the whole time. It was funny, she kept telling me how great the hairline looked, when only some regrew in on the right side, which was the worst side, and no hair like an inch or so behind my hairline regrew, and they said they filled it all in. I know she was trying to convince me it was regrown, but what's funny is the doctor himself said he could see it didn't regrow. What sucks is, I talked to her off and on for about 2 yrs. prior to the surgery, and she was the one who set it up for me to get the $3,000 discount that they gave me..

I contacted Dr. Bernstein's office and I want to talk to him personally and tell him my story and see what he thinks. I want to have him fix it, but it's been 1.5 yrs since my surgery, so I'm not sure if I should do anohter so soon after? I don't need a lot, I'm guessing maybe 2,000 grafts to fix what they did, and fill in what's gone since the surgery. I'm 30 yrs old, but I cant handle the bald spot on my crown, I don't think I can really cover it with my hair anymore and I just dont wanna throw money into minxo & finasteride esp since they're not 100% guaranteed.

He's 7 hrs from me, and the dr that did my last one is about 40 mins from me so it makes me mad that I'd have to go so far out of the way to get it done, and that the original Doctor won't take care of it for me, but I think Dr. Bernstein would be my best option to get it done right this time.
He told me he'd fix it for me when I was in there, then the secretary told me they wanted 2k to do it about a week later, then about 2 weeks ago, I emailed the Dr. and he said he'd "work on it" of course I haven't heard anything back from him and he hasn't replied to my 2 emails after that.

 

[GeminiX]

Sadly, there are no real guarantees with any medicine or surgical treatment.

Because of the consumer society we live in, it's very easy to think that getting cosmetic surgery or drugs is like buying a new TV or car. And it does not reflect badly on you that you've seen it that way, we're hit by various forms of media showing gorgeous happy people running along a beach and climbing mountains while promoting clinic xyz. As a society, we're used to purchasing things and getting exactly what it says on the box.

The reality is even the best proven treatments and most highly respected surgeons can occasionally have less than stellar results.

As for your procedure, well it's generally considered ok to start looking into another transplant after about 18 months, with 12 being the very earliest (based on my own experience I would go with 18 months as a minimum).

Also, while distance to travel to your surgeon should be a factor in deciding who to go to, it should be secondary to quality of work and proven track record. I suspect you already know this, so you can feel reassured that you're taking the right approach.

Hope this helps.

 

[jccidol]

Thanks a lot for your reassuring words, I appreciate it. You're right about all you said. I guess I'm angry because they told me it's guaranteed to grow, and I'm still paying for the last surgery, and everytime I get the bill for it, which another will be here on Tuesday, I get madder everytime about it.
From what I read, Dr. Bernstein invented the strip method, unless I read it wrong, and that's the procedure I had done the last time, so that comforts me if I decide to go with him.
I do know that I'd rather do it again as opposed to spending money forever on finasteride and minoxidil, even after my experience, I still think this is the best way to go for results.
I just hope I can work something out with Dr. Bernstein, because the emotional/mental effects all of this has had on me is getting to take me over I guess.

 

[GeminiX]

Depending on where you live, you might be able to take your issues to whoever provided the finance and make a claim through them.

 

[jccidol]

Dr. Mark Boles, with NuHart in Pittsburgh, PA.

 

[chris.runman]

Glad to hear that you are seeing Dr. Bernstein. I have not heard anything good about NuHart.
It's tough cause even with all the research you do there is still so much uncertainty. Any advice? Like when you met with Dr. Boles were there any red flags that you notice now looking back? Did you meet with any other Doctor's before deciding on him?