Dr Arvind Poswal (aka - "Dr A") ???

[dudemon]

Can anyone share their experiences with Dr Arvind Poswal in India? He is known as "Dr A" Is he really in the same class as other top-notch HT surgeons, such as: Cole, Feriduni, or Bisanga?

Ive heard a lot of good things about him, but I have read a few bad things too on Hair Restoration Network (HRN) about Poswal. One guy there made a comment along the lines of "His work looks unnatural ... " In fact, HRN removed his name from all posts that reference him because of some legal issue. And no posts are allowed there about Poswal since 2007 or something like that. Anyone know what that was about? Was he sued by unhappy patients or something?

Poswal has MUCH lower prices than most other HT Drs for FUT which concerns me as to why. Anyone know what the deal is with Dr A?

[s.a.f]

Poswal has MUCH lower prices than most other HT Drs for FUT which concerns me as to why?

The logical answer would be because of the exchange rate in India. He can charge less and still make in comparison a very good income.

[dudemon]

Poswal has MUCH lower prices than most other HT Drs for FUT which concerns me as to why?

The logical answer would be because of the exchange rate in India. He can charge less and still make in comparison a very good income.

Well, on his website, his prices are quoted in $USD.

http://fusehair.com/drupal/node/541

For example, he only charges $1.50 per graft for FUT below 3000, $1.25 above 3000. Just $4 for FUE (includes BHT) for below 3000, and $3.50 above 3000.

So, for example, I get 3000 FUT + 1000 FUE (4000 total grafts), the cost is only $8,500 USD + 10% tax, so $9,350!!! The SAME procedure at either Bisanga or Feriduni will be approx 15,000 Euros ($20,000 USD given the exchange rate of the Euro which is currently approx $1.34 for 1 Euro). All the other top notch HT clinics are closer to the European prices, including the US ones. H&W is a good deal as far as what you get for the money, but, as we all know, H&W = strip (FUT) only.

The roundtrip airfare form the US is the same (approx $2000), and India requires a visa and passport at approx $200. Hotel will be roughly the same.

Quite a difference in price. But, I guess $8,500 USD translates into a nice profit when translated into Indian Rupees. So, I guess he is not "greedy"? Or is there another reason why his prices are so much lower in terms of $USD?

Just saying.

[hairhoper]

Yep I think Indian surgeons can charge far less just based on exchange rate alone.

The results on his site look good, sad that we're now all so skeptical of such pics. Thanks for raising the weirdness on the HRN site, that is suspicious.

Can you vouch for the moderators on that HRN site? Feels a bit shilly to me?

[Wylie]

Well, for one thing, Dr. Umar trained under him. I've followed his work for years and I think he is both a skilled and ethical surgeon. He has performed one flat-out miraculous repair, free of charge, on a badly disfigured patient who goes by the screen name "Zayden". He had a couple of flaps done that resulted in full necrosis on his scalp and his skin was different colors, and full of scarring. He now has hair and it looks pretty good. As well as doing strip and FUE he does body hair, and the photos and pictures he has posted are impressive.

On an unrelated note, when I first started researching repairs he answered my email questions with detailed answers, which I found to be pretty cool. From what I've read he has a large staff of Indians and Asians who work for him and are all very efficient. From the many patient reviews I've read about him they were all positive. And being in India, he has a lot of botched surgeries he repairs from hacks who are not ready for prime time

[dudemon]

Thanks M&M, I am trying to find out as much as I can about him b/c I am considering Dr A.

RE: hairhoper
Yeah, I really don't know what the deal is with HRN and Dr A. But, you are right, one of the moderators on there said something along the lines of "We have removed all references to Dr xxxxx xxxxx from this site ... bla, bla, bla .... and to this date, we DO NOT endorse ANY surgeon from India as being ethical or having a standard of work that is up to par with our recommended surgeons" (or something to that effect). And the year 2007 had soemthing to do with it ... ???

That is not a direct quote, becuase I am just rattling it off the top of my head. But yes, it does seem suspicious and it means that somehting 'weird' is definately going on, IMO.

I know there are a lot of shills on that site. But banning all references to a specific HT surgeon who has been appraised on all the other sites?!?!?!?!?

hmmmmm ....

I just want to know what that was all about b/c I am seriously considering Dr A for my last HT. Was it a bunch of HRN shill BS or was it a legit concern that I should be concerned about?

BTW, the reason I'm asking this on here is becuase I don't think I could get a straight answer on HRN, without it being censored and/or removed by that same moderator.

[Wylie]

They also don't allow mention of Dr. Cole or Dr. Woods. My guess is because it is a forum full of strip docs., only a handful of who now do FUE, and none who did body hair, excepting the very recent inclusion of Dr. Umar into their club.

I really wouldn't worry too much about them excluding Arvind, I mean, there is no more ethical a doctor than Woods and he being excluded tells me all I need to know.

[dudemon]

I find it a very useful site and thoroughly used it when looking to get my HT done.

I agree. Hair site and hairloss help are also good for showing a lot of HT results. You just have to be aware that there are shills on there, and things do get censored on all of those sites. Negative posts about any Dr who has paid to be shilled on those sites, is quickly met with harsh skepticism, ridicule, and scorn. The posts are usually removed and whoever posted them typically gets banned.

As long as you realize that, for the most part, you are only going to see nothing but the 'positive' reviews and comments and hardly ever any negative ones on those sites, you'll be OK. The other thing is that they also shill crap HT surgeons on all of those sites ... ones that should be out of business because their techniques are outdated. You will get butchered if you allow the shills who work for crappy HT clinics to lure you into the chair.

[Jessop]

I've been looking at Dr. A, too.

His pricing is very cheap and his results look good on his website. But then again, it is his website so it will show the good ones.

I'm just wondering if anyone from Europe has been to see him in India, nad did they get a transplant?

On a site called Hairsite he was awarded Top Ranking Hair Transplant doctor in the world.

Here's a link to it, and his site http://fusehair.com/node/3925

[dudemon]

I've decided to choose another HT surgeon, as I don't really think Dr A's work is quite up to par with some of the other top HT surgeons. (ie - Feller, Bisanga, Feriduni, Ron Shapiro, H&W, etc...) Hence, Dr A's lower prices.

I'm not interested in 'bargain hunting' as far as getting an HT goes. I want the results to look good, and I am not going to choose one based on their lower price. Even if I pay considerably more it is completely worth it, IMO.

Besides, Dr A has done a lot of work on Indian guys, but not so much caucasion/euro type guys like myslef. I also think Dr A's hairlines are really bad, IMO, and definately not top-notch like the others I mentioned ... I'd say his are mediocre at best.

Another thing I didn't like about Dr A is the pics on his site. I noticed the 'after' pics are always in dimmer lighting or with the light source behind the camera. This makes anyone look like they have more density than they actually do. This, IMO, is a little sketchy ... almost borderline dishonest.

Further, his patient correspondence is horrible. You will have to email them 10 times before anyone responds back. And, forget trying to call their clinic, it isn't going to happen. No way, no how.

So there you have it: my reasons why I am not going to Dr A.