LJ.
I am a fellow Aussie who got conned into going to Ashely & Martin - although when I did (only 2 years ago) the price was AUD$3k for the 8 month program!! They claim 98% success rate, but what their definition of 'success' means is dubious.
Here's what you get:
8 months worth of Minoxidil 7% with Retin-A 0.01% to be used twice per day;
8 months worth of Proscar to be used 1.25mg daily;
Saw Palmetto capsules;
Hygiene products (ie build up remover, shampoo, conditioner);
12 "electro" sessions - basically some chick will massage your head for 10mins with a massage device, then use an electrostatic device that apparently brings blood to the capillaries for 10mins, then applies minoxidil to you; and
3 henna hair treatment sessions.
As you would read from here, the essential products in their regimen are Minoxidil and Proscar. The hygiene products are actually really nice to use, but provide little benefit. The electro sessions feel good but are only ancillary treatments at best. I didn't even use the saw palmetto capsules.
After paying the AUD$3k, doing the full program (with no regrowth but maintenance), I also signed up to their "bargain" 18 month supply of Minoxidil and Proscar (AUD$1900). I'm no idiot (seriously) I just didn't educate myself enough before signing up, and walked in with the attitude "if it costs the most, it must the best". Certainly, it was way better than what I saw of Advanced Hair Studios. They are still, essentially, salesmen though. I mainly signed up because the salesman I dealt with said "Rogaine will work, but if you want the best treatments - we're the only ones that have them"... which is a load of bollox.
After stumbling across this site about a year ago, I then began to realise how stupid my signing up to Ashley & Martin was in the first place. You can buy a 12 month supply of Dr Lee's Minoxidil with Retin-A and Proscar brand Finasteride (with a prescription) for just AUD$500. Add Nizoral, good shampoos & conditioners and some Crew peptides into the equation and you're looking at about AUD$800 max, for the year.
So save yourself some money and avoid Ashley & Martin. Perhaps you could try bargaining with them in the face of hard facts... however, they'll still try to sell you the Hairmax Lasercomb on top of that for the "bargain' price of AUD$1300. You can pick it up direct from Lexington for AUD$800 online - which I propose to do very soon.
Anyway, good luck and watch this forum - it rocks.
DEF