G
Guest
Guest
Hello everyone,
My handle is the "gillenator" and am not new to the hairloss community but am new to this forum. A past patient and friend of mine recently suggested that I peruse this website since I have worked in the hair restoration industry. Although I had heard of this forum before, most of my internet time was and sometimes still is spent on HTN, HLH and Hairsite. Our company does in fact provide support to Paul T. Rose, MD who is a very experienced and talented hair transplant surgeon but this support never and I repeat never involves recruitment of patients from hairloss forums like this one, nor do we solicit products or services of any kind. I wanted to make this point clear to establish my motives, that being to learn and share knowledge and experiences to benefit any hairloss sufferer including myself. I also welcome any scutinizing of my posts and posts at any other forums to verify my agenda. In addition I feel it is absolutely essential to make proper disclosure to others and that also is noted on my signature.
That being said, my first hairloss experiences were not my own but two other people, namely my mother in 1964 and a neighbor in 1967. My mother started losing her hair in her early adulthood and has been in hair systems for over 50 years. She has androgenetic alopecia areata and never was or is a candidate for hair transplants. My neighbor was a man in his thirties, Norwood class 6 and sustained an open donor procedure in 1967 with very unfavorable results. That was my first impression of a hair transplant, absolutely horrific. :freaked2: He then was imprisoned by having to wear a ball cap which he "never" removed. I was in my early teens with a full head of hair, never thinking I would someday begn to lose it.
Then it began to happen in my mid-twenties. I started showing signs of miniturization, followed by recession until it was visually noticable. I figured it was from my maternal side since both my maternal grandfather and uncle lost their hair. My mother has the most extensive hairloss in her family history. Anyway, I was very troubled and only knew of Rogaine and hairsystems. I obtained a prescription for Rogaine (it was not over the counter at the time) and came to realize that I was still losing my hair.
HCM was campaigning with alot of infomercials and I ended up going to them and wore their hair systems until 1996. This was the biggest challenge I had ever faced concerning my personal appearance yet I was desperate not to be bald, spent thousands of hard earned dollars on systems and maintanence. I continued to research hair transplant procedures while in hair systems and did not find the right technology and surgeon until late 1995.
I had my first procedure with Dr. Ron Shapiro in early 1996 and was freed from wearing the hair systems! I still needed more work but at least a nice natural hairline was started and I had the frame back to my face. I was very happy that I had waited for the FUT technology that Dr. William Rassman was promoting because the FUT procedure that Dr. Shapiro did on me was second to none.
I started working in the field of hair restoration and ended up going to work for MHR where I had my second procedure and was only marginally satisfied. :freaked: I ended up relocating for MHR and started representing Dr. John Cole who did my third procedure which I am very happy with. We both left MHR and I did re-unite with Dr. Cole for about a year at his own practice. Currently I am not on any doctor's payroll, but offer some support to hair transplant surgeons from our own organization. This provides the autonomy we really need. :!:
I have had three procedures with approximately 4400 grafts in my lifetime. You can see my regimen in my profile if you wish. I can e-mail my before and after pics to anyone interested. :hairy: I was a Norwood 5 when I received my first transplant.
My conveyance is that of a patient advocate and student. I continue to learn every day just like other hairloss sufferers and hope we all can benefit from each other's experiences and knowledge. Best wishes to all!
My handle is the "gillenator" and am not new to the hairloss community but am new to this forum. A past patient and friend of mine recently suggested that I peruse this website since I have worked in the hair restoration industry. Although I had heard of this forum before, most of my internet time was and sometimes still is spent on HTN, HLH and Hairsite. Our company does in fact provide support to Paul T. Rose, MD who is a very experienced and talented hair transplant surgeon but this support never and I repeat never involves recruitment of patients from hairloss forums like this one, nor do we solicit products or services of any kind. I wanted to make this point clear to establish my motives, that being to learn and share knowledge and experiences to benefit any hairloss sufferer including myself. I also welcome any scutinizing of my posts and posts at any other forums to verify my agenda. In addition I feel it is absolutely essential to make proper disclosure to others and that also is noted on my signature.
That being said, my first hairloss experiences were not my own but two other people, namely my mother in 1964 and a neighbor in 1967. My mother started losing her hair in her early adulthood and has been in hair systems for over 50 years. She has androgenetic alopecia areata and never was or is a candidate for hair transplants. My neighbor was a man in his thirties, Norwood class 6 and sustained an open donor procedure in 1967 with very unfavorable results. That was my first impression of a hair transplant, absolutely horrific. :freaked2: He then was imprisoned by having to wear a ball cap which he "never" removed. I was in my early teens with a full head of hair, never thinking I would someday begn to lose it.
Then it began to happen in my mid-twenties. I started showing signs of miniturization, followed by recession until it was visually noticable. I figured it was from my maternal side since both my maternal grandfather and uncle lost their hair. My mother has the most extensive hairloss in her family history. Anyway, I was very troubled and only knew of Rogaine and hairsystems. I obtained a prescription for Rogaine (it was not over the counter at the time) and came to realize that I was still losing my hair.
HCM was campaigning with alot of infomercials and I ended up going to them and wore their hair systems until 1996. This was the biggest challenge I had ever faced concerning my personal appearance yet I was desperate not to be bald, spent thousands of hard earned dollars on systems and maintanence. I continued to research hair transplant procedures while in hair systems and did not find the right technology and surgeon until late 1995.
I had my first procedure with Dr. Ron Shapiro in early 1996 and was freed from wearing the hair systems! I still needed more work but at least a nice natural hairline was started and I had the frame back to my face. I was very happy that I had waited for the FUT technology that Dr. William Rassman was promoting because the FUT procedure that Dr. Shapiro did on me was second to none.
I started working in the field of hair restoration and ended up going to work for MHR where I had my second procedure and was only marginally satisfied. :freaked: I ended up relocating for MHR and started representing Dr. John Cole who did my third procedure which I am very happy with.
We both left MHR and I did re-unite with Dr. Cole for about a year at his own practice. Currently I am not on any doctor's payroll, but offer some support to hair transplant surgeons from our own organization. This provides the autonomy we really need. :!: I have had three procedures with approximately 4400 grafts in my lifetime. You can see my regimen in my profile if you wish. I can e-mail my before and after pics to anyone interested. :hairy: I was a Norwood 5 when I received my first transplant.
My conveyance is that of a patient advocate and student. I continue to learn every day just like other hairloss sufferers and hope we all can benefit from each other's experiences and knowledge. Best wishes to all!
