Longshot Question: Any Hair Hackrs?

Off-Ramp
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I’m planning to undergo a FUE or ARTAS procedure in the next ~6 months.

(ARTAS is a FUE procedure with a robot + an algorithm selecting and harvesting the follicles, instead of a human).

I don’t need the equivalent of an entire wig, but rather ~2,000 grafts to reduce the square footage of my forehead.

Has anyone here done this?

Aside from traveling to Turkey, any tips from your personal experience?

I had an initial consultation yesterday at a place here in Columbus (Ohio), and decided to keep looking. This particular practice specializes in plastic surgery, and they bring in an outside team from California to do the procedures (FUE) one week a month.

I also have an appointment elsewhere in Columbus at the end of November with a place that specializes in ARTAS.

I have the flexibility to have the work done in San Diego as well, and I’m going to book a consultation there in the coming weeks.

It seems logical to me that San Diego would be a higher-volume market, with more vain people per capita, more skilled practitioners, and potentially more competition on price.

(I only need ~$8,000-12,000 worth of work, so price would merely be a tie-breaker between two otherwise-equal top-shelf providers.)

Thank you in advance for any constructive comments.

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Constructive but contrarian, I haven’t been on the prowl in over 40 married years, but even then I accepted the fact I was born with a ‘receding’ hairline. Recessive, since it never increased (yet), but I’ve had it since a child, maternal grandpa had it, etc. I’ve always bragged I needed the extra surface area to help contain my massive brain (ego?), and simply enjoy not looking exactly like everyone else, or some idealized version. Pretty much the same reason I wouldn’t do any plastic procedure or tats, etc. Too much money and effort to ‘fit in’, and so not worth it…I’d never join any club that would have me as a member. Hair club included. I guess I’d do the current trend and go bald for a while before trying what you describe…how would you look bald?

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Paging @elon musk(:sweat_smile:)

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I would be shocked if any medical procedures (esp an elective, cosmetic one) would be cheaper in CA, esp if the place is in, let’s say, La Jolla (you didn’t specify where in San Diego it was). Competition doesn’t work the same way in medicine as it does in other fields of medicine. Higher cost of living + higher cost of rent + cheaper doesn’t actually equal more volume generally means higher prices.

If there are actually not a lot of places in Columbus, it is possible that the providers there actually do a good number of cases since there might be only a few specialists for an entire (large) region.

I don’t know about hair transplants, but, in general, I’d be looking at the training of the surgeon(s), the volume they do, how long they have been out of training, and, of course, before and after pics. Also, if you are an ethnic minority, not sure if that might matter, in terms of the providers knowing how to work w/ your hair type and placement.

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I appreciate the perspective, and I realize that this is 100% a vanity play. I’m already over that hump in the decision-making process.

My brother went almost completely bald in his mid-20s, but I clearly have different genes given the relatively slow pace my hairline has been receding.

So it’s unlikely I’ll ever be “bald” in the strictest sense of the word, but rather always in some form of in-between state (baldish?)… like my 100-y.o. grandfather that I mentioned in another thread. (I plan to trim my nose hair more often, though.)

I’ve given it a lot of thought, and I’m committed. It’s just a matter of when, and when I find the right provider I’m going to schedule this… and that will be that. :slight_smile:

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Why not Turkey?

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I had an appointment in La Jolla several months ago, and there were ~700 plastic surgeons in the same building, probably more than in all of the Columbus metro area combined. :slight_smile:

But cost isn’t the main consideration. Like I said, that would be more of a tie-breaker.

I think I’ll find a larger concentration of expertise in CA, and I’m willing to pay a premium for someone with the right skills and experience. That’s what matters most (which is why it was such a turnoff that the first place I visited essentially contracts out the work).

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You can get it done in India for under 2k maybe even under 1500 :slightly_smiling_face:

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Spent two weeks in Turkiye, just returned a few days ago.

Asked our Istanbul-host/friend about all the tourists we noticed with fresh hair transplants. Just as you related, it’s a thing in Turkiye.

The USD is extremely strong against the TL right now. Don’t be afraid to look into traveling there.

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  • Travel time
  • Business class ticket would be $3,000-$7,000, negating some/most/all of any cost savings
  • Time zone difference means I’d have to use PTO instead of just WFH with bloody scabs on my forehead
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I feel like such a pauper. LOL We flew economy.

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Thailand is apparently also a common destination for these procedures.

This was information I didn’t have before we spent 10 days there in July/August. :smiley:

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You can get a business class ticket in January from Cleveland to Istanbul for about 2950-3000 in BA suites. Also rec when in Istanbul to drink and eat as much turkish tea, baklava, and knafeh as possible.

https://www.google.com/travel/flights/s/jbRLyPPoajSe6hq4A

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Probably.

For that reason, actually, I wouldn’t necessarily have found it a turnoff for the Columbus place to outsource the work to a group of CA docs (esp if the CA team has strong experience in hair transplantation). To me (and I work in medicine, although not in anything related to plastic surgery), it shows that the Columbus group knows what they are and are not good at, that they’re transparent about it, and that they’re willing to bring in a team to do the work correctly when needed.

And, as the pt, I don’t need to deal w/ the logistics of flying out to/recuperating in another state. :slight_smile:

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You look into PRP?

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I have not. Should I?

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For hair replacement? :face_with_monocle:

I did for hip issues after my car accident. Not sure how platelets help with hair though.

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Which reminds me…

Very recent change, but I learned this week that AA system-wide upgrades (I have 3 or 4) can now be used on BA too, so I could theoretically buy Economy (or PE) if there’s upgrade space available.

I’d have to do some more reading on how to do this, but I still don’t want to take the time off or spend a week at the Constantinople Courtyard.

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I didn’t think so, either, but an internet search indicates that it is actually a legitimate thing:

Seems like the main problems are cost and need for repeated treatments (which only add to the cost).

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PRP can “potentially help” a lot issues ranging from hair to joints to male issues. Price is the major factor in this. Insurance doesn’t cover it