http://www.si.com/tech-media/2...s-surgery-voice


I'm surprised that no one else posted it first. The story was all over the news. Also, the wording reveals an obvious, unfair bias against transplants. I believe he originally was having pluggy work done and maybe some subsequent procedures were to repair that; perhaps he'll describe that in the book.

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"Maybe it's because I'm older and wiser, but I just cannot understand why some people are so reckless with their health."

Takingaction thanks for posting I will definitely be ordering this book.

I think you will see more and more coming out of the woodwork describing their ht experiences and how it has affected their lives.

The scumbag marketers in the business are the real stain. They rely on attacking patients that speak too much truth and doctors that are a threat. There are a few good doctors and that's it. Anyone can put together a list and get paid. Then drop doctors when the shit hits the fan like nothing happened. Stay away from the marketers and strongly consider passing on a procedure and waiting for other advancements.

The marketers should go public and attack this guy too. Tell him he is a liar. I love this quote below it speaks volumes and don't be fooled many ht patients share this experience. Most that are young and considering the procedure don't understand that when it does not go well or the result is not as expected shame keeps you in a box and the marketers that rely on selling less that that what the very few at the top offer know this and that is how they are able to keep running their mouths year after year. I find what they do perverted in many ways.

What surprises me is after everything he went through he would consider hair transplantation again many would not make that same choice. Personally knowing what I know now I might consider it after 40 but only if I could get myself to travel. Travel can be a stumbling block for most so if I couldn't get past it I would not have a procedure. No way.........no how. What's nice is as you get older the shame goes away. I can sit at the dinner table and tell others what happened to me. I can also tell them the good that came from it along with telling others of my experience. As Joe Buck states it's cathartic.

From the SI article:

"I didn't say it was an elective procedure to add hair to the front of my head. It was embarrassing. There's an embarrassing element to that. Any surgery done to improve one's looks is not really something someone wants to talk about. So it's very cathartic to get this out. There are a lot of people across the country, for as silly as this sounds, who obsess about hair loss."

SI Article

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Stay away from doctors who perform mega sessions, have posts deleted, attack posters, sue patients & forum owners, use power drills or robots. I recommend fue with hand punches in the .70-.85 range. I consulted with dozens of clinics over the years and there was a recurring theme regarding FUE among some employees of those other clinics. I was told Bisanga was the man my research told me the same and my experience validated my own research.

Edited: 10/15/2016 at 02:21 PM by topcat

Of course, of course, a rant against the industry.

Joe Buck's career likely would have been very limited without any hair transplants. My guess is he'd be a NW4+ by now.

And he needed several just to look decent.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Joe_Buck.jpg/200px-Joe_Buck.jpg

It sounds like his regret is more about the rush to do it/frequency of work done/perfectionism. I think there is something about hair loss treatment, especially transplants, that fuels obsessiveness by intermittent reinforcement, like gambling. There's the opportunity for reward, but gains hardly last. And then someone ends up where Buck is now, with hair that can easily become too strange-looking without maintenance procedures.

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"Maybe it's because I'm older and wiser, but I just cannot understand why some people are so reckless with their health."

Edited: 10/16/2016 at 09:31 AM by takingaction

Takingaction how many hair transplant procedures have you had and when is your next maintenance procedure?


Two of the doctors I went to are published authors on hair transplantation. One of them used the janitor to place my grafts the other had a patient shoot himself in the chest but still kept offering his new technique until he lost the lawsuit. Two of the doctors worked on celebrities while another could be seen on the morning talk show circuit. Another doctor was heavily promoted on television, radio and magazines. Two of the doctors must have been at master level because they claimed to be the teachers of other doctors. One of them wrote a white paper on his new technique the one that caused the patient to shoot himself in the chest. Are you noticing a pattern? None of that matters now for me it's only an experience for me to pass on to others.

Yes have a hair transplant if the numbers make sense but marketing does not equate to skill and ethics in fact it's usually the opposite. Today we have websites with all types of endorsements and I can tell you it doesn't mean jack shit in fact it's a warning sign. Watch for patients and meet patients that do not work in the industry. If someone's claim to fame is that they have been endorsed by the intergalactic society of hair transplant masters then don't take it at it's face value watch and observe.

Many that work in the industry and work the forums are not honest but are very good at playing the part. I have been watching online alone for well over 15 years. Maybe you have different information..............good for you. That is what's great about an open forum, readers can take in all types of opinions then form their own as opposed to have it given to them by an expert.

As a ht patient and from listening to the experience of others I disagree 100% with the intermittent reenforcement gambling theory. Most are just trying to get back to normal. In fact if you look at most cosmetic surgery in general it's those that got caught in a trap where whatever they had done does not look right so the hole for many just gets deeper. It is very, very common.

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Stay away from doctors who perform mega sessions, have posts deleted, attack posters, sue patients & forum owners, use power drills or robots. I recommend fue with hand punches in the .70-.85 range. I consulted with dozens of clinics over the years and there was a recurring theme regarding FUE among some employees of those other clinics. I was told Bisanga was the man my research told me the same and my experience validated my own research.

Edited: 10/16/2016 at 02:22 PM by topcat

The question sounds like an appeal-to-authority ploy. I made the decision years back not to post about any procedures of mine and unfortunately private messaging no longer is possible. (I have an account on IH, where I think it's allowed.) I will say that I've consulted about 5 doctors and made about 25 visits, but nothing in the bad old days when plugs were routine and the industry so inept and corrupt that staying away made sense for most. (Yeah, no sh*t, people should be careful and do research before a transplant or any other procedure.)

Also, I will assert that hair loss obsession is common, but I did not say that addiction (a related phenomenon) to hair transplants is common. Most people won't (and often cannot) take it that far. But Joe Buck (likely someone raised to be his absolute best in everything) speaks like he did. It's connected to hair greed. It occasionally happens with other kinds of cosmetic surgeries, where it is more dangerous.

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"Maybe it's because I'm older and wiser, but I just cannot understand why some people are so reckless with their health."

Edited: 10/17/2016 at 10:57 AM by takingaction

No not an appeal to authority just curious. Let's just say that we both have experiences that can be passed on to others each different and each of value.

I thought I knew something when I was younger. Like the talk shows for example. Seeing the doctor on the show or hearing someone talking about a particular doctor would grab my attention. I was completely clueless that this was all part of marketing. Just get the doctors name out there on a program and people start to believe what they are seeing or hearing.

At some point I learned that these people are working together to create a narrative which benefits them financially and most of it is not necessarily truth. The nutritional supplement industry is 100 times worse.

Same goes for forums much of it is created by these same people. If you keep seeing it enough you are swayed in that direction. This is why patients have often been attacked and threatened on the forums when they are too truthful. One has to start asking the question why if someone is doing something honest do they feel the need to attack someone else's opinion some even making threats. But here is the thing it' a very clear sign of dishonesty and when forums participate it tells you that they are playing their part and one then needs to start questioning it all. A red flag should go up and passing on it all should be a consideration.

Most don't want to hear this because it's like saying Santa Claus is not real which I understand. It can be depressing to come to the realization this is how it all works. Doesn't mean a hair transplant can't be something positive just be careful because people in the industry can be very good liars. They do it every day, day in and day out. Now they are trying to create a sense of community as more learn what is going on. Personally I find much of what I have seen over the years very perverted. They are simply taking advantage of young guys without much knowledge or life experience and who often feel a sense of desperation. It's kind of creepy in many ways and I refer to it in my book as "Greyhounding"

Patients on the other hand if you were to meet them in person are not very good liars because for the most part it's not natural for them. You need to do it daily to become good at it. You can pick up very easily on body language when you are sitting with someone and listening to them providing they do not work in the industry So I would suggest trying to meet more patients. You are welcome in my home anytime and I think if you met me and we spoke you would understand what I'm about. But you see if you go by the industry advice they will laugh at this thought because the truth is they don't want patients speaking with each other in private so do it anyway.

In the past we didn't have the Internet but we did have the experts out there. For example I started reading fitness magazines when I was about 12 and eventually I found and issue of Muscle Builder now known as Muscle & Fitness. I couldn't believe what I was seeing and what was possible through exercise only problem is I didn't realize it was all fake meant to draw me in to buy supplements which were useless and if anything created gastric distress. But it was so easy to fall for it all at such a young age. You had the expert Joe Weider known as the "Trainer of Champions". Imagine that you are getting advice from the trainer of champions all for a few dollars only you are being programmed along the way and don't even know it. Then he became the "Master Blaster" holy shit Master Blaster now that catches your attention. So when he starts placing articles in his magazine you automatically believe it. If it's a hairloss guy well he must be good right............it's the "Master Blaster"...............guess what it's not. It's all about money so as long as you are aware that is the main point. Just be aware of how it all works. BTW one of the doctors in the magazine is the one that had the patient shoot himself in the chest. The simple remedy for the Master Blaster was not to mention him in the magazine any longer. Nice gesture on his part...........but what about the patients that thought the "Master Blaster" knew his stuff. If you want to really learn more about the bodybuilding/supplement industry which closely parallels the hair transplant industry the 3 volume 1500 page set of "Bodybuilding: Smoke and Mirrors" can be very helpful. But just keep in mind that some in the ht industry will laugh and ridicule the idea of reading a book after all they are the experts right............read one anyway who cares what they think.

BTW yes I agree with you hairloss obsession is very common most especially for young guys when they start to see handfuls of hair coming out of their head. It would freak most people out.


Suicide article


I one of the very few on the forums that can say a muskrat skinner placed my grafts...........it's easy to actually laugh about my own experience it's what these guys are doing today that kind of rubs me the wrong way.

The Muskrat Skinner

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Stay away from doctors who perform mega sessions, have posts deleted, attack posters, sue patients & forum owners, use power drills or robots. I recommend fue with hand punches in the .70-.85 range. I consulted with dozens of clinics over the years and there was a recurring theme regarding FUE among some employees of those other clinics. I was told Bisanga was the man my research told me the same and my experience validated my own research.

Edited: 10/17/2016 at 05:44 PM by topcat

BTW the doctor in the suicide article.........he was on a paid list too but then of course removed because that is part of how it works.

Those that put together paid lists are marketers and marketers are interested in making money and running their mouth. If one observes long enough they can see all this going on but the key is observing long enough.

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Stay away from doctors who perform mega sessions, have posts deleted, attack posters, sue patients & forum owners, use power drills or robots. I recommend fue with hand punches in the .70-.85 range. I consulted with dozens of clinics over the years and there was a recurring theme regarding FUE among some employees of those other clinics. I was told Bisanga was the man my research told me the same and my experience validated my own research.

I heard about this. It was very prevalent throughout the news after Joe Buck disclosed this.

I think his addiction stemmed from the fact that he did not have good work performed. I can relate to this because I had 4 botched procedures before having my first successful one with Dr. Umar last January. I will be having my final procedure this coming October to complete my restoration. But case in point, if I did my proper research and due diligence, I would only have had 2 procedures at most with Dr. Umar instead of the additional 4 botched ones.

One can't understate proper research in any life endeavor. But i guess you live and you learn.

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Happy Patient

Read about my positive hair transplant experiences here:
http://hairtransplanttestimonial.blogspot.com/

Sometimes proper research is not enough. Patients need to understand they need to protect their own welfare and part of that is having the smallest procedure possible and do it all over a long period of time. Having huge mega sessions as stated in my signature does not benefit a patient. The risks are too high. Drew35 is a good example after having over 13,000+ grafts with most of it not growing. Always protect yourself and don't expect others to do it for you. Hopefully his life has not been completely destroyed and his wife is accepting.

Hair transplantation is a very limited procedure and for most that means about 5000 grafts by way of FUE and long term that is about 25% of one's hair back for those that will experience extensive hair loss so plan appropriately. Understand the math and rely less on pictures posted to the internet. Do the math, do the math, do the math.

If you read Drew's story you can see where ill advised giant strip sessions can lead to ill advised giant body/beard hair sessions and then on to tattooing. It all becomes a giant trap at some point so think long and hard. Once you are in you are in for life.

Drew's story

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Stay away from doctors who perform mega sessions, have posts deleted, attack posters, sue patients & forum owners, use power drills or robots. I recommend fue with hand punches in the .70-.85 range. I consulted with dozens of clinics over the years and there was a recurring theme regarding FUE among some employees of those other clinics. I was told Bisanga was the man my research told me the same and my experience validated my own research.

Edited: 08/03/2017 at 02:45 PM by topcat

I still can't believe that Joe Buck was not awake for the procedure, and under a general anesthetic. He had his first procedure in 1993, and his last in 2011. He says he has had 8 total. We share a remarkable HT trajectory, the time of my first surgery was also 1993, and my last was, I believe, around 2013 or 2014. The late Dr. Thomas of Chicago was the most unethical sociopath anyone could have chosen for a HT, even though his academic credentials were very solid. Were it not for beard hair and the skilled repair work of someone like Dr. Umar I would still not go out in public today without a ball cap. Joe Buck did not suffer the same disastrous results as I did.

I still try to be optimistic, knowing how I insisted that Dr. Thomas keep my original hairline (very recessed) and this allowed a competent surgeon to later come along and hide his work at the hairline. And since Thomas did so many surgeries, his skill at suturing was actually very good, and my scars are nice and flat and fairly well concealed, with the addition of beard hair into them.

Props to Joe Buck for coming clean, but to think of being knocked out for the surgery is pretty pathetic.

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In the 80's, doctors routinely sent their patients home with 5 mm plugs in rows across their head and told them they would be looking great in no time. Don't believe someone because they have 'Dr.' in front of their name. Greed can make anyone lie.

I hear what you are saying. When I later learned through a Pam Zekman undercover report that the muskrat skinner set my grafts I didn't quite understand the law. It wasn't a medical malpractice attorney that I should have been consulting with because that was a dead end if you understand the process. The damages are to be found in the marketing and in fact that is where one can also find the huge judgments being levied as an example to keep the public safe. I understand that all much better now thanks to a very nice group of people.

This is why when information is manipulated online it becomes marketing fraud and those that manipulated it now own all the information being presented. Much easier for guys to sue today for marketing fraud and not a poor surgical outcome. If all the information was not disclosed or if it was manipulated in any way then it's marketing fraud and you sue the marketer and the doctor that hired the marketer.


Chicago Tribune


July 28, 1992|By Steve Johnson.


Baldness-treatment Center Charged With Ad Fraud




A national baldness-treatment business with headquarters on the Northwest Side continues to perform about 135 anti-baldness surgeries a week, despite a criminal complaint seeking its closure, according to the firm`s attorney.


The Cook County State`s Attorney`s Office filed the complaint last week against the Elliott-Thomas Medical Group, located at 8770 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. The complaint alleges that the company, which advertises its scalp-reduction and hair-relocation services in newspapers and magazines, has used models, toupees, patients of other hair-loss-treatment centers and even the comb-over- bald-spot technique in its before-and-after ads.


FOR THE RECORD - Additional material published July 30, 1992:
Corrections and clarifications.


An article in July 28 Chicagoland sections about fraud charges filed against the Elliott-Thomas Medical Group, a baldness-treatment center, stated incorrectly that the charges were contained in a criminal complaint and that the complaint sought to close the business. Actually, the complaint was filed in Cook County civil court and is not a criminal charge. Moreover, it does not seek specifically to close the firm. Also, the first paragraph of the article wrongly attributed this information to the attorney for Elliott-Thomas. The Tribune regrets the errors.



The Cook County Circuit Court complaint against the group and its owners, Drs. Robert Thomas and R. Michael Elliott, further charges that the business has allowed non-doctors to perform surgery on clients, including one non-physician who claims expertise as a muskrat skinner and who was first employed by Elliott planting trees on his Michigan farm.


``It`s tabloid material,`` said Assistant State`s Atty. Robert Lyons, supervisor of the consumer fraud division. ``We`re not saying the guy can`t stand there and hold gauze, but we are saying he can`t stitch a wound.``

Michael D. Falls, attorney for the doctors and their business, said that in just one instance, an ad portrayed a model rather than a client. That ad, he said, ran in Midway Airlines` in-flight and Chicago magazines.

But he said the advertising company that prepared the ad used a model without the knowledge of the doctors, who pulled the ad as soon as they recognized the problem.
Otherwise, Falls said, ``they have not accused my clients of being incompetent physicians or of performing services negligently. They have accused my clients of allowing the wrong people to perform surgical procedures,`` an allegation that Falls said was untrue.

He allowed that medical assistants trained by the doctors might remove and insert chunks of scalp containing hair after doctors have done the cutting, but that ``cutting is without question reserved to a licensed physician.``

The business performs essentially two procedures, one which moves hair-bearing scalp to non-hair-bearing areas and another which simply eliminates or reduces the size of bald spots by removing them and then sewing the scalp more tightly together, Falls said.

At its 10 surgical centers, it employs six doctors, including Elliott, of the Los Angeles area, and Thomas, of Lake Forest, as well as registered nurses and medical assistants at each, Falls said.

The complaint seeks not only the closure of the business, but also the revocation of Thomas` and Elliott`s Illinois medical licenses, fines of more than $100,000, and a ban on using non-doctors to perform surgery.

In the complaint, John Miller, the handyman-turned-medical assistant, and Kurt Kerbeck, a former salesman for the medical groups, claim Miller performed surgery and administered anesthesia without a doctor being present.


Falls responded that Kerbeck and Miller were disgruntled employees, who both were fired in 1990.

A client, Leonard Karpowich, charges in the complaint that Miller anesthetized him and performed surgery without a doctor present.

Karpowich, Falls pointed out, is currently suing the business for medical malpractice.
``If my clients are guilty of anything, they`re guilty of not being able to work miracles,`` Falls said.

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Stay away from doctors who perform mega sessions, have posts deleted, attack posters, sue patients & forum owners, use power drills or robots. I recommend fue with hand punches in the .70-.85 range. I consulted with dozens of clinics over the years and there was a recurring theme regarding FUE among some employees of those other clinics. I was told Bisanga was the man my research told me the same and my experience validated my own research.

The ET house of horrors, an assembly line of bad results and botched work, and considering what I looked like after he butchered me, I can only imagine how bad it must have been for those other guys who really were far worse candidates, and allowed that scumbag to make all the decisions for them. I still remember the picture Thomas showed me of someone who didn't have enough donor for complete coverage and just opted for his hairline, apparently this guy was in a television studio and was only concerned with what he looked like when in front of the camera head on. So he was slick bald behind his Thomas created hairline. The picture I saw was him seated at a desk, a linear hairline, nice and low. The picture was, of course, taken from somewhat of a distance (15 to 20 feet) but up close this guy had to look awful, with a straight line of "mini grafts", the next progression from the traditional plug. Laughably obvious, as I recall. I can only guess that this guy did not stay in a television studio for much longer after Thomas got done with him. I also remember a NW7 coming in for a consult and telling me he always wanted to have hair, this was likely back in 1995 or so. I never told him to run and hide from that place, because I still had not realized the scale of his awful work, my native hair was still covering up the worst of it. I sincerely hope someone talked that guy out of getting a surgery, but he was so enthusiastic, I bet Thomas talked him into it.

Karma is someone else running a red light and T-boning his car, killing him. I remember reading the article of the accident in the Tribune, and that no tickets were issued, even though it said a witness saw the other car run a red light before hitting Thomas. I still remember that Thomas did not have an obituary in any Chicago newspaper.

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In the 80's, doctors routinely sent their patients home with 5 mm plugs in rows across their head and told them they would be looking great in no time. Don't believe someone because they have 'Dr.' in front of their name. Greed can make anyone lie.