Hair Transplant Podcast

IAHRS member Sanusi Umar, M.D. discusses what it takes to become a skilled FUE hair transplant surgeon. While the field is becoming more exciting due to advancing technology, it's more dangerous than its been in more than two decades.

Spencer Kobren speaks with IAHRS accepted member Para Mohebi, M.D. about the decline in overall acceptable FUE hair transplant surgery outcomes, and why the field  is taking such an ugly turn. If you are considering hair transplant surgery, remember, if your doctor doesn’t know at least as much about the procedure as their techs, you might want to consider doing more research.

While there is usually a set criteria for a prospective academic presenter to be accepted to lecture at a medical conference, the requirements are not necessarily indicative of any verifiable expertise in the field. In general, physicians submit a short abstract of their proposed presentation which then undergoes a peer review process. Depending on the size of the conference, even novices in the field might be allowed to present if the review committee believes the presentation will fill seats. If your hair transplant surgeon markets themselves a being “published,” or as a lecturer in the field, take the time to do your homework to ensure your hair transplant surgeon is a true expert at their craft and not just an accomplished cosmetic surgery marketer.

As always, Spencer Kobren speaks candidly from The Advanced FUE Los Angeles workshop about how important it is for physicians interested in offering hair transplant surgery in their practice, to really learn the craft before investing in any “turnkey” device. Bottom line: The fastest way to destroy your hard earned reputation is to jump into hair transparent surgery without being properly trained.

Being “ready” for hair transplant surgery is a very personal decision, however it has been well established that a significant percentage of  younger patients are simply not emotionally equipped to handle a less than perfect outcome. Hair transplant surgery is real cosmetic surgery and with it comes the same medical and emotional risk. Spencer Kobren and Joe Tillman speak with one happy patient who waited until he was “ready” to undergo hair transplant surgery and who emphasizes that developing realistic expectations was part of his process.

Spencer Kobren speaks with IAHRS founding member Paul Rose, M.D. live from The Advance FUE Los Angeles workshop in Redondo Beach, CA. about some of the devastating outcomes being produced by untrained physicians and clinics who are simply purchasing heavily marketed hair transplant devices and who are not even comming close to providing the minimal standard of care to unsuspecting patients.

While hair transplant technology is certainly advancing, are product manufacturers selling products that actually enhance or improve the hair transplant patient experience or are these medical devices simply marketing tools?

Have the medical device manufacturers, novice hair transplant practitioners and ill-informed patients accepted less natural and even sparse results as the new normal? Sadly, it appears that a new narrative is being created and expectations are lower than they’ve been in years. Remember, it is possible to get a great hair transplant but sadly, most of what is being offered today by these turn key practices is mediocre at best and that seems ok with today’s hash-tag, cosmetic surgery consumer and mainstream cosmetic surgery marketing websites.

IAHRS accepted member, Atlanta hair transplant surgeon Daniel Danyo, MD, speaks with spencer Kobren about conventional strip surgery and its relevance in today’s standard of care, even though he chooses to perform FUE exclusively in his practice.

The internet is a cesspool of misleading sales and marketing tactics targeting vulnerable hair transplant consumers, making research even more difficult. No matter how much good research you have done, understanding that all cometic surgery comes with risk of disappointment, or worse, is vital before undergoing treatment.