My experience with the professionals
I always look forward to the review with Maurice and the team as I believe that the people in HRBR are 100% interested in my hairloss concerns, they hear my expectations and my views towards surgery. But most of all what I have experienced very comforting about my discussion about surgery is that they offer their expertise and guidance to give a realistic expectation to what the outcome will be. My own expectations to restore my twenties looks are soon revalued and my understanding of how I would actually look after surgery is soon realised as Maurice utilizes his experience and professionalism to bring me down to earth, he reminds me that I’m in my mid thirties now. (thank you Maurice) He will not promise the sun moon and stars if it is not realistic. The fact is I can have what I ask for but how I will look is just as important for the Team of people in HRBR as they want the best for you and I realise there is a true caring nature to how the result should be the best possible for the individual. I am offered their sincere opinions on how my hair looks now in the present and how I may look down the road in years to come, Maurice gives me his advice on how to maintain the hair I already have by nurturing it and using the medication prescribed. The medication can sustain growth and I believe in my case it has slowed down my hairloss significantly. I have never been influenced to proceed with surgery but rather a friendly open discussion regarding the best options for me is the most accurate way to describe my experiences here. One thing is true for sure which Maurice has re-iterated to me it’s not anyone else that can make the decision for You, when you look in the mirror the person looking back at you can only decide how they feel and thats the only person who can decide for you, I always feel content in myself and even confident after attending the clinic because there is never any pressure or expectation from anyone, in fact on the last few visits I have been told that my hair looks well and that the hairloss has not advanced a lot at all. This honesty is the same if I’m attending my local Gp who is a friend of the family since I was a baby. I can make a genuine comparable here because I have found my best interests are met at HRBR. The people I have met in HRBR are absolute professional highly trained individuals but most of all I have found each and everyone to be understanding, courteous and If I describe my experiences with them as very comforting it is not an exaggeration. As well as Maurice the Surgery Manager Beverly is an absolute lady and she has become a friend at this stage she is so understanding, practical and just a really nice person. I have found this to be the case with anyone I have met in HRBR. As my review is concludes Maurice shakes my hand and advises me when I feel the time is right to phone up, Meanwhile I am content in the knowledge that I have attended the experts in the field of hairloss.
It had taken my visits to HRBR to restore my faith in that something can be done for me. I would like to share a very bad experience I encountered back in 2006 when I noticed my receding hairline advancing back and my forehead getting bigger. I started researching the options I had available to try and correct the gaps on my balding scalp. I generally research well and do so in dept, I think I was feeling quite insecure at the time and I wanted a quick remedy and was interested in what should be a permanent fix as opposed to lotions and potions. I obtained a number for a transplant clinic based in Co. Dublin or so I thought. I phoned up the number on the advertised snippet which I think I had seen on the back of a tabloid newspaper. I am sketchy on the exact paper and how this number came into my hands, I then proceeded to make the call and obtain information. The Man who answered had a deep voice and a very strong Dublin accent. He was based in Dublin; he advised me to meet him to discuss my hairloss and said it was a pre-op consultation. In May 2006 I travelled up to the city to meet this man who I presumed was the same man who would carry out my hair transplant surgery. The meeting took place in a fairly run down office which I thought was dirty and not a place you would go to have surgery done.
I felt a little uneasy but a little excited that I may have my hairline re-invented. The man was very optimistic and advised me I needed 1500 grafts and that it would be adequate to fill in the gaps on my hairline. I did find it a little strange that he didn’t even look at my hair, I asked him would surgery take place at this office and he advised it was at their Cork based office where surgery is carried out. I asked him for the cost and he advised a consultation fee was due today and a deposit of 3000 if I wanted to proceed. I didn’t pay a consultation fee as I was not pre advised of this but later I sent 60euro
I went away to think about it and I was nervous but also very annoyed that my hair was falling out. This man had told me it was only going to get worse and that if I didn’t get surgery now I will be ringing up again in a few months to get it done..In hindsight he was playing on the vulnerable. After a few days I rang this man again to advise I will proceed. He asked me to post a cheque for 3000eur which I did. He phoned me up on receipt of my cheque and gave the details for the Surgeon in Co Cork. I immediately phoned the surgeon who was quite clear about directs, dates etc and I quickly established he worked from home. Nevertheless my hair was falling out and I was pretty anxious about that fact. We arranged a date and I went to his house for a meeting the day before surgery to go through the procedure and the necessary documentation. I stayed at a local hotel in kinsale, Co. Cork and I was quite clear about everything, I swallowed the pill which was prescribed to help me relax and I was all set. I had a good breakfast the morning of surgery and I met the team of people who were going to assist in the procedure. I have to say I got quite nervous at this point. There was the discussion about money, the surgeon was not aware I had payed a deposit to the Man in Dublin. So this raised my concerns. However the Surgeon made a phone call and returned quite affirming that all was ok regarding the deposit and that we would proceed but I would pay the balance which I think was 3500 more on completion of the transplant. I read the disclaimer presented and I was developing increased anxiety but dismissed this as nerves. When I entered a basic room where I was instructed to sit down I was quite apprehensive at this point and I was curious to how basic the whole surgery equipment seemed to me. I looked at the surgeon who had then advised me he had a full transplant himself; He shown me a photograph of him completely bald. I looked at him as I sat in the chair and I thought that looks like a very poor job in fairness. The team began to shave my head and I was starting to hyperventilate, they tilted the chair back fully so I would regain composure. When I felt that I was ok again they began giving me local anesthetic injections into the back of the head to numb the area for donor hair. I almost fainted and they tilted me back in the chair again.
I got an overwhelming feeling that this was all wrong and I asked them to stop. The people there were surprised I am sure. The Surgeon asked me to take a drink of water and relax and take time to compose myself. At this point I knew I was not going to get this done here. I took 5 minutes to re-think and I announced that I was NOT going ahead with Surgery. The Dr/Surgeon was surprised but he advised that the deposit I paid will remain with the other Man in Dublin as my dealings were already done with him. I advised The Surgeon I would be on Gerry Ryan on the following Monday if he did not ensure that every penny of the deposit would be returned to me.
I was not sure if I would see my money but lucky enough I did receive it. Thankgod
So in hindsight a valuable lesson was learned to never cut a corner or assume a lesser cost is better because I believe you get what you pay for, but also more importantly I learned to trust my gut instinct which I am so glad I did in the end before the scalpel came out on the surgery chair in Cork. It could have ruined my life if I had not of felt such uncomfortable feelings. I urge anyone to do your research and please just go to the professional people who know what they are doing.
It was a year afterwards when I met Morris and Beverly in HRBR and I was a very skeptical young man at that time. It took me some time to trust in people again. I want to share my story so if you are considering a cheaper option for your hair transplant DON’T!
