Tag Archives: botched hair surgery

Case Study – Botched Strip Scar Repaired by FUE

October 18, 2017 admin Leave a comment

Patient had Strip/FUT hair transplant surgery by a doctor who claimed to be an experienced hair restoration surgeon. During the surgery, the patient reported feeling excruciating pain during each graft punch. The doctor told him not to worry. As the surgery was coming to a close and the doctor and technicians were sewing his scalp back together, the patient remembers feeling pain as they tugged and pulled at the skin in an attempt to get it sewn back together.

The resulting scar is a classic look of a botched FUT/Strip hair transplant surgery. The doctor took out too much scalp tissue to extract grafts from. So, when it was time to sew the scalp back together, there wasn’t enough scalp tissue to create a nice, even, seamless look. Additionally, the tool used to extract grafts was much too large, leaving the circular mass scars you see below. The scars left behind by this “experienced” surgeon were full of lumpy masses of scar tissue with a wide area of hair loss.

The patient came to Dr. Yazdan at Modena Hair center seeking a scar repair procedure to conceal the botched scar. Dr. Yazdan assessed the scalp and the existing damage caused by the previous botched surgery. After evaluating all of their options, Dr. Yazdan and the patient agreed an FUE hair transplantation into the scar would yield the best results. The patient now has hair coverage on the scar tissue area, eliminating the hair loss in that area and creating a fuller more natural hair appearance across the scalp.

Don’t let this be you! While hair restoration surgery is minimally invasive, it is still a medical surgery. That means your surgeon needs to be qualified and experienced. Do not hesitate to research and ask questions. A good hair transplant surgeon will take the time to walk you through the process and share their results with you. If you’d like to learn more about scar repair options, give us a call.

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Botched hair transplant surgery – don’t let it happen to you

July 9, 2017 admin Leave a comment

Botched hair transplant surgeries are on the rise. A botched hair transplant surgery refer to an unfavorable end result of a hair transplant surgery. It can mean a botched scar from an FUT/Strip procedure, a botched recipient zone with little to no graft survival rate, or extreme permanent shock loss due to a hair transplant mega-session.
According to Dr. Yazdan, patients that come in for a consultation to repair botched hair transplant surgeries done elsewhere has increased dramatically over the past 5 years. He states that when he first began transplanting hair about 10 years ago, fixing botched hair transplants made up an extremely small sample of his patients. Now, resolving botched cases accounts for almost half of his active surgery patients.
While there are methods to help repair botched hair transplant surgeries, such as scar revision/repair, scalp micropigmentation, and additional hair transplant procedures, it is much easier and more cost-effective to have the surgery done right the first time.
Botched hair transplants have damaging and lasting effects. Not only do they cause patients to spend double or triple what they would have if their first surgery was successful to fix their hair, but the valuable donor area of the scalp can be permanently damaged. This damage means that even a corrective surgery may not be possible.
In order to protect yourself from becoming a victim of a botched hair transplant surgery, make sure to thoroughly investigate your future hair restoration surgeon. Make sure to also educate yourself on standard hair transplant practices. Knowledge will be your best line of defense in preventing a botched surgery.
Here at Modena, we are experienced in correcting botched hair transplants. If you or someone you know has been a victim of a botched hair transplant surgery, give us a call for a consultation today.

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The dangers of getting surgery abroad

July 7, 2017 admin Leave a comment

Some individuals who are desperate to get a surgery or procedure done, but find themselves with a lack of funds, seek treatment abroad.
In developing countries, procedures and surgeries can be done for a fraction of the cost compared to here in the U.S. For some, the cheaper price tag outweighs their concerns about the risks of cutting corners.
Whether you’re in the U.S. or abroad, all medical surgeries carry risks. While the risks are usually relatively low, with the benefits far outweighing the risks, in the U.S. the patient is made aware of all potential outcomes prior to partaking in the procedure.
In other countries, things like lack of regulation, lack of sanitary quarters, lack of education and lack of expertise increase the risks of surgery dramatically.
Regulation. In the U.S., we have strict regulations on doctors via the medical board of doctors. There are associations and government run organizations that outline and regulate strict guidelines for how medicine should be practiced. They also outline and regulate the areas in which medical surgeries and procedures can be done, maintaining sanitation. All of these regulations reduce risks of danger to the patient, such as infection and death. These regulations keep the patient safe and help secure the positive outcome of the procedure. In developing countries, they don’t have these same organizations that keep strict guidelines for medical practice. This lack of regulation means increased danger for the patient. Your risk of infection and having a botched surgery increases dramatically.
Education. In the U.S., doctors go through intense training and schooling before being allowed to practice. Additionally, they have to get specific training and maintain current yearly training hours to keep up their knowledge and skills. In other countries, doctors are not held to this same high standard of continuing education. Because they may not be as skilled, they may not know the correct techniques for surgical procedures.
If you find yourself contemplating getting a procedure done abroad, stop and think about the risks that are increasing. While you may save money short-term, you’ll end up spending more long-term to correct a botched surgery. And most importantly, risking your health is not worth any dollar amount.

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Hair transplants then versus now

May 24, 2017 admin Leave a comment

Hair transplants have changed a lot over the years. Hair transplants were first developed in the 1950’s but didn’t gain popularity until the 1980’s.
Due to the newness of the technology available and the lack of experience of the doctors at the time, the results of these hair transplants were not too favorable. Grafts or “plugs” were taken out of the donor zone, and placed sporadically in the balding areas. This haphazard placing of grafts led to the appearance of the hair being ‘plugged’ in. Many individuals were left with their hair looking very doll-like.
Thankfully, hair transplant technology has advanced tremendously over the past 40 years. Specially crafted tools are used to extract and place grafts. Grafts are now placed closely together, just like our natural hair is, which gives the transplanted hair a nice, natural, and blended look. Experienced and qualified hair transplant surgeons are now able to leverage their skills and techniques to give the best and most natural looking hair outcomes possible.
Unfortunately, not all surgeons are up to date on the latest techniques. Some less experienced surgeons are still using the plug technique as is illustrated below.

Most individuals seeking hair restoration are not looking for this plug-like look. Your best defense against a botched hair transplant surgery such as this one, is to research research research. While hair transplants are considered a non-invasive cosmetic procedure, when they go wrong they can make a drastic difference in your overall appearance. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, read reviews, and study the before and after pictures of your prospective surgeon.
If you are the victim of a botched surgery and would like to learn more about what options are available to you to fix your hair, give us a call today. Here at Modena, we specialize in reparative hair transplant surgery.

Case Results

Case Study – Botched Strip FUT Hair Transplant Surgery Repaired by Dr. Yazdan

May 9, 2017 admin Leave a comment

Patient presented 1 year post-op with a scar that was the result of a botched Strip/FUT hair transplant. The patient was not satisfied with the results his previous surgeon had given him. As you can see, the scar is thick, wide, and very obvious. In addition, there was poor graft survival rate in the recipient zone. This patient had traveled abroad to get his surgery in an attempt to save money.

The appearance of our hair is directly tied to our confidence and self-esteem. Its no surprise that hair loss results in a lower self-confidence. When we are examining the effects of a botched surgery, the harm it has on an individual’s emotional and mental state is heightened. They go into a hair transplant surgery thinking the issue causing them stress will be resolved. Instead, they come out worse than before. The patient in this case study was extremely upset about the results of his surgery, rightfully so.

Dr. Yazdan took his case as a scar repair procedure. As seen in the before picture, the patient had no hair growth in the scarred area due to scar tissue. Dr. Yazdan transplanted grafts into the scar so that hair could grow in that area and cover the appearance of the scar. As seen in the after pictures, the patient now has full hair coverage throughout the scarred area. The patient states they feel immensely better, having a new sense of restored self-confidence and self-esteem.

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Botched Hair Transplant Surgery – How to avoid it happening to you

May 4, 2017 admin Leave a comment

Unfortunately, botched hair transplants are becoming increasingly common. Every week we see handfuls of patients for consultations seeking a corrective hair transplant or scar repair procedure done.
Botched hair transplant surgeries often leave the patient’s hair looking worse off than before. Botched can refer to the scar left by the Strip/FUT incision, extreme shock loss in the donor area, or a minimal-nonexistent survival rate of the transplanted grafts.

Don’t let this happen to you! There are many ways you can avoid ending up with a botched hair transplant surgery. I discuss two of those ways below.
First, and most importantly, do your research. Below is a list of useful questions to ask your prospective hair transplant surgeon:

How many years of experience do you have transplanting hair?
Do you use a machine or hand tools to assist you in extracting and placing grafts?
What size punch tool do you use?
Do you have any before and after pictures?
Do you have any testimonials?
Are you certified by the ISHRS?
Will you be the one actually performing my surgery?
What percentage success rate do you have for graft survival and overall successful outcomes for hair transplant surgeries?

Second, consider the cost benefit analysis. While a cheaper cost for surgery sounds ideal, its true what they say about getting what you pay for. Most cases of botched surgeries are a result of someone choosing a cheaper surgical option, whether that means going abroad or choosing someone with inferior credentials. Although you may save money in the short term, you end up spending more than you would have if you’d chosen the right surgeon the first time when you have to pay for a second surgery to repair your botched hair transplant.
While there are methods to correct a bad hair transplant or repair a bad Strip/FUT scar, not everyone is a candidate for these options. The best way to avoid this scenario is to take every precaution prior to your first surgery. It is much easier to do a surgery right the first time than it is to try and repair a botched one.
Here at Modena, we stand by every surgery we do. Feel free to browse our before and afters as well as our repair case studies. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have during a consultation. Save yourself the time, money, and stress of trying to repair a botched surgery and get it done right the first time.