The best top-level clinic only in Germany? Special position of hair transplantation
Hair transplantation has become one of the most popular treatments in the field of cosmetic surgery. However, with the increasing demand for hair surgery, countless new clinics and doctors are conquering the market, which unfortunately includes many dubious providers or inadequately trained doctors, and this is also associated with increased risks/dangers. Find out here whether the best clinic is only available in Germany and other important facts!
The number of providers for hair transplants is increasing enormously and this makes the choice of a reputable, renowned, and experienced hair surgeon considerably more difficult and thus the risks of finding an inexperienced doctor also increase! Many interested parties shy away from a long journey because of the time and financial effort involved, so that the question for a suitable provider and above all the question for the best clinic in Germany comes up again and again, which not only acquires customers here in this country (mediation agencies), but also really carries out the treatments in Germany.
“Many of the illegal clinics have fancy websites with references and testimonials that look very professional. However, the reality is that the hair transplant may be performed by someone who has no medical training.”
Read more about the ISHRS.org “Fight The Fight” campaign
Campaign against “black market clinics” World Association for Hair Surgery ISHRS.org
Hair transplantation Germany and the assumption of the best doctors and clinics
Certainly many patients assume that the best doctors/clinics on a top level are not to be found abroad and only in Germany, that the doctors are highly trained with regard to hair surgery and that they have sufficient know-how and experience. In many other areas this is certainly true, especially if the corresponding speciality is taught in universities and further training is offered, but many people interested in hair transplantation are completely unaware that hair surgery occupies a special position!
A specialist title is no carte blanche for hair transplantation and likewise no proof of sufficient know-how and best quality: Up to now, there has been no university training in Germany regarding hair restoration surgery, neither in further training for plastic surgeons, nor in further training on other subjects!
What many people interested in hair transplantation cannot imagine, but what is currently a fact: hair transplantation is a great exception in cosmetic surgery. This is because, in contrast to other topics, hair transplantation is not taught in any university in Germany, neither in further training to become a plastic surgeon, nor in further training on other topics. At most, basic knowledge about it is covered in the subject of dermatology.
In Germany, hair transplant is neither part of the training catalogue nor, above all, of the operation catalogue of the specialist in plastic and aesthetic surgery, let alone for the specialist in dermatology. Dr. med Frank Neidel also mentions that a specialist title is by no means a carte blanche or even a licence for hair restoration surgery or other aesthetic procedures.1 Since there is still no specialist title for hair surgery, a specialist title is therefore far from being proof of sufficient know-how and the best quality.
Medical training centres and international associations with a focus on hair surgery
For this reason, several international associations with a focus on hair surgery have emerged over the years, such as ISHRS, ESHRS, FUE-Europe, or the Worldfueinstitute. Through these associations, which are specifically geared towards HT, congresses for doctors/clinics are offered at which established and experienced hair surgeons share their knowledge with other doctors in specialist lectures. There are also introductory courses and further training courses for already experienced hair surgeons. In addition, there are also private institutions that specialize in training courses on the subject of hair restoration, such as the training center in Ankara, Turkey.
“When I had my first hair transplant in Germany, I did not get good advice beforehand. After the consultation by Hairforlife and after the corrective surgery, I am very satisfied!”
Fitness Couch Alexander
How does the following fit together? The level of difficulty of a hair transplant is below a tattoo, but the numbers of botched HT`s are rising sharply
I remember a discussion with a doctor in Germany in Hesse whose goal was to be able to perform a hair transplant “in-between times” in addition to other surgical procedures. According to his statement, he had not yet carried out a single hair transplant, but he was positive that he would soon be able to officially offer hair transplants, because in his opinion – which he did not allow himself to be dissuaded from even by numerous objections from me – a hair transplant would be just below a good tattoo in terms of difficulty!
On the other hand, however, the number of cases of botched operations is rising sharply, as can be read in the article “Failed hair transplantation and what you can do legally “. How does this fit together?
The reasons are obvious:
- Rarely they are specialists and true “hair surgeons”. Many of them do not specialize in hair surgery and offer many other cosmetic surgical procedures in addition to their hair surgery services
- Simply lack of knowledge, as a reminder, the subject of hair restoration surgery is not taught in any university in Germany, not even in the advanced training for plastic surgeons!
- Lack of experience
- Lack of participation in training courses, congresses, continuing education courses, etc.
- Medical overestimation of one’s own abilities
The danger of medical overestimation of oneself: A mere specialist title in Germany is not a guarantee for a good result!
Overestimating oneself is also common in medicine, as Aerztezeitung.de2 and Dr. Frank Neidel say that overestimation is the biggest enemy of doctors and can disfigure, mutilate or even kill people.1
It is certainly understandable when doctors/clinics in Germany also include hair transplantation in their range of services and want to improve their income, the hair transplantation business is booming.
Compared to other surgical interventions, however, the transplantation of one’s own hair occupies a special position, as mentioned above. Not only is hair surgery not taught at any university in Germany, neither in further training as a plastic surgeon nor in further training on other subjects, but hair surgery procedures in particular require a great deal of know-how and, above all, a great deal of experience. The assumption that a hair transplantation is less difficult than a good tattoo is a fatal misjudgment and can even lead to downright mutilated patients, such as see here.
Of course, some self-confident doctors like to believe that, as the Aerztezeitung in Germany quotes it, “…they are better at their job than their colleagues2 and that they are the best doctor ” and that they can therefore achieve first-class results in no time at all, even without any training in hair surgery and without any experience, but everyone should remember their responsibility and, without the appropriate know-how and experience, it would be better to forego the turnover and refer the patients to an experienced hair surgeon.
Poor growth rate and donor hair damaged: A hair transplant is an irreversible procedure! A hair transplant cannot be removed indefinitely!
The following must be made clear once again: A hair transplantation can only be carried out and achieve good results if there is enough hair in the donor area available. Since a transplant is only a “redistribution” of hair, the donor area cannot be harvested indefinitely.
Each patient has a certain number of grafts/donor hair available (so-called donor reserve) and this should be handled as carefully as possible. If grafts/donor hair is damaged during transplantation and does not grow (poor growth rate), then they are lost forever and are no longer available. An hair restoration is an irreversible procedure! Here, too, hair transplants take on a special position. For example, in the case of unsuccessful breast augmentations, implants can be exchanged, but in the case of a hair restoration surgery, damaged donor hair/grafts (due to poor growth rate and/or damaged donor hair/grafts during harvesting) are lost forever, with lifelong consequences and the loss of further options!
Hair transplantation in Germany Clinics: Two unsuccessful examples with poor growth rate, unnatural result, and scars
Please also read the following articles from patients who had surgery in Germany clinics and botched it, but were corrected by Hairforlife hair surgeons:
- Case F from Southern Germany
In case F, this patient had undergone a badly performed hair transplant in Germany with a poor growth rate, scars, and unnatural hairline and was awarded 15,000 euros in damages. According to lawyer Christoph Bomke from Berlin, the key points were:
* Lack of information about the fact that the FUE technique was already known in 2005 as a modern, gentle, and almost scar-free method through which absolutely natural results can be achieved3
* Lack of information about the fact that this doctor has neither the training for hair surgery, let alone sufficient experience in this field3
* Failure to inform the patient that the use of finasteride (see also the article “Stopping hair loss”), which is prescribed for hair loss, can stop the progression of hair loss – with a probability of over 90 % 3
After a consultation at Hairforlife, the patient decided to have a repair at Dr. Özgür Öztan – Hairlineclinic and the result caused great satisfaction to the German patient!
Read more detailed information about case F here.
- Case Marco from Germany
Marco had already had a badly performed surgery with the FUT (strip method), with which he was very unhappy, and after a consultation with Andreas Krämer from Hairforlife, he decided to have a correction/repair with Dr. Lars Heitmann in Zurich, Switzerland. The case of Marco was documented in detail on television, see the TV report on Swiss television in the health magazine “Puls” from 17.01.2020 “There are no miracle cures for baldness“4 and from 12.12.2011 “Fill the bald spot with your own hair“5
You can read more about the Marco case and see more pictures of how Marco from Germany looks today in the Hairforlife article “TV Reportage Case “Marco from Germany”: Correction with FUE by Dr. Heitmann”.
Further important selection criteria for doctors and clinics
The trained eye: The research to find the best clinics in Germany usually begins with the inspection of the websites of various clinics, precisely those that carry out hair transplantation in Germany and, as a rule, the amount of the possible costs always come first. But how does the clinic present itself? Do they tell you which doctor performs the hair transplant? Is it disclosed which specialist professional background the performing doctor can prove? What methods are used and what instruments or devices are used? Can examples of treatment cases documented by former patients be found on the internet? As a rule, the greatest possible transparency is also an indicator of seriousness. Unfortunately, however, many providers fail to deal openly with the parameters that are most important to prospective patients.
Reputation of a clinic
In many cases, clinics/providers do not openly communicate which surgeon performs the treatments or which doctors can be chosen for a hair transplant in the respective clinic. One often reads about a team that carries out the transplantations, but the name of the treating doctor is usually not mentioned. On the one hand, this does not offer any transparency and on the other hand, it deprives interested parties of the opportunity to inform themselves in advance about the doctor performing the procedure. However, a hair transplantation is an intervention on the human body, which one does not undergo for emergency medical reasons (whereby the name of the doctor would be of secondary importance in view of the situation), but it is an intervention for which one consciously decides and the reputation of the doctor/clinic should be placed above the issue of the lowest possible costs. Thorough preparation for hair transplantation, including comprehensive information about the treating doctors, should also be indispensable in one’s own interest.
The publicly available biography, professional development, as well as the obtained certificates, which distinguish a doctor for his (preferably outstanding) skills in the field of hair transplantation, are of great importance. In addition, documented patient cases can be found on the internet for almost every renowned hair surgeon, which in turn prove an excellent reputation. If all of this is not given, as is attested to by several providers according to reports in relevant forums, the question should arise as to the reasons for the lack of transparency
Hair surgery – quality features
In addition to the quality features already mentioned (reputation), other parameters can also provide information. A lack of patient case documentation on the internet can be an indication of a lack of quality features. Hair surgery is also an area that is offered “among other things” at many clinics, as mentioned above. As a rule, these are clinics for cosmetic surgery that have also included this area of treatment. Which doctor (presumably trained as a plastic surgeon) performs the hair operation? Are there any reliable findings about the qualification as a hair surgeon? Where can documented patient cases be found? In this case, too, some questions should be asked when looking for a suitable, renowned, and experienced hair surgeon for one’s hair transplantation.
Do not make the best hair transplantation with high quality dependent on the place of residence, for a renowned hair surgeon with sufficient experience and documented results, travel costs should not play a role
If questions remain unanswered and published patient case documentation (if available) is not convincing, prospective patients should definitely look at renowned, experienced hair surgeons known for their outstanding skills.
For pure pleasure, people sometimes travel thousands of kilometers and dig deep into their pockets to get to their desired holiday destination. But for a medical procedure on one’s own body, the choice of doctor/clinic should depend solely on the cost and location of the clinic/distance from home?
Perhaps this comparison will help you to reconsider the importance of the distance to the location of a proven specialist for the best hair transplantation with sufficient experience and proven results.
Hair transplantation Germany: Contact the expert for a consultation
“Do you have any questions about hair transplantation in Germany and are you interested in a free online consultation including case assessment? I will be happy to advise you!
Andreas Krämer
Sources/References/Author
1 Dr. Frank Neidel, Düsseldorf, Germany, in “Der niedergelassene Arzt – Fehler und Gefahren bei der Haartransplantation”
2 Aerztezeitung.de
3 Report Case F on Hairforlife.info – 15.000 Euro compensation for a botched transplantation Author: Andreas Krämer/Hairforlife expert editorial staff in cooperation with lawyer Christoph Bomke
4 SRF programme Puls from 17.01.2011 (Marco’s consultation and surgery) https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/puls/video/gegen-die-glatze-gibts-keine-wundermittel?urn=urn:srf:video:14c62cea-bdd4-4493-a5b7-aa27c12fbdd3&station=69e8ac16-4327-4af4-b873-fd5cd6e895a7
5 SRF programme Puls from 12.12.2011 (Result of Marco) https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/puls/video/die-glatze-mit-den-eigenen-haaren-fuellen?urn=urn:srf:video:dec8726b-2543-4da3-9093-c71db174e1c6&station=69e8ac16-4327-4af4-b873-fd5cd6e895a7
Author
Andreas Krämer/Hairforlife Expert Editorial Office