Hair Loss Treatment for Baldness, Thinning Hair, Alopecia & Hair Transplant Scar

1. 

   anotherguy
   Newbie
   Num Posts: 10

   Hi there,

   I tried emailing HIS but I didn't receive any response, so I'm asking here, as maybe Damien and some other folks can help me out a bit.

   I have a question about the longevity of this
   procedure. I went for a consultation
   within the past couple months at one of the clinics, and met with Ian
   along with other practitioners as well as clients who have gotten theirs
   done that day. I would say that truthfully, the practitioners and the
   clients have all looked great! Definitely not detectable, and definitely
   looks like a real, shaved look. If I have seen just those, I would be
   sold. The one issue that makes me hesitant, and this is why I felt that
   it might be too offensive to ask in person, is that Ian's own MHT did
   not feel up to par. While the new clients' hair looks like tiny little
   hair fibers on their head, along with the practitioners' themselves,
   Ian's head looks a bit painted on, sort of like a blob of sorts that
   just had one overall hue to it rather than individual "dots" of MHT to
   represent the buzzed hair fibers. It's something I noticed immediately
   when meeting him. It might be because he is a NW7, but then again, I seen many NW 7s do the procedure and the realistic dotty microfiber hair look has been present, and the overall "blob" has not been seen. Ian's unfortunately does not come across this way to me.

   It is not an easy thing to ask about as he is the co-founder of the
   company, but I feel like I'd really like to ask this (unfortunately I
   feel like I can't ask in person due to the nature of the question)
   because the treatments look fantastic when I have seen those who have
   had it newly done, along with the practitioners who had it for about a
   couple years, but I wonder if the treatment will eventually look like
   Ian's own head, either due to fading, or maybe due to getting it touched up too
   many times, which may make it look like one overall blob because of
   that. Seeing that Ian had it the longest for about 9 years now and
   looking that dull has made me a bit hesitant. Thinking about the long
   term is very important to me for such a depicted permanent solution, and
   I would hope that the treatment would look as great ten, twenty, and
   thirty years away as it would when it was freshly done. Is there
   something I might hear that can be reassuring concerning this topic?

   Please note I am not trying to be offensive or insulting, as this is a VERY awesome procedure and I'd love to have it done, but the long term ambiguity does make me hesitant. What if it looks so dull that people can tell it's fake years down the line regardless of touch ups? I would be afraid that would be worse than being bald, as an obvious tattoo on my head would make me way more insecure about myself than naturally balding!

   Thanks for any responses.

   Posted 7 months ago #
2. 

   anderja
   Regular Contributor
   Num Posts: 116

   If it's inevitable that this treatment turns into one giant blob or all the pigments mesh together over time, I guess there's always the laser removal route to consider as an option. Right now the laser removal doesn't seem very ideal, but maybe in the coming years it will evolve into a simpler process that removes tattoos in a more convenient manner.
   

   
   

   For the time that the treatment does last or look like real hair, at least it will provide a few years or maybe five or six years of confidence that we wouldn't have otherwise. Maybe it will always look good, who knows?

   
   

   Ian is the pioneer of this procedure, so I'm sure he did a lot of experimenting. A lot of trial and error on his own head, so maybe that's the reason his treatment appears the way it does. I've never seen his head, but I've heard a lot of opinions about it, that have all been positive. You're the first person I've heard, that wasn't impressed with his results. 

   
   

   
   

   
   

   Posted 7 months ago #
3. 

   Jonnyboy631
   Regular Contributor
   Num Posts: 144

   yea i know exactly what your saying "anotherguy". When i saw ian compared to the others that had this done. ians head look like it was sort of like a shadow or like your saying a blob. I saw aldemar in person, after watching his youtube video on his i will say it looks totally different after a year.  it looks like a shadow or what your saying a blob. but in a way if this happens to everyone then you can probably just shave it down to the skin with no stub because thats usually the effect you get when you shave your head all they way down to the skin.

   but i did notice that too and i didn't want to be the only one on the forum to post this because i felt like no one would agree with me. But yes ian's head doesn't look like everyones head after they leave. Then again, even if we keep telling ourselves this isn't a real tattoo, it is... They aren't using a special type of ink on our head to prolong our treatment if so then every tattoo parlor will have it. Its a tattoo and i think it ages just like a tattoo. You doing to probably need to get touch up to keep the freshness. But i mean that goes without saying. If your going to take part in MHT your going to have to understand that all though you will  get use to the look, the tattoo need to healthy in order to pull off.

   thats my 2 cents

   Posted 7 months ago #
4. 

   andrewmatias
   Regular Contributor
   Num Posts: 106

   jhonnyboy, who's aldemar? i was searching and i couldnt see any video, his mht looked like a blob after just a year? so is this inevitable? are we going to expect the treatment to blob out in time? and if it does, does a touch up fixes this problem? for me, 9 - 10 years is short.. its understandable to be going back for a touch up to freshen it up but there's a difference between keeping it fresh, and blobbing out. 

   
   

   if both of you noticed ian's head not looking that natural we'll that's concerns me but, are you sure its not because you already know he had mht? would a regular person notice that too?

   
   

   Anderja- i wouldnt want to think about the process of tattoo removal evolving in the years to come, not being pessimistic but i think alot of people are tired of that saying. the cure for hairloss has always been said that it would be available in the next years to come. but where is it.

   
   

   i dont want to be negative, since i really look up to this treatment. but i think we need facts from the people of HIS.

   
   

   
   

   Posted 7 months ago #
5. 

   Damien
   Moderator
   Num Posts: 1719

   Anotherguy, just found your email in my spam box, apologies.

   The MHT procedure has evolved dramatically since 2002. Bear in mind that no-one had ever used scalp pigmentation as a solution for hair loss before. If some people think the idea is crazy now, imagine how outlandish an idea it was seen as back then.

   Because the treatment didnt exist, Ian and Ranbir had to create the solution from scratch. They attended training courses all over the world (largely in Australia) to become familiar with treatments such as permanent make-up, micro-pigmentation and pigment colour correction. They then took everything they had learned and combined several different techniques to create a basic form of scalp pigmentation. This was then performed on Ians scalp in 2002.

   For the first few years, Ian and Ranbir were working alone, treating perhaps 1-2 clients per week. Clearly they couldnt practice new techniques on real clients, so they were very limited as to how quickly and how much they could develop the technique. In recent years however, the number of clients treated has accelerated beyond all recognition and the technique has evolved to become a far more advanced procedure than it used to be. Everything from the pigment colours, types and volumes, to the needle types, penetration depths and angles, 'follicle' densities and shapes have been finely tuned to create the service we now offer. It has taken years to reach this point, hence why so many copycat companies offer substandard results. I'm sure its not through lack of trying, but they simply havent been through the learning process that we had to go through.

   The point I'm trying to make, is that Ians treatment was completed using yesterdays technology. For the most accurate picture of what can be achieved, you need to listen to those clients who had their treatment today, last week, last month or last year. Many of these clients are still contributing to this forum, and I'm sure they'll be happy to answer all your questions.

   For your reassurance, our clients that were treated 5+ years ago have not experienced any migration of pigments. We know because, as our longest case studies apart from Ian, we keep in regular contact to see how they're doing. We see no evidence that pigments will migrate in the future.

   Jonnyboy, to clarify, we do not use regular tattoo inks. Our pigments are loosely based on those used for medical or cosmetic pigmentation, however they are blended to our own specification. The penetration depth is also less than a regular tattoo, so the pigments behave very differently (i.e they dont go green over time or 'bleed'). When all is said and done, the procedure is similar to a highly detailed tattoo, but there are several significant differences in the pigments and the technique, hence why your local tattoo parlour cant give you your hair back :)

   Andrewmatias, Aldemar is a former client of HIS who now works as one of our practitioners. Agree with your comment about not relying on future developments, you need to know what is available NOW before making any decision that affects your future. We've been promised a cure for hair loss for over 30 years, and we still dont have it.

   I am based in the UK and spend a lot of time at the Harborne clinic in Birmingham, managing the website and forum. Want to contact me? Send me a PM or email me - damien@hishairclinic.com
   
   Just joined? See our YouTube videos and gallery

   Posted 7 months ago #
6. 

   Damien
   Moderator
   Num Posts: 1719

   Just been digging through the archives. This is a very recent photo of Aldemar, in fact you may recognise him if you saw our appearance on Frank Skinner.

   

   I am based in the UK and spend a lot of time at the Harborne clinic in Birmingham, managing the website and forum. Want to contact me? Send me a PM or email me - damien@hishairclinic.com
   
   Just joined? See our YouTube videos and gallery

   Posted 7 months ago #
7. 

   Magic
   HIS Veteran
   Num Posts: 341

   And they test and remove techniques on Ian......

   Posted 7 months ago #
8. 

   LPP
   HIS Veteran
   Other alopecia
   Num Posts: 368

   I honestly think because you know Ian has the procedure on his head when you first see him it's a shock. You're looking for it when you first see him. It's all kind of built up in you and all the skepticism you have comes out in that moment. I've seen him on 3 occasions now in person and I can tell you after the 2nd and 3rd opportunity to spend time with him I don't even notice the procedure on his head. It looks real. My wife also thinks it looks real. If my head turned out like his 9 years later I'd be thrilled.  When you first meet him you are looking hard for it and you know exactly what you are looking for. After that meeting you don't even notice it anymore. At least I didn't. 

   
   

   I've also met Aldemar in person twice now and in no way does his look strange. faded, blobbed or fake to me. I wouldn't even know where Aldemar had the procedure by looking at him. Same with Matt who also works in the NYC office. If you had me guess what parts of their scalps had MHT I couldn't. It's undetectable. 

   
   

   
   

   I suffered from a form of scarring alopecia called Lichen Planopilaris. I had my first treatment with HIS on 11/28/2011 and it's changed my life for the better. Read my diary at the link below for pictures and detailed experiences. 

   
   

   http://forum.hishairclinic.com/topic/first-post

   Posted 7 months ago #
9. 

   JB
   HIS Veteran
   Num Posts: 568

   I think Aldemar had a very sharp BOLD british style to his work. Handsome british fellow so to speak. I imagine very stylish in the latest fashion of London..

   You may not know it but even with of Ians travels ..he's a pretty hard workout man. Good shape and proud of it. Nice gentleman most of all.

   Matt, the clinic manager is a young man with true NY style. He's a cool guy. I believe all the guys have caught a cool look and it all looks real years later.

   I know once I met Matt the morning of...and he had had his service a year or so back..maybe two......I knew this was a look that would last and most importantly for me..to be undetectible.

   I'm telling you guys...in the past week and a half...I have not had one inkling (SP) that anyone ever suspected this wasn't the real deal. (from birth so to speak )

   Posted 7 months ago #
10. 

    Sonicboom
    Junior Member
    Num Posts: 71

    If you shave your head with a razor your remaining hair just looks like a grey/blue blob anyway, thats just the effect of having a smooth head, ive seen some pics on this website that people have kept there hair abit longer and had MHT n it looks stupid an so noticable, best thing is to shave ur head right down with a razor or electric razor and it would blend in perfectly, i shave my head to the bone everyday n have the blob look its totally natural u can hardly see any dots, i cant wait for my treatment im not fussed about dots i just want a nice grey/blue realistic shade.

    Posted 7 months ago #
11. 

    Hat dude
    Junior Member
    Norwood 4
    Num Posts: 68

    I think you guys are expecting perfection and like plastic surgery nothing is perfect but yet everyone is getting it done. When I had my first consultation with him it was in a nice hotel and I was waiting in the lobby with my wife. I knew what he looked like from the website but I kid you not he walked right past both of us and I did not recognize him. I was looking for a guy with a shaved head that might of had some weird treatment or tattoo on his head because I am very skeptical. But I didnt notice him because it didnt look weird and even up close I didnt think it looked like a blob because I touched his scalp sitting right next to him. Look there is no 100% cure for baldness but this was the most logical choice for me mentally and economically. This is not like a tattoo because I have tattoos and the equipment is different so is the pigment. Your going to have some negative post out there but you do the research for yourself and realize that I dont think that HIS would be investing all this money in clinics around the world and this fancy website with open forum that anyone can say what they think or feel. As for me I feel I have a bit more confidence now and I even with my treatment not complete yet if someone ask to remove hat to see what I look like I dont have a panic attack. Once I completed my treatments I hope discontinue using hats to feel the sun on my face after 10yrs or so of daily wear. I have no regrets yet so Im looking forward for my last treatment. Trust me guys Im one of the skeptical people you ever meet.

    Posted 7 months ago #
12. 

    Mike ››HiTopFade‹‹
    HIS Veteran
    Norwood 7
    Num Posts: 601

    Anotherguy,

    Welcome!

    In my opinion, HIS really has no idea what will happen in 10, 20, or even 30 years... I hope it all goes well! But I am not certain nor do I think any of HIS staff are. I believe they are on the same boat as me when it comes to how long the effect lasts.

    But that shade of unknown isnt going to stop me. HIS has been my answer to premature hairloss since January of this year - I haven't had the treatment yet, but I'm going to very, very soon.

    With that said, I hope that in 10-15 years... I can report back to this forum with good news!!! ;-)

    Live. Through. This.
    

    I'm a broke 24 year old who can't afford to fly to NYC.
    

    I'm getting MHT when the Chicago Clinic opens in Spring of 2012.

    :)
    

    Posted 7 months ago #
13. 

    Hat dude
    Junior Member
    Norwood 4
    Num Posts: 68

    Whoops!

    Him = Ian

    Posted 7 months ago #
14. 

    scott123
    Newbie
    Num Posts: 6

    The "Bic 4 Good" videos on youtube are worth checking out, such as this one. If you stop it at 8.34 it shows how once hair is shaved down that short it does all sort of merge into a blob.

    Even though alot of people on here might think that videos of treatments like Colin's at 1.48 where you can clearly see the individual follicles close up looks more realistic, I would say that that a treatment like Ben's at 2.33 gives a closer comparison to what a real bic'd head looks like.

    Posted 7 months ago #
15. 

    Mike ››HiTopFade‹‹
    HIS Veteran
    Norwood 7
    Num Posts: 601

    Great observations, Scott.

    Live. Through. This.
    

    I'm a broke 24 year old who can't afford to fly to NYC.
    

    I'm getting MHT when the Chicago Clinic opens in Spring of 2012.

    :)
    

    Posted 7 months ago #
16. 

    John
    Regular Contributor
    Num Posts: 193

    Scott, agree with what you say, if you shave your head with a razor then you do not see any dots, it's like one hue as Anotherguy mentions in the initial post. That's just how a freshly shaved head looks for up to 24-36 hours post shave.

    There are two schools of thought here, the NW5/6/7 guys who want the buzz look and the NW5/6/7 who want the razor shaved look. I'd say the difference is that with the buzzed look the MHT dots are not as close to one another as compared to if someone opts for the razor shaved look.

    Ian has the razor shaved look, hence not being able to see any dots (unless you get extremely close). Anotherguy, I'd imagine that the other guys who you saw all opted for the buzzed look, hence being able to see dots.

    Posted 7 months ago #
17. 

    anotherguy
    Newbie
    Num Posts: 10

    Thanks for the replies, everyone.

    Maybe you guys are right. I can understand that razor shaving to the bone would not yield any dotty buzzed microfiber hairs, and rather it would give an overall hue. I suppose that the procedure has looked much better to me with the buzzed look rather than the razor shaved look, that I suppose the razor shaved look on Ian's deterred me a bit and made me hesitant thinking it might fade away to that degree. Would I feel like Ian's head look painted on if I met him randomly elsewhere at a different point and time? Probably not. I do enjoy the buzzed look I see more though.

    Damien, thanks for your response. I'd like to reiterate, then, do you really believe that the pigmentation/ buzzed look should remain the same in the later years of one's life and not end up like Ian's? In fact, is it possible to see Ian's procedure being freshly done in 2002? Regardless, it would be nice to see how his head has held up over the years.

    This leads me to the question regarding touch ups. If someone gets touch ups down the line, why would this not lead to overall blobbing? I would imagine that continuous touch ups down the line would lead to more dotting, which would lead to more skin filled with ink, which in then turn would lead the head to look like more of an overall hue than to give the illusion of a realistic set of hair. Please let me know more about this.

    I did hear a couple times that MHT does not go that deep into the skin so the pigment's wouldn't bleed or turn green. If that's the case, why don't all tattoos in general follow this logic? It seems regular tattoos would benefit from this idea as well.

    Again, thanks for the responses everyone. I appreciate all of it.

    Posted 7 months ago #
18. 

    anotherguy
    Newbie
    Num Posts: 10

    Double post, sorry.

    Posted 7 months ago #
19. 

    andrewmatias
    Regular Contributor
    Num Posts: 106

    yeah, i wonder too, during touch ups.. do they tattoo the exact same spot of the pigment.

    Posted 7 months ago #
20. 

    DD123
    Junior Member
    Num Posts: 40

    Hi Damien,

    
    

    You Stated :

    
    

    "For your reassurance, our clients that were treated 5+ years ago have not experienced any migration of pigments. We know because, as our longest case studies apart from Ian, we keep in regular contact to see how they're doing. We see no evidence that pigments will migrate in the future."
    

    
    

    This is reassuring to hear, but would it be too much trouble to see one or two of these documented cases in which you speak of? Possibly even update the existing case study with a series of high definition pictures to go along with the "before and after" photos. I think this would put a lot of people's mind at ease (myself included) about what to expect in the future with this procedure.
    

    
    

    Just my two cents....
    

    
    

    DD123

    Posted 7 months ago #
21. 

    Jonnyboy631
    Regular Contributor
    Num Posts: 144

    hear hear!!! im with DD123...

    Im sure everyone here would like to see more case studies on those who were treated 5+ years on the site page!

    and damien why haven't you undergone MHT yet? what are you holding back =p

    Posted 7 months ago #
22. 

    Magic
    HIS Veteran
    Num Posts: 341

    I agree. The case studies need an update. unfortunately tha'ts up to the clients. I've contacted Carter via facebook and altough he thought it isn't perfect(in his case), he's still very... very happy. It gave his live a new impuls socially and professionally.

    I asked him a while ago to give an update on the forum. He already tried, but had problems logging in. The fact is people move on when they are happy.

    Posted 7 months ago #
23. 

    baldandnotproud
    Junior Member
    Num Posts: 55

    Magic said: I agree. The case studies need an update. unfortunately tha'ts up to the clients. I've contacted Carter via facebook and altough he thought it isn't perfect(in his case), he's still very... very happy. It gave his live a new impuls socially and professionally. I asked him a while ago to give an update on the forum. He already tried, but had problems logging in. The fact is people move on when they are happy.

    Why did Carter think it wasn't perfect? I thought HIS made sure everyone was 100% happy.

    Posted 7 months ago #
24. 

    Magic
    HIS Veteran
    Num Posts: 341

    baldandnotproud said:
    

    Magic said: I agree. The case studies need an update. unfortunately tha'ts up to the clients. I've contacted Carter via facebook and altough he thought it isn't perfect(in his case), he's still very... very happy. It gave his live a new impuls socially and professionally. I asked him a while ago to give an update on the forum. He already tried, but had problems logging in. The fact is people move on when they are happy.

    Why did Carter think it wasn't perfect? I thought HIS made sure everyone was 100% happy.

    I asked, but never got a respond. If I look at his FB link in his thread I do find the hairline to be too linear on the pics. Same goes for the pics in his case studie. Remember you can choose the density of the pigment and thickness of the hairline. I guess he made a wrong choice....
    

    Posted 7 months ago #
25. 

    JB
    HIS Veteran
    Num Posts: 568

    Once your done going through the 2 or 3 step process I believe from my own experience that if I need touch ups years down the road...its relatively inexpensive and so quick and easy it will be no big deal for me.

    The change has been so positive that I clearly know I've made the right choice moving forward.

    Since I won't be needing any toppik, couvre, hair gel or hair spray ..nor will I need any haircuts at a salon..the future possible costs that I might incur with a few touch ups (if they are even necessary) will be chump change compared to what I used to spend.

    I'm a numbers guy and I did the calculations..

    This has been a big win for me both in looks and in time.

    Just my opinion.

    Posted 7 months ago #
26. 

    anotherguy
    Newbie
    Num Posts: 10

    Hi there JB,

    Thanks for the response. However, I think we're
    discussing two different topics here. I don't doubt that it's relatively
    inexpensive and quick. And I'm sure that currently the change is very
    positive for the moment. This is not what bothers me, however. It's more
    about the longevity of the authentic look of hair that troubles me. My
    question to Damien or any other HIS rep is this: What makes touch ups
    down the line NOT lead to an overall blob effect since more and more ink
    is being used on the skin as time goes on?

    My previous question, if you missed it:

    This leads me to the question regarding touch ups. If someone gets
    touch ups down the line, why would this not lead to overall blobbing? I
    would imagine that continuous touch ups down the line would lead to more
    dotting, which would lead to more skin filled with ink, which in then
    turn would lead the head to look like more of an overall hue than to
    give the illusion of a realistic set of hair. Please let me know more
    about this.

    Then there's my question on regular tattoo
    fading/blobbing/bleeding. If HIS figured out a way to not fade/blob,
    then why don't regular tattoos follow suit? Seems only logical. I find
    it weird that this method isn't used with standard tattoos.

    In
    essence, I feel this is a great method and it appears to look fantastic
    now, as I seen your pictures JB, and you do look great. However I'm
    worried about the far future and what might occur then. Why would touch
    ups not lead to the blob effect if more and more ink is being used? As I
    mentioned before, I am not a fan of Ian's own MHT treatment. I would be
    a bit afraid of it turning out like his down the line.

    Thanks.

    Posted 7 months ago #
27. 

    JB
    HIS Veteran
    Num Posts: 568

    Let me try again...if worst case scenerio I had to get a touch up every few years.. I had to set an appointment and it took two hours of time to touch up...for me...its not a big deal.

    Of course remember it was only a 1.5 on a scale of one to ten in pain..(which I have no idea why) so if I don't have to spend time each time I shower to "fix" my hair with toppek couvre and hair gel and be wasting my time being concerned as my remaining hair kept magically disappearing...

    I'm on a HUGE time saving with the HIS service. I don't think anybody knows exactly how long this "ink" process will fade on each individual or if it will at all.

    For me..I see this as a very natural look that even if it did fade a bit over time..it too would be a natural transition.

    Again..how each person cares for themselves over the years might have an impact on the time between touchups so again I would imagine thats a factor that is a variable with each person.

    At least this is my interpetation as I spent the time researching and speaking with the technicians and HIS clinic staff.

    I hope this helps and I do understand your concern.

    Time wise for me...two hours every few years worst case scenerio is a huge win.

    Posted 7 months ago #
28. 

    Warrior
    HIS Veteran
    Norwood 5
    Num Posts: 283

    Not all tats bleed of blob out. I have tats that I've had for 20 years that look exactly the same as the day I got them done.

    not yet. Scheduled in for the fall..

    Posted 7 months ago #
29. 

    anotherguy
    Newbie
    Num Posts: 10

    JB, I still feel like we're discussing two different things.  The time saving is not an issue, neither is the pain during the procedure as far as I'm concerned. My issue is if it does fade, would getting it touched up really look as good as it did when it was first done years and years before then? Why would adding more ink during the touch ups not blob out if more ink would add to the overall hue? Too many dots on the skin can lead to a blob effect. I'm asking why touchups can really be counted on due to this. This is what I want Damien to answer.

    Warrior, thanks for your response. That is a bit reassuring, but then again one can never be too sure. Where is it located? Does it get exposed to sunlight, etc?

    Posted 7 months ago #
30. 

    Magic
    HIS Veteran
    Num Posts: 341

    I assume they don't add anymore dots. Otherwise you would have random new and old pigments on your head.

    I guess it's the same when the pigments needs to be darkened after your first treatment when they fade a bit.

    Posted 7 months ago #

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