Q: I have been to a number of consults and each time I felt the doctor was rushed and had already in his head what he though I wanted even before I had a chance to speak. At another consult, the person was really attentive, but it turned out he wasn’t even the doctor. If I come to your office will I see you and what should I expect?

A: I perform all the consults myself. I invariably start with a very open ended question as this allows the patient to really express what his/her concerns are and I am often surprised by what I hear.

I agree that the doctor should not have pre-conceived notions about what a patient wants or what he or she is feeling. This doesn’t mean that the doctor can’t advise a patient on what we believe to be the best course of treatment, but we must listen first if we are gong to really help you.

Once the patient has told his story, a thorough history is important to rule out medical conditions – this is essential with women where the diagnosis of androgenetic hair loss is not often clear. A careful exam will enable the physician to see if the patient has sufficient hair resources to match his/her goals.

The specific aesthetic needs of the patient, particularly with respect to hairline design, should be discussed in detail and, most importantly, there should be a long-term plan in the event of further hair loss.

For more extensive information, please read the Follicular Transplantation: Patient Evaluation and Surgical Planning page of the Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration website.