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Parsa Mohebi, M.D

coalition member Elite Coalition Member
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Hair transplant patient

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About

I first started noticing that my hairline seemed to be receding when I was around 26/27 years old. And in true dramatic hair loss fashion, it made me sick to my stomach. Physically... And I wanted to cry. (Like I said, dramatic). I was stressed to the max. Gray hair, I could handle. But BALD? Hell no. I had always told myself that I wouldn't have to worry about it... After all, my grandfather on my mother's side had hair, so I was safe and sound from going bald, right? RIGHT??

I started asking a few close friends if they thought it was happening, or if I was making this all up in my head. And one by one, each of my friends assured me that I was fine. "Everyone's hair is thinner there in the front," they'd say. "Hairlines change as you get older and mature. That's all that's happening." "Don't worry about it. You're fine." I even asked my barbers, and they also tried to sugarcoat it and tell me that nothing was wrong. It was normal. I couldn't have a child's hairline forever. But I knew it was thinning... And I hated it.... And I didn't think there was anything I could do about it.?I had mastered the art of fixing and combing and blowdrying and styling my hair ever so carefully so that no one (but me) could notice.... But it was discouraging, and something that really, REALLY bothered me.?

Fast forward to the summer of 2014. After some research, I found Dr. Parsa Mohebi in Los Angeles and went to see him. He confirmed what I knew to be true. My hairline was receding, but he had a solution. He was honestly one of the nicest, most personable, knowledgeable doctors I have ever met and his staff was professional, kind, informative, and patient. Through some additional research and well over a hundred questions, I took the plunge and had the transplant on July 31st of this year (2014). I couldn't have been more happy with the entire process and I am looking forward to watching my hairline transform.?

I will be documenting my experience with Dr. Mohebi thus far and keeping a log of my progress. If anyone has any questions regarding my experience up to this point, just let me know. Pictures and more details to follow.?

Patrick


My Surgical Treatments to Date

I had the FUE procedure done on July 31st of 2014 by Dr. Parsa Mohebi. (2,000 grafts)

My Non Surgical Treatments

Finasteride (generic Propecia)

Bald Class

Bald class 2

Norwood stage 2

There is a slight recession of the hairline around the temples. This is also known as an adult or mature hairline.

I've always said that there's a very fine line between vanity and insecurity. I'd struggled with low self-esteem/insecurity ever since I was a child. However, moving into my mid 20s, I started to come into my own little by little and grew more and more secure in who I was. Then around 26, I started noticing what I feared to be a receding hairline. And over the next 4 years, I saw it increase, little by little. And it made me very insecure. I hated it. I was in denial for quite some time and tried to convince myself that it wasn't happening. I had "good hair days" where it wouldn't be as noticeable, and I worked really hard on mastering just the perfect cut and style so that it wouldn't be noticed. And lucky for me, no one did. But I noticed it - big time - and it drove me bananas. I would obsess about it tirelessly and literally have nightmares about my hair falling out. (DRAMA!) I had no idea up to that point how much of my identity was tied up in my hair - and it sounded so silly. I had otherwise become a strong, mature, confident young man, but the thought of a receding hairline shook me up big time. During this time, I became obsessed with other men's hairlines. I would compare mine to other guys' and see how I measured up.... I would think about it countless times throughout the day and really thought there was nothing I could do about it.

I tried every shampoo imagineable. I tried massaging my scalp to increase bloodflow. I stopped wearing hats. I stopped using certain styling products. I took vitamins and supplements and had my hair cut every two weeks. (The longer it got, the more noticeable it was.) I was afraid of Rogaine and wanted to avoid drugs. 

Since right before my surgery, I began taking Finasteride 1.25mg (generic Propecia) daily, and continue to do so. I can't speak with certainty to how it's worked, though I like to think that it cut down considerably on my shock loss. I don't believe I've lost all the grafts that were originally transplanted and I've had no negative side effects from the drug at all. 

Based on my experience thus far, I couldn't be happier with my decision and the results I've seen up to this point. It will still be a few more months before I really start seeing the hair grow back in, but everything seems to be right on schedule and is happening just as Dr. Mohebi predicted. And call me crazy, but I'm convinced that I already have more hair than I did before the transplant. Who can say for sure, but it may be due to the Finasteride reducing the amount of shock loss I experienced.

In addition to Finasteride, I also take Saw Palmetto and a B-Complex vitamin daily. Not sure if it helps, but I figure it can't hurt. 

I'm now very optimistic about the future of my hair, as opposed to pre-surgery, when I was constantly stressed out about my receding hairline. I used tonobsess about it way more often than I should have, so I'm looking forward to being able to wash/style my hair without worrying about going bald and covering up the receding hairline. Not to mention how nice it'll be to go swimming without the fear my receding hairline being exposed to everyone. I'll have more to report about the changes the surgery has brought to my life several months down the road. 

Do your research and be proactive about taking care of your hair loss. A solution is possible! Find a doctor that you trust and feel comfortable with and that you believe has your best interests at heart. And ultimately, follow your gut. That's what lead me to Dr. Mohebi - the entire process of dealing with him and his staff felt "right" to me, and something told me that I was in very good hands. I never once felt like he was trying to "sell" anything to me and force anything on me.

When choosing a doctor, one thing that stood out for me about Dr. Mohebi was how hands on he is with every single one of his patients. His office doesn't perform more than one surgery a day so that the doctor himself is able to perform the surgery on each patient, with his technicians simply there to assist him. That made me feel very comfortable that they're not willing to sacrifice quality for more patients/more money. Many offices don't do this and the doctors merely serve to oversee the procedures done by the technicians. Just something to be aware of.

Also, ask questions! Don't be afraid to ask as many questions as you need to. It's a big commitment and investment, so do your due diligence and ask whatever questions you have, no matter how silly you think they may be. I can't even tell you how many times I called Dr. Mohebi's office asking question after question, even up to 2 days before surgery while I was dealing with pre-operation jitters. And not one single time did the staff ever make me feel like a nuisance. They were kind and patient and willing to answer all my questions with a smile. Major, major points right there.

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My Latest journal entries

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Bald class: 2
Procedure 1

Day of Surgery 7 31 14 Okay.... This is gonna sound weird. Really weird. But the other day I was in Dr. Mohebi's office for a followup, and I got a bit nostalgic for the day I had my surgery. It all went so smoothly and was such a positive experience from start to finish, that I found myself slightly envious of the guys going in for surgery. (I told you - weird.) But I think more than anything, I found myself excited for the guys going in. Even just a month out from surgery, I could already see the positive influence the HT would have on my life. It really is one of the best decisions I've ever made (I can't stress this enough) and the fact that the surgery experience (something that could've been very uncomfortable and nerve wracking) was so easy and pleasant and comfortable was just the icing on the cake.  First off, let me say this about the staff: The week of surgery, I'm certain I called them at least 10 times with a dozen different questions, concerns, etc. How will I look after? When can I go back to work? How swollen will I be? What if it doesn't work? Will people be able to notice? Ad.... naseum.... And this is the God's honest truth: Not one single time did his staff ever give me even the slightest bit of attitude. Seriously. Not even a smidgen. They were kind and patient and answered every single one of my questions with professionalism and kindness. That helped me breathe easier and helped reassure me that I was in good hands. They really are a patient centered office and they went above and beyond to make me feel secure and confident in my decision to have the surgery.  The Arrival: I showed up to his office at 7am on a Thursday. I drove there myself and parked right in the lot behind the building. (A friend was coming to pick me up later that afternoon since I wouldn't be able to drive home.) I followed all the pre-surgery guidelines from the night before about not eating, no liquids after midnight, etc. I signed a few forms and then met with Dr. Mohebi. He was just as he was at the initial consultation: nice, pleasant, charming, calm, professional.... And whatever nerves I had were once again settled. He took some more pictures and drew in the hairline that we had decided on previously that would require about 2,000 grafts. We went over any and all questions I had and he explained to me once again how everything would go down that day. We then headed to the operating room shortly thereafter. I met all the technicians who would be assisting Dr. Mohebi with the transplant, and they had their names written on the board so I knew who I was working with. They put a movie on for me (Hannah and her Sisters - I remember none of it) and asked me what I decided to do about shaving my head. I told them to get the razor out and have at it. They started drugging me and I started feeling loopy and very, verryyyy relaxed. I seem to remember them then giving me shots in the scalp, and I shamelessly admit that, I cried like a baby.... I mean seriously sobbed. Thanks a lot, lowered inhibitions. (I normally do have quite a high threshold for pain).  The Knife:  Anyway.... The rest of the morning basically went as follows: I'd lay on my stomach and Dr. Mohebi would extract the hairs from the donor area. We would do this for a limited amount of time (as the grafts can only survive for so long outside the scalp), and then I would turn over and Dr. Mohebi would make the incisions where my new hair would go. He would leave and the ladies would start putting the hairs in their new homes. It was a very relaxed, stress free environment, and I felt safe - like I could tell they had done this many times before. I was quite chatty - as I tend to be when intoxicated/drugged/looped out and asked them a million questions. Are you married? Do you have kids? Is there a lot of blood? I was that guy.  Once the hairs were all in, Dr. Mohebi would come back, check everything, and start the process all over again: Extract the hairs from the back, make the incisions for the recipient area, then the girls would place the hairs. We had a lunch break and they brought me the salmon I had preordered with them.... I ate, had a bathroom break, and then we were back in business for round two.  We were all done by 4:30 or so, had a little ice cream sundae for dessert, Dr. Mohebi did a final check of everything, and that was that. My friend showed up to pick me up and we both met with Dr. Mohebi in his office to go over everything, what to expect when I got home, pain medicine to take if needed, how to sleep, etc.  The Aftermath: I then went home and got pampered by a few good friends, a roommate, and a dog. The pain medicine started wearing off around 8:00, so I took a couple pain pills. He also gave me Prednisone to help with the swelling. As for the pain, on a scale of 1-10, I'd say it was about a 6. Of course in hindsight, the number seems lower than it most likely did in the moment. But even in the moment, it wasn't unbearable. More uncomfortable than anything. I slept pretty well that night, but was extremely nervous about hitting my head - I tend to jerk around a lot in my sleep, so I was terrified for the first 3 days after the surgery that I would accidentally hit the grafts with my hand while I was sleeping and do some damage. (After day 3, the grafts are there to stay). So being the extra cautious man that I am, I slept in a pair of gloves and hooked them together. A bit over the top.... Perhaps. Regardless, I slept in my vertical cocoon of blankets and pillows better than expected with minimal tossing and turning. Then was up the next morning to head back to the office for my first followup. To. Be. Continued..... 

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Bald class: 2
Procedure 1

Initial Consultation with Dr. Parsa Mohebi I first met with Dr. Mohebi at his Beverly Hills office to discuss the potential hair transplant and get a lesson in what it all meant. I knew next to nothing about the entire procedure - I didn't even know hair transplants were a thing until about 3 months prior - and I was just looking to learn as much about the entire process as I could and see what options/solutions he had for me.  When I got to the office, I was greeted with a smile by the receptionist, Mar, who was extremely hospitable from the start. Within 5 minutes, I was in the office with Dr. Mohebi and I immediately felt comfortable. I've had experiences with doctors in the past who don't do a good job of making you feel at ease. I was relieved to find that Dr. Mohebi was not this kind of doctor.  We started talking about my hair loss, my history, my family's history, etc. He took pictures of my hair/hairline from all different angles, and started explaining to me exactly how the hair transplant works. Basically, they would take hair from the back of my head and put in the front where my hairline was receding. As he explained it in great detail (but simply enough for me to understand), I was in awe that this was even possible. I had all but surrendered to a life of failed hair growth treatments and/or going for the inevitable buzzcut. He used some little gadget to examine the density of my hair and to also predict where my hair would eventually continue to fall out. I had a very good donor area, and my ratio was slightly higher than average, so they wouldn't have a problem with the procedure. We then went over the two possible options - FUE or the strip method. To be honest, even though FUE is slightly more expensive, it was a no brainer for me to go this route should I decide to go through with the procedure. (And I'm so glad I did... I can't imagine having a scar in the back of my scalp now - and I like the option of having a buzzcut, which I'm currently sporting.) We talked about my hairline and what my ultimate goal is. I naively explained how I wanted my hairline to go straight across my forehead (haha... Laughing at how ridiculous that would be now.) He then explained that there are different desired hairlines for different races, and that if I decided to go that route as a white man heading into his 30s, it wouldn't look natural/masculine. He told me to trust him and that he would draw me what would, for him, be my ideal hairline. He explained that this was his "art" and I could tell how excited he was to do this. I don't know why, but his passion for his work was very inspiring. After he drew what could be my new hairline and showed it to me (and explained the number of grafts it would take to do this) and explained to me why this would be his first option for me. And even though I understood his reasoning, I still wanted my hairline to go just slightly lower - so he gave me a Plan B. He drew a second option that he said would still look natural, even though it wouldn't be his first choice and would be slightly lower than what he would normally do. He wanted to make sure that we came up with a solution that we would both be happy with. The second hairline was just slightly lower, but it was enough to end up being exactly what I wanted. It came to approximately 2,000 grafts. As I sat there Imagining myself with this new hairline, I began to get really excited. I mentioned on my homepage about the importance of following your gut - and all I know is that something told me this was the right doctor for me. We talked about pricing and I asked a gazillion other questions... Then we picked a date and I had my surgery 12 days later - thank God for last minute openings. To this day, ZERO regrets.