Dear Marco,
The questions raised by you and some of the explanations given by F2B are both correct.
However, even though this may seem to detract from your original questions, I wish to add my thoughts.
Standardisation and analysis of data has to be preceded by standardisation of training and techniques.
Analogy - I have textbooks on Retinal pathologies. I have attended a 2 day workshop on retinal surgeries and have a certificate of appreciation from them.
Will you let me operate on your eye?
No.
However, any physician, anywhere in the world, can start a hair transplant practise when he/she wishes.
If they have memberships of organizations or have attended some workshops/meetings, then all the more convincing.
None of the recognised branches of medicine offer any training for hair transplant surgery.
Still, I am often approached by doctors who wish me to train them for 2 weeks. For some reason, they feel, unlike other fields of medicine, hair transplants is something that does not require extensive training.
This shows what they feel for Hair transplant surgery and I have to politely refuse them.
Therefore, for me to say that we experience 95% success rates is not helpful to prospective patients. They will take the figure of 95% to apply to all doctors who decide to start HTs one fine day.
Start of a branch/subspeciality of medicine requires that there be a rigorous training program as well as recognition.
Hair transplant has to become a recognized branch in its own right with formal training and examinations.
Then only will there be standardization of techniques, peer reviews and data analysis.
Till then, if I may put it very tactfully, all that you read and see is like the childhood game of playacting doctors. Yes, that applies to most of the current organizations too.
It is my ambition that by the time I retire, I formalize HT into a recognized and mandatory course that doctors wishing to enter the field must clear.
And no, it does not have to be run nor named after me.
No Dr. Aâs technique, training or tools.
These long term indoctrination/training courses should be carried out under supervision of good HT doctors around the world.
That will be the time when your questions will be confidently answered by so many doctors.
Regards,
Dr. A