Patient Experiences

“As soon as I met Dr. Cotterill I knew I was in good hands”

Growing up in a family with all boys, I noticed at an early age that my older brothers were hair handicapped. I quickly became very aware of my thinning. I tried minoxidyl and found no real gains. At the age of 29 I found Dr. Cotterill.

I was referred through a friend who had previously had a transplant with Dr. Cotterill. Initially I was very anxious about considering a transplant, but as soon as I met Dr. Cotterill I knew I was in good hands. His professional disposition, along with his clear and concise information about the process, helped me finalize my decision.

The procedure itself could be compared to a dental visit. I was given a mild sedative, which put me at ease, and then the transplanted area was frozen. The procedure itself took around 4 hours. This all happened while I watched a DVD. Once it was completed my head was bandaged and I was back the next morning for a hair wash and general inspection. One week later I returned for the stitches to be removed. I had the procedure done on a Thursday and was back at work on the following Monday. I also took 10 days off from working out. No jogging or weightlifting. The hair started to grow within 3 months and I could really see a difference within 7 months.

It has been 12 years since my first session and I have had 3 more sessions since then. As my thinning continued, I would have another session to add back some fullness. I would say the procedures got easier each time, maybe because I knew what to expect. I have never had anyone (including my barber, although he knows because I told him) ever ask if I have had a procedure done. It is completely natural. It is one of the best things that I have ever done for myself. I argue that why should I not feel as good about my outside as I do on the inside? There are not many things that you can control in your life, including hair loss, but if you can change that, why not? I am forever grateful to Dr. Cotterill.

- D.R.

“For the first time in my life I feel normal”

It took only a few seconds to have this happen and a lifetime to get past the physical and emotional scars.

I was 18 months of age and my mom had put a pot of oil on a hotplate burner to cook some fries. Mom went to answer the phone and I reached up and pulled the boiling pot of oil onto my head. I was rushed to the nearest hospital which was called York County at that time. It was here that a doctor put his hand on the burn and my skin stuck to his hand when he removed it. That hospital told us they were sorry but the burn was worse than they could handle and had me rushed to Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto.

For some time the doctors did not think that my heart would survive this trauma but after a 6-week stay I was well enough to return home. Yes, I would be scarred for life, but I would live. What I did not get over was that hair would never again grow on this patch of my head. The older I got the more self-conscious I became and constantly combed other hair over it and always held my hand over that part of my head. I hated to let anyone get close to me in any way, for fear they would see my scar.

My 15-year-old daughter and my 17-year-old son did not know of my burn until I went to see Dr. Cotterill. I felt embarrassed and did not want them to know about it. This affected my daily life in a number of ways, from not being able to go swimming, or having to always have the car windows up to not being able to go on amusement rides or enjoy so many family activities like running or riding a bike with my children. The kind of emotional walls I created caused me to make some poor decisions in my life and most often settled for less than I should have if I had only had more confidence in myself.

I now have Dr. Paul Cotterill, his staff and the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery to thank. For the first time in my life I feel normal. I have a confidence that comes from not trying to hide a large scar from seeing eyes every day, all day.

I was treated so well and had great faith that what Dr. Cotterill and his team were doing for me was better than I had ever imagined. Thank you to you and the entire ISHRS for all that you have given me.

- Lucille