Hair Transplant Surgery Consent Forms: Reviewing prior to Surgery Day?

This question, addressed by Coalition hair restoration surgeon Dr. William Lindsey, was shared by a member of our Hair Loss Social Community and Discussion Forums:

Does anyone have a scanned copy of the legal form that the hair restoration surgeon had you sign or can you remember what it said? I am just wondering what this legal form covers. Don’t they give it on the day of hair transplant surgery? I think it would be smart to review one with enough time to fully understand it.

I prefer to do the consent before the day of the surgery if possible. Hence, all overseas patients arrive a day before for planning and signing consents. For local patients, if people sign up the day of their consultation, we do it at that time and then go over it briefly again before Valium on the day of surgery. For those who call back in and sign up, I offer people to come in before the day of surgery to do consents and pick up prescriptions, but practically nobody does that unless they live really close to the office. Rather, we discuss it in detail, then draw the surgical plan, then take pics, and then take Valium.

At least two times a month, after getting going for a few hours, someone under the influence of Valium will ask for a change in the hairline or plan and we don’t change anything once Valium is on-board. People just don’t make good decisions under Valium or other relaxers. Plus, the swelling is usually asymmetric, leading patients to question the look. We stick to the lines drawn pre-Valium and pre-injection, and that tends to be both an honest and reliable way of conducting business.

Dr. William Lindsey – McLean, VA

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David (TakingThePlunge)
Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog.
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