Category Archives: Ray Woods

Angela Campbell, FUE, Ray Woods

Dr. Ray Woods’ ex-partner Dr. Angela Campbell in Trouble

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This is quite a shocking story for those who have followed hair loss forums in the past decade:

http://www.mnbml.com.au/icms_docs/175481_Alert_Potential_exposure_to_Blood-Borne_Pahogens_at_ a_Sydney_Hair_Transplant_ Clinic.pdf

http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2013/s3910185.htm

“Health authorities in Sydney are investigating whether patients of a hair replacement clinic have contracted hepatitis or HIV.”

“Look, we’re issuing alerts to patients specifically of Dr Angela Campbell’s clinic in Macquarie Street. Those patients that we’re concerned about would have had a hair transplant between December 2010 and February 2013.”

“Dr Campbell has been suspended from practice since 25 February 2013 by the Medical Council of NSW. “

Dr. Ray Woods and his sister Dr. Angela Campbell popularized the FUE non-strip method of hair transplants over a decade ago, in the process revolutionizing the global hair restoration business. The two surgeon Australian team, although extremely expensive and secretive, garnered global respect as a result of: their challenging the ubiquitous strip technique at the time; their creating a very original patients bill of rights document; and in general, their seeming very concerned for a patient insofar as limiting scalp trauma, ensuring proper hygiene and so on. Dr. Woods at one point was even against Propecia (largely considered to be safe per most medical studies) due to the potential for side effects, and was a major critic of newer FUE surgeons doing procedures such as armpit hair transfers to the scalp.

It seems like this infamous team split up several years ago. Nevertheless, it is shocking that the main and perhaps only partner that Dr. Woods ever had is accused of potentially causing hepatitis or HIV infections in her patients. This is such a basic violation of medical practices that it is hard to believe it can be true. Yet again showing that charging high prices does not indicate quality care, and being located in a developed country does not ensure safety. Hopefully all of this happened after Dr. Woods stopped working with Dr. Campbell, and even better would be if Dr. Campbell was acquitted.

Body Hair Transplants, BHT, Ray Woods

Body Hair Transplants to the Head

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One of the most important developments in the hair loss world in the past decade has been the proliferation of surgeons offering body hair to head hair transplants (also known via the acronym BHT). At this point, there are probably at least 50 experienced surgeons around the world who offer this body hair transplant procedure. And 100s of others are experimenting with this on a small scale.

Until the year 2000, body hair to head hair transplants were almost unheard off. However, between 1998 and 2000, an Australian doctor by the name of Dr. Ray Woods started experimenting with moving body hair from various locations to the scalps of some of his patients.

For the most part, Dr. Woods took a conservative approach, moving relatively few grafts in each individual session in comparison to the mega-sessions of over 3,000 body hair grafts per session that one sometimes sees nowadays. Typically, Dr. Woods used body hair as an adjunct/enhancer to regular scalp hair to scalp hair transplants. Dr. Woods’ first BHT patient’s video is here:

Dr. Woods’ first body hair to head hair transplant patient video

Because body hairs have different texture, length, and anagen, catagen, and telogen phases in comparison to scalp hair, one has to be careful when transplanting the hair to the scalp. Some surgeons claim that once on the scalp, the body hair often takes on the characteristics of scalp hair. However, the opinion on this is mixed.

As of 2013, it seems like there is a consensus that of all types of body hair, beard and chest hair usually offer the best results when moved to the scalp. Nevertheless, some patients still choose to move arm hair, leg hair, back hair, and even armpit hair. Although beard hair is the strongest, many people are afraid to have a surgeon touch their face due to justified fear of permanent scarring.

In recent years, Dr. Arvind Poswal from India has become the world’s most experienced surgeon when it comes to moving body hair to the scalp. Living in a country with over one billion people, many of whom have ample supplies of body hair, clearly helps his practice grow rapidly. Moreover, Dr. Poswal has displayed great knowledge, innovation and enthusiasm in his internet postings on Hairsite. Here is a great link to his more recent patient totals and their updates:

Dr. Poswal’s patient totals and updates

In the US, Dr. John Cole and Dr. Sanusi Umar are especially experienced in BHT procedures.

Do Body Hair Transplants Work?

In spite of so many surgeons offering BHT procedures, I am not so sure about the long-term satisfaction with these procedures. Although scarring in the body area from which the hair is taken is generally not bad these days, I do not think that every surgeon has a good idea of what types of body hair will give the best long-term results.

Once you have a mega-session BHT, the anagen, catagen and telogen phases of your scalp hair will have a wide range. Some of the videos and pictures of what I have seen online are amazing, but overall, I would still hold off on getting a BHT unless you are absolutely lacking donor scalp hair and have reached an age and strong enough emotional state where you can risk possible permanent weird length and texture hair on your head.

Also, beard hair tends to grey sooner than scalp hair from what I have noticed. Consequently, after a beard hair transplant to just one part of your scalp at the age of 35, you may end up with a strange situation at age 45 when that one part of your scalp turns grey while the rest remains dark!