Second Course

2^nd FOUND HAIR TRAINING COURSE

Three days went really fast this time. Our 2^nd Foundhair Training Course was sold out so our operating rooms were very busy with attendees. We were able to present to doctors and nurses that attended the true core of hair transplant procedures along with some very demanding techniques. As usual, each day we had four rooms running with three different approaches to harvesting grafts-FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction), FUT (strip procedure) and Hybrid procedure, a combination of two. It was very important to present the reasons when to decide on one technique over the other, and to teach doctors how successfully they could be combined as in the Hybrid approach when larger number of grafts is needed. Dr. Epstein presented how he takes the strip out and meanwhile Dr. Kuka introduced two different devices for FUE harvesting. One of the devices was the brand new “E-System” that was designed in our office to meet our doctors’ needs to become even more efficient in harvesting grafts.

How to create a natural looking hairline or crown was something we emphasized this time. In actual patients, we went through every step of this process-from marking out the hairline, numbing the area, choice of the blade, angulation of the blade, and choice of grafts for each area. Doctors were able to observe the details of how to create a new hairline. Our training team presented as well eyebrow restoration, a somewhat demanding technique, but very desired by patients nowadays, as well as scar repairs, beard restoration, body hair harvesting, and also eyelash transplantation- a procedure that very few doctors perform.

Lunchtime was really fun, with the presenting of a variety of different cases, some challenging, to allow attendees to share their thoughts on them. It was a great opportunity to discuss cases and to explain possible mistakes in certain patients.

Interesting cases were discussed during the lunchtime

In the afternoon, our classroom was a very busy place. Dr. Kuka and Dr. Epstein lectured on their areas of expertise. Dr. Gorana Kuka was able to guide doctors through FUE by paying attention to every detail of this technique in a simple and comprehensive way. Furthermore, she introduced attendants to the world of female hair loss and brought diagnosing of hair loss closer to them. Dr. Epstein shared his wide experience not just with hair transplant procedures, complications, and how to manage difficult cases, but also how to efficiently run a busy practice. Our laser expert Ananth Ganesan lectured on laser light therapy and different devices that patients can use at home. Roxy Labrada, office manager, held a business session and talked about her experience in running a practice and being a patient adviser.

WHAT WAS NEW AT THE COURSE THIS TIME?

Our course has grown from last time as we have support from Mr. Kenny Moriarty from A-Z Medical instruments to allow attendees to be able to get instruments that we use in procedures.  Devices for FUE harvesting, special forceps, graft holding solutions, as well as textbooks on hair transplantation were sold at our office.

Mr. Kenny Moriarty in front of his booth with instruments

This time we also had a workshop on planting. Knowing how very little training is out there for this critical part of hair restoration, we dedicated an afternoon for this topic. Elsa Rivero our nurse and Dr. Gorana Kuka helped attendees to learn how to sliver, manipulate, hold and plant grafts-each step presented very patiently. Attendees were able to try planting with the guidance of our team.

Planting workshop by Elsa RIvero and Dr. Gorana Kuka

Our course is intended to evolve more and more, and we received some really wonderful feedback from the attendees this time. Save the date for our next course in Miami September 6-8^th.

What do doctors that attended say?

Dear Gorana,
I want to thank you and Dr. Epstein for hosting the hair transplantation course. I found the course to be extremely helpful in demystifying hair transplantation. I did not receive much in the way of hair transplantation training during my fellowship in Facial Plastic Surgery and found that your short but intensive course covered much of the basics of hair transplantation. I felt comfortable with the extraction techniques of FUE and strip procedures at the end and felt that I had a good foundation for my own practice. The hands on training was an unexpected bonus!

I would also like to thank you for opening up your office staff so that we could openly ask questions to everyone involved in your practice. Also, the advice given on starting and establishing our own hair transplantation practice was much appreciated. All in all, the course was highly informative and very well run. Thank you again for allowing me to participate in the course.

Best,
Sam

Samuel Hahn, MD

The course was outstanding and far exceeded my expectations. Dr’s Epstein and Kuka provided a comprehensive, detail-oriented, and hands-on course that has jumpstarted my entry into the world of hair transplantation. I really appreciated that there were lectures addressing all dimensions of hair transplantation followed by at least 3 hair cases daily. The cases were the highlight of the course. The patients were happy to have us observe close hand the planning of strip harvest and FUE regions as well as preparation of recipient sites and actual planting of the hair. Extra attention was paid to the most important dimensions of treatment planning including how to achieve a natural hairline both conceptually and in actual execution, demonstrating the design and placement of recipient sites. The cases, too, were varied to give us exposure to many types of patients we may be treating — males, famales, patients who have had prior transplants and others who have not, and both beard and eyebrow transplant. All of the staff from the Drs. to the techs were most helpful in sharing their (vast) knowledge in hair transplantation which made for a wonderful learning environment. From speaking with the other attendees from the course, we all found it to be exceptionally valuable. I’ve already done my first hair case and do not think I would have had the confidence to do so having not attended this course. I cannot recommend it more highly!

Thank you again for the opportunity to participate Dr. Kuka.

I’m sorry for the delay and I can’t thank you both enough!

Jeff Watson, M.D.