Hey guys,

For the past several months I have been feeling that the forum has been losing its positive appeal and ability for us as a community within it to help each other and all the new members out.

The recent week shut down of the site and following weeks without key feature of pm's and personal websites has further exacerbated the situation and I feel this needs to be corrected A.S.A.P. if this forum is to continue to keep its valued members.

I know Farrel is doing his best and this is NO WAY any type of attack aimed at him. When I first came to this forum I was warmly welcomed and was passed down a wealth of knowledge and guidance from veteran posters which is why I continue to visit and post on this site....I have always noticed that after a while members just vanish and it has always upset me as I thought how can you abandon a place thats given you so much once you got what YOU needed from it..

.BUT I am sadly getting to that point myself. For as much as I have gotten from this site I feel like I have answered tons of pm's, given advice/support, and answered rookie questions even when they are so redundant just because the thought of someone needing a simple answer which I could give was my duty after others doing the same for me.

I do find however that many threads are just ignored and sincere questions are just left unanswered due to the fact that "we" are tired of answering them. I saw a simple inquiry about pm's go unanswered for quite a while until I let the guy know the situation. Im not painting a halo around my head just citing an example.

Ive also felt that without the personal websites there is a major disconnect between posters that is getting larger everyday. I am forgetting who's who (and no Im not an idiot lol) and the site is much less active and interactive without being able to put faces or at least profiles to individuals.



I do have some suggestions which I hope dont go IGNORED

I believe that so many threads are completely redundant and unnecessary and detract from the quality of this site. I am tired of having to scroll through nonsense( masturbation, working out, propecia etc etc etc!) to find 1!! meaningful post amongst 40.

Cant there be a section of TOP 20 questions answered or something??? A poll could be attached and updated every few months or when new relevant info becomes available to us. It could list how many votes YES/NO and who voted which way which I believe is vitally important as much stock is given to respected members and certain opinions are definitely worth more than others.

A way to ensure that these threads are not started every frickin day by new members would be to automatically send a short email to them informing them to check out the "section" I just described B4 posting any questions which would cut the rubbish threads down by 88.89%... a warning within the welcome email stating that posting already answered questions could lead to a temporary account suspension would also be a good deterrent against almost spam like posts IMO

and they are worthless threads!!! 500 views and 3 responses come on!
If we need there to be new threads everyday to keep us entertained or to prop up the belief that things are really going on WELL that's not for me and I will take my leave BUT I truly think the site should be somewhat condensed.

Thanks for listening guys and I hope we can get a less cluttered forum through this as it is beneficial for all of us and I HONESTLY think it WILL help keep veteran members more active as it will be important thread after important thread which is much more enticing to respond to then the 50 times a day masturbation thread!!!!!!

Lets get this site back stronger than before and not let this almost month hick up and who ever is responsible for it cost us good members and damage this forum.

Peace
KKwilliams

sorry for the novel but its been a long time coming





Edited: 11/14/2008 at 04:03 AM by KKwilliams

KK I didn't want your post to get to 500 views without a reply so i thought I'd better pitch in. Seriously though, you've raised some valuable points. I'm sure next week when the personal webpages are restored things will be a bit more normal here. I also agree that a lot of posters do just vanish after getting all the info they need or after they have a HT. Luckily there are still some vets who hang around like RTC, yourself and a few others to help the newbies out. I'm trying myself to give a little back by posting my results on a regular basis and I'll continue to do so because I know how much following others cases helped me make this important decision. It'd be good if more people from a wide variety of docs could post their pics, not just an army of Armani patients as we've seen lately (and Armani guys, I'm not having a go at all. I also enjoy your pictures, just hoping for more updates from different docs)

Anyway, good post and I hope you stay around.

-------------------------
5059 Grafts Dr.Hasson July 21st, 2008
2381 Grafts Dr. Hasson July 21st, 2010
Total : 7440 grafts
1.25mg Proscar daily


http://www.hairlosshelp.com/websites/markinjapan/

I think the site being down probably has made it a bit slow because many posters have not come back yet. I think that will improve in time.
This board has had a lot of rumors/turmoil regarding some doctors/posters. I do not know how to fix that. If I knew I would say so.
K Williams you are a very good poster. I understand your concerns but you being here is a step in the right direction.

-------------------------
4374 grafts-7/2/2008-Dr Rahal
485 singles
2336 doubles
1526 triples
16 quads
9809 total hairs

Hey i'm still around KK

In my time of posting I have found all the forums to have quiet spots but soon enough they are busy again.

brushing aside the issues this forum has experienced recently, it has helped many of us to choose the best path to take in helping restore our hair.

Excellent post KK. I share your sentiments.

markinjapan, yea it would be nice to see all the top clinics represemted a little more.

Wantego, the negative stuff gets a little harsh at times. I hope we have less of it as we move forward.

Lucky-uk its always nice to see you in here.

Mark and Wantego I am looking forward to some updated from you guys.

Why don't we ask Farrel to create an individual doctor thread for those who sponsor the site?

This way each clinic can post results to their own thread--and allow patients to keep track of clinic results.

Too many excellent results are being lost in the shuffle of the constant bickering on this forum--perhaps this will help?

Jason

-------------------------
FUE Coordinator for Shapiro Medical. My opinions are my own and are not medical advice. Take care not to fall for a sales pitch from clinics who must smear other clinics to get business.
jason@shapiromedical.com

6721 grafts 2 strip sessions
1386 FUE grafts
8107 total
Dr. Ron Shapiro

That's one of the things I will be doing. The new forum has some nice features and I intend using them soon.

-------------------------
Disclaimer - I am not a physician or an expert and my advice should not be considered medical/expert advice. - If you follow my opinions and/or advice you do so at your own risk.

And thanks to everyone who still supports this site. Its very difficult seeing your name being dragged through the mud on a daily basis. The one thing that keeps me focused is that I know I have the truth on my side.

At the end of the day the truth will triumph over the lies....

-------------------------
Disclaimer - I am not a physician or an expert and my advice should not be considered medical/expert advice. - If you follow my opinions and/or advice you do so at your own risk.

With all due respect, I believe some of these suggestions are misguided. Of course forum moderation is necessary to discourage or prevent certain things like spam, personal attacks, misinformation, "trolls", etc. However, punishing people who are legitimately seeking information is the wrong way to go.

Posts about "masturbation, working out, propecia, etc" are neither "spam-like" nor "rubbish" posts, even if the same things might be asked often. These are topics that are obviously on the minds of lots of people losing hair; besides, how hard is it to simply scroll past topics that you're not interested in? Instead of threatening to punish new members with temporary suspensions (what is this, 4th grade?), a veteran member who wishes to be helpful can easily link to a previous thread that might answer the new member's question. Also, a FAQ section is always helpful, but don't expect that to prevent people from asking certain things anyway.

Some people might check this forum every day, while others might only visit a couple times total. Let's not forget that. It is unrealistic and unreasonable to expect new members to be well versed in the forum's topic history. Scaring off posters with unnecessary suspensions, and crankily scolding them as you would a child, is only going to thin out the ranks of people willing to come back here. Weren't even veteran members at one time "newbies" themselves?

As a visitor to this site, what I would like to see is more participation, more welcoming of new members, less talk of suspensions, less petty, personal bickering, less calls to have topics shut down, etc. I'm sure most people understand how to sift through various opinions, consider the sources of those opinions and then come to some sort of conclusion. Posts that have valuable personal accounts of treatments/procedures, or that have well-reasoned arguments or claims supported by evidence, etc. will likely be the most influential posts.

I always cringe when I see veteran members on forums like this one scold someone for asking a question that may have been asked already. Let's create an environment where people are free to ask whatever they want about hair loss, and let's not make people feel worried about breaking some kind of "forbidden question" rule. A welcoming environment where people can freely exchange information and connect with others is preferable to one which feels like a members-only club. After all, today's new members might one day become "accomplished posters", and just because someone has posted longer doesn't necessarily mean their posts are more valuable than anyone else's. Hair loss is already tough enough.... the last thing some poor guy needs (after finding this forum for the first time) is to be punished for expressing his questions/concerns!

Having said all that, I agree that personal web page links in members' signatures had been very helpful.

Edited: 11/15/2008 at 07:16 AM by bluskys

Bluskys,
Im sorry we disagree however I stand by my post.

Im not trying to censor anyone at all or suppress information. We 100% agree upon the desire for a more active forum and more welcoming of new members BUT if you are putting me in some Cranky poster category who only has my interest at heart you are completely mistaken.

I have started threads about how "we all" need to come more together as a community.... and threads just inviting all the silent members and hundreds of guests I see checking the site to become more active again and become members as it is so much more beneficial than just lurking about.


If anything I count myself as one of the more encouraging members in many areas and am only looking for whats best for the site.

I dont think that never ending threads that NEVER seem to have conclusions and often times are just ignored is helpful>>>if anything its the opposite!!!!.


If I had a serious decision like should I use propecia for instance as IM TERRIFIED of sides and 660 ppl viewed it and.... 0nly 3 responded try it for 6 months blah blah and 1 guy said DONT you'll lose your libido grow tits where would I be as a new member????


I would much rather be able to direct new and veteran members alike to larger responded threads with pools attached giving a much great opinion size to base such important decisions off of. then you could see who voted what way in the polls as it gives credence to educated posters and thins out the lies/motives of fake accounts pushing products/docs

What is keeping the forum "stale" is the redundancy and frequency of threads IMO of course

I just hate seeing real threads end up bumped to the bottom of the page constantly to make room for well you know

As a long time member and regular poster on this site, I have seen the up swings and down swings of the site.

I have a bit of a different take on things (while I do agree with what KK is saying as far as repetitive questions) in regards to the quality of the site.

This time last year, the surgical restoration threads were dominated by Alvi Armani threads (some started by myself) which focused on clarification and attacking the clinic.

These days, while there are certain issues, and some are difficult to read due to their nature, I believe that while it is maybe not as interesting for us who have been around for quite a while, that this is the information that is pertinent for newbies.

Another thread for example - started by Lost my Swagger in regards to photos, lighting etc and seeing pictures in person. This is not the first time that this has been brought up - but it's good to see that these threads are drawing attention (along with - I'm getting my first HT, or to those who have had bht etc) rather than focusing on one clinic.

Things have calmed a little since the site went back up - and while it is not as interesting for some of us, I feel that the site is headed in a direction that is far more informative and less intimidating to someone who wants to ask a question but sees clinic, or poster biased threads that no newbie has a clue about and is intimidated by.

perhaps KK - it is our fault , who have been through our trials and tribulations, multuple surgeries, scarring and found the light (or learned to live with it) and turne to these sites to help the newbie and over time have stopped answering those questions. I know I have.

It's a good post for some self reflection. it is just a website, I do not need to be here, but I remember how happy I was after I had been butchered by an HT clinic in Quebec, and was really in despair and came to this site which kept telling me about Hasson adn Wong....it's real life situations for people reading this....although virtual - there are very real people struggling with what was for me a very real problem.

Good points smitty49

I am totally on board and HAVE AND NEVER will have any problem with any threads warning any and all members of the dangers associated with ht's..which includes lighting/pics

I am all for protecting and educating I hope my post in this thread is being taken the right way.

I never mentioned stopping any # of repeated warnings just repetitive threads that are never conclusive.

I think all of us want this forum to be its best and if it truly is just a few ppl that mind all the identical threads and others dont then so be it

I think Ive made my reasons clear and they are honest and valid for the changes Ive brought forward. I am also speaking as a member not just an individual who wants changes...Im sure many guys share my point of view and maybe they have already just stopped posting

We have 15k plus members and I cant recall seeing more then maybe 150 different posters ever writing anything...and that's me being generous as I cant recall that many names.


Best
KK

From my observations, all of the hairloss communities deal with these issues. What we have to keep in mind is what was said by bluskys, a very good post.

I think we tend to view things from the perspective of what serves our own indidual desires, not always the whole community including newbies with repetitve questions that have already been answered many times before. Newbies don't know that and have no way of knowing that. They're new here. Most patients do not care what is imporatnt to you or me as hair junkies, BUT, they do care about their own cases and questions, period.

Most of the patients I hear from contact me by e-mail, not a PM. That's because only a very small percent of those who come to these hairloss communities actually create an account and become a member. Most patients are not interested in that. They are not looking to participate, only read. They are going to surf various sites to get "the information most helpful to them". They pick and choose what threads have the information they are seeking. And some hairloss communities offer enough information "outside" of the discussion forums.

The primary reason most of the 15,000 members no longer post is simply because they have their hairloss dilemma resolved and they move on. In their minds, they no longer have a need to come here. Indirectly, that's a good sign. Most of the patients I have helped, I no longer hear from anymore because they have moved on with their lives. That's it, nothing more I used to be somewhat surprised by it, but if you think about it, it's more of a confirmation of "mission accomplished". It's an indirect compliment. These boards are a constant move of patients coming and leaving which is true of all of the online hairloss communities. And as long as there are newbies coming, it's pretty hard to change the behavior of what is posted due to the emotion and psyche of the hairloss sufferer.

Also, your suggestion of polling threads is a good one. I like your ideas of seperating the threads to make them more identifiable by veterans and hair junkies.

-------------------------
Gillenator
more.hair@verizon.net

NOTE: I am not a doctor; my opinions are not medical advice. Contributing Physicians: Dr. Glenn Charles, Dr. Jim Harris, Drs. Bob True & Bob Dorin

KK,I agree and it has been suggested before to make a sticky at the top of the page with the most commonly answered questions.There is no need to answer the same question 400 times.

It can be updated as times change.It should almost be required reading before posting so as to eliminate clutter.

Farell,I think HLH is the most honest and informative hair loss forum out there.If not for this site my head would be in a bad situation right now.Good job and thank you for running this forum properly.

Edited: 11/15/2008 at 07:56 PM by killswitch

see Killswitch gets it exactly!!!!!


not hide the information just collect all the important, frequently asked questions and put them in a section labeled none other than ummmm I dunno "Most common asked questions" lol

1) Update it when needed
2) have pools attached to the thread with a link or whatever to see who voted which way(breakdown of votes)

3) When new members join possibly limit there access to that section for a day or something or just a short email directing them to read through that section b4 posting questions as most likely its answered already.

I also would like to see a sticky at the top of the page that deals with problems in the HT industry. Kind of like a buyer beware section that would inform people about some of the corruption and problems that exist in the HT industry.
A section that gives members a heads up on what to look out for when dealing with a clinic or when doing research on the different forums

That's great Farrel--I think a patient photo section for each clinic's results will allow interested parties to look at 10, 20, 30+ photos over a long period of time to a get a good feel for a particular clinic.

This will allow clinics who do not continuously post patient after patient to get lost in the shuffle.

Then they can take the next step by meeting people in person, talking to actual patients, and setting up consults.

I believe that will help tremendously.


-------------------------
FUE Coordinator for Shapiro Medical. My opinions are my own and are not medical advice. Take care not to fall for a sales pitch from clinics who must smear other clinics to get business.
jason@shapiromedical.com

6721 grafts 2 strip sessions
1386 FUE grafts
8107 total
Dr. Ron Shapiro

1. Unfortunately, FAQ's never work on forums. Plus, the information gets outdated quickly and it would be a minefield for Farrel.

2. Stickies just take up space at the top of the forum and the newbies ignore them anyway.

Solution:

We should all be able to deal with the occasional re-post of common questions. If they're really that frequently asked, just copy the link from the previous topic and post it using a helpful tone like...

"Here's a link that might help from a similar topic"

-------------------------
My HT Blog:

http://www.hairlosshelp.com/websites/biscuit/

My HT Thread:

http://www.hairlosshelp.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=58&threadid=46194

Imo it is good to have the most common questions answered somewhere.
It could be set up in the Frequently Asked Hair Loss Questions section which i would add educational too and have posts by doctors on these common questions.Then newbies can get a little knowledge on the subject before asking their own questions.

One thing though is when newbies do join ,they like to have their own questions answered by members even though the answers are already somewhere on the forum.
Call it the personal touch or whatever but it gives them reassurance that someone cares and wants to help them.


-------------------------
Two poor HTs with Norton(strips)
One poor HT with a Greek fue clinic
Two great HTs with Shapiro Medical Group
Strip and fue

I actually do not mind reposts of important questions because many new posters will not have seen the previous threads. I think many good questions will be repeated over time on a HT forum for good reason.
K Williams did have a good point about the masturbation posts and other posts by a poster that admitted he was making posts while he was drunk.

-------------------------
4374 grafts-7/2/2008-Dr Rahal
485 singles
2336 doubles
1526 triples
16 quads
9809 total hairs