Dr. Tony Mangubat is INCOMPETENT!!! (aka Dr. E. Antonio Mangubat of Southcenter Cosmetic Surgery & Medical Spa is INCOMPETENT!!!)

I am a former patient of Dr. Tony Mangubat ("M")(Dr. E. Antonio Mangubat of Southcenter Cosmetic Surgery & Medical Spa, http://www.southcentercosmetic.com ) and whatever you do, DO NOT become M's patient. As I describe below, he is INCOMPETENT!! Before M was his currently advertised "breast implants, liposuction, tummy tuck" specialist, he was for years a hair transplant doctor. Although my HORRIBLE experience as a hair transplant patient of M may not provide you with direct advice about the procedure you are considering, I urge you to read my story.

As a hair transplant doctor, M did a number of "Brandy-style scalp reductions" surgeries on me (named after Dominic Brandy, http://www.brandymd.com/) that left me SCARRED AND DISFIGURED!!! D. Brandy was SUED for performing these procedures. Follow these links for news articles:

http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19960915&slug=2349352

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/514377/HAIR-DOCTOR-HAS-A-BRUSH-WITH-THE-LAW.html

Follow this link for proof that Mangubat performed the procedures pioneered by Dominic Brandy:

http://regrowth.com/hairloss-conferences/world_association_hair_replacement_surgeons/1996/whs_1996_review.cfm

From the regrowth website: "a Brandy-style scalp lift with preservation of the occipital neurovascular bundle by Dr. Tony Mangubat, with assistance from Dr. Carlos Puig;"

Mangubat claims that the Brandy-scalp reduction procedures were "the state of the art 15 years ago" when he performed such procedures. But then WHY WAS DR. DOMINIC BRANDY SUED AND PAID DAMANGES for performing these procedures in 1996????!!! Yes, Brandy was sued in 1996, not 2010, so in the 1990s there procedures were only the work of only TOTALLY INCOMPETENT DOCTORS like MANGUBAT!!!

If you are still considering Mangubat, at a minimum, you should ask M:

1. Although may not be related to your procedure, ask M if he has he performed scalp reduction surgeries (called "Brandy scalp reduction procedures" after Dominic Brandy). If he doesn't lie, the answer will be yes, because he has done this procedure on numerous victims, including me.

2. Ask him to show you before and after pictures of the "Brandy" procedures. If he dismisses your request (says that has nothing to do with your procedure) and refuses to show photos, ask yourself why is M refusing to show his own work? What is he hiding??

Although your procedure may be very different, you will get a very good idea of M's HORRIBLE and INCOMPETENT work by seeing these pics. As I've described below, M butchered my scalp and left me with a horrible, thick horseshoe-shaped scar 1/2 inch from 1 temple to the crown and back to the other temple with no hair growing there. Beware that pics may have hair combed over the scars, and this is nothing less than TOTALLY MISLEADING and a lie b/c it conceals the true result, i.e. SCARS all over the head!

With respect to pics, very Important: The before/after photos that some cosmetic surgeons show you are VERY MISLEADING because:
- Some doctors only show their best top 10% patients, and don't show you the average result or, as in my case, the horrible results.
- The photos are typically low resolution, so e.g for hair transplants, they may not clearly show the hairline or may be in low light, thereby concealing the scars and the thin density and unnatural look of the hair transplants.

Here's the rest of my story:
I was in my 20s when I signed up as M's patient. He suggested that I get 3-4 transplant sessions and 1-2 Scalp reduction surgeries (called "Brandy" scalp reduction procedures). The worst decision I ever made in my life was to follow M's advice. M left me SCARRED and DISFIGURED!!!

My result was a horseshoe shaped scar 1/2 inch thick and 6-8 inches long on each side from each temple to the crown!!! I've had to undergo numerous reconstructive surgeries, spending over $20K, to reduce the scars.

I did a few quick searches and found M in his own words praising the "benefits" of scalp reduction surgery (see below). This kind of surgery (the Brandy procedure) is what left me totally scarred and disfigured!! Not to mention that Brandy was SUED for doing these procedures!! So much for the "benefits"!!

M's own words speak volumes on his incompetence and the fact that he's clueless and oblivious to the harm he's done to many like me. Follow this link for Mangubat's comments on scalp flaps, reductions and lifts (scroll down to see him being quoted):

http://www.regrowth.com/hairloss-conferences/american_society_hair_restoration_surgery/1998/ashrs_monday.cfm

From the regrowth website: [Tony Mangubat of Seattle, WA is one of the leading doctors performing scalp reductions. "I've noticed in the Seattle area over the last two years a fall in the area of scalp reductions... I was a little disappointed in it, and I was almost upset until I started looking at it in a more objective way... the answer to this question becomes very clear." Dr.Mangubat outlined his feelings on reductions and why he thinks the number of doctors performing the procedure has decreased. "We want fast results, we want a home run.. Managed care has caused an influx of newcomers. The fact is I make more income off of hair transplants than scalp lifting, so from a financial point of view maybe it's not such a bad idea..." The fall has been precipitated by an influx of newcomers due to doctors who are earning less due to managed care and HMOs. "These are all victims of our new managed care society, " said Dr. Mangubat. Doctors coming in have been resistent to learning reductions, flaps, and lifts due to the steeper learning curve, greater risks, and marketing against reductions. The number of doctors performing are remaining steady, but the number of doctors coming into transplants are growing, so the overall percentage are lower.]


If I could do it over again, I would have NEVER trusted M and NEVER let M lay a hand on me. Anyone considering M DOES NOT have to go through what I've been through. So I strongly recommend that YOU STAY AWAY FROM TONY MANGUBAT (E. ANTONIO MANGUBAT!!!)