BEWARE of HairClone: FRAUD by Carlos J. Puig

BEWARE of HairClone: FRAUD by HairClone’s Cell Bank Associate Carlos J. Puig

Website: http://hairclone.me/

This is a NON-COMMERCIAL posting/website. Any statements I make below are my own opinion only..

The biotec firm HairClone has Dr. Carlos J. Puig [aka Carlos Puig] as a Cell Bank Associate, see:

https://twitter.com/HairClone/status/864584640006377472

A copy of this twitter post is saved here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MVNbZSlIYvIQm56EFyeQOGItRlUc8EvY/view?usp=sharing

Carlos Puig [http://www.hairrestorationhouston.com/, Physicians' Hair Restoration Center, 6150 Richmond Ave., Suite 226, Houston, Texas 77057], previously engaged in FRAUD, FALSE-ADVERTISING & DECEPTIVE PRACTICES to lure unsuspecting people suffering from hairloss to become his patients.

Please see PROOF of my claims in these links:

https://sites.google.com/site/pmgincompetent/

https://sites.google.com/site/puigmedicalgroup/

Because of its association with Puig, HairClone is NOT an organization that adheres to basic ethical norms and standards applicable to the medical industry.

I am a former client/patient of Puig Medical Group (PMG) and PMG’s Dr. Carlos J. Puig and Dr. E. Antonio Mangubat, who performed a number of surgical operations on me that left me SCARRED and DISFIGURED.

Unfortunately, my HORRIBLE story is only one of many victims who were defrauded/scammed by PMG doctors like Puig. I have found several other victims who created their own websites documenting their horrible experiences as a patient of PMG (aka Cleveland Hair Centers). See example in this link:

[WARNING: GRAPHIC images of disfigurement from Puig’s/PMG’s surgeries in link below]

http://hairtransplantrepair.blogspot.com/

A copy of the content in the above link is also available here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VA5jGe8jmVJeTcFlxawf5zWurOh8w1O2/view?usp=sharing

I filed an ethics complaint against Carlos Puig with Merck, the huge pharmaceutical company he claimed to be associated with. Merck Office of Ethics made clear that Merck did not “currently have an association with Dr. Puig.” So, as a result of my complaint, Merck made Puig correct his online resume to MAKE CLEAR he was not currently associated with Merck [details below].

In March, 2015, I filed an ethics complaint against Carlos Puig with Baylor College of Medicine. As a result, Puig’s association with Baylor ended in March, 2015 [details below].

Carlos J Puig (aka Carlos Puig) was Medical Director of Puig Medical Group (PMG, aka Cleveland Hair Centers) from 1976 – 1996 where he was one of the main perpetrators a Cosmetic Surgery FRAUD/FALSE ADVERTISING/DECEPTIVE & MISLEADING PRACTICES. His conduct while at PMG is a COMPLETE DISGRACE to the medical profession [see proof below]

Why were Carlos Puig and Puig Medical Group creating this false premise in the minds of potential patients that PMG could do a “complete correction” of their hairloss? Because building FALSE HOPES in patients is good for BOOSTING SALES. PMG’s doctors like Dr. Carlos J. Puig ONLY cared about SALES, and patient’s welfare was NOT a main concern. That is why doctors at PMG (e.g. Dr. Carlos J. Puig) were willing to say ANYTHING, EVEN OUTRIGHT LIES [proof below], to ensure that the potential client would select PMG, and not one of its competitors, for hair transplants.

So this begs the question: WHY DOES HairClone have Puig as its first HairClone Associate??!!

For proof that Dr. Carlos Puig was Medical Director of PMG, see below a large photo of Dr. Carlos Puig was in pg 1 of PMG’s 1994 marketing brochure which was FILLED WITH LIES!

I filed a formal ETHICS COMPLAINT against Dr. Carlos Puig with medical organizations he lists on his resume. In particular, Dr. Puig lists on his resume an association with Merck from 2003 to 2007:

Merck Medical Advisory Board, Propecia 2003 - 2007

HOWEVER, he doesn’t tell you previously he listed his relationship with Merck as “2003 – Present” BUT based on my ETHICS complaint against him, Merck required Dr. Puig to correct his online resume and MAKE CLEAR he is NOT currently associated with Merck.

Page 2 of Dr. Puig's online resume as of December 30, 2012 which indicated association with Merck from 2003 – Present [no end date], BEFORE correction:

You can access Dr. Puig’s complete resume as of December 30, 2012 here:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B18GlGCig5aLRlFhd1IycEpHYjg/edit?usp=sharing

Page 2 of Dr. Puig’s online resume on April 19, 2013 indicating association with Merck ENDED in 2007 [end date no longer blank], AFTER correction [at Merck’s request]:

You can access Dr. Puig’s complete resume as of April 19, 2013 here:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B18GlGCig5aLaVk1dzBLLXZ4OVE/edit?usp=sharing

I got a response to my ethics complaint against Dr. Puig from Sandra Thele & Maureen McGirr of the Merck Office of Ethics. Ms. Thele stated [bold font added by me]:

“Dr. Puig is one of the experts that Merck has engaged with in previous years; however, we do not currently have an association with Dr. Puig. We have reached out to Dr. Puig to request that he clarify his website....Thank you for bringing this to our attention”

I also filed a formal ETHICS COMPLAINT against Dr. Carlos Puig with Baylor College of Medicine. In particular, Dr. Puig lists on his resume an association with Baylor from 2011 to 2015:

Hair Restoration Surgeon, Baylor Facial Plastic Surgery Center, Houston TX 2011-2015

HOWEVER, he doesn’t tell you previously he listed his relationship with Baylor as “2011– ” [no end date indicating relationship to the Present] BUT after my ethics complaint against him in March 2015, Puig’s relationship with Baylor ENDED, and Puig posted a corrected resume online to MAKE CLEAR he was NO LONGER associated with Baylor as of March, 2015.

Page 1 of Puig's online resume BEFORE March, 2015, which indicated association with Baylor as “2011– ” [no end date indicating relationship to the Present] BEFORE correction:

You can access Dr. Puig’s complete resume prior to March 2015 here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8gEYzNAQ1RHUkpUS0ZzYnQ0TDA/view?usp=sharing

Page 1 of Puig’s online resume on AFTER March, 2015, indicating association with Baylor ENDED in March, 2015 [end date no longer blank], AFTER correction:

You can access Dr. Puig’s complete resume after March, 2015 here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8gEYzNAQ1RHUkNkal9CQlVfekU/view?usp=sharing

Full details of my ethics complaints against Carlos Puig are available here:

https://sites.google.com/site/pmgincompetent/

In the mid 1990s, I was a hair transplant patient of Puig Medical Group (PMG). PMG and its doctors like Dr. Carlos J. Puig were engaged in INCOMPETENT, UNETHICAL, and ILLEGAL conduct and used high pressure sales and false advertising to lure unsuspecting clients to become their patients. For these reasons, Dr. Carlos J. Puig’s license to practice medicine should have been REVOKED a LONG TIME AGO!!!! Again, follow this link for proof and details:

https://sites.google.com/site/puigmedicalgroup/

The link above has scanned copies of PMG’s 1994 totally deceptive, false, and fraudulent marketing/sales letters and brochure. PLEASE NOTE: Dr. Carlos J. Puig was Medical Director of Puig Medical Group (PMG) from 1976 to 1996, and so he CANNOT deny that he was a main member of PMG’s medical team when this 1994 marketing brochure and cover letter were sent to potential clients, including me.

In mid 1990s, PMG and its doctors promised to cure my baldness and give me a “full head of hair” [these words are an exact quote of a complete LIE from the PMG cover letter, see below] after PMG’s hair transplants and “Brandy” scalp reduction surgeries. Instead, PMG’s doctors left my head COMPLETELY SCARRED AND DISFIGURED with only a few hairs growing that was of VERY LITTLE, if any, cosmetic significance!!!! PMG’s doctors basically left me looking like a FREAK!! I have had AT LEAST 10 reconstructive cosmetic surgeries to reverse what PMG doctors did to me, and to look at least somewhat normal.

I received the 1994 brochure and letters with LIES, HARD SELL & FALSE ADVERTISING and DECEPTIVE LANGUAGE. Below is the “cover letter” I received from Puig Medical Group (PMG):

The most BLATANT and COMPLETELY 100% LIE is when in the cover letter, PMG promised the potential client that PMG’s hair transplants will result in a “full head of hair” [2nd line of 2nd para of letter] that is "virtually non-detectible." [5th bullet in letter] No HALF-competent hair transplant doctor would ever say this because of the limited amount of donor hair in the back of the head of a typical hairloss patient, such as me. But Dr. Puig & PMG were perfectly willing to say this to MAXIMIZE PMG’s sales and LURE unsuspecting clients into selecting PMG instead of one of its competitors.

If Dr. Carlos J. Puig was HALF-honest with his patients, he and PMG would have NEVER claimed to restore a “full head of hair” in PMG’s cover letter to me and other potential clients!!

Below are the cover page & page 1 (again) from PMG's 1994 brochure that is FILLED WITH EXTREMELY MISLEADING STATEMENTS & LIES:

-Another E.g. of OUTRIGHT LIES, “Bald Area Reduction … can eliminate a major portion of the bald area.” [Page 7 of PMG’s 1994 booklet] This is a LIE because of what is OMITTED from this claim. Bald area reduction is MAJOR surgery that leaves the head with LARGE SCARS around the scalp area that is removed. In my case, PMG’s doctors performed a few “Brandy” scalp reduction procedures that left a HUGE U-shaped or horse-shoe shaped 8+ inch long and 1/2 inch thick SCAR from one TEMPLE to the CROWN and back down to the other TEMPLE on my head!!

“Brandy” refers to Dr. Dominic Brandy, who was in 1996 SUED and PAID damages for performing such scalp reduction procedures, links to a news articles about this:

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

Copies of the above news articles are also saved here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Nu8WXmD9ytSNGQVMpcMs7IlYqUCH6jaO/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_6NlIbN53-eDEQjZAvRTnL3O5v52DNbq/view?usp=sharing

But PMG in its marketing brochure makes NO MENTION of any scarring!!!! Talk about doctors (PMG doctors like Carlos J. Puig) who leave out CRITICAL info needed for a patient to make an informed decision about the major surgery!!!!

Above is Page 8 of the PMG booklet, which shows an illustration of a patient going from almost complete baldness at his consultation, to having a full head of hair, with the PMG asserting "final result eight months to one year later". This is COMPLETELY MISLEADING since nobody can realistically expect to go from almost complete baldness to a full head of hair in only eight months to a year.

Hair transplants CANNOT restore a full head of hair on a man with extensive baldness, yet this "sample patient" has restored everything, including his crown. Hair transplants are limited to the amount of DONOR HAIR a person has, and showing a final result of a full head of hair is AN OUTRIGHT LIE & TOTALLY UNETHICAL. The graphics on this page PROVE that PMG’s intent was to MISLEAD and LIE because ALL PMG saw in the patient was DOLLAR SIGNS and profits!! PMG didn’t care in the least about the patient making an informed decision.

The booklet also claims that virtually anybody can get a hair transplant, and that the biggest factor in a hair transplant being a success is the experience of the clinic (and not the characteristics of the patient himself). This is also misleading. The unique characteristics of the patient are equally important to the level of success they can expect. It is important that a prospective patient is told right away that different patients will have widely varying levels of success. But that's not so good for business, so that is kept "hush-hush" here. In addition, the claim that “With your own hair in place, you may swim,…” is so MISLEADING that it is a COMPLETE LIE!! For most hair transplant patients, the density of the transplanted hair is not nearly as dense as natural growing hair, and if you swim, your scalp can be seen from a mile away!!

Then it is stated "You know you have a problem or you wouldn't have requested this material". HERE PMG IS STOOPING TO HUMILIATION TO TRY TO “CLOSE’ THE SALE!! Would a legitimate physician tell a self-conscious patient that their hair loss is a problem?? OF COURSE NOT!! Maybe the balding men who don't get cosmetic surgery "don't know they have a problem"?!

Didn't this booklet begin by claiming that the clinic would not try to pressure anyone into a hair transplant? Clearly the MAIN POINT of this booklet was to SAY & DO WHATEVER IT TAKES (PRESSURE, MISLEAD), no matter how UNETHICAL, to close the sale for PMG!!

Below is an insert page from the 1994 PMG booklet that has more LIES!!

- E.g. of Misleading statement/LIE: “The most natural hairline that is virtually undetectable...Cosmetically incredible….You will look and feel the way you hoped to AGAIN!!” [Insert page above of PMG booklet] In the case of most patients, including me, another COMPLETE LIE. My hairline was anything BUT natural after PMG’s procedures with a few hairs growing in different parts of the hairline and the majority of the front hairline with no hair at all!! With the LIMITED amount of donor hair and hairloss on the front and crown in many patients, there is NO WAY there would be enough donor hair for hair transplants to result in a "full head of hair" with a "virtually undetectable" hairline!!!! And yet, PMG was perfectly willing to promise "you will look and feel the way you hoped to AGAIN!!"

So WHY was the Puig Medical Group creating this false premise in the minds of potential patients? Because building FALSE HOPES in patients is good for BOOSTING SALES. PMG’s doctors like Carlos J. Puig ONLY cared about SALES, and patient’s welfare was NOT a main concern. That is why doctors at PMG (e.g. Carlos J. Puig) were willing to say ANYTHING, EVEN OUTRIGHT LIES, to ensure that the potential client would select PMG, and not one of its competitors, for hair transplants.

NO ONE has to just rely on my review to decide that Carlos J. Puig is a COMPLETELY INCOMPETENT FRAUD & CON-ARTIST. Anyone can just read the 1994 cover letters & marketing brochures of Puig Medical Group for yourself to come to your own conclusions.

(again available here:

https://sites.google.com/site/puigmedicalgroup/

http://www.angelfire.com/indie/hairtransplant/94book.html

and here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/117812991164449030691/DrCarlosPuigDrEAntonioMangubat#

)

When you read these documents, you’ll see for yourself the TOTALLY deceptive practices, false advertising, and outright LIES that PMG’s doctors engaged in to lure unsuspecting clients.

Also, again I have found several other victims who created their own websites documenting their HORRIBLE experiences as a patient of Puig Medical Group (PMG) [aka Cleveland Hair Centers] & Carlos Puig. See example in this link:

[WARNING: GRAPHIC images in this link]:

http://hairtransplantrepair.blogspot.com/

Dr. Carlos J. Puig’s license to practice medicine should have been REVOKED a LONG TIME AGO!!!!

As I said in the beginning, because of its association with Puig, HairClone is definitely NOT an organization that adheres to basic ethical norms and standards applicable to the medical industry.