Peter J. Panagotacos, MD

I was referred to this doctor by a dermatologist in San Diego. I only wish I had read up on Dr. Peter Panagotacos ahead of time and it would have saved me a complete day ruining experience. This guy is so incredibly rude. I thought at first it was because I was young and maybe he was even having a bad day, but clearly after reading these reviews I’m not the only one who has experienced this man’s poor excuse for bedside manner. He clearly wants you in and out and literally did not give a f**** about any of my concerns. He cut me off every time he could with rude manner. I highly recommend not going to this, it really bums me out to have doctors like this even in practice, the kind that strictly want to make money off of you rather than acting like they want to help you.

Dr. Panagotacos cured my thinning hair. I am a woman in my mid 40s. I have always had fine hair. In the past ten years I noticed it gradually thinning. I remember seeing my aunts when I was a kid and they all had thin old lady hair when they were in their 40s. So I went to the Hair Doctor to see if there was something I can do to prevent ending up like them. This man knows his stuff. He assessed my hair and took pictures. He had my iron levels tested, and got back to me within a day. He gave me two prescriptions, a recommend to switch one prescription, and a lotion (w/​minoxidil) to apply to my scalp daily. Well, I just had my 2.5 month check in to see if it is working and the improvement is phenomenal. He was not pleased when I explained that my doctor was hesitant to switch one of my prescriptions (and I did not push it). I had also not been using my minoxidil lotion religiously, and he gave me advise on that. But still the proof is in the pudding. He was impressed with the improvement in my hair, and I am impressed with the change in my hair growth in such a brief period of time.
Dr. Panagotacos is an expert in his field. I respect his work, because his work provides positive results. He is no nonsense. He says what he thinks. I am not looking for a friend. I am looking for someone who understands the process of hair loss and how to prevent it and in my case regrow it. I highly recommend going to Dr. Panagotacos if you want to have your hair loss assessed and reversed.
The doctor office experience has changes significantly in our lifetimes. HMOs are ruling the time and budget, I find myself on a conveyor belt of bureaucracy whenever I enter a doctors office. I witnessed Dr. Panagotacos brush off a pandering sales person who was in his waiting room trying to get into see him. He explained that his patients are waiting and they come first. I think a doctor who does not waste my time, speaks openly, and delivers results is more than what I could hope for.

Maybe he’s a great doctor, but his personal manner is garbage. I would almost say he’s intentionally rude to his patients. If you want an efficient dermatologist who will condescend to you, interrupt you and generally not even pretend to give a $%&^, this is your guy.
I had an appointment with him today and I almost walked out in the middle of it. I will not be going back.

His manner isn’t that great but did a pretty good job and tried a lot to save me on Meds by giving me coupons. He actually cares even though he can be harsh at times.

Sweet baby Jesus… THIS guy.
During my first visit I just assumed he was having a bad day, though this is absolutely no excuse for the way in which he spoke to me and his staff. When my second visit was nearly the same– filled with huffing and puffing-«chop chop!» to his staff and just an over-​all air of arrogance and annoyance, I knew it would be my last.
In short, this is just your standard grumpy old man who wants to get you in and out as soon as possible. Avoid.

Dr. Panagotacos was frank, up-​front, and professional. I felt like he went above and beyond for my concerns, telling me that he planned to show photos of my condition to his colleagues to have them weigh in as well. In spite of me being a scaredy-​cat he was very accommodating. I’m really glad I was referred to him for my second opinion and would recommend him to anyone.

Mehhhhhhhhh.

Dr. P
I agree his social skills suck
But he is absolutely the best at what he does
Don’t go anywhere else
Highly skilled people are commonly asocial
It doesn’t bother me
Ben Altadonna
Client

I like Dr. Panagotacos. I’m not sure why some reviews refer to him as arrogant or rude.
Dr. Panagotacos gives it to you straight. If you want to be coddled, this is not the doctor for you. He’s straight up and quite frankly, I appreciate that. I want to know what my options are. I don’t want any sugar coating and I don’t want anyone minimizing my issue. He didn’t dismiss me like other doctors did in the past. My hair started really thinning out 18 months ago, and it was nice to know that someone was finally listening to me and taking me seriously while providing valuable information and options to stop the thinning. As for my hair, it looks nice. it’s been about a year now since I started using the products and although I don’t have the long, thick mane of hair like I did in my 20s, I don’t see any additional thinning. I do however see some new hair growth. I’m sticking with this doc and with the products.

I went to this Dr last week for skin problems and he was helpful and knowledgeable and not at all an asshole like these people have said. He didn’t want me to interupt to ask questions until he had finished his paperwork and told me everything he wanted to say and that helped answer a few of my questions. I wasn’t upset over that. Overall it was a quick visit and he helped me immensely. Perhaps his quick, mono toned, authoratative personality doesn’t work for some people, but when you want to get in and out and have things done right then he’s fine.

This guy was a jerk. Not patient, friendly, and jumped to conclusions before I could finish discussing my infection. There are two other physicians in that office you can see instead.

I had follicular micrografting done in 2006 and am totally pleased with the results. Yes, the «hair doc» (you’d call yourself «the hair doc» too if your name was «Panagotacos») has little bedside manner, but he and the team did a great job on my scalp, and that’s what I cared about. In a visit prior to the surgery, he explained the procedure thoroughly.
He and his crew worked from around 9 in the morning to 7 in the evening. Yes it costs thousands (there is a baseline fee plus a cost for each of the grafts… I received 1600 grafts), but I have no regrets. The aesthetic job was just perfect. The evening after the surgery I showed my wife the sutured incision in the back, where the strip containing the hairs was harvested, and she could hardly see it, even with big sutures holding the scalp together. He has three assistants working at stereo microscopes taking the harvested strip of scalp apart. They hand each micrograft of two to four hairs each to the doc on a gauze and he inserts each one into a tiny hole that he punctures with a pointy scalpel. This may be too much information, but that’s how it’s done. I received a «cocktail» of pills at the beginning for relaxation and a little more after lunch. I sat up and had won ton soup for lunch halfway through the procedure! I received a lot of local anesthetic, which did sting for a few seconds each time it was given in the scalp, at the donor and receiving sites, back and front.
Happy to say the hairs are still growing strong. I don’t regret paying for this, and of course it is purely cosmetic and not covered by insurance.
If you want a warm and fuzzy dermatology doctor, he’s not for you. But this hair transplant stuff is his forte. The book that you can read online at his web site is excellent. I was going to give four stars because of the personality (that many of you have shared), but I gotta give five because of the great job he did on my scalp and also his sharing this book online. At least as of 2006 there was not a lot of good information on this procedure out there. I knew that Dr P had been doing this for many years and he sounded like he knew what he was doing, which turned out to be true.
I should add that I am not Dr P’s friend or relative, and have not been back to the office since 2007. I really don’t know how the messaging works on Unilocal (this is only my third review), but if you want more info on the hair transplant then contact me. But I’ve given a pretty complete summary of the procedure and my satisfaction with the job the doc and his staff did.
Oh yes, can’t forget about the olive oil. I bought a couple of bottles from the doc and got turned on to some great oil and since then have gotten to be a bit of an olive oil snob. I never really cared about olive oil before then. I will share my little olive oil snob secret: Costco Kirkland extra virgin is really pretty good! — Mike

Note that the only reviewer that gives this clown a good rating is named Alexandra. Google Alexandra + this doctor’s last name gives you — SURPRISE! — his daughter’s Flickr account which has a virtually identical avatar/​headshot. What a jerk this guy is.

I have never been so disgusted with a doctor’s attitude, obnoxiousness and inability to even listen to a patient. He is well-​known as a hair doc, but is also a determatologist. An experience in his office will completely ruin your day, so avoid it and run like hell in the other direction.

This is the famed «hair doc» of San Francisco. He’s written books, been on television shows and interviews, makes his own homemade version of propecia and even sells imported greek olive oil at the counter. Too bad he’s a supreme asshole and berates his staff and customers.