Are You a Candidate?

Following are some of the frequently asked questions that we receive when someone is contemplating Hair Restoration. If you have further questions or would like a free consultation don't hesitate to call or use our contact form. 

Am I Ready for a Hair Transplant?

If you are part of the 60-70% of the population affected by male pattern baldness, the time may come when you have to decide whether or not you are ready for a hair restoration procedure. Having a knowledgeable foundation to base your decision can be very helpful as well as comforting. Following are some fundamental questions you should ask yourself to help you determine if you are ready to begin hair transplantation.

What is Hair Transplantation?

Hair transplantation is a relatively simple, outpatient surgery in which your own hair is removed from the back and/or sides of the head and is redistributed to the areas of hair loss. This area is called the "donor area" which is known to generate permanent hair. It is a painless procedure performed under local anesthesia. Patients are sometimes able to drive themselves home from the doctor's office immediately following the procedure. The number of visits is determined by an individual’s degree of hair loss with the average being three or four visits. Patients are usually able to perform their normal daily activities the following day and can resume their exercise routine only one week later. The transplanted hair begins to grow in approximately three months and will continue to grow over the course of a lifetime.

Do I Have Hair Loss?

This may sound like a simple “yes” or “no” question. However, it can be a bit more complicated than that! What many people don’t know is that there are different types of hair loss. Everyone loses hair daily. It does not often become apparent until it is “excessive.” It is not uncommon to lose up to 200 hairs a day! If this is the extent of your hair loss, you may not be a candidate for hair restoration surgery. If, however, due to age, stress, disease, chemicals or any combination of the above, you have experienced continued hair loss in excess of this, you may in fact, be a perfect candidate.

Hair loss is usually noticeable before 50% of the hair has vanished. Therefore, it is common for one to begin restoration procedures earlier before excessive loss is noticeable. This can be very beneficial, as it allows the restorative work to be performed unobserved by the public.

Most men will find that their area of loss is either in the hairline, in the crown, or in a combination. This is termed Male Pattern Baldness or MPB. Patients with MPB have been traditional candidates
for hair restoration!

On the other hand, women find hair loss to be most commonly “diffuse,” or thinning throughout the scalp. There are different degrees of diffuse loss. These various degrees have been categorized as Female Pattern Baldness or FPB.

Is There a Family History of HairLoss?

It is important to review one’s family history when considering a hair transplant. There are cases of MPB where family history has no correlation, but associations usually allow fairly accurate predictions. Most experts agree that MPB is partly influenced by genetic predisposition. For example, if a patient's father, uncles, cousins, etc. all have experienced some form of MPB, it gives some indication that an individual may also experience MPB. Using a chart to establish the patterns your relatives followed, the doctor may accurately predict where you might ultimately be.

What Is The Difference Between Surgical and Non-Surgical Methods?

Surgical methods of hair restoration are transplants. Non-surgical methods are hair pieces or “hair systems,” wigs and hair cylinders. These latter methods involve attachments through weaving or adhesives and/or sutures which are surgically anchored to the scalp. There are also scalp tints, creams or sprays.

As you can see, there are many options available to individuals with hair loss. However, most options are attempts at cosmetic camouflaging. Rather than a permanent solution, they are only temporary and costly. Since the 1950s surgical hair restoration is the only known, permanent solution to hair loss. If you believe you are a candidate for hair transplantation, and want to know more, the next step is to meet with a board certified physician.