Is Bigger Better

A concern in treating minor hair loss is generally this will commence with the hair line; and require fixing a permanent hair line design that will never change over time; age is an important factor if this is the case

Is it better to have ongoing small hair transplant procedures or wait and have fewer larger procedures?

Another concern is as you continue to lose hair behind the treated area; patches of thinning and miniaturised hair will appear that will create an unnatural pattern of hair growth or hair loss

Waiting to have a larger procedure obviously means allowing hair loss to progress to a higher Norwood stage, maybe NW 4 and above; it does have the advantage that there is the potential to cover the entire area of hair loss in one pass

There is the temptation to treat minor loss with a hair transplant; the advantage being that the appearance of hair loss is insignificant, as if you have little to no hair loss as the person ages. As a guide we can look at the individual’s family history for hair loss

If there is a pattern of advanced hair loss in the family due care needs to be taken when treating minor hair loss, especially at a younger age as starting to lose hair at a young age often means hair loss will be progressive

This will require constant small filler or touch up sessions to ensure a natural balance of coverage is sustained, and can result in chasing hair loss, especially if hair loss becomes aggressive

This will result in diminishing the hair available in the donor over time, reducing the total potential amount available due to the changes in the physiology of the skin and hair in the donor area

With correct planning and on the right candidate even a high NW scale hair loss sufferer (NW5-6) can achieve total coverage with a natural looking density from the hair line to the crown in one procedure

An average candidate may require a second procedure to cover the crown effectively; this reduces the times having to enter both the recipient and donor to reduce the trauma to each area; not forgetting the time, cost element involved not having to go through the inconvenience to your lifestyle and work that will occur

Obviously having to wait until hair loss has progressed to a higher hair loss pattern can be frustrating with the desire to restore hair much sooner: and it is not impossible to restore sooner as long as the hair and donor skin characteristics allow

In many cases the technique used will determine how large a session can be performed; generally FUT is able to perform and extract much larger numbers in a single session and in one day; FUE is increasing in the size of the procedure but many doctors will limit to around 2500-3000 grafts in a single session and generally over 2 days

Planning is vital, age, hair loss stage now and potential in the future, hair characteristics, the techniques used are all considerations; so make your decision carefully and with thought

Check List Before Your Hair Transplant

You have probably invested a great deal of time researching the hair transplant clinic and doctor you trust and decide to have your surgical hair restoration procedure with. Along with the time there is also the financial aspect, so it is important you are prepared for the day, mentally and physically to ensure the best conditions possible

Be Prepared For Your Big Day Having Your Hair Transplant

Once you have decided on the right doctor for you and the doctor confirms they are confident to meet your goals it is normal to look forward to the big day with both anticipation and some apprehension. This feeling is normal and as such nothing to be concerned with, in fact if you have no nerves at all it could be considered wrong, this is elective surgery after all and not something you do every day.

It is common the clinic will provide you with a list of do´s and don´ts to follow, points such as medications to stop prior to the day. It is important you follow the instructions given to you by the clinic, they are given to you for your own best interests and to make the day of your day and after care go as smoothly as possibly.

Avoid direct strong sunlight; avoid sun- burn at all costs. The clinic may ask you to avoid or certainly greatly reduce any heavy exercise, excessive exercise can induce increased bleeding during the procedure and prolong the procedure unnecessarily and possibly compromise healing.

If you are going to undertake the Strip technique it is advisable to start to think about your hair cut. Allow your hair to grow a little longer as it will allow you to easier conceal the donor area after the strip. Ironically if undergoing FUE it maybe an idea to cut your hair shorter, especially if you normally wear your hair longer.

Prepare for the day, arranging travel and hotel, ideally within walking distance to the clinic for convenience, plenty of water in your room and possibly room service. The number of days you intend to stay near the clinic if far from home; there will be a little swelling of the forehead and you may want to return home the next day or wait until any swelling subsides, around 5 days post operation

Clothes to wear; a hair transplant is a day procedure and you will either lying or sitting in the same position for long periods of time; wear sensible and comfortable clothes to make this time easier

Give yourself time to rest after your procedure, do not rush back to work the next day but rest and allow the hair transplant to heal, ideally around two weeks is enough and then although there will still be visible signs of the procedure the grafts are safe

This is not an exhaustive list and you should always listen to the clinic you choose as you have entrusted them with your well-being

 

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