Print Article
| Hair Transplantation At A Glance |
| Treatment for: |
 |
Male and female pattern hair loss |
| Expected Results: |
 |
New hair growth |
| Treatment Time: |
 |
Approximately 4 hours |
| Recovery Time: |
 |
1 day |
| For Best Result: |
 |
Develop a long-term plan with the doctor |
|
What are the causes of balding?
The amount of baldness depends primarily on one or a combination of the following:
- Heredity
- Aging
- Hormonal changes
- Family history of baldness
- Burns, trauma, or infection
The truth about hair loss
Balding of varying degrees affects about one-half of all men and a smaller
percentage of women. Thinning of the scalp is progressive over a person’s lifetime. In our society a
youthful appearance is very important and having more hair gives a more youthful look.
Who are the best candidates for hair transplantation?
We do not like to start hair transplantation before the mid-20’s or
until the person has a mature hairline.
We perform hair transplantations for
moderate recession, men who are completely bald, for women, and patients
who have altered hair lines or hair loss from facelifts or browlifts.
When done right, hair transplant surgery can produce life
long results that are so natural that even hair stylists cannot detect them.
What about medical treatments?
The only medically proven treatments for hair loss at this time are Propecia (oral)
and minoxidil (topical). These will regrow hair if the follicles have not been destroyed.
More importantly these treatments will retard further hair loss.
We like our hair loss patients to remain on these medications whether they
have a hair transplantation or not.
What should I expect during the procedure?
The grafts are prepared under the microscope to make certain that there are
only one to three hair follicles per graft. These are the follicular units that nature provides, and
are usually implanted in an aesthetic pattern to give a natural look.
The patient is sent home with antibiotic ointment on gauze, covered by a surgeons' cap. There are no bandages.
What should I expect after surgery?
The patient is given an antibiotic to prevent infection, cortisone
to reduce swelling, and pain medication if needed. Ice packs to the forehead and the grafted
area for the first 48 hours may prevent swelling.
Patients may resume normal activity the following day, but must be
careful not to lift heavy weights or engage in anything which may cause sweating. New hair begins
to grow in about three months at about one centimeter a month.
Once new hair appears, the next session can be performed.
The number of sessions a patient receives is dependent upon the density of hair desired.
This is discussed with the doctor.
Please download our brochure on Follicular Unit Hair Transplantation for more details.