1)Question: Removing scabs after surgery.

About a 3 weeks to a month after my transplant I was told that I could gently

pull the scabs off my head. While pulling these scabs off it looked like I

might have pulled a few of the new transplanted roots out. Is that possible or

are they firmly anchored in at that point?

Answer: It is not possible at this late date, so don't worry. In any event,

scabs should be prevented by showering the next am post-op rather than having

to be pulled off. Once formed,it is better to have them gently come off with

normal showering.





2)Question: I am to young for a hair transplant ?I have always had a hairline

which makes it look like my hair is receeding. I have always worn my hair

slightly long in the front to disguise this. I am 24 and lately have been

experiencing some difuse thinning for which I have seen several doctors. Each

exam has begun with the doctor lifting my hair and the front and stating the I

have obvious male-pattern baldness. After I quickly explain that there has

been no change in my hairline and they continue to examine my scalp, they

agree that there is most likely a different cause. I had/have a thick head of

hair which I hope will recover before too long. Are transplants to alter a

hairline such as mine possible? The areas to be covered are noticeable, but

not nearly as large as those of most transplant examples I have seen. In your

opinion, are most surgeons likely to be more or less willing to work on a case

such as mine as opposed to a normal MPB case? Thank you.

Answer: Given your age & story you are not currently a good candidate for

hairgrafting. I would recommend rogaine/propecia for you way before I would

recommend surgery.




3)Question: How long does it take for transplanted hair to grow?

Answer: Hair re-growth is very variable. It begins to grow at 2-4 months but

can take 8-12 months or longer for full growth to occur. It is common for new

hair to grow in as fine light hair. It will regain its normal appearance over

the coarse of a year.




4)Question: What is the minimum age a person should be to have a hair

transplant?

Answer: Patients can range in age from 21 to 80, though since hair loss is not

limited to a particular age range, hair transplantation really has no minimum

age requirement. Regardless of age, the best thing to do is address your hair

loss as soon as possible.



5)Question: Is there any guarantee that the transplanted follicles will grow

hair?

Answer: I generally we can expect 90-plus % of all transplanted hair to grow,

with the exception of procedures performed in an area of scar tissue (e.g.

after surgery to remove skin cancer). In those cases, it is more common for

about 70% of the hairs to grow .


6)Question: I'm not fron the city where the hair transplant clinit are ,  so

I'm wondering how long I'd have to stay at the clinic after the operation.

Answer: If you're not looking to spend a lot of time as a tourist , you can

fly home the very next day.



7)Question: How long does the transplanted hair last?

Answer :Since the hair used in hair restoration surgery comes from the donor

area, which is not sensitive to the balding process, it will be permanent.

This hair will retain its genetic characteristics even after relocation so for

the vast majority of patients, virtually all transplanted hair lasts a

lifetime. In some cases, a small percentage of transplanted hair may be lost

as the patient ages.



8)Question: Is it going to hurt?

Answer:The great majority of my patients are quite comfortable both during and

after their hair transplantation procedure; occasionally a patient says he had

some pain. As you would expect, local anesthetics are used during the

procedure. We also supply you with medication which is available for you to

use after the procedure, if you should need it. Many of our patients find that

they do not need to take any medication at all after their hair

transplantation procedure.



9)Question: How long does a hair transplant procedure take?

Answer: A typical session of between 1,500 to 3,000 grafts ( Strip hair

tranplant) normally involves a full day of surgery ( 8 - 14 hour ) son an out

patient basis. Most patients will arrive in the morning and will have their

procedure completed by late afternoon. Note that for FUE , the times are

longer.



10)Question : Does my head have to be shaved for surgery?


Answer: Yes, the recipient area must be shaved. In order to achieve the most

natural results, the angle of the new hair must match that of the native hair

perfectly. The incisions into the recipient scalp must be made parallel to the

direction of native hair growth. Only when the hair is shaved to roughly 2mm

is the true direction and angle of hair growth revealed.

If the native hair in the recipient hair is not shaved, the doctor must move

the hair out of the way to make incisions. When this is done, the visible

angles of hair growth are distorted and it become virtually impossible to

match the angles, resulting in permanent shock loss of the existing hair.



11)Question : What about scarring?

Answer: There are two areas where scarring is a concern, the donor area and

the recipient area. We address the issue of donor area scarring by not taking

one long donor strip. We simply remove one small portion at a time. While

doing so we continuously check for tension. Once the donor area harvesting is

complete in a given area we use stainless steel staples that are specifically

manufactured for cosmetic surgery. We have found that the use of these staples

leaves consistently finer donor scars than traditional sutures.
Recipient site scarring is avoided by the use of the Hasson & Wong Lateral

Slit Technique. The very nature of our technique requires the use of very fine

custom cut blades. They are custom cut to match the width and depth of the

very grafts we are placing in the scalp, thus eliminating unnecessary trauma

to the scalp.



12)Question : Can I wear my hair short ?

Answer: Depending on donor area density and hair characteristics the average

patient can shave their hair down to a #3 (3/8 inch) blade guard. Some

patients with above average density in the donor area can shave with a #2 (1/4

inch) guard. The trichophytic closure technique , in addition to refined donor

removal techniques, results in donor area scars that are recognized as amongst

the best in the hair transplant field.



13)Question : Can I Use Somebody Else's Hair?

Answer: The easy answer is no; the genetic properties in the follicle must

match those of the recipient. Research commissioned in to the potential of

donor transfer is there, but it is in the very early stages.


14)Question : Can Hair Be taken From Other Parts Of The Body?

Answer:The use of body Hair ( BH )  FUE is a newer form of H/T; and should

only as a last resort on patients’ whose scalp donor has suffered so much

trauma that there is little hair to take. BH can be taken from the back, chest

arms and legs. It holds different characteristics to scalp hair and the

patient must be extensively educated before this is even considered.
It is Policy to always patch test Body Hair FUE prior to the patient

undergoing any extensive procedure. The patch test is completed and then

assessed over six months, if results are found to be positve then we may

proceed. The Body Hair Patch Test is Free of Charge at any reputable clinic.



15)Question :What Is A Mega-Session?

Answer:The term has become common in the Industry to refer to either a Strip

or FUE case of over 3000 grafts. They involve placing a large amount of grafts

in one session to give maximum density and coverage with out the need for

multiple procedures over time.




16)Question : What Is Dense Packing?

This is the art of placing the follicular units close enough together to

ensure a natural result/density in one pass; for example the design of the

hair line not having large gaps between each hair and having to place in

between at a later. The amount of follicular units placed will alter dependent

on certain factors, hair characteristics, hair shaft quality, ethnic origin,

hair colour, curl, and your existing hair density. Dense packing is a great

skill, being able to successfully place the follicular units close together

without compromising the growth of each hair; the angle of the site and the

size of the gauge used will all affect the result.




17)Question : What Is Shock Loss?

This is a term used to describe the temporary loss of the existing hair

surrounding the newly placed hair or in the donor area. This is countered by

hair growth stimulants and the skill of the doctor whist placing the

follicular units. The phenomenon is temporary, if you suffer at all, and often

not even noticeable as it can sometimes just mean the thinning of the

surrounding hair opposed to the actual loss.




18)Question : What Is Scalp Laxity?

This has more importance with Strip procedures but is important factor for FUE

also. The skin is amazingly pliable and a strip can be removed with hardly

compromising the skin tissue and the cosmetic appearance of your facial

features. Scalp laxity plays an important role in the transfer of the hairs

from the donor to the recipient area. A man with better laxity can expect

better healing and potentially more hairs being transplanted. The more

procedures that are undergone the less laxity your scalp will have.



19)Question : Can I Have More Than One HT?

The potential number of grafts on an average scalp that can be moved can be in

excess of 8000; and this is not possible or ethically wise to do in one

procedure. Therefore, more procedures can be carried out at a later date if

the person loses more existing hair or wishes more coverage. Donor management

allows the sensible and ethical distribution of hair to gain the maximum

result for the patient.



20)Question : Will I Be Left With A Scar?

Regardless of the technique used and how well it is performed technically the

fact the skin tissue has been cut or punched there will be a scar. Today with

Strip closure methods the linear scar is becoming undetectable even with very

short hair. With FUE the technique is much less invasive and the scarring much

smaller; on occasions the scarring can be invisible to the eye, even if the

head is shaved.


21)Question : Will I Need More Than One HT?

Factors such as age, Norwood Class and progression of hair loss will help to

answer this question; but in most cases a person will certainly undergo more

than one procedure; even if there maybe many years in between each.