Hair Loss – Hair Transplants
For those who have experienced permanent hair loss whether from male pattern baldness, injury or trauma, hair replacement surgery may be a possible solution. A doctor can help determine if hair transplants are a good choice for you, and in some cases, if done for reconstructive purposes, these procedures may be covered by health insurance.
There are many qualified doctors with years of experience in hair replacement surgical procedures. And there are techniques available now that ensure that the end results are more natural looking than were produced by transplant procedures of the past. While this page will discuss some aspects of hair transplants, it will be up to your doctor to cover all aspects of any procedure that’s pertinent to your particular needs.
Hair transplants can certainly restore some of the hair lost to pattern baldness, but in some cases, it won’t match the full head of hair the patient had before hair loss started. Also, this is surgery and like all surgery, has some risks associated with it.
The hair used for transplants is taken from the rim (donor areas on the sides and back) of the head and transferred to the balding (recipient) areas. These donor areas must be healthy and have enough hair to used for replacement. The actual hairs of the cells that are transplanted will fall out initially, but new, permanent hair will eventually grow in its place. The three areas of the head that receive hair are the crown of the head, the mid-scalp area and the front of the head.
For best results, it’s important to find a well-qualified surgeon who has experience in hair replacement surgery. This doctor should be knowledgeable in all types of transplanting techniques and able to help you decide which is the best for your case. This will start with an evaluation of your hair loss, family history, general health, and your expectations and goals. Your doctor should be able to inform you of any risks involved, including those that exist because of lifestyle or a pre-existing medical condition.
Thoroughly research and review prospective surgeons before deciding on one because hair replacement surgery is not extensively regulated. There is no single type of doctor who performs these surgeries. General practitioners, cosmetic surgeons, and dermatologists can all perform transplants. So make sure you get all pertinent information you need from each doctor, such as: