FAQ’s
Do hair transplants really work?
YES! When performed properly by an experienced and skilled Board Certified
surgical staff, hair grafts have a 95% or higher graft survival rate.
Why aren't the newly implanted grafts affected by normal
hair loss?
Have you ever looked closely at a man with severe hair loss? If so, you'll notice men with severe hair loss still
retain their hair on the back (below the crown area) and the sides of his head. This is because this region is totally resistant to
DHT (dihydrotestosterone) which is the cause of 97% of all hair loss in men. It is from this DHT resistant area of your scalp that
your donor grafts will come from. When these DHT resistant grafts are implanted into your balding or thinning areas, they maintain
their resistance to DHT and never fall out. However, you must be sure to strictly follow our customized hair transplant recovery instructions.
(Which does not require any extra unnecessary products or laser treatments…etc.)
Are there risks associated with hair transplant
surgery?
When performed by a skilled and experienced Board Certified surgeon and medical team, hair transplant procedures are
very safe with minimal complications, risks or side-effects. Hair transplant procedures are safe enough to be performed on an out-patient
basis in our surgical center and are done under local anesthesia only. As with any surgery there are minimal risks. But any risks
are substantially diminished by using local anesthesia only and not general anesthesia…etc. The most common side-effect (not even
a risk technically) is the sensation of a slight rush of adrenalin for about 10 minutes or so due to the local anesthesia components.
But, this is temporary and well-tolerated. Some patients experience this sensation and some don’t. Any risks there may be would be
100% discussed prior to any procedure.
What patient preparation is needed prior to surgery?
Prior to having a hair transplant
procedure with our surgical center, we have some basic and simple guidelines that we ask our patients to adhere to. All pre-op and
post-op instructions are customized to each individual patient based on their individual health status…etc. Our Patient Coordinator
would be happy to discuss your pre-op instructions with you and then our Director of Medical Procedures would fully explain your post-op
instructions to you. For your convenience, these instructions have also been posted on our Hair Transplant Recovery page.
Is
the procedure painful?
As with any surgical procedure (even minor ones) there is always some discomfort involved. The only time
our patients may feel a little discomfort is when the local anesthesia is administered in the donor and/or graft recipient areas.
This process only takes a few minutes and then the numbing sensation takes over. Any discomfort that patients may experience is well
tolerated by both men and women. After the local anesthesia is administered, our patients have a variety of movies to choose from
to watch as our surgical team implants their new grafts.
Are lasers used during the procedure?
We briefly experimented with
the use of lasers to assist in hair transplant surgeries a number of years ago but found them to be highly inferior to the more traditional
and “tried and true” method. What happened was this: when we used the laser to make the apertures (openings) where the new grafts
were to be implanted, the laser was so hot that it cauterized the aperture (opening) and cut off the blood flow. Then a hole still
had to be punched for a good blood source to be present. Without proper blood flow the new grafts will not have a nutrient or life
source to survive, thereby diminishing the graft survival rate significantly. When we experimented with lasers we had to go back and
rework the aperture to create needed blood flow for the implanted grafts. In our clinical opinion, lasers are inferior and we do not
use them during our procedures. Lasers are a great thing to be used for other types of procedures but not for hair transplants. Other
medical facilities use “laser treatments/laser combs/laser transplants”…etc. as a new sales tool to try to get you to do your procedure
with them. But there is nothing that can replace the simple art of properly removing a healthy hair follicle from one area and transplanting
it by hand into another healthy area. The less involvement from “technology” the better!
What happens after the procedure?
The
transplanted hairs/grafts will develop a tiny dot scab as they heal. Some of the smallest grafts may not even be visible post-op or
develop a scab at all. But, that DOES NOT mean that there isn’t a graft in there. It just means that the grafts are so small and undetectable
that a minimal opening needs to be made and therefore the healing process takes place almost immediately. This is a good thing! These
tiny dot scabs will then fall off and shed the newly implanted hair in 7-14 days. Yes, the newly implanted hair will normally come
off with the scab, but don't worry…this is perfectly normal. The newly implanted grafts will then go into a temporary dormant and
healing period and then will catch up with your regular hair growth cycle and your new hair will start to grow out in 3-4 months.
However, the standard dormant/healing time can be up to 4-6 months before the new and permanent growth begins. Also, diabetics can
take a little longer because they generally heal a little slower. It just depends on how fast your body normally heals. Your new hair
will then grow like normal at a rate of 1/4 to 1/2 inch per month.
Will I need to take time off work?
Almost all of our patients come in and do their pre-consultations and procedures all in one visit and then drive or fly back home the same day. Therefore allowing them to return to work much faster. How soon you can return to work mostly depends on the type of work you do…whether or not you have a physically demanding job or not…etc. Patients are generally able to return to work 2 to 3 days post-op. Our Patient Coordinator would be happy to discuss your individual situation with you.
Can you give me hair like Brad Pitt?
How much
hair restoration is or can be done and how it looks is 100% determined on an individual basis. The number one goal is to look the
best that YOU can look. The primary goal is for your transplant procedure to look as natural as possible and be as aesthetically pleasing
as possible as well. There are a tremendous amount of variables involved that can make it difficult to replicate another persons’
hair style, color, texture, volume…etc. Hair transplant surgery redistributes “your own” existing hair to your balding or thinning
areas. We can give you back your own hair in a pattern that is natural looking, undetectable, more youthful and appealing to everyone
and to you every time you look in the mirror. You should strive to be the best “YOU” not a attempted version of someone else.
Please
click here on the “Hair Implantation & Hair Cloning Information page” for more information about hair transplant procedures...
Call Now! 1-954-541-2187
(Our Medical Institute honors all other U.S. clinic's quotes and will beat their price by 12 %)
