There are many pitfalls to this speciality (sorry to start on a negative!) there is an amazing amount of skill involved in this type of surgery, which needs to blend not only surgical know how but a real grasp of how hair works and moves. Without this aesthetic quality you will be left with something which resembles hair but does not act like it.
(quick note on the word permanent: There is no such thing as a permanent hair transplant, a person cannot have this type of work then walk away and the hair will never change, genetic influences throughout the life of the patient mean you will also need to use medical maintenance (minoxidil and/or Finasteride) to ensure the hair is not affected as much as possible)
Flashy marketing and high-pressure sales pitches dominate the field, making truly objective and rational decision-making by the patient nearly impossible. This area is really a buyer beware area, below we plan to give you some questions to ask in your research.
The Iain Sallis Trichology Clinic only recommends one hair surgeon in the country, this company can be found in the links page, along with the International society for surgical hair restoration, the governing body who over sees this speciality.
FAQ:
Whose hair will be transplanted onto my head? Your own, anyone else's hair would be rejected and die.
Where does the hair come from? The usual areas are the sides and back of your head.
Some people have naturally thick hair, and some don't. How does this factor into your ability to have a successful hair transplant? No, a good surgeon will work with what you have, but the expected outcome may need to be speaking about as there may not be enough donor hair to make it 'perfect'
Other considerations? Future hair loss, shape of the hair line, density, uniformity of the grafts and a natural out come all need to be talked about before signing up to anything.
How many procedures will I need? The number of procedures depends upon the extent of your hair loss, the projected hair loss rate, the amount of donor hair you can spare, and other artistic and medical considerations. Men can often have the results they're looking for in just one or two hair transplant sessions in which thousands of hairs are transplanted in follicular units of one to four hairs each.
Is it right for me? For the right person surgical hair restoration is an excellent way to improve your appearance and self esteem
Remember there is a finite amount of donor hair that can be moved to the thinning areas of the scalp. If that hair isn't used in an efficient manner the outcome of the procedure might not meet your expectations.
Finding the right surgeon:
"Avoid turning to the yellow pages when seeking out a hair transplant surgeon.
"Avoid referrals from your hair stylist". In many cases hair stylists receive 'fees' from hair transplant surgeons for referrals. Be careful.
Avoid large hair transplant groups or practices that employ or contract physicians to perform hair transplantation under a common umbrella.
"Avoid practices advertising through the use of television infomercials. A lot of these companies are run by 'business men' instead of surgeons who care about their craft rather than cash.
Remember, just because a "company" or "practice" claims to be one of the largest, does not mean that they are one of the best. Again, in most cases this could not be further from the truth.
International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery.
The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) is a non-profit voluntary organisation of over 700 hair transplant doctors. The ISHRS provides continuing education to physicians specialising in hair transplant surgery.
Membership in the ISHRS does not constitute competence in the field and should not be looked at as a qualifying credential, but the ISHRS can be contacted for information in the surgeon who you are thinking of going to.
