Post Hair Loss Questions and Get Answers

I want to get a hair transplant but I want to know if I will experience further hair loss after it’s complete?

I have good news and bad news.  The good news is that transplanted hair is permanent and will not be susceptible to future baldness.  This is due to the principle of “donor dominance”, which means that hair removed keep their characteristics when transplanted.  Because hair on the sides and back of the head are resilient to DHT (the hormone responsible for male pattern baldness), when transplanted into balding areas, they will remain resilient.  In my opinion, this is what makes hair restoration surgery a worthwhile consideration.

The bad news is, hair replacement surgery does nothing to stop the progression of androgenic alopecia (hereditary hair loss).  This is why many physicians will recommend non-surgical treatments like Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil) to minimize the likelihood that alopecia will progress.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: hair transplant, hair loss, transplanted hair, baldness, DHT, male pattern baldness, balding, hair restoration, hair replacement, androgenic alopecia, hereditary hair loss, Propecia, finasteride, Rogaine, minoxidil, alopecia

This insightful hair loss article was written by Dr. William Lindsey of Reston, VA who is one of our recommended hair restoration physicians.

We did a hair transplant last week on a man who initially complained of terrible pain. I was surprised as his reaction to even the initial numbing of the donor area, then he added that he needs to get put to sleep for dental cleaning. We often give our patients a valium before the procedure and even a pain pill as needed, and this almost always eliminates discomfort. But this guy had to drive 4 hours after the hair restoration procedure and that wasn’t an option.

So we did the next best thing. The female cutters came in and talked with him. They quickly distracted him enough to breeze through both donor anesthesia, strip harvest and closure, and recipient anesthesia. But they had to get to work doing microscopic dissection and no sooner had they left the room than his discomfort and anxiety returned.

I had made about 25 dense pack 0.7mm slits and this guy was about to jump out of the chair. After a bit of discussion, it wasn’t pain that was bothering him, it was the sound of the slits being created.

I had him start text-messaging all of his friends(he was able to keep his head still thankfully) and we turned on classic Van Halen and he tolerated 1800 slits being created in his balding areas without any trouble.

Technorati Tags: hair loss, hair transplant, hair restoration, balding

I have a bald spot from radiation treatment, not from chemotherapy due to a brain tumor that has been removed.  The doctors told me before we started the radiation treatments that my hair in that area would more than likely not grow back because of the high intensity of the radiation treatments killing the hair follicles.  Any suggestions on what might help me regrow hair?  I have been wearing ball caps the last 6 years, I have every color they make.

I’m glad to hear that they were able to successfully treat and remove the brain tumor, that is the most important thing.  Congratulations for recovering from some a dreadful situation.

Considering the bald patch is a result of radiation treatment, if the follicles are truly dead, non-surgical hair loss products will do nothing to restore your hair.

Hair transplant surgery may be an option for you.  In this surgical solution, a surgeon can remove donor hair from the sides and back of your head (called the safe zone) and transplant it into tiny incisions made by the physician in the bald area.  These new follicles will take route under your scalp and begin to grow just like your regular hair. 

Given the complexity of your situation however, be sure to speak with a qualified hair loss doctor about your previous radiation treatments so they can properly educate you of the possible benefits, limitations, and risks hair replacement surgery may bring for you. 

Technorati Tags: bald spot, regrow hair, bald patch, hair loss products, Hair transplant, donor hair, bald, hair loss, hair replacement

This insightful information was posted on our hair restoration forum by Dr. Timothy Carman of La Jolla, CA, who is recommended on the Hair Transplant Network.

I have noticed some hair transplant patients will have a lesser number of follicular unit grafts but a greater hair count.  Which is more important? Does the hair count matter?  Often I only hair loss patients speak about the number of grafts they received.

In my opinion, both are relevant.  Hair graft counts alone can be misleading, as follows. 

Say a hair restoration patient has 1000 follicular units available in the donor area.  When trimmed to their naturally occurring groupings (true follicular unit grafts of 1’s, 2’s, 3’s and 4’s), they will average 2 hairs per follicular unit.  This will yield 2000 hairs as per my example. Now one can cut each and every follicular unit down to one hair grafts, and if a hair restoration physician were to do that, you would have 2000 grafts.  This would be labeled as a “2000 graft case”, when, in fact, a surgeon is moving the same amount of hair mass in both instances. As Pat Hennessey, Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network says, “More slices doesn’t make the pizza bigger”.

Now, to the hair loss newbie, the 2000 grafts sounds like a “better and bigger deal”. In fact, the result obtained, were one to compare the 1000 graft case (native follicular unit grafts, original groupings) with the 2000 graft case (all follicular units cut down to 1’s), in my honest opinion, the 1000 graft case would look much more natural, due to the heterogeneity of grafts (which mimics nature).

Technorati Tags: hair transplant, hair loss, Hair graft, hair restoration, follicular units, hair restoration physician, Hair Transplant Network

Transplanted hair is not fake; it’s your real hair.  Once it’s transplanted and fully matures, it will feel, look like, and act just like your normal hair. This gives you the flexibility to manage and style your hair however you see fit.  Determining the best hairstyle for you after hair transplant surgery however, can be a challenge.  At what hair length and style will your hair appear thicker?  Is it better to comb it back, forward, or to the side?  

Real hair restoration patients discuss hairstyles that have worked best for them after surgery.  Feel free to share your own story and experiences on our hair loss forum.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: Transplanted hair, hair transplant, hair restoration

If you happen to be blessed with as much body hair as a hairy back gorilla, you might be wondering whether or not body hair can be used and transplanted on your balding scalp.  The concept of body hair transplant surgery has been around for some time, but does it really work?  Will body hair grow like scalp hair when re-transplanted?  Will you experience any hair growth?

Dr. Robert True, an elite member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians offers an analysis and presentation of this topic and the types of body donor hair characteristics that are most viable to use for hair replacement surgery.  You are encouraged to contribute your thoughts.  See also this hair loss forum thread and read other and contribute your opinion or experience with body hair transplant procedures.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: balding, hair transplant, hair growth, donor hair, hair replacement, body hair transplant

The first few weeks after hair transplant surgery can be awkward.  Though looking at all the new little hairs in the mirror can be exciting, you may look funny to others while you are in the healing stages, especially since hairs are initially surrounded by scabs for the first few days to a week.  As you are reminded of the new head of hair you will have after your hair transplant matures, you are encouraged.  But how do you conceal your awkward time of healing from the world?  How long should you take off from work for healing?  How can you keep you hair restoration surgery a secret?

Forum member “dakota3” shares your concern on our hair loss forum and receives veteran patient and physician input on the best ways to keep your hair replacement procedure hidden.  Join in by offering your input and personal experience.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: hair transplant, hair restoration, hair replacement

Is it possible to transplant hair on areas of my forehead where there has never been any hair growth from birth?   I am very unhappy with my big forehead and want to minimize its appearance.

Yes, this is possible.  Whether or not hair transplant surgery is right for you to lower the hairline to reduce the appearance of the size of your forehead however, is another story.  This will depend on a number of things including your age and whether or not you are currently experiencing or might in the future any hair loss.  I encourage you to consult with one of our Coalition Hair Transplant Surgeons who have proven to be some of the best in the industry to see if this type of procedure is right for you.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: transplant hair, hair growth, hair transplant, hair loss

This insightful information was posted on our hair restoration forum by Dr. Alan Feller of Great Neck, NY who is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians.

Much of the hair transplant industry has been cleaned up since the advent of hair loss forums and websites like the Hair Transplant Network. However, there are still areas of hair restoration that remain largely unaddressed such as the proper “absolute” position of donor incisions.

This is why I scanned and posted the textbook definition as to how a proper donor incision should be planned and executed. I doubt any doctor will publicly contradict the text, and they shouldn’t since it is one of the few things in medicine that is objectively and demonstrably correct.

On the hair loss forum, a particular physician ignored the basics of “Hair Transplant 101″ by harvesting a donor strip that was obviously too low and led to a needlessly greater chance of large scar formation. Was this just an isolated “once in a while” incident, or was this “less than optimal” approach to donor harvesting a more pervasive problem?

I think it is not only a prevalent problem, but epidemic.

By coincidence I had a patient in my office only a few days before Allan posted his results from a UK hair transplant doctor. What I found in the donor area was appalling. It demonstrated an utter and complete lack of understanding of basic scalp physiology and an almost purposeful desire to disfigure.

Technorati Tags: hair transplant, hair loss, hair restoration, hair transplant doctor

I’ve noticed a number of hair restoration physicians like to employ a few hundred double follicular units (DFUs), particularly when working on the balding crown / vertex.  It makes sense that this would be a boon towards increased hair density.  But what are the downsides?  And if you are a proponent of selective DFUs, are virtually all cases of crown/vertex work a good fit to utilize this?

The most immediate concern I have would be “naturalness”, but I’ve seen it stated that when blending in to the crown region this concern is nullified.

I happen to be an advocate of all follicular unit grafting however, Dr. Paul Shapiro and a few others have made a compelling case on our hair loss forum with hair transplant photos that using minimal quantities of double follicular units in certain candidates might help aid the illusion of hair density.

In my opinion, DFUs must be used in small quantities in the forelock or crown area in patients with adequate surrounding hair density - either natural or transplanted hair (follicular units). Otherwise, the DFUs may appear “pluggy”.

Another concern in my opinion, is that using too many double follicular units may limit a patient’s hair length and style.  Cutting their hair too short may result in an unnatural look in these areas.

If DFUs have been placed around natural hair that later suffers from hair loss, a patient may feel more pressed to get another hair transplant not only to add more hair density, but to camouflage the double follicular units.

Technorati Tags: hair restoration, double follicular units, DFU, balding, hair density, DFUs, follicular unit grafting, hair transplant photos, transplanted hair, hair loss