Is a Hair Transplant in the Crown an Option for Younger Men?

This question, asked by a member of our Hair Restoration Social Community and Discussion Forums, was answered by recommended hair transplant surgeon Dr. Michael Beehner:

I have been balding for 10 years and most of the hair loss has been in the crown. I just recently started losing a bit of my hairline, getting tiny widows peaks. I have longer hair and use concealers but dislike the stress of hiding my hair loss. If surgery on the crown isn’t a good idea, I’m not sure I would even bother. I’m in my mid 30’s. So is coverage of the crown just not done?

The answer to your question about hair transplants in the crown does not have one answer for all men in their mid-30’s. There are some men with only moderate donor stores and an already fairly wide crown/vertex which you know is going to enlarge more over the next 20 years. In these cases it is probably a better idea to stay out of that area and concentrate on filling in the top because there is enough donor hair to do a good job. Such an approach frames the face and, from most angles, looks to people like a “full head of hair.”

Then there are other men who have very ample donor hair height and the back of the vertex is way up high, almost at the transition between the horizontal and the vertical. For a man of 35 the whole thing is a “slam dunk.” Thirty-five is a whole lot better for making this decision than 25. I would never commit to going down the back hill with grafts in a 25 year old,

So, the answer is to see a hair restoration surgeon you trust and get his or her honest opinion of what’s best. Sometimes this can be accomplished with four views sent over the internet (front, top, rear, and one side), but nothing beats having the doctor put his hands on the scalp. feel the laxity and thickness of the scalp, and put the 30 power magnifier on the scalp to see how the follicular units shape up. Each patient is different.

Mike Beehner, M.D.

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David – aka TakingThePlunge
Forum Co-Moderator and Editorial Assistant for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum

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