4 Factors to Consider Before Undergoing Hair Transplantation

Follicular unit extraction (FUE) and transplantation (FUT) procedures are possibly the hope for many suffering from hair loss, but unfortunate as it may seem, not everyone can undergo a hair transplant procedure. It’s disheartening to hear yet it isn’t as bad as it sounds. This is because the patient’s well-being is the priority instead of providing the procedure by any means necessary.

A botched hair transplant procedure is both very risky and is a total waste of money.  A qualified doctor has to make sure you’re fit to undergo the FUE and FUT hair transplant procedures for your safety and satisfaction. Therefore, it’s necessary to know if you’re a good candidate and here’s how.

Patient Selection

A publication in NCBI about the standard guidelines of care in hair transplantation states that hair transplantation can be performed to any person with pattern hair loss, with a good donor area, in good general health, and with reasonable expectations.

The publication also states that caution should be exercised in very young patients, whose early alopecia are still evolving, making clear that age is also an important factor.

Density

There has to be a balance between good hair density and good hair characteristics. High density is great, but those with low density might still have a chance provided that their hair is curly or coarse, or are salt-and-pepper colored.

If you look at the Norwood scale chart above, you’ll see the stages of hair loss progression from I to VII.

Among all the stages, patients with Norwood grade VI and VII with poor density would be unlikely hair transplant candidates. There’s still a chance of favorable results depending on how good the surgeon is, but caution is advised; the procedure is still considered invasive albeit minimally.

Health

People with systemic health problems aren’t advised to undergo a hair transplant. One good example of this is ‘Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia’ wherein an individual has an unhealthy donor supply.

Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia or DUPA is characterized by hair loss or thinning across the top of the head and also on the sides and back.

Expectations

A reasonable expectation means you’re prepared to accept all the conditions about your hair transplant procedure. What you need to expect from the outset is that it will cost a lot, it will take a few hours for each session, and it will take several months to start seeing results. All of these will depend on the severity of your hair loss.

Age

There is no age limit to qualify for a hair transplant, but it still plays a significant role in the procedure’s success. Ideal candidates are usually people over 30 because there’s no risk of immature hair loss. Individuals in their late teens or early 20’s have yet to see how their hair loss will progress with age.

For Your Hair Transplant’s Success

Take all of these factors to heart and don’t let desperation get the best of you. A cheap and easily available hair transplant just isn’t worth it if it’ll cause you more trouble down the road.

A qualified doctor will notify you about all of this as you’ll undergo an appointment to determine whether a hair transplant procedure is right for you or not.

The doctor’s primary concern is your well-being and they can recommend against the procedure if it will cause more harm than good, especially for your money. Trust what’s written here and trust your doctor because it’s their job to look after your hair and your overall welfare