Hair Transplant Surgery: Are You a Good Candidate?

If you’ve spent time researching your hair restoration options, you’ve likely heard of hair transplantation surgery. But are you a good hair transplant candidate? What factors might prevent you from having this type of procedure?

What Makes a Good Hair Transplant Candidate?

A good hair transplant candidate is anyone who is concerned about his or her appearance and wants to improve it. Patients come to Bosley for help with thinning areas on the scalp; treating a bald spot on the crown; and restoring a receding hairline — as well as for help with thinning eyebrows, beards, or mustaches. Scars on the scalp or face may also be helped with transplantation.

Hair Transplant and Age

Technically, you can have a hair transplant at any age. But as Dr. David Deutsch of Bosley Beverly Hills notes, “The most important thing is to make sure that the patient has proper expectations about what his or her hair loss is going to be in the future.”

Health Conditions

Before considering any type of surgical procedure, you need to be healthy enough to undergo a medical procedure and you must have a healthy immune system. To reduce the risk of complications, you should ensure that serious medical conditions are treated and resolved before surgery. If you have a chronic health condition like diabetes, or if you’re taking prescribed medications (like blood thinners) that may adversely affect your results, be sure to discuss your situation with your surgeon so a treatment plan can be customized for you.

Lifestyle

Healthy lifestyle choices, such as eating a balanced diet, exercising, and avoiding stress, not only help you feel better but also are good for your skin, hair, and nails. It’s prudent to avoid tobacco products and excessive alcohol consumption. These choices affect every aspect of our lives.

Hair Loss Classification

Two of the most important factors for determining whether you’re a good hair transplant candidate are the amount of hair you’ve already lost and the amount of donor hair you have available to transplant to the thinning areas of your head. This is usually determined based on your specific hair loss classification.

We use the specific hair loss classification to determine both the availability of donor hair to make the grafts and the size of the area that needs to be treated. Specific treatment plans are made for your classification. If you are unsure about your hair loss classification, schedule a free consultation with a Bosley counselor who can help you self-evaluate where you fall on the hair loss chart.

Commitment to Post-Procedure Aftercare

Your commitment to following the aftercare instructions from your physician is an important factor in the success of your hair transplant procedure. Following the aftercare instructions correctly will reduce your recovery time and help minimize your discomfort. You should be able to start seeing results in a few months’ time.

Setting Realistic Expectations

It’s important to set realistic expectations about what you can expect from your procedure. While a typical hair transplant takes only a few hours to perform, it will take several months to start seeing results. And, depending on the extent of your hair loss, you may need more than one procedure.