How Many Hair Restoration Surgeries Will You Need?

Blog - alcohol, choosing a surgeon, cigarettes, graft number, hair loss, hair restoration, hair restoration repair, hair transplant, healthy lifestyle, how many surgeries - September 17, 2014

Some hair restoration patients may only need one surgery in their lifetime. However, it is more common for individuals to undergo additional procedures. Subsequent operations may be needed for repairing unwanted outcomes. But they may also be conducted to touch up sparse areas that could develop among the patient’s natural hairs.

The actual number of operations needed can sometimes be estimated in advance. This may be the case for some younger patients who are still in the process of losing hair at a rapid rate. It is often possible to let them know ahead of time that they will need additional procedures.

However, if the surgeon does not possess ideal experience, errors may occur to the patient’s surprise. And the need for additional surgery will be something that was completely unanticipated.

Hair Restoration Repair

Hair restoration repair surgery is often chosen for the following types of cases:

poor growth
graft insertion mistakes
highly visible scars

Some patients will find that their grafts were not able to survive long term. So they continue to struggle with the appearance of hair loss following their procedure.

Others may have follicles that were inserted at incorrect angles. Therefore, hair may stick straight up or point in the wrong directions. Or the doctor may have used hair from thicker regions which created an unnatural looking result.

The use of scalpels or large sized punches will leave noticeable scarring. This will look even more apparent when the expected growth did not take place.

Touch Up Procedures

Native hair (i.e. natural and non-inserted) will most likely continue to shed. These follicles will have sensitive protein receptors which respond through miniaturization to the presence of DHT (dehydrotestosterone).

Therefore, after a hair restoration surgery, the presence of DHT may continue to cause hair loss beyond the recipient region.

Areas of sparse, low density may develop as a result. Or empty gaps can manifest. However, these can be touched up through additional surgery.

Choose the Right Hair Restoration Surgeon

Avoiding the need for unnecessary hair restoration repair starts when the patient is choosing a highly experienced service provider.

Priority should be placed on finding images of successful results. Ideally, this should be in the form of ten or more patient cases which visually depict solid growth, quality aesthetics and coverage of any scars.

Even more so than photos, videos help convey an even greater extent of information. Through the presence of testimonies, viewers can get a sense of whether or not the featured patient was able to have their goals met or exceeded through their hair restoration.

Manage Hair Loss Through Smart Choices

Although touch up procedures can be an option for adding density to sparse areas, patients may want to manage and control the rate of their hair loss.

This can be achieved with the help of medications. However, Dr. U warns that all drugs are associated with the risk of side effects. Therefore, patients may want to consider the use of natural treatment ingredients whose effects are supported by research studies.

Although genetics is usually the main culprit, the rate of hair loss is often influenced by environmental factors. Therefore, adopting healthy habits through diet and exercise can help minimize the rate of loss. Quitting cigarettes and even alcohol is also likely to help reduce thinning and balding as well.

This patient received about 10,000 grafts which were transplanted in two sessions

Which Celebrities Underwent Hair Restoration?

Blog - Bernardo de Paula, celebrities, Elton John, famous hair restoration, hair transplant, James Nesbitt, Wayne Rooney - August 23, 2014

Celebrities in the entertainment industry often face enormous pressure to remain looking as young as possible. Now that hair restoration methods are able to create exceptionally natural looking results, these surgeries are being undertaken by more high profile media figures. Some are willing to share their experiences quite openly. And this has helped shift attitudes towards hair surgery in general. Without a doubt this has help many people feel less self conscious about their hair loss as they realize that even famous people are affected by baldness and thinning.

Wayne Rooney Tweets His FUE Photos

Soccer star, Wayne Rooney was tired of his team mates teasing him about his hair loss. Still in in his twenties, he decided to undergo Follicular Unit Extraction. Instead of shocking fans by appearing in public with a mysterious full head of hair, he decided to be open and honest about his hair transplant by tweeting photos of himself right after his procedure.

Wayne also discussed his hair transplant experience in his autobiography.

James Nesbitt Speaks About Hair Restoration

Irish actor, James Nesbitt wanted to improve his appearance. Male pattern baldness had caused noticeable baldness on top of his head. While he wanted to look younger, he also sought a high, age appropriate hairline. This created a very natural looking improvement which he claims was life changing.

Thrilled with his FUE results, he has even become a spokesperson for the clinic who had helped him restore his hair.

Elton John Conquers Baldness

Elton John became a pop music sensation while he was still in his twenties. However, despite being so young, he had noticeable amounts of hair loss. But back in the 1970s, hair transplant methods still produced pluggy looking results. And this type of surgery developed a rather negative stigma.

Fortunately, though, Elton was able to experience the benefits of modern hair restoration surgery which completely turned his image around by giving him a natural looking full head of hair.

He continues to be a relevant music icon who is admired by younger generations of fans.

AJ McLean Shares Hair Transplant Photos With Fans

Backstreet Boy, AJ Mclean has always had a very high forehead. However, his hair loss continued to progress. He wanted to undergo a hair restoration surgery to help him reverse the effects of male pattern baldness. The procedure created a very natural looking improvement. And like Wayne Rooney, he decided to share photos of his outcome on Twitter which received many compliments by fans. But mostly people seemed to be impressed by his candor.

Bernardo de Paula Restores His Hairline and Crown

Bernardo de Paula co-stars on the television series, Shameless, with award winning actress, Emmy Rossum. Over time, his hair loss became increasingly noticeable. This included hairline recession and baldness in the crown. As an actor, physical appearances are important for career success and even longevity.

Bernardo decided to take action and undergo an FUE hair restoration procedure performed by Dr. U. The results were phenomenal and extremely natural in appearance. He has even been able to sport a more youthful looking hairstyle, spiking his hair and combing hit forward, instead of towards the back.

And like other celebrities, he has embraced an open attitude in terms of sharing his results.

Bernardo de Paula before and after his hair restoration surgery

Many stars in the entertainment industry remain more discrete about hair transplantation and cosmetic procedures in general. There are actually long lists of celebrities who are believed to have undergone hair surgery. But no one knows for sure.

However, modern surgery has made it possible for actors, singers, models and other well known media figures to actually make baldness and thinning a thing of the past without the need to use wigs and hair pieces which can be detrimental for their careers.

Will Technology Bring Hair Transplant Cost Down?

Blog - Advanced Follicular Unit Extraction, automated FUE, cost of hair transplant, hair restoration, hair transplant, hair transplant technology, robotic FUE, suction driven FUE machines, uGraft - July 18, 2014

Hair transplant cost figures are staggering for most people. And since technology generally helps bring prices down, will this make hair restoration surgery more affordable? Many individuals who suffer from baldness or thinning eagerly await the answer to this question. However, there are deeper issues to consider, besides a simple yes or no. For example, hair transplant surgeons require a great deal of education and experience to not only extract follicles but also recreate natural looking hair growth. This contributes to the high price.

Dr. Umar, FUE hair transplant expert and developer of uGraft technology, believes that innovations should aim to improve quality of a patient’s results instead of speeding up procedures to reduce cost, or compensate for experience.

Robotic Technology and Automated Follicular Unit Extraction

As scientists try to develop new treatments, hair transplantation remains as the most reliable way to achieve desired results.

Grafts are now extremely small and natural looking. And with Follicular Unit Extraction, which does not leave a linear scar more people are choosing to undergo this form of hair transplant surgery.

Attempts to meet the rising demand for hair transplants have been made through two forms of technology:

(1) robotics

(2) automated, suction driven devices

Identifying the right direction and orientation of hair follicles is important for positioning the punch. Errors will lead to damaged and unusable grafts if the punch severs any part of the follicular unit.

Robotic FUE technology uses algorithms to ascertain important information needed for the safe removal of the follicles. This can be helpful for doctors who have less experience.

Suction driven tools have been developed to help increase the speed of hair transplant procedures. The grafts are immediately pulled by the vacuum mechanics into a temporary holding container. Normally, the follicles are manually retrieved with forceps.

Neither of these technologies are able to offer the type of factory efficient, low cost hair transplantation that some people hope for.

These technologies also have limitations to consider. Robotics can only be used on the back of the head in dark haired patients. Suction driven extraction technology poses the risk of air drying, or dessication which is the leading cause of graft death.

UGraft is a follicle extraction technology developed by hair restoration surgeon, Dr. Sanusi Umar

While uGraft does not affect hair transplant cost, or address the rising demand for these types of procedures, it offers a much safer alternative to robotics and suction devices. It offers a greater level of safety for the hair follicles and prevents them from drying out. UGraft features make it possible to remove many types of follicles (including those from the body) for large volume procedures. And a water assisted mechanism gently transports the grafts to a holding receptacle.

Hair Cloning Technology- Will They Lower Cost?

What is known as hair cloning is actually a form of cellular induction. Derma papilla cells at the base of the follicle have inductive properties which can cause epithelial cells to differentiate into follicles.
As far as cost is concerned, hair cloning has yet to become refined enough to be offered to the public as an official procedure. Dr. Umar points out that there are many issues to test before this happens:

(1) how the human immune system will react to cloned hair follicles

(2) how to control the texture, growth angles, directions and orientations of the new hair

Results from such studies have yet to be available. Therefore, hair transplantation procedures remain as the best way to recover from hair loss.

Cost and Hair Transplant Doctors

The high cost of hair transplant procedures is due to the enormous level of detail that is required.

Dr. Umar often explains that the harvesting of follicles is just one phase of a hair restoration procedure. The storage, handling and insertions matter for growth and achieving a natural looking appearance. And these aspects cannot be replaced by technology.

patient before and after hair restoration with Advanced FUE technology

Am I Too Young For A Hair Transplant Surgery?

Age, Hair Transplantation, Repair, Uncategorized, videos - am i too young for a hair restoration, FAQ, getting a hair transplant in your teens, getting a hair transplant in your thirties, getting a hair transplant in your twenties, hair restoration, hair transplant, Q&A, Rogaine for hair loss, should I use Propecia for hair loss - November 28, 2013

I am 22 years old. And my hairline and temples have started to recede. Also I am experiencing thinning on top of my head. I want to fix this problem as soon as possible. But I am wondering if I am too young to undergo a hair transplant surgery.

Erlend B. T.

You will have to speak to a hair restoration specialist. He or she will be able to identify the exact cause(s) of your hair loss and recommend sound options for you to consider. However, it would help for you to understand the broader picture of what you might expect.

Younger patients like yourself should first see if FDA approved medications would help. Propecia (Finasteride) is often recommended as the first line of defense since it targets a specific chemical pathway involved in androgenic alopecia. However, this is available as a prescription. If you are not able to benefit from Propecia, then Rogaine (Minoxidil) would be the next best product to apply. Ample time (around 6-8 months) should be allowed for seeing potential results. If the outcome is minimal, then hair restoration can be a choice to consider, as the video above explains.

A transplant specialist would need to do their best to predict the progression of your hair loss. Contrary to what many people think, family history is not an adequate determinant. The doctor would need to examine the patterns and rates associated with your condition to predict whether or not you will end up as a Norwood 6-7.

If your baldness will be this severe, placing grafts around the front, near your face will be futile. Hair will continue to shed behind the region of inserted grafts. And as you can imagine, this will look awkward. Also, improper (premature) timing will exhaust the number of available donor follicles on your head. Therefore there would be fewer resources to work with if you happen to need future repair surgeries.

Of course, with body hair transplant, a large number of grafts can be derived for ideal coverage. But what matters is that you have enough hairs in regions like the beard area, chest, abdomen and back. And secondly your clinic would need to have the ability to perform these extractions.

Besides the issue of having extra donor bandwidth, your financial situation would also be an important variable to consider. You would need to ask yourself if you would have the means to afford additional surgeries if the need arises. In your early twenties, this may be somewhat of a challenge. But this is certainly an issue that deserves attention for successful planning.

Consult with a Doctor

Consult with a Doctor

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