This is when to get a hair transplant

Hair transplant surgery is a series of cosmetic procedures used to treat hair loss by taking hair from one place to another on your head.

Also known as hair replacement or hair restoration, is part of the several methods used to prevent or treat hair loss, and it involves looking for areas of your scalp with healthy hair growth and taking the grafts from there to put them in the areas of your scalp suffering from thinning or baldness.

Summary:

• When is best to get a hair transplant?
• Why you should wait to get a hair transplantation?
• What happens if you have get transplanted hair too early
• How to prevent hair loss pattern
• Next steps after going through hair transplants
• FAQs about hair transplants

Is it good to wait to get a hair transplant or not?

According to research, around 50% of men suffer from male pattern baldness, and it can occur between their 20s and 30s years of age, with chronic stress symptoms making it worse for the man who suffers it.

By the age of 30, at least one-third of men will suffer from hair loss, and when men turn 70, the possibility of suffering from hair loss will increase up to 80%, according to recent statistics.

Even though losing your hair in your 20s can be very concerning, experts advise waiting until the hair loss rate stabilizes with aging by using first hair loss treatments such as Minoxidil or Finasteride before recurring to hair transplant procedure and deciding when to get hair restoration surgery.

How early can you get a hair transplant?

Despite you can get a hair transplant in your 20s, experts highly recommend waiting until 30 years of age if possible

However, given your particular needs and health conditions, you first need to evaluate all the situations with the aid of an expert to determine when is the right age to consider hair restoration surgery.

What happens if you get a hair transplant too early?

If you decide to recur to a hair transplant in your 20s, perhaps your transplanted zone will suffer from the same hair loss symptoms and the time-money investment will be gone, thus making you more prone to repeat the procedure in order to pause hair loss.

Another consequence of getting a hair transplant too early is that the hair loss will continue to progress for the next decade, and even if the strip of transplanted hair remains healthy, it won’t look natural for the person; which will ultimately need another hair transplant procedure.

Additionally, if you take a hair transplant too young, it is also possible that you end up with patchy looks as you get older since it is harder for the expert to identify your balding pattern and how the hair will recede across time.

For these reasons, you need to evaluate all the options to decide when it’s right for you to go for hair restoration surgery and reap the benefits for yourself.

Is it too late to get a hair transplant?

As we stated earlier, getting a hair transplant too young will bring you a high number of bad consequences; in the same way, getting a hair transplant older – as in your mid or last forties – will also increase the risk that your hair loss cannot be treated via a hair transplant.

Then, the thirties are the best age to get a hair transplant. By that time, your hair loss pattern is already determined, and make that the hair transplant procedure lasts longer, and in better shape.

How to prevent hair loss at a young age?

The best way to prevent hair loss at a young age is:

• Tackle your stress levels, by exercising, meditating, practicing some sports, or doing breathing exercises

• Increase the intake of vitamins such as vitamin C, iron, vitamin D, biotin, and zinc

• Adopt a healthy diet filled with omega-3, fresh fruits, vegetables, and healthy protein sources

• Using prescript medications such as creams

Some hair loss can be ignited by smoking, menopause, pregnancy, and others; so looking for a doctor’s advice is recommended to find the right causes of your hair loss

What happens in a FUE hair transplant?

FUE initials stand for follicular unit extraction and are one of the two hair transplant procedures available.

1. First of all, the doctor will clean the area and inject medicine to numb the place of your scalp where the follicles will be taken.
2. Then, the surgeon will take hair follicles from various parts of the scalp zone selected for the procedure (usually the back and the sides of your head). These zones will heal with small dots, and the existent hair will cover the used areas
3. Next, the doctor will numb the front areas of your scalp that needs the hair transplant to make holes with the aid of a needle or a scalpel
4. When the holes are done, he will delicately place the grafts in there (perhaps with the assistance of other people, depending on the size of your hair transplant)
5. The specialist will then locate the hair grafts following your natural hair angulation and direction to make it look more organic
6. After the graft placing is done, the surgeon or a nurse will cover the treated area with bandages or gauze for a few days

This procedure will take between 4 to 8 hours, and after that, you will need another appointment to determine if another hair transplant session is needed.

You can find out more about the FUE on our blog: What is a FUE hair transplant?

Besides, take into consideration these details about the hair transplant surgery:

• You will likely need between three to four sessions to cover the area according to your expectations
• These sessions can take some months apart to see the evolution of the overall hair transplant
• In the next 2 or 3 weeks after surgery, it is very likely that the hair will fall out, but new hair growth is expected within the next 6 to 9 months
• Some physicians can prescribe hair loss medications such as minoxidil to preserve and improve hair growth rate in the transplanted areas

FAQs about hair transplants

How do hair transplants work?

You can learn the different stages of the procedure over on our blog: How does a hair transplant work?

Do I have to find a hair transplant surgeon in the UK?

Not at all. You can travel overseas to have cosmetic surgery. Lots of clinics offer hair transplant treatment for men and women struggling with hair thinning and loss of their hair follicles.

Thinking about getting a hair transplant in Turkey? Here are reasons to choose Poland, and here is why you should go abroad for surgery.

Do clinics offer hair transplants for those in their early twenties?

Yes, but it can depend on the clinic and the specialist advice of the surgeon who’s qualified in hair restoration.

If you’re of a young age, it might be that your surgeon will have specific guidance and recommendations before you consider a hair transplant.

Can you get a hair transplant if you have alopecia areata?

Yes, if this is something you have discussed with your doctor and is an agreed next course of action. Lots of people who suffer from alopecia areata get hair transplants.

But many people who struggle with thinning hair also consider hair transplants to regrow hair in a healthy way. If this sounds like you, and continue to lose hair, don’t struggle on.

Have a chat with your doctor to see if there are any underlying issues that could be causing this first.

How much does hair transplant cost?

Hair restoration, either follicular unit transplantation FUT or follicular unit extraction FUE, can cost up to £10,000 in the UK.

But in Poland, cosmetic surgery to transplant new hair to the donor site can be as cheap as £2,400, for 1,000 grafts on your head.

Are there any hair transplant alternatives?

Yes. Choosing to have aesthetic surgery is a big step.

You can consider:

• Light treatment
• Steroids
• PRP Platelet-rich plasma
• Adjusting your diet

Are there any side effects after you’ve transplanted hair follicles?

There can be side effects, depending which country, clinic and surgeon you visit. That’s why it’s so important to find the right plastic surgeon for you.

Side effects can be:

• Swollen scalp
• Tiny scars
• Allergic reaction
• Temporary scabbing near the donor area

Lots of clinics around the world will tell you that they perform hair transplants but you have to make sure they are qualified and experienced before you undergo any FUE hair transplants.

If you’re thinking about the benefits of hair transplants, send us your details and we’ll be in touch. Dr. Marwan Saifi will make the right recommendations for your individual hair follicles because your happiness, confidence and self esteem is at the heart of what we do.

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