I scar, bleed, bruise and keloid easily… will this affect the outcome of a hair transplant? Would I be better off going with FUE or the strip procedure, or does it even matter? Thanks.
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If you bleed or bruise easily then you may potentially have more temporary bruising following the hair transplant, but it will not affect the ultimate outcome of the hair transplant.  If you scar badly or keloid this ultimately could cause a problem in the donor area, however this will not affect the ultimate survival of the grafts in the recipient area.   However the scalp is typically an area that heals amazingly well when it comes to scarring compared to other parts of the body.  I have done several hair transplants on patients whose donor scar healed excellent even thought they have bad scars or keloids on other parts of the body.

Would I be better off going with FUE or the strip procedure, or does it even matter?

This answer to this question is complex.  Read the Story

How young is too young to have a hair transplant? I am currently 20 years old and have lost about 40% of my hair. I just began taking Propecia which seems to be working for me so I was wondering if it were possible for me to have a hair transplant to fill in what I have lost these past 3 years?
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This is a really sensitive topic and a difficult decision to make, with very differing doctor’s opinions. The easiest and most ethical decision for the physician to make is not to treat a young patient at all. However this decision will not relieve the young patient from his suffering due to his early hair loss. In determining whether to treat or not to treat a young patient, it is important to know if he is not traumatized too much by his hair loss. This could possibly manifest in a lack of self-confidence, in social withdrawal or sometimes even in suicidal thoughts. Young men suffering from Alopecia Androgenetica are usually estimated to be much older and are also considered to be less attractive by society. Even professionally, people are judged by their appearances for a large part. Some men can deal easily with their hair loss others cannot and search for an enduring solution. I attempt to offer people who consult me the possibility to feel better about themselves. Of course I would first consider if a medicinal therapy would be an appropriate treatment for the patient. Using a medicinal therapy such as Finasteride (Propecia®) or Minoxidil (Rogaine®) could diminish further hair loss and could buy time for patients with a severe form of MPB. Read the Story

I’m a police officer who had a hair transplant three years ago. I was told that I would have no problem wearing a military cut on the job but now I have a very noticeable scar from the surgery straight across the back of my head. I specifically asked the person I signed up with if this would be an issue and he said absolutely not. That’s the only reason I decided on going through with the hair transplant. Now I’m always being asked about it. I am wondering if it could be fixed. Also is it unusual not to have the opportunity speak with the doctor until the day of the hair transplant? This was my experience.

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I am sorry to hear your story. It is my firm position as a professional that you have had your patient rights violated in a number of ways. It is beyond my comprehension why a physician was not involved with your initial consultation for a surgical procedure. Unfortunately, there are various surgical hair restoration offices that utilize so-called “expert consultants”, often to the detriment of proper patient education. These individuals often wear a white coat, like a doctor, so as to generate a sense of professionalism and competence. Unfortunately, these individuals are often nothing more than a sales-person for the clinic they represent. Read the Story

I am 70 years old and considering a hair transplant. My wife thinks it is complete absurdity and won’t even discuss it with me, but it is something I would like to do for myself. What else am I going to spend my money on? I can’t take it with me when I die, so why not have more hair for the rest of my time on this earth. My hair probably most resembles Jack Nicholson in hair loss pattern and thinness. Do I qualify for this procedure?
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I see no reason why your age would disqualify you. If your hair loss bothers you, why not take advantage of a relatively easy but consistently successful procedure? Follicular unit hair transplantation is a minimally invasive, outpatient operation with an easy recuperation period and very few side effects (almost all of which would fall in the nuisance category rather than dangerous). If your hair resembles Jack Nicholson’s, it would be simple to create a hairline that reframes the upper portion of your face.

Being 70 years old actually offers 2 small advantages. First, at your age the necessity of utilizing medications such as Propecia or Rogaine to save the remaining hair is less important. Second, the donor scar in older patients tends to be much less noticeable. However, your age could also be a disadvantage. Read the Story

My sister underwent a hair transplant two years ago and is very unhappy with her results. To tell you the truth, to me it looks like she has much less hair than when she started this whole thing. The hair that she has in the front looks kind of artificial to me. I know she is very unhappy and I’d like to help her if I can. Do you think having another hair transplant by a reputable member of your organization is a good idea or do you think she is destined to wear a wig?- – - – - – - – - -

Thank you for your inquiry. There are several issues with your sister’s transplant that need to be addressed. The first one is the issue regarding her “artificial” appearing result. Reputable, experienced physicians should be able to create a frontal hairline that appears totally undetectable as a transplant. Some of the factors that may cause an unnatural appearance are the use of grafts with too many hairs, improper direction or angulation of hairs, or a hairline that is too “linear.” Read the Story

Hello, I am a 36 yr old female that has been dealing with thinning hair for a number of yrs. My hair loss is in my temporal region as well as at the top of my head. I am being treated for low iron (a current ferritin count of 46) and for sub-clinical hypothyroidism (current TSH level .098, before treatment; 2.9). My iron levels were much lower and have been stable for 1 ? yrs now so I am assuming that although it may have contributed to my overall thinning, it is not the only cause. My thyroid treatments have been going on for only 3 months so I have yet to see whether some regrowth may happen due to my new TSH levels.

I am adopted but I believe I may have a genetic disposition to thinning as a half-sister is apparently also dealing with this issue. I met with a dermatologist who specializes in hair transplantation and he said I have nothing to worry about in terms of balding but suggested I try Minoxidil if I was concerned. I have not yet started using the product as I am concerned with the initial shedding that can happen and fear that I will lose more without any regrowth. I know the density of hair I had in my 20’s and I know that I am definitely thinner (much) than in my younger years. I am very concerned with this and am interested in learning more of the drugs propecia, nizoral etc. I would welcome any correspondence and advice you could offer. Given my situation would I be a candidate for a hair transplant? I am finding this to be a very scary and upsetting– help!
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Hi there, and thanks for the question. Both iron deficiency and thyroid abnormalities can contribute to hair loss. It sounds as though you have wisely corrected your iron deficiency for an adequate length of time to see any effects on your hair growth. However, the 3 months time period during which your thyroid deficiency has been corrected is not nearly enough time to see a reversal of hair loss caused by this problem. Read the Story

Please let me know what you think. I’m 19 years old and had a hair transplant last year with The Hair Club. I think things went well, but I don’t seem to have much more hair than when I started. My doctor said that it’s because I am still losing hair but when I went in for my consultation the counselor told me that all I would need was one hair transplant to get my hair line back. I had 1000 follicular units transplanted into my temple area and front hair line. It also seems like some of the hairs are going in different directions which makes it impossible to style without hairspray. What do you think I should do now, have another hair transplant or start taking propecia?
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Many hair restoration surgeons would have preferred that you wait longer rather than transplanting at age 19 but I did not see you in person and your doctor did. I do not want to second guess on a patient whom I have never seen. I will simply say that the majority of 19 year olds are better off waiting longer before beginning transplantation. Read the Story