My Hair Transplant Has Caused My Hair To Fall Out More, Is This Irreversible?

I had a hair transplant over 14 months ago and I have never been more worried or stressed. I read your article on shock loss and I fear my hair loss may be permanent. I had a full head of hair going into the surgery, just a little thin at the front, and after the surgery hair would come out in handfuls in the shower. Now I’m grasping for hair to put into a ponytail. It’s a significant amount of loss, and yes it’s been over a year and I have seen no growth. please tell me? does this sound like it’s irreversible? -Denise
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Dear Denise,

It is difficult to predict how severe shock loss will be prior to surgery.  If the hairs that were lost were permanent hairs, they would typically have regrown at the same time the grafts did—within 3-6 months.  One thing that shock loss can do is accelerate a pattern that would have occurred anyway (without treatment), by putting the hair into its rest phase (telogen) in response to an inciting event (stress, surgery, etc).   Hairs affected by shock loss that were permanent, should have grown back in by now.  If you are not using it, you may benefit from the application of topical minoxidil.  The new 5% foam may be easier to use than the liquid form.  Read more

Should I Get a Hair Transplant Now Or Wait For New Future Alternatives Such As Hair Cloning?

I am considering hair transplant surgery and I am aware of the high cost of this procedure. I recently saw a documentary that informed viewers that “new and more efficient” methods will be introduced within the next couple of years, these methods will be a more effective alternative to hair transplants, “or so they say.” Italian hair transplant surgeons are already cloning hair follicles. Can you give me any more information on what kind of “new methods” are going to be introduced. Should I wait? I do not want to spend all of my savings on a hair transplant if I can just wait for the more efficient and effective methods to be introduced. I have unsuccessfully researched for countless hours online to find out more information. Anything you can tell me would be helpful.
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Hello and thank you for your question.  Without going into detail about the status of research efforts directed toward hair loss worldwide, let me just summarize by saying that while there are many promising techniques currently in their infancy (stem cell research, cloning, gene therapy, new drugs, etc) none of them are likely to translate into concrete clinical applications for quite some time.  Read more

Is It Possible To Keep a Shaved Head Military Cut After a Hair Transplant?

This might seem like a silly question, but can I keep my head shaved to a military cut if I have a hair transplant?  I’d like to just lower my hairline to kind of make a shadow where there is currently no hair. I like to wear my hair very short and think that if I lower the hairline that I would look a lot better. Can this be accomplished with a hair transplant and will it be noticeable?
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First of all I’m glad you took the time to write before jumping into surgery. Before I continue, I would like to make it clear that I am NOT a physician, and the information provided in this response is my opinion based on over a decade of experience as a consumer advocate for men and women suffering with hair loss.

This is a great question and a more common one than you might think. The short answer would be yes. It is possible to have a hair transplant and to keep your head shaved to a military cut. However, the reality of the situation is that a favorable outcome depends on several factors. First and foremost, in my opinion, a traditional, strip method hair transplant is out of the question. Even in the most capable hands, you will be left with some degree of a linear scar across the back of your head, which will not be camouflaged by the surrounding hair if you plan on shaving down. Read more

Can Hair Loss From Anabolic Steriods Be Reversed?

Can hair loss from anabolic steroids be reversed? When I was in college I experimented with a couple of cycles of anabolic steroids. As a baseball player most of us used them to compete. Luckily I came to my senses in my senior year and stopped cold turkey. I noticed during that time that my hair began to thin. It continued to thin several months after I stopped using and then the shedding just topped. It’s now four years later and while my hair has not gotten worse, the hair I lost never grew back.

Is it possible to reverse hair loss caused by anabolic steroids or is this just one of the adverse side effects of steroids use that I will have to live with?
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Anabolic steroids can accelerate hair loss in men or women genetically predisposed to androgenic alopecia.  Certain medications could possibly reverse your hair loss, but it is not likely.  These medications include Propecia and Minoxidil.  At some point your hair loss may begin to progress again.  Medications can help prevent or slow down the future thinning or loss of hair.  You could try a course of medications for 6 to 12 months to see how you respond.  If there is no improvement after one year, you are not likely to see any future benefit in terms of increased hair though progression of hair loss might be limited by
future use of medications.  If you still desire to restore your hair at that point, you might want to consider an evaluation for you suitability for hair transplant surgery.

John Cole, MD
Member, International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons
Member, American Hair Loss Association

Recent Skin Cancer Removal From The Scalp Left Behind a Bald Spot - Can a Hair Transplant Fix This?

I recently had some skin cancer removed from my scalp.  Much to my dismay, I was left with a sizeable bald spot.  Even further disappointing was to learn the hair probably won’t grow back there.  Can a hair transplant procedure make hair grow in this area again?
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I’m sorry to hear about your troubles, but rest-assured, you are not alone in having this problem.  With certain kinds of skin cancers, it is important to make sure you remove every speck of the cancer by cutting out a wide margin around the lesion.  This “better safe than sorry” approach is understandable when you consider the risk versus the reward in such cases.  Taking a smaller piece of tissue would certainly leave a smaller scar and, in this case, a smaller bald area.  The tradeoff for this improved cosmetic appearance, however, is that you run the risk of missing a little bit of the cancerous tissue.  Any tissue left behind could regain its size and possibly spread to other organs.  Read more

Can an FUE Hair Transplant Be Performed on an Afro-Caribbean Man With Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia (CCCA) ?

My boyfriend has a form of CCCA (Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia) as well as mild Follicutis Keloidalis on the nape of his neck. I am looking to get him the FUE procedure done (Follicle unit extraction) and wanted to know if you guys can deal with or specialize in Afro-caribbean scalps and hair types. I can send photos of his scalp if needed.
Kind regards,
Leeanne
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Dear Leeanne:

Thank you for your letter and question. The diagnosis of a scarring alopecia, such as CCCA, will require that there is evidence that the process is not active before surgical intervention may be considered. There is no correct answer as to when surgery may be performed but there should probably be a minimum of one year during which there is no active inflammation. The dermatologist that is following your friend should be able to assist in this determination. There is also a risk that the condition can be reactivated by surgery in the involved areas. Occasionally a “test session” can be performed to see if this is a possibility. CCCA, also called “hot comb” alopecia, has been linked to physical and chemical trauma of the scalp by certain hair-care practices. I will assume that if this is the cause of your friend’s hair loss, these practices have been discontinued. Read more

Female Hair Transplant - After Three Procedures I Am Noticing Further Hair Loss, Did The Hair Transplants Not Take?

I have undergone 3 hair transplant procedures and thought that they were successful.  However, recently  I have noticed further hair loss and am concerned that the hair transplants may not really be working for me, especially since reading that very, very few women are good candidates.  It is difficult to tell if I am seeing just the normal loss of my hair or if the transplants did not take.    Before I decide to have another procedure I want to be very sure that I am really a good candidate for the procedure. Thank you so much for your help.  - Lauren
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Lauren,

Thank you for taking the time to write.  Let me try to answer your question as best I can without seeing you and examining your scalp.

Hair loss, by its very nature, is relentlessly progressive.  This is why a hair restoration surgeon takes into account future hair loss when planning a transplant - they must place hair in areas that might need hair in the future in addition to the areas that have already lost hair.  In women, this problem can be worsened by the surgery itself - that is to say - if a hair is at the end of its life cycle, it may have its final “shed” at the time of surgery.  This is mitigated by the fact that the new hair you get from the surgery is permanent so you end up ahead in the long run, surgeons are just usually more cautious with their female patients.  Additionally, you do not mention what type of hair loss you have; is it androgenetic alopecia (female pattern hair loss), alopecia areata, or hair loss due to other medical problems? Read more

Is It Normal To Experience Hair Loss After a Hair Transplant?

I recently had a hair transplant with a very reputable doctor. I am about 3 months into the process post op and have noticed some hair loss in the frontal area. Surgery was easy, recovery excellent, but loss of frontal area is noticeable, in spite of continued use of both Propecia and 5% Minoxidil. The doctor did seem surprised, but said both grafts and original permanent hair should grow back. Should I be concerned? And, what else can I do? - Michael
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Shedding of some of the patient’s existing hair in and around the area of a hair transplant is a relatively common occurrence and should not be a cause of concern. The mechanism appears to be a normal physiologic response of the body to the stress of surgery – i.e., site creation, adrenaline in the anesthetic etc. Some doctors claim that their techniques are so impeccable that their patients do not experience shedding. This is clearly a false claim. Read more

In Need of Scar Revision From Coronal Browlift - Should I Go To a Hair Transplant Surgeon or a Plastic Surgeon?

I had a coronal browlift done 7 years ago and was left with a widened scar on my head.  I just went to a facial plastic surgeon who recommended a scar revision, basically just to strip off the scar skin and close it with trichophytic closure.  I wonder if a hair transplant surgeon can perform this better than a plastic surgeon because he told me that this technique was first invented by a hair surgeon.  Is there anything, like the tools or practices that would make the hair transplant surgeon a better choice? Thanks. - John
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The challenge when repairing widened browlift scars is that many of the same conditions that were present when the original incision was made still exist-  the tightness of the scalp, the curved shape of the skull in that area, and the general healing mechanism of the patient.  Therefore, many times, scar repairs, whereby the scar tissue is excised and the incision opened up then sutured close, wind up with somewhat to little improvement. Yes, the trichophytic technique can make for a less detectable scar by allowing hairs to grow through the scar, but if the incision is closed under tension, there will still be some moderate show of scar.
That being said, it usually makes sense to try a scar repair to see how much if any improvement is possible.  It has been my experience that, in many cases, transplanting hair into these browlift scars is very successful.
These hairs will in fact grow right through the scar, when proper techniques are used.  You can see some examples of these procedures by going through some different doctors’ websites on the internet. Read more

Searching For a Reputable Hair Transplant Surgeon

I am 24 years old and looking into options to maintain my thinning hair.  Hair transplant surgery is something I’m pondering, but I would like to fully inform myself with information from a credible doctor/surgeon. I’ve seen some non-biased studies and I’m intrigued, so the next step would be a consultation.  Herein lies my concern.

I see you have an extensive list of experts listed on your site.  Do any of these hair transplant surgeons work for Bosley or Medical Hair Restoration?

If so, I could at least ask these questions in confidence.  If not, could you give me some contact info for a good surgeon that may not work for such a high profile practice?

Thank you,
Ryan

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Dear Ryan,

First and foremost, it is important to fully understand the hair transplant process and to assess whether or not you are even a candidate for the procedure. I’m glad you found the IAHRS since, in my opinion, the internet is an extremely dangerous place to attempt to find accurate and objective information on surgical hair restoration. Read more