I am planning of getting married  in June 2009. I would like to have a hair transplant before my wedding to improve my appearance. I am not happy with the way I look in pictures right now, so it would be nice to have some more hair for my wedding photos and of course just for me.

How long before June should I plan of having the hair transplant? Also, how long will it take me to heal and grow my hair to a reasonable length?

Thank you in advance.
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The first question to address is what area of the head you are transplanting. The crown area takes longer to grow in then the front.  The hair transplant will not start growing for at least three months and it takes at least 6 months to see any dramatic change. If you are transplanting into a thinning area then you have to be concerned with shock loss. Read the Story

I had one hair transplant procedure some 12 years ago which has left me with a lengthy single incision scar from the donar area, to me the worse decision I have ever made. I now keep my hair clipped short leaving the scar very visible.

I am constantly depressed and do not know if there is anything that can be done to correct my scaring. I live in the UK and wonder if there is a reputable person/organization where I can seek help and advice. – Andrew
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Dear Andrew,

You say it was the “worst decision you made”, but I am not clear if you are happy or not with your transplanted hair. Also your email clearly shows you are unhappy with your donor scar, but you do not describe whether it is the normal and expected variety or a widened scar. Having your hair very short obviously exposes the scar and if you do not wish to have further surgery then I recommend a slightly longer hair style. You need to appreciate that hair transplant techniques when done according to today’s incredible standards and in the right hands is a million years away from 12 years ago. Read the Story

I have read some accounts of hair transplant patients losing hair around their donor area in the back of their heads to shock loss. Is this something that happens often? I’m considering having a hair transplant but this concerns me.
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Shock loss is very unusual in the donor area. When it does occur, there are generally two causes: 1.) If a very wide donor strip is taken and closed (sutured together) under very significant tension.  2.)  If the patient has had a previous surgery and the new donor  strip is taken above or below the previous scar leaving a vulnerable area of hair in between. Read the Story

Can you provide a list of possible complications associated with undergoing a hair transplant? For instance the likelihood of getting an infection or any other serous complications. Is this even possible?
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Fortunately, the risk of complications is low when surgeons perform hair transplantation using modern surgical techniques.  This has to do with the fact that techniques have been refined over the years and the scalp has such a rich vascular supply giving it the ability to heal well after surgery.  Complications from hair transplantation can be divided into procedure specific and aesthetic specific.  It is important for the physician to discuss the possible complications that can occur with their patients prior to the procedure.

Although there are a multitude of complications that are possible, I will focus on the more relevant ones that patients should be aware of:

•    As with any surgical procedure, bleeding (hematoma) and infection are possible with surgical hair restoration, but rare; in fact, there are many hair restoration surgeons who do not place their patients on antibiotics because the risk of infection is so low.
•    Scarring at the donor site can be minimal or excessive.  The fact is that some people have intrinsic factors that cause them to develop a small scar, while others have a genetic propensity to scar more.  However, despite a person’s ability to heal, if the surgeon is aggressive in harvesting the strip resulting in significant tension at the wound, or their closure methods are poor, a larger then acceptable scar may develop.   Read the Story

Is it possible to get eyebrow plugs? Or like an eyebrow hair transplant? The bottom needs to be filled out, and I have some bald spots. If a procedure like this is available, how much would it cost? -Rhonda
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Yes, eyebrow transplants are possible, and when performed properly, can provide a very close to natural appearing result. These are challenging procedures, from both an aesthetic as well as technical aspect, requiring the placement of many single hair grafts at just the correct angle and direction to mimic Mother Nature.  For some patients, the procedure is performed to completely restore eyebrows that are all but missing, but in most patients, the goal is to provide more density and/or fill in areas of thinning.  Read the Story

Posted on Bald Truth Talk Hair Transplant Forums

What is the downside of going to a clinic that uses traveling techs? I mean if the techs are REALLY skilled wouldn’t they just be spreading their good tech ways across the various hair transplant clinics they work for?
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Traveling techs are a big problem in this field.

Most doctors who hire them have no idea who these people really are or what their backgrounds are. Regardless, these doctors hire them to work on the scalps of their unsuspecting patients. This is a violation of patient trust that boarders on the criminal IMO.

How would you like it if during a your procedure you found out that one or more of the techs working on you was a stranger to the practice and to the doctor himself? That the person didn’t live in that area and had no allegiance  to that doctor or practice? That if things got rough, they could just disappear without any accountability? Not a comforting feeling, is it? Read the Story