Hair Transplant | Female Hair Transplant - Concerned That My Hair Appears Thinner Than It Was Before The Surgery

Female Hair Transplant - Concerned That My Hair Appears Thinner Than It Was Before The Surgery

I had a hair transplant done October 08. I had stress hair loss on the upper back portion of my head from consistently wearing  bobby pins in the same spot day and night for years. I found a surgeon through a referral from a friend, we decided on 1000 grafts. On the morning of surgery, I asked for some grafts to be put in the front as it was thinner than it had been when I was younger, I am 49 yrs.old. In all, he put 1200 grafts in the problem area and 375 in the frontal area. Each micrograft was to yield 1 - 3 hairs. The large area is coming in and I can see new growth in the front, but the front is so much thinner than it was prior to surgery, I can’t even conceal it! Needless to say I am very distressed. I contacted the doctor’s office and they said it could be shock and it should grow back. Can I expect it to grow back? Should I be using any product to help the growth? Sincerely, Joyce
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Dear Joyce:

Thank you for your letter.  Based on your explanation of the surgery and the number of grafts, I would have to agree with the answer you received from the doctor’s office. The fact that the frontal area is thinner than it was prior to surgery suggests that you have shock loss. The amount of time since surgery is also consistent with the period of maximal thinning but the good news is that you are starting to see new growth. It is very distressing to see the area thinner than it was before, but from this point on the grafts will be growing and many of the hairs that suffered the “shock” should start growing as well, giving you good coverage in the months to come.

There are no specific treatments to hasten the growth but certainly the use of minoxidil would not hurt.

Thank you again for your letter.

Sincerely,
James A.  Harris, MD, FACS
Member, International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons
Member, American Hair Loss Association

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