Know What to Expect: The Basics
Quite simply, a hair transplant is a process in which we take hair from the areas where you have more, then carefully and artfully transplant it where it’s needed. Requiring anywhere from four to eight hours, this is a procedure that is proven and natural-born when in the right hands. While the fundamental process is the same, every surgeon makes many choices and utilizes specific and very different techniques. Every one makes a significant impact in how successful your restoration will be, and that makes your decision anything but simple.
Q: Where does donor hair come from?
A: Male and female patterned hair loss is secondary to genetics and the hormone Dihydrotesterone (DHT). While hair on the top and front of the head is susceptible to the thinning effects of the DHT hormone, hair on the sides and back of your head isn’t. We use these areas where you have more hair to act as a “hair bank” for those where you don’t.
Q: How do I know if I’m a candidate for restoration?
A: While an office visit is absolutely essential to answer this question, the short answer is most men and women with realistic goals can get great results. Your age and the extent of your hair loss are also very important factors. Getting a transplant too young or when you’ve just begun noticing hair loss is unwise. Your hair loss pattern can change significantly and alter the effect
of a transplant’s placement strategy. A premature procedure may be outgrown as time passes
and loss progresses.
Q: What about the hair loss pattern?
A: Again, hair loss will continue and threatens the longevity of your transplant’s natural effect. Typically, the average male patient loses approximately 4% density each year. For example, a 30% density will be decimated to 10% within 5 years, yet transplanted areas will remain the same. It’s imperative that every transplant is designed with this in mind, and not simply filled in for an instant gratification that expires quickly.
Q: How do I know if my hair transplant goals are realistic?
A: Only by having a thorough consultation with an experienced, formally trained physician. Of course, every patient should expect and demand completely natural results. The primary limitation to hair transplantations is that every patient has a fixed and limited amount of “good genetic” hair that can be transferred to the thinning area. A patient with more extensive hair loss may not be able to maintain a “full head of hair look”, however it still should look completely natural.
Q: Why is it important to understand this limitation of hair transplants?
A: Understanding this limitation and how it applies to your particular degree of hair loss is crucial to determining if you have realistic expectations and is really one of the most important factors in making an informed decision about your treatment options.
Q: How many procedures are needed?
A: There is no preprogrammed answer to that question. Determining factors include:
Therefore, some patients only need a single transplant. Others need one today and return in two or twenty years to fill in where nature and destiny have taken action. Even concurrent procedures should be timed no sooner than every 9-12 months. This allows each transplant to achieve its full result, as density improves over time.
A premature procedure may also damage some previously transplanted hair that isn’t given the chance to reach its potential. Since The McAndrews Method leaves virtually no visible scarring in the recipient area (the thinning area), there’s no way to pinpoint exactly where new follicles may be getting ready to go to work.
Q: Will it keep growing?
A: Yes, thanks to a phenomenon called “donor dominance” transplanted hair always grows
as well as it did in its area of origin. The only vulnerabilities are damaged follicles or poor transplantations, and our method virtually eliminates those risks.
Q: Are the medical therapies necessary?
A: Hair transplants fill in areas of baldness or thinning but they cannot stop the progressive nature of hair loss. Only the medical therapies (Propecia and Minoxidil) can slow and stop the progression of hair loss. While many doctors do not encourage the use of these medical therapies in conjunction with hair transplants, The McAndrews Method advocates them. You should use every weapon in your arsenal to prevent further hair loss, which ultimately may benefit the patient by minimizing the need for future surgeries.