Post Hair Loss Questions and Get Answers

This question was posed by a hair loss sufferer seeking hair loss help on our hair restoration forum and answered by Dr. William Lindsey of Reston, VA who is one of our recommended hair restoration physicians. His professional answer is below.

How long does one need to stop drinking and smoking before and after hair transplant surgery?

A lot of literature discusses the increased risk of infection and skin slough (loss) in smokers undergoing hair replacement surgery. Although this is much more risky in facial surgery (in which I require patients to stop smoking for 10 days prior to (more important than after actually))surgery); wound infection is more likely in any surgery in smokers. I advise all hair transplant patients of this and strongly suggest they quit prior to hair restoration surgery. The issue is that smoking decreases the oxygen delivery in small blood vessel areas; and although the scalp is EXTREMELY vascular, I am concerned about the local blood supply to the dense packed individual follicles being compromised by smoking and decreasing graft survival.

As to alcohol; the main concern is anticoagulation: turning a dry surgical field in which dense packing is doable into a bloody field with popping of the transplanted hair and prolonged surgical time; and decreased hair growth yield.

So, we recommend strongly, no smoking or drinking for 10 days prior to hair replacement surgery.

William Lindsey, M.D.

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Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: hair loss, hair loss help, hair transplant, hair replacement, hair transplant patient, hair restoration, dense pack, dense packing, transplanted hair, hair growth

The Hair Transplant Network is a patient driven hair restoration community giving hair loss sufferers and hair transplant patients a chance to learn about and share their hair loss and hair restoration experiences, results, and photos online. Balding men and women seeking real hair loss solutions can view these hair transplant photos or share their own experiences by visiting www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/blog.

In addition, we will be featuring a few hair loss weblogs each week for our Hair Transplant Network newsletter subscribers.

This hair transplant patient received a hair transplant megasession of 4000 follicular unit grafts with Dr. True, a well respected member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Surgeons. These hair grafts were spaced out over a large bald area covering his entire head. Be sure also to check out his hair restoration video posted on our hair restoration discussion forum. This hair transplant procedure is a perfect example of how hair characteristics play an important role in the overall appearance of the result.

Another hair transplant patient received over 7000 follicular unit grafts in 2 hair transplant megasessions with Dr. Hasson, also a well respected member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Surgeons. This patient went from a level 5 on the Norwood Scale to receiving virtually a full head of hair. Needless to say this hair transplant patient is very satisfied with his results.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: hair restoration, hair transplant, hair loss, Balding, hair transplant megasession, follicular unit grafts, hair grafts, bald, hair transplant procedure

Help, I’m pregnant and losing hair.  Why is this happening to me? 

From what I understand and have read - pregnant women can experience thinning hair due to hormone changes in the body.  If your hair is thinning as a result of these hormonal changes, you could be experiencing telogen effluvium - a condition of diffuse thinning of the hair caused by varying hormonal changes/stress factors.  The good news is hair loss caused by hormonal changes/stress is typically reversible.

Dr. Wiliam Rassman, a well respected member of our Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians states on our hair restoration discussion forums:

“Telogen effluvium is a condition of losing hair and it may happen due to different stimulations. One example of it is in women who have just delivered a baby. This condition could be reversible, if patient is not prone to some type of genetic hair loss. A microscopic examination of patient’s scalp can tell us more about the type of the hair loss. Patients may also need a thorough medical evaluation to rule out the other treatable medical causes of hair loss that are often seen in women.”

And…

“Telogen effluvium (TE) is a type of hair loss, which is characterized by a diffuse hair shedding. It usually has a rapid onset but a chronic type is also reported. It is generally a reaction to medications, metabolic and hormonal changes. TE is generally a reversible process, if it happens to normal hair. On the other hand if hair is miniaturized, TE can precipitate the loss that could be irreversible. This is exactly what happens in shock loss after hair transplant surgery when patients lose their miniaturized hair.  Some common causes of TE are:

Technorati Tags: losing hair, pregnant women, thinning hair, telogen effluvium, diffuse thinning, hair restoration, genetic hair loss, hair loss, TE, hair shedding, hair transplant, miniaturized hair

I had a hair transplant several years ago and am very satisfied with my new hair.  However, I prefer to wear my hair short as a buzz cut but when I do, my scar is showing.  How can I successfully conceal my scar? 

Thanks for you inquiry,

There are several ways you can conceal a donor scar, however, one thing your hair transplant doctor should have told you is that wearing a buzz cut (depending on the length of the clip) will most likely not be possible without revealing a bit of your surgical scar.  The way I see it you have a few options:

1. You can try a concealor such as dermatch or toppik on the scar to camoflauge your hair transplant scar.
2. Grow your hair a bit longer so your existing hair covers your scar
3. Consider scar repair surgery.  You can find more information scar repair here.

I hope this helps.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: hair transplant, hair transplant doctor, dermatch, toppik, hair transplant scar

Will I be able to obtain a full head of hair with a Hair Transplant?

Many people ask if they will be able to obtain a full head of hair with hair transplantation. What people typically mean when they ask this question is “Will I be able to restore my hair to look like the good old high school days (or maybe Junior High for some)?” For some, this may be more possible than others, depending on the level of hair loss one is experiencing, however, before we answer this question, let’s take a look at some specifics regarding this topic.

One has a finite supply of donor tissue that can be removed for hair transplantation during Follicular Unit Transplantation (regardless of number of sessions). Additionally, there are only so many hairs that can be extracted using the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) or the Follicular Isolation Technique (FIT) without the donor area looking moth-eaten. Because there is a limitation of how many donor hairs can be taken, clearly these grafts/hairs should be used wisely, taking into consideration factors like hair density verses coverage. Clearly those with lesser amounts of hair loss can use their grafts to dense up existing balding areas (assuming their hair loss is under control), whereas those with greater amounts of hair loss has to sacrifice one or the other, density or coverage. One can choose to add density to the frontal area of their scalp for example and leave the crown bald, or choose to cover the whole area whereas density will be sacrificed.

Technorati Tags: hair transplantation, hair loss, Follicular Unit Transplantation, Follicular Unit Extraction, FUE, Follicular Isolation Technique, FIT, donor hairs, hair density

How much pain will I feel during Hair Transplantation Surgery?

One thing to consider is that this is a subjective question since everyone has varying thresholds of pain. That being said, please understand that the following is based on my hair transplant surgical experience

The most pain I felt during the hair transplantation surgical process is when they injected me with anesthetic using needles.

The process will be similar to this:

You will be poked with a needle probably about 5-10 times or so in the donor area (sides and back of your head) and poked about 3-5 times in the forehead (from side to side). Depending on how fast the anesthetic wears off, you may have to get a few more injections throughout the day increasing this number. Subsequent injections tend to be less painful since the area is still partly numb. Some injections typically sting more than others…it’s just the nature of needles. But the good news is, the pain is brief and relatively minor in my experience.

People have asked me to rate the pain on a scale of 0-10 to give them a better idea of what the pain feels like. Remember that this is based on my pain tolerance and experience. On a scale of 0-10 where 0 is the no pain at all and 10 is excruciating pain, I’d give the injections about a 1-3 depending upon the area. The experience of getting the injections is very similar to getting a shot with a needle.

Technorati Tags: hair transplant, hair transplantation

Am I Too Young For a Hair Transplant?

Unfortunately, the answer isn’t a simple yes or no, though some have made it that simple, sadly.  Admittedly, this topic is very controversial.  The point of my answer here is to help you make up your own mind over this one while still presenting all the issues.  My opinion is also shared based on my experience.  Let the facts guide you rather than emotion.

Education is the key to everything.  The more you know, the more you can make an informed decision.  It’s vital and even critical that you know as much as you can about what you are getting yourself into, regardless of whether it’s hair transplantation or another topic altogether.  It is important that you understand what this process is like and all the risks that go along with it. 

Let’s list some of the key reasons why getting a hair transplant at a young age is risky:

1. Hair loss is unpredictable.   Those who just start losing their hair typically aren’t good candidates for a hair transplant (no matter what their age)
2. The earlier you start losing your hair, the more hair you MAY lose.  This is not a definite thing, but the risk factor certainly goes up.  It’s a sad truth that we must be aware of.

Technorati Tags: hair transplantation, hair transplant, Hair loss

Many people ask about hair transplantation on our hair restoration discussion forum and the best way to go about it.   Before anyone can advise them, however, it’s important that they consider the answers to the following standard questions:

1. Age: How old are you? Age can be a determining factor as to whether or not you are a good candidate for a hair transplant. Typically, the younger one is, the riskier it is to jump into surgery. Hair loss is unpredictable and donor supply is limited. Young people should proceed with caution when considering a hair transplant. I recommend that the younger folks read “Am I too young for a hair transplant”.

2.  Norwood Scale and Graft Calculation: What level are you on the Norwood scale of hair loss? The Norwood scale will give a person a good idea as to how many grafts they would need in the event that they are a good candidate for an HT. Take your calculated Norwood level and multiple it by 1000 (conservative) to 1500 (liberal) grafts and that will determine approximately how many grafts are needed to achieve “decent” coverage and density of your balding regions. You might want to consider using our animated graft calculator .  Additional animations can be found here.

Technorati Tags: hair transplantation, hair transplant, Hair loss, Norwood Scale, Norwood

Hair transplant patients have been sharing their hair restoration experiences on our discussion forum for over seven years. But this past year free weblogs were made available to all who chose to document their hair restoration experience.

This past weekend the 100th hair loss weblog was created and went live on the Hair Transplant Network. These weblogs enable patients to share their experience and photos over time by keeping a journal. Visitors can also post comments to these blogs and or email the blog authors.

If you are in the process of restoring your hair and would like to document your journey visit www.HairTransplantNetwork.com/blog and create your own free weblog.

Best wishes for a successful and well document hair restoration journey.
Pat - Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog. To share ideas with other hair loss sufferers visit our Hair Restoration Discussion Forum.

Technorati Tags: Hair transplant, hair restoration

One of the benefits of sharing your experience and photos online is that you get feedback and support. Author your own free weblog at www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/blog and get direct feedback and comments posted on your personal blog.

Hair restoration is a journey. So it can be great to have others along for the ride.

This community’s Hair Loss Weblogs make it easy to publish your own website/blog documenting your hair restoration or hair transplant experience. Once you have registered you can login at any time to update it, edit your information or deactivate it.

Creating Your Hair Loss Weblog:

Step 1) Register - Visit www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/blog and click on “Sign up and create your own Hair Loss Weblog”. You will then register by creating a name and password for your weblog. A confirmation message containing your login ID and password will then be emailed to you. Click on the link in the message to activate your free weblog account.

Step 2) Create your Weblog - Login to create your hair loss weblog. You will be prompted to provide a photo of yourself and information to create your profile. After this you answer a few questions to provide details about your hair restoration experience. You can then update your Journal with new photos and comments over time.

Thanks for sharing your experience and advice by authoring a Hair Loss Weblog.

Pat, Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center

Technorati Tags: Hair restoration, hair transplant, Hair Loss